Chapter 39 Chapter two

I have dealt with rulers of many great families, but never have I seen a nastier and more dangerous swine, Safi Hawat said to herself. "You can tell me frankly, Hawat," said the baron.He leaned back in the chairlift, staring at Hawat with his fat, creased eyes like awls. Old Mentat looked down at the table between him and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.The abundance of food on the table is one of the factors that need to be considered to comfort the baron.The red walls of the dedicated conference room filled the air with a faint herbal aroma masking a stronger musky scent. "You didn't make me warn Rabin on a whim," said the baron.

There was no expression on Hawat's old, leathery face, nor the slightest hint of the disgust he felt. "I doubt many things, sir." "Yes. I wish to know why Arrakis is at the forefront of your suspicions about Sarrus Secundus. You told me that the Emperor is in Arrakis and his mysterious prison planet In the midst of some kind of joint turmoil between the two. This is not clear enough. I was quick to warn Rabin only because the courier had to travel in the space transport plane. You said that this matter cannot be delayed. Now I ask for an explanation." He babbled too much, Hawat thought.He's not like Rado.Ledo told me one thing, all it takes is a flick of the eyebrow or a wave of the hand.He is also not like the old prince, who can express the meaning of a whole sentence with a simple word.This is a big rough!It would be good for humanity to get rid of him.

"You must not leave here until I have a full and complete explanation," said the baron. "You speak too cautiously of Salus Secundus," Hawat said. "It's a penal colony," said the baron, "where the worst rogues in the galaxy are sent. Is there anything else we need to know?" "Conditions on that prison planet are more depressing than anywhere else," Hawat said, "where the moral penalty rate among the prisoners is as high as 60 percent, where the emperor implements various forms of coercion, you Heard all this without questioning?"

"The Emperor does not allow the great families to inspect his prison," muttered the baron, "but he has not inspected my dungeons either." "Curious about Sarrus Secundus...um..." Hawat put a bony finger to his lips, "...frustrating." "So he's not proud of what he did there!" There was a forced smile on Hawat's blackened lips, and his eyes sparkled in the light.He watched the Baron. "You never wanted to know where the emperor got the Sadoka?" The baron pursed his full lips, which made him look like an angry baby.He said angrily: "Why do they recruit... that is, they recruit... from..."

"Ha!" Hawat said, "you've heard the rumors of the use of the Sadoka, and they're not rumors, are they? These first-hand accounts come from the very few survivors who fought against the Sadoka. " "The Sadokar are first-rate fighters, there is no doubt about that," said the baron, "but I think my own Legion..." "Compared to the Sadoka people, they are just a group of tourists on vacation," Hawat sarcastically said, "You think I don't know why the emperor wants to deal with the Atrez family?" "This is not a question for you to think about," the baron warned.

Even, he couldn't possibly know.What is the emperor's motive in this matter?Hawat asked himself. "I can think about anything, if it has anything to do with what you're asking me to do," "I am a Mentat, and you cannot hide any information or any planning process from a Mentat," Hawat said. The baron stared at him for a long time, then said: "What are you going to say, Mentat?" "Emperor Padisha opposed House Atrez because the duke's military commanders, Gurney Halleck and Duncan Idaho, trained a fighting force—a small fighting force—to compete with Sadoca They are not inferior to the army at all. Some of them are even better. The Duke intends to expand this army and make it as strong as the Emperor's army."

The baron weighed this conclusion, and then said: "What does Arrakis have to do with it?" "Arakis provides the necessary conditions for such a volunteer unit to carry out survival training in a difficult environment." The Baron shook his head. "Perhaps you don't mean the Fremen?" "I mean the Fremen." "Ah! Then, why do you want me to warn Rabin? Under Sadoka's massacre and Rabin's high pressure, there can be no more than a handful of Fremen left." Hawat watched him silently. "Not a handful!" repeated the baron. "Rabin killed six thousand Fremen in the last year alone."

Hawat continued to watch him silently. "The year before last, nine thousand people were killed," the baron continued. "Before the Sadokas left, they killed at least 20,000 people." "How many men has Rabin's army lost in the past?" Hawat asked. The baron stroked his chin and said, "He has been recruiting a large number of recruits. His affairs officer once told me very exaggeratedly..." "We can estimate, more than 30,000?" Hawat asked. "That seems a little high," said the baron. "On the contrary," said Hawat. "I, like you, read between the lines of Rabin's report. You must have read it from the reports we received from our clerk."

"Arrakis is a terrible planet," said the baron, "and the damage of the storm may be..." "We all know the characteristics of a storm," Hawat said. "Suppose we lose thirty thousand men, so what?" asked the baron, the blood rushing up and making his face darker. "According to your calculations," said Hawat, "Rabin killed fifteen thousand men in two years, and he lost twice that number. You say the Sadoka killed another twenty thousand, Probably more. I've seen the coffins they brought back from Arrakis, and if they killed twenty thousand they lost five times that. Why don't you take the numbers seriously, Baron , you know what those numbers mean."

The baron said coldly and cautiously: "This is your job, Mentat. What do they mean?" "I gave you Duncan Idaho's count of the camps he visited," Hawat said, "and they agree exactly. If they had two hundred and fifty of those camps, their population was about five hundred." Ten thousand. I reckon they have at least twice as many camps, and you're spreading your few people over a planet like this." "Ten million?" The baron's jaw trembled in surprise. "At least ten million." The baron's mouth was open, his beady eyes fixed on Hawat.Are Mentat's calculations true?How is this possible, he asked himself?Why is no one suspicious?

"We didn't even count their births," Hawat said, "we just got rid of some of the bad seeds in them and kept the strong ones and made them stronger, just like Sa Like Russ Secundus." "Sarrus Secundus!" cried the baron, "what does this have to do with the emperor's prison planet?" "A man who survives the drudgery of Sarrus Secundus will be rougher than most others," Hawat said. "You give them very good military training..." "Nonsense! In your opinion, after my nephew's brutal suppression of the Fremen, I can recruit recruits from among them." Hawat said softly: "Haven't you suppressed your army?" "So... I...but..." "Repression is a relative thing," Hawat said. "Your soldiers are better off and better off than those around them, so they don't see it as unpleasant to choose to be your soldier. " The baron was silent, his eyes wandering.Possibly—it was unwise for Rabin to entrust the fate of the Harkonnen family to his extreme weapon? After a while, he said: "How can you be sure that the soldiers recruited in this way are loyal?" "We divide them into small teams, no bigger than a platoon," Hawat said, "remove their stressful environment, separate them from the trainers who know their background, hire people who have been separated from them before people from the same stressful environment, come to train them and fill their heads with the myth that their planet has really become a secret training ground that produces good fighters like themselves. And we show them What should such a good fighter deserve: a rich life, beautiful women, fine houses... everything they want." The Baron began to nod in agreement. "Sadoka way of life at home." "They will also come to believe that a place like Salus Secundus is normal because it nurtures them - the very essence of humanity. Even the most ordinary Sardaka soldier lives in a In many ways as well off as any extended family member." "What a good idea!" whispered the Baron. "You're starting to share my doubts," Hawat said. "Where did this matter begin?" asked the baron. "Well... yes. But where did the Nuo family originate? Before the emperor sent the first batch of prisoners to Salus Secundus, was there anyone there? Even the Duke of Leido certainly didn't know. These questions are not would be interesting." The Baron mused, his eyes glazed over. "Yes, a very carefully hidden secret, they used various methods..." "So, what are they hiding?" Hawat asked. "Emperor Padisha has a prison planet? Everyone knows that. He has..." "Lord Fenlon," the baron muttered. Hawat stopped talking and looked at the baron with bewildered eyes. "Earl Fenlon?" "A few years ago, during my nephew's birthday party," said the Baron, "the Emperor's messenger, the Earl of Fenlon, came here as spectator of the court... ah, to settle a dispute between the Emperor and myself." A business dispute." "Is that so?" "I... in one of our conversations, I believe we talked about making Arrakis a prison planet. Fenlon he..." "Exactly, what did you say?" "Exactly? That was a long time ago, and..." "Your Excellency, if you want me to serve you better, you must provide me with enough information. Is this conversation not recorded?" The baron's face darkened with anger. "You're as bad as Peter! I don't like these—" "Peter can no longer serve you, sir," said Hawat. "As for that Peter, what happened?" "He was too easy and demanding of me," said the baron. "I promise you that you will not get rid of a man who is useful to you," said Hawat. "You will not try to get rid of me with threats and puns, will you? We are now discussing what you said to Lord Fenlon. " The baron slowly calmed down.Then, he thought, I'll remember how he treated me.Yes, I will always remember. "Wait a moment," said the baron.He recalled the meeting in his hall, which helped to concretize the situation of their conversation standing in the soundproof cone. "I said something like this: Your Majesty knows that a certain amount of massacre always comes with an arms deal, I mean the loss of our army. Then I said that a solution to the Arakane problem was to be considered. I also said, The Emperor's prison planet plan encouraged me to follow suit." "The devil!" cursed Hawat, "what did Lord Fenlon say?" "That's when he started asking me about you." Hawat sat back in his seat, closed his eyes and thought. "So that's why they explored Arrakis," he said, "well, it's over." He opened his eyes: "It's been two years now, and they must have their own spies." "But, of course, my ignorant suggestion..." "In the eyes of the emperor, nothing is ignorant. What are your instructions to Rabin?" "Just call him to teach Arrakis to fear us." Hawat shook his head. "You have two choices now, Baron. One is to kill the natives, to wipe them out completely, or..." "Losing your entire workforce?" "Don't you want the emperor and the big families who follow him to come here together, and plunder Ji Plemen like a gourd?" The baron looked at Mentat, then said: "He dare not!" "Did he not dare?" The baron moved his lips. "What's your choice?" "Get rid of your nephew Rabin." "Get rid of..." the baron couldn't finish, staring at Hawat. "No more troops for him, no funding for him, no reply to his letters, except that you have heard of the terrible way he handled things in Arrakis. Take the appropriate measures, as soon as you can. I I will arrange for some of your information to be intercepted by the emperor's spies." "But what about declining spices? What about income?" "Ask for your baronial stipend. But make your request carefully, and ask Rabin to provide you with a fixed amount of money. We can..." The baron spread his hands and said: "But how can I be sure that my murderous nephew is not..." "We proceeded to send our spies to Arrakis, and told Rabin that either he must meet your share of the decaying spice that you allotted him, or he would be replaced." "I know my nephew," said the baron, "and it only makes him more oppressive of the people there." "He's sure to do that!" said Hawat slyly. "You don't want to stop it! You just want your own hands to be clean and let Rabin build you your Salus Secundus .It is not even necessary to send him any prisoners, he has what he needs. If Rabin drives his people to satisfy your share of decaying spices, the emperor will not suspect you have other motives. That is to turn the planet Reason enough to set the course of destruction. You, Baron, do not, in any speech or action, appear to have any other motive." The Baron said with unabashed admiration, "Ah, Hawat, you are truly a Misguided people! Now tell us how we will enter Arrakis and use what Rabin has prepared." "That's the easiest thing to do, Baron. If you make each year's share higher than the previous year, things will climax quickly, production will drop, and you can get rid of Rabin." , to replace it himself...to correct the mess." "It suits me well," said the baron, "but I think I'm tired of it all, and I'm going to let another man take over Arrakis for me." Hawat looked at his fat round face from the opposite side, and the veteran and spy began to nod slowly. "Phaede Ross," he said, "that's why the coercion is in place now. You're a misguided man yourself, Baron. Perhaps we can carry out both plans. Yes, your Phaede Ross. He can go to Arrakis and be their saviour, and he can win the hearts of the people." The Baron smiled.Behind the laugh, he asked himself: How can my plan be completely consistent with Hawat's personal thoughts? Knowing to let him go, Hawat stood up and walked out of the room with red walls.As he walked, he suppressed the uneasiness in his heart, feeling that he didn't know anything about Arrakis' plan that suddenly appeared.The new religious leader, whom Gurney Halleck had hinted at among the smugglers, Moaddi. Maybe I shouldn't tell the baron, and let the religion flourish where it will, among the peoples in the lowlands and ravines, he said to himself.Religion has been known to flourish through brutal repression. He thought of Halleck's report on the Fremen's fighting tactics, a strategy somewhat like that of Halleck himself... Idaho... or even Hawat's own. Idaho still alive?he asked himself. This is a puzzling question.Yet he did not ask himself whether Paul was still alive.He knew that the Baron believed that all the Atreese were dead.The Baron also admits that the Bee Geist witch has become his weapon, which can only mean that everything is over— Including that witch and her son.