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Just as Leto took up his own weapon and prepared for the next round； the lift doors opened and Kailea entered； sparkling with jewels and a fortable metal…fiber outfit whose design seemed calculated to look gorgeous but casual。 She bore a stylus and ridulian recorder pad。 Her eyebrows arched in feigned surprise at finding them there。 〃Oh！ Excuse me。 I came to look at the mek design。〃
The Vernius daughter usually contented herself with intellectual and cultural pursuits； studying business and art。 Leto couldn't keep himself from watching her。 At times her eyes almost seemed to flirt with him； but more often she ignored him with such intensity he suspected she shared the same attraction he felt。
During his time in the Grand Palais； Leto had crossed her path in the dining hall； on the open observation balconies； in library facilities。 He had responded to her with snatches of awkward conversation。 Aside from the inviting sparkle in her beautiful green eyes； Kailea had given him no special encouragement； but he couldn't stop thinking about her。
She's only a stripling； Leto reminded himself； playing at being a Lady。 Somehow； though； he couldn't convince his imagination of that。 Kailea had plete confidence that she was destined for a greater future than living underground on Ix。 Her father was a war hero； the head of one of the wealthiest Great Houses； and her mother had been beautiful enough to be an Imperial concubine； and the girl herself had an excellent head for business。 Kailea Vernius obviously had a wealth of possibilities。
She focused her plete attention on the motionless gray ovoid。 〃I've gotten Father to consider marketing our new…phase fighting meks mercially。〃 She studied the motionless training machine； but glanced at Leto out of the corner of her eye； noted his strong profile and regal； high…bridged nose。 〃Ours are better than any other bat device adaptable； versatile； and self…learning。 The closest thing to a human adversary developed since the Jihad。〃
He felt a chill； thinking back to all the warnings his mother had given him。 Right now she would be pointing an accusing finger and nodding in satisfaction。 Leto looked over at the charcoal…colored ovoid。 〃Are you saying that thing has a brain？〃
〃By all the saints and sinners； you mean in violation of the strictures after the Great Revolt？〃 Captain Zhaz replied in stern surprise。 〃 'Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of the human mind。'〃
〃We're； uh； very careful about that； Leto；〃 Rhombur said； using a purple towel to wipe sweat from the back of his neck。 〃Nothing to worry about。〃
Leto didn't back down。 〃Well； if the mek scans people； if it reads them as you said； how does it process the information？ If not through a puter brain； then how？ This isn't just a reactive device。 It learns and tailors its attack。〃
Kailea jotted notes down on her crystal pad and adjusted one of the gold bs in her copper…dark hair。 〃There are many gray areas； Leto； and if we tread very carefully House Vernius stands to make a tremendous profit。〃 She ran a fingertip along her curved lips。 〃Still； it might be best to test the waters by offering some unmarked models on the black market first。〃
〃Don't trouble yourself； Leto；〃 Rhombur said； avoiding the unfortable subject。 His tousled blond hair still dripped with sweat； and his skin showed a flush from his exertion。 〃House Vernius has teams of Mentats and legal advisors scrutinizing the letter of the law。〃 He looked over at his sister for reassurance。 She nodded absently。
In some of his instruction sessions in the Grand Palais； Leto had learned of interplanetary patent disputes； minor technicalities； subtle loopholes。 Had the Ixians e up with a substantially different way of using mechanical units to process data； one that did not raise the spectre of thinking machines like those that had enslaved mankind for so many centuries？ He didn't see how House Vernius could have created a self…learning； reactive； adaptable fighting mek without somehow going over the line into Jihad violation。
If his mother ever found out； she would haul him home from Ix； no matter what his father might say。
〃Let's see just how good this product is；〃 Leto said； taking up a weapon and turning his back on Kailea。 He could feel her eyes on his bare shoulders； the muscles of his neck。 Zhaz stood back casually to watch。
Leto shifted his pike from hand to hand and jogged onto the floor。 Taking a classic fighting stance； he called out a degree of difficulty to the charcoal oval shape。 〃Seven point two…four！〃 Eight notches higher than the time before。
The mek refused to move。
〃Too high；〃 the training master said； thrusting his bearded chin forward。 〃I disabled the dangerous higher levels。〃
Leto scowled。 The fight instructor did not want to challenge his students； or risk more than the slightest injury。 Thufir Hawat would have laughed out loud。
〃Are you trying to show off for the young lady； Master Atreides？ Could get you killed。〃
Looking at Kailea； he saw her watching him； a bemused； teasing expression on her face。 She quickly turned to the ridulian pad and scratched a few more ciphers。 He flushed； felt the hotness。 Zhaz reached over to grab a soft towel from a rack and tossed it to Leto。
〃The session's over。 Distractions of this sort are not good for your training； and can lead to serious injury。〃 He turned to the Princess。 〃Lady Kailea； I request that you avoid the training floor whenever Leto Atreides is fighting our meks。 Too many hormones in the way。〃 The guard captain could not cover his amusement。 〃Your presence could be more dangerous than any enemy。〃
We must do a thing on Arrakis never before attempted for an entire planet。 We must use man as a constructive ecological force inserting adapted terraform life： a plant here； an animal there； a man in that place to transform the water cycle； to build a new kind of landscape。
…Report from Imperial Planetologist PARDOT KYNES； directed to Padishah EMPEROR ELROOD IX （unsent）
When the blood…spattered Fremen youths asked Pardot Kynes to acpany them； he didn't know whether he was to be their guest or prisoner。 Either way； the prospect intrigued him。 Finally； he would have his chance to experience their mysterious culture firsthand。
One of the young men quickly and efficiently carried his injured panion over to Kynes's small groundcar。 The other Fremen reached into the back storage partments and tossed out Kynes's painstakingly collected geological samples to make more room。 The Planetologist was too astonished to object； besides； he didn't want to alienate these people he wanted to learn more about them。
In moments； they had stuffed the bodies of the dead Harkonnen bravos into the bins； no doubt for some Fremen purpose。 Perhaps a further ritual desecration of their enemies。 He ruled out the unlikely possibility that the youths simply wished to bury the dead。 Are they hiding the bodies for fear of reprisals？ That； too； seemed wrong somehow； not in keeping with what little he had heard about Fremen。 Or will these desert folk render them for resources； reclaiming the water in their tissues？
Then； without asking； without giving thanks or making any me