The chamber was small and exact.
Smooth pale walls. A low table. Two seats were positioned with the kind of precision that suggested everything in this room had been placed on purpose.
The projection above the table faded slowly as the session adjourned.
Lord Richese stood beside it, watching it die. Tall, composed, robes without ornament. His pale eyes stayed on the fading light longer than necessary.
His daughter stood beside him.
She had already looked away.
Neither spoke for a moment.
"Ten Legions is no small matter, Sera," Lord Richese said.
"Whoever is behind the Harkonnens will want to end this quickly," Lord Richese said.
"House Atreides stands to reshape more than its own position."
"We should not be too preemptive. The new Duke must be carefully observed.
"I disagree, Father," Sera softly said.
He glanced at her, "Why do you disagree?" he asked.
"Duke Paul is bold, his father passed away hours ago, yet he firmly stood at Landsraad and argued his case. He has already proven himself in my eyes," She said.
"Indeed, but this is not enough."
"What is enough?" She questioned, but he did not respond to her.
...
In the Throne room of the Imperial palace.
Emperor Shaddam watched Piter walk into the throne room.
"Greetings Emperor, I am honoured to be able to speak to you' Piter said with a bow.
"Baron Harkonnen, although not able to physically come and respond to your summons, has made concessions to allow communication through projection," Piter said.
Shaddam nodded, unbothered.
"Activate the projection," Shaddam commanded and it was quickly set up.
A large figure appeared in the throne room.
Baron Harkonnen gave the standard greetings only a few moments after his projection appeared.
He wore an official military suit.
"Vladimir."
"Two hundred battalions..." he paused for a moment, staring at Baron.
"Captured, mostly live."
"How did you allow this to happen, Vladimir?" Shaddam asked.
Baron took a deep breath.
"Atreides was prepared for the attack. They knew exactly when we were coming" Baron said.
"Yes, you lost two-thirds of your army... I am beginning to doubt if it is even appropriate to call you a great house anymore," Shaddam said looking down at the Baron from his high throne.
Baron clenched his jaw, his eyes were sharp as they stared at the Emperor.
"House Harkonnen may have taken a major loss, but even diminished, House Harkonnen remains… sufficient," he said. Harkonnen said.
Shaddam was silent for a few moments before he relaxed a little as he leaned back on his throne.
"The cost you must pay to House Atreides will be… astronomical," Shaddam said, and Baron met his eyes.
"Who said, House Harkonnen will pay for this alone?" Baron said.
Shaddam didn't speak.
'As expected of House Harkonnen, daring to threaten me' Shaddam thought sharply straing at Baron.
The silence stretched for several moments before Shaddam nodded.
"A burden of this scale…" he said, "should not fall upon one House alone."
A thin smile touched the Baron's lips.
"After all, they might crush themselves under the weight of this... burden," Shaddam said.
The thin smile on Baron's face disappeared.
"I will ensure… balance is maintained," Shaddam added.
"Since a decision has been made, we must reconvene Landsraad before official envoys begin setting off to Arrakis for verification," Piter said.
Shaddam paused for a moment.
"Yes."
"Swiftly," he said.
...
A reconvening message was immediately sent out by the emperor himself.
The representatives preparing to set off stopped, and the heads of houses understood the emperor's meaning.
Inside a chamber within the Imperial palace.
Jack sat on a chair as he read the letter that had just been delivered to him.
His eyes traced over the headline.
"Landsraad reconve Notice"
"So they chose settlement." He muttered as he stood up and began heading towards the door.
Pushing it open, his eyes fell on Duncan as he flashed him the letter.
"That was quick," Duncan said, staring at the headline.
"The hour has not even ended," Jack said with a chuckle, his eyes glanced around as he saw Thufir exiting his chambers, a few doors away from Jack.
...
Walking through the dim halls leading towards the center of the hall once more, Jack glanced towards Duncan, "After this session…" Jack paused for a moment.
"You will have to work overtime," Jack said.
Duncan glanced at him, slightly confused, but Jack didn't continue, the small smile he had on his lips dropping as soon as they entered the Landsraad Hall of Oratory.
"It seems we are not late," Duncan said as he glanced around the hall and saw that people were still arriving.
"Yes. Several House Heads will want to be in personal attendance for this session," Thufir explained.
Jack quietly walked towards the center stands, his eyes flashing across the hall as he observed the people who were entering.
Almost 30 minutes later, the hall had once again been filled.
Mohiam had already arrived along with the spacing guild representative.
Lastly, Count Fenring walked in, sitting in his position at the very top, representing the Emperor's authority. He spoke.
"This Landsraad, called by Duke Leto Atreides, shall proceed under his successor. By decree of Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV, this session shall now resume." Fenring announced as the hall quietened down.
"We would like to open," A voice rang out.
Glancing towards it, it came from the section in the stands belonging to House Harkonnen.
Piter had stood up as he glanced at Count Fenring.
Fenring glanced towards Jack who did not have any intention of starting and nodded.
"Very well, House Harkonnen shall open"
Piter nodded as his eyes flashed towards Jack.
"This council has heard serious claims from House Atreides, House Harkonnen has never contested that conflict occurred on Arrakis. War is costly. For all parties."
He paused for a moment.
"House Harkonnen, in recognition of the disruption caused to Arrakis operations and out of respect for the late Duke Leto Atreides, proposes formal reparations to House Atreides. A sum sufficient to restore full operational capacity on Arrakis and compensate for losses sustained."