Brian Herbert - The Winds of Dune

THE WINDS OF DUNE

THE DUNE SERIES

BY FRANK HERBERT

Dune
Dune Messiah
Children of Dune
God Emperor of Dune
Heretics of Dune
Chapterhouse: Dune

BY FRANK HERBERT, BRIAN HERBERT,
AND KEVIN J. ANDERSON

The Road to Dune (includes the original short novel Spice Planet)

BY BRIAN HERBERT AND KEVIN J. ANDERSON

Dune: House Atreides
Dune: House Harkonnen
Dune: House Corrino

Dune: The Butlerian Jihad
Dune: The Machine Crusade
Dune: The Battle of Corrin

Hunters of Dune
Sandworms of Dune

Paul of Dune
The Winds of Dune
The Throne of Dune (forthcoming)

BY BRIAN HERBERT

Dreamer of Dune

(biography of Frank Herbert)

Brian Herbert
and
Kevin J. Anderson

A TOM DOHERTY ASSOCIATES BOOK

NEW YORK

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the authors imaginations or are used fictitiously.

THE WINDS OF DUNE

Copyright 2009 by Herbert Properties LLC

All rights reserved.

A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Tor is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Herbert, Brian.

The winds of dune / Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.1st ed.

p. cm.

A Tom Doherty Associates book.

ISBN 978-0-7653-2272-2

I. Dune (Imaginary place)Fiction. I. Anderson, Kevin J., 1962II. Title.

PS3558.E617W56 2009

813.54dc22

2009016702

First Edition: September 2009

Printed in the United States of America

0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

It is difficult to be married to an author, more challenging
in many ways than the writing task itself. For their sacrifices,
for their unconditional love and patience, this book,
like others, is dedicated to our remarkable wives,
JANET HERBERT and
REBECCA MOESTA ANDERSON.

While we are busy writing new novels in the incredible Dune universe, many other people contribute to what the reader sees on the printed page. We would like to thank Tor Books, Simon & Schuster U.K., WordFire Inc., the Frank Herbert family, Trident Media Group, New Amsterdam Entertainment, and Misher Films for their contributions and support. As always, we are especially grateful to Frank Herbert, who left the most remarkable literary legacy in all of science fiction, and to Beverly Herbert, who devoted so much of her own talents and energy to the success of the series.

To the Fremen, he is the Messiah;

To the vanquished, he is the Tyrant;

To the Bene Gesserit, he is the Kwisatz Haderach;

But Paul is my son and always will be, no matter how far he falls.

LADY JESSICA , Duchess of Caladan

The Emperor Paul-MuadDib survived a major assassination attempt when a stone-burner robbed him of his eyesight. Though blind, he could see the cracks in his empire, the political stresses and long-festering wounds that threatened to tear his rule apart. Ultimately he knew whether through prescience or Mentat analysisthat the problems were insurmountable.

With his beloved Chani dead in childbirth and his newborn twins helpless, MuadDib turned his back on humanity and his children and walked into the desert, leaving the empire to his sixteen-year-old sister, Alia. Thus, he abandoned everything he had worked to create.

Even the most careful historian can never know the reason for this.

BRONSO OF IX , Analysis of History: MuadDib

Though he is gone, MuadDib never ceases to test us. Who are we to doubt his choices? Wherever he is, in life or death, MuadDib continues to watch over his people. That is why we must pray to him for guidance.

PRINCESS IRULAN , The Legacy of MuadDib

PART I
10, 207 AG

After the overthrow of Shaddam IV, the reign of Paul-MuadDib lasted fourteen years. He established his new capital in Arrakeen on the sacred desert planet, Dune. Though MuadDibs Jihad is over at long last, conflicts continue to flare up.

Pauls mother, the Lady Jessica, has withdrawn from the constant battles and political schemes and returned to the Atreides ancestral home of Caladan to serve there as Duchess.

In my private life on Caladan, I receive few reports of my sons Jihad, not because I choose to be ignorant, but because the news is rarely anything I wish to hear.

LADY JESSICA , Duchess of Caladan

T he unscheduled ship loomed in orbit over Caladan, a former Guild Heighliner pressed into service as a Jihad transport.

A young boy from the fishing village, apprenticed to the Castle as a page, rushed into the garden courtyard. Looking awkward in his formal clothing, he blurted, Its a military-equipped vessel, my Lady. Fully armed!

Kneeling beside a rosemary bush, Jessica snipped off fragrant twigs for the kitchens. Here in her private garden, she maintained flowers, herbs, and shrubs in a perfect combination of order and chaos, useful flora and pretty pleasantries. In the peace and stillness just after dawn, Jessica liked to work and meditate here, nourishing her plants and uprooting the persistent weeds that tried to ruin the careful balance.

Unruffled by the boys panic, she inhaled deeply of the aromatic evergreen oils released by her touch. Jessica rose to her feet and brushed dirt off her knees. Have they sent any messages?

Only that they are dispatching a group of Qizarate emissaries, my Lady. They demand to speak with you on an urgent matter.

They demand?

The young man quailed at her expression. Im sure they meant it as a request, my Lady. After all, would they dare to make demands of the Duchess of Caladanand the mother of MuadDib? Still, it must be important news indeed, to warrant a vessel like that! The young man fidgeted like an eel washed up on shore.

She straightened her garment. Well, Im sure the emissary considers it important. Probably just another request for me to increase the limits on the number of pilgrims allowed to come here.

Caladan, the seat of House Atreides for more than twenty generations, had escaped the ravages of the Jihad, primarily because of Jessicas refusal to let too many outsiders swarm in. Caladans self-sufficient people preferred to be left alone. They would gladly have accepted their Duke Leto back, but he had been murdered through treachery at high levels; now the people had his son Paul-MuadDib instead, the Emperor of the Known Universe.

Despite Jessicas best efforts, Caladan could never be completely isolated from the outside storms in the galaxy. Though Paul paid little attention to his home planet anymore, he had been christened and raised here; the people could never escape the shadow cast by her son.

After all the years of Pauls Jihad, a weary and wounded peace had settled over the Imperium like a cold winter fog. Looking at the young messenger now, she realized that he had been born after Paul became Emperor. The boy had never known anything but the looming Jihad and the harsher side of her sons nature....