Navigators of Dune

76

When he arrived above the dark, mist-shrouded research planet, Roderick was pleased with the impressive fleet he had assembled on such short notice. Venport would not possibly be expecting them.

The foldspace carriers emerged, and the swarm of Imperial warships dropped out of the enormous holding bays and raced toward Denali, side by side. They were ready to fight.

From the bridge of Harte’s flagship, Roderick was surprised to see that Directeur Venport had assembled an unexpectedly robust defensive net, considering how many warships he had lost at Lampadas, as well as the force he had diverted to protect his Arrakis operations.

The Emperor stood with his hands behind his back. “Apparently he did not assume he was safe hiding here after all.”

On the bridge beside him, Admiral Harte offered a small smile. “The most important part, Sire, is that our ships outnumber theirs, and we have greater overall firepower. It will be a challenge, but we will defeat them.”

Roderick hoped the Admiral was right. He was uneasy that they had left Salusa more vulnerable than he would have liked, but his real enemy, the last remaining thorn in his side, was right here in front of him. As soon as Venport Holdings was broken, Roderick could create a new commercial network to conduct trade throughout the Imperium. He envisioned a golden age, without Butlerian resistance to common technology and without Josef Venport’s ruthless business practices.

Much blood had been shed already, and it would not be an easy victory. Scars would remain for a long time.

“Don’t underestimate them,” Roderick warned. “If Venport has weapons laboratories down there, he may well have surprises for us.” Now that the man had been betrayed, wounded, and backed into a corner, he would be enraged, desperate, and unpredictable, and that made him especially dangerous.

Harte said, “Our shields are up, Sire, and the VenHold ships ahead of us also have full Holtzman shields.” He paused to let the import sink in. “At Lampadas, Sire, the Butlerians used lasguns to fire upon shields. It was sheer suicide … but what if Venport is desperate enough to resort to such tactics?”

The Emperor shook his head. “Not a chance. The Directeur may be ruthless, but he is neither irrational nor suicidal.”

Like a noose tightening around Denali, the Imperial fleet closed in. The VenHold ships displayed arrays of glowing weapons ports as they prepared to make their last stand. The clustered ships hung motionless in orbit, and Roderick waited for Venport to acknowledge that he had lost, though the Emperor did not hold much hope for that.

He has Anna down there. Roderick was sure Venport would try to use her life to buy his own.

Impatient, he opened a broad channel. “Directeur Josef Venport, if you surrender yourself and deliver my sister unharmed, we can end this without further loss of life.” He realized this situation was a complete turnabout from when VenHold ships had placed Salusa Secundus under siege. “If you wish to prove your mettle by fighting us, it will be a bloody battle, but most of the blood will be yours. Make no mistake about it, we will prevail. As a logical businessman, you should know when to cut your losses.”

Venport finally appeared on the screen, speaking to them from a sealed chamber in the laboratory domes below. He was dressed impeccably, his reddish hair perfect, but Roderick noticed his face looked somewhat haggard. The Directeur narrowed his blue-eyed gaze, showed a flash of anger. “Manford Torondo was willing to speak any lie, provided it met his needs — I expected that of him. But you broke your word as well, Roderick Corrino. We had a deal. I used my company military force to crush the Butlerians, and then your fleet attacked us when we were weakened. Why should I trust anything you say after that betrayal?”

Roderick pressed his lips into a firm line. “Admiral Harte was out of contact and operating under previous standing orders. When his fleet arrived at Lampadas, he was unaware of our bargain. His attack on you was truly the result of an unfortunate misunderstanding. I did not intend it to happen, and I might even have been willing to apologize.” He hardened his voice. “Until you revealed that you have been holding my sister hostage, that you knew where she was all along. You should not be so ready to point your finger at me, Directeur.” He raised his voice, speaking with the authority of an Emperor. “Let me speak to Anna. Now.”

Venport appeared unimpressed. “Your sister recorded a message for you. Listen to her own words.” Without further preamble, he transmitted a recording.

On the screen, Anna smiled at the imager. Yes, it was her, and she appeared to be inside one of the Denali domes, with a cymek work area behind her. She looked healthy, well cared for, even content. Her brow furrowed in a frown as she leaned closer. “This is a message to my brother. Dear Roderick, I am here and I am safe. Directeur Venport keeps me safe, keeps close watch on me.” She smiled pleasantly. “More important, I’m happy. My lover is here on Denali! Everything is wonderful, and Directeur Venport says I can remain for as long as I want. In fact, he insists.” Her eyes flicked back and forth. “Though I do miss you. Please come and visit.”

The recording ended and was replaced by Venport’s face. In a sharp voice, he added, “As you can see, your dear Anna is safe for now. You should thank me — one of my operatives rescued her when the barbarians took over the Mentat School. They would surely have killed her, while I have only held her here for her own protection, showing her every courtesy. I planned to deliver her to you as a goodwill gesture, but then you set out to destroy me. If I am as desperate as you believe I am, then don’t force me to harm her. Discontinue your aggressive posture, withdraw your ships, and come down with an unarmed party to negotiate an end to this crisis.”

He cut off the transmission abruptly.

Roderick stewed, said off-line, “Maybe we should pull back and give him a moment to breathe. He must come to realize that his best option is surrender.”

Reverend Mother Fielle stood beside them, having carefully watched Josef Venport. “He does have Anna Corrino hostage, and I believe she is unharmed thus far. In that, I detect no deception. She is his only bargaining chip, so he will not hurt her, Sire. You can push him harder.”

Admiral Harte agreed. “It is dangerous for you to show weakness now. This should be our final battle against the most dangerous man in the Imperium, now that Manford is dead. Venport will not harm your sister. He knows that if he did there would be nothing to stop us from wiping out everything he has.” Harte wore a determined expression on his flushed face, and he held up a clenched fist. “We can defeat Venport Holdings, seize the Directeur, and end his threat to the Imperium.” He forcibly straightened his fingers. “I apologize for being so outspoken, Sire. The decision is yours, of course. The Directeur held me and my troops prisoner, so this is also personal for me. Too personal, it seems.”

Roderick nodded. “It’s all personal, Admiral. And that man has escaped too many times for me to underestimate him again.” He remembered how Venport had strolled into the Imperial Audience Chamber to congratulate him after the coronation — knowing all the while that he had assassinated Salvador. Norma Cenva had whisked him away the moment his crime was exposed, and Venport could escape just as easily now. Like a greased worm.

But Roderick wouldn’t let him.

From the Admiral’s flagship, which had once been Emperor Jules’s grand flagship, Roderick gazed out at his large Imperial fleet. “After all that man has done, I will not give him a way to save face, and I will not withdraw and send in an unarmed team as if we are merely negotiating a trade deal! The time to be reasonable is past, and I will not show weakness. Venport has made himself as much an enemy of the Imperium as Manford Torondo ever was. We have the upper hand. Let’s finish this.”

Admiral Harte straightened, looking pleased. “He’s right below us — we can easily destroy the laboratory domes from orbit.”

“My sister is down there, Admiral. She’s an innocent and always has been. We can’t just carpet bomb the domes. Under the circumstances, I want a surgical strike.”

Harte nodded. “You make it more difficult, Sire, but it can be done. First, though, we need to neutralize his warships in orbit.”

“In that, Admiral, you may proceed with all the resources at your disposal.”