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"Yes, I'm a romantic... in the same way the Tyrant was. He sensitized himself to the fixed shape of his creation. I am sensitive to his prescient trap."
But oh how close the hunter and oh how deep the pit.
Bellonda was not placated. "You said you know how they will find us."
"They have only to recognize their own habits and they... Yes?" This was to an acolyte messenger emerging from a covered passage behind Bellonda.
"Mother Superior, it's Reverend Mother Dortujla. Mother Fintil has brought her to the Landing Flat and they will be here within the hour."
"Bring her to my workroom!" Odrade looked at Bellonda with a stare that was almost wild. "Has she said anything?"
"Mother Dortujla is ill," the acolyte said.
Ill? What an extraordinary thing to say about a Reverend Mother.
"Reserve judgment." It was Bellonda-Mentat speaking, Bellonda foe of romanticism and wild imagination.
"Get Tam up there as an observer," Odrade said.
Dortujla hobbled in on a cane with Fintil and Streggi helping her. There was a firmness to Dortujla's eyes, though, and a sense of measuring behind every look she focused on her surroundings. She had her hood thrown back revealing hair the dark mottled brown of antique ivory and when she spoke her voice conveyed a sense of fatigue.
"I have done as you ordered, Mother Superior." As Fintil and Streggi left the room, Dortujla sat without being invited, a slingchair beside Bellonda. Brief glances at Sheeana and Tamalane on her left, then a hard stare at Odrade. "They will meet with you on Junction. They think the place is their own idea and your Spider Queen is there!"
"How soon?" Sheeana asked.
"They want one hundred Standard days counting from just about now. I can be more precise if you want."
"Why so long?" Odrade asked.
"My opinion? They will use the time to reinforce their defenses on Junction."
"What guarantees?" That was Tam, terse as usual.
"Dortujla, what has happened to you?" Odrade was shocked by the trembling weakness apparent in the woman.
"They conducted experiments on me. But that is not important. The arrangements are. For what it's worth, they promise you safe passage in and out of Junction. Don't believe it. You are allowed a small entourage of servants, no more than five. Assume they will kill everyone who accompanies you, although ... I may have taught them the error in that."
"They expect me to bring submission of the Bene Gesserit?" Odrade's voice had never been colder. Dortujla's words raised a specter of tragedy.
"That was the inducement."
"The Sisters who went with you?" Sheeana asked.
Dortujla tapped her forehead, a common Sisterhood gesture. "I have them. We agree the Honored Matres should be punished."
"Dead?" Odrade forced the word between tight lips.
"Attempting to force me into their ranks. 'You see? We will kill another one if you don't agree.' I told them to kill us all and have done with it and to forget about meeting Mother Superior. They did not accept this until they ran out of hostages."
"You Shared them all?" Tamalane asked. Yes, that would be Tam's concern as she neared her own death.
"While pretending to assure myself they were dead. You may as well know the whole thing. These women are grotesque! They possess caged Futars. The bodies of my Sisters were thrown into the cages where the Futars ate them. The Spider Queen--an appropriate name--made me watch this."
"Disgusting!" Bellonda said.
Dortujla sighed. "They did not know, naturally, that I have worse visions in Other Memory."
"They sought to overwhelm your sensibilities," Odrade said. "Foolish. Were they surprised when you didn't react as they wished?"
"Chagrined, I would say. I think they had seen others react as I did. I told them it was as good a way as any to get fertilizer. I believe that angered them."
"Cannibalism," Tamalane muttered.
"Only in appearance," Dortujla said. "Futars definitely are not human. Barely tamed wild animals."
"No Handlers?" Odrade asked.
"I saw none. The Futars did speak. They said, 'Eat!' before they ate and they jibed at Honored Matres around them. 'You hungry?' That sort of thing. More important was what happened after they ate."
Dortujla lapsed into a fit of coughing. "They tried poisons," she said. "Stupid women!"
When she regained her breath, Dortujla said, "A Futar came to the bars of its cage after their ... banquet? It looked at the Spider Queen and it screamed. I have never heard such a sound. Chilling! Every Honored Matre in that room froze and I swear to you they were terrified."
Sheeana touched Dortujla's arm. "A predator immobilizing its prey?"
"Undoubtedly. It had qualities of Voice. The Futars appeared surprised that it did not freeze me."
"The Honored Matres' reaction?" Bellonda asked. Yes, a Mentat would require that datum.
"A general clamor when they found their voices. Many shouted for Great Honored Matre to destroy the Futars. She, however, took a calmer view. 'Too valuable alive,' she said."
"A hopeful sign," Tamalane said.
Odrade looked at Bellonda. "I will order Streggi to bring the Bashar here. Objections?"
Bellonda gave a curt nod. They knew the gamble must be taken despite questions about Teg's intentions.
To Dortujla, Odrade said: "I want you in my own guest quarters. We'll bring in Suks. Order what you need and prepare for a full Council meeting. You are a special advisor."
Dortujla spoke while struggling to her feet. "I've not slept in almost fifteen days and I will need a special meal."
"Sheeana, see to that and get the Suks up here. Tam, stay with the Bashar and Streggi. Regular reports. He'll want to go to the cantonment and take personal charge. Get him a comlink with Duncan. Nothing must impede them."
"You want me here with him?" Tamalane asked.
"You are his leech. Streggi takes him nowhere without your knowledge. He wants Duncan as Weapons Master. Make sure he accepts Duncan's confinement in the ship. Bell, any weapons data Duncan requires--priority. Comments?"
There were no comments. Thoughts about consequences, yes, but the decisiveness of Odrade's behavior infected them.
Sitting back, Odrade closed her eyes and waited until silence told her she was alone. The comeyes were still watching, of course.
They know I'm tired. Who wouldn't be under these circumstances? Three more Sisters killed by those monsters! Bashar! They must feel our lash and know the lesson!
When she heard Streggi arrive with Teg, Odrade opened her eyes. Streggi led him in by the hand but there was something about them saying this was not an adult guiding a child. Teg's movements said he gave Streggi permission to treat him this way. She would have to be warned.
Tam followed and went to a chair near the windows directly beneath the bust of Chenoeh. Significant positioning? Tam did strange things lately.
"Do you wish me to stay, Mother Superior?" Streggi released Teg's hand and stood near the door.
"Sit over there beside Tam. Listen and do not interrupt. You must know what will be required of you."
Teg hitched himself onto the chair recently occupied by Dortujla. "I suppose this is a council of war."
That's an adult behind the childish voice.
"I won't ask your plan yet," Odrade said.
"Good. The unexpected takes more time and I may not be able to tell you what I intend until the moment of action."
"We've
been observing you with Duncan. Why are you interested in ships from the Scattering?"
"Long-haul ships have a distinctive appearance. I saw them on the flat at Gammu."
Teg sat back and let this sink in, glad of the briskness he sensed in Odrade's manner. Decisions! No long deliberations. That suited his needs. They must not learn the full extent of my abilities. Not yet.
"You would disguise an attack force?"
Bellonda came through the door as Odrade was speaking and growled an objection while sitting: "Impossible! They'll have recognition codes and secret signals for--"
"Let me decide that, Bell, or remove me from command."
"This is the Council!" Bellonda said. "You don't-"
"Mentat?" He looked fully at her, the Bashar apparent in his gaze.
