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ose。 His grip on hope and his enthusiasm for the job had faded into apathy。 Why not spend the days playing shield…ball？
〃You're a bastard；〃 Shaddam said。 〃Let's start another game。〃
Ignoring his friend's suggestion； Fenring shut down the console。 〃Maybe so； but the Imperium has too many critical matters that require attention； and you know as well as I do that your father is bungling the job。 If a pany head ran his business the way your father runs the Empire； he'd be sacked。 Think of the CHOAM scandal； for example； the soostone skimming operation。〃
〃Ah； yes。 Can't argue with you on that； Hasimir。〃 Shaddam heaved a deep sigh。
〃Royal impersonators a Duke； a Duchess。。。a whole damned family of fakes； right under your father's nose。 Who was watching？ Now they've disappeared to a rogue planet somewhere beyond Imperial control。 That should never have occurred； hmm…m…m…m？ Just imagine the lost profits for Buzzell and the adjoining systems。 What was Elrood thinking？〃
Shaddam looked away。 He didn't like to bother with serious Imperial matters。 They gave him headaches。 Given his father's apparent vigor； such details seemed distant and； by and large； irrelevant to him。
But still Fenring persisted。 〃The way it looks now； you won't get a chance to do better。 One hundred and fifty…five years； and still in remarkable health。 Fondil III before him lived to be one hundred seventy…five。 What's the longest a Corrino Emperor has ever lived？〃
Shaddam frowned and looked longingly at the gaming apparatus。 〃You know I don't pay attention to things like that； even when the tutor gets angry with me。〃
Fenring jabbed a finger at him。 〃Elrood will live to two hundred； mark my words。 You have a serious problem； friend。。。unless you listen to me。〃 He raised his thin eyebrows。
〃Ah； yes； more ideas from the Assassins' Handbook； I suppose。 Be careful with that information。 You can get in a lot of trouble with it。〃
〃Timid people are destined for nothing better than timid jobs。 You and I； Shaddam； have much more in our futures。 Think of the possibilities； hypothetically of course。 Besides； what's wrong with poison？ It works nicely and affects only the targeted person； as required by the Great Convention。 No collateral deaths； no loss of revenue； no destruction of inheritable property。 Nice and neat。〃
〃Poisons are for House…to…House assassinations； not for what you're talking about。〃
〃You didn't plain when I took care of Fafnir； hm…m…m…m…ah？ He'd be in his sixties now； still waiting to taste the throne。 Do you want to wait that long？〃
〃Stop；〃 Shaddam insisted； digging in his heels。 〃Don't even imagine such a course。 This isn't right。〃
〃And denying you your birthright is？ How effective an Emperor would you be if you couldn't exercise power until you were old and senile like your father？ Look what's happened on Arrakis。 By the time we replaced Abulurd Harkonnen； the damage to spice production was already done。 Abulurd had no idea how to crack the whip； so the workers didn't respect him。 Now the Baron cracks it too much； and so morale is way down； leading to rampant defections and sabotage。 But you can't really blame the Harkonnens。 It all traces back to your father； the Padishah Emperor； and the bad decisions he's made。〃 He continued more quietly。 〃You owe it to the stability of the Imperium。〃
Shaddam glanced up at the ceiling； as if searching for spy…eyes or other listening devices； though he knew that Fenring kept his private penthouse impeccably shielded and regularly scanned。 〃What kind of poison are you considering？ Hypothetically speaking； only？〃 Again he stared across the lights of the city at the Imperial Palace。 The shimmering structure seemed like a legendary grail； an unattainable prize。
〃Perhaps something slow…acting； hm…m…m…m？ So Elrood will appear to be aging。 No one will question what's happening； since he's so old already。 Leave it to me。 As our future Emperor； you shouldn't concern yourself with the details of such matters I have always been your expediter； remember？〃
Shaddam chewed his lower lip。 No one in the Imperium knew more about this man than he did。 But could his friend ever turn on him？ Possibly。。。though Fenring knew full well his best path to power lay through Shaddam。 How to keep this ambitious friend under control； how to stay a step ahead of him that was the challenge。
Emperor Elrood IX； aware of Hasimir Fenring's deadly skills； had made use of him in a number of clandestine operations； all of which had been successful。 Elrood even suspected Fenring's role in Crown Prince Fafnir's death； but accepted it as part of Imperial politics。 Over the years； Fenring had murdered at least fifty men and a dozen women； some of whom had been his lovers； of either sex。 He took a measure of pride in being a killer who could face the victim or strike behind his back； without punction。
There were days Shaddam wished he and the pushy Fenring had never formed a boyhood relationship： Then he wouldn't be hemmed in with difficult choices that he didn't want to think about。 Shaddam should have abandoned his crib…panion as soon as he could walk。 It was risky to be around such an unrelenting assassin； and at times he felt tainted by the association。
Still； Fenring was his friend。 There was an attraction between them； an undefinable something of which they'd spoken on occasion without fully understanding it。 For the present Shaddam found it easier to accept the friendship and for his own sake； he hoped it was friendship instead of trying to sever it。 That course of action could be extremely dangerous。
Close beside him； Shaddam heard a voice that broke his train of thought。 〃Your favorite brandy； my Prince。〃 Looking to one side； Shaddam saw Fenring offering him a large snifter of smoky…dark kirana brandy。
He accepted the snifter but stared at the liquid suspiciously； swirling it around。 Was there another color to it； something not quite mixed in？ He put his nose over the lip； inhaling the aroma as if he were a connoisseur though he was actually trying to detect any foreign chemical。 The brandy smelled normal。 But then Fenring would have made sure of that。 He was a subtle and devious man。
〃I can drag out the snooper if you like； but you never need worry about poison from me； Shaddam；〃 Fenring said with a maddening smile。 〃Your father； however； is in an entirely different position。〃
〃Ah； yes。 A slow…acting poison； you say？ I suspect you already have a substance in mind。 How long will my father live after you begin the process？ If we do this at all； I mean。〃
〃Two years； maybe three。 Long enough to make his decline appear natural。〃
Shaddam raised his chin； trying to look regal。 His skin was perfumed； his reddish hair pomaded and slicked back。 〃You understand； I might only entertain such a treasonous idea for the sake of the Imperium to avoid continued calamities at the hands of my father。〃
A crafty smile worked at the edges of the weasel face。 〃Of course。〃
〃Two or three years；〃 Shaddam mused。 〃Time for me to prepare for the great responsibilities of leadership； I suppose。。。while you attend to some of the more unpleasant tasks of empire。〃
〃Aren't you going to drink your brandy； Shaddam？〃
Shaddam met the hard gaze of the oversize eyes； and felt fear course along his spine。 He was in too deep not to trust Fenring now。 He drew another shaky breath and sipped the rich liqueur。
THREE DAYS LATER； Fenring slipped like a ghost through the shields and poison…snoopers of the Palace and stood over the sleeping Emperor； listening to the smooth purr of his snores。
Not a care in the universe； this one。
No one else could have gotten into the most secure sleeping chamber of the ancient Emperor。 But Fenring had his ways： a bribe here； a manipulated schedule there； a concubine made ill； a doorman distracted； the Chamberlain sent off on an urgent errand。 He had done this many times before； practicing for the inevitable。 Everyone in the Palace was used to Fenring slinking around； and they knew better than to ask too many questions。 Now； according to his precise assessment which would have made even a Mentat proud Fenring had three minutes。 Four； if he was lucky。
Enough time to change the course of history。
With the same perfect timing he had demonstrated during the shield…ball game； as well as during his rehearsals on mannequins and two unfortunate serving women from the kitchen storehouses； Fenring froze in place and waited； gauging the breathing of his victim like a Laza tiger about to pounce。 In one hand he cradled a long microhair needle between two slender fingers； while in the other hand he held a mist…tube。 Old Elrood lay on his back； in the precisely correct position； looking like a mummy； his parchment skin stretched tight over his skull。
Guided by a certain hand； the mist…tube moved closer。 Fenring counted to himself； waiting 。。。。
In a space between Elrood's breaths； Fenring squeezed a lever on the tube and sprayed a powerful anesthetic mist in the old man's face。
There was no discernible change in Elrood； but Fenring knew the nerve deadener had taken effect； instantaneously。 Now he made his thrust。 A fiber…fine； self…guiding needle snaked up the old man's nose； through