Commander of Dune

Chapter 15

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws"
Cornelius Tacitus Roman historian

Humans tended to obsess about the Planet of their origin – Earth.  There tended to be romanticism about anything Terrestrial, among them was a plethora of legends.  One such Legend was about the Marabunta. 

The Marabunta was a soldier ant said to inhabit the jungles of the Southern Continent of Earth.  When their war-like instincts were triggered they would go on a rampage.  Once the ants were on the march, man and beast faced only two options: Get out of the way or die.  Seen approaching for kilometers the insects would consume and destroy everything in its path, leaving a desert in their wake.

Once the war impulse is triggered, Marabunta did not make social visits, neither did Fremen.

The Highliners of the Spacing Guild arrived and blackened the sky to the point that the sun was eclipsed.  They delivered the deadly cargo and were gone.  They would return when called upon as per the agreement of the contract.

Five cohorts of Battle Hardned, Desert Tempered, Shai-Hulud Fanatical Fedaykin prepared for deployment. If there were Worm Bed on Salusa Secundus, they the faithful would find it and eliminate the abomination.

Alerted to the situation by the eclipse, the planetary government declared their innocence, called for negotiations and begged for mercy.  The Fremen had one reply "We are Fedaykin. We have come to stop the incarceration of Shai-Hulud."  There was no other announcement and no negotiations. 

Looking like a spatial tornado linking Salusa Secundus to the space transport, the Arakeen transports hovered over the planet to disgorge their deadly cargo.  The troops swarmed out.  As with the Legend of the Marabunta; the Fedaykin could be seen approaching for kilometers across the sky and as with the insects they would consume and destroy everything in its path.

The leading edge of the invasion was already two days on the ground and conducting searches when the last of the soldiers landed.

Salusa Secundus faced only two options - get out of the way or die.  The planetary government called upon the Landsraad for assistance.

~*~*~*~*~

Dwanna watched impassively as the Fremen ground troops had taken control of the Planet.  She had emerged from the Tourist Attraction just the week before and was still conferencing with Reverend Mother Kardon when the swarm had arrived; apparently they too had heard the rumour of worms on Salusa Secundus and had come to find out for themselves.

The arrival had been impressive.  In no time the Planet had been shut down.  No transport – no communications.  That meant she was marooned here.

Teams had finally gone into the mock Dune and were due back soon; she knew what they would find.

~*~*~*~*~

In an effort to intervene and at the risk of the wrath of the Empress, the Landsraad sent a negotiator to broker a peace between Salusa Secundus and the Fremen.

The negotiator had had his skills tested to limit of his training, experience and patience, but finally; FINALLY!  An agreement had been hammered out.

The Fremen would be allowed to search for worm sign on Salusa Secundus with an observer from the Planetary Government.  Once satisfied that there were no worms, they would leave within two solar days.

In the privacy of his quarters he sent a message to the Landsraad Liaison.  That done he collapsed onto his bunk and instructed all that he was to be called only when the Fremen had returned and were ready to report.