Chapter 29: No sacrafice to great
Night came to Arrakeen, the two suns of Arrakis returned to the below, and the moons rose; the clone of the duke had been created and safeguarded taken by the Smugglers stationed in Arrakeen. They took the Clone to the Teuk family, who were the face of the smuggling ring but not the ones in power.
As Damon and his nine Fremen companions stood ready, their masks hiding their expressions, a palpable tension filled the air. The Atreides soldiers, uncomfortable in the presence of these desert warriors, were reminded of their mutual disdain for machines. Creating a machine with a human mind was considered a crime, a belief that intensified the unease.
The Duke had told Gurney what was to happen but did not tell him the whole thing. Gurney believed in what he saw, not the plans of what others might think; he was a man of action. For the first time, Gurney Halleck spoke back to his duke and argued that Leto was a Friend to Gurney, a man who saved him from the slave pits of Geidi's prime
Gurney Halleck passed by Damon and said ." Your father has entrusted me to be by your side as his friend I will listen and do as he says, But the moment you endanger Paul and Lady Jessica is the day you will wish you were never born."
The duke looked at Damon, and behind him, passing by, was Gurney. " What did he say?" Leto asked. He is a protective man, Gurney. He doesn't say it, but he sees you like a brother; despite our differences, he and I have similarities.
Rabban is a coward. I am sure you know of Gurney's story here, Geidi Prime, but have I ever told you about when I first met Rabban?"
Duke Leto sat at the helm of his wooden table. " Please tell me, it's not every day that I hear of war stories," Leto said.
" The Baron had ordered Rabban to make an example of the people of Arrakeen. He rounded up the fathers and mothers. We had taken all the children from Arrakeen the day before and placed them in the south.
I knew this day was coming, and I had been a pain on the side of the Baron. I took the little boy away, a peculiar taste he has,
right, I lost my way in the story. He placed them outside the shield, and their small army was outside with them. When Rabban did this, I knew I had him; he had his hand in the air, ready to bring it down to slaughter three thousand of my people.
I attacked then. We came from the ground and cut the Harkonnens down; chaos was everywhere. It is terrifying when you know so little about your enemy, but he meets you in battle.
And that we were, a terrifying force of Fedykin who were out for blood, The red Fremen. Other Fremens hid in the sand and watched as we Battled; no, it was not a battle. It was a massacre.
For some unknown reason, the fool thought he could call me out, and I would want to fight him; I would not stain my blade with his blood. He deserved to be mauled by my hands. He deserved his head being brutally beaten in until his brain matter squishes in my hands. " Damon tightened his gloved fist; you could hear the squinching sound.
" I gave him something better than these hands; I gave him something better than a scar; I gave him the gift of being mauled by an explosion, last I heard he had a mettle jaw replacing his bottom one; hell he could chew on food; he must fee through a tube.
Oh, the satisfaction I had from that. I am not cruel, but my enemies will receive my wrath. I say this to you now: House Harkonennen and Geidi Prime will become ghosts when I am done with them. " You could see the harsh tone in which he spoke. His words were a promise, and Damon had no plan of breaking it.
" Damon, with the little time we have together, I wanted to say something," Duke Leto said. No, don't, not yet. Save those words for when our family is safe." He wanted to cry; indeed, it was true he had absolute prescience like the Kwizats, but he was Human.
Loud footsteps resounded outside the room, and Jamis came in, pushing the door away. " Krelln, the shield has been shut down; the Harkonnens are here. And Rabban is the one leading the charge.
The father and son Duo looked at one another and nodded. " Jamis Rabban is mine, and prepare to shoot as many ships down as you can. The Baron wants war; we will give him one. Make sure the Atreides follow my plan. Many have put their trust in me and Paul; now it is our time to do our part of the deal. Check with Esmar. I need those ships ready; we have 300,000 soldiers to smuggle.
Damon looked at his father once more. He was in his armor, and his blade was to the side, and his shield was ready. He nodded one more time,
The three of them strode out of the room, and Damon Took his crysknife from the side of his thigh. He walked along the walls, waiting for the turn that was coming up. Dr. Yeuh came from the corner, thinking only the duke was there, but he was met with a Blade in his heart.
Damon used his Prescience before leaving the room. He knew what was coming; nothing could surprise him. He threw the suk doctor to the side, his last words being, " Wanna."
As they reached the entrance for the outside door, they saw through the windows fire everywhere, Atreides soldiers fighting for their Life.
The Sarduakar were also in the mix, trying to kill as many Atreides as possible, but the Red Fremen were in the fray. Their bodies moved unnaturally as they killed as many Harkonnens as they could; their masks had blue, glowing eyes that made them terrifying in the dark.
" The Duke took out his blade. One last battle, and I finally met you; what more could I want?" Duke Leto said. From behind them, a man stepped out of the shadows of darkness. " How about it, gurney, one last battle?"
"It would be an Honor, sire," Gurney said as he approached the group of three. You are a good friend, Gurney." Gurney drew in a deep breath. He was a man, and a man doesn't cry, especially before the battle.
Damon pressed behind his neck, and his mask came on: " No sacrifice too great." Then into battle, Damon leading, and four of them are the duke behind him. Gurney and Jamis were on both of his sides.
A ship in the air was dropping down more, Sardukar in Harkonnen clothing, but before it could release anymore, a missile came and hit it; the shield on the ship was down, which was their mistake.
The ship fell on Arrakeen, Fire was everywhere, and explosions resounded in the background. Paul and the lady Jessica had been safely transported to Kynes and Duncan, Idaho, where they were.