"I have your memories from before my conception. I have all of my grandfather's memories. And I've grown large enough to reach all the controls."
"That last is an important requirement." Paul-Muad'Dib Atreides smiled with amusement at his son Leto. "Unless you and Ghanima plan to act as a single operator."
"Father, you're not taking me seriously." Leto perched himself on the end of the bed frame and stared reproachfully at Paul, who nonchalantly continued to fasten his stillsuit.
Leto had barged into his parents' bedchamber as soon as he had been certain his father was awake, launching into a lengthy defense of his readiness to pilot an ornithopter. His monologue had continued as his mother made and served spice coffee and his father dressed. Finally, he had summarized his arguments into two susincint points.
Paul looked up from adjusting his boots. "Flying a 'thopter is serious business, Leto. Especially when you have passengers."
"I ask this in all seriousness." Leto's blue on blue eyes locked on his father's. "Believe me when I say I recognize the responsibilities."
Chani re-entered the room from the adjoining reclamation chamber. Paul caught her hand as she approached. "What do you think, my Sihaya? Should we let an eight-year-old fly our personal 'thopter?"
Chani let him pull her closer, said, "Were he anyone's son but yours, my answer would be a definite no. 'He looks like a little boy,' I would say. But I said that once before, only to find the boy was a man."
Leto launched himself off his perch to land in front of Chani, kissed her cheek."Thank you, Mother! I knew you would agree."
"Just a minute!" Paul caught his son with his free hand. "Your mother merely said she sees the man in you. It does not necessarily follow that we will allow you to pilot the 'thopter."
"But you will." Leto embraced his father. "I shall fly you to Sietch Tabr today. Excuse me now, I must go see if Ghanima is ready to accompany us."
Leto slid off the bed and darted from the room like the child his body showed him to be.
"So our son is going to be a 'thopter pilot." Chani slipped into Paul's arms.
"Apparently, you gave him permission."
"And will you give Ghani permission to come with you?"
"I don't know." Paul hugged Chani to his chest, reached for a glimpse of the future. With the extra spice he he added to his morning coffee, the possible threads glowed vividly in his mind. As usual, he saw a spectrum of possibilities.
"We cannot be controlled by fear of the future," he said aloud.
"Fear is the mind-killer." Chani nestled into him. "It is the little death."
He laughed, kissed her gently. "You make a better Bene Gesserit than Irulan."
"That is an unkind assessment of your Irulan."
"It is no more than an accurate assessment of my Irulan's abilities. "
"It may be accurate, but it is not kind."
"I gave her my child, was that not kindness enough? She thinks so."
"You are the sweetest gift any woman could receive." Chani returned his kiss with fervent passion. "Will Ghanima come with you in the 'thopter?"
"Yes. And you, Irulan and the baby, as well."
"All of us? We just need to bring Alia and you can wipe out the entire Atreides bloodline in a single crash."
Paul stood, placed Chani on the floor, said, "Sarcasm doesn't suit you, my Sihaya. But you're right. We should bring the whole family."
"You place great trust in our son, Usul."
He took her hand, led her from the chamber. " You said that you see the man in him, remember?"
"Why, my Usul! How you forget! I spoke of you, Beloved."
Leto ate his breakfast, but did not taste it. In his mind's eye, he sat at the controls of his grandfather's ornithopter, sweeping low over a Caladan sea in search of survivors after a storm. With a blink, he changed the image, became his father braving a grandmother of a sandstorm to escape the Harkonens. Every push of a button, flip of a switch, twist of a control yoke- he knew them all.
"I can fly back," he heard Ghanima say. "I have the same memories and we're almost the same size."
"Do you see the woman in this little girl, my Sihaya?" Paul asked.
"There is a woman in every little girl," Chani replied. "Surely you know this."
Irulan looked up from spooning spice-laced baby rice into little Paul's mouth, said, "The children of Paul-Muad'Dib are certainly capable of doing anything they choose."
"Then may I fly us back?" Ghanima asked.
"If we survive your brother's flight to Sietch Tabr, you may fly us back, my Ghani."
"If you survive what?" Duncan Idaho entered the family dining hall, stared at Paul with wide eyes.
"Father is going to let Leto fly us to Sietch Tabr today." Ghanima finished her spice pudding and rose from her seat.
"Fly you to the sietch?" Duncan repeated. "In a 'thopter?"
His reverie broken, Leto swallowed the last of his own spice pudding, said, "That is the usual way. Unless I were to make wings of wax and feathers as did the ill-fated Icarus."
"Such wings would inevitably melt on a flight across the desert, whether or not you flew too close to the sun," Ghanima observed with a sad shake of her head.
"And plunging downwards to my death, I would break our parents' hearts." Leto pressed his fist to his small chest, sighed softly.
"Our parents? What of your poor, bereft sister?" Ghanima took his hand in hers.
"Why, Dearest, I assumed you would join me in my plunge!" Leto kissed the hand clutching his.
"No Atreides is going to be doing any plunging," Duncan interrupted. "Not so long as Duncan Idaho draws breath in any body."
Paul stood, drew Chani and Irulan to their feet. "Ah, Duncan, you know we value your loyalty. As your reward, I will allow you to accompany us,as well. Bring Alia and meet us at the 'thopter.
Author's Note: This Duncan will never know the irony of his words. I wrote the the line and then realized how ironic it was in light of God Emperor of Dune. The main Duncan in GEoD might be my favorite one. I love all the Duncans- they're my emotional support Duncan Idahos (very helpful while reading the craziest parts of the Dune books, or just for life in general).
I like to add extra children to my fanfics, so I decided that Irulan needed a baby of her own. Paul shouldn't have taken two women, but since he did, he needs to treat both of them honorably.
Thanks for reading and God bless you!