Although Farad'n's analysis prophesied the continuing service Duncan gholas would perform for the God Emperor Leto II, and although he and Jessica did correctly see that this Duncan was not divided in his actions as Duncan Prime had been, they both failed to appreciate the independent decision that Duncan-10208 would soon make in regard to which Atreides he would serve.
Duncan-10208's rejection of the abomination Alia and his later manipulation of Jessica marked the solving of his greatest problem and were strong evidence of his personal growth. For Duncan Prime, House Atreides had always been a single organism, and he was singularly bound to it by pleasure and pain. For the awakened Hayt, Duncan-10208, House Atreides was fragmented by Alia's possession. The visible and obvious stimuli that had long keyed his fanatical loyalty were gone. While the Preacher did eventually use one of these keys — the secret sign with which Paul Atreides had summoned his swordmaster — he did so too late. It came after one Atreides, Alia, had commanded Duncan to assassinate another, Lady Jessica, and after The Preacher had pledged Duncan as a "jewel without price" to House Corrino as part of his arrangement to interpret the dreams of Farad'n Corrino. By then Duncan saw House Atreides for the ruin it was, and had already decided to disobey Alia. Here the old Atreides and Duncan Prime values came to the fore and candor and honesty were his only touchstones.
Duncan remained a constant for Paul and Jessica, just as the other gholas would be for the God Emperor, but — and the difference is critical — he was a constant by decision rather than by faith. He had ceased to follow and adore; he had begun to act and think. More than this, his mentat skills allowed him to avert matricide: he invented a spurious danger from House Corrino to Alia; isolated on Salusa Secundus, Jessica was both safe from Alia's threats and prevented from revealing Alia's Abomination. Duncan's love for Alia prevented him from slaying her even though he already suspected her part in the Corrino attempt on the lives of Leto and Ghanima; hindsight shows he was wrong to spare her.
Duncan remained obedient to both Jessica and Paul, but made his own judgment about overthrowing Alia, He knew that he could no longer support the excesses and brutalities of Alia's regency and so, at The Preacher's bidding, allied himself with the Zarr Sadus, the rebel Fremen who refused to submit to Alia's Quizara Tafwid. Prior to this, Duncan had cleverly misled Alia's and Farad'n's spies by appearing to formal demand his release from Atreides' service. This falsehood was so well acted that not even Lady Jessica's Bene Gesserit perception detected it. He reinforced his apparent disaffection by telling Jessica that he would ask Farad'n to send her back to Wallach IX. His stated reason was that the Bene Gesserit moved too deeply and darkly to be safe toys — indicating his awareness of Jessica's plans to put the Corrino heir on the throne.
Later, Jessica did suspect Duncan's true intent, but remained unsure. Her unease was shared by Ghanima, who doubted "this ghola-flesh," and by Alia, who was stunned by Duncan's refusal to kill Jessica. By this time Alia was finding any loyalty to the Atreides offensive, especially Duncan's; she had already ceased to think of herself as Atreides. Duncan was immediately aware of Alia's rejection. This keenness enabled him to avoid death at the hands of one of Alia's amazons, Zia, and the escape to Sietch Tabr to help Ghanima and Stilgar.
Shortly after his arrival there in 10231, his abilities allowed him to recognize the danger to everyone, especially Ghanima, of Stilgar's neutrality. After failing to convince Stilgar to take his company into hiding, he deliberately orchestrated a crisis by killing Javid and violating the sanctity that Stilgar had so carefully established. Further, he baited the furious Naib by accusing him of wearing a collar, one of the deepest of Fremen insults, and then passively accepted death on Stilgar's knife. Thus, faced with the dead bodies of Alia's husband and lover, the Fremen were forced to flee Alia's wrath and Stilgar was forced to understand that he was Ghanima's only hope. In a bittersweet interlude at this moment of death and treachery, Alia discovered one of Duncan's old silver and platinum buckles, a gift to him from her father, and in one of her last human gestures, she wept while Vladimir Harkonnen reacted incredulously within her: "Who cries? Who cries?"
Thus did Duncan-10208 serve the Atreides' interests even when the family itself was internally riven. Like Duncan-13724, he supported Atreides' goals with a freedom distinct from the undivided faithfulness of Duncan Prime and many of the intervening Duncan gholas. In doing so, he willingly died, giving up his melange-induced longevity and his unique set of abilities and potentials. He died alone among the Fremen, whose superstitions made them still consider him a "thing," but he fell as a man and an individual, not as a servant.
R.S.
Further references: DUNCAN IDAHO; ATREIDES. LADY JESSICA; ATREIDES, ALIA; Harq al-Ada, The Dune Catastrophe, tr. Miigal Reed (Mukan; Lothar); Princess Irulan Atreides-Corrino, Conversations with Muad'Dib, Lib, Conf. Temp Series 346; Duncan Idaho-10208, The Hayt Chronicle, tr. Kershel, Reeve Shautin (Finally; Mosaic); Quizara Tafwid, The Pillars of Wisdom, tr. Noval Allad (Salusa Secundus: Morgan and Sharak); Alia Atreides, Commentary to "The Ghola Speaks," tr. Kershel, Reeve Shautin (Finally: Mosaic).
IDAHO, DUNCAN-10232
While the Bene Tleilax's knowledge of genetic engineering was unparalleled, their sense of human psychology was woeful. This second ghola was delivered within three months of the death of Duncan Idaho-10208. Leto II had him killed immediately.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-11099
Among the numerous Duncan Idaho gholas certain failures resulted from the Bene Tleilax method of memory restoration through direct confrontation. This technique was simply too traumatic to produce sane individuals consistently. The greatest of these failures was Duncan Idaho-11099 (d. 11103) often called Duncan-the-Archtraitor. However, it is vital to note that what may have been a failure for the God Emperor Leto II could very well have been a success for the enigmatic Bene Tleilax.
Duncan Prime and his gholas always felt comfortable with chaos, a state in which they could exercise their own independence and readily accept the tahaddi al-burhan, the ultimate test. Duncan-11099 had this characteristic in excess and also possessed an inordinate amount of ghafla. Among all the gholas, with the possible exception of Duncan-the-Last, he was the one most offended by Leto II’s absolute rule. Most significantly, he manifested a greatly exaggerated immaturity and rape syndrome sometimes seen among male career soldiers and not unknown even among the Fish Speakers.
Sent on a mission to observe the remnants of House Corrino on Salusa Secundus in 11100, killed most of the Sardaukar but without their legendary success of the days of Paul Muad'Dib. In fact, even though the Fedaykin outnumbered the Sardaukar, it was necessary for Leto himself to kill Duncan and the five remaining members of the "Final Force."
The short-term result of this abortive revolt was that thirty years lapsed before the God Emperor ordered another ghola from the Bene Tleilax. This delay gave the Bene Tleilax further opportunity to modify the Duncan prototype. The long-term results were Leto's extensive remodeling of his keep and his realization that male soldiers, be they Sardaukar or Fedaykin, were inherently dangerous. This led to the formation of the Fish Speakers as the military arm of his empire, the emasculation of his own Fedaykin and their conversion into "Museum Fremen," and the major alterations in his own breeding program to produce both men and women who far exceeded the Duncan gholas in physical prowess.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-11181
Known in Fish Speaker history as "the General." Duncan-11181 (d. 11226) conceived and implemented the elaborate training program for Leto's amazon warriors. He was killed when a cadet accidentally armed a "pillar of flame" that he was explaining.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-12117
His mentat training was in direct defiance of Leto II's prohibition. He was slain by the Fish Speakers upon delivery.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-12122
The most foolish and among the most radical of the Bene Tleilax creations: In a naive attempt to take advantage of Leto II's fading human sexuality, this ghola was deliver
ed in female form. The Fish Speakers at the first interview knew enough of Leto's whimsy to allow her to pass. However, the God Emperor became enraged at their first meeting and crushed her. This was the first occurrence of what Moneo Atreides would later call "The Worm," Leto's uncontrollable lapse into pure animal behavior. In retrospect, his reaction to a female Duncan was predictable. It made him acutely aware of his vanishing humanity.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-12143
(d. 12161). Trained on Gamont prior to his memory restoration and delivery, Duncan-12143 was the most prolific of the breeder Duncans. In his eighteen-year span, he fathered almost one thousand children. He was slain by an aging and jealous Fish Speaker while in the carnal company of a thirteen-year-old Fremen girl.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-12212
Despite his short tenure (d. 12212), this homosexual Duncan enabled Leto II to recognize the wisdom of sexual relations among his Fish Speakers. Duncan-12212 was slain by a Museum Fremen Naib during an attempted seduction.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-12280
A clumsy Duncan (d. 12283). While he possessed full mentality, an accident (perhaps deliberate) in the axolotl tank flawed his balance and coordination. Duncan-12280 may, in fact, have been the first clone, rather than another ghola. The new procedure may therefore have caused his flaws. He became a court buffoon among the Fish Speakers, but in spite of this deep wound to his pride, he persevered through his loyalty to the Atreides. Sadly, he walked in on a casual discussion between one of the Fish Speakers and the God Emperor, of his latest hilarious attempt at seduction. Unable to bear Leto's laughter, he went berserk and took a small bomb from the armory. In his rage, he saw Leto as the source of all the ridicule he had so faithfully endured. Unfortunately for him, since so small a bomb would never have harmed the God Emperor, he miscalculated the bomb's fuse and had difficulty throwing it. It blew up in his hand, killing him instantly.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-12301
(d. 12302). A reconstruction of the artifical Kwisatz Haderach that the Bene Tleilax had created during the regency of Alia Atreides. Following his bitter denunciation of life and loyalty at his first Siaynoq, he was torn to pieces by the Fish Speakers.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-12613
(d. 12617). An extraordinary creature who possessed almost every artifical augmentation in the Bene Tleilax and Ixian technological arsenal. Duncan-12613 was the physical superior of even the most expert Fish Speaker. He contributed so markedly to their training that Leto II ignored the number of cadets he killed in training as well as the number of officers that fell to his blade in duels. He died from a cumulative allergic reaction to melange following his fourth Siaynoq.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-12720
(d. 12725). A fog-wood sculptor who gained considerable renown throughout the empire for his scenes from early Atreides history. Duncan-12720 was killed when he was crushed by his partially finished statue of Stilgar, an ironic death in light of the death of Duncan-10208. Duncan-12720 is also known for his design of the tortured architecture of Onn, the city created with the primary purpose of viewing the God Emperor.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-12921
(d. 12934). A Duncan delivered with Bene Gesserit training in an attempt to subvert the Fish Speakers. Completely amused by the attempt, Leto II allowed him to survive for thirteen years, taking cruel glee in his failures among the Fish Speakers and parading him in mockery before the Bene Gesserit ambassadors at every opportunity. He was assassinated by the Bene Gesserit when, growing progressively mad, he began to affect the role of a "Cogita Vera" (Truthsayer).
IDAHO, DUNCAN-13004
(d. 13014). Perhaps the greatest player of the baliset in history, exceeding even the legendary Gurney Halleck. The recordings of his music in the Dar-es-Balat hoard have brought a forgotten master to our era. Like so many of the Duncans, he suffered from what the God Emperor called the "Since Syndrome," wanting to know what had happened since he last knew awareness. Fortunately, this tendency came late in his ten-year span, otherwise, a significant quantity of great music would have gone uncreated and unperformed. However, when the "Since Syndrome" did arrive it came with an intensity that could be felt only by a true artist. Realizing at the end of his life that he was subverting his music to his paranoia, Duncan-13004 quietly committed suicide, while his recording of Licallo's Second Baliset Concerto played in the background. That recording as well as many others have been located in Leto's collection.
IDAHO, DUNCAN-13015
(d. 13021). According to legend, killed by Leto in a rage when he asked the emperor a question. Many have wished to know what that question was, from curiosity seekers to ambassadors who wanted to avoid asking it. With the Rakis discovery, we may be able to solve the mystery.
Leto's breeding plan interested Duncan-13015, and his enthusiasm pleased Leto, who allowed him access to his stud books. As his understanding of genetics grew, Duncan prevailed on the emperor to share what information he had of the Bene Gesserit breeding records. Despite the mass of material at his command, Duncan found his progress blocked by a question he could not answer. He learned of the Bene Gesserit's unsuccessful attempt to produce the Kwisatz Haderach in Hasimir Fenring. He knew also that Paul's mother, Jessica, had disobeyed her order's strategy, which called for her child to be a girl who would be mated to Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. Duncan compared the real and the planned genealogy: Fenring was a genetic eunuch through some flaw in his inheritance from either his father, the old Count, or his Bene Gesserit mother. Whatever the problem, it had been unforeseen, for Fenring's was a planned male birth — the Bene Gesserit thought that in him they would receive their long-awaited Messiah. The question that Duncan asked himself was this: Why was the breeding of the Kwisatz Haderach pushed back not one generation but three?
Duncan threw himself into the investigation. Leto seemed pleased by this unlooked-for cooperation, even to the extent of allowing Duncan to append notes on his research to the emperor's journal. We quote now from an entry of early 13018:
The inquiry about Fenring's mother is fruitless. As a new hypothesis, suppose not one but two defects in the genetic mix. One, from his father, becomes apparent as Fenring matures; the B.G. expect a one-generation delay. Since they have half the genetic potential for the Kwisatz Haderach in F's mother, they would surely plan to breed her again. But the next mating is Harkonnen and Mohiam. Could it be? Supposing that she is, where does that get us? If the B.G. finds out about the second defect in the time between the two breedings — and it's an unsuspected defect in the mother, they can't write her off. I can hardly believe it — Good God, imagine watching a duel between your son and your grandson with no one knowing the relationship but you.
No, she couldn't have the flaw: surely no one's genetic structure was ever so carefully mapped as Helen Monism's. Unless the second father brings in the second flaw. That has to be it! Harkonnen is picked to supply what old Count Fenring lacked, but he's a second choice — and, yes, later they find out he's brought a new problem. Now the B.G. needs an additional generation at least to breed in a dominant to mask this second defective gene. Hence Jessica is born a woman, not a man, and hence Duke Leto's services are required. But what was wrong with the Harkonnens?
In late 13018, Duncan began a three-year tour of Fish Speaker garrisons around the empire. The trip would have conveniently covered his investigations, and among the planets he visited were Wallach IX, on which the entry below was made, and Giedi Prime.
I saw the report on Baron Harkonnen today, and I can see why a defect in him would be a surprise: good stock, healthy as weeds — the iron in his blood is remarkable. If I'm right, the report of a defect will be well hidden here — I'll never find it. But if it came from Giedi Prime, I might be able to get hold of that copy. And I know what to look for: an inherited disease, one that would kill a child if both parents had it, but would produce only a mild condition if just one passed it on — incomplete dominance.
Giedi Prime was the last stop on the tour, and the next entry was made on Arrakis after Duncan's ret
urn.
It has to be Hardison's Disease — an inherited blood condition, and if one parent passes on the trait, the child suffers a mild oxygen deprivation from incomplete hemoglobin bonding. Giedi is moist and oxygen-rich, near the top of the inhabited worlds in atmospheric oxygen. Upper-class diet is heavy in red meat, especially organ meats. No doubt over generations, natural selection has favored individuals with high iron concentrations in their blood.
So everything conspired to mask the presence of Hardison's Disease in the Harkonnens: high hemoglobin; lots of iron in their diet; high atmospheric oxygen. But even so, how many of them were mad, and look what happened when one left the homeworld: when Rabban became governor of Arrakis, he moved to a planet with low oxygen, dry atmosphere (which exacerbates the disease), a diet low in iron. He was none too stable before; no doubt his brain had already been damaged by oxygen starvation. But on Arrakis it must have increased progressively, and he became "Beast Rabban, the Demon Ruler." Sure, he brought his own nasty tendencies to Dune, but much of his excess must have come about because the disease was driving him mad.
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