Jessica stared at Jack for a few moments.
'He needs to know how his father died, but...' Jessica thought as she shook her head.
"Alright, I have a meeting soon," Jack said as he prepared to switch off the projection.
"You must be wary of Reverend Mother Mohiam" Jessica suddenly said.
"She is very dangerous at... close range."
Jack nodded his head as he switched off the projection.
'It's like she struggles to be straightforward.' Jack thought to himself with a small frown hanging on his lips.
The doro
"Paul, Reverend Mother is here, she wants to have an audience with you."
'Speak of the devil and she shall appear,' Jack thought to himself as he stood up.
"Let her in."
The door opened as Mohiam stepped inside the room.
"Hello Duke Paul," Mohiam said softly as she extended her hand out.
Jack glanced at her for a few moments and then at her extended hand before he stepped forward and shook her hand.
'Wow... she has a strong grip,' Jack thought to himself as he pulled his hand back.
"What brings you here Reverend Mother Mohiam?" Jack asked as he took a step back, making some space between them.
His eyes were sharp and he was ready to react in case Mohiam attacked him, however he highly doubted she would do something so foolish.
"You surprised me today," she said simply.
"Sometimes a certain push is required to achieve justice," Jack said.
"Justice?" Mohiam muttered.
"What is your justice in this situation?" She asked and Jack paused for a moment.
He didn't speak for a few moments as he quietly stared at Mohiam.
"The waves you will face will be far too large," Mohiam said as she quietly observed Jack.
"I am aware" Jack nodded.
She stared at him for a long moment before she spoke again.
"Your father would have let things settle today," she said quietly. "He would have built the case carefully. Waited for the right moment before going larger."
"Maybe... but he is dead," Jack said,
"Careful, Duke Paul."
"You forced a situation today that cannot be undone," she said quietly. "Be certain you are prepared for what conclusions come next."
She quietly turned around and began making her way towards the door.
Jack stood there as he watched her walk away in silence for several moments before he activated his communicator.
...
Exiting the large palace behind him, Jack stepped onto a stone path with grass and flowers surrounding him.
Taking a deep breath in, Jack exhaled.
The comfortable warmth of the sun hitting his body.
A gentle breeze blew past his face, carrying the scent of roses.
'The wind here... is so nice,' Jack thought to himself, remembering the dry winds of Arrakis.
Thufir and Duncan stood in silence behind Jack, letting him enjoy the moment.
A few moments passed before Jack began walking forward again.
Following the stone pathway through the garden, Jack arrived at an intricately designed black coloured patio.
In the center was Aldric Richese and his daughter Sera Richese, seated at a table with tea cups in front of them.
Three men stood guard by the walls of the large patio.
"Duke Paul, you have arrived," Aldric said as he stood up.
Jack walked forward, greeted him, and took a seat opposite off Aldric and Sera.
"Can we get you a cup of Melange tea?" Aldric asked.
'I wonder how the tea tastes, but I dont want to risk getting poisoned...' Jack thought to himself and shook his head in refusal.
Aldric paused for a moment, thinking of something before he continued speaking.
"House Richese sat where you are standing at once. We made our move at the wrong moment. We've been recovering for eighty years now." Aldric said.
"You've placed yourself at the center of the Imperium in a single session," Aldric said. "Few men have done that and even fewer have made something of it."
"The history of the Imperium is long, and in this period, many families had the chance to be the owners of Arrakis, few rose up, but in one way or the other, they all paid the price for challenging the Imperium."
Jack was silent for a few moments.
"That is something we will only know with time," he said.
A moment of silence stretched between them for several moments before Aldric nodded.
"You've made this a matter no one can ignore," he paused for a moment staring at Jack. "Which means everyone here now has an interest in how it ends." Aldric said.
"You weren't asking Fenring a question," she asked, looking at Jack directly. "You were making sure everyone in that room saw that he couldn't answer one."
Jack glanced towards her for a few moments before he nodded.
"It was foolish," She said.
Jack's attention fully shifted to her.
"But I can understand why you did it," She said.
"House Richese doesn't presume to know your goals. But we can see the shape of them," She said.
Jack leaned in slightly, "What do you see?" He asked.
Sera was silent for a few moments before speaking, "You desire the Imperium."
'They once ruled Arrakis, they have connections that can be very useful,' Jack thought, 'But... It's too soon.' Jack thought as he stood up.
"I appreciate you inviting me over here but you're making assumptions," Jack said calmly as he stood up.
"And I don't reward those," Jack muttered as he began to walk away.
"You came on too strong," Aldric spoke softly as he watched Jack walking away.
Sera picked up her tea, and she took a sip before speaking.
"I believe it was just enough to position us well just in case," Sera said.
"Has he proven himself yet?" Sera asked as she glanced at her father, who took a sip of melange tea in silence.
"He is brave, maybe too brave. If he survives the night, only then can we plan further."