Chapter 298: The End of House Harkonnen! A Tribute from the Spacing Guild!
Splurt—!
Duke Leto drew the dagger from Dr. Yue's heart, and a gush of warm blood oozed out from between the muscles.
He let the doctor's body drop and calmly wiped the dagger clean before returning it to its sheath at his waist.
"Duke, what should we do with his body? Should we burn it?"
At that moment, Hawat stepped out from around the corridor's corner, accompanied by the Atreides family guard.
Everything that had just occurred had been under their close surveillance. Fearing that things might escalate between Dr. Yue and Duke Leto, they had silently kept both sides locked in the sights of their crossbows.
Fortunately, Dr. Yue had preserved the last shred of his dignity, calmly accepting death as punishment, thereby earning himself an intact corpse.
Otherwise, for a traitor who betrayed House Atreides from within, they had far crueler methods in reserve.
Leto sighed and gave the order, "Bury him with the honors of a family servant. Be sure to invite his relatives and friends. The costs will be covered by us."
Though Leto felt a twinge of regret for the trusted vassal that Dr. Yue had once been, as the head of House Atreides, he had no choice but to eliminate a mole.
Once the rot sets in, it encourages others to follow.
That said, Leto knew he had to put on a good show when it came to compassion.
He needed his people to see that Duke Leto was a lord of loyalty and sentiment—that even toward a man who betrayed him, he would still show some regard for past ties, ensuring the traitor was not only executed but properly buried.
Upon hearing this, Hawat, ever the loyal servant of House Atreides, immediately caught on to Leto's intent to win hearts.
He chimed in smoothly, "Your Grace is truly benevolent. I thank you on behalf of Dr. Yue's entire family for your kindness."
A duke's kindness is a debt that can never be repaid. Betrayal has no good ending—loyalty is the only path forward.
Leto, maintaining his composure on the outside, was inwardly pleased at how seamlessly Hawat aligned with him.
After all these years, only Hawat could so intuitively assist him, reading his intentions and echoing his decisions with perfect timing.
This is what a true loyalist looks like.
Just then, Hawat lifted his gaze to the starlit sky. The flashes of light from the upper atmosphere had begun to die down.
This meant that the lopsided interstellar war was nearly over. From start to finish, barely an hour had passed—and already, the combined forces of House Harkonnen and House Corrino had been all but wiped out.
Leto couldn't help but question it—Was the war really that short-lived because Harkonnen and Corrino were just that weak?
"The Padishah and that dog Baron—after scheming so long to build this army, this is all they had to show for it? I thought they'd at least last till morning."
Leto mocked the joint army of the two noble houses without restraint. But deep down, he knew that House Atreides wasn't particularly powerful either.
The only reason the war had ended so quickly was due to the overwhelming firepower of the Universal Megacorp.
Without their massive warships and unmatched weaponry, House Atreides would've been crushed.
If House Atreides had ever possessed such strength, Leto would've staged a coup long ago—there would've been no need to play games with the Landsraad or engage in political tug-of-war with that dog of an emperor, Shaddam.
He'd have seized the throne outright and taken power for himself.
Unfortunately, those invincible fleets belonged to that man named Li Ang —and Leto was nothing more than his vassal, obedient to his command.
"Looks like it's almost over. That dog of an emperor is finished," Hawat said, also gazing at the dimming stars, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Meanwhile, in a star system tens of thousands of kilometers away, the skies were littered with shattered wreckage of ships. This one-sided massacre had never been in doubt.
The Universal Megacorp had only lost some AI drones—expendable and virtually costless thanks to their colossal manufacturing power.
In contrast, the Harkonnen and Corrino families had sacrificed nearly their entire elite forces.
Only a small remnant managed to flee.
Now, without their powerful armies, House Harkonnen—already notorious across the galaxy—was bound to face retribution.
As for the Corrino royal family perched atop the Golden Lion Throne, without the protection of the Sardaukar, their downfall was only a matter of time.
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
"Now it's House Atreides' time to rise."
Duke Leto burst into hearty laughter. Since taking over leadership, he had worked tirelessly to chart a new future for House Atreides.
Now, with the empire's power structure on the verge of collapse, House Atreides—one of the first to seize this turning point—was ready to soar under his leadership!
At minimum, this victory would elevate them to one of the empire's top-tier noble houses, standing above all others.
Even if it meant being a loyal dog to the Universal Megacorp—they would be the only dog. No other house would be allowed to balance Atreides' power.
Just then, Hawat seemed to remember something. He leaned closer to Leto and asked in a low voice:
"My lord, should we begin reaching out to the other noble houses and have them help capture the remaining members of Houses Harkonnen and Corrino?"
Now that the tide had turned, it was time to press the advantage—round up the remnants in one swift move and present them to the Universal Megacorp as a coronation gift for the God-Emperor.
Leto nodded in agreement. "Yes. With the power of those two dogs, Baron and Padishah, nearly destroyed, now's the time to wipe them out completely."
"See to it."
"Yes, sir!"
…
Onboard a high-command ship of the Spacing Guild
The grim news of their frontline collapse had finally reached Baron Harkonnen.
Seeing the utter rout of his forces, the once-confident puppet master was now completely panicked.
His layers of fat were slick with sweat from sheer terror, trembling uncontrollably at times.
"Impossible! This can't be happening!"
"We sent both families' elite troops—how did they not even reach Atreides' fleet?! How?!"
His furious howls struck terror into his handmaidens and guards, who trembled where they stood, afraid they'd be the next to suffer his wrath.
After all, every head of House Harkonnen had been a tyrant—Baron Harkonnen was no exception, infamous for his cruelty and unpredictability.
Whenever he lost his temper, someone—maid or guard—was bound to get hurt. It was as though he couldn't calm down unless blood was spilled.
The handmaidens had even fantasized about "treating" him with the same "strangulation therapy" used on Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty—just to cure his violent outbursts.
But the Baron, well aware of how his vile nature might provoke rebellion, had ordered all his maids to wear transparent garments, making it impossible for them to hide weapons.
"Where did Leto get those warships? Why can't our energy cannons pierce their shields?!"
"And where the hell did they get the money for shipbuilding, or the tech for research and development?!"
"Two great houses combined—and we were the first to collapse?! It makes no sense!"
Before the war began, Baron Harkonnen had never even considered the possibility of defeat. He'd already popped the champagne—only to end up losing everything.
Even the Corrino royal family had thrown in their last reserves—the unbeatable, invincible Sardaukar Legion—and still suffered a humiliating defeat!
They didn't even manage to force the Megacorp shields into overload.
In the end, it turned out they were the weakest side.
Worse still, the Megacorp warships had never even gone on the offensive—they had simply held their ground and countered attacks.
They hadn't even activated their main cannons yet.
If they had, the result would've been catastrophic: star-destroying beam strikes, terrifying distortion fields, shredding everything in their path like flies.
That kind of devastation would've made this battle even more horrifying.
Watching the Baron lose all composure, even Peter—his most trusted advisor—could only stand silently to the side, saying nothing.
Only after the Baron's tantrum had mostly played out did Peter finally speak, quietly reminding him...
"My Lord Baron, I suggest you leave immediately. Our frontline troops are collapsing. We need the Spacing Guild to launch the Heighliner and get us out of this danger zone."
"Once we're back at House Harkonnen's base on Giedi Prime, we'll still have a chance to rise again!"
When dealing with someone in a blind rage, the best method is to drive them into fear—and a threat of death works remarkably well.
The moment Baron Harkonnen heard that continuing to rage would lead to being counterattacked and possibly destroyed by House Atreides, he snapped out of it. He instantly realized just how perilous the situation had become.
If they didn't escape now, they might really be too late!
"Hurry! Contact those Spacing Guild bastards and tell them to activate the Heighliner—get us out of here now!"
The Baron issued his order decisively. For all his volatile temper, he wasn't deranged enough to ignore the threat of death and keep throwing tantrums.
"Yes, my Lord."
Piter breathed a sigh of relief and hurried off to contact the Guild representative.
Giedi Prime was the homeworld of House Harkonnen, equipped with a formidable industrial foundation and fully functional production facilities. As long as the Baron could escape back there, preserving a spark of hope, they just might make a comeback.
Now that the shape of this interstellar war had become crystal clear, House Harkonnen and the Corrino Empire would definitely need to go into hiding and recuperate for a while.
But after running several calculations, Piter concluded that the Corrino Empire was more likely to fall first.
Unlike House Harkonnen, the Corrinos ruled the galaxy as imperial royalty, holding supreme authority over the entire Imperium.
But that very power made them especially vulnerable once they showed weakness—just like a wounded lion surrounded by predators.
The once-invincible Sardaukar legions had been thoroughly crushed, which meant the Emperor's sharpest claws had all been broken by House Atreides.
The other noble houses would soon go mad over the Golden Lion Throne. Power-hungry opportunists would be drawn like sharks to blood.
When imperial order collapsed, everyone would vie to become the new master of that order.
And in this chaos, it might be the perfect time for House Harkonnen to lie low, lick its wounds, and await the right moment to strike again.
Unless House Atreides took the initiative to ally with the Corrino Empire and deliberately use House Harkonnen as a sacrificial pawn to forcibly restore order, the royal family was destined to be the first to fall.
But the odds of that were extremely slim.
After all, who ever starts a rebellion only to stop halfway? It's like pulling down your pants to take a dump and only going halfway—it's just not satisfying.
Any rational person would want to seize the moment and wipe out the Corrino Empire in one decisive stroke to claim the throne.
However, before Piter could establish contact with the Spacing Guild's Heighliner operators, a Harkonnen guard rushed in and reported to the Baron:
"My Lord! Those Spacing Guild bastards refuse to launch the ship!"
The moment those words were spoken, both Piter and Baron Harkonnen froze. They didn't immediately grasp what the Guild was playing at.
House Harkonnen had always been one of the Guild's biggest clients, constantly placing large orders. Now that they were asking for an emergency departure, could the Guild really be demanding an extra fee?
"What did you say?!"
The Baron was stunned for a moment before erupting into another furious roar. "If we don't leave now, we're all going to die! Are those Guild fools blind? Can't they see the state of the battle?!"
"Tell those bastards—if they want more money to launch the ship, name their price. I, Baron Harkonnen, will pay it in full!"
"But if I die, they won't get a single cent! That includes every bit of debt House Harkonnen owes them in shipping fees!"
At this point, the Baron had no choice but to swallow his pride in the face of such blatant extortion. When it came down to choosing between money and life, he knew which mattered more.
But when the guard relayed the full message, Piter's face went deathly pale. His lips twitched uncontrollably, and he muttered under his breath, "It's over. We're done for…"
Piter had already imagined the worst-case scenario: the Spacing Guild wasn't trying to extort them at all. They were planning to hand them over to House Atreides.
Seeing the look of panic and dread on Piter's face, the Baron turned and glared at him, as if he might tear him apart on the spot.
"What do you mean, 'it's over'? Explain yourself!"
Piter swallowed hard, his whole body trembling as he replied, "My Lord… the Spacing Guild doesn't want money. They're planning to give us to House Atreides."
At those words, Piter began shaking uncontrollably. He was already envisioning the tortures they had inflicted on others now being turned back upon them.
"The Spacing Guild wants to sell us out?!"
Baron Harkonnen's expression was a mixture of shock and fury. He clenched his fists, his enormous frame floating swiftly toward Piter on his suspensor chair.
Staring him down, the Baron asked through gritted teeth, "What gives them the nerve to do this?! Are they planning to hand over the Padishah Emperor himself to that old dog Leto too?!"
But the guard delivering the message quickly added: "The Heighliner transporting the Emperor has already launched. Ours is the only one that hasn't moved."
"My Lord… we've been abandoned."
The words hit the Baron like a thunderclap. A sharp ringing erupted in his ears, leaving his mind reeling.
He understood now. The two-faced Spacing Guild bastards were trying to play both sides—avoiding offense to the fading royalty while also cozying up to the rising House Atreides. They were planning to deliver House Harkonnen as a gift.
And for Baron Harkonnen, this betrayal was more unbearable than death.
Only now did he fully understand why Piter had said they were finished.
The Guild, ever the opportunists, would back whichever side was winning. Now that Harkonnen was clearly doomed, they were eager to curry favor with Duke Leto and House Atreides.
And given the deep-seated blood feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen, Duke Leto would be thrilled with the Guild's "offering."
If House Atreides took the Golden Lion Throne, the Guild might secure continued commercial privileges within the Imperium through this strategic flattery.
At the very least, it could earn them leniency.
"No! We cannot just sit here and wait to die!"
The fat on the Baron's face trembled with rage. He knew all too well the humiliating and torturous fate that awaited him if Leto got his hands on him.
He had to escape. Only by fleeing back to his family's stronghold and staying out of Leto's grasp could he hope to maintain his title and influence.
At that moment, a newly composed Piter nodded and tried to soothe the Baron's rising panic: "Yes, my Lord. I will arrange an escape vessel for you immediately."
…
Half an hour later, Piter stood alone outside a massive iron blast door, calmly listening to the angry, fearful shouts echoing from within.
"Piter! What the hell are you doing?! You promised you'd arrange my escape! Why the hell are you doing this?!"
As it turned out, the escape that Piter had promised never happened.
He had chosen a path identical to the Spacing Guild's—self-preservation through betrayal.
Better for one man to die than for them all to go down together.
In desperate times like these, sacrificing the boss to save the rest often worked just fine.
"I'm sorry, my Lord Baron."
Piter stood expressionless outside the door, the chaos within echoing in his ears. Fear, guilt, and inner turmoil twisted his face into something grotesque and unfamiliar.
His appearance now reflected his inner turmoil perfectly.
As a mentat and trusted aide of House Harkonnen, Piter had long enjoyed the benefits and privileges of power.
Under normal circumstances, betraying Baron Harkonnen would have been unthinkable. But now, with House Harkonnen on the brink of collapse and enemies lurking everywhere, ready to rip the Baron apart…
Piter had no intention of dying for House Harkonnen, let alone for the Baron himself.
He had only ever worked for them to earn a living—nothing more. It was never worth laying down his life.
(Show your support and read more chapters on my Patreon: [email protected]/psychopet. Thank you for your support!)