But after the heinous destruction of Richese, Murbella had realized that capturing Hellica would be like bringing an armed time bomb back to Chapterhouse. The Matre Superior needed to be destroyed. Duncan would never have made such a tactically foolish error.
Murbella joined one of the Valkyrie ships and began her descent toward Bandalong. These vessels had been sufficient to conquer Buzzell and Gammu in an impressive show of force, but not overwhelming. The Matre Superior would naturally assume that her followers could defeat them.
If you don't want an opponent to see your hidden dagger, make certain an obvious weapon looks large and deadly.
Her ships approached the waiting Palace.
17
Our defenses can become liabilities if they betray our true weaknesses to the enemy.
From the call to arms and the groups of scurrying Honored Matres in Bandalong, Uxtal could tell that the newly arrived Heighliner was not merely another curious delegation from the Navigators. This was something far more serious.
Since he had already demonstrated his success in reawakening the Waff ghola's memories, Edrik was satisfied. Why would the Guild be bothering them now? He was working as fast as he could! Thus far, Uxtal had succeeded in covering up the significant flaws in the Tleilaxu Master's knowledge.
To make matters worse, during the sudden emergency he received a summons to go to the Palace of Bandalong immediately. He hurried off toward the sickeningly ostentatious building. As he ran the gauntlet of the colonnaded entry, he ignored the magenta columns and the garishly dressed statues of Honored Matres arrayed in threatening positions.
A cowed-looking bonded male stood in a bright yellow tuxedo outside the immense door, wearing a dazed expression. Striding up to him, Uxtal lifted his own chin in a disdainful sniff, since he had never been sexually twisted by the Honored Matres himself. 'I am here to see the Matre Superior.'
The man blinked at him and said dully, 'She is occupied setting up a trap for the witches. We have been threatened by the New Sisterhood.'
Bene Gesserit witches? So that was what all the turmoil was about. Overhead in the sky, a swarm of dark ships was descending like a flock of carrion birds.
Uxtal watched nervously, expecting explosives to drop onto the rooftops.
Hellica certainly had a way of provoking other people.
The researcher held out the rolled message he had received. 'Perhaps the Matre Superior wants me at her side during the emergency. I am her greatest living researcher, the man who will restore melange production from the axlotl tanks.
My work may be the key to her negotiations.' He crossed his arms over his small chest.
Yes, that must be the real reason. If the witches from Chapterhouse counted on their spice monopoly, then Hellica would want to flaunt Uxtal's success with the Waff ghola. She would offer him as her champion genius! Also, Navigator Edrik would surely never allow harm to come to his work. Uxtal should be safe, no matter what happened.
The tuxedoed man studied the summons, nodded sagely, and then dashed Uxtal's preconceptions. 'Ah, now I understand. This is not, in fact, from the Matre Superior. We have prepared a room. Follow me.'
'Shouldn't you at least inform her that I am here?'
'No. I was given specific instructions on that account.'
Confused and uneasy, the little researcher was escorted down a wide corridor that featured paintings of dead Bene Gesserits in macabre poses. The bonded male indicated for him to pass through an archway and descend a stairway to a large, sunken chamber.
When Uxtal stepped down into the main room, alone, the entire chamber glowed orange as thousands of luminous eyes appeared in the floor. Terrified, he tried to retreat, but the whole staircase melted into the wall, trapping him like an unarmed slave in a combat arena. 'Matre Superior? What is it you require of me?' He thought furiously, reminding himself, They need me, that is why I am still alive. They need me! The glowing eyes in the floor went dark, plunging the sunken room into blackness. Through his panic, he became aware of a trickle of noise that entered the chamber like a stream running down the wall. Growing louder, the sound metamorphosed into a woman's grating laughter.
'You see? My eyes are always on you, little man.'
Burning light filled the room, dazzling him. Peering through his fingers, Uxtal saw Ingva standing before him completely naked. Her aged body was carved from knots of muscle and taut skin; her breasts were too small to sag. 'The Matre Superior clearly does not want you. And now while she is preoccupied with the Chapterhouse witches, I will claim you for my own. Then you will really work for me. Hellica need never know, until I decide to make my move.'
'But I have done everything requested of me!' His voice cracked. 'I have grown gholas, produced your orange spice drug, restored the Tleilaxu Master's memories. Soon I will provide you with all the melange you could possibly—'
'Exactly. And that is why I must control you. Against all of my expectations, you have actually proved yourself to be of value.' She moved closer, and he felt like a mouse transfixed by a viper. 'From this day forth you will be my slave, which will therefore make me indispensable. After my imprinting, no other woman will be sufficient for you—not even another Honored Matre.' Her smiling lips looked as ragged as torn paper. 'Your service in past years has earned you this reward. Most males do not survive so long among us.'
Uxtal didn't dare run, lest he enrage her. This was the lingering threat that he had feared for years. He saw an unquenchable orange fire begin to burn in Ingva's eyes. Sexual bonding, total enslavement—to this hideous crone.
'You are about to discover my pleasures.' She caressed his face with a bony, clawed finger. 'You're going to enjoy this.'
'That is not possible, Honored Matre—'
She cackled. 'Little man, I am an adept of the fifth order, a qualified member of the black veil. I can overcome any blockage of desire.' She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the floor. She was too strong, and he could not fight her off. Smiling as she straddled him, Ingva said, 'Now for your reward.' The gnarled woman ripped his clothes away, and Uxtal prayed that he would survive this day. He whimpered. Years ago, at the very beginning, the Face Dancers had tried to protect him before delivering him to Bandalong, but Khrone had not shown himself here for some time. The Face Dancer had discarded the Lost Tleilaxu researcher as soon as he'd provided the Paul Atreides ghola.
Khrone had simply left him at the mercy of the Honored Matres. The Face Dancers could do nothing to protect him from Ingva's fury once she discovered what had been done to him.
With sinewy, greedy hands, the crone reached down, gasped, and then hurled him across the floor naked. 'Castrated! Who did that to you?'
'Th-the Face Dancers. Long ago. I–I needed to concentrate on my work, without the temptation of an Honored Matre's pleasures.'
'You disgusting, stupid little man! Do you know what you have denied yourself?
What you have denied me?'
Uxtal slipped away, scrambling to retrieve the remnants of his clothing before she killed him out of sheer indignation. But Ingva moved like a panther to intercept him. 'I have never been pleased with you, little man, and now you have made my job more difficult. Castration, however, does not render you utterly useless as a sexual slave. To an adept with my skill level, even a eunuch is not entirely unreachable. It will require extra effort, but I will imprint you anyway.' She pushed him back down to the floor. 'You will thank me for this when it's over. I
