God Emperor vs Duncan

[arnoldo]

 

The God Emperor crushed the inoperable lasgun replica that the 19th Duncan Idaho series ghola handed to him, rolling his cart back and forth over it creating a crisp crunching sound. In like manner, the face dancer's crumpled body laid beside it.

Standing by the stairs, Moneo had already known what the outcome of this encounter would be. Rebels! I had once done the same,Moneo reflected. Now, Moneo noted in increasing alarm the signs in Leto. The Worm Who is God was near! Forsaking the stairs, Moneo instead opted for the lift.

"What lesson can be learned from this lasgun. . . which is actually a museum replica the face dancer Bijaz tried to use to assassinate me?"

"My Lord is referring to the story of the Proto-Ixian Japanese buying replica guns in The Grasshopper Lies Heavy"? Your damn fishspeakers wouldn't stop visiting me at night until I read the filmbook" Duncan said. "Damn it Leto, I'm not your stud!"

"Yes, that one." The God Emperor replied distantly, deep in thought and ignoring Duncan's complaint. "Keep in mind I've preserved the prescient's writings for such a time as this, Duncan."

"Caveat Emptor," Duncan replied in perfectly pronounced Latin whilst turning his back to Leto. “By the gods below, strike me down now Caesar.” Duncan whispered.

The God Emperor's body shuddered involuntarily, hands shaking violently. How did Duncan have memories of his past ancestor? Only the God Emperor knew that Duncan's ancestral lineage led to Brutus who slew Julius Caesar. While still deep in thought Leto appeared to register surprise to see Duncan turn around and pull out a perfectly operable Ixian lasgun aimed directly towards himself. Simultaneously, Duncan pulled back his cloak to activate his shield that Malky had smuggled off world to him. The shield caused a golden glow to shimmer all around Duncan. A soft buzzing sound like bees buzzing filled Duncan's ears and bounced off the deep underground cavern walls of Sietch Tabr.

Suddenly, Malky appeared at the entrance of the lift, with Moneo’s body laying in a crumpled heap in the corner. At that instant, Leto’s comlink blinked with a small flashing red light alerting an urgent message was about to be conveyed.

‘My Lord! Siona said you gave her counter-orders to allow Malky to visit you one last time for interrogation!” Nayla said. “You told me never to disobey Siona but how could she allow Malky to kill her father?”

"Beware the Ides of March, Old Worm" Malky dryly said upon exiting the lift.

Knowing there was no possible means of escape Malky turned on his shield to full power and gave Duncan a final command according to their contingency plan developed in the no-globe.

“Do it” Malky said. For emphasis, Moneo related in Atreides hand battle language that their previous plan of escape was foiled. Fish speakers located the no-globe, slaughtered the smugglers, and destroyed the small smuggler ship to get off planet.

Duncan complied by turning off his pseudo-shield and taking aim at Moneo.

Duncan recalled a favorite quotation of Gurney from the O.C. Bible and roared, " I have been a stranger in a strange land"

"Et tu Brute?" Leto said an instant before Duncan pulled the trigger.

Edited March 1, 2019 by arnoldo
no se

[arnoldo]

“My Lord, Duncan has fallen asleep after having his fill of spice beer.” Nayla spoke into her com-link the God Emperor had given to her after Siaynoq.

The Duncans are so predictable, Leto recalled how Duncan in a drunk stupor in Arrakeen had called his grandmother a traitor. Within Leto, Jessica chortled as she remembered how viciously she slapped Duncan's cheek. The Baron wanted to share how Duncan escaped Giedi Prime. Must keep that one in check, he still schemes to take over, Alia within warned.

Yet, the Tleilaxu had created a holy accident in this Duncan. Somehow the Tleilaxu had found cells from an ancient Roman aristocrat called Brutus and included these cells in this ghola.

“Improves the stock” Master Bijaz told the God Emperor.

Troubled, Leto surmised that this ability to obtain such ancient rare roman cells indicated a higher ordered level of intelligence at play. Just then, Leto had a future past memory of the Golden Path winking in and out of existence. I must accelerate the Duncan ghola series program whatever the cost, Leto reflected before redirected his attention to Bijaz.

“Let the next Idaho ghola have no tainted cells or my fish speakers will arrive on Bandalong and destroy all Duncan Idaho cells, including the original cadaver.” Leto responded. “In fact, send Duncan's replacement at once.”

At the same time Bijaz responded to his command, Leto's mind drifted.

How close this machine I write with came to be made in the likeness of the mind. . . just a few adjustments I had made to the previous version I now forbid the Ixians to create. . .The speed at which it began to evolve and self-replicate!. . . Of course I had to destroy it at the first sign. . . . Why had the Ixians been so foolish to think they could control it?

Now, the new docile dictatel stored secretly within his cart silently scribed on the finest ridulian crystal sheets the following short summation.

Prioritize the next Duncan to acquire knowledge of Vast Active Living Intelligence System. . . memory must in place for nth series ghola to access when. . .when. . .

“My Lord is merciful” Master Bijaz replied breaking Leto's reverie before leaving in haste back to Bene Tleilax to relay the Prophet's instructions in Kehl with his fellow masters.

Woolgathering again. . Leto returned his attention back to Nayla. “Replace Duncan's shield charge with a psuedo-charge but leave Duncan's lasgun intact. Duncan will not realize his shield had been tampered with until it's too late. ” Leto replied curtly to Nayla. "Don't kill Malky's smugglers who contacted Duncan yet. I wish to use them as bait to locate a no-globe which is hidden from me."

“My Lord, the lasgun can still be a risk to your person if another shield has been smuggled. .at least one other has been found on Onn" Nayla pleaded.

“Enough, will I have to choose another fish speaker for this mission” Leto screamed. “Siona would not hesitate to obey me in this matter.”

It must be a test. . . Nayla reflected. Who knows what the God Emperor has planned but his will must be obeyed. Gingerly, Nayla left Duncan's bed room chambers after taking one last look at Ducan and thinking.. .Why does he keep telling the God Emperor he is not his stud when I and many of my sisters have borne his children?

Before entering her Fish Speaker compound to bunk for the night with Siona in her private quarters, Nayla received an urgent message from Leto. “Nayla, Malky must atone for his attempted sin against my holy person” Leto softly said. “Once, Hwi arrives from IX in the morning board the heighliner and have Malky purified and translated"

“Yes, my Lord” Nayla whispered into the com-link. Once Nayla removed her com-link upon entering the fish speaker compound it was then that Nayla had her moment of revelation.