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A metallic…voiced report clattered in； sounding desperate。 〃Suboids are boiling up from the lower levels！ How did。。。how could they bee so organized？〃
Rhombur cursed； and Leto looked knowingly at his stocky friend。 He had tried to warn the Ixians； but he did not point out the fact。 House Vernius had not been willing to consider the seriousness of the situation。
In the railcar； a safety harness snapped into place over Leto as soon as he situated himself； and the car continued to accelerate with a smooth hum； traveling at high speed upward into caverns hidden in the rock ceiling。 Captain Zhaz worked a board at the front of the partment； his fingers dancing over the munication keys。 A blue glow surrounded his hands。 At his side； Rhombur watched the guard captain intently； as if knowing he might be expected to take charge。
〃We're in an escape pod；〃 one of the secondary guards explained to Leto。 〃You two are safe； for now。 The suboids won't be able to penetrate our upper defenses； once we have them activated。〃
〃But what about my parents？〃 Rhombur asked。 〃And Kailea？〃
〃We've got a plan for this； an option。 You and your family should all meet at a rendezvous point。 By all the saints and sinners； I hope my people remember what to do。 For the first time； it isn't a drill。〃
The car made several track changes； clicking and humming along with increased speed； and then ascended steeply into darkness。 Presently the track leveled off and the vehicle was bathed in light as it sped past an immense window wall of one…way armor…plat。 They caught just a glimpse of the riots down below： flares of spontaneous fires and swirling demonstrations going on beneath the city。 Another explosion； and one of the transparent upper walkway tubes shattered； tumbling in shards to the floor of the cavern far below； tiny puppetlike figures of pedestrians flailed and fell to their doom。
〃Stop here； Captain！〃 Rhombur cried。 〃I need to see what's happening out there。〃
〃Please； sir； keep it to a few seconds；〃 the captain said。 〃The rebels could breach that wall。〃
Leto found it hard to prehend what he was hearing。 Rebels？ Explosions？ Emergency evacuations？ Ix had seemed so sophisticated； so peaceful； so。。。protected from discord。 Even dissatisfied with their lot； how could the suboids have orchestrated such a massive and coordinated assault？ Where could they have gotten the resources？
Through the one…way panel； Leto saw uniformed Vernius soldiers fighting a losing battle against swarms of the pale； smooth…skinned opponents down on the grotto floor。 The suboids hurled crudely made explosive or incendiary devices； while Ixians cut the mobs down with purple beams of lasgun fire。
〃mand says the suboids are rebelling on all levels；〃 Zhaz said in a tone of disbelief。 〃They're screaming 'Jihad' as they attack。〃
〃Vermilion hells！〃 Rhombur said。 〃What does the Jihad have to do with anything？ What could it have to do with us？〃
〃We need to leave the window； sir；〃 Zhaz insisted； tugging at Rhombur's sleeve。 〃We have to make it to the rendezvous point。〃
Rhombur lurched back from the window as part of a tiled street collapsed behind it； and wave upon wave of the pale suboids scrambled out of the dark tunnels beneath。
The railcar picked up speed along the track and curved left into darkness； then ascended again。 Rhombur nodded to himself； his face pinched and distressed。 〃We've got secret mand centers on the upper levels。 Precautions have been taken for this sort of thing； and by now our military units will have surrounded the most vital manufacturing facilities。 It shouldn't take long to subdue this。〃 The Earl's son sounded as if he were trying to convince himself。
At the front of the car； Zhaz leaned intently over the board； which cast his face in pale light。 〃Look out trouble ahead； sir！〃 He wrenched the controls。 The railcar rocked； and Zhaz took a side track。 The other two guards brought their weapons to bear； squinting into the rocky darkness all around them； ready to fire。
〃Unit Four has been overrun；〃 Captain Zhaz said。 〃Suboids broke through the sidewalls。 I'm trying for Three instead！〃
〃Overrun？〃 Rhombur said； and his face flushed with either embarrassment or fear。 〃How in the hells could suboids do that？〃
〃mand says Tleilaxu are involved and some of their Face Dancers。 They're all heavily armed。〃 He gasped as he stared at the reports flowing in。 〃May God protect us！〃
Questions fell in an avalanche around Leto。 Tleilaxu？ Why would they attack Ix？ Jihad？ This is a machine planet。。。and the Tleilaxu are religious fanatics。 Do they fear Ixian machines enough to use their tank…grown shape…shifters to infiltrate the suboid workforce？ That would explain the coordination。 But why would they be so interested？ Why here？
As the railcar soared along； Zhaz scrutinized the board； where he received battle reports。 〃By all the saints and sinners！ Tleilaxu engineers have just blown the pipelines that feed heat from the molten core of the planet。〃
〃But we need that energy to run the factories；〃 Rhombur cried； still hanging on to his seat。
〃They've also destroyed recycling lines where the industrial waste and exhaust chemicals are dumped into the mantle。〃 Now the captain's voice sounded more ragged。 〃They're hitting at the heart of Ix paralyzing our manufacturing capacity。〃
As Leto thought back on what he had learned during his months on this planet； pieces of the puzzle began fitting together in his mind。 〃Think about it；〃 he said； 〃all of that can be fixed。 They knew exactly where to hit in order to cripple Ix without causing permanent damage。。。。〃 Leto gave a grim nod； the reason suddenly clear to him。 〃The Tleilaxu want this world and its facilities intact。 They plan to take over here。〃
〃Don't be ridiculous； Leto。 We'd never give Ix to the filthy Tleilaxu。〃 Rhombur looked perplexed more than miffed。
〃We may not。。。have any choice in the matter； sir；〃 Zhaz said。
At Rhombur's barked mand for weapons one of the guards opened a cabinet beneath the railcar and brought out a pair of flechette pistols and shield belts； which he handed to both Princes。
Without questioning； Leto snapped on the belt； touched a test button to confirm that the unit was operational。 The projectile weapon felt cold in his hand。 He checked its clip of deadly darts； accepted two additional packs from the guard； and slid them into partments on the shield belt。
The escape pod thundered into a long； dark tunnel。 Ahead； Leto saw light； which grew larger and brighter by the second。 He remembered what his father had said to him about the Tleilaxu： 〃They destroy anything that resembles a thinking machine。〃 Ix would have been a natural target for them。
The light ahead touched them now； dazzling his eyes； and they roared into it。
Religion and law among the masses must be one and the same。 An act of disobedience must be a sin and require religious penalties。 This will have the dual benefit of bringing both greater obedience and greater bravery。 We must depend not so much on the bravery of individuals； you see； as upon the bravery of a whole population。
…PARDOT KYNES； address to gathered representatives of the greater sietches
Oblivious to the fate that had been decided for him； Pardot Kynes strolled through the tunnels； acpanied by his now…faithful panions Ommun and Turok。 The three went to visit Stilgar； who rested and healed in his family chambers。
At first sight of his visitor； a lean Stilgar sat forward on his sickbed。 Though his wound should have been fatal； the Fremen youth had almost entirely recovered in a short time。 〃I owe you the water of my life； Planetologist；〃 he said； and with great seriousness spat upon the floor of the cave。
Kynes was startled for a moment； then thought he understood。 He knew the importance of water to these people； especially the precious moisture contained within a person's body。 For Stilgar to sacrifice even a droplet of saliva showed him a great honor。 〃I。。。appreciate your water； Stilgar；〃 Kynes said with a forced smile。 〃But you may keep the rest of it for now。 I want you to be well。〃
Frieth； Stilgar's quiet sister； stayed by the young man's bedside； always busy； her blue…in…blue eyes darting from side to side in search of something else to do。 She looked long at Kynes； as if assessing him； but her expression was unreadable。 Then she silently glided off to bring more unguents that would speed her brother's healing。
Later； as Kynes walked along the sietch passageways； curious people gathered to follow him and listen。 In the midst of their daily routines； this tall； stubble…bearded Planetologist continued to be something new and interesting。 His crazy but visionary words might sound ridiculous； the most preposterous of fantasies； but even the sietch's children tagged along after the stranger。
The bemused and talkative crowd acpanied Kynes as he lectured； gesturing with his hands； gazing at the ceiling as if he could see the open sky there。 Though they tried； these Fremen could not imagine the sight of clouds gathering to pour rain upon the desert。 Droplets of moisture falling from the empty sky？ Absurd！
Some of the children laughed at the very idea of rain on Dune； but Kynes kept talking； e