Dune #18 - Mentats of Dune by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

Author:Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2014-03-10T17:00:00+00:00

Those Sisters flock together like birds—carrion birds!

—EMPEROR SALVADOR CORRINO, comment overheard in the Imperial Court

Sister Arlett spent years out in the planets of the Imperium doing missionary and recruitment work for the Sisterhood, and when she returned she made her way to their new school on Wallach IX. She wasn’t exactly exiled, but Arlett had been encouraged to do her work far from Rossak, searching for candidates who would benefit from Sisterhood instruction.

Of the dozens of missionaries, Raquella kept particularly close watch over Arlett’s activities, because Arlett was her own daughter. And Dorotea, now the Emperor’s Truthsayer, was Arlett’s daughter, although Arlett didn’t know it. A tangled web of DNA strands …

As such, the Mother Superior felt that Arlett might be useful. Even though Arlett had never attempted the Agony, had never become a Reverend Mother, perhaps she would make an effective, unofficial envoy to the orthodox Sisters on Salusa Secundus. Maybe Arlett could be the first step to healing the schism.

Years ago, Reverend Mother Raquella had sent Arlett away when she refused to choose the good of the Sisterhood over love for her new baby, Dorotea. Raquella knew she was loyal to the Sisterhood, in her own way, and she had almost—almost—forgiven Arlett after her remarkable success in recruiting the talented Valya Harkonnen on Lankiveil.

But the old wounds were reopened when Dorotea survived the Agony and learned the truth of her own bloodline from the voices in Other Memory. Arlett did not know that Sister Dorotea was her long-lost daughter … but Dorotea knew. Maybe one of her internal voices was that of her own mother.…

So, when Arlett presented herself to the ancient Mother Superior in her Wallach IX offices, Raquella felt unexpected joy to see her. She had no room in her busy life for love, though, especially now when the Sisterhood was so diminished and her own time so short.

With a glance, Raquella assessed the dark-haired Arlett, noting that she had her mother’s lanky frame, upturned nose, and pale blue eyes. After so many years away, the missionary Sister had changed—but the Sisterhood training was so ingrained in her that it could never be taken away. If that were true of all Sisters, then even Dorotea might be salvageable.

Arlett sighed and sat in the proffered chair, but she remained tense. “I’ve seen so many worlds that I have fallen behind in the changes at the Sisterhood. I need to know what happened on Rossak, why some Sisters are now in the Imperial Court while others are here.”

Raquella nodded. “You will receive a full briefing before I send you on your new mission.”

“And I would love to hear about the progress of all my recruits—especially Valya Harkonnen.”

“Once they join the school, acolytes are no longer your concern.” Raquella heard the sharp tone in her voice and softened it, because this was not the time to antagonize Arlett. “Reverend Mother Valya has gone to Ginaz to assess the fighting techniques of the Swordmasters. I suspect by now she has thrown the entire combat school into turmoil.

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