Giedi Prime
Homeward of House Harkonnen.
"Beast" Rabban Harkonnen is a giant raised in Harkonnen savagery, where cruelty is the way of the world. He passes masked guards and terrified slaves like furniture, which is his way of life.
The palace's steam chamber is flooded with white vapour as Rabban arrives. Piter De Vries, a human stiletto with superhuman sharpness who is committed to sadistic behaviour, is outside. Piter motions towards the steam room as Rabban approaches.
Rabban: Milord Baron.
Baron Harkonnen: Rabban.
The steam bath's occupant is Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, 675 pounds of soft, naked flesh. He considers himself beautiful and his movements are sensual. He is mountainous and considers himself beautiful.
Rabban: The last of our ships have left Arrakis. It's done.
Baron Harkonnen: Very good.
Rabban: Uncle. How can we let this happen?
The steam bath is filled with a new blast of steam, which muffles Rabban's question with a loud hiss. Rabban tries once again.
Rabban: How can the Emperor... TAKE EVERYTHING WE'VE BULIT AND GIVE IT TO THAT DUKE!? HOW!?
Piter: Don't be too sure it's an act of love.
Rabban: What does he mean?
Baron Harkonnen: When is gift not a gift? The Atreides voice is rising. And the Emperor is a jealous man...A dangerous, jealous man.
TIME SKIP
In a space of Meditative simplicity, Jessica is seated in meditation with her eyes closed and in perfect alignment. She attempts to slow her breathing and calm her racing heart. Time pauses, there is a crackling like ice, and thunder rumbles above as she discovers silence. She looks up.
Paul lies sleeping. He stirs in his sleep. Eyes darting beneath closed lids.
Jessica: Paul. Wake up.
Jessica stands over her son Paul in a dark room with the moon painting them in channel of light. His eyelids flutter in his dream.
Jessica: Paul
His eyes open. Half-asleep. Confused.
Paul: Mother. What's wrong?
Jessica: Get dressed and come with me.
Paul is wearing a military dress of Atreides nobility, with a green Atreides hawk emblazoned on his jacket.
Paul sees three individuals waiting for him as he moves down a lengthy hallway; they are silhouetted by the light at the end of this dim tunnel.
His mother, brother, and a mysterious individual named Doctor Wellington Yueh who has a diamond tattooed on his forehead.
Paul: What is this?
Marcus: Why are we both here in the middle of the night?
Jessica: The Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam is here. She was my teacher at the Bene Gesserit school. Now she is Truthsayer to the Emperor himself. She would like to meet you both. She wants to know about your dreams, Paul
Marcus: Why does she wish to see me as well?
Jessica: She would not say, but she requested that Paul was to meet her first, before you Marcus
Paul: How does she know about my dreams? Why is Doctor Yueh here?
Jessica: I'll give you a moment.
She steps away a short distance, leaving Paul with Dr. Yueh, who offers his longtime patient a warm smile.
Dr. Yueh: Hello, young master. Your mother asked me to check your vitals. I have already checked your brother, he is perfectly normal.
Paul: What is happening?
Dr. Yueh: I am only a doctor of the Suk School. But I know a little of the Bene Gesserit. They say they exist to serve but, meaning no disrespect to your lady mother they also serve their own designs.
Paul: What are you saying?
Dr. Yueh: (to Paul) Go carefully. (to Jessica) His heart is strong as ever, my Lady.
Jessica arrives at Yueh's side and makes sign language movements with her left hand (Tell no one of this). Yueh bows and retreats, while Paul looks after him in confusion. Jessica reaches out to touch him one last time.
Jessica: (hand signals to him) Remember your training.
As Jessica goes to open the door, Marcus stands next to his brother
Marcus: Close off your mind and listen to mother.
Paul: What do you think this is all about?
Marcus: No idea, but... I've got a odd feeling about all of this
The two brothers share looks at one another. They both turn back to Jessica, who opens the door and signals for Paul to follow her but signals for Marcus to wait outside.
Jessica leads Paul into the library, where he finds the Reverend Mother Mohaim waiting for them. She sits in a heavy wooden chair, her aged face ghostly against her black cloak, and her eyes glitter as she studies him. Paul is astonished by her meekness, and she takes the measure of him in turn, his stance and stare.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Defiance in the eyes. Like his father. (to Jessica) Leave us.
Jessica: (to Paul on her way out) You must do everything the Reverend Mother tells you.
She hurries out. Paul glares at the Reverend Mother.
Paul: You dismiss my mother in her own house!
Reverend Mother Mohiam: COME HERE
Paul is unable to resist the command of the woman's voice, and is shaken by her compulsive obedience.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: KNEEL
Paul is unable to resist the command of the old woman, so he kneels before her.
Paul: How dare you use the Voice on me
She lifts a green metal cube from her robes and sets it on her chair, which opens into a black interior with no light.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Put your right hand in the box
Now, she uses a regular voice when speaking. Paul refuses to obey.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Your mother bade you obey me.
Paul is moved by his mother's invocation and reluctantly puts his hand in the box. The old woman leans forward with a glint of metal and Paul freezes with a gleaming needle in her hand as it is aimed at his neck.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: I hold at your neck the gom jabbar. A poison needle. Instant death. The test is simple. Remove your hand from the box, and you die.
Paul: What's in the box?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Pain
Paul looks at her in disbelief. This is insane.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: No need to call the guards. Your mother stands behind that door. No one will get past her. And your brother, won't be able to help you. Your mother won't let him in this room.
Paul: Why are you doing this?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: An animal caught in a trap will gnaw off its own leg to escape. What will you do?
Paul's forehead begins to sweat as the pain intensifies into agony. He groans while grinding his teeth. His arm shook as his left hand balled into a white-knuckled fist, as he begins to experience pain!
Paul trembles, the gom jabbar glints against his neck, and the Reverend Mother's eyes burn into him. His hand is blackened and splitting, and he cries out involuntarily.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Silence!
Beyond the room Marcus felt a pain in his heart and a disturbance inside him as he watched his mother struggle to remain composed. Afterward, he hears his brother crying out in pain. Marcus looks towards the shut door. Before he starts to make his way there his mother grabs his arm,
Jessica: Don't Marcus. Your brother needs to do this.
Marcus wasn't sure what to make of his mother's explanation, but he was aware that whatever she was doing was for Paul's benefit in learning Bene Gesserit customs. Marcus nods and calms down slightly.
Jessica: (to herself) I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
Paul shudders in excruciating pain. Locking eyes with the old Reverend Mother. At the very edge of his endurance. His right hand feels as if it is burnt to a crisp, flesh falling from charred bones.
Jessica & Marcus: (together) And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing! Only I will remain.
Paul shuts his eyes. His mouth opens in a silent scream.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Enough!
Paul gasps in relief as the pain stops and the Reverend Mother stares at him, sweaty and breathing hard. He removes his right hand from the box. He refuses to see a ruined stump, but his hand is unmarked and he wiggles his fingers, amazed. His curiosity overrides his anger.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Like sifting sand through a screen. We sift people. If you had been unable to control your impulses, like an animal we could not let you live. You inherit too much power.
Paul: Because I'm a Duke's son?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Because you are Jessica's son. You have more than one birthright, boy. Jessica!
Jessica enters while showing fear. Her face floods with relief at seeing Paul.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: You've been training him in the way. Tell me about these dreams.
Paul: I had one tonight.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: What did you see?
Paul: A girl, on Arrakis.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Have you dreamt of her before?
Paul: Many times.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Do you often dream things that happen just as you dreamed them?
Paul: Not exactly.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Send your other boy in here Jessica. You may leave now, young one.
Paul has threatening eyes towards the Reverend Mother Mohiam.
Paul: You are not doing to my brother, what you did to me
Reverend Mother Mohiam: That is not for you to decide. I shall test him in any way I see fit
Paul: Why do you want to see him?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Send him in.
Paul is dragged out of the room by Jessica. Marcus gives his brother a quick brother hug in greeting. Then he concentrates on his mother.
Jessica: In you go Marcus
Marcus enters the library after nodding. After him, Jessica shuts the door. Marcus entered the room, a calm and focused presence. He had been called to undergo a different kind of trial. As Reverend Mother Mohiam scans Marcus's consciousness for any indication of any unique powers, Mohiam turns to face him, her eyes growing narrower. His raw potential, which lurked just beneath the surface, was given off by him, and she could sense his strength in the power he didn't know he possessed.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: You have been chosen to undergo a different kind of test.
Marcus: What kind of test?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: COME HERE
Marcus begins to feel his body moving towards a few feet in-front of the Reverend Mother Mohiam.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Show me that you can do it
Marcus: Do what?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: You know what I'm referring to, don't you?
Marcus looks at the box, that Paul put his hand into and experienced the pain. Marcus put his focus onto the box and for the briefest of moments he felt the pain that Paul did. He flinches a little bit before...
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Show me that you can control it.
Marcus admits that the Reverend Mother Mohiam knows exactly what she means and gives in.
Marcus closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, allowing the power to flow through him. His breathing steady as he delved deep within himself. He could feel the energy pulsating around him, the invisible threads that connected all living things. With every passing moment, Marcus's connection to it grew stronger. He could sense the ebb and flow of its power, the delicate balance between light and dark. Objects in the room began to levitate around him in a display of his raw power. Reverend Mother Mohiam observed with a mix of fascination and caution, sensing the potential within Marcus and the dangers that lay in his path. After a few moments, Marcus released his hold on the levitating objects, allowing them to gently settle back to the ground. Finally, Marcus lowered his hand and opened his eyes, a look of exhaustion crossing his face, he looked at Reverend Mother Mohiam, awaiting her judgment.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Your potential is great, young one. The Force flows through you, but remember, it is a double-edged sword. It can be a source of light and hope, but it can also lead to darkness if not tempered with wisdom.
Marcus nods before asking
Marcus: What is the force?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: It is a mysterious energy field created by life that binds the galaxy together. Harnessing the power of the Force gives the Jedi, the Sith, and others sensitive to this spiritual energy extraordinary abilities, such as levitating objects, tricking minds, and seeing things before they happen. While the Force can grant users powerful abilities, it also directs their actions. And it has a will of its own, which both scholars and mystics have spent millennia seeking to understand.
Marcus: How do you know of it?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: The knowledge of the Force is not exclusive to the Jedi or the Sith. Long before the rise of the Jedi and the Sith, there were those who delved into the mysteries of the Force, seeking to comprehend its nature and harness its power. My predecessors were among those individuals, keepers of knowledge who sought to understand the very essence of existence. But with the passing of time, the understanding of the Force became fragmented, divided between those who embraced the light and those who succumbed to the darkness. The Jedi and the Sith emerged as the dominant factions, each wielding the Force for their own purposes. Jessica!
Both Jessica and Paul enter the room, with Jessica wondering why the Reverend Mother Mohiam asked to see Marcus
Reverend Mother Mohiam: There is something you need to see. (to Marcus) Show her.
Marcus is taken back from this, as is Jessica and Paul, knowing what abilities his twin brother is capable of.
Marcus: No, not now. Not yet.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: You will show her now, she has a right to know.
Jessica: A right to know what?
Jessica first looks at the Reverend Mother Mohiam, then looks at her son, Marcus, in confusion.
Marcus hesitated for a moment, feeling a mix of trepidation and nervousness. He had always known he was different, but to showcase his abilities to his own mother was a pivotal moment that would forever shape their relationship.
Taking a deep breath, Marcus extended his hand toward a nearby object, a small crystal resting on a pedestal. As he concentrated, his mind reaching out to the Force, the crystal trembled and then lifted from its place, hovering in the air.
Jessica gasped, her hand instinctively reaching out as if to grasp the floating object. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Marcus," she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of wonder and pride.
Reverend Mother Mohiam observed the interaction with a serene expression.
Marcus gently lowered the object back onto the table, his hand trembling slightly with the effort. He looked at his mother, a mix of apprehension and hope in his eyes.
Marcus: Mother, I... I didn't even know about these abilities at all, I still don't know what it is I posses. It was only recently, I began to have dreams of people I love suffering and dying, along with many other visions that I cannot yet explain. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner.
Jessica's expression softened, a smile breaking through her initial shock. She reached out and took Marcus's hand, her touch conveying a profound sense of love and acceptance.
Jessica: My dear Marcus, I have always known that you were destined for greatness. Your abilities are a gift, and I trust that you will use them wisely.
Tears welled up in Marcus's eyes as he embraced his mother. It was a moment of validation and connection, where the barriers of uncertainty and fear were shattered, replaced by an unbreakable bond between a mother and her son. Marcus looked over to see his younger brother, Paul nodding at him.
The embrace between Jessica and her son, Marcus ends as soon as the Reverend Mother Mohiam asks Marcus.
Marcus: You said something about a Jedi and a Sith, what are they?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: A Jedi is a guardian of peace and justice. They are selfless, care about others and exercise a lot of self control. And the Sith is an ancient order of Force-wielders devoted to the dark-side of the Force. Driven by their emotions, including hate, anger, and greed, the Sith were deceptive and obsessed with gaining power no matter the cost. They rely on their passion for their strength, they think inward and only of themselves. Any other questions you may have, young one, I'm sure you fill find the answers to them soon enough.
The Reverend Mother Mohiam finally rises from the chair, she begins to walk before stopping to look at the two Atreides brothers.
Reverend Mother Mohiam: Goodbye young humans. I hope you live.
She leaves, followed by Jessica.
Reverend Mother is escorted by Jessica through the darkness to her ship. Cold rage has replaced her feelings of comfort and anxiety.
Jessica: Did you have to go that far?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: You chose to train him in the Way, in defiance of our rule. He wields our power: he had to be tested, to the limits. So much potential, wasted in a male. You were told to bear only daughters! But you and your pride thought you produce the Kwisatz Haderach.
Jessica: Was I wrong?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: You're lucky he didn't die in that room. If he is the One, he has a long way to go. His Sight is barely awakened. And now he goes into the fire. But our plans are measured in centuries: we have other prospects, if he fails his promise. As for your other son, I believe he has a big part to play, in all of this. He must learn to have more control over his abilities, not just for the benefit of himself, but for others as well.
Jessica: Do you see so little hope?
Reverend Mother Mohiam: On Arrakis, we have done all we can for you. A path has been laid. Let's hope they both don't squander it.
Jessica stands in the fog and watches the shuttle lift off. She turns around in the floodlights and finds Marcus and Paul standing behind her, ghosts in the fog, staring at her. The two Atreides brothers face their mother uncertainly, ten feet of empty space between them. Jessica throws back her hood.
Jessica: Marcus, Paul
Paul: What does it mean? That I could be the One?
Jessica: You heard. The Bene Gesserit serve as powerful partners to the Great Houses, but there's more to it.
Paul: You steer the politics of the Imperium from the shadows. I know.
Jessica: You don't know everything. For thousands of years, we've been carefully crossing bloodlines to bring forth...
Marcus & Paul: The One
Jessica: A mind powerful enough to bridge space and time. Past and future... who can help us into a better future. We think he's very close now. Some believe he's here.
Paul and Marcus are shocked by this suddenly the appearance of their mother, is now a strange presence in their lives.
Paul: All part of the plan
Marcus: What did she mean? That I have a big part in all of this?
Jessica: I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I have no answers for you. All I will say is that I believe you are destined for something huge. You both are. But it is only yourselves that can discover what it truly is.