Inside the dark room, Jessica quietly stared at the dim hologram machine.
Taking a deep breath she stepped forward towards the machine and switched it on.
"Greetings, Reverend Mother," Jessica nodded gently as Mohiam's hologram appeared.
"Why have you contacted me child?"
Jessica was silent for a moment before she spoke.
"Commander Cova of the Sardaukar has defected, he is willing to testify against Baron Harkonnen and Emperor Shaddam due to the Baron's attempt to murder him" Jessica said.
Mohiam was silent for a long time.
"You have done well, Jessica."
"You will be informed how to proceed," Mohiam said as she ended the projection, leaving Jessica in the darkness.
...
In Duke Leto's office.
Leto sat at the table staring at a piece of paper with utmost concentration.
Thufir stood in silence beside Leto.
Leto's eyes glance through each line.
Reaching the bottom of the paper, Leto put it down.
"Thufir, this... is really happening," Leto muttered.
"Indeed, it is Sire" Thufir nodded.
Leto glanced at the top of the page and softly read to himself.
"Emergency Landsraad Notice of Assembly." Leto said with a sigh.
He picked up a pen. At the very bottom of the page, Leto signed.
He folded the paper three times.
Inserting it into a letter, he closed the flap.
Leto dripped some wax and pressed his ring onto the hot wax sealing the letter.
"Deliver this Thufir," Leto said as he handed the letter to Thufir who nodded and gently grasped the letter.
Leto watched in silence as Thufir walked away.
"Thufir." Leto suddenly spoke causing Thufir to stop mid-step and turn around.
"Will my ambitions lead to our downfall, Thufir?" Leto softly asked.
"Do you remember House Ginaz, my lord?" Thufir asked.
"How could I forget?" Leto said with a frown.
"I remember you asking me a similar question back then," Thufir said with a soft smile, "Do you remember what I had told you back then, my lord?"
Leto went silent for a moment.
"A man without ambition is no man at all." A small smile appeared on Leto's face as he reminisced.
"And fear?" Thufir added softly.
"It keeps a man alive," Thufir said causing Leto to laugh out loud.
"Indeed Thufir, you are right, How could I forget" Leto said with a wide smile plastered on his face.
"It is my duty to remind you, My lord." Thufir nodded with a small smile and turned around, heading towards the door.
...
Inside an infirmary room lay Gurney, his eyes still shut.
Jack was seated beside Gurney's bed.
A frown prominent on his face.
His eyes flashed towards Gurney's missing leg as his frown deepened.
"I am sorry," Jack muttered staring at him.
Bandages covering his body and arms.
The setting sun's final rays poured into the room filling it with its comforting warmth.
"I failed you, Gurney." Jack said.
He was silent for several moments.
"Well. " You would be happy to hear this Gurney" Jack said with a small smile appearing on his face.
"The emperor is going down" Jack chuckled, his eyes catching sight of his legs, causing his smile to fade.
"Get well soon Gurney," Jack said as he stood up, turned around and left the room.
...
Meanwhile.
Jessica was walking down the quiet halls as the moon rose.
'I have been ordered,' Jessica thought to herself in silence, each step she took forward feeling heavy.
'I must do this.'
Arriving in front of a room with two soldiers standing outside as guards.
"My lady," The two bowed.
Without a moment of hesitation, Jessica used The Voice.
"Turn away. You saw no one tonight enter the door behind you" Jessica commanded.
The guards hesitated.
Confusion flickered across their faces.
'It must work, they may be the finest soldiers, but they have no reason to have mental defences up when facing me,' Jessica thought to herself calmly without worry.
As she expected, the soldier's eyes turned dull.
Without resisting, they turned facing away from the door.
Jessica took a deep breath as she stepped forward, her hand resting on the door handle.
She began to slowly twist it open, ensuring not to make any noise.
Gently pushing the door open, she walked in.
Cova appeared, lying on a bed with medical equipment attached to his body.
She quietly approached him.
Her steps measured as she slowly arrived beside him.
Staring down, a frown appeared on her face.
"Why must you force me to make such choices?" Jessica muttered, receiving nothing but silence from Cova.
"The baron should have just finished you off," She said, her hand striking out towards a cluster of veins in his wrist.
Hitting her target she withdrew her hand.
"You will be dead come morning," Jessica muttered as she turned away from Cova sealing his fate.
Quietly walking out of the room, she shut the door.
She glanced at the guards.
'They will snap out of their daze in a few moments,' She thought to herself as she began to hurriedly walk away.
Entering her room, she found Leto already lying on the bed.
"You're here," Jessica said startled.
"You seem surprised to see me," Leto said with a smirk.
"Not at all, it's just that I was expecting you to get in much later," Jessica composed herself and said.
"I have been in a very good mood recently," Leto said.
"Yes, I can tell" She said with a nod as she walked into the room and approached the bed.
Leto extended his arm out, inviting her and she accepted.
She moved beside him, settling into his embrace.
"You seem stressed" Leto said.
"Not at all," Jessica denied.
Leto didn't say anything for a few moments, simply smiling in silence.
"I've called for a Landsraad assembly."
"I'll be leaving soon." he said, glancing at her with a slight smirk.
She looked up at him with a frown.
Leto immediately let out a chuckle.
"Of course I was not suggesting anything. What do you take me for, an animal?" He said with a laugh.