AN:One way things might end up if Veil and Zash turn up in Dune; one-shot.

Disclaimer: I do not own neither any of the Dune movies or books, nor any of the Star Wars movies, cartoons, games, books or comics. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not created with commercial aim. It is not for sale or rent.

Sith in the Padishah Emperor's Court

=Sith=

Royal Palace

Arrakis

Everyone expected that Feyd Harkonnen would be the one to answer Paul Atreides' challenge. Some among the Bene Gesserit foresaw it – a duel to decide the fate of mankind.

The Harkonned scion didn't answer, which was most unlike him. What game was he playing, people wondered. Many gazes swept from the confrontation between an old, weak Emperor and an up-and-coming upstart who held the galaxy hostage.

A loud snap echoed through the chamber when, before everyone's eyes, Feyd's neck twisted around. Bones and cartilage shattered, and the Harkonnen collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. No one touched the man, yet he was dead, clearly murdered before hundreds of witnesses.

One of the Sarducar guards chuckled, breaking a brief stunned silence that descended upon Feyd's death.

"I find it offensive that you people believe my sister's hand is for sale or that by forcefully marrying her, one of you can ascend the throne." The Sarducar's voice was tingled with amusement. He removed his enclosed helmet, revealing a face similar to the Emperor himself in his youth. The resemblance between that man, the Padishah Emperor, and Princess Irulan was unmistakable.

"Abomination!" More than one Bene Gesserit sister hissed upon seeing that man for what he was for the first time. The oldest among them, an ancient crone who wielded tremendous power and influence, blanched. Her composure cracked as bitter realization shone in her eyes.

"Ah, yes, you," the Sarducar scoffed at the Bene Gesserit. "Mother sends her regards. She will be along soon to catch up. She has been looking forward to such an opportunity since I was in her womb."

"Paul…" Lady Jessica clutched her bump as she whispered a warning to her son. Her spice-rich blood, mixed with the foresight of her yet-to-be-born daughter, was just enough to perceive an imminent, deadly danger.

"You died! Zash died in childbirth!" The Padishah Emperor shook his head in denial.

"I might have been a newborn at the time, yet I still remember it clearly, Father," the Sarducar, who was apparently anything but taunted. "I clearly recall these," he sneered at the Bene Gesserit, "proclaiming mother and I abomination. That it was my mother's duty to put me out of everyone's misery. After all, given what we are, we would never have been pilant little pawns to use and discard as convenient."

While everyone tensed up even more than before, if that was even possible, Irulan relaxed.

"You came," the Princess' soft voice rang into the subdued chamber.

"I promised I will do my utmost to protect you, sister. My men did their best, yet they couldn't shield you at court like you deserved."

No one could miss how every single Sarducar in the room, the men who were supposed to be the Emperor's most loyal and closest guard, lowered their heads in recrimation.

"What is the meaning of this?!" said Emperor finally found his voice.

"When Mother got us out, we ended up in the Salusa System. We were most welcomed there, Father."

"Today the Sarducar lost," Paul Atreides broke from the daze holding sway upon everyone. The Fremen and Atreidis loyalists, still alive, stirred at his voice.

"Congratulations, today you wiped out almost all Sarducar who were loyal to my father. The others are mine and are very busy as we speak. The only Sarducar loyal to me on Arakis are right here in this room, and they are all alive and intact."

"Yet, you are here with us, and have only a handful of men at your back," Atreides countered. "Is it arrogance we behold, or pure madness?"

Despite his outward bearing, for the first time, Paul Atreides arrived in the chamber, there were signs that he was not utterly sure of himself. Still, he put forth a great performance, good enough that only a few could see through it.

Distant flashes of light came through the chamber's opened windows. Long, tense moments later, a distant rumble washed over the palace.

A cracking noise came from the self-proclaimed son of the Emperor. He raised his left hand, and something gleamed on his arm-guard.

"Phase one complete. Sir, we're engaging the fleet above Arakis. Their shields are up as anticipated. Strikecraft are neutralizing them. Twenty percent casualties in the first wave, second and third waves are going in as we speak," a soldier reported.

"Holzman shields and lasers make for an explosive mix, don't you think?" the abomination smiled, and his eyes glowed with malevolent power.

"What have you done?" A Bene Gesserit demanded before collapsing to her knees.

"The state of this galaxy, offends me almost as much as your 'program'. Feyd was one of its final products, wasn't he? And Paul Atreides, here is the other. I am remaking the galaxy in war and nuclear fire. The best units of the Great Houses, as well as the Guild's pride, are burning above us. Atomics rain upon the spice fields across Arakis."

Shock, disbelief, and then rage engulfed everyone. Atreides demanded answers after he recovered. Meanwhile, the remaining Sarducar moved as one, taking a defensive position around Princess Irulan, leaving the Abomination to stand alone.

"They were right about you… monster…" The Emperor spluttered and took a step away from his son.

"Compliments will get you nowhere with me, Father. Besides, you are not for me to deal with. Mother, on the other hand, has been looking forward to a reunion for a verAtreidis'sime."

Atreidis's eyes, which had been unfocused for the last few moments, sharpened, and he pointed at the Abomination.

"Seize him!"

Fremen and Atreidis loyalists staggered as if coming out of a trance. Then they moved in a great wave of fury aimed at a singular person.

The Abomination was one man, no matter how vile and dangerous. This should have been it – he was about to die under a tide of angry, barbaric warriors.

Instead, the Emperor's son smiled happily and tilted his head to the side. His eyes blazed with malevolent power. Shadows came alive. Unnatural whispers spread through a darkening chamber. Despite this being Arakis and the palace having excellent life support and environmental systems, the temperature crashed so fast that ice crystals formed in the air.

The tide of warriors coming for the Abomination froze after taking a handful of steps. A tremor went through the air, followed by wet squelches. Hardened warriors imploded as if compressed by a giant press. Courtiers screamed at the grim sight.

At the same time, the air beside the Abomination rippled. Reality twisted and tore with a shriek of a thousand damned souls. Then another Abomination stepped through as if that was a mere ordinary door she used.

Lady Zash appeared before court again, decades after being declared dead. She wore black armored robes, with a thin sword hanging from a gem-encrusted belt. The few who remembered her would recall striking green eyes. Instead, her gaze burned with the same malevolence as her son's.

"Shaddam, I am so glad to see you again, my dear," Zash crooned. She smiled happily at the Emperor, who collapsed to the ground, howling in agony.

The darkness receded a bit, revealing hundreds of mangled corpses. The only Fremen and Atreidis loyalists were those near the windows, and Lady Jessica remained either beside the communications equipment there or to guard their liege's mother.

Paul Atreides' composure finally shattered as he beheld the wholesale murder of his men, while the man clearly responsible didn't seem tired at all.

"What was that about taking my sister's hand to place your ass upon my Empire's throne?" the Abomination happily inquired, as if all this was some kind of a funny game to him.