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Guild； symbolizing infinity inside a rounded convex cartouche。
Constructed in place deep underground； the spaceship rested on a suspensor…jack mechanism； which elevated the craft so that large groundtrucks could drive underneath the hull。 Suboid workers in silver…and…white uniforms scanned the fuselage with handheld devices； performing rote duties。 As the teams of underclass workers checked the Guild craft； readying it for space； lines of light danced around the manufacturing center energy barriers to repel intruders。
Cranes and suspensor supports looked like tiny parasites crawling over the Heighliner's hull； but most of the machinery was clustered against the sloping walls of the chamber； moved out of the way。。。for a launch？ Leto didn't think it was possible。 Thousands of surface…bound workers swarmed like a static pattern across the ground； removing debris and preparing for the departure of the incredible ship。
The buzz of the audience in the observation chamber grew louder； and Leto sensed something was about to happen。 He spotted numerous screens and images transmitted by eyes。 Numbed by the spectacle； he asked； 〃But。。。how do you get it out？ A ship this size？ There's a rock ceiling overhead； and all the walls look solid。〃
One of the eager…faced twins next to him looked down with a confident smile。 〃Wait and see。〃 The two identical young men had widely set eyes on squarish faces； intent expressions； furrowed brows； they were several years older than Leto。 Their pale skin was an inevitable consequence of spending their lives underground。
Between them； Kailea cleared her throat and looked at her brother。 〃Rhombur？〃 she said； flashing a glance at the twins and at Leto。 〃You're forgetting your manners。〃
Rhombur suddenly remembered his obligations。 〃Oh； yes！ This is Leto Atreides； heir to House Atreides on Caladan。 And these two are C'tair and D'murr Pilru。 Their father is Ix's Ambassador to Kaitain； and their mother is a Guild banker。 They live in one of the wings of the Grand Palais； so you might see them around。〃
The young men bowed in unison and seemed to draw closer to Kailea。 〃We're preparing for Guild examination in the next few months；〃 one of the twins； C'tair； said。 〃We hope to pilot a ship like that someday。〃 His dark head nodded toward the immense vessel below。 Kailea watched them both with a worried glint in her green eyes； as if she wasn't too sure about the idea of their being Navigators。
Leto was moved by the sparkle and eagerness he saw in the young man's deep brown eyes。 The other brother was less social and seemed to be interested only in the activity below。 〃Here es the Navigator's chamber；〃 D'murr said。
Below； a bulky black tank floated ahead on a cleared path； borne on industrial suspensors。 Traditionally； Guild Navigators masked their appearance； keeping themselves hidden in thick clouds of spice gas。 It was generally believed that the process of being a Navigator transformed a person into something other than human； something more evolved。 The Guild said nothing to confirm or deny the speculations。
〃Can't see a thing inside；〃 C'tair said。
〃Yes； but that's a Navigator in there。 I can sense him。〃 D'murr leaned forward so intently it seemed as if he wanted to fly through the metaglass observation window。 When the twins both ignored her； intent on the ship below； Kailea turned instead to Leto and met his gaze with sparkling emerald eyes。
Rhombur gestured down at the ship and continued his rapid mentary。 〃My father is excited about his new enhanced…payload Heighliner models。 I don't know if you've studied your history； but Heighliners were originally of； uh； Richesian manufacture。 Ix and Richese peted with one another for Guild contracts； but gradually we won by bringing all aspects of our society into the process： uh； subsidies； conscriptions； tax levies； whatever it took。 We don't do things halfway on Ix。〃
〃I've heard you're also masters of industrial sabotage and patent law；〃 Leto said； remembering what his mother had claimed。
Rhombur shook his head。 〃Lies told by jealous Houses。 Vermilion hells； we don't steal ideas or patents we waged only a technological war against Richese； and won without firing a single shot。 But as sure as if we'd used atomics； we struck mortal blows against them。 It was either them or us。 A generation ago they lost their stewardship of Arrakis at about the same time they lost their lead in technology。 Bad family leadership； I guess。〃
〃My mother is Richesian；〃 Leto said crisply。
Rhombur flushed with deep embarrassment。 〃Oh； I'm sorry。 I forgot。〃 He scratched his tousled blond hair just to give his hands something to do。
〃That's okay。 We don't wear blinders；〃 Leto said。 〃I know what you're talking about。 Richese still exists； but on a vastly smaller scale。 Too much bureaucracy and too little innovation。 My mother's never wanted to take me there； not even to visit her family。 Too many painful memories； I suppose； though I think she hoped marrying my father might help restore Richese fortunes。〃
Below； the tank bearing the mysterious Navigator entered an orifice at the front end of the Heighliner。 The polished black chamber vanished into the vessel's immensity like a gnat inhaled into the mouth of a large fish。
Though she was younger than her brother； when Kailea spoke； her voice sounded more businesslike。 〃The new Heighliner program is going to be the most profitable of all time for us。 Large sums will be pouring into our accounts from this contract。 House Vernius will get twenty…five percent of all the solaris we save the Spacing Guild during the first decade。〃
Overwhelmed； Leto thought back to the small…scale activities on Caladan： the pundi rice harvest； the boats unloading cargoes from ships。。。and the dedicated cheers the population had hurled at the Old Duke after the bullfight。
Grating sirens sounded from speakers mounted throughout the huge chamber。 Below； like iron filings flowing within magnetic…field lines； the suboid workers evacuated from all sides of the newly constructed Heighliner。 Up and down the ceiling city； lights twinkled from other large observation windows in the stalactite towers。 Leto could make out tiny forms pressed close to distant panes。
Rhombur stood near Leto as the spectators around them fell into a hush。
〃What is it？〃 Leto asked。 〃What's happening now？〃
〃The Navigator is going to fly the ship out；〃 the twin C'tair said。
〃He'll take it away from Ix so it can begin its rounds；〃 D'murr added。
Leto stared at the rock ceiling； the impenetrable barrier of a planetary crust； and knew this was impossible。 He heard a faint； barely discernible humming。
〃Piloting such a vessel out isn't difficult uh； at least； not for one of them。〃 Rhombur crossed his arms over his chest。 〃Much easier than guiding a Heighliner back into a confined space like this。 Only a top…level Steersman could do that。〃
As Leto watched； holding his breath just like all the other spectators； the Heighliner shimmered； became indistinct then vanished entirely。
The air inside the huge grotto reverberated with a loud boom from the sudden volume displacement。 A tremor ran through the observation building； and Leto's ears popped。
The grotto now stood empty； a vast enclosed space with no trace of the Heighliner； just leftover equipment and a pattern of discolorations on the floor and walls and ceiling。
〃Remember how a Navigator operates a ship；〃 D'murr said； seeing Leto's confusion。
〃He folds space；〃 C'tair said。 〃That Heighliner never passed through the crustal rock of Ix at all。 The Navigator simply went from here。。。to his destination。〃
A few members of the audience applauded。 Rhombur seemed immensely pleased as he gestured to the new emptiness below that extended as far as they could see。 〃Now we have room to start building another one！〃
〃Simple economics。〃 Kailea glanced at Leto； then demurely flicked her eyes away。 〃We don't waste any time。〃
The slave concubines permitted my father under the Bene Gesserit…Guild agreement could not； of course； bear a Royal Successor； but the intrigues were constant and oppressive in their similarity。 We became adept； my mother and sisters and I； at avoiding subtle instruments of death。
…From 〃In My Father's House〃
by the Princess Irulan
Crown Prince Shaddam's tutoring chambers in the Imperial Palace would have been large enough to house a village on some worlds。 With total disinterest； the Corrino heir brooded in front of his teaching machine while Fenring watched him。
〃My father still wants me to sit in training classes like a child。〃 Shaddam scowled down at the lights and spinning mechanisms of the machine。 〃I should be married by now。 I should have an Imperial heir of my own。〃
〃Why？〃 Fenring laughed。 〃So the throne can skip a generation and go directly to your son when he reaches his prime； hmmmm？〃
Shaddam was thirty…four years old and seemingly a lifetime away from being Emperor。 Each time the old man took a drink of spice beer； he activated more of the secret poison but the n'kee had been working for months； and the only result seemed to be increasingly irrational behavior。 As if they needed more of that！
That very morning Brood had scolded Sh