Navigators of Dune

The mass deaths and injuries that occurred in this place were tragic, but necessary. We must move on from here. My Imperium is now a better place.

—EMPEROR RODERICK CORRINO, surveying the battlefields of Lampadas

With the death of Manford Torondo and the subjugation of Lampadas, the backbone of the Butlerian movement had been broken. Exactly as the Emperor had hoped.

As soon as the swift courier arrived at the capital planet, Roderick commissioned an EsconTran spacefolder to transport his ornate ceremonial barge and Imperial entourage, along with a strong force of peacekeeping troops that would remain behind on Lampadas. He would meet with Admiral Harte, while the last few fanatics were still reeling from their utter defeat.

Most of the surviving Butlerians were on Lampadas, but he knew there were others around the Imperium, little clusters here and there, and some planetary officials who had been sympathizers—and might still cause problems. He’d seen the intelligence reports. But any fanatics remaining would be nothing compared with what they had been under Manford Torondo. There might be a few brushfires to put out, but no more.

Roderick made the triumphant announcement from the Imperial Palace before he departed, encouraging independent traders and couriers to disseminate the news across the Imperium. The barbarian movement would now crumble, and Admiral Harte would keep the core of the surviving fanatics bottled up on Lampadas in the meantime. How long would it take for the rest of the planetary leaders to renounce their antitechnology vows and open themselves to unrestricted trade again?

All was as it should be. Manford Torondo was dead. Josef Venport was defeated. And Roderick Corrino was Emperor. He had an empire to rebuild and new interstellar business consortiums to develop.

After making his bargain with the Directeur, he had not intended for Admiral Harte to attack the unwary VenHold forces from behind. It seemed a deceitful, even dishonorable move, and Josef Venport surely believed that the Emperor had betrayed him, but Harte had been completely cut off from communication. There had been no way to stop him.

But now Roderick knew about Venport’s own added treachery, that he had kidnapped Anna. Admiral Harte had passed along the stunning threat Venport had issued just before escaping justice yet again. All the months that Roderick had worried about his sister, feared for her life, sure that she had been murdered … and Venport had known all along!

He has my sister! One last bargaining chip, one last knife that had been thrust in the Emperor’s side. That could not be tolerated.

First, he and his Imperial forces would ensure that the subdued Butlerians were under adequate control, with their homeworld locked down so that the fanatics could cause no further trouble. Then he would set about finding where Directeur Venport had gone to ground.

When his entourage arrived in the Lampadas system, Roderick went with Admiral Harte down to the war-torn surface where the survivors had just begun to pick up the pieces. In devastated Empok, they were greeted at the ravaged landing field by an Imperial color guard in spotless uniforms, carrying bright banners. It was in strong contrast to the destruction around them, with the city in ruins and buildings burned or smashed to rubble.

The Emperor and the coolly professional Harte stood watching the crisp performance of the guards, while Manford’s leftover followers looked shell-shocked. Roderick Corrino was their Emperor, and these people of Lampadas could devote their energies to giving their service to the Imperium. They no longer needed Leader Torondo.

The Admiral was impeccable in his dress uniform, wearing a chest full of colorful ribbons. Roderick intended to give him more commendations once they all returned to Salusa, but the job wasn’t finished yet. The Imperial battle group still had to mop up the remnants of Josef Venport’s fleet and find Anna—wherever they had gone.

Roderick had already sent a scout ship to the spice operations on Arrakis. Though the Directeur had visibly increased his defenses with a cordon of impressive thinking-machine warships to withstand any Imperial action, Josef Venport was not there himself—nor was Anna. The quick, clandestine survey had made it obvious that the Imperial Armed Forces couldn’t fight those intimidating battleships—not yet. And although the spice industry was valuable, the Emperor had a far more important goal.

He has my sister! The Directeur must be hiding in some other bolt-hole, and Roderick would uproot him there, once he discovered where it was.