2. Digging in Sand

She considers the option, and begins to see the opportunities it would present. "Very good, I'll intuit some concern about the Fremen and an attack, although he'll know that I know he would know that rumors have spread about that. Perhaps language about 'having become recently exposed' or so forth."

She leans forward, and says, "Marya has exposed a member of House Bakhtier. Her name is Elara Gomez. I'm told that we can funnel 'secrets' through her, ones that Elara will have learned from her new friend Marya. Any suggestions in using her in setting this up?"

Hural considers a moment, "This is good. Too good not to use in support of the ruse. Perhaps we feed this Elara that you've become increasingly paranoid and fearful of the Fremen since the attack. If that was truly his goal, to make you feel threatened and consider his hand as a strengthening measure against the Fremen, this should help lower his guard against us. We can have some of our own men, even, dress to look like members of Star Cobra's group, perhaps."

She considers this with some thought. "How certain are we of this information? Once we're committed, then it will be increasingly more difficult to extricate ourselves if new information comes to light." She's not looking to back out, but merely thinking it through from as many angles as she can.

Once you've discussed it at length, the plan forms.

"I'll have a talk with Marya. Let her know what to feed her friend. Then I'll pen a missive to my would need paramour. Once we have a date and time for the meeting, you'll need to have Star Cobra ready to pounce "

Hural considers the concerns of Lady Sina and looks ahead, staring into the distance as his eyes roll up into his head.

Momentum: 6
Threat: 3

Hural's eyes roll back down. "There are too many variables to know for certain. I trust the source of this information little, but I do trust that he is willing to sell people out to save his own skin, and that was his motive for the information we now act on."

"I'll keep tabs on him and keep him honest," Rook interjects, patting his knife. "And I'll let Star Cobra know once we decide on when the pouncing is to occur."

She knows most games of politics involve playing against an uncertain hand. "I'll not fully commit to it then. Truthfully, my uncertainty may encourage Bakhtier to go to additional lengths to convince me."

She considers her table and then stands. "We have a plan. We have resources in place. I will visit the site of the bazaar, to ensure that's moving along. The last piece in my plan is to obtain a spice harvester, but that would require great care."

"There is still the man, Daniil, who operates a black market spice harvester, covered by the Builder's Guild. Once we cement this deal with them for their property in the bazaar, perhaps that could be an avenue to look into. They provide a cut to the builder's guild for their concealment of the operation, but we could look to approach him to see if a deal could be worked out. A man we met, Bafat, used to work for Daniil but now is bound to Marcus. He may be useful in this regard."

Marcus nods at the mention of Bafat.

She takes a note on that. "Perfect. We're in business. Let's get moving on this Bakhtier party. I'll return to the mansion and let you know when he sets up the engagement date."

Hural nods and looks to the others, "We should take advantage of the evening and get some rest. We don't know how quickly Bakhtier will respond. In the morning, perhaps we should get the message to Star Cobra, to get his men ready."

Rook nods, agreeing with Hural. "Yes, we should sleep. I want to be as sharp as possible for this. We can reconvene when we hear from the lady Sina."

Marcus nods in agreement.

Amid the shifting sands of the Arrakeen desert, the two minor houses clashed with a ferocity that belied their status. The sky burned a deep ochre as the sun began its descent, casting long shadows over the battlefield. House Heslin’s ornithopters screamed overhead, their sleek forms cutting through the air as they rained down lasgun fire on the forces of House Bakhtier. The ground troops, clad in stillsuits that barely contained the heat, darted between rocky outcrops and crumbling dunes, the spice-laden air thick with the scent of blood and sweat. Explosions erupted sporadically, sending plumes of dust into the sky as each side struggled for dominance over this barren expanse of land.

Within the chaos, a small band of retainers from House Heslin huddled behind a shattered sandcrawler, their faces smeared with grit. Among them, Lieutenant Oris surveyed the battlefield through a cracked visorscreen, barking orders to his men as they returned fire. To his left, a young soldier, barely out of his teens, clutched his rifle with trembling hands, his eyes wide with fear. "Hold your ground!" Oris shouted above the din, knowing full well that their position was precarious. Just as another volley of fire tore through the air, a distant rumble, far deeper than the sounds of combat, reverberated through the ground—a subtle warning that the battle was not their only concern.

On the opposite ridge, Commander Viro of House Bakhtier watched the scene unfold with a grim satisfaction. Her forces had the upper hand, but she knew better than to underestimate the desperation of cornered foes. With a sharp gesture, she signaled her second-in-command to prepare the next wave of attack. But even as she did, a sudden, unnatural stillness fell over the battlefield. Both sides hesitated, ears attuned to the growing tremor beneath them. The sand began to shift, vibrating ominously—a reminder that on Arrakis, the greatest danger could come from beneath. In that fleeting moment of shared terror, enemy lines blurred, and all eyes turned toward the horizon, where the first hints of a colossal sandworm breach began to disrupt the dunes.

---

Things have not gone according to plan. Let's take turns explaining what happened to get us to this point. Let's start with @C1nder, describing the events prior to the battle. Then, @Windyridge please elaborate on what he posts, and how this became a battle. Lastly @ForeverDed tell us how House Heslin will plan to get out of this. Then, we will play the scene out.

They got the response a day and a half later, a message from House Bakhtier that their liege would meet with them on the morrow, while insisting on the location: a stretch of desert outside the city, tucked behind large, rocky ridge. It was a precarious location for such a meeting, one that would present little in the form of hiding places for any kind of ambush.

Star Cobra was quick to respond and rallied his men, with House Heslin troops blending among their numbers. These forces went out ahead of the meeting, but were unable to secure a safe point of hiding close enough, waiting instead in reserve while Heslin Ornithopters waited on call as well.

When Hural, Marcus, and Rook arrived at the designated meeting point, it became quickly clear House Bakthier had other intentions.

Rook shook his head upon learning of the meeting venue, insisting that it was too risky. Nevertheless, his warning went unheeded and suddenly they found themselves embroiled in chaos.

"We've been betrayed." But soon it was apparent that they were not only fighting on one front but two, for there was no mistaking the rumbling vibration underneath them.

"Sandworm!" Rook shouts over the din. "This could be the break we need if we can survive it! Can we somehow send it toward House Bakhtier?"

The battle was going poorly. Marcus thought for sure that they'd have an advantage going in, but House Bakhtier had quickly adjusted, surely indicating a spy within House Heslin or Star Cobra's outfit. Given the recent discovery of one mole in his organization, it seemed likely that there was another. But they would worry about that later, assuming they survived.

And that assumption was looking less likely now that a worm had announced its imminent arrival.

Unless…

Rook gave him an idea.

"We need to get some thumpers close to Bakhtier's forces." Marcus surveyed the terrain. "If we can't carry them in, the 'thopters are going to have to put them on a ten-second delay and drop them. The rest of us will have to high tail it back up the ridge, keeping the crawler between us and Bakhtier's forces.

"But what would work better is if we could activate a shield and drop it on them. Worms may be attracted to sound but they hate the harmonics produced by shields."