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〃You can't do this you'll doom our people to destruction！〃 Yuta Brey shouted at Elrood。
〃Messenger； you are impertinent； just like Dominic Vernius。 Tax my patience no more。〃 Looking sternly at the Tleilaxu representative； Elrood manded： 〃Ambassador Tooy； bring me your proof incontrovertible proof within two days； or withdraw your forces from Ix。〃
Mofra Tooy bowed。 Concealed from the Guildsmen directly behind him； a slight smile worked briefly at the edges of his mouth； then faded。
〃Very well then；〃 the Ixian Ambassador said； trembling now with rage。 〃I hereby demand an immediate Security Council session of the Landsraad。〃
〃And you shall have it； precisely according to law；〃 Elrood said。 〃I have already acted in the manner I believe best serves the Imperium。 Mofra Tooy here will address the Council in two days； and you may do the same。 If you wish to return to your planet in the meantime； I will divert an express Heighliner for your use。 But be warned； if these charges are indeed valid； Ambassador； House Vernius will have much to atone for。〃
WIPING PERSPIRATION FROM his shaven head； Dominic Vernius studied his Ambassador to Kaitain。 Pilru had just delivered a shocking report to the Earl and his Lady。 The man was clearly anxious to search for his missing son in the chaos of the underground city； though he had been back on the planet for less than an hour。 They stood together in a subterranean operations center； deep within the ceiling of rock； since the transparent Orb Office in the Grand Palais was too vulnerable in time of war。 Machinery sounds could be heard； tube transports moving Ixian troops and equipment through the catabs of the planetary crust。
The defensive battles had not been going well。 Through well…planned sabotage and carefully arranged bottlenecks； Tleilaxu now controlled most of the underworld； and the Ixians were being herded into smaller and smaller areas。 The rebellious suboids vastly outnumbered the besieged Ixian defenders； and the Tleilaxu invaders took full advantage； manipulating the pale…skinned workers with ease。
〃Elrood has betrayed us； my love；〃 Dominic said； holding his wife。 They had only the dirty clothes on their backs and a few household treasures they had managed to rescue。 He understood everything now； though。 〃I knew the Emperor hated me； but I never expected such loathsome behavior； not even from him。 If only I could prove it。〃
Looking pale and more fragile than ever； though her eyes flared with iron determination； the Lady Shando drew a deep breath。 Delicate lines etched around her exquisite eyes and mouth were the only indications of her advancing age； subtle reminders to Dominic to treasure her beauty； love； and fine character more each day。 Stepping to his side； she looped one arm through his。 〃Maybe if I went to him and threw myself on his mercy？ He might be reasonable； for whatever memories he still holds of me。。。。
〃I wouldn't let you do it。 He hates you now and resents me for marrying you。 Roody is beyond passion。〃 Dominic clenched his fists and studied Ambassador Pilru's face； but found no hope there。 Looking back at Shando； he said； 〃Knowing him； he's undoubtedly set up intrigues so plex that he couldn't withdraw now if he wanted to。
〃We'll never receive war reparations； even if we are victorious。 My family fortunes will be confiscated； my personal power stripped。〃 He lowered his voice； trying to hide the despair。 〃And all to get even with me for taking his woman away from him a long； long time ago。〃
〃I'll do whatever you want me to do； Dominic；〃 she said softly。 〃You made me your wife instead of your concubine。 I've always told you。 。 。〃 Her words trailed off。
〃I know； my love。〃 He squeezed her hand。 〃I'd do anything for you； too。 It was worth the cost。。。even this。〃
〃I await your orders； m'Lord；〃 Ambassador Pilru said； deeply agitated。 His son C'tair was out there somewhere； hiding； fighting； perhaps already dead。
Dominic chewed the inside of his mouth。 〃Clearly； House Vernius has been singled out for destruction； and there is but one alternative。 All the fabricated charges mean nothing； and the paper shield of the law lies torn into shreds。 The Emperor intends to destroy us； and we cannot fight House Corrino； especially against treachery such as this。 I don't doubt that the Landsraad will stall and then pounce upon the spoils of war。〃 Glowering； he squared his broad shoulders and stood straighter。 〃We will take our family atomics and shields and flee beyond the reach of the Imperium。〃
Pilru bit back an outcry。 〃Going。。。renegade； my Lord？ What about the rest of us？〃
〃Unfortunately； we have no choice； Cammar。 It's the only way we can escape with our lives。 I want you to contact the Guild and request emergency transport。 Invoke any favors they owe us。 The Guildsmen observed your session with the Emperor； so they know our situation。 Tell them we want to take our military forces with us； too what little we have left。〃 Dominic hung his head。 〃I never imagined it would e to this。。。thrust from our Palace and our cities。。。。〃
The Ambassador nodded stiffly； then departed through the shimmer of a shielded doorway。
One wall of the administrative center flashed alive with four projections on separate panels of battles raging all over the planet color scenes transmitted by portable eyes。 Ixian losses continued to mount。
Shaking his head； Dominic said； 〃Now we must speak to our closest friends and retainers and inform them of the dangers they will face if they acpany us。 It will be much more difficult and dangerous to flee with us than to be subjugated by the Tleilaxu。 No one will be forced to go with us； it will be volunteers only。 As a renegade House； all of our family members and supporters will be hunted by glory…seekers。〃
〃Bounty hunters；〃 Shando said； her voice heavy with mingled sorrow and anger。 〃You and I will have to separate； Dominic to throw them off our trail and increase our chances。〃
On the wall； two image panels fizzled out； as the Tleilaxu found transmitting eyes and disabled them。
Dominic softened his voice。 〃Later； after our House and planet have been restored to us； we'll remember what we did here and what was said。 This is history。 High drama。 Let me tell you a little story； a parallel case study。〃
〃I do enjoy your stories；〃 she said with a gentle smile on her strong yet delicate face。 Her hazel eyes danced。 〃Very well； what will we tell our grandchildren？〃
Momentarily he focused on a fresh crack in the ceiling and water that trickled down a wall。 〃Salusa Secundus was once the Imperial capital world。 Do you know why they moved it to Kaitain？〃
〃Some problem with atomics；〃 she replied。 〃Devastation on Salusa。〃
〃According to the Imperial version； it was an unfortunate accident。 But House Corrino only says that because they don't want to give people ideas。 The truth is that another renegade family； a Great House whose name was stripped from historical records； managed to land on Salusa with their family atomics。 In a daring raid they bombed the capital and set off an ecological catastrophe。 The world still hasn't recovered。〃
〃An attack with atomics？ I didn't know that。〃
〃Afterward the survivors moved the Imperial throne to Kaitain； in a different； more secure solar system； where young Emperor Hassik III rebuilt the government。〃 Seeing the concern on his wife's face； he drew her closer and held her tightly。 〃We won't fail； my love。〃
The last wall panels fizzled and went dead as the Tleilaxu knocked out the remaining eyes。
In the Imperium there exists the 〃principle of the individual；〃 noble but rarely utilized； whereby a person who violates a written law in a situation of extreme peril or need can request a special session of the court of jurisdiction in order to explain and support the necessity of his actions。 A number of legal procedures derive from this principle； among them the Drey Jury； the Blind Tribunal； and the Trial by Forfeiture。
…Law of the Imperium： mentaries
Despite disastrous military losses during the unexpected revolt； many secret places still remained on Ix。 Centuries ago； during the paranoid times after House Vernius took over the machine operations； engineers sworn to secrecy had laid down an unrecorded honeyb of transmission…shielded rooms； algae…chambers； and hideouts masked from discovery by remarkable Ixian ingenuity。 It would take centuries for an enemy to ferret them out； even the ruling House had forgotten half of them。
Guided by Captain Zhaz and the troop of personal bodyguards； Leto and Rhombur concealed themselves in an algae…walled chamber； which was entered via an access tube that led upward into the crust of the planet。 Routine enemy scans would detect only the life signs of the algae； since massive dampening fields surrounded the rest of the isolated chamber。
〃We'll only have to stay here a few days；〃 Rhombur said； struggling to recapture his usual optimism。 〃Surely by then； Landsraad or Imperial forces will have e to our rescue； and House Vernius can begin rebuilding Ix。 Things will all work out。〃
Narrowing his eyes； Leto remained silent。 If his suspicions were correct； it could well take much longer than that。
〃This chamber is just a rendezvo