Free Dune by Frank Herbert Page A

know which hand holds the knife? Ah, now, Paul—we see the knife, now. Who knows where it might be shifted next? If we put this before the Landsraad it’d only create a great cloud of confusion. The Emperor would deny it. Who could gainsay him? All we’d gain is a little time while risking chaos. And where would the next attack come from?”
    â€œAll the Houses might start stockpiling spice.”
    â€œOur enemies have a head start—too much of a lead to overcome.”
    â€œThe Emperor,” Paul said. “That means the Sardaukar.”
    â€œDisguised in Harkonnen livery, no doubt,” the Duke said. “But the soldier fanatics nonetheless.”
    â€œHow can Fremen help us against Sardaukar?”
    â€œDid Hawat talk to you about Salusa Secundus?”
    â€œThe Emperor’s prison planet? No.”
    â€œWhat if it were more than a prison planet, Paul? There’s a question you never hear asked about the Imperial Corps of Sardaukar: Where do they come from?”
    â€œFrom the prison planet?”
    â€œThey come from somewhere.”
    â€œBut the supporting levies the Emperor demands from—”
    â€œThat’s what we’re led to believe: they’re just the Emperor’s levies trained young and superbly. You hear an occasional muttering about the Emperor’s training cadres, but the balance of our civilization remains the same: the military forces of the Landsraad Great Houses on one side, the Sardaukar and their supporting levies on the other. And their supporting levies, Paul. The Sardaukar remain the Sardaukar.”
    â€œBut every report on Salusa Secundus says S.S. is a hell world!”
    â€œUndoubtedly. But if you were going to raise tough, strong, ferocious men, what environmental conditions would you impose on them?”
    â€œHow could you win the loyalty of such men?”
    â€œThere are proven ways: play on the certain knowledge of their superiority, the mystique of secret covenant, the esprit of shared suffering. It can be done. It has been done on many worlds in many times.”
    Paul nodded, holding his attention on his father’s face. He felt some revelation impending.
    â€œConsider Arrakis,” the Duke said. “When you get outside the towns and garrison villages, it’s every bit as terrible a place as Salusa Secundus.”
    Paul’s eyes went wide. “The Fremen!”
    â€œWe have there the potential of a corps as strong and deadly as the Sardaukar. It’ll require patience to exploit them secretly and wealth to equip them properly. But the Fremen are there . . . and the spice wealth is there. You see now why we walk into Arrakis, knowing the trap is there.”
    â€œDon’t the Harkonnens know about the Fremen?”
    â€œThe Harkonnens sneered at the Fremen, hunted them for sport, never even bothered trying to count them. We know the Harkonnen policy with planetary populations—spend as little as possible to maintain them.”
    The metallic threads in the hawk symbol above his father’s breast glistened as the Duke shifted his position. “You see?”
    â€œWe’re negotiating with the Fremen right now,” Paul said.
    â€œI sent a mission headed by Duncan Idaho,” the Duke said. “A proud and ruthless man, Duncan, but fond of the truth. I think the Fremen will admire him. If we’re lucky, they may judge us by him: Duncan, the moral.”
    â€œDuncan, the moral,” Paul said, “and Gurney the valorous.”
    â€œYou name them well,” the Duke said.
    And Paul thought: Gurney’s one of those the Reverend Mother meant, a supporter of worlds—“. . . the valor of the brave. ”
    â€œGurney tells me you did well in weapons today,” the Duke said.
    â€œThat isn’t what he told me.”
    The Duke laughed aloud. “I figured Gurney to be sparse with his praise. He says you have a nicety of awareness—in his