So, what now?
Back on Arrakis, Chani (I think she is also a new actress, as I almost just confused her with Alia) wears an extremely strange headband. I wonder where they got the random fur piece—definitely off-planet.
Meanwhile, an ornithopter approaches, but she takes no notice, asking a maid why it is that she cannot conceive. I suppose the pregnancy did not work out after all.
The maid suggests—HAT. Ah, oddly enough, I'm glad to see a return of the crazy hats.
But, what the maid says—she suggests that someone is putting a contraceptive in Chani's food, or something along those lines. All they can do is find medicine to counteract it.
Elsewhere, Paul gets very distracted during a board meeting, having another vision of his future son—really. Also, a Guild ambassador is going to visit, which Stilgar does not approve of, remembering all the trouble they caused last time. No one is sure why Paul invited them.
Irulan puzzles over this later, only to be interrupted by Chani, who is all "You know what you did." Irulan admits to use of the contraceptives and claims that as Paul's official wife, she is the one who should have their child. Chani disagrees—"official" is the key word here, and official only. Paul loves her.
Back on Salusa Secundus, Irulan's nephew is set up to rule the empire someday, but even being a little kid, he doesn't want to do it. His mother is unsympathetic.
But where is Scytale? Why, on the other side of space, being invited into the house of one of Paul's military leaders for a visit. This cannot end well.
The two of them chat for a while, and it comes out that the guy's son is blind due to injuries sustained in the battle on Naraj. Possibly deaf, too, as he doesn't even turn his head when Scytale loudly kills his father with a poisoned dart.
IN SPACE!: A couple of Paul's men arrest the Reverend Mother. Is the conspiracy endangered? Doubtful.
ON THE GROUND: the Guild is here. Hey, I thought no one was supposed to see their navigators. Seen or unseen, though, they've come to deliver a "gift" courtesy of Ms. Corrino: one tribble.
Oh, come on; it would have worked way, way better.
Scytale's supposed pet project removes his hood, thinking, "What was the name of the guy Scytale said I look like again? Photo did not look like me at all. That blonde chap is never going to buy it. I want to go back to the mailroom..."
But he does buy it, despite Stilgar's insistence that Paul sends the ghola away. Notably, in the book, it was actually said ghola who told Paul that he was a trap and not to accept him, earning copious woobie points. Paul still refused, though, feeling responsible for his repaired dead friend.
In another room, Irulan visits the imprisoned Reverend Mother. In hand signals, the latter tells the former to kill any child that Chani bears.
A while later, Paul interrupts as Alia fights several battle droid-like things, bringing news that the daughter of one of his high-ranking men was found dead a short distance into the desert. Alia and the ghola are to go and investigate, and with that helluva setup, that's where I'll leave off.
