Dune

1. ARRAKIS - A SCENE FROM SPACE

Also known as DUNE, home of the Fremen, former

Zenzunni wanderers.

1A. INT. ROCK LEDGE - SIETCH TABR - NIGHT

BLACK:

FADE IN to the dark eyes of the mysterious face of

the REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO, who sits against smooth

black rock. Her eyes are deep blue-within-blue and

her skin is a haunting translucent white. Her voice

ECHOES as if in a great cavern.

REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO

We are the secret of the Universe.

RESPONSE OF TWENTY THOUSAND VOICES

Bi-la kaifa.

REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO

We are the secret of the Universe. We know

of spice...the spice called melange...the

greatest treasure in the Universe. It

exists on only one planet - ours Arrakis,

Dune. We know of spice and the Bene

Gesserit sisterhood's selective breeding

plan of ninety generations to produce the

Kwisatz Haderach, the one the spice will

awaken.

RESPONSE OF TWENTY THOUSAND VOICES

Bi-la kaifa.

REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO

And now the prophecy...

Silence...then a powerful low organ NOTE resounding

in the cavernous space.

REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO (CONT'D)

He will come...the voice from the outer

world, bringing the holy war, the Jihad,

which will cleanse the Universe and bring

us out of darkness. He will have been born

of a Bene Gesserit mother.

--

The Reverend Mother continues speaking of the

Prophecy, but we do not hear it. The huge wind organ

BLOWS louder and louder, obscuring her voice.

The picture FADES.

1B. KAITAIN - A SCENE FROM SPACE

Home planet of House Corrino and Shadam IV, Emperor

of the known universe.

2. INT. DROP - NIGHT

FADE IN to:

...interior of one drop of water. The image changes

subtly.

2A. EXT. - DROP - NIGHT

PULL BACK to a shot revealing the outside of the

drop. There is a distant ROARING and within the drop

we can see the distorted image of a space ship

landing on a sophisticated landing field.

3. (Deleted)

3A. EXT. LANDING FIELD - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT

On the dark landing field, chemicals spill out of

the ship in troughs and tank-suited Guildsmen begin

to swarm out of a hatch opening.

4. through 6. (Deleted)

7. INT. THRONE ROOM - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT

The EMPEROR is surrounded by crowds of COURTIERS in

his Throne Room.

Suddenly a GUARD enters from a small door and

quickly crosses to ANOTHER GUARD. A warning SOUND

begins. The Emperor turns nervously. Guards quickly

begin to clear the large room. Several women are

rushed toward us to a door beyond. One of the woman,

IRULAN, stops and turns back for a worried, caring

look to her father, the Emperor.

IRULAN:

Father.

--

EMPEROR:

Irulan.

She sees that SARDAUKAR OFFICERS are surrounding him

now, speaking to him. Irulan turns and leaves. The

Emperor moves away from his officers to the center

of the now-empty room. He drops his golden robe from

his shoulders. He stands in his elegant black

uniform, thinking.

The Reverend Mother is ushered in and the Sardaukar

Officers leave her alone with the Emperor.

EMPEROR:

(quickly)

A Third Stage Guild Navigator will be here

within minutes!

REVEREND MOTHER:

We felt his presence.

EMPEROR:

I shall want telepathy during his visit

and a report when we're finished.

REVEREND MOTHER:

Their minds are so.... They move in

strange directions....

EMPEROR:

Yes?

REVEREND MOTHER:

Forced spice evolution of humans changes

many things.... I must sit close to him.

EMPEROR:

He will not permit anyone but me to see

him. You must be outside this room.... Do

what you can.

REVEREND MOTHER:

I am your Truthsayer, my lord...

(sensing something outside the room)

He is here, my lord.

Under the carved inscription "Law is the Ultimate

Science", the doors to the Emperor's chambers slide

open and FIFTY GUILDSMEN wheel in a forty-foot long

giant black box. One of the Guildsmen addresses the

Emperor through a translating device.

TANKED GUILDSMEN #1

The Bene Gesserit witch must leave.

--

The Emperor looks to the Reverend Mother.

EMPEROR:

Leave us.

REVEREND MOTHER:

Yes, my Lord.

EMPEROR:

(after she has gone)

We are alone...

8. INT. HALLWAY - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT

The Reverend Mother enters through doors and takes a

seat on a chair just outside the door. She closes

her eyes.

9. INT. THRONE ROOM - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT

Inside the Emperor's chamber, the TANK-SUITED

GUILDSMEN are arranging themselves in a "V"

formation around the box. Suddenly the box opens,

slowly and beautifully revealing a huge, thick glass

tank. Inside the tank floats a THIRD STAGE NAVIGATOR

twenty feet long, much like a cross between a pasty,

pale human being and a fleshy grasshopper.

The tank is filled with swirling orange spice-gas,

and Guildsmen continuously vacuum up the toxic

chemical spills dripping from under the tank.

Suddenly the Guild Navigator swims towards the

Emperor. His head is enormous and fleshy, like a

huge grasshopper head -- the eyes are totally deep

blue. His voice is a high, fleshy whispering and an

intricate electrical apparatus in the front of the

tank translates into English and broadcasts it into

the room.

NAVIGATOR:

We have just folded space from Ix...

EMPEROR:

(extremely nervous)

Yes?... How was your journey?

NAVIGATOR:

(after a long pause)

Many machines on Ix... new machines.

EMPEROR:

Oh yes?

--

NAVIGATOR:

Better than those on Richesse.. You are

transparent... I see many things... I see

plans within plans.

EMPEROR:

Is there a problem?... Usually there is a

problem when one of you makes a visit.

No answer.

NAVIGATOR:

(finally)

The answer is within the problem...

10. INT. HALLWAY - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT

Outside the Emperor's chamber the Reverend Mother

sits, her eyes closed, straining.

11. INT. THRONE ROOM - EMPEROR'S PALACE - REVEREND

MOTHER'S MENTAL IMAGE - NIGHT

A very blurred scene of the Emperor with the Guild

Navigator. She is not getting the English version

but a much different language version which is

fascinating to listen to. A lilting, sing-song

monologue.

12. INT. THRONE ROOM - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT

NAVIGATOR:

I see two Great Houses -- House Atreides,

House Harkonnen -- feuding... I see you

behind it.

EMPEROR:

Yes.

The Navigator breathes the spice-gas heavily and

swishes gently in his tank.

NAVIGATOR:

You must share with us.

--

EMPEROR:

The Atreides house is building a secret

army!... using a technique unknown to

us... a technique involving sound. The

Duke is becoming more popular in the

Landsraad... he could threaten me.... I

have ordered House Atreides to occupy

Arrakis to mine the spice... thus

replacing their enemies the Harkonnens....

House Atreides will not refuse because of

the tremendous power they think they will

gain. Then, at an appointed time Baron

Harkonnen will return to Arrakis and

launch a sneak attack on House Atreides...

I have promised the Baron five legions of

my Sardaukar terror troops.

NAVIGATOR:

So the Harkonnens will rid you of House

Atreides...

EMPEROR:

Yes.

13. INT. HALLWAY - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT

Outside, the Reverend Mother is seeing the scene

mentally. She suddenly sees and flinches.

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