Commander of Dune

Chapter 32

Good artists copy, great artists steal

Pablo Picasso

Life went on and as her world crumbled around her, Arista continued with her duties.

She wiped the tears from her eyes struggled to regain some decorum or Royal control, even managed for a moment to breath normally UNTIL she read the invitation again and lost complete control AGAIN.

It read...

Tula Belch, a missionary from Planet Rhianon, will be speaking tonight at Monticello Sietch. Come hear Tula Belch all the way from Rhianon.

At least things were not so bleak that she had lost her sense of humour.

~*~*~*~*~

It had taken time, but finally – finally Amasso had tracked down the author of the Report. Last seen entering Palace Harkonnen, he hadn't been seen again. Rumors abounded, however that he was enjoying the 'hospitality' of the Baron's dungeons.

Now Amasso stood at the Paxtang Graveyard, looking at the tombstone of the known forger. He didn't know what disgusted him more the waste of the time, the fact that the man was dead or that he had failed to get any closer to proving the fraud.

It had been difficult tracing the man without being caught himself. With the forger dead the quiet, frightened faces who had talked before would all snap shut now. Frustrated he left and headed for the nearest spaceport. He'd return home, regroup and start again.

~*~*~*~*~

Dr. Thalmas Sanchez emerged from the Command and Control room and ran into Amasso who had just returned – not a soul knew the Atreides was back, except for Dr. Sanchez. Thalmas was surprised to see him in fact he seemed uncomfortable.

Amasso's senses sharpened from months of sobriety picked up on the man's discomfort. But his guard remained down this was the Doctor to the Empress, he had top security clearance – there was no danger. "Thalmas? What is wrong?"

"Wrong?" The older man squeaked and began to sweat.

The younger spotted the bead of moisture and then realized where the other had emerged. Seeing the pieces of the puzzle fall into place for Amasso, Thalmas suddenly pulled out a hand weapon.

The para-bindu reflexes kicked in and Amasso dodged the shot. Thalmas held the trigger down and just kept shooting. The inevitable finally happened and he shot the Atreides. He stepped over the body and said "Sorry. You are Bene Gesserit trained – I can't afford for you to use the Voice on me."

He could hear running footsteps as the encounter brought security to the spot. They would soon find Amasso's lifeless body and the others in C and C. Having wasted time with the encounter, Sanchez's window of opportunity was getting too narrow for comfort. He set off running as the explosive devise he'd set detonated.

~*~*~*~*~

A ripple of energy woke Dax. As he contemplated the emptiness that he suddenly felt; the explosion threw him from his bed, and the warning that the house shields were down sent him running. His route to his mother's private chambers took him past C and C; there he came across the body of his Twin.

The emptiness now explained Dax; knelt to hug the corpse. The moment the two hearts touched the vision of what happened coursed through his psyche like an electric bolt.

Reaching for Amasso's communicator Dax barked, "All stations this Lord Dax – you are to stop Dr. Thalmas Sanchez at all costs, if he resists shoot to kill. He is not to leave the Palace or the planet!"