Navigators of Dune

62

After two weeks, Hana Elkora and her salvage team at the mothballed thinking-machine fleet managed to reactivate the FTL engines of twenty-five of the forty vessels. Meanwhile, Elkora had directed a skeleton crew to fly the robot ships back to Denali, one by one, where the rest of the repairs and refurbishment were completed. Kolhar had already delivered shipments of Holtzman engines immediately after Draigo sent his request, and the foldspace engines would be installed while the ships orbited the research planet.

Elkora had ejected thousands of deactivated robots that cluttered the decks of the reclaimed ships—“taking out the garbage,” as she called it — while hundreds more were found and removed during the final operations at Denali, and all the robots were simply dumped near the laboratory domes, where they would be left to rust in the corrosive atmosphere, just like the old cymek walkers. The Mentat was proud of his progress and felt eager to report to Directeur Venport.

And then Draigo learned what had happened at Kolhar.

USING A SMALL spacefolder, Norma Cenva quietly delivered Cioba to Salusa Secundus. With her perfect mastery of coordinates, the Navigator woman deposited her passenger in a secluded meadow on the outskirts of Zimia. Cioba could see the magnificent buildings of the capital city a short distance away, and a gravel footpath just ahead led her to a groundcar road and the Imperial Palace. The walk took her an hour.

Crowds moved toward the Palace like iron filings toward a magnet. Dressed in the robes of a nondescript Sister, Cioba made her way with a clear sense of purpose until a trio of Imperial guards stopped her from entering the main archway, demanding to know her identity.

“I am Sister Cioba, and I have business with the Emperor’s Truthsayer. Surely you recognize my robes?” Although Mother Superior Valya had refused to use her own influence to resolve the dispute, Cioba hoped that Fielle would help arrange for a brief conversation with Emperor Roderick. The Sisterhood owed her that, at least.

It took Cioba most of the day to navigate the labyrinth of the city-sized Palace among thousands of functionaries. At sunset, after contacting several other Sisters for guidance, she finally located Fielle in the echoing south hall. The large-statured Truthsayer greeted her with a cautious smile. “You take an enormous risk by coming here. After your husband threatened Salusa, the Emperor certainly has no great love for him.”

Fielle must know that this was not a social call. Trying to suppress her agitation, Cioba said in a crisp voice, “I had to come here. The Butlerians have committed unforgivable crimes against humanity. No matter how the Emperor feels about my husband, he must be made to see who the real enemy is. Please help by arranging for me to speak with him, just briefly. I need him to listen to me.”

The Truthsayer frowned, sensing her urgency as well as the truth in her words. “I suggest an indirect but more effective route. I might be able to arrange for you to speak with Haditha.”

The Emperor’s wife came within the hour, curious but wary. Fielle led her to a sitting room where Cioba waited. Seeing her, Haditha became tense and guarded, but Cioba preferred it to the vengeful anger that would have come from Roderick. This might be her only chance.

The two women looked at each other in silence while the Truthsayer stood as an intermediary, neither interfering nor helping. “I shouldn’t be talking with you,” Haditha said. “Roderick has declared your husband a fugitive from Imperial justice. Josef Venport assassinated his brother.”

Cioba gave a slight nod. “And your husband has done everything in his power to destroy us and bankrupt Venport Holdings. We can’t always excuse the actions of the men we love. When two such forces collide, the collateral damage ripples throughout the Imperium. Far better if they were just to talk, don’t you think?”

Haditha remained stiff. “Why should Roderick listen to him? Why should he trust anything your husband has to say?”

“Because Josef is not your greatest problem.” Cioba didn’t hesitate, driving home the most important point. “The Butlerians have used forbidden atomics! They brought on a holocaust that utterly destroyed Kolhar. Do not be blind to the true enemy of civilization.”

Haditha reeled, astounded by the news. Watching her, Cioba immediately realized that the Empress had had no prior knowledge of the Butlerian plan. Although it was possible that Roderick had kept his collusion a secret from his wife, Cioba didn’t think so. She had always believed that Manford acted on his own and did exactly as he pleased.

On one side, the Imperial Truthsayer nodded to Haditha, affirming the truth of what Cioba had just said.

Cioba marshaled her emotions and continued as if issuing an official report. “Manford Torondo bombarded our planet with an entire nuclear stockpile, without warning. Our cities were obliterated. Only a few VenHold ships escaped, rescuing Navigators and some of our personnel, but we still suffered a great loss of life — from atomics, my Lady! My husband has withdrawn to Arrakis, where he has gathered all his remaining defenses as a secure stronghold.”

Haditha’s voice was less steady now. “Your husband laid siege to the Imperial capital. He threatened our city with cymeks—cymeks! The Butlerians saved us. They rescued the Imperial Palace and my family.”

“Josef did not come here to overthrow the Imperial throne. He did not come to destroy or remove Emperor Roderick from his rightful place — he came with a show of strength, so the Emperor would negotiate with him. Despite appearances, we were not driven away by the Butlerians at all — the VenHold fleet was forced to withdraw due to … unforeseen circumstances that had nothing to do with the arrival of Manford Torondo’s ships.”

She leaned forward, adding with great passion in her voice, “My husband just wants to talk with yours. Josef is a leader of industry, Roderick is the leader of the Imperium. They should be allies against the barbarians that mean to destroy our way of life.”

Haditha was pale, shaken. Her voice trembled. “The use of atomics has not yet been verified. I have only your word for it — and even though you may believe what you are saying, you could have received erroneous information.”

“Nothing erroneous about it. I saw the attack, barely escaped. Send a scout to the ruins of Kolhar,” Cioba said. “Or better yet, wait for Manford to crow about his victory.”

Fielle turned to the Emperor’s wife. “She speaks the truth, my Lady. There is no hesitation in her words.”

Cioba played her next card. “Manford has used atomics once. Does he have more warheads? If so, will he use them against us on Arrakis?” She met Haditha’s gaze with her steely eyes. “Or will he keep some in reserve, knowing that he can’t manipulate your husband the way he manipulated Emperor Salvador? What is to stop him from using atomics on Salusa?”

Cioba could see that her words had struck a raw nerve. She didn’t need to argue further; Haditha knew full well what the fanatical leader was likely to do. Making a great effort to sound reasonable, Cioba said, “Josef asks for the Emperor to meet with him in private, in a safe, neutral place where they can discuss a resolution.”

Haditha let out a sound of quiet disgust. “Why should Roderick trust the man who killed his brother any more than he trusts the man who killed our daughter?”

“I assure you, my Empress, Josef only wishes to run Venport Holdings and earn his way back into the Emperor’s good graces. Let us join together to solve our mutual problem: Manford Torondo.”

Haditha gave her a shrewd look. “What neutral place? Here on Salusa?”

Cioba shook her head. “The Emperor has put a price on Josef’s head, so he will not leave Arrakis, which may be the only place he is safe, his last true stronghold. He suggests a meeting aboard a neutral ship in orbit over Arrakis, with as much security as the Emperor cares to bring.”

“Your husband overwhelmed our Imperial peacekeeping forces there and still holds them hostage.”

“Josef has always been a pragmatic man. Perhaps their release could be a gesture of good faith.”

The Truthsayer spoke up. “I should point out, Empress Haditha, that having such a meeting here on Salusa would be problematic for a different reason. Directeur Venport would be seen, and word would get back to the Butlerians that the Emperor met with him. We dare not risk that.”

Cioba could see that the Emperor’s wife understood the logic of the argument, but a commotion occurred at the doorway before she could reply. Imperial guards escorted a flushed Roderick Corrino into the small sitting room.

The Emperor strode in and turned his gaze on Cioba like a weapon locking on a target. “I can hold you hostage and order Directeur Venport to surrender. How much does he value you? I would be curious to see.”

Haditha spoke up. “Listen to what she has to say, Roderick.”

“Her husband is a traitor and a murderer.” The Emperor’s face darkened. “He threatens the Imperium. He threatens me—”

Haditha cut him off. “The Butlerians used atomics, Roderick. They destroyed Kolhar.”

Unexpectedly, the air shifted in the room, and the crystalline glowglobes flickered and dimmed. Norma Cenva’s tank appeared on the open floor so suddenly that everyone staggered backward.

Norma’s otherworldly voice came through the speakerpatch. “Emperor Roderick Corrino, you captured one of my Navigators. You tested him and interrogated him. Now Dobrec is dead. He gave up his will to live.”

The accusation hung for a moment, and Roderick struggled to respond.

Norma continued, “Now Butlerian atomics have incinerated all Navigator facilities on Kolhar.” She drifted in the tank with an accusatory stare and attitude. “Stability must be restored. Commerce must return. We need a constant supply of spice from Arrakis.”

Her large face pressed against the viewing port. “Emperor Roderick Corrino, I personally guarantee your safety if you travel to Arrakis to meet with my great-grandson, as he asks.” Her voice grew louder, booming. “This crisis must be resolved.”

Roderick shuddered visibly at the sight of the Navigator woman staring at him, and Cioba added quietly, “Please meet with my husband, Sire. It will change the course of the Imperium, will save the Imperium.”

The Emperor grudgingly listened as Cioba and Haditha explained the request for a secret détente session over Arrakis. When they were finished, he exchanged a deeply communicative look with his wife, and Haditha gave the smallest of nods.

Roderick glanced at Norma’s tank, then said to Cioba, “I do not trust Josef Venport after what he has done, but Norma Cenva … is something else entirely. It is still a gamble, but I will go.”