Dune: The Machine Crusade by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson Read Free Book Online

thoughts and decisions made by the Earth-Omnius, we do not know exactly what occurred in the last days on Earth. That information is forever lost to us.”
    “We have no need of the exact details,” Agamemnon growled. “I’ve been a military officer for over a thousand years. I led human armies and robot armies. I orchestrated the original overthrow of the Old Empire.”
    “And you have been a loyal warrior and servant to Omnius in the centuries since,” Erasmus added. The Titan thought he detected a trace of sarcasm.
    “Correct,” Juno said before Agamemnon could make a retort. “The Titans have always been valuable allies and resources to Omnius.”
    “Our primary concern is to ensure that no similar rebellion takes place on any other Synchronized World,” said Omnius.
    “That is not statistically likely,” Dante pointed out. “Your watcheyes constantly monitor the populations. No slave will ever again have the opportunity to rally underlings, as the trustee Iblis Ginjo did.”
    “I have personally led neo-cymeks in raids to obliterate rebel cells,” Xerxes said, stepping forward. “The unruly humans will never gain a foothold.”
    Erasmus paced the courtyard, swirling his fur-lined robes. “Unfortunately, such repressive measures only increase discontent. The Army of the Jihad has sent agent-provocateurs to our worlds. They smuggle propaganda to enslaved workers, artisans, even our reliable trustees. They carry recordings of impassioned speeches by Serena Butler, whom they call their Priestess of the Jihad.” The robot’s flowmetal face formed a wistful expression. “To them, she is beautiful and persuasive, a veritable goddess. When they hear Serena’s words, how can they resist doing as she asks? They will follow her, even to death.”
    Agamemnon grumbled, “Our trustees have everything they could possibly want, and still they listen to her.” Like my own son Vorian. The fool . “The best solution is to excise the cancer, obliterating each flare-up as it occurs. Eventually, we will root out all discontent… or be forced to exterminate the bothersome humans once and for all. Either solution is acceptable.”
    “Where would you like us to begin, Lord Omnius?” Xerxes said.
    “Incidents of sabotage and blatant unrest occur most frequently on Ix,” Erasmus interjected. “Most of the landscape has been converted to useful industries, but the rebels have located a honeycomb of natural caverns in the planet’s crust. They hide there like termites, then strike our weak points.”
    “We should have no weak points,” Agamemnon said.
    “There should be no rebels either, considering that I have improved efficiency across the planetary network,” Omnius said. “This turmoil has caused numerous problems, and I wish to examine all options. Perhaps these humans are more trouble to eradicate than the effort warrants. It may be more effective for us to simply stop fighting them.”
    Agamemnon could not control his outburst. “And let them win? After all we have created and accomplished over the past thousand years?”
    “What is the significance of a mere millennium?” Omnius asked. “As thinking machines, we have alternatives the humans do not. Our bodies can adapt to environments lethal to biological life-forms. If I simply abandon the hrethgir -infested planets, I can exploit the numerous airless moons and rocky planets. Thinking machines will thrive there and expand the Synchronized Worlds without further inconvenience.”
    Even Erasmus seemed surprised by the suggestion. “Humans once had a saying, Lord Omnius—’It is better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven.’”
    “I serve no one. I am analyzing the ratio of the greatest benefit for the least cost and the smallest risk. According to my projections we can never sufficiently tame our human slaves. Short of complete eradication of the species— which would require a great deal of trouble to accomplish— humans will continue to