The Winds Of Dune Part 33

Gurney's greatest fear was for Jessica's safety. If faced with the choice between saving her or the Ixian ... she was more important than anything to him. How can I protect you from this, my Lady? How can I protect you from this, my Lady?

Duncan had all of his troops in place and ready.

At the forefront of the operation, the two men entered a dilapidated building across the street from the target structure. A lean military officer in a sandy camouflage uniform met them, identifying himself as Levenbrech Orik. With gestures made jerky by his excitement over the culmination of the long hunt, Orik led Gurney and Duncan past anxious soldiers to the crumbling stairwell. On the sixth floor, they crossed a littered hallway out to a wide-open room with a small balcony. Black scanlight bathed the area to prevent anyone outside from seeing them.

From there, the levenbrech pointed out the veiled window to a building across the narrow alley. "Bronso Vernius's hideout is two floors below the roof of that building. The 'thopter we've traced is on the roof, hidden by some sort of Ixian camouflage." Orik's voice held an angry sneer. "Our engineers have already dropped a riley-ramp into place, so we can cross as soon as we're ready for the a.s.sault."

Gurney peered into the deepening shadows of dusk, but saw only clutter on the flat rooftop. "Won't they see us coming?"

"We're protected by scanlight all the way, and there are noise-suppression systems in place, though sounds are harder to veil. Ixian technology against Ixian technology. He's only one man, and he can't match our resources."

Gurney was aware that to help capture the fugitive, the Ixian Confederacy had provided Alia with many new devices that used innovative technologies. Apparently, the Ixians wanted Bronso stopped as much as Alia did.

"Before we move, we should search every room over there," Gurney said. "Remove the innocents, in case there's violence." Give Bronso more time Give Bronso more time.

"We move now." Duncan looked at his wristchron, all business. "Let's close the net. Bronso has already eluded us too many times."

Bronso brought spice coffee for himself and Jessica on a silver tray, handed her a steaming cup. He had been waiting a long time for this meeting. "Now that my mother is away from Wallach IX, I have begun to rethink my role, Lady Jessica. For the past seven years, I have done exactly what Paul asked. I did it because he convinced me of the necessity-attacking the reputation of a great man, my friend. I have planted my seeds, and we will see if Time's fertile ground allows them to grow."

He looked down at his hands, then up at Jessica. "But now the s.p.a.cing Guild has cracked down on my distribution network. Thanks to Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck, my Wayku friends have been arrested and my doc.u.ments destroyed." His voice hitched, and he shook his head. "Oh, I shudder to think of the danger to which I've exposed my allies. My friends."

Jessica saw his pain and felt a similar sadness in her own heart. "When Paul charged you with this task, he didn't foresee that your work would still be necessary, all these years later. He's gone, Bronso."

"Then my job is finished?" The Ixian's voice took on a pleading tone. "Do I maintain my criticisms, or can I stop now? How much is enough? Paul said he didn't want to be a G.o.d, or a messiah ... but how can I take everything everything from him? Vermillion h.e.l.ls, there should be something left of his n.o.ble legacy! He was still a great man, despite what has happened." from him? Vermillion h.e.l.ls, there should be something left of his n.o.ble legacy! He was still a great man, despite what has happened."

Jessica felt torn between wanting her son to be revered and beloved and preventing the damage his memory and martyrdom could cause if left untarnished. "You think I can answer those questions? Oh, Bronso. Try to imagine how it must hurt me, as his mother." She suddenly realized what he was asking. "You want my blessing for you to stop, don't you?"

"It's exhausted my heart, my mind, and my soul. I have already said what I needed to say. I think I have accomplished the task that Paul gave me. The more Regent Alia tries to suppress my writings, the more credence she gives to my statements. Do I keep saying the same things, over and over? The doubts I have raised will thrive-with or without me." He stared down at his cup of spice coffee; he had not taken a sip. "Please tell me it's enough, my Lady. Tell me I can rest at last and make a new life with my mother. Have I accomplished what Paul wanted?" over and over? The doubts I have raised will thrive-with or without me." He stared down at his cup of spice coffee; he had not taken a sip. "Please tell me it's enough, my Lady. Tell me I can rest at last and make a new life with my mother. Have I accomplished what Paul wanted?"

"Of course." Her voice cracked. "You have already done all that Paul asked-and more. You built a levee against the flood of the Jihad, directing the channel of history in a different direction. Only time will tell how successful you have been." She felt a great relief growing within her. Yes, she could release him. "You eluded us for a long time when you and Paul were just boys. I suggest you vanish now, create a new future for yourself. Slip away, leave Dune, and find a place of safety on one of the outer worlds, where I can send your mother to join you one day."

His eyes were bright with a sparkle of tears. "I always make sure I have a way to escape in a matter of seconds. My 'thopter is camouflaged on the roof, and if that route is blocked, I've installed an Ixian high-speed lift tube that leads below street level and into a whole network of underground pa.s.sageways the Harkonnens built. I have learned how to stay safe."

"Always having an escape is not the same thing as being safe." Jessica was unable to shake the uneasy feeling. "I don't feel safe here."

Bronso gave her a wan smile. "That is quite understandable. After all, you are an Atreides, and there are Harkonnen ghosts in this city."

With a feeling of trepidation, Gurney heard chatter over a com-line as the command was relayed. He touched his earpiece. "They're reporting it's only Bronso and one other potential conspirator. Maybe it should just be the two of us, Duncan. Go in ourselves."

At the very least, if just he and Duncan went in, maybe the ghola's loyalty would let them save Jessica.

The other man shook his head firmly. "We will not underestimate him. Levenbrech, block off the closest streets, surround the building, guard every possible exit. Watch the 'thopter on the roof so he can't use it to escape."

Orik was eager to make his report. "Our engineers have cut the fuel lines and disabled the jet pods. He cannot fly away from us." With a hand signal, the grinning levenbrech led the way out onto the balcony and across the riley-ramp, which remained rigid and steady even as the men trooped across it quick-time. hand signal, the grinning levenbrech led the way out onto the balcony and across the riley-ramp, which remained rigid and steady even as the men trooped across it quick-time.

Gurney said, growing more desperate, "Maybe I should go in first, try to convince him to surrender. Bronso will remember me. I don't like the potential for casualties-"

Duncan scowled. "A foolish risk to take. No, we will go in, full force. The time for half measures is past."

The a.s.sault team signaled their readiness, and Gurney felt a lump in his throat. He touched the long knife in its sheath at his waist. With their body s.h.i.+elds activated, Duncan motioned them forward, and the net closed.

With his senses heightened and paranoia sharpened by living so many years on the run, Bronso detected the a.s.sault first. A change in the air, a series of faint, out-of-place sounds. He cursed and looked out a window, but saw nothing. Still, something was not right. "To the 'thopter on the rooftop-we've been tracked!"

Jessica balked. "They'll have pursuit 'thopters."

Bronso gave her a quick, sly grin. "Mine has Ixian modifications."

The sound of booted feet running in the corridor grew louder, and Jessica knew there was no time for further discussion.

As the troops crashed through the door of Bronso's bolt-hole apartment, Gurney remained right behind Duncan. Both men had their long knives drawn and ready, but Gurney was ready to throw himself upon Jessica, to prevent her from being harmed by overzealous soldiers. He had to whisk her out by any means possible ... if he could only find a way.

Reacting to a flicker of movement, he spotted a concealed door at the back of the room just as it closed. Before Gurney could hope that no one else would notice, before he could exclaim that Bronso wasn't there, Levenbrech Orik yelled, "They're getting away!"

Duncan smashed open the door at the back of the room. Footsteps could be heard rus.h.i.+ng up the stairs. "To the roof!" he shouted. "Send more men to the roof!"

Gurney shouldered him aside and took the lead. Bolting up through the pa.s.sage, he hoped to gain an extra second or two. He tripped intentionally on piled debris in the stairwell, stalled the men behind him, then proceeded upward with exaggerated caution.

Emerging onto the rooftop in the uncertain light of deepening dusk, Gurney spotted two shadowy figures das.h.i.+ng toward the faintly s.h.i.+mmering camo-s.h.i.+eld that covered an ornithopter. Knowing what he knew now, one of them had to be Jessica. After a brief, heated discussion, the two figures split up, the woman running toward a different access door on the far side of the roof. Good ... they're apart Good ... they're apart. If Jessica could get far enough away, perhaps she would have deniability.

Gurney knew what he had to do. Cut losses. Focus on the objective Cut losses. Focus on the objective. Give Jessica just a little more time. "Bronso is our main target! After him!" This was a battle like so many others, and Jessica was more important to him, even given the sacrifice of the Ixian. "Duncan, I'll take the other one. Go!"

Moving like a shadow, Bronso dove under the camo-s.h.i.+eld and vanished in a ripple of color and darkness. Gurney heard a metal 'thopter hatch being yanked open, a seat creaking, controls being activated.

With a burst of speed, Duncan bolted to the hidden aircraft as engine sounds coughed and ground together. With a disorienting flick, the ghola tore away the chameleon cloth and reached inside the c.o.c.kpit to grab the figure behind the controls, hauling him out onto the hard, dusty surface of the roof. Bronso was no fighter, and the Swordmaster easily subdued him.

When she saw Bronso fall, the disguised woman eluded Gurney and ran recklessly back toward the 'thopter. She leaped into the fight, kicking and whirling with her own combat skills, hitting Duncan with repeated blows, forcing him to release his captive.

The ghola spun to face the unexpected opponent, raising his short sword. Even with her Bene Gesserit fighting methods, Gurney did not know how long Jessica could last against a seasoned Swordmaster of Ginaz. She eluded Duncan's thrusts, and kicked his weapon arm so hard that he had to s.h.i.+ft the sword to his other hand. Her abrupt movements caused the hood to blow back and reveal her face, just a flash of skin and her eyes. caused the hood to blow back and reveal her face, just a flash of skin and her eyes.

At that instant, Bronso threw himself at Duncan's legs, knocking him off balance. Gurney lunged to put himself between the ghola and Jessica, then hissed sharply, close to her ear. "My Lady! Strike me now-hit me! Then escape." Then escape."

With a flash of understanding, Jessica drove a hard kick into the center of Gurney's chest, knocking him backward. He reeled off balance, retching, physically stunned. As he coughed and made a show of chasing her, she ducked into the roof access and plunged into another stairwell.

Levenbrech Orik and his men yelled to each other and spread out across the roof. Duncan seized Bronso and held him immobile. Strangely, the Ixian was laughing with a sound that seemed to carry a hint of relief. Duncan pushed the man roughly into the arms of two waiting soldiers. "Take him. Full s.h.i.+gawire bindings and restraint cuffs. If he escapes, you will explain your failure to Alia herself."

Hearing the threat, the men added enough bindings to hold a dozen Sardaukar fighters. After they had ushered the bruised Bronso away, Duncan turned his back to Gurney and shouted to the officer. "Levenbrech, take your men down the other stairway-catch the second conspirator! Gurney Halleck and I will secure the rooftop. We have it under control." The ghola's metal eyes were unreadable, but his face showed unmistakable fury.

As the soldiers rushed into the second escape stairwell, racing off to follow orders, Gurney found himself alone on the rooftop with Duncan. The ghola glowered at him, keeping his voice low. "You let her escape."

Gurney heaved exaggerated breaths, shook his head. "G.o.ds below, Duncan, she caught me by surprise."

The ghola regarded him coldly, activated his body s.h.i.+eld and stood in a combat-ready posture. "I have always trusted you, Gurney Halleck, but perhaps not any more. That was Lady Jessica. You let her escape, and I will will know why." The flat face of Duncan Idaho was drawn with strain. He lifted his short sword. "You have a great deal of explaining to do." know why." The flat face of Duncan Idaho was drawn with strain. He lifted his short sword. "You have a great deal of explaining to do."

Gurney could not deny it, didn't even try to. He activated his own s.h.i.+eld, took a half step backward, and prepared to fight.

Each death is different, in myriad ways.

-Zensunni axiom

On the darkened rooftop, Gurney refused to volunteer any information, even to Duncan. "I serve the Lady Jessica and House Atreides-as do you, Duncan Idaho. Or have you forgotten your loyalties?" He stared hard at his shadowy companion, trying to detect any shards of humanity there, any remnants of his old friend and comrade in arms.

The ghola did not flinch. "I've forgotten nothing." Both men stood, their short swords drawn, body s.h.i.+elds flickering.

"d.a.m.n it, Duncan, we've both distrusted Lady Jessica in the past. You were convinced that Jessica was the traitor to House Atreides, sure that Duke Leto himself had stopped trusting her. And you were wrong then-remember that. Just as I was wrong when I suspected her of treachery. G.o.ds below!"

Gurney would never forget the feel of Jessica as he had grabbed her unawares in the Fremen sietch, his arm around her neck, the point of his knife at her back. His hatred for her had burned for years while he hid among the smugglers, utterly convinced that she she was the one who had betrayed the Duke, when it had been Yueh all along. Back then, Gurney's own shame was so great that he had offered his life to Paul and to Jessica, but they had let him live. He would not fail her now. was the one who had betrayed the Duke, when it had been Yueh all along. Back then, Gurney's own shame was so great that he had offered his life to Paul and to Jessica, but they had let him live. He would not fail her now.

"Duke Leto and Paul both trusted Jessica implicitly," Gurney said, "and they told us to trust her. Those are not loyalties to be taken lightly. They are Atreides Atreides loyalties." loyalties."

Duncan remained implacable. "Alia is also Atreides-and she is my wife. I cannot question her orders."

In a sudden move, the ghola struck out, driving his blade against Gurney's body s.h.i.+eld, causing him to parry and use the s.h.i.+eld to its fullest advantage. Both men were skilled fighters and had trained together for countless hours on Caladan, had fought side by side on dozens of battle-fields. Gurney drove his blade forward, penetrated Duncan's s.h.i.+eld at precisely the right speed, cutting his arm slightly. He withdrew to meet another blow from his opponent's edge and was driven backward by the ghola's anger.

Duncan seemed to have made up his mind. "I can no longer turn a blind eye to the answers that were in front of me all along. My friends.h.i.+p for you prevented me from acting on my suspicion that you were sabotaging or misdirecting our efforts to find Bronso. Why did you do it?"

Panting, Gurney eluded another thrust and then charged Duncan, putting him on the defensive. "Because Lady Jessica commanded me to!"

Duncan met blade against blade. "Why?" With a stiff forearm, he slammed Gurney against the ornithopter, so that the articulated metal wings creaked and flopped. He held Gurney there for a moment, pressing the blade tip against his throat. "If you refuse to answer, then your guilt is plain."

"Listen to yourself! When have we ever required explanations from the Atreides?" He pushed Duncan away, made him stumble backward. "When is your loyalty conditional on a whim?"

Hearing this, the ghola hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty. In that moment, Gurney could have delivered a disabling blow, but he did not. "I wonder if you really are the old Duncan-the man who sacrificed his life so that Paul and Jessica could get away. Are you still guided by Tleilaxu programming? Or are you Alia's puppet?"

"Alia is is House Atreides!" Duncan repeated. "Is the Lady Jessica a puppet of the Bene Gesserit? Why does she want the Ixian traitor to live? Why has she been helping him?" He pressed closer, pus.h.i.+ng the sharp tip of the blade against Gurney's throat again. "You fight with words when your hand is weakened." House Atreides!" Duncan repeated. "Is the Lady Jessica a puppet of the Bene Gesserit? Why does she want the Ixian traitor to live? Why has she been helping him?" He pressed closer, pus.h.i.+ng the sharp tip of the blade against Gurney's throat again. "You fight with words when your hand is weakened."

"And I see you've forgotten the things we taught Paul when he was just a pup." Gurney's gaze flicked. "Look down, and see that we'd have joined each other in death." It was a saying he'd used on occasion in practice sessions. The tip of his blade extended through the s.h.i.+eld, touching Duncan's side where a quick and easy thrust could deliver a fatal blow through liver and kidneys.

"I have already been through death, Gurney Halleck."

"And what sort of ghola came back out? The real Duncan Idaho would never expose the Duke's Lady-whom we swore to serve-to total ruin."

Ultimately, Gurney knew he could not do this thing. He relaxed his muscles. "Do you truly believe that she would do anything against Paul? There are plans within plans here. Kill me if you must, but I will not betray her." He lowered his blade. "She is the Lady Jessica."

Duncan stood rigid, staring off into the tiny bright eyes of the Carthag city lights, then with a curse he threw down his short sword. It clattered on the rooftop. "If Jessica's involvement with Bronso is proved, there will be no stopping Alia from killing her own mother. She would never accept-or choose choose to accept-any explanation." to accept-any explanation."

Gurney nodded. "I doubt Levenbrech Orik or his men will catch her if she has planned an escape. But if you you expose her ident.i.ty ..." He clenched his hand around the hilt of the short sword. Duncan was unarmed now, and Gurney had one last chance to kill him. expose her ident.i.ty ..." He clenched his hand around the hilt of the short sword. Duncan was unarmed now, and Gurney had one last chance to kill him.

The ghola remained silent for so long that Gurney feared he had fallen into one of the fabled, never-ending comatose states that flawed Mentats entered. Finally, Duncan blinked and let out a long breath. His voice was crowded with rationalizations. "Our orders were to find and capture Bronso of Ix. Accomplices are incidental, for now. Bronso has been taken into custody, as Alia requested, and I will will ensure that he does not escape this time. ensure that he does not escape this time.

"For now, the extent of Lady Jessica's involvement-and her reasons-need not concern either of us."

Without melange, Paul-Muad'Dib could not prophesy. We know this moment of supreme power contained failure. There can be only one answer, that completely accurate and total prediction is lethal.

-a.n.a.lysis of History: Muad'Dib, BRONSO OF IX BRONSO OF IX

Bronso remained silent during the rough journey from Carthag, closing his eyes and concentrating on the vibrations of the military-transport 'thopter as it flew high above the dunes, casting moonshadows on the open sand below. The thrum of machinery reminded him of the great industries on Ix. He would never see them again ... had not expected to for years.

Though he longed to know whether Jessica herself had escaped the trap, Bronso refused to ask questions of his captors, refused to utter a word. From now on, his manifestoes would have to speak for him. They were his words, written with a clear mind and a clear conscience. Others would spread them and keep them relevant. Others would continue to raise questions and doubts.

Bronso steeled himself: He would not let any torture-coerced confessions or distortions diminish the work he had done. Yes, he had embellished facts about Muad'Dib, extrapolated them, even spun and bent them to fit, but only to balance the equally false absurdities Alia had encouraged. No matter how vigorously the Qizarate tried to suppress his writings, copies would survive. And over the course of time, the truth would overcome all lies.

But Bronso would not be there to see it. He was certain of that.

At least he had freed his mother, and could rest easily knowing that Tessia would find a home, and peace, on Caladan. Jessica would make sure of that....

Bronso's death cell in the deep levels beneath the fortress citadel offered no amenities, not even a pallet for a bed. One corner held a small reclamation still for bodily waste. He could tell from the lingering, wafting odor that the still had been used recently, and the seals were old. He did not need to ask what had happened to the cell's previous occupant.

He tried to sleep on the cell's hard plazcrete floor. Dim, unfiltered glowglobes provided the only light, denying him any direct awareness of the pa.s.sage of hours or days, but with the implanted Ixian chronometer on the skin of his forearm, he could mark the exact pa.s.sage of every interminable second.

Time no longer mattered, however.