Free Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson Page B

vigorous exercise. As the bearers carried him forward to the speaking podium, Anari Idaho walked alongside, an intimidating, protective presence.
    Manford looked around the immense hall. The dizzying rows of seats looked like ripples that extended outward from a rock thrown into a placid pond. The benches held representatives from important planets and proxies from groups of lesser worlds, along with countless observers and functionaries, many of them bureaucrats. Emperor Salvador Corrino sat in his ornate box, attending the proceedings, although he appeared bored. His brother, Roderick, occupied the companion chair in the Emperor’s box, and he leaned over to say something to the balding Salvador. The two men didn’t seem to be paying much attention to him.
    The bearers stopped when his palanquin was properly positioned in the amplification field. A brilliant light shone down on him, and he raised his face, basking in it, as if to receive a blessing from heaven.
    The Speaker’s voice resounded, bringing him back to the matter at hand. “Manford Torondo, representative of the Butlerian movement, you have asked to address the Landsraad Council. Please state your business.”
    Manford noted the many empty seats in the huge chamber. “Why are there so many absences? Was there no announcement of my appearance? Don’t you know that my words are vitally important?”
    The Speaker seemed impatient. “There are always absences in our meetings, Leader Torondo. Nevertheless, we have a quorum.”
    Manford drew a deep breath, let it out as a sigh. “I am sorry to see that the seats are not full. May I have a list of the attendees who are actually here?” He was really more interested in who had chosen not to attend.
    “It is a matter of public record. Now, please state your business.”
    Manford was taken aback by the man’s abruptness, but he dredged strength from the darkest corners of his heart and decided to be reasonable, for the moment.
    He spoke as if to equals. “Very well. I come here to report on the good works of my followers, and to request a demonstration of unity. Butlerians continue to discover, and destroy, outposts and robot ships. While that is part of our legitimate work, those vessels are merely symbols of what the thinking machines did to us, remnants of the past. The real threat is more insidious … and you bring it upon yourselves.”
    He twisted on the palanquin so that he could sweep a demonstrative arm around the Landsraad Hall. His bearers remained motionless, like statues. Anari stared at the audience.
    “The main reason I have come here is because you need to be reminded. My people are prevalent throughout the Imperium, and I receive reports of how your planets have gone soft, how you make excuses and exceptions for your populations, how you pretend that centuries of oppression can be ignored after only a few decades.”
    He heard muttering from the seated representatives. Emperor Salvador now perked up in his private box, paying close attention to him. Roderick Corrino looked deep in thought.
    Manford continued, “You allow machines into your cities and homes. You tell yourselves the devices are harmless, that this little piece of technology can’t hurt anyone, or that convenient machine should be allowed, or this particular device is an exception. But have you all forgotten?” He raised his voice to a shout. “ Have you forgotten? How many little steps does it take before you step over the brink? The enslavement of humanity did not happen overnight, but after a succession of bad decisions, as people put an increasing amount of trust in thinking machines.”
    The legless man inhaled deeply. “Despite these errors, we defeated the evil machines, and now we again have our chance to march proudly down the right path. The only path. We dare not waste this opportunity, so I call upon you to follow us now! The Butlerians have found the true path that can keep us safe, and keep us human.