He’s really a rather empty-headed fellow, Odrade thought.
Tuek was thinking: I cannot discuss that terrible Manifesto with her! Not with a Tleilaxu Master and those Face Dancers listening in the other room. What ever possessed me to allow that?
“It is heresy, pure and simple,” Tuek said.
“But you are only one religion among many,” Odrade countered. “And with people returning from the Scattering, the proliferation of schisms and variant beliefs . . .”
“We are the only true belief!” Tuek said.
Odrade hid a smile. He said it right on cue. And Waff surely heard him. Tuek was remarkably easy to lead. If the Sisterhood was right about Waff, Tuek’s words would enrage the Tleilaxu Master.
In a deep and portentous tone, Odrade said: “The Manifesto raises questions that all must address, believers and non-believers alike.”
“What has all this to do with the Holy Child?” Tuek demanded. “You told me we must meet on matters concerning –”
“Indeed! Don’t try to deny that you know there are many people who are beginning to worship Sheeana. The Manifesto implicates –”
“Manifesto! Manifesto! It is a heretical document, which will be obliterated. As for Sheeana, she must be returned to our exclusive care!”
“No.” Odrade spoke softly.
How agitated Tuek was, she thought. His stiff neck moved minimally as he turned his head from side to side. The movements pointed to a wall hanging on Odrade’s right, defining the place as though Tuek’s head carried an illuminating beam to reveal that particular hanging. What a transparent man, this High Priest. He might just as well announce that Waff listened to them somewhere behind that hanging.
“Next, you will spirit her away from Rakis,” Tuek said.
“She stays here,” Odrade said. “Just as we promised you.”
“But why can’t she . . .”
“Come now! Sheeana has made her wishes clear and I’m sure her words have been reported to you. She wishes to be a Reverend Mother.”
“She already is the –”
“M’Lord Tuek! Don’t try to dissemble with me. She has stated her wishes and we are happy to comply. Why should you object? Reverend Mothers served the Divided God in the Fremen times. Why not now?”
“You Bene Gesserit have ways of making people say things they do not want to say,” Tuek accused. “We should not be discussing this privately. My councillors –”
“Your councillors would only muddy our discussion. The implications of the Atreides Manifesto –”
“I will discuss only Sheeana!” Tuek drew himself up in what he thought of as his posture of adamant High Priest.
“We are discussing her,” Odrade said.
“Then let me make it clear that we require more of our people in her entourage. She must be guarded at all –”
“The way she was guarded on that rooftop?” Odrade asked.
“Reverend Mother Odrade, this is Holy Rakis! You have no rights here that we do not grant!”
“Rights? Sheeana has become the target, yes the target! of many ambitions and you wish to discuss rights?”
“My duties as High Priest are clear. The Holy Church of the Divided God will –”
“M’Lord Tuek! I am trying very hard to maintain the necessary courtesies. What I do is for your benefit as well as our own. The actions we have taken –”
“Actions? What actions?” The words were pressed from Tuek with a hoarse grunting. These terrible Bene Gesserit witches! Tleilaxu behind him and a Reverend Mother in front! Tuek felt like a ball in a fearsome game, bounced back and forth between terrifying energies. Peaceful Rakis, the secure place of his daily routines, had vanished and he had been projected into an arena whose rules he did not fully understand.
“I have sent for the Bashar Miles Teg,” Odrade said. “That is all. His advance party should arrive soon. We are going to reinforce your planetary defenses.”
“You dare to take over –”
“We take over nothing. At your own father’s request, Teg’s people redesigned your defenses. The agreement under which this was done contains, at your father’s insistence, a clause requiring our periodic review.”
Tuek sat in dazed silence. Waff, that ominous little Tleilaxu, had heard all of this. There would be conflict! The Tleilaxu wanted a secret agreement setting melange prices. They would not permit Bene Gesserit interference.