Commander of Dune

Chapter 21

A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.
"Manual of Muad'Dib" by the Princess Irulan
Wife of Emperor Paul Muad'Dib

A

cross the Planet special services were held by families to mourn the dead and pray for the missing.  Vlad's visit had finished an Official Day of mourning and prayer on Giedi Prime, a mood that tended to lightened considerably when people returned to the relative privacy of their homes, as "The Give Me Strength" was no more. 

Out on the site, however, the mood tended to be grim as the difficult weather of Giedi Prime combined with the occasional heavy rain slowed efforts to find survivors in the wreckage.

~*~*~*~*~

Duncan continued to coordinate the responses from his Arakkis base.  “The Guild has grounded all flights both intra and inter planetary.  Nothing is to move for the next twenty six hours that includes military

“Dax arrive yet?” Amasso walked in with Mick’N.

“No.” Arista replied.  “I will need to address the Empire.”

“You will need to visit the sites.” Mick’N added.

“If the Guild maintains the grounding then we are going nowhere.”  Arista replied.  “Amasso, Your father is mobilizing the Military I need you to coordinate with him with the Emergency Services.  I need an investigation stared.  I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!”

She turned to Mick’N, “Mick’N I need you – I need to compose my thoughts and what to say.  Not to mention the formation of a policy on this – there is bout to be significant fallout.”

“I can just hear Vladimir Amasso snorted.

Mick’N followed Arista and added. “We will need to convene the Landsraad.”  He paused long enough to grab Amasso and growl “And no spice wine for you.”

~*~*~*~*~

The buzzer sounded.  "Yes!"

The Acolyte's voice came through "Excuse me, Mother Superior Sasha, but I have Ambassador Olaf of Caladan requesting an audience."

Zelron glanced at Sasha. “You were expecting him?”

“No.  But he is not unexpected  She then instructed the Acolyte, “Send him in.”

The tall lean man walked into the room with great confidence.  “Mother Superior He greeted her.

Ambassador She replied, this is Reverend Mother Zelron.” The man bowed to Zelron.  “How may the Sisterhood be of assistance to you?”

“I shall be blunt.  The Empress has again refused you permission to evacuate your sisterhood from Caladan.  Caladan remains in the grip of the Tleilaxu yet.  Fremen have landed on Selusa Secundus, attacks are now launched against Kiatian and Giedi Prime.  I suggest Superior that the Bene Gesserit leaves en mass, while we use the opportunity with a combined force of Buddislam and Bene Gesserit to send the Tleilaxu back to whence they came.”

There was silence.

Sasha’s next words surprised the Ambassador.  “How did you get here?  There is an embargo on all flights

The man blinked at the change of topic.  As she scratched an itch he answered.  “What goes up must come down and as we were near our destination we were allowed to land.  The flight will not continue; so many are stranded here.”

Zelron answered Sasha’s inquiry via the same hand signal language.  “Though we may want to examine this proposed alliance with the Buddislamics he is, however correct, the opportunity presented by this present chaos cannot be allowed to pass.”

Sasha replied to the Ambassador.  “This is an offer that must be discussed.  As you are stranded here for an unknown period of time we shall have a chance again to speak of this.”

Taking the queue he stood to leave.  “Of course. I look forward to meeting with you again.”

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