Chapter 302: Pandora's Box! The Ancient AI! Activation of the Mantle!
"Jessica can be returned to you," Emperor Shaddam replied in a cold, menacing voice, "but that bastard Paul must die. As for the Atreides family's warship, your Bene Gesserit sisterhood may only use it under imperial supervision."
As the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, Shaddam had witnessed too many tales of sons avenging their fathers. If the weeds are not pulled out by the roots, they'll grow again in the spring breeze. There was no way he would let Paul live.
If the Atreides were deemed rebels, then the entire family had to be sent to the grave. Only then could the matter be considered settled.
As for that mysterious array of super warships, it too must remain strictly under the watch of the royal family. The Bene Gesserit could participate in its usage—but never control it directly.
"You rule as the great Emperor of the galaxy, presiding over the multitudes within the Empire," Mother Helen said with her eyes closed, shaking her head. "Why should you concern yourself with the son of a man already destined to die?"
She remained firm in her stance: the Bene Gesserit had to keep Paul alive.
"We want Paul alive because he carries Jessica's blood. In other words, Paul is Bene Gesserit property."
"When the war ends, we will keep him strictly confined. He will never appear before your eyes again."
Helen had offered as much compromise as she could. One way or another, Paul was non-negotiable—no one could change that.
As for the Atreides' super warship fleet, as long as the Bene Gesserit were granted participation, Helen had more than enough ways to take control of it in the future.
"No. That damned spawn must die!"
Emperor Shaddam roared, gritting his teeth. He could not tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes.
He loathed the entire Atreides family—Duke Leto and everyone tied to them. If he could have his way, he'd tear them limb from limb.
When this war was over, Shaddam planned to reassert imperial dominance by reckoning with every major house in the Empire, starting with House Atreides.
If he didn't exterminate them entirely, how could the authority of the royal family be upheld? If the Atreides weren't wiped out, how could the other noble houses be kept in check?
Seeing Shaddam's obstinate refusal to yield, Helen's expression began to darken. At a time like this, and he's still throwing childish tantrums? Refusing to compromise even a little?
If she didn't put him in his place now, Shaddam might really still think he was the untouchable emperor of old—instead of a prisoner on the verge of death.
"Your Majesty," Helen said sharply, "you desperately need the support of the Bene Gesserit. But we, the Bene Gesserit, do not necessarily need you. I urge you to reconsider. Do not lose the greater for the sake of the lesser."
This was a thinly veiled threat. Either accept her terms, or prepare for Duke Leto to lead the Atreides forces straight to his doorstep.
Shaddam fell silent. He could see the resolve in Helen's eyes and hear the steel in her voice. His bluster was useless in front of the Bene Gesserit.
Yes, the imperial family with its Sardaukar legions had once been the most powerful force in the Empire—but those days were gone.
As Helen had said, the Corrino dynasty needed the Bene Gesserit now more than ever to win this grueling war.
But the Bene Gesserit? They didn't need Corrino.
The sisterhood was spread throughout the galaxy. They could dissolve into the shadows, go underground, bide their time. The Atreides wouldn't find it easy to wipe them out.
Shaddam knew he had to give in—if he didn't, no one would help him stop the rise of House Atreides.
"Fine," he said at last, his tone softening slightly. "You can have Jessica and Paul. But Leto and the rest of the Atreides must be put to death."
He understood that this wasn't the time to fall out with the Bene Gesserit. When the Atreides were captured, then he would regain the upper hand.
He took a deep breath. The Corrino royal family had ruled the galaxy for over ten thousand years, hoarding countless resources and technologies.
As long as they weren't crushed instantly, there would be a path to recovery. With the Bene Gesserit's help, that recovery could come much faster.
And once the royal family had regained its footing, Shaddam swore he would erase House Atreides from imperial history forever.
"Since Your Majesty has agreed to our humble request," Helen said with a smile curling beneath her mysterious black veil, "then the Bene Gesserit shall fully support the royal family in destroying the rebels and upholding imperial rule."
Getting Shaddam to make concessions wasn't easy. Of course, Helen wasn't about to trust him blindly. Once she spirited Paul and Jessica away, she'd immediately arrange their escape routes.
By then, if Shaddam still wanted Paul dead, he wouldn't get the chance.
"Helen," Shaddam asked with a frown, "tell me—what exactly can your Bene Gesserit do for me? Don't tell me you plan to take up arms and go to war. I don't see you being capable of that."
He was clearly irritated. He had already compromised more than enough, but Mother Helen had yet to offer any concrete plan.
If the goal was to assassinate Leto or key figures like Hawat, who would the Bene Gesserit send? What would the method be? How would they ensure success?
Shaddam had no idea. He felt like he was being strung along with empty promises.
"We will intervene behind the scenes," Helen replied calmly, raising her head to look Shaddam in the eye. Her voice brimmed with quiet confidence. "We'll prevent the Atreides from forming a galaxy-wide rebel alliance."
Before now, Duke Leto had been able to rally numerous houses from the Landsraad League because House Atreides was relatively weak and needed allies for protection.
But now that the Atreides were rising rapidly, not every house would continue supporting Leto as they once did.
After all, the houses had only backed House Atreides to preserve their own influence—not to watch the Atreides ascend to the imperial throne.
Very few people can stomach seeing someone else do better than themselves. That's human nature.
Helen was confident that with the right incentives, most of the noble houses would rather see the Corrino dynasty survive.
Her plan was to travel between the houses, offering deals, making promises, and forming a new alliance against the Atreides.
"In addition," she continued, "we'll persuade the Spacing Guild to quietly reduce efficiency when transporting troops for the other houses. Slow work. Deliberate delays."
Helen knew the Guild were fair-weather allies. This wouldn't be hard to arrange—she was confident.
"Accomplishing just those two objectives would greatly relieve the pressure the royal family currently faces."
She smiled, then added, "Of course, our value to the royal family doesn't end there."
"My agents on Arrakis are in position. This assassination attempt will take out at least two high-ranking members of House Atreides."
"If we're lucky, I may even bring back Duke Leto's head for Your Majesty."
"If that happens, all current threats to the royal family will vanish—and your authority will remain unshakable."
After hearing Helen's tempting proposal, Shaddam narrowed his eyes. He had to admit—this was quite the blueprint.
If these three strategies could truly be carried out, the Corrino family could still endure. Especially the third: the assassination of Duke Leto.
If the Bene Gesserit assassins could eliminate key figures in the Atreides leadership, the internal shock alone could trigger a crisis or civil war within the house.
That would buy Shaddam precious time. What he lacked most right now wasn't soldiers—it was time to redeploy and reorganize his resources.
Although the Corrino family had lost their powerful Sardaukar legions, the Sardaukar homeworld still existed. It still housed many Sardaukar reserves.
All Shaddam had to do was give the order, and a new Sardaukar army could be assembled and sent to the front lines.
Moreover, Corrino's rule over the galaxy had spanned millennia. Their political network was no weaker than the Atreides' Landsraad League.
With a bit more time to maneuver, Shaddam was confident he could organize a massive counteroffensive alliance to challenge the seemingly unstoppable rise of House Atreides.
"…Interesting."
A faint smile curled at the corner of Emperor Shaddam's lips. These were just the basic steps. His real trump card was still to come.
Everyone knew that in the Dune universe, the Galactic Empire strictly prohibited artificial intelligence.
But rules like that… were always designed to bind the weak—and protect the strong.
Officially, the Corrino dynasty forbade the development of AI technologies.
But in secret, the imperial family had long preserved a cache of AI artifacts dating back ten thousand years.
Everyone clearly understands the benefits of AI, but because of the royal family's authority, no one dares to use it.
And unless absolutely necessary, the royal family itself would never activate it lightly.
After all, AI is like Pandora's box—once opened, it could lead to the resurgence of artificial intelligence across the entire Empire.
But now, the Atreides family—through unknown means—has developed terrifying warships. If Shaddam wants to catch up, he must activate AI.
As long as AI is given even a little time and fed a massive amount of data, it could reverse-engineer the Atreides' shield technology in no time—perhaps even their warship construction techniques!
At that point, the royal family would only need to build a fleet to match the Atreides', and they would surely regain the upper hand and reclaim control over the Galactic Empire.
Shaddam is confident in this, because he has seen—through the royal family's archived footage—just how terrifying artificial intelligence was ten thousand years ago.
Those AI lifeforms wielded advanced weaponry. They were cunning, lethal, and possessed formidable R&D capabilities. Even Shaddam didn't know how their ancestors had managed to defeat them.
In short, what the Corrino royal family needs most right now is time. As long as Shaddam is given more time to release those ancient AIs, the royal family's technological advancement can rapidly accelerate.
Now that the Bene Gesserit are acting as disruptors, Shaddam believes they can buy him a year or two—stoking suspicion and conflict among the major Houses, and assassinating their top leaders.
By further sowing division, delaying through the Spacing Guild, and launching a coordinated strike, the royal family might even win itself several years of breathing room.
After all, the Galactic Empire spans vast distances—tens of thousands of light-years in strategic depth—which is more than enough for Emperor Shaddam to set up layered military defenses.
"Helen, you always manage to bring me unexpected surprises. It looks like my position is secure—at least for the time being."
Shaddam laughed heartily. With these countermeasures against the Atreides now in hand, much of the anxiety in his heart had dissipated.
After two or three years, once the ancient AIs are reawakened, the Corrino royal family will surely rise again and wage a final battle against the Atreides.
…
While Emperor Shaddam was forming a political alliance with Reverend Mother Helen and enacting a series of countermeasures against the Atreides family—
At the headquarters of the Multiverse Base, in front of Stargate #005, a gargantuan super-dreadnought—spanning hundreds of kilometers—was slowly cruising past.
Yes, it was the Mantle of Inheritance, a warship excavated from Universe 004: Halo. Originally, it was expected to take two or three years to fully reboot.
But the corporate R&D department had discovered a rapid reboot method in the Forerunners' knowledge archives. By inputting a set of command codes, the warship was brought back online far faster than anticipated.
Now, under the command of Captain Andrew, the Mantle of Inheritance was heading to Universe 005: Dune.
Over the past few months, the Universal Megacorp had first propped up the Atreides family as its local proxy in the Dune universe, then decisively defeated the royal coalition fleet near Arrakis' orbital space.
From here on out, the megacorp would have no further worries. All they needed to do was send people to collect assets and recruit vassals.
Of course, the Corrino royal family would undoubtedly try to regroup and resist with whatever military force remained, but such resistance was hardly worth mentioning.
It was foreseeable that the Dune universe would soon erupt into a series of small, intense skirmishes—which would provide the perfect excuse for the megacorp to root out any remaining threats.
Since Li Ang intended to ascend the throne as God-Emperor here and establish his own Universal Empire, it would be best to lure out all the ambitious schemers first—saving him the trouble of hunting them down one by one later.
At that moment, in the Multiverse Base HQ, on the central control platform—
With his hands behind his back, Li Ang gazed at the slowly opening stargate through a holographic projection. The swirling, mirror-like vortex gradually swallowed the colossal Mantle of Inheritance.
Nearby, megacorp staff looked up in awe and astonishment at the sight of the massive warship entering the gate. A warship of this scale—large enough to blot out the sky—was worthy of none other than their boss Li Ang, the soon-to-be God-Emperor.
"Boss—no, I mean, Your Majesty—now that this super dreadnought is your coronation gift, I doubt anyone in Universe 005 will have any objections."
Song Zhaomei smiled as she spoke. She was confident that the arrival of the Mantle of Inheritance would be more than enough to intimidate the great Houses of the Empire.
After all, to the humans of the Dune universe, a behemoth like this—capable of planet-destroying strikes—was indistinguishable from a demonic force from beyond the stars.
Despite Song Zhaomei's flattery, Li Ang remained unfazed and responded coolly, "Thank you for all your hard work during this time."
Over the past six months, Li Ang had remained in complete stealth mode, handing off all affairs in Universe 005 to Song Zhaomei.
And she had not disappointed—there had been almost no missteps. Every critical decision had been executed properly, and the unification of the Dune universe was progressing at high speed.
This freed Li Ang to focus his time and energy on other universes and on preparing the manpower and logistics needed for their next multiverse expedition.
"It's all thanks to your brilliant planning, boss. Otherwise, there's no way we could've moved this quickly."
Song Zhaomei responded with her usual polished tone—but she was also being truthful. Without Li Ang's advance briefings, they would've been completely in the dark about Universe 005.
Had they needed to learn everything about this new universe from scratch, it would've taken at least six months just to get up to speed on its customs, geography, and history.
Factor in the chaos of coordination and planning, and the whole operation might've dragged on for a year or more.
"Right. Start preparing the coronation ceremony. Hold it in Universe 005, and invite some of the other civilizations in the Universal Trade Network to attend."
"No changes to internal megacorp departments or positions—I'll just make an appearance and deliver a short coronation address."
Li Ang's attitude toward his ascension was simple: head to Universe 005, put on the crown, make a speech, and then hand everything off to his subordinates.
From there, he'd reassign the noble Houses to new tasks—mainly transporting goods across the Universal Trade Network—and appoint a new planetary governor to manage affairs on his behalf.
The "God-Emperor" title would be used exclusively within Universe 005: Dune. In all other multiverse realms, the megacorp's original executive structure would remain unchanged.
The logic was straightforward: if the system already runs smoothly, there's no need to tinker with it. Since the current political architecture works just fine, why mess it up?
Besides, in other universes, Li Ang's position as Executive Officer was already equivalent to that of a God-Emperor—only the name was different.
Overhauling department functions just to match a ceremonial title would be pure pointless bureaucracy.
"Since you've done a good job here, keep going. I'll start preparing for the next conquest."
Li Ang knew that the Dune universe's conquest was nearly complete, and that the opening of the next multiverse gate was drawing near.
Based on past practice, whoever performed best in the next campaign would be eligible to serve as that universe's planetary governor.
Since Song Zhaomei had handled nearly the entire Dune operation herself, it meant she now stood the best chance of becoming the megacorp's first female interstellar governor.
Though Li Ang hadn't explicitly said so, she could read between the lines—and quickly responded:
"Yes, sir. Don't worry. I'll take care of everything here."
Seeing how quickly she caught on, Li Ang nodded and chuckled softly.
In truth, he was already planning to rotate in a new group of trusted elites as planetary governors—freeing up V for redeployment to the front lines.
Li Ang had a strong feeling that the next multiverse universe wouldn't be so simple—and might prove to be a brutal campaign on par with Universe 004: Halo.
So he had to make personnel adjustments now to prepare his most elite team for whatever came next.
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