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"An obvious assumption," Farad'n said, "but I hardly see why you intrude with it."
Idaho's eyebrows managed the shrug which the shigawire would not permit his body. Disconcertingly, he smiled.
Farad'n saw the smile, whirled to confront Idaho. "I amuse you?"
"This whole situation amuses me. Someone in your family has compromised the Spacing Guild by using them to carry instruments of assassination to Arrakis, instruments whose intent could not be concealed. You've offended the Bene Gesserit by killing a male they wanted for their breeding pro--"
"You call me a liar, ghola?"
"No. I believe you didn't know about the plot. But I thought the situation needed bringing into focus."
"Don't forget that he's a mentat," Jessica cautioned.
"My very thought," Farad'n said. Once more he faced Jessica. "Let us say that I free you and you make your announcement. That still leaves the matter of your grandson's death. The mentat is correct."
"Was it your mother?" Jessica asked.
"My Lord!" Tyekanik warned.
"It's all right, Tyek." Farad'n waved a hand easily. "And if I say it was my mother?"
Risking everything in the test of this internal break among the Corrino, Jessica said: "You must denounce her and banish her."
"My Lord," Tyekanik said, "there could be trickery within trickery here."
Idaho said: "And the Lady Jessica and I are the ones who've been tricked."
Farad'n's jaw hardened.
And Jessica thought: Don't interfere, Duncan! Not now! But Idaho's words had sent her own Bene Gesserit abilities at logic into motion. He shocked her. She began to wonder if there were the possibility that she was being used in ways she didn't understand. Ghanima and Leto... . The pre-born could draw upon countless inner experiences, a storehouse of advice far more extensive than the living Bene Gesserit depended upon. And there was that other question: Had her own Sisterhood been completely candid with her? They still might not trust her. After all, she'd betrayed them once ... to her Duke.
Farad'n looked at Idaho with a puzzled frown. "Mentat, I need to know what this Preacher is to you."
"He arranged the passage here. I... . We did not exchange ten words. Others acted for him. He could be... . He could be Paul Atreides, but I don't have enough data for certainty. All I know for certain is that it was time for me to leave and he had the means."
"You speak of being tricked," Farad'n reminded him.
"Alia expects you to kill us quietly and conceal the evidence of it," Idaho said. "Having rid her of the Lady Jessica, I'm no longer useful. And the Lady Jessica, having served her Sisterhood's purposes, is no longer useful to them. Alia will be calling the Bene Gesserit to account, but they will win."
Jessica closed her eyes in concentration. He was right! She could hear the mentat firmness in his voice, that deep sincerity of pronouncement. The pattern fell into place without a chink. She took two deep breaths and triggered the mnemonic trance, rolled the data through her mind, came out of the trance and opened her eyes. It was done while Farad'n moved from in front of her to a position within half a step of Idaho--a space of no more than three steps.
"Say no more, Duncan," Jessica said, and she thought mournfully of how Leto had warned her against Bene Gesserit conditioning.
Idaho, about to speak, closed his mouth.
"I command here," Farad'n said. "Continue, mentat."
Idaho remained silent.
Farad'n half turned to study Jessica.
She stared at a point on the far wall, reviewing what Idaho and the trance had built. The Bene Gesserit hadn't abandoned the Atreides line, of course. But they wanted control of a Kwisatz Haderach and they'd invested too much in the long breeding program. They wanted the open clash between Atreides and Corrino, a situation where they could step in as arbiters. And Duncan was right. They'd emerge with control of both Ghanima and Farad'n. It was the only compromise possible. The wonder was that Alia hadn't seen it. Jessica swallowed past a tightness in her throat. Alia... . Abomination! Ghanima was right to pity her. But who was left to pity Ghanima?
"The Sisterhood has promised to put you on the throne with Ghanima as your mate," Jessica said.
Farad'n took a backward step. Did the witch read minds?
"They worked secretly and not through your mother," Jessica said. "They told you I was not privy to their plan."
Jessica read revelation in Farad'n's face. How open he was. But it was true, the whole structure. Idaho had demonstrated masterful abilities as a mentat in seeing through to the fabric on the limited data available to him.
"So they played a double game and told you," Farad'n said.
"They told me nothing of this," Jessica said. "Duncan was correct: they tricked me." She nodded to herself. It had been a classic delaying action in the Sisterhood's traditional pattern--a reasonable story, easily accepted because it squared with what one might believe of their motives. But they wanted Jessica out of the way--a flawed sister who'd failed them once.
Tyekanik moved to Farad'n's side. "My Lord, these two are too dangerous to--"
"Wait a bit, Tyek," Farad'n said. "There are wheels within wheels here." He faced Jessica. "We've had reasons to believe that Alia might offer herself as my bride."
Idaho gave an involuntary start, controlled himself. Blood began dripping from his left wrist where the shigawire had cut.
Jessica allowed herself a small, eye-widening response. She who'd known the original Leto as lover, father of her children, confidant and friend, saw his trait of cold reasoning filtered now through the twistings of an Abomination.
"Will you accept?" Idaho asked.
"It is being considered."
"Duncan, I told you to be silent," Jessica said. She addressed Farad'n. "Her price was two inconsequential deaths--the two of us."
"We suspected treachery," Farad'n said. "Wasn't it your son who said 'treachery breeds treachery?' "
"The Sisterhood is out to control both Atreides and Corrino," Jessica said. "Isn't that obvious?"
"We're toying now with the idea of accepting your offer, Lady Jessica, but Duncan Idaho should be sent back to his loving wife."
Pain is a function of nerves, Idaho reminded himself. Pain comes as light comes to the eyes. Effort comes from the muscles, not from nerves. It was an old mentat drill and he completed it in the space of one breath, flexed his right wrist and severed an artery against the shigawire.
Tyekanik leaped to the chair, hit its trip lock to release the bindings, shouted for medical aid. It was revealing that assistants came swarming at once through doors hidden in wall panels.
There was always a bit of foolishness in Duncan, Jessica thought.
Farad'n studied Jessica a moment while the medics ministered to Idaho. "I didn't say I was going to accept his Alia."
"That's not why he cut his wrist," Jessica said.
"Oh? I thought he was simply removing himself."
"You're not that stupid," Jessica said. "Stop pretending with me."
He smiled. "I'm well aware that Alia would destroy me. Not even the Bene Gesserit could expect me to accept her."
Jessica bent a weighted stare upon Farad'n. What
was this young scion of House Corrino? He didn't play the fool well. Again, she recalled Leto's words that she'd encounter an interesting student. And The Preacher wanted this as well, Idaho said. She wished she'd met this Preacher.
"Will you banish Wensicia?" Jessica asked.
"It seems a reasonable bargain," Farad'n said.
Jessica glanced at Idaho. The medics had finished with him. Less dangerous restraints held him in the floater chair.
"Mentats should beware of absolutes," she said.
"I'm tired," Idaho said. "You've no idea how tired I am."
"When it's overexploited, even loyalty wears out finally," Farad'n said.
Again Jessica shot that measuring stare at him.
Farad'n, seeing this, thought: In time she'll know me for certain and that could be valuable. A renegade Bene Gesserit of my own! It's the one thing her son had that I don't have. Let her get only a glimpse of me now. She can see the rest later.
