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Helena glanced over her shoulder at her husband； who ignored her。
Paulus gestured toward the Castle on the cliffs。 〃House Atreides values loyalty and honor far above politics。〃 He took a hard and insightful look at his exhausted son。 Leto drew a deep breath； receiving the lesson like a sword thrust。 〃Loyalty and honor；〃 Paulus repeated。 〃That is the way it must always be。〃
Only God can make living； sentient creatures。
…The Orange Catholic Bible
In Birthing Room One of the Wallach IX plex； a screaming newborn girl lay on a med…table。 A daughter with the genetic line of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen。 The smell of blood and disinfectant hung in the air； wrapped in the rustle of crisp； sterilized clothing。 Harsh glowglobes burned down； reflecting from the rough stone walls and polished…metal surfaces。 Many daughters had been born here； many new Sisters。
With more excitement than the Bene Gesserit usually exhibited； Reverend Mothers in dark robes poked at the scrawny infant with instruments； talking about her in worried tones。 One Sister used a hypo…needle to draw a blood sample； while another took a skin scraping with a shallow curette。 No one spoke above a whisper。 Odd skin tone； poor biochemistry； low weight。。。
Drenched in perspiration； Gaius Helen Mohiam lay nearby in disfort； attempting to reassert control over the pummeled tissues of her body。 Though her preservation hid her actual age； she looked too old to be having babies。 This birth had been hard for her； harder than the previous eight children she had borne。 By now she felt ancient and used up。
Two acolyte attendants hurried to her bed and wheeled her toward one side of the arched doorway。 One laid a cool rag on her forehead； another placed a wet sponge against her lips； squeezing a few drops of moisture into her dry mouth。 Mohiam had already done her part in this process； the Sisterhood would do the rest。 Though she did not know their plans for this child； she knew the daughter must survive。
On the inspection table； even before the clinging blood and mucus could be wiped from her skin； the baby was turned over and positioned on all sides against a built…in scanner surface。 Cold and frightened； the infant wailed； but only intermittently； her voice sounding weaker by the moment。
Electronic signals sent all bioresults into a central…receiving unit； which displayed the data in a column on a large wall monitor for the Bene Gesserit experts to assess。 Reverend Mothers studied the results； paring them with a second column that showed optimal numbers。
〃The disparity is quite striking；〃 Anirul said quietly； her eyes wide on her doelike face。 The young Kwisatz Mother's disappointment hung like a solid weight on her shoulders。
〃And most unexpected；〃 said Mother Superior Harishka。 Her birdlike eyes glittered from the wrinkles on her face。 In tandem with those taboos that prevented the Bene Gesserit from using artificial means of fertilization in their breeding programs； other taboos kept them from inspecting or manipulating fetuses in utero。 Sourly； the ancient woman shook her head and flicked a sidelong glance at sweat…soaked Mohiam； still recovering on her table near the door。 〃The genetics are correct； but this。。。child is wrong。 We have made an error。〃
Anirul leaned over the infant girl for a closer look。 The child had a sickly pallor and misshapen facial bones； as well as a disjointed or malformed shoulder。 Other deficiencies； perhaps chronic； might take longer to assess。
And she's supposed to bee the grandmother of the Kwisatz Haderach？ Weakness does not breed strength。
Internally； Anirul reeled； trying to determine what could have gone wrong。 The other Sisters would call her too young and impetuous again。 The projections in the breeding records had been so precise； the information from Other Memory so certain。 Though sired by Vladimir Harkonnen； this girl…child wasn't what she was supposed to be。 The feeble infant couldn't possibly be the next step in the genetic path that was supposed to culminate in only two more generations with the Holy Grail of the Bene Gesserit breeding program； their superbeing。
〃Could something be incorrect in the mating index？〃 Mother Superior said； averting her eyes from the baby。 〃Or is this an aberration？〃
〃Genetics is never certain； Mother Superior；〃 Anirul said； taking a step away from the baby。 Her confidence was gone； but she tried not to make excuses。 She ran a nervous hand over her close…cropped bronze hair。 〃The projections are correct。 I'm afraid the bloodline simply didn't cooperate。。。this time。〃
Mother Superior looked around the room at the doctors； the other Sisters。 Every ment； every move would be recorded and stored in Wallach IX archives as well as in Other Memory for perusal by later generations。 〃Are you suggesting we try again with the Baron himself？ He wasn't exactly the most cooperative of subjects。〃
Anirul smiled faintly。 What an understatement。 〃Our projections give us the highest probability。 It must be Baron Harkonnen； and it must be Mohiam。 Thousands of years of careful selection have led to this point。 We have other options； but none as good as this one。。。and so we must try again。〃 She tried to sound philosophical。 〃Other mistakes have occurred along the way； Mother Superior we cannot let one failure bring about the end of the entire program。〃
〃Of course not；〃 Harishka snapped。 〃We must contact the Baron again。 Send our best and most persuasive representative while Mohiam recovers。〃
Anirul stared at the child on the table。 Exhausted now； the infant lay silent； tiny hands flexing； legs kicking。 The baby couldn't even maintain sustained periods of crying。 Not hardy breeding stock。
At the doorway arch； Mohiam struggled to sit up on her recovery table； peering with bright eyes at the newborn。 Instantly noting the deformity； the weakness； she moaned and fell back on the sheets。
Trying to fort her； Mother Superior Harishka came over to the table。 〃We need your strength now； Sister； not your despair。 We will make certain you get another chance with the Baron。〃 She folded her arms across her chest； and with a rustling of her robe departed from the birthing room； followed by her aides。
IN HIS BALCONY chambers at Harkonnen Keep； the Baron admired himself naked in the mirror； as he frequently liked to do。 There were many mirrors in his extensive apartment wing； and plenty of light； so that he might constantly enjoy the perfection of form that Nature had bestowed upon him。 He was lean and muscular； with good skin tone especially when his male lovers took the time to rub perfumed oils into every pore。 He feathered his fingers over the washboard ridges on his abdomen。 Magnificent。
No wonder the witches had requested that he breed with them a second time。 He was； after all； extraordinarily beautiful。 With their breeding programs； they would naturally desire the best stock。 His first child by that warthog Mohiam must have been so perfect that they wanted another。 Though he loathed the prospect； he asked himself if that was truly so horrible。
But he wished he knew how his offspring fit into the long…term plans of those devious； secretive women。 They had multiple breeding programs； and no one but a Bene Gesserit seemed to understand any of them。 Could this be used to his advantage somehow。。。or did they intend to turn the daughter against him at a later date？ They had been careful not to provide any bastard heirs； thus avoiding dynastic squabbles； not that he much cared anyway。 But what was in it for him？ Even Piter de Vries had been at a loss to offer an explanation。
〃You have not given us your response； Baron；〃 Sister Margot Rashino…Zea said from behind him。 She seemed not to show any disfort whatsoever at his nakedness。
In the reflecting glass he saw the beautiful； golden…haired Sister。 Did they think her beauty could tempt him； her shapeliness； her fine features？ Would he rather mate with her than with the other one？ Neither prospect appealed to him at all。
Representing the scheming Sisterhood； Margot had just spoken of the 〃need〃 for him to copulate a second time with the witch Mohiam。 It hadn't even been a year yet。 The gall of these creatures！ Margot； at least； used slippery words and a little finesse； rather than the brutish demands Mohiam had made of him that night long ago。 At least the witches had sent a better mouthpiece this time。
In front of the beautiful woman； he refused to put on any clothing； especially in the wake of her request。 Nude； he flaunted himself for her； but pretended not to notice。 Wouldn't that sleek beauty love to rut with someone like me。
〃Mohiam was rather too plain for my tastes；〃 he said； finally turning to face the Sisterhood's emissary。 〃Tell me； witch； was my first child a daughter； as I was promised？〃
〃How could it possibly make any difference to you？〃 Margot's gray…green eyes remained locked on his； but he could tell she wanted to let her gaze roam over his body； his muscles and his golden skin。
〃I didn't say it made any difference； foolish woman but I am of noble station and I asked you a question。 Answer me or die。〃
〃The Bene Gesserit do not fear death； Baron；〃 Margot said； in the calmest of tones。 Her sere