"Salusa Secundus!" the Baron barked. "What has this to do with the Emperor's prison planet?"
"A man who survives Salusa Secundus starts out being tougher than most others," Hawat said. "When you add the very best of military training - "
"Nonsense! By your argument, I could recruit from among the Fremen after the way they've been oppressed by my nephew."
Hawat spoke in a mild voice: "Don't you oppress any of your troops?"
"Well . . . I . . . but - "
"Oppression is a relative thing," Hawat said. "Your fighting men are much better off than those around them, heh? They see unpleasant alternative to being soldiers of the Baron, heh?"
The Baron fell silent, eyes unfocused. The possibilities - had Rabban unwittingly given House Harkonnen its ultimate weapon?
Presently he said: "How could you be sure of the loyalty of such recruits?"
"I would take them in small groups, not larger than platoon strength," Hawat said. "I'd remove them from their oppressive situation and isolate them with a training cadre of people who understood their background, preferably people who had preceded them from the same oppressive situation. Then I'd fill them with the mystique that their planet had really been a secret training ground to produce just such superior beings as themselves. And all the while, I'd show them what such superior beings could earn: rich living, beautiful women, fine mansions . . . whatever they desired."
The Baron began to nod. "The way the Sardaukar live at home."
"The recruits come to believe in time that such a place as Salusa Secundus is justified because it produced them - the elite. The commonest Sardaukar trooper lives a life, in many respects, as exalted as that of any member of a Great House."
"Such an idea!" the Baron whispered.
"You begin to share my suspicions," Hawat said.
"Where did such a thing start?" the Baron asked.
"Ah, yes: Where did House Corrino originate? Were there people on Salusa Secundus before the Emperor sent his first contingents of prisoners there? Even the Duke Leto, a cousin on the distaff side, never knew for sure. Such questions are not encouraged."
The Baron's eyes glazed with thought. "Yes, a very carefully kept secret. They'd use every device of - "
"Besides, what's there to conceal?" Hawat asked. "That the Padishah Emperor has a prison planet? Everyone knows this. That he has - "
"Count Fenring!" the Baron blurted.
Hawat broke off, studied the Baron with a puzzled frown. "What of Count Fenring?"
"At my nephew's birthday several years ago," the Baron said. "This Imperial popinjay. Count Fenring, came as official observer and to . . . ah, conclude a business arrangement between the Emperor and myself."
"So?"
"I . . . ah, during one of our conversations, I believe I said something about making a prison planet of Arrakis. Fenring - "
"What did you say exactly?" Hawat asked.
"Exactly? That was quite a while ago and - "
"My Lord Baron, if you wish to make the best use of my services, you must give me adequate information. Wasn't this conversation recorded?"
The Baron's face darkened with anger. "You're as bad as Piter! I don't like these - "
"Piter is no longer with you my Lord," Hawat said. "As to that, whatever did happen to Piter?"
"He became too familiar, too demanding of me," the Baron said.
"You assure me you don't waste a useful man," Hawat said. "Will you waste me by threats and quibbling? We were discussing what you said to Count Fenring."
Slowly, the Baron composed his features. When the time comes , he thought, I'll remember his manner with me. Yes. I will remember .
"One moment," the Baron said, and he thought back to the meeting in his great hall. It helped to visualize the cone of silence in which they had stood. "I said something like this," the Baron said. "The Emperor knows a certain amount of killing has always been an arm of business.' I was referring to our work force losses. Then I said something about considering another solution to the Arrakeen problem and I said the Emperor's prison planet inspired me to emulate him."
"Witch blood!" Hawat snapped. "What did Fenring say?"
"That's when he began questioning me about you."
Hawat sat back, closed his eyes in thought. "So that's why they started looking into Arrakis," he said. "Well, the thing's done." He opened his eyes. "They must have spies all over Arrakis by now. Two years!"
"But certainly my innocent suggestion that - "
"Nothing is innocent in an Emperor's eyes! What were your instructions to Rabban?"
"Merely that he should teach Arrakis to fear us."
Hawat shook his head. "You now have two alternatives, Baron. You can kill off the natives, wipe them out entirely, or - "
"Waste an entire work force?"
"Would you prefer to have the Emperor and those Great Houses he can still swing behind him come in here and perform a curettement, scrape out Giedi Prime like a hollow gourd?"
The Baron studied his Mentat, then: "He wouldn't dare!"
"Wouldn't he?"
The Baron's lips quivered. "What is your alternative?"
"Abandon your dear nephew, Rabban."
"Aband . . . " The Baron broke off, stared at Hawat.
"Send him no more troops, no aid of any kind. Don't answer his messages other than to say you've heard of the terrible way he's handled things on Arrakis and you intend to take corrective measures as soon as you're able. I'll arrange to have some of your messages intercepted by Imperial spies."