Arrakis — Arrakeen Palace
The sand pounded the palace walls as if the desert were trying to enter, eager to claim the foreigners who dared to rule it.
In the strategy room, Thufir Hawat paced, his face creased with worry. Across from him, Duke Leto Atreides stood at attention, staring at the schematics projected on the central table.
"The pieces are in motion, my lord," Thufir growled. "I feel it in every report, in every suspicious silence. There is treason nearby... but I cannot see the traitor."
Leto pursed his lips. His intuition matched his Mentat's, but they lacked proof. They knew the Harkonnens had not retreated out of weakness. The trap was invisible, still latent.
The door opened softly, and Dr. Yueh entered with his measured gait, carrying a tablet with supply data.
"My lords," he greeted respectfully. "The water reserves remain stable, but I recommend reinforcing surveillance of the reservoirs."
Thufir narrowed his eyes, as if searching for a crack in the doctor's mask. But the diamond on his forehead remained the seal of his Suk conditioning. Unbreakable... in theory.
"Thank you, Doctor," Leto replied, accepting the report.
When Yueh left, Thufir couldn't help but comment in a low voice:
"Even the most secure seals can be broken, if you know where to press."
Leto didn't reply. He didn't need to feed the paranoia. The important thing was to stay alert.
In another wing of the palace, Paul trained silently under the supervision of his mother, Jessica. The sound of their movements echoed in the covered courtyard as the light filtered through the panels protected them from the scorching heat.
"Your mind must be as sharp as your body," Jessica said, regarding her son with the critical eye of a Bene Gesserit. "Here, threats don't always carry a visible blade."
Paul paused, taking a deep breath.
"I feel something approaching... like a shadow that has yet to take shape."
Jessica nodded, hiding her concern.
"Trust your instincts. But don't forget: on Arrakis, shadows are always longer than they appear."
Deep Space — Aeternum Rex
While tensions mounted on Arrakis, light years away, in the cold majesty of Aeternum Rex, Kael Atreides contemplated a far more personal—and momentous—matter.
The room he found himself in was not a command room or a war center. It was a sanctuary of white light, where thousands of holographic projections floated around him, displaying faces, genetic strands, histories, abilities.
They were women. Selected by the most advanced algorithms of the Forerunner legacy. Each evaluated not for superficial beauty, but for biological compatibility, mental fortitude, genetic potential.
Monitor Z-343 hovered silently, respecting the process.
Kael walked among the projections, his imposing figure casting shadows across the luminous faces.
"Perfection is not merely mastery over matter or politics," he said quietly, more thoughtful than usual. Perfection is also ensuring that the legacy doesn't end with me.
The Monitor finally spoke:
"Your modifications have elevated you beyond standard human biology. Compatibility is... limited."
Kael smiled coldly.
"That's why the search must be precise. I'm not seeking simple reproduction. I'm seeking to create the ultimate heir."
He paused in front of a projection of a woman from House Corrino, but after a second of analysis, dismissed the image with a gesture.
"Too rooted in Imperial decadence."
Another image showed a Bene Gesserit acolyte.
"Intriguing..." he murmured. "But I don't want a serpent with hidden ambitions."
The Monitor projected a series of unfamiliar faces, women from planets outside the direct reach of Imperial politics, with strong bloodlines, disciplined minds, adaptable bodies.
"These are the most viable candidates. Pure genetics, untainted by centuries of political manipulation."
Kael watched silently. His thoughts were clear:
He wasn't looking for love, or emotional companionship. He was looking for someone who could withstand his presence, his power... and bear him offspring that were more than human.
"Send the probes to these systems," he finally ordered. "Let them monitor them, study their behavior. I don't want any mistakes. When I find her, she will be brought back without the universe knowing she has disappeared."
The Monitor confirmed the order.
Kael stood alone in the room, watching the projections disappear one by one.
For a moment, his gaze drifted into nothingness.
"Even the gods need to create..." he thought.
But in his case, it wasn't out of spiritual necessity. It was to ensure that his vision of eternal order endured beyond his own existence.
Arrakis — The Sand Prepares to Bleed
That night, the desert wind howled louder.
In his room, Leto stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. He knew the storm was near. Not a sandstorm, but one of steel and betrayal.
In the shadows of the palace, Yueh finished sending her secret signal. His hands trembled, not from fear, but from the certainty that he had crossed the point of no return.
In his dreams, Paul saw visions of fire, of blood spilled on the sand... and a figure in the distance, covered in light and shadow, watching him facelessly.
Jessica woke up in the middle of the night, feeling as if something in the fabric of destiny was breaking.
And in deep space, Kael Atreides closed his eyes on his throne, as his probes departed in search of the woman who, unbeknownst to him, would be part of the most important creation since his own rebirth.
The game continued.
The traps were set.
Blood, inevitable.