Wet from summer rain outside, Vorian Atreides marched down the central aisle of the Hall of Parliament and saw Xavier already standing with Serena Butler near the speaking pit, in close conversation with her. Aside from these three, the vast chamber was empty. Vor grinned as he approached. These two were his closest friends and around his age, though he looked much younger than they did.

Truly, are we nearly sixty years old?

Catching sight of Vor, Serena beckoned him over. It was good to see her by herself, when she was not surrounded— stifled— by all those clinging female guards.

Vor drew a deep breath, still remembering the fresh, warm rain. The immense hall echoed, and his dripping shoes squeaked on the floor. It seemed like an odd place for the trio to meet.

As usual, Xavier looked concerned, though his military discipline learned in decades of service helped him keep his emotions under control. Such a serious, serious man. As Vor shook his friend’s hand firmly and clapped him on the back, Xavier flashed a disturbed glance at the most famous woman in the known universe.

She stepped back into the geodesic speaking chamber and activated the apparatus. Moments later her image was projected on the exterior walls of the enclosure, an image of the beloved Priestess gazing down on them beatifically like a goddess.

Xavier took a seat at front row, center, and Vor slipped in beside him, casually tossing his wet cape over another chair. “What’s the matter? What is she doing?”

With a sigh, Xavier merely shook his head. “Another idea.” Sitting straight-backed, he looked up at Serena’s image. Vor pursed his lips, nodding appreciatively, thinking of all she had accomplished. She carried herself like a queen, an elegant woman with a touch of the hauteur so common among noble ladies. At the lectern her image seemed to look directly at the two Armada officers as if it were a large version of her, alive itself.

“Welcome, gentlemen,” she said through the speaker system. Her words echoed around the cavernous hall. “This makes me feel like I’m nineteen again addressing Parliament. It’s hard to believe so much time has elapsed, that so much has happened.”

“You’re still beautiful.” Vor raised his voice so that it would carry to her.

Xavier, despite his unexplained disapproval, seemed to be thinking the same thing, though he was not a man to speak such thoughts casually. Long ago, Serena had turned from the affections of both men, and all of them had moved on, in different directions. The Jihad had gotten in their way. Vor frowned wistfully, thinking about Leronica Tergiet on Caladan and knowing that he should send her another letter, though by now she might have forgotten about him. Perhaps if he sent her an extravagant package, next time… He was sure he could have enjoyed a good life with her, but he had lost that woman for the same reason: the Jihad.

Now the three of them were together again, each so different from before, but still unchanged, in their core beings. When Vor looked at Serena, he still saw her the way she had been when they’d met at the villa of Erasmus. She had been so defiant at the time and disrespectful to him despite his position as a trustee. He chuckled at the recollection of a mere house slave speaking to him in that manner! Even back then he had admired the strength in Serena Butler… and she had needed all of it in order to survive the terrible events that were to befall her in that place.

“I have summoned you here to discuss a most important development,” she said. But as she peered over the lectern at the two men, Vor detected a hardness to her, a stubborn rigidity to her chin.

“Here it comes,” he muttered to Xavier.

Abruptly, Serena shut down the apparatus and walked down a set of stairs toward the primeros. “They have installed a new speaker system. I wanted to come here and try it before tomorrow’s session. Iblis has been helping me with voice control for maximum effect on an audience. How was my intonation?”

Vor gave her teasing applause, but saw peripherally that his fellow officer remained upset. “Good enough for your announcement,” Xavier said.

“I really do have something important to ask both of you,” she said. “VenKee Enterprises has developed a fleet of spaceships that can travel across space in an instant.” She snapped her fingers. “Imagine! In one breath a ship is over Salusa Secundus and in the next is disgorging a Jihad attack force at Corrin. We can hit Omnius hard, pack up, and hit him immediately afterward in another star system. Think of it: the Jihad could be over in a matter of weeks!”

Vor sucked in a quick breath as the import of the announcement sank in. He whistled in appreciation. “Why were we never told about this?”

“Aurelius Venport has kept the technology a closely held secret, supposedly until he could finish refining the navigation systems. However, commercial records indicate he has been using his new ships to make merchant runs for more than a year.” Serena sat on a step in front of the two men. “We need to figure out how to place these vessels into the service of the Army of the Jihad.”

“Cargo haulers are different from battleships. I’m always leery of new technology until it’s been battle tested,” Xavier said.

Vor was optimistic. “So we test it, my good friend.”

Serena nodded, her expression somber. “Directeur Venport has warned me of a rather significant percentage of catastrophic failures, but I’m sure we can improve on that. Most of the flights are successful. If we have the fortitude to endure the necessary casualties, it will be enough to defeat the machines, once and for all. Our victory at Ix ultimately cost a great deal, but look at how much we have benefited from that industrial complex. With the new spaceships the risks will not be as great as those we took to win Ix.”

Scratching his head, Xavier reconsidered. “We always lose a percentage of the forces we commit. In the long run, the new ships’ speed and efficiency may reduce casualties… by putting an end to the war more quickly.”

“In the short term, there are likely to be more losses, causing the families of the dead soldiers to question our decision.” Vor ran fingers through his damp hair. “Still, I think you’re right, Serena. It’s a tough decision, but it sounds like the best one.”

Xavier cautioned, “Calculated projections don’t always reflect the realities of battle situations.”

“You have never been so concerned about risk-taking,” Vor pointed out.

“There are risks, and then again there are risks. I made decisions that cost a lot of lives when our backs were to the wall, with few options available. This seems different to me.” He sighed. “I want to see these space-folding vessels with my own eyes.”

“When do we inspect these super ships?” Vor asked, rising to his feet.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, “I want both of you to go to Kolhar immediately with a large contingent of Jihad engineers. Under my orders, you will assume command of Venport’s shipyards and work to convert all of his space-folding ships into military vessels. He has over a hundred of them available. Take two divisions with you, enough to implement and enforce the new priorities, and to protect Kolhar from any potential machine attacks.”

“And you’re sure Venport will cooperate?” Xavier remained skeptical.

Serena looked determined. “We can no longer afford to offer him the choice. This is for the benefit of the Jihad. Would he rather do business with Omnius?”

“There are no guarantees in wartime,” Xavier said. “Only death and destruction followed by more death and destruction.”

Vor knew he looked more like a youthful junior officer than a battle-seasoned Primero. “Now don’t get bitter on us, Xavier. You’re starting to sound like a grumpy old man.”

“Guilty as charged,” he said with a tight smile. Together, the men departed from the hall to begin military preparations.