Chapter 17

Approaching the bridge to Onn, Leto’s party expects a Museum Fremen petition. The “petitioners” emerge in pilgrim colors, then discard their cloaks to reveal Duncan-like black uniforms and transform their faces into Duncan Idaho visages—Face Dancers in a coordinated Tleilaxu ambush. Lasguns fire as Fish Speakers close, protecting the real Duncan.

Leto swerves the Royal Cart off-road, shifts to suspensors, and batters clusters of attackers before withdrawing across the canyon to assess the battle. From vantage, he notes many dead among courtiers and Fish Speakers, then spots the real Duncan—naked, having stripped to avoid confusion. Leto returns; Duncan reports all attackers killed, and Moneo counts heavy losses.

Debating security, Duncan argues for shields; Leto bans them as capital crimes and reminds him of shield–lasgun catastrophes. Leto orders the field cleaned, uniforms replaced, and absolute silence about the attack. He chides Moneo for arranging the petition and reveals the Museum Fremen he knew were replaced by mimics. Leto vows to teach Face Dancer detection and refuses to be distracted from larger designs.

Planning repercussions, Leto dictates signals: the Bene Gesserit lose their Guard but retain last audience (“the last will be first”); the Tleilaxu Ambassador will be publicly flogged and expelled without explanation. He intends the spectacle to project unpredictable wrath while hiding the ambush. He instructs repairs to his canopy and sends Duncan ahead to scout and re-uniform.

Privately, Leto gives Moneo a message for Siona—that she reminds him of the unknowing force within him and of love. As ’thopters arrive with a new canopy, Moneo notices some courtiers wearing delicate hearing enhancers—Ixian devices—revealing covert eavesdropping within the entourage.