Chapter 38

Jessica prepares for a pivotal lesson with Farad’n on Salusa Secundus, choosing Atreides-crested Reverend Mother garb to assert authority and lineage. Farad’n arrives in the suggested leotard, masking fear with eagerness. Reading his body language, Jessica establishes trust by framing the training as an honest bargain the Bene Gesserit will honor.

Jessica begins with the core lesson: patience through altered perception. She instructs Farad’n to hold his hands at arm’s length and will them to age and grow young, using imagination to reveal the universe’s “Ultimate Non-Absolute” and the relativity of stability. Farad’n, frustrated by fatigue and lack of visible change, protests; Jessica insists persistence will unlock control over senses and systems.

Surveillance hangs over the meeting, as Farad’n recalls Tyekanik’s warnings and the room’s recording jems. Jessica notes his glances but presses the exercise as foundational, warning that without this success, later teachings will fail. When his arms tire, she stresses rest, return, and unwavering patience.

Leaving him to practice alone, Jessica exits under the watch of awed Sardaukar—soldiers steeped in fear of Fremen and Bene Gesserit prowess. Their reaction marks a subtle shift in power dynamics on Salusa. In the garden, Jessica reflects that the plan now hinges on coordinated moves by Duncan and Gurney while Farad’n’s training proceeds under constant scrutiny.