"Our enemies have Fremen allies," Alia pressed. "Water traps have been destroyed, qanats blasted, plantings poisoned and storage basins plundered..."
"And now - they've stolen a worm from the desert, taken it to another world!"
Chapter Nineteen
The voice of this intrusion was known to all of them - Muad'dib. Paul came through the doorway from the hall, pressed through the guard ranks and crossed to Alia's side. Chani, accompanying him, remained on the sidelines.
"M'Lord," Stilgar said, refusing to look at Paul's face.
Paul aimed his empty sockets at the gallery, then down to Korba. "What, Korba - no words of praise?"
Muttering could be heard in the gallery. It grew louder, isolated words and phrases audible: "... law for the blind... Fremen way... in the desert... who breaks..."
"Who says I'm blind?" Paul demanded. He faced the gallery. "You, Rajifiri? I see you're wearing gold today, and that blue shirt beneath it which still has dust on it from the streets. You always were untidy."
Rajifiri made a warding gesture, three fingers against evil.
"Point those fingers at yourself!" Paul shouted. "We know where the evil is!" He turned back to Korba. "There's guilt on your face, Korba."
"Not my guilt! I may've associated with the guilty, but no... " He broke off, shot a frightened look at the gallery.
Taking her cue from Paul, Alia arose, stepped down to the floor of the chamber, advanced to the edge of Korba's table. From a range of less than a meter, she stared down at him, silent and intimidating.
Korba cowered under the burden of eyes. He fidgeted, shot anxious glances at the gallery.
"Whose eyes do you seek up there?" Paul asked.
"You cannot see!" Korba blurted.
Paul put down a momentary feeling of pity for Korba. The man lay trapped in the vision's snare as securely as any of those present. He played a part, no more.
"I don't need eyes to see you," Paul said. And he began describing Korba, every movement, every twitch, every alarmed and pleading look at the gallery.
Desperation grew in Korba.
Watching him, Alia saw he might break any second. Someone in the gallery must realize how near he was to breaking, she thought. Who? She studied the faces of the Naibs, noting small betrayals in the masked faces... angers, fears, uncertainties... guilts.
Paul fell silent.
Korba mustered a pitiful air of pomposity to plead: "Who accuses me?"
"Otheym accuses you," Alia said.
"But Otheym's dead!" Korba protested.
"How did you know that?" Paul asked. "Through your spy system? Oh, yes! We know about your spies and couriers. We know who brought the stone burner here from Tarahell."
"It was for the defense of the Qizarate!" Korba blurted.
"Is that how it got into traitorous hands?" Paul asked.
"It was stolen and we..." Korba fell silent, swallowed. His gaze darted left and right. "Everyone knows I've been the voice of love for Muad'dib." He stared at the gallery. "How can a dead man accuse a Fremen?"
"Otheym's voice isn't dead," Alia said. She stopped as Paul touched her arm.
"Otheym sent us his voice," Paul said. "It gives the names, the acts of treachery, the meeting places and the times. Do you miss certain faces in the Council of Naibs, Korba? Where are Merkur and Fash? Keke the Lame isn't with us today. And Takim, where is he?"
Korba shook his head from side to side.
"They've fled Arrakis with the stolen worm," Paul said. "Even if I freed you now, Korba, Shai-hulud would have your water for your part in this. Why don't I free you, Korba? Think of all those men whose eyes were taken, the men who cannot see as I see. They have families and friends, Korba. Where could you hide from them?"
"It was an accident," Korba pleaded. "Anyway, they're getting Tleilaxu... " Again, he subsided.
"Who knows what bondage goes with metal eyes?" Paul asked.
The Naibs in their gallery began exchanging whispered comments, speaking behind raised hands. They gazed coldly at Korba now.
"Defense of the Qizarate," Paul murmured, returning to Korba's plea. "A device which either destroys a planet or produces J-rays to blind those too near it. Which effect, Korba, did you conceive as a defense? Does the Qizarate rely on stopping the eyes of all observers?"
"It was a curiosity, m'Lord," Korba pleaded. "We knew the Old Law said that only Families could possess atomics, but the Qizarate obeyed... obeyed... "
"Obeyed you," Paul said. "A curiosity, indeed."
"Even if it's only the voice of my accuser, you must face me with it!" Korba said. "A Fremen has rights."
"He speaks truth, Sire," Stilgar said.
Alia glanced sharply at Stilgar.
"The law is the law," Stilgar said, sensing Alia's protest. He began quoting Fremen Law, interspersing his own comments on how the Law pertained.
Alia experienced the odd sensation she was hearing Stilgar's words before he spoke them. How could he be this credulous? Stilgar had never appeared more official and conservative, more intent on adhering to the Dune Code. His chin was outthrust, aggressive. His mouth chopped. Was there really nothing in him but this outrageous pomposity?
"Korba is a Fremen and must be judged by Fremen Law," Stilgar concluded.
Alia turned away, looked out at the day shadows dropping down the wall across from the garden. She felt drained by frustration. They'd dragged this thing along well into midmorning. Now, what? Korba had relaxed. The Panegyrist's manner said he'd suffered an unjust attack, that everything he'd done had been for love of Muad'dib. She glanced at Korba, surprised a look of sly self-importance sliding across his face.