Heretics of Dune

Taraza meets with Master Tylwyth Waff and demands that the Tleilaxu pay for their recent attacks on Rakis and Gammu. Before dying, Schwangyu revealed that the Tleilaxu were working with the Honored Matres. Taraza threatens to expose the new Face Dancers who have infiltrated the Honored Matres’ ranks. Waff relents and agrees to share information in exchange for her silence. Following a hunch, Taraza probes Waff with a religious reference and discovers that he secretly follows Sufi-Zensunni’s beliefs. She tells Waff she has no desire to interfere in the Tleilaxu religion and only wants to bargain. Taraza feigns an offer to provide the Tleilaxu access to the Atreides bloodline in exchange for a selection of the offspring. Waff is suspicious but agrees to the trade and accepts her offer of sanctuary on Rakis.

Odrade watches the people of Rakis in the Great Square from her window and waits for the priests to bring Sheeana to her. She sympathizes with the girl with so much to learn and unlearn, like Odrade when the Bene Gesserit took her as a child. She cautions herself against giving Sheeana love. The crowd below her performs the “Dance Diversion,” a tradition from the “Siaynoq” ritual performed long ago by Leto II’s fanatic Fish Speakers army.