DUNE Page #29

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She sees Halleck, unconscious and covered with blood-stained bandages pressing his balisette against him.

ALIA:

Gurney Halleck. I saw him in Jessica’s memories.

PAUL:

Help his wounds to heal. He must live!

ALIA:

He’ll live!

Paul leaves the group, takes a tunnel, lifts a tapestry and enters a room cut into the rock.

INTERIOR:
A SMALL CAVE.

The little grotto is covered with tapestries. Cushions form a bed. On a foot-table made of forged copper, cups of coffee can be seen, together with a coffee pot where a blue spice coffee is boiling; this is Jessica’s bedroom.

Paul enters. Jessica is meditating, her legs crossed. Paul sits down opposite her in the same position.

JESSICA:

Halleck is alive.

PAUL:

Yes (he takes out a roll of paper). We found this message on the body of a Harkonnen. It’s the order to exterminate all the Fremen.

JESSICA:

The time has come. Our men know the military arts of Bene Guesserit. You have given them new arms. The leaders of the sietchs are together in the large cave, awaiting your decision. You must challenge Stilgar, kill him and assume command of the armies. They are all prepared to follow you.

PAUL:

Stilgar saved our lives. He is our friend.

JESSICA:

This is the Law. To become leader, you must kill the old leader.

PAUL:

I prefer not to fight for command.

JESSICA:

You cannot oppose fate. It is written. You are Lisan Al Gaib, the only man capable of uniting the Fremen. Stilgar will give his life with joy.

PAUL:

You aren’t at all human! Like all the Bene Guesserit, you don’t mind killing if you achieve your purposes - destruction, fanatical crusades, power!

JESSICA:

So you prefer to be a slave? In this world, you must kill or be killed!

PAUL:

I’m tired of being just a pawn! I don’t want to be used. Look what you did with me. I already know what we’re going to say, and what’s going to happen. I know the future, to the thousandth of a second. The present is past for me. I’m outside time since I’ve already seen myself die. All you’re interested in is to be mother of Kwisatz Haderach. You continue to obey the Bene Guesserit conditioning. You used me, my friends, and my father too.

Jessica can no longer contain herself and gives Paul a strong slap on the face.

JESSICA:

Don’t sully my relations with your father!

PAUL:

You’re no longer Jessica, no longer my mother. You are my enemy, a witch. I’m Paul, a human being. I don’t want to travel from planet to planet, exterminating millions of men! I don’t want fire, nor violence!

JESSICA:

(coldly)

The leaders are waiting for you. If you don’t do it, I’ll challenge Stilgar, and take command.

INTERIOR:
CAVE FOR THE GREAT CEREMONY.

The leaders of the various sietchs are gathered together in an assembly. These are the strongest men of the fremen race, together with their delegations. Stilgar is waiting.

Paul takes his place on a stone seat. The leaders watch him intensely, looking out for the challenge.

A LEADER:

Muad’Dib, strong man among strong men, now has come the time for revenge. We would like you to be our leader.

STILGAR:

Muad’Dib, respect the customs. Spill my blood for the good of the tribe.

PAUL:

The customs must change, Stilgar.

A disapproving murmur can be heard among the leaders.

PAUL:

Stilgar, do you think I want to cut off my right hand? Do you think I want to rob the tribe of its strength and wisdom?

Paul draws his dagger and hands it to Stilgar.

PAUL:

Let me not be treated as a coward! If blood must run for the good of the tribe, let it be mine.

He stands in front of Stilgar with open arms. Stilgar drops the dagger.

STILGAR:

The Fremen know you are stronger. I cannot kill Lisan Al Gaib. Customs change.

PAUL:

Everything which hinders our development must change. We have cut, for long enough, the best branches off our tree. The Fremen must stop spilling fremen blood. Among us, violence will not exist. We form one body only, one mind only. We have an important task ahead. Each of my leaders represents an arm... Would you destroy a knife just before the battle? When Dune will be ours, we shall need strong men to make the desert fertile ... Stilgar will be governor of this planet, he is honest and wise... He is our right arm...We are an army at war...We must stop killing our own generals.

The leaders rise, shouting enthusiastically.

THE LEADERS:

Muad’Dib! Lisan Al Gaib!

PAUL:

Death the Harkonnens!

THE LEADERS:

Death!

Followed by Chani, Alia runs in and rushes into Paul’s arms. Paul utters a despairing cry and runs out.

INTERIOR:
IN THE SMALL CAVE.

Paul, Alia, and Chani burst into Jessica’s room. Although paralyzed, Halleck is holding Jessica between his arms. He is threatening her neck with a sword.

HALLECK:

Don’t move, Paul! The witch froze me for a moment but I’m now free from the hold of her voice.

PAUL:

(in the VOICE)

Stop!

Halleck again freezes but without letting Jessica go.

PAUL:

(in the VOICE)

Free my mother!

HALLECK:

No! Nobody can prevent my revenge. This woman killed your father, Paul!

PAUL:

You’re wrong, Halleck. Yueh killed him.

HALLECK:

I saw Vladimir Harkonnen’s message!

PAUL:

Please, Halleck, don’t hurt my mother. I can answer for her, on my life. It was a trick. Who do you have to believe, a Harkonnen or an Atreides?

HALLECK:

How she’s bewitched you!

PAUL:

(alarmed)

If you hurt her, I’ll cut you into pieces!

HALLECK:

What do I care. I have only survived to take my revenge.

PAUL:

I know how much my father loved her! I saw her sobbing on my father’s corpse!

He throws down his arms, takes a tape-recorder on the table and plays Yueh’s message.

VOICE OF YUEH:

When you hear this, the Duke and I shall be dead.

PAUL:

This is the voice of a traitor confessing his crime. Free her, Gurney.

Gurney lets Jessica go and falls to his knees on the ground.

HALLECK:

Madam... kill me... please...

JESSICA:

You thought you were avenging Leto and this is honorable. You have shown the strength of your love for the Duke, I forgive you. (she kneels down beside Halleck and embraces him). It was a fight between old friends...

Halleck hides his face in Jessica’s breast and bursts out in sobs. Chani and Alia kiss and calm Paul who has also collapsed, half unconscious. Jessica and Halleck come closer to them and they all embrace in a compact group.

JESSICA:

(to Paul, with much tenderness)

Paul, there are times when I am myself... Yes, I manipulated you, changed you to make you follow my path... A path that my education has made me choose. Paul, free yourself from me. You have a wife, a son, this desert that you love... Leave everything. Let there be no obstacles in the way of your happiness.

PAUL:

I am Paul, your son. But I’m also Muad’Dib, the leader of the Fremen. My wife will scorn me if I abandon my people. You are Jessica and you’re also the Reverend Mother. You can’t abandon your people either. Until now, I have followed your path. Now, it’s up to you to follow me. I will take you where you cannot go alone. Together, we shall create the Kwisatz Haderach. Make me undergo the test of the poison.

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