Дюна
Book Three: The Prophet
“Sendhimnomoretroops,noaidofanykind.Don’tanswerhismessagesotherthantosayyou’reheardoftheterriblewayhe’shandledthingsonArrakisandyouintendtotakecorrectivemeasuresassoonasyou’reable.I’llarrangetohavesomeofyourmessagesinterceptedbyImperialspies.”
“Butwhatofthespice,therevenues,the—”
“Demandyourbaronialprofits,butbecarefulhowyoumakeyourdemands.
RequirefixedsumsofRabban.Wecan—”
TheBaronturnedhishandspalmsup.“ButhowcanIbecertainthatmyweaselnephewisn’t—”
“WestillhaveourspiesonArrakis.TellRabbanheeithermeetsthespicequotasyousethimorhe’llbereplaced.”
“Iknowmynephew,”theBaronsaid.“Thiswouldonlymakehimoppressthepopulationevenmore.”
“Ofcoursehewill!”Hawatsnapped.“Youdon’twantthatstoppednow!
Youmerelywantyourownhandsclean.LetRabbanmakeyourSalusaSecundusforyou.There’snoneedeventosendhimanyprisoners.Hehasallthepopulationrequired.IfRabbanisdrivinghispeopletomeetyourspicequotas,thentheEmperorneedsuspectnoothermotive.That’sreasonenoughforputtingtheplanetontherack.Andyou,Baron,willnotshowbywordoractionthatthere’sanyotherreasonforthis.”
TheBaroncouldnotkeeptheslytoneofadmirationoutofhisvoice.“Ah,Hawat,youareadeviousone.Now,howdowemoveintoArrakisandmakeuseofwhatRabbanprepares?”
“That’sthesimplestthingofall,Baron.Ifyouseteachyear’squotaabithigherthantheonebefore,matterswillsoonreachaheadthere.
