Chapter 19

[Freakzilla]

A Fremen dies when he is too long from the desert; this we call "the water
sickness."
-Stilgar, the Commentaries

Alia is trying to talk Duncan into abducting Jessica and trying to avoid letting him see her possession by The Baron. This would not be a good thing to reaveal to Duncan Idaho. Duncan can see that she's not herself though and can hardly bring himself to look at her. He sees someone else behind her eyes and notices that she doesn't age. She claims the abduction is to protect Jessica as much as any other reason. But that is not Atreides, they never treat family that way. He knows that she has Jessica's persona in her mind due to being pre-born and that persona should not be allowing her to do this. He concludes that she must be possessed by another persona who is blocking out all the others. He accepts this and turns his attention to House Corrino. His mentat projections eliminate the threat of all out attack from space by the Corrinos in an attempt to wipe out all the Atreides while they're all on one planet for three reasons; one - Farad'n knows the Atreides have off-planet retaliation precautions, two - even if the Sardaukar were up to their pre-Arrakeen skills they are still no match for the Fremen, and three - the Atreides were closely watching the technical class such as Ix and the Tleilaxu, which would be needed for mechanized warfare. They would not risk atomic attack either, half the other Great Houses would retaliate out of fear. The only real reason atomics are kept is to defend humanity incase some "other intelligence" threatens. He concludes she wants Jessica removed because she is reporting her abomination and that Alia is using the forbidden Bene Gesserit youth technique. Alia cannot hide her glee when he asks if she'd rather he killed Jessica, but she quickly tries to cover it up. If news of the Bene Gesserit ability to maintain youth got out Reverend Mothers would be hunted and tortured. They would ally with House Corrino. He doesn't belive her own mother would turn against her but she reminds him that she was Bene Gesserit long before being her mother and that she let her son be tested with the Gom Jabbar. Duncan agrees to abduct her but doesn't plan to do it in the way Alia wants. He refuses to tell her when he will do it and where he will take Jessica. Idaho leaves and begins to cry.

[Eyes High]

I thought the way this chapter ended was so poignant. Alia did not, or could not, hear the finality in Duncan/Hayt's good-bye and the thought of someone like Duncan crying over what he sees as a loss. She has lost herself so much in her ambitions that she cannot see what is right in front of her.

[Hunchback Jack]

The fact, too, that Alia didn't realize that *of course* Duncan would notice the change in her.

HBJ

[Not_Your_Friend]

I wonder if it's telling or merely coincidence that atomics are noted as being mainly in case of an "other intelligence" on the same page as references to the BJ and tech advances?

[Freakzilla]

I wonder if it's telling or merely coincidence that atomics are noted as being mainly in case of an "other intelligence" on the same page as references to the BJ and tech advances?

It's coincidence.

The "other intelligence" defense is just an excuse to keep their nukes.

Duncan's point was that the reason factions like the BT and Ixians were allowed to exist was mainly for the production of the tools the Great Houses needed for mechanized warfare.

[Nekhrun]

I wonder if it's telling or merely coincidence that atomics are noted as being mainly in case of an "other intelligence" on the same page as references to the BJ and tech advances?

It's coincidence.

The "other intelligence" defense is just an excuse to keep their nukes.

Agreed.

[Not_Your_Friend]

Gotcha.

[Freakzilla]

Revised, cleaned.