The Distrans Arrives [SMS8]

[Kannon]

The commotion in the sietch just before dawn was unusual. Was it still about the smugglers? Ahmina had been resting, having previously done all she could do about the situation. But she felt it could be something new. Maybe Liet had come?

[Ahmina]

Ahmina moved towards the epicenter of the commotion in the hopes to make sense of what was happening

[Kannon]

"It's Mapes, speaking with the authority of Liet." Stilgar claimed. "We should help them."

"We cannot let them here any more than we could let the smugglers!" Someone shouted back.

"That is not what Liet commands in the distrans." Stilgar replied, holding a cage with a bat within.

"How do we know that the message doesn't come from the witch in Arrakeen? She knows the hunting tongues!"

There was a murmur.

"We know. It is Mapes." Stilgar said.

"But Mapes is in Arrakeen! The cielago couldn't have flown the distance! This smells foul, Stilgar!"

[Ahmina]

''The shadout sent a message?'' Ahmina chimed in, curious ''What is it about?''

[Kannon]

"She says she's with your offworlders, in the rocks of the False Wall West, across the Habbanya Erg. She's helping them because the Arrakeen witch has asked her to, but Liet has allowed it. Some of them have escaped from the Harkonnen with her, the rest is at their Wind Pass base. They think there is a Harkonnen mining base in the area and want to find it." Stilgar relayed.

Chatt cut through the murmur. "It agrees with what the smugglers said."

"Neither kind can be trusted!" A naib that had to be Rajifiri called. "Liet said we stay put and wait for his signal."

"Here is the signal!" Stilgar averred, and both naibs faced each other in violence-laden silence of stares.

[Ahmina]

''I followed the Harkonnen mining rig towards the False Wall West myself after our encounter at the sat pans.'' she spoke truthfully, lending credence to the Shadout's message and the smuggler's testimony

[Kannon]

"You think you can disobey Liet, Stilgar, because his daughter is in your tribe? His son is in Abumojandis' tribe and he doesn't disobey!"

"Careful, Rajifiri." Stilgar retorted. "This is what Liet wishes."

"This is was the Shadout says Liet wishes, if it's even her! If abu naib commands, I listen. but a shadout does not command a naib! You have a weak spot for offworlders, Stilgar! This will doom us!" Rajifiri wouldn't know how prophetic he could be in one of the futures that could still unfold.

"Umma Kynes was an offworlder!"

"That proves nothing, Uliet died to give us the sign! What sign do you have now?"

The matter devolved into religion, as it often did.

"There is no sign if there is no test. How can they be tested from here?"

"Why would any of them need to be tested?"

"Because Liet doesn't want them to die!"

There was an impasse. Chatt looked at Ahmina, as if it was worth it for him to try to break it.

[Ahmina]

Ahmina caught Chatt's eyes and nodded. She stepped forward herself

''How about a compromise? We have the smuggler's thopters...we can send a rendez-vous point at another location and time of our choosing and prepare''

[Kannon]

"They can take a thopter and go check, naib." Chatt said to Rajifiri. "Stilgar's mistakes are on him."

Rajifiri frowned. "Four thopters have been taken so one is Stilgar's." He relented a little too quickly. Was he afraid of opposing Chatt publicly? If he was too forceful in suppressing him, he could be challenged, and Chatt would most likely defeat him. Chatt wasn't like Jamis, eager to prove himself before the tribe, but they played similar roles in their sietches. But just like Stilgar knew how to control Jamis, Rajifiri would probably rein in Chatt. Just later.

[Ahmina]

Ahmina turned to Stillgar to see if that's good enough

[Kannon]

Stilgar wanted to speak back but bit his tongue, took a deep breath, and nodded.

"Go get Shishakli and Chani, Ahmina. We will see what this is about."

[Ahmina]

''As you wish'' she distanced herself before looking back at Chatt and giving him a nod

[Kannon]

Chatt nodded back. How Liet kept all of them - mostly - in line was a miracle. In fact, he wouldn't if not for the prophecy of his father, Umma Kynes, that had started the effort that was uniting them. Before that, the Fremen had been one people only vaguely, from occasion to occasion. Even now though, animosities bred of old feuds and differences in communal experience were hard to die. Many envied Stilgar for being one of the original lieutenants of Umma Kynes, the ones he'd saved from the Harkonnen bravos when they were but adventurous youth, along with Ommun and Turok. Even so, Liet hadn't been chosen Abu Naib unanimously, Pemaq, the naib of Hole-in-the-Wall Sietch had almost challenged him, the stories said. Some naibs looked back at times of their supreme authority with melancholia, and it was quick for them to blame Stilgar as he seemed privileged. Even the mausoleum of Umma Kynes in the Plaster Basin was close to Sietch Tabr. Rajifiri was among the envious and resentful conservatives, but he only started the list on which Keke, Abumojandis and many others were also present.

But the new generation was different, having known no life before the Dream, their work on the plantings as natural as going on razzias against the Harkonnen. Chatt was maybe five-six years older than Ahmina and he assumed commonality over the joint purpose more than his naib. Stilgar realised all this, and always thought of ways to strengthen Liet and his plans. Ahmina could expect where the marriage talk could go - to seed her into one of those sietches governed by a recalcitrant naib.