Chapter 37

At dawn after a grueling night march, Duncan follows an agile guide through dense, wintry growth on Gammu. He wears a full Tleilaxu disguise—cheek pads, bleached hair, shaved body hair—and is assigned the name “Wose.” An elder artisan equips him and hands him off to the guide, first named Ambitorm, who soon insists Duncan call him Tormsa.

Through animal tunnels and streambeds, Tormsa keeps up a silent, punishing pace, linking Duncan by a cord meant to spill him quickly if ambushed. As they move, Duncan reflects on Teg’s sacrifice, his own Atreides ties, and the burden of being revived as a ghola. The landscape and secrecy impress upon him how primitive yet dangerous Gammu remains beneath its planetary defenses.

They reach a rocky ledge and prepare a concealed meal from a cached cooker, revealing careful planning and a network of helpers. Using a handmade monoscope, Tormsa points out their destination: the immense Harkonnen structure Duncan remembers as Barony, now called Ysai. Memories of Harkonnen cruelty surge, but Duncan suppresses his hatred and studies the guarded city and walled estates.

Tormsa explains the necessity of traveling on foot and avoiding vehicles that can be tracked. He outlines their evasion tactic: when aerial searchers scan, they must continue moving exactly like local animals, trusting the laziness and high-altitude habits of the searchers and the limitations of their scanners. Duncan accepts his role, noting a growing patience and curiosity about the patterns behind his revival.

As signals report searchers overhead, Tormsa orders Duncan to mimic browsing animals. Armed with this strategy and their disguises, they descend toward the valley on a path aimed at infiltrating Ysai under the noses of aerial scans.