[D7 LE] Filling In The Blanks

[Cuyler Gray]

"What of the other lifeforms on Arrakis? The bats and such. How can they sustain themselves in such a system?" she asked. "How did they manage the consequences of worms dominance?"

[Kannon]

"They have occupied niches the worm ignores, creating less unequal ecosystems of secondary importance. Humans have adopted a similar strategy, remaining enclosed within the Shield Wall or inhabiting the tops of high rock. But whenever another species encroaches into the domain of the worm, they are eliminated. The worm punishes human hubris, that quality which no other inferior species on Arrakis manifests."

[Cuyler Gray]

"Are the worms responsible for the environment of Arrakis? There are signs that it was once a much d ifferent planet." she mused. "What would happen if their dominance was disrupted?"

[Kannon]

The voice seemed invigorated by her insight. "The worm is constitutive of the environment of Arrakis. The parched sand is conducive to its dominance. The reversal of the process that has enabled its hegemony is hypothetically possible, but requiring terraforming effort of breathtaking proportions. The consequences for the worm would be potentially dramatic. But so would they be for the spice, and by further consequence - for the human. The competition between the man and the worm is over the spice, but without the worm, there is no spice. While the worm is self-sufficient on Arrakis, the man is parasitic."

[Cuyler Gray]

"As man has been for so long." she sighed. "But, the spice must flow."

[Genevieve Wallach]

Maybe this was the sign of the rise of power of the Harkonnen? She did recall the Vladimir was fat and had red hair. All she could do was stare at and witness as his ascent to power. He seemed eager to please the Emperor, but that was probably just a façade for his own ego. Which, well, she could hardly blame the man for.

She was hardly doing any of this just to serve, after all.

[Kannon]

"As man has been for so long." she sighed. "But, the spice must flow."

"If the spice must flow, then the worm must reign. This is the crux of the paradox of Arrakis: greed for spice shall meet the worm's pushback. The man is curtailed. Those occupants of Arrakis who fail to grasp this are doomed to be trapped in a loop of encroachment and retreat."

[Kannon]

Maybe this was the sign of the rise of power of the Harkonnen? She did recall the Vladimir was fat and had red hair. All she could do was stare at and witness as his ascent to power. He seemed eager to please the Emperor, but that was probably just a façade for his own ego. Which, well, she could hardly blame the man for.

She was hardly doing any of this just to serve, after all.

If this was the ascent of the Harkonnen, that would be almost ninety years ago, and the person would be Dmitri Harkonnen, Vladimir's father.

"I will make this planet obey me, and I will reap its bounty. My hard work after Richesian neglect will change everything."

[Kannon]

Bom observed but didn't try to interact with Gene other than to check for warning signs of overdose.

Both women were in some kind of a trance, their bodies responding to larger amounts of spice much more profoundly than his.

[Cuyler Gray]

"If the spice must flow, then the worm must reign. This is the crux of the paradox of Arrakis: greed for spice shall meet the worm's pushback. The man is curtailed. Those occupants of Arrakis who fail to grasp this are doomed to be trapped in a loop of encroachment and retreat."

"Man's greed will always grow. They will always try to take more and more. Where will that lead?"

[Kannon]

"To what happened in Orgiz." The voice replied, and immediately faded. Right after, Cuyler was pulled up violently and emerged from her trance, desperately seeking deeper breath.

[Cuyler Gray]

She gasped and sought to catch her breath. It seemed for a moment like there wasn't enough air on Arrakis to fill her lungs. But, she managed to calm herself soon enough.

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

Bomilcar moved to her to check and make sure she was alright.

[Cuyler Gray]

"I... I'm alright." she assured him. "I just didn't expect the suddenness."

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

"Need anything?" he asks. "Drink?"

[Cuyler Gray]

"Yes, please." she nodded. 'I'm not sure if I learned anything useful. But, it was a learning experience."

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

He moves to retrieve a cup and something to drink for Cuyler, pouring it and offering to her. "What was it you learned, if you don't mind me asking?"

[Cuyler Gray]

"The obvious. This planet belongs to the worms." she answered. "As long as they remain dominant, Arrakis will be harsh and unforgiving towards the rest of us. There was something more, though. Regarding where our greed will lead us. Are you familiar with Orgiz?"

[Kannon]

Bomilcar wouldn't be. This name didn't mean anything to anyone.

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

He shakes his head. "No. Person? Place?"

Bom listens with interest but also occasionally glances to Gene.

[Cuyler Gray]

"A place, I think." she shrugged.

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

"Related to concerns? Personal?" he asks.

[Cuyler Gray]

"An example of where greed will lead Arrakis." she said.

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

He nods at that. "Look into."

He looks over at Gene. "Seeing something different."

He places a hand on his own chest.

"Never get visions like that."

[Genevieve Wallach]

Gene continued to stare at the man bellow out his own grand importance. She stared around the area, trying to grasp exactly more of what she saw. What happened with the Richese? Maybe worth looking into more. Maybe just them taking over for them. It was a lot to process for what she was seeing, and she wasn't even sure how relevant it all was.

Too many questions with this. "Self-aggrandizing bastard; a blade will just as easily stab thru your chest as any other." He was clearly full of himself.