Jessica wakes in darkness, drugged, bound with krimskell fiber, and gagged. Remembering an attack in her bedroom, Jessica realizes treachery made her Bene Gesserit training useless and fears for Leto and Paul. As Jessica regains control, guards enter and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen reveals Jessica is in the cellar room where Paul had slept.

The Baron’s knowledge of the drug’s timing leads Jessica to identify Yueh as the traitor. Baron Harkonnen brings in Piter de Vries and offers Piter a choice between taking Jessica into exile or ruling the Atreides duchy on Arrakis in the Baron’s name. Piter chooses power, confirming Jessica’s suspicion that the Baron is manipulating him. Jessica also deduces that the Baron fears questioning by a Truthsayer, which implies Imperial involvement in the attack.

After the Baron leaves, Piter orders Harkonnen troopers to take Jessica and Paul into the desert so the worms will destroy all evidence. Jessica is placed on a suspensor litter beside Paul, who is bound but awake and secretly using Bene Gesserit calming techniques. The guards load them into a prepared ornithopter, and Jessica notices signs that someone has tampered with the craft, including a nearly severed strap near her seat.

The ornithopter lands in the desert near the Shield Wall. Paul uses the Voice well enough to command Czigo to remove Jessica’s gag. Jessica then uses the Voice and sexual manipulation to set Czigo and the deaf guard Kinet against one another. Czigo kills Kinet, then threatens Paul, but Jessica persuades Czigo to cut Paul’s bonds and give Paul a chance in the desert.

Paul exploits the moment and kills Czigo with a precisely placed kick, then retrieves the knife so Jessica can free herself and then Paul. Jessica points out Yueh’s house sign scrawled inside the cabin and finds a blood-wet bundle under the pilot’s seat, suggesting Yueh prepared the craft for them. Before they can investigate fully or escape, Jessica spots another Harkonnen ornithopter approaching and orders Paul to run.