Chapter 304: The Fremen's Allegiance! Unification's Endgame! Assassination in Motion!
"I'm going to contact Director Song right away and ask her to allow House Atreides to retain a contingent of Fremen as our household guards."
Hawat understood the Duke's concern. But at the same time, he also knew this request would be far from easy.
While the Fremen might not hold much practical value for the Universal Megacorp, they certainly carried political weight.
After all, the Bene Gesserit's propaganda portrayed the Fremen as a military force devoted to the "Messiah"—to the new Emperor of the Galaxy.
Put simply, whoever the Fremen followed would be seen as the rightful ruler of the Galactic Empire.
And House Atreides, despite being a leading noble house, hadn't earned the imperial mantle. Leto had no rightful claim to this army.
Otherwise, it would be a clear act of overreach.
So if the Megacorp refused House Atreides' request, it would be entirely within reason.
Fully aware of the political implications, Hawat warned, "My Lord Duke, you should be mentally prepared—there's a good chance the Megacorp will turn us down."
From a military perspective, even though the Fremen couldn't compare with the Megacorp's warships and artillery, they were still an exceptional source of manpower.
They'd survived in a harsh wasteland, their brutal environment forging strong bodies and unbreakable fighting spirits.
Combined with the Megacorp's genetic enhancement technologies, these people could be easily molded into even deadlier warriors—like Spartans or Astartes.
More importantly, the Fremen were... simple-minded. The Bene Gesserit witches had managed to fill their heads with superstition and dogma. Whatever they were told, they believed.
In society, such blind obedience might be considered naïve. But in a military unit? That made them ideal—living weapons that followed orders without question.
Unfortunately, the rights to this tribal army belonged solely to the Universal Megacorp. House Atreides had no command authority over the Fremen.
Still, Hawat believed that asking Song Zhaomei for a few Fremen as personal guards wasn't an unreasonable request.
House Atreides had sound reasoning. And for a super-civilization like the Megacorp, such a small favor was likely to be granted.
"Go on then. Handle it."
Duke Leto patted Hawat's shoulder. He was mostly testing the Megacorp's stance; if they refused, so be it.
"Understood."
Without delay, Hawat turned and headed back to the Atreides residence to contact Song Zhaomei and begin negotiations.
---
Half an hour later, inside a quiet inner hall of the residence, a masked woman with a slender but solid frame lurked silently in the shadows.
She was Anya—a Bene Gesserit assassin dispatched by Reverend Mother Helen.
Following the Bene Gesserit's alliance with Emperor Shaddam, they had immediately launched a string of operations.
Whisper campaigns among noble houses. Covert assassinations executed by elite agents like Anya.
Now that the Megacorp's expeditionary legions were prepared and the major houses increasingly favored House Atreides, Reverend Mother Helen had to act fast.
Kill the Atreides leadership. Destabilize them before it was too late.
They had once planted Lady Jessica within the Atreides household as a pawn—but unfortunately, she'd betrayed her sisterhood. Married into the family. Raised a child. Abandoned their mission.
Now, the Bene Gesserit had struggled to sneak in a single assassin—Anya—into Atreides territory for this one chance at success.
There could be no failure.
---
"Director Song, we're counting on you to handle the matter of the Fremen. We hope His Divine Majesty will provide a timely reply."
Just then, a pair of steady footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Anya's eyes gleamed. She recognized the voice—it belonged to Thufir Hawat, the Mentat of House Atreides.
Killing him would throw the Atreides' internal operations into chaos. That would count as mission accomplished.
She stilled her breath, poised in silence, ready to strike the moment her targets came near.
---
Outside in the corridor, Song Zhaomei walked side by side with Hawat, engaged in a discussion about the Fremen's allegiance.
Just as Hawat had predicted, the Megacorp didn't much care about the Fremen's practical value—but politically? They mattered a great deal.
In many cases, matters of principle were just as crucial as material interests. Even the tiniest concession couldn't be made lightly.
When it came to the Fremen, Song Zhaomei had full authority to speak for Li Ang —the Megacorp's top executive. And her answer was simple:
Not a single Fremen would be handed over to House Atreides.
"Mr. Hawat, regarding the Fremen, our stance is clear: they will not be assigned to any noble house. Every Fremen individual will serve as a department employee of the Megacorp."
"Additionally, their legal status touches on highly sensitive issues. Keeping them close may bring House Atreides unnecessary trouble."
Her refusal was swift and absolute.
From the Megacorp's perspective, the matter wasn't even worth debating.
When it came to the legitimacy of the God-Emperor's rule, Li Ang allowed no grey areas.
Even though he hadn't stated it outright, Song Zhaomei could see it clearly: ambiguity around the Fremen's loyalty was the last thing the Megacorp wanted.
If someone used the Fremen issue to accuse House Atreides of harboring ambitions for rebellion, what would the Megacorp do then?
Best not to get involved at all. Besides, the Fremen were undeniably excellent troops.
They were already formidable after exposure to spice—imagine their power with proper genetic enhancements.
The Megacorp's next step was to form an elite Fremen Legion under its own command. A flagship unit for future operations.
So giving them away was out of the question.
"If Duke Leto is worried about challenges from rival houses, please assure him that there's no need for concern."
Having rejected the request, Song Zhaomei offered a solution to Leto's anxiety.
The Megacorp would provide House Atreides with replicants, cloned soldiers, and the appropriate weapons and equipment.
Compared to training Fremen, these units were more cost-effective and operationally efficient.
In truth, now that all imperial houses had joined the Megacorp's interstellar trade network, House Atreides' military strength would be significantly upgraded.
In this new era, raw manpower wasn't as important. Roles like bodyguards could easily be filled by AI drones or cloned soldiers.
The Megacorp's goal in the Dune universe was to win over every house and build a multidimensional interstellar "Silk Road."
The noble houses would act as trade consortium members—liaising with civilizations across different universes and delivering Megacorp goods everywhere.
They would sell Pacific Rim's Kaiju, rent Ghost in the Shell's quantum soldiers, market Dune's spice, and distribute Halo's entertainment systems for free…
Under the Megacorp's guidance, the houses' technology and forces would grow more powerful than ever. As the leading member of this trade guild, House Atreides wouldn't need to rely on the Fremen for survival.
The Megacorp had already accounted for everything.
"Mr. Hawat, we fully understand House Atreides' concerns, and we're confident in our ability to support you. Please trust our judgment."
Song Zhaomei's voice was calm but firm.
She could empathize with Duke Leto—he had played the game of empire all his life, and his mind was still steeped in the old ways.
Given how much the imperial landscape had changed, his caution was understandable.
After hearing her explanation, Hawat finally realized just how misguided his earlier thinking had been.
Thank goodness they hadn't actually secured any Fremen—doing so would've planted a massive landmine beneath House Atreides.
With the issue now fully resolved, the last step was completing the unification.
Previously, Hawat had been worried about the Megacorp's progress. After all, though the Sardaukar legions had been crushed, the Corrino royal house had once reigned supreme during the Great Jihad.
There was no telling whether they had hidden AI technologies.
If Shaddam, that treacherous emperor, decided to unleash ancient AIs out of desperation, it could spell trouble for everyone.
But now that Hawat had witnessed the Megacorp's expeditionary legions and their technological prowess, his confidence was restored.
Sure, ancient AIs might be strong—but they'd need time to develop. Against the Megacorp, which had mastered the "great circle" of AI, the Corrino's outdated tech would be laughable.
---
"We've arrived, Mr. Hawat. You don't need to escort me any further."
At the corridor near the inner hall, Song Zhaomei came to a stop.
She shook hands with Hawat, smiling. "I'll rest here for the night. Tomorrow I'll return to the flagship. No need for you or the Duke to see me off."
She had already received Li Ang's official appointment. Barring any surprises, she would soon be named the planetary governor of the Dune universe.
Arrakis would become her seat of power. Once in office, she would replace all personnel here with Megacorp staff and purge any unrelated individuals.
Hawat smiled and nodded. "Then allow me to wish you smooth sailing on behalf of the Duke."
Song Zhaomei gave a soft laugh.
But just as she turned toward the hall, her state-of-the-art Displacer Sensor Eye picked up a humanoid heat signature.
There was someone hiding at the corner of the inner hall—clutching a concealed weapon.
In an instant, Song Zhaomei knew: there was an assassin.
Hawat noticed her sudden change in demeanor and thought he might have said something wrong.
But the next moment, Song Zhaomei silently gestured—pointing toward the corner. An assassin.
Hawat instantly went pale. But his seasoned nerves kept him from reacting aloud.
This was the Atreides inner compound. Only Duke Leto's most trusted people were stationed here.
Even the servants were brought from Caladan.
Yet an assassin had still slipped in.
Hawat didn't need to guess—it had to be a Bene Gesserit killer.
---
"By the way, Director Song."
Quick-thinking as ever, Hawat instantly came up with a plan. He wore a calm, respectful expression, but spoke in a deliberately relaxed tone:
"You've never attended a proper Atreides banquet, have you? I'd like to invite you to one hosted by the Duke himself. It won't take more than an hour."
"Would that be acceptable to you?"
As the chief of Atreides internal and military affairs, Hawat had both the intelligence and poise to act under pressure.
Then he paused and added, "After the banquet, Duke Leto will personally escort you back—to honor you as our guest."
He knew full well: if he turned away now, the assassin would strike immediately.
To buy time, he had to offer a more valuable target—divert the killer's attention to Duke Leto himself.
After all, compared to targeting her directly, the Sisterhood's assassin would obviously prefer to eliminate Duke Leto, thereby leaving House Atreides leaderless and plunging it into internal chaos and conflict.
After hearing Hawat's suggestion, Song Zhaomei gave a satisfied smile. She nodded and replied, "Very well. I trust the family banquet prepared by Duke Leto won't disappoint me."
Her words carried a double meaning, which made Hawat wipe the cold sweat from his brow. He answered firmly, "Indeed!"
With that, the two of them turned and made their way back down the corridor. Naturally, Song Zhaomei kept her attention focused entirely behind her, staying alert for any assassins who might burst out from the inner hall.
Hidden in the shadows of the inner hall, Anya had gone through a round of internal deliberation and ultimately decided to remain still for the time being—choosing to patiently wait for Duke Leto to return.
Just as Hawat had predicted, Duke Leto was the primary target of the Sisterhood's assassination mission. If even the slightest opportunity presented itself, they would prioritize eliminating him.
After all, if they acted prematurely and assassinated Hawat, it would surely throw House Atreides into an uproar. Once forewarned, Duke Leto would be on guard, making it far more difficult for the Sisterhood to carry out their mission successfully.
However, what Anya never anticipated was that the entire situation was nothing more than a trap—Hawat's ploy to lure the enemy out.
She waited in the shadows of the inner hall for a long time, but in the end, it wasn't Duke Leto who appeared. Instead, it was a squad of elite Atreides guards led by Duncan!
They struck with lightning speed, swiftly surrounding the inner hall and capturing Anya—who was still in hiding—completely off guard.
Although Anya was a senior member of the Sisterhood and possessed formidable Voice-control abilities, her skill level was nowhere near that of Reverend Mother Helen. She could only affect individual targets.
As a result, facing off against a team of highly trained Atreides guards, Anya had no chance of resisting.
During the arrest, she attempted to bite down on the poison capsule hidden in her tooth. But Duncan, experienced and vigilant, was one step ahead—he pried it out before she could act.
In the end, the assassination plot orchestrated by Reverend Mother Helen ended in total failure.
In the dark and damp dungeons, Duncan took on the role of interrogator himself, pressing Anya to reveal the mastermind behind the plot and the whereabouts of her fellow conspirators.
Of course, according to the customs of House Atreides, before the formal interrogation began, the prisoner had to receive a taste of pain—an opening show of force to break their will.
When the whip, covered in backward-facing thorns and soaked in cold salt water, lashed across Anya's body, each sharp, cracking sound was followed by a cry of agony from her lips.
This method of punishment—simultaneously beating and disinfecting—pushed Anya to the brink of unconsciousness from the pain. Only when enough time had passed did Duncan finally give the order to stop.
Considering the severity of Anya's crimes, she more than deserved the punishment. Frankly, even executing her on the spot wouldn't have been unjustified. But letting her die so easily would have been far too lenient.
Then, Duncan waved his hand again, signaling for the guards to apply medicine to her wounds. This was a secret ointment passed down within House Atreides—capable of rapidly healing damaged flesh and accelerating recovery.
But the price was steep: once applied, the salve caused excruciating pain and unbearable itching, like being devoured alive by a swarm of ants.
Within moments, the recovering wounds had Anya shivering in agony, tears and mucus streaming down her face, even her clenched teeth rattling from the torment.
Just as the effects began to subside and her wounds showed signs of healing, Duncan struck her with the whip again, reopening the fresh flesh.
This cycle of healing and re-injury repeated over and over. Before long, Anya's body was in shambles, and her mental state was on the verge of collapse.
Only after determining that she had been sufficiently broken did Duncan begin questioning her, demanding that she confess the identity of the mastermind and list all her accomplices.
Unable to endure the unrelenting torment any longer, Anya broke down and spilled everything she knew.
She revealed the entire mission assigned to her by Reverend Mother Helen, the names and locations of other infiltrators within House Atreides—everything, in full detail, to Duncan.
Though members of the Sisterhood were all professionally trained and known for their strong willpower, very few could withstand such prolonged and seemingly endless torture.
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