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He led them into a main chamber。 〃We three could hide here and resist an attack even from contraband atomics。 No one would find us。 Nullentropy bins hold supplies and weapons to last forever。 I have placed everything vital to House Harkonnen in here； from genealogical records to financial documents； to our blackmail material all the nasty； fascinating details we have on the other Houses。〃
Rabban took a seat at a highly polished table and punched a button on a panel。 Suddenly the walls became transparent； glowing yellow to spotlight distorted corpses； twenty…one in all； hanging suspended in the gaps between plaz sheets； on display。
〃Here's the construction team；〃 Rabban said。 〃It's our special。。。memorial to them。〃
〃Rather pharaonic；〃 the Baron said； in a lighthearted tone。
The flesh of the corpses was discolored and bloated； the faces contorted in macabre death grimaces。 The victims' expressions contained a larger measure of sad resignation than terror of impending death。 Anyone building such a secret chamber for the Harkonnens must have realized they'd be doomed from the start。
〃They'll be unpleasant enough to look at while they rot；〃 the Baron said； 〃but we'll eventually have nice clean skeletons to admire。〃
The remaining walls were layered with intricate scrollwork showing blue Harkonnen griffins as well as gross and pornographic images of human and human…animal copulation； suggestive designs； and a mechanical clock that would have offended most observers。 Rabban looked at it and chuckled as the male and female parts interacted in a steady； eternal rhythm。
De Vries turned around； analyzing the details and applying them to his own Mentat projection。
The Baron smiled。 〃The room is surrounded by a shielding projection that renders an object invisible in all wavelengths。 No scanner can detect this enclosure by sight； sound； heat； or even touch。 We call it a no…field。 Think of it。 We're standing in a place that doesn't exist as far as the rest of the universe is concerned。 It's the perfect spot for us to discuss our。。。delicious plans。〃
〃I've never heard of such a field not from the Guild； not from Ix；〃 de Vries said。 〃Who invented it？〃
〃You may remember our。。。visiting researcher from Richese。〃
〃Chobyn？〃 the Mentat asked； then answered his own question。 〃Yes； that was his name。〃
〃He came to us in secret with a cutting…edge technique the Richesians had developed。 It's a new and risky technology； but our friend Chobyn saw its possibilities。 He wisely brought it to House Harkonnen for our private exploitation； provided we give him sufficient remuneration。〃
〃And we've certainly paid him enough；〃 Rabban added。
〃Worth every solari；〃 the Baron continued。 He drummed his fingers in a habitual rhythm on the tabletop。 〃Inside this no…globe； not a soul can overhear us； not even a Guild Navigator and his damnable prescience。 We've now got Chobyn working on。。。something even better for us。〃
Rabban impatiently slumped back in one of the seats。 〃Let's get on with what we need to talk about。〃
De Vries sat down at the self…scrubbing table； eyes bright； Mentat capabilities already whirling and grasping the implications of an invisibility technology。 How it could be used。。。
The Baron shifted his gaze from his blunt…featured nephew to his twisted Mentat。 What an utter contrast these two are； representing the extremes of the intellectual spectrum。 Rabban and de Vries both needed constant supervision； the former because of his thick skull and short fuse； and the latter because his brilliance could be equally dangerous。
Despite his obvious deficiencies； Rabban was the only Harkonnen who could possibly succeed the Baron。 Certainly Abulurd wasn't qualified。 Other than those two bastard daughters the Bene Gesserit had forced from him； the Baron had no children of his own。 He therefore had to train his nephew in the proper uses and abuses of power； so he could eventually die content with the knowledge that House Harkonnen would continue as it always had。
It would be even better； though； if the Atreides were destroyed。。。。
Perhaps Rabban should have two Mentats to guide him； instead of the customary one。 Because of his bullish nature； Rabban's rule would be especially brutal； perhaps on a scale never before seen on Giedi Prime； despite the Harkonnens' long history of torture and harsh treatment of slaves。
The Baron's expression became grim。 〃Down to business。 Now listen； both of you。 Piter； I want you to use your full Mentat abilities。〃
De Vries removed his small bottle of sapho juice from a pocket inside his robe。 He gulped； and smacked his lips in a manner that the Baron found repulsive。
〃My spies have reported very distressing information；〃 the Baron said。 〃It involves Ix and some plans that the Emperor seems to have made before he died。〃 He drummed his fingers in time to the little ditty that always ran through his head。 〃This plot has serious implications for our family's fortunes。 CHOAM and the Guild don't even know about it。〃
Rabban grunted。 De Vries sat up straight； awaiting more data。
〃It seems that the Emperor and the Tleilaxu have made some kind of an alliance to do unorthodox and highly illegal work。〃
〃Sligs and shit go together；〃 Rabban said。
The Baron chuckled at the analogy。 〃I've learned that our dearly departed Emperor was personally behind the takeover on Ix。 He forced House Vernius to go renegade and set the Tleilaxu up so they could begin research； adapting their methods to sophisticated Ixian facilities。〃
〃And what research is that； my Baron？〃 de Vries asked。
The Baron dropped his bomb。 〃They seek a biological method to synthesize melange。 They think they can produce their own spice artificially and cheaply； thereby cutting Arrakis us out of the distribution channels。〃
Rabban snorted。 〃Impossible。 Nobody can do that。〃
But de Vries's mind spun as related information clicked into place。 〃I would not underestimate the Tleilaxu especially when bined with the facilities and technology on Ix。 They'll have everything they need。〃
Rabban drew himself up。 〃But if the Emperor can make synthetic spice； what happens to our holdings？ What happens to all the spice stockpiles we've spent years building up？〃
〃Provided the new synthetic is cheap and effective； Harkonnen spice…based fortunes would evaporate；〃 de Vries said stonily。 〃Practically overnight。〃
〃That's right； Piter！〃 The Baron slammed a ringed fist on the table。 〃Harvesting spice from Arrakis is incredibly expensive。 If the Emperor has his own source of cheap melange； the market will collapse and House Corrino will control the rest a new monopoly held entirely in the hands of the Emperor。〃
〃CHOAM won't like that；〃 Rabban said with surprising insight。
De Vries suggested； 〃Then we will have to get this information to the Spacing Guild。 We must reveal to them what the Emperor was doing； and see to it that Shaddam ceases all such investigations。 CHOAM and the Guild won't want to lose their investment in spice production either。〃
〃But what if the new Emperor makes a treaty with them first； Piter？〃 the Baron asked。 〃CHOAM is partially owned by House Corrino。 Shaddam will be out to make his mark as he begins his reign。 What if CHOAM presses him into giving them access to the synthetic spice at an extraordinary discount； as the price of their cooperation？ The Guild would love to have a cheaper； reliable supply。 They might abandon Arrakis altogether if it's too difficult。〃
〃Then we'll be the only ones left out in the cold；〃 Rabban growled。 〃House Harkonnen gets stepped on by everybody。〃
The Mentat's eyes fell half…closed as he droned on。 〃We can't even file a formal plaint with the Houses of the Landsraad。 Knowledge of a spice substitute would create a feeding frenzy among the Federated families。 Political alliances have shifted recently； and a number of Houses wouldn't mind if our monopoly were broken。 They couldn't care less if the price of melange plummets。 The only ones to lose would be those who had invested heavily in secret and illegal spice stockpiles； or those who invested heavily in the expensive spice…harvesting operations on Arrakis。〃
〃In other words； us again and a few of our closest allies；〃 the Baron said。
〃The Bene Gesserit； and your little sweetheart among the witches； would probably like an inexpensive supply； too。〃
The Baron glowered at his nephew。 Rabban merely chuckled。 〃So what can we do about it？〃
De Vries answered without consulting the Baron。 〃House Harkonnen will have to take care of this by itself。 We can expect no outside assistance。〃
〃Remember that we're only a quasi…fief on Arrakis；〃 the Baron said。 〃It was given to us on sufferance from CHOAM and the Emperor。 And now it's like a hook on which they've hung us out to dry。 We must be extremely careful。〃
〃We don't have enough military strength to fight all those enemies；〃 Rabban said。
〃We'll have to be subtle；〃 de Vries said。
〃Subtlety？〃 The Baron raised his eyebrows。 〃All right； I'm willing to try new things。〃
〃We must disrupt this Tleilaxu research on Ix；〃 de Vries said； 〃preferably destroy it。 I suggest that House Harkonnen also liquidate various assets； build up a reserve of cash； and mi