Early in the morning, selected attendees of the festival were awakened by people in uniforms, politely asking to join Roger Lanville for a quick meeting. They were given just enough time to put themselves in relative order and then were escorted to an office at the backside of the villa, near the landing pads. Two ornithopters were being checked and loaded with supplies there.
Inside, there was no breakfast, at least not in the traditional sense. Beneath the poison snooper, there were plates with wake shots, detoxicant pills, and jugs of sour Paradan melon juice, Atreides wunderwaffe against hangovers. There were just enough chairs for all of them to take a seat.
Roger waited until everyone would be gathered.
"Apologies for the manner of your awakening, you can begrudge me after I have said my piece. You are here because either I know I can count on you or I hope I can. A necessity dictates that I assemble an irregular unit, let's call it a regional militia, for a task."
He unfurled a map showing the Southern Continent, and pointed to a relatively blank space marking its interior.
"A week ago, Duncan Idaho took Young Master Paul for a training session into those jungles. A variant of the hunter and the hunted. Those of you who have served in our force know that this routine is nothing special, Swordmaster Idaho, who as a child outwitted Beast Rabban in it on Harkonnen hunting grounds on Giedi Prime, has incorporated it into our training. He apparently had the idea that the Duke's son should experience it too. They were supposed to stay off grid and not to be bothered. However, after a week, they were supposed to be back or at least to report back. As of this morning, it hasn't happened. Thufir Hawat has asked me to put together a discreet task force to check on both of them."
He paused.
"Normally, we wouldn't be too worried or need all of you. But with Duke Leto being offworld, this is a delicate time, and there have been other indications that they may need some assistance. As some of you already know, ailar has resurfaced. We know it's not the Muadh, maybe it's some stocks, but maybe not. It's quite likely that the cartel we rooted out from the northern forests might have found another spot for planting the barra ferns. Last night some fishermen reported finding bodies of Muadh people in the surf of tidal pools along the wild northern shore, which may indicate some problems within the primitive jungle communities. So the matter may be either trivial or dire, and someone has to find it out. Until we know what it is, a military sweep is on standby. You'll be provided with two ornithopters and supplies, as well as some explosives, just in case, and a long range antenna as regular comms don't seem to work there. If you find the drug operations or other contingency, I'd rather you had some means to call air support and put on a show before the cavalry arrives."
He let that sink it, and studied reactions for a moment.
"For some of you, it's an order. Razar, Efren, Bernard, Ambrose, Dominic you're back to active duty for this. For others, it's an offer. Lady Gray, this is your opportunity to meet the heir, who's also the acting Duke for now, sooner rather than later. I was told you've survived a week on Arrakis, so a few days in Caladanan jungle can't be any worse. But there are other reasons. Ailar has become a terrible stain on our reputation, and many in the Imperium disbelieve that we haven't masterminded it ourselves to profit from it, as insidious and ridiculous as such a belief is. In case you encounter the operations of the drug cartel, your reputation and voice as CHOAM auditor and a Mutelli envoy on what you will have seen will carry much weight."
He looked to the others.
"Lydia, we both know it's your kind of job. Eileen, Laila, I know you all have what it takes, question is whether you see or can find enough reason to join this task force. Kiran, is that right? We may be in need of an intermediary with the primitives, and I have a sense you wanted to seek them out anyway, having come all the way from the Arondi Cliffs. Hadrian, I had a thought yesterday that a patriot like you would be disgruntled if you weren't offered this opportunity."
Roger gestured outside.
"Thopters are going to be ready soon. It's your time to make a call, ask questions, or go start preparing."
Spice Sommelier 
