Chapter 60 (The wrongful death of a child)

Prince Roderick warns Emperor Salvador that directly seizing Arrakis from Venport will provoke a dangerous backlash and that a slow, nonfoldspace trip will leave the Imperium leaderless. Salvador insists he will go anyway, inviting Roderick along and trusting Imperial soldiers and the barge’s old FTL engines.

As they inspect the grand, refurbished Imperial Barge with Reverend Mother Esther-Cano, Salvador takes pride in its opulence and in his plan to reassert Corrino authority by taking personal control of the spice. Roderick remains skeptical, especially after hearing that Venport supposedly accepted the edict and will personally show operations.

During the hangar walkthrough, Esther-Cano urgently pulls the group aside just before a heavy welder crashes where Salvador had been standing, averting a possible fatality. Salvador calls it an accident and orders work to continue; Roderick notes the danger and Esther-Cano’s vigilance.

Salvador frames the Arrakis move as similar to breaking the Sisterhood on Rossak, believing he can control Venport as he did the orthodox Sisters. Esther-Cano supports curbing Venport as a moral imperative, while Roderick privately judges both Venport and the Butlerians as threats that must be weakened for Corrino stability.

Accepting that Salvador cannot be dissuaded, Roderick decides to remain on Salusa to govern during the months-long journey. He concludes that letting Venport and the Butlerians clash may ultimately strengthen the throne, even as Salvador presses forward to claim Arrakis and its spice.