Дюна
Book Three: The Prophet
“ThestoriesyouhearabouttheexploitsoftheSardaukar,they’renotrumors,arethey?Thosearefirst-handaccountsfromthelimitednumberofsurvivorswho’vefoughtagainsttheSardaukar,eh?”
“TheSardaukarareexcellentfightingmen,nodoubtofit,”theBaronsaid.
“ButIthinkmyownlegions—”
“Apackofholidayexcursionistsbycomparison!”Hawatsnarled.“YouthinkIdon’tknowwhytheEmperorturnedagainstHouseAtreides?”
“Thisisnotarealmopentoyourspeculation,”theBaronwarned.
Isitpossiblethatevenhedoesn’tknowwhatmotivatedtheEmperorinthis?
Hawataskedhimself.
“Anyareaisopentomyspeculationifitdoeswhatyou’vehiredmetodo,”
Hawatsaid.“IamaMentat.YoudonotwithholdinformationorcomputationlinesfromaMentat.”
Foralongminute,theBaronstaredathim,then:“Saywhatyoumustsay,Mentat.”
“ThePadishahEmperorturnedagainstHouseAtreidesbecausetheDuke’sWarmastersGurneyHalleckandDuncanIdahohadtrainedafightingforce—asmallfightingforce—towithinahairasgoodastheSardaukar.Someofthemwereevenbetter.AndtheDukewasinapositiontoenlargehisforce,tomakeiteverybitasstrongastheEmperor’s.”
TheBaronweighedthisdisclosure,then:“WhathasArrakistodowiththis?”
“Itprovidesapoolofrecruitsalreadyconditionedtothebitterestsurvivaltraining.”
TheBaronshookhishead.“YoucannotmeantheFremen?”
“ImeantheFremen.
