49.
IDAHO
Underground. Arrakis is full of
caverns.
PAUL
How big was the place?
IDAHO
I’d say ten thousand people.
A murmur of astonishment around the table. Duncan grins.
IDAHO (CONT'D)
And there are hundreds of sietches.
LETO
Millions of Fremen.
(to Hawat)
You were right.
Hawat smiles proudly.
HAWAT
The Harkonnen estimate was fifty
thousand on the whole planet!
IDAHO
The Fremen watched me search for
them for days. I never saw them.
Finally they sent a warrior out to
kill me. I’ll tell you, I’ve never
been so close to dying. There are
no finer fighters in the Imperium.
They fight like demons.
Leto’s face is flush with excitement.
LETO
Well done.
IDAHO
Thank you, milord.
SPECIALIST (O.S.)
Sire!
One of Hawat’s SPECIALISTS brings in the Fremen leader:
Stilgar, the man we saw in the desert before. He is proud and
stern-faced. In his hands he holds a sheathed CRYSKNIFE.
SPECIALIST (CONT'D)
He has a knife he won’t surrender,
Sire. He won’t let us inspect it.