Alia Atreides got out of the thopter and went to Sietch Tabr's entrance.
Stilgar greeted her there.
"Where are they?" she asked him.
"I'm not sure. They were here in the middle of the night, but not in the morning," Stilgar said.
"Paul would be furious," Alia said, looking around.
"I'm truly sorry my lady," Stilgar said.
"No Stil. It's fine. Let's go into the sietch and wait for their return."
They went inside the sietch.
Leto Atreides and his twin sister Ghanima Atreides rode a worm back to Sietch Tabr.
"Did you see the thopter? Alia is already there," Ghanima said.
"I saw it. We're almost there," Leto said.
"I feel strange. Like we are heading towards something that cannot be dodged by a simple sidestep," Ghanima said.
"What you feel is the future my sister. But that future has not arrived yet. When it comes a desert storm will also come. But now the desert is calm, Ghani," Leto said.
"A Fremen saying arises in my mind now. Truth suffers from too much analysis."
"Often that is true. But for some it is necessary to analyze it too much. It makes them feel as if they can control one thing in their lives."
"Time to get off the worm. Sietch Tabr is just ahead," Ghanima said, pointing to it.
"Wait, wait. Almost . . . now!" Leto said, running down the side of the worm, knowing his sister was right behind him.
A man named Furokan peered around a corner at Alia and Stilgar. What would Stilgar say if he knew one of his own people, a Fremen, plotted against him? And the Royal Family of course. Alia would be killed by one of her trusted members. Or maybe she could be seduced, and then killed. Her trusted people could be bribed. The twins, Leto and Ghanima, would be the bearer of each other's downfall. Duncan Idaho would have to be put out of the way though. He would see too much of what was happening. He is a Mentat after all. Furokan stopped by another Fremen.
"Alia is with Stilgar. Follow them," Furokan said.
The Fremen nodded and walked off. Time to go to Arrakeen and meet with the men who would help him. They weren't Fremen. But they would do.
Duncan Idaho went down the hall with the princess Irulan.
"Why is this Reverend Mother here to see you again?" Duncan asked.
"To see how I am and probably to ask that I help them with something," Irulan said.
"Very bold of her to come here. I would kill her in an instant if I could."
"Careful Duncan. You underestimate the powers of a Reverend Mother."
"And do you have these powers?" Duncan asked, looking at her.
"I am not a Reverend Mother. I was only trained to be a Bene Gesserit," Irulan said, returning his look.
"What's the difference? They're all trained the same."
"I asked you to come because you are a Mentat and may be able to see things I cannot."
"I will do my best. But don't you think she'll be able to make sure I can't see anything suspicious about her?"
"Maybe Duncan. But she will probably underestimate you as you did her," Irulan said, turning a corner with Duncan doing the same.
Duncan fell silent the rest of the way.
Stilgar gave the signal for a Fremen to bring him and Alia food.
"You heard of the young Fremen who found a man here," Stilgar said.
"I heard. The man had no business being here. I suppose you killed him then?" Alia said.
"You suppose wrong. I'm keeping him captive. I have trusted men watching over him. I thought you would like to speak with him."
Only Stilgar could tell Alia she was wrong about something and not say sorry. After all, he had known her since the day she was born.
"I would like to. Thank you Stil," Alia hesitated for a second," do you feel as if someone is watching us?"
Stilgar looked around. He then opened the hangings over the doorway and walked out. A minute later he returned.
"There's no one out there except for my people," Stilgar said.
"I thought I felt someone. It was probably only them."
"When would you like to speak with the man Lornett found?"
"When the twins return. I want them there when I do."
"Where are they?" she asked him.
"I'm not sure. They were here in the middle of the night, but not in the morning," Stilgar said.
"Paul would be furious," Alia said, looking around.
"I'm truly sorry my lady," Stilgar said.
"No Stil. It's fine. Let's go into the sietch and wait for their return."
They went inside the sietch.
Leto Atreides and his twin sister Ghanima Atreides rode a worm back to Sietch Tabr.
"Did you see the thopter? Alia is already there," Ghanima said.
"I saw it. We're almost there," Leto said.
"I feel strange. Like we are heading towards something that cannot be dodged by a simple sidestep," Ghanima said.
"What you feel is the future my sister. But that future has not arrived yet. When it comes a desert storm will also come. But now the desert is calm, Ghani," Leto said.
"A Fremen saying arises in my mind now. Truth suffers from too much analysis."
"Often that is true. But for some it is necessary to analyze it too much. It makes them feel as if they can control one thing in their lives."
"Time to get off the worm. Sietch Tabr is just ahead," Ghanima said, pointing to it.
"Wait, wait. Almost . . . now!" Leto said, running down the side of the worm, knowing his sister was right behind him.
A man named Furokan peered around a corner at Alia and Stilgar. What would Stilgar say if he knew one of his own people, a Fremen, plotted against him? And the Royal Family of course. Alia would be killed by one of her trusted members. Or maybe she could be seduced, and then killed. Her trusted people could be bribed. The twins, Leto and Ghanima, would be the bearer of each other's downfall. Duncan Idaho would have to be put out of the way though. He would see too much of what was happening. He is a Mentat after all. Furokan stopped by another Fremen.
"Alia is with Stilgar. Follow them," Furokan said.
The Fremen nodded and walked off. Time to go to Arrakeen and meet with the men who would help him. They weren't Fremen. But they would do.
Duncan Idaho went down the hall with the princess Irulan.
"Why is this Reverend Mother here to see you again?" Duncan asked.
"To see how I am and probably to ask that I help them with something," Irulan said.
"Very bold of her to come here. I would kill her in an instant if I could."
"Careful Duncan. You underestimate the powers of a Reverend Mother."
"And do you have these powers?" Duncan asked, looking at her.
"I am not a Reverend Mother. I was only trained to be a Bene Gesserit," Irulan said, returning his look.
"What's the difference? They're all trained the same."
"I asked you to come because you are a Mentat and may be able to see things I cannot."
"I will do my best. But don't you think she'll be able to make sure I can't see anything suspicious about her?"
"Maybe Duncan. But she will probably underestimate you as you did her," Irulan said, turning a corner with Duncan doing the same.
Duncan fell silent the rest of the way.
Stilgar gave the signal for a Fremen to bring him and Alia food.
"You heard of the young Fremen who found a man here," Stilgar said.
"I heard. The man had no business being here. I suppose you killed him then?" Alia said.
"You suppose wrong. I'm keeping him captive. I have trusted men watching over him. I thought you would like to speak with him."
Only Stilgar could tell Alia she was wrong about something and not say sorry. After all, he had known her since the day she was born.
"I would like to. Thank you Stil," Alia hesitated for a second," do you feel as if someone is watching us?"
Stilgar looked around. He then opened the hangings over the doorway and walked out. A minute later he returned.
"There's no one out there except for my people," Stilgar said.
"I thought I felt someone. It was probably only them."
"When would you like to speak with the man Lornett found?"
"When the twins return. I want them there when I do."
