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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 Shaddam for not paying closer attention to his studies。 〃Watch； and learn！〃 one of his father's tedious phrases 〃Do as well as Fenring； for once。〃
Since childhood； Hasimir Fenring had attended classes with the Crown Prince。 Ostensibly； he provided panionship for Shaddam； while he himself gleaned an understanding of Court intrigues and politics。 In academics； Fenring always did better than his royal friend： He devoured any bit of data that could help him increase his position。
His mother Chaola； an introspective lady…in…waiting； had settled into a quiet home and lived on her Imperial pension after the death of the Emperor's fourth wife Habla。 In raising the two young boys together while she attended the Empress Habla； Chaola had given Fenring the chance to be so much more almost as if she had planned it that way。
These days Chaola pretended not to understand what her son did at Court； though she was Bene Gesserit…trained。 Fenring was wily enough to know that his mother prehended far more than her station suggested； and that many plans and breeding schemes had gone on without his knowledge。
Now Shaddam let out a miserable groan and turned from the machine。 〃Why can't the old creature just die and make it easy for me？〃 He covered his mouth； suddenly alarmed at what he had blurted。
Fenring paced the long floor； glancing up at the hanging banners of the Landsraad。 The Crown Prince was expected to know the colors and crests of every Great and Minor House； but Shaddam had difficulty simply remembering all the family names。
〃Be patient； my friend。 All in its own time。〃 In one of the alcoves； Fenring struck a bustible spike of vanilla…scented incense and inhaled a long breath of the fumes。 〃In the meantime； learn about subjects that will be relevant to your reign。 You'll need such information in the near future； hmm…m…m…ah？〃
〃Stop making that noise； Hasimir。 It's annoying。〃
〃Hmmmm？〃
〃It irritated me when we were children； and you know it still does。 Stop it！〃
In the adjoining room； behind supposed privacy screens； Shaddam could hear his tutor giggling； the sounds of clothes rustling； bedsheets； skin upon skin。 The tutor spent his afternoons with a willowy； achingly beautiful woman who had been sexually trained to Expert Class。 Shaddam had given the girl her orders； and her ministrations kept the tutor out of the way so that he and Fenring could have private conversations difficult enough in a palace full of prying eyes and attentive ears。
The tutor did not know； however； that the girl was intended for Elrood as a gift； a perfect addition to his harem。 This little trick gave the Crown Prince a large club to wield as a threat against the bothersome teacher。 If the Emperor ever found out。。。
〃Learning to manipulate people is an important part of ruling；〃 Fenring often told him upon suggesting an idea。 That much； at least； Shaddam had understood。 As long as the Crown Prince listens to my advice； Fenring thought； he could bee a good enough ruler； after all。
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