Chapter 14


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Freakzilla
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Chapter 14

Post by Freakzilla »

The Duncans always think it odd that I choose women for combat forces, but my
Fish Speakers are a temporary army in every sense. While they can be violent and
vicious, women are profoundly different from men in their dedication to battle.
The cradle of genesis ultimately predisposes them to behavior more protective of
life. They have proved to be the best keepers of the Golden Path. I reinforce
this in my design for their training. They are set aside for a time from
ordinary routines. I give them special sharings which they can look back upon'
with pleasure for the rest of their lives. They come of age in the company of
their sisters in preparation for events more profound. What you share in such
companionship always prepares you for greater things. The haze of nostalgia
covers their days among their sisters, making those days into something
different than they were. That's the way today changes history. All
contemporaries do not inhabit the same time. The past is always changing, but
few realize it.

-The Stolen Journals

Duncan is brought down to the Crypt to a dim room for his first interview with Leto. The Duncans are always a little messed up in the head and in a state of near shock when he gets them due to the traumatic reawakening procedure. To ease the tension Leto greets Duncan in Paul's voice. Eventually Leto turns on the lights to reveal his worm body and confirms that what the Tleilaxu have told him is true, he is all of his ancestors and has been transforming into a worm for 3,500 years. Leto tries to explain his female army and that he's to command his personal guard. Duncan feels something is missing, he doesn't like the games Leto is playing. Duncan decides to do it and speaks to Duke Leto and Paul and tells them he loved them. This nearly brings Leto II to tears, it is love to which Leto II is vulnerable.
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Freakzilla
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Re: Chapter 14

Post by Freakzilla »

Revised
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Paul of Dune was so bad it gave me a seizure that dislocated both of my shoulders and prolapsed my anus.
~Pink Snowman
georgiedenbro
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Re: Chapter 14

Post by georgiedenbro »

"The damned Tleilaxu! They tried to make me kill someone I . . . well, he looked like you. I suddenly remembered who I was and there was this . . . Could that have been a Muad'Dib ghola?"
"A Face Dancer mimic, I assure you."
Or was it? Recall the theory that the Tleilaxu KH may have been made using Paul's DNA. If it was a 'real Paul' then it would certainly not behoove Leto to tell this to Duncan, since Duncan't loyalty might not be to quickly given to Leto if there was a real Paul out there somewhere. Also, the thought of having almost killed a real Paul might be too much for Duncan to take.
"He looked and talked so much like . . . Are you sure?"
"An actor, no more. Did he survive?"
"Of course! That's how they wakened my memories. They explained the whole damned thing. Is it true?"
"It's true, Duncan. I detest it, but I permit it for the pleasure of your company."
The potential victims always survive, Leto thought. At least for the Duncans I see. There have been slips, the fake Paul slain and the Duncans wasted. But there are always more cells carefully
preserved from the original.
Based on the last passage it looks like Leto himself may believe that the Pauls really are fake, although his use of the word "fake" rather than "ghola" does create a certain ambiguity.
"That's better," Leto said. "You're beginning to accept that I'm not just one Atreides. I'm all of them."
"Paul said that once."
"So I did!" As much as the original personality could be conveyed by tone and accent, it was Muad'Dib speaking.
This is another instance of Duncan having Hayt's memories.
Leto smiled. "My peace is actually enforced tranquility. Humans have a long history of reacting against tranquility."
"So you give us the Fish Speakers."
"And a hierarchy you can identify without any mistakes."
"A female army," Idaho muttered.
"The ultimate male-enticing force," Leto said. "Sex always was a way of subduing the aggressive male."
"Is that what they do?"
"They prevent or ameliorate excesses which could lead to more painful violence."
Duncan is prejudiced against an all-female army, but this passage is amazing because Leto has already demonstrated to Duncan their effectiveness! The very first thing Leto had the Fish Speakers do with Duncan was to ameliorate his stress with sex (no doubt with 'Friend', a humorous nickname given what we now learn she did with Duncan), knowing that Duncan would sneer at the idea of a female army even after having been subdued by them through non-violent means. And what's more Duncan liked it and even told Leto that the Atreides know him all too well. So rather than make a claim that Duncan might reject or accept, Leto preemptively proved it to Duncan so that when the explanation came Duncan could do little else but grumble even while acknowledging that Leto is right. Awesome writing.
"um-m-m-ah-h-h-hm-m-m-m!"
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