Briefing
Tyle is surprised of what happened in the last mission. He was basically saved by _House Harkonnen, who, for whatever reason, decided to jump in and help him against _the Sardaukar. Besides, the great Executor is also quite pissed of the fact that Ordos _gholas did not reach him in time, and without the Harkonnen, he'd probably be either _dead or a fugitive. After the battle, he immediately moved over to Jaculan, to Lora.__LORA: Ah, you made it! That's good._TYLE: Yea, not thanks to our dear Executrix... Where the hell are those gholas he was _so proud of?_LORA: En route. The delivery order just came a bit too late on Draconis IV. Besides, _the great Sardaukar offensive was not expected._TYLE: Ah c'mon, stop finding excuses for them. The whole military operation here on _Arrakis has become a joke. Cutting the military funding to this extent, in the middle of a _freaking war, is absolute crazy._LORA: You might be a great commander, but you're thinking with a brain of a military _person. I am analyzing it from all angles. The cut in the funding was needed._TYLE: For their personal wealth? Because certainly not for all the people working for _them. We're left on Arrakis, fighting battles with amounts of manpower that would make _anyone die out of laughter, not 'cause of our weapons._LORA: The manpower issue will explode from "terrible" to "amazing" pretty soon. I've _seen the reports... you cannot imagine the cloning capabilities the Tleilaxu provide us _with. We'll be able to shit soldiers faster than the enemy can kill. Killing the funding _temporarily, so you can get such levels of manpower out of thin air, is a great move.__Incoming transmission...__EXECUTRIX: Executor, your recent performance against the Imperial Sardaukar was _above expectations. That is good. The Harkonnen contributed to the outcome. There _is a 67% probability that the Baron is trying to strike a deal with House Ordos. That is _power. There is a 78.3% chance the Harkonnen want this because of the conclusions _of the Landsraad conference. That is good. _TYLE: Your excellency, may I ask what is happening with the Tleilaxu gholas? I was _told I'd get them, but I did not receive any cargo in the Sardaukar siege. My Starport _was operational at all times, until they managed to bombard it._EXECUTRIX: The ghola reinforcements were sent later than initially considered. The _reason was to combine more troops under the same transport, in order to preserve _funds. That is wise.__Tyle is fuming on the inside. He's close to blowing up in rage. Lora has noticed, and _she proceeds to stop him by changing subject.__LORA: Your highness, I have analyzed the situation regarding the Harkonnen. My _spies are reporting a possible deal with other Houses, possibly the ones who have _supported the Harkonnen in the council meeting._EXECUTRIX: That is a possibility. We're focusing on setting up final arrangements for _the purchase of Shaddam IV's ghola. If the Harkonnen want to make a move, we're _waiting for a beneficial proposal for House Ordos. We shall not initiate any negociations _with the Harkonnen, despite their assistance against the Sardaukar. That is the _directive.__Transmission ended...__TYLE: So I didn't get my promised reinforcements because they wanted to save some _freakin' money?_LORA: Calm down._TYLE: You know, maybe it's easy for you to say that, as a mentat, and also not the _person who had to fight that battle. But for me it wasn't so cool. This plan with the _ghola emperor better work out for them, because I'll demand a raise at some point.__A few days later, the Executrix is contacting both Tyle and Lora.__EXECUTRIX: Executor, mentat, House Ordos is invited to join a secret meeting by the _baron. You shall be part of it and witness the events. That is the directive._LORA: What is the subject of the meeting, your highness?_EXECUTRIX: There's a 89% chance it is about a possible alliance offer. We're initiating _the comm-link.__Transmission started with Baron Harkonnen and the heads of Houses Moritani, Mutelli _and Richese.__BARON: Count Richese, and the Executrix of House Ordos. I am calling you to give _you a one-time offer. One that could benefit everyone involved in this call._COUNT RICHESE: What is this, Baron Harkonnen? I see we have the Ordos, the _Moritani and the Mutelli in here._BARON: We do. All of us despise the Atreides in some way. Or, if not despise, do not _want Leto to get the throne. We all know it will happen. If we let this be a democratic _vote between the Houses of the Landsraad, Leto will win. He has strong supporters, _and he will manage to rally the undecided Houses by his side and get the majority._COUNT RICHESE: Why should we care about the CHOAM proposal? It's not like they _can force an emperor just because the Houses voted Leto._BARON: We will be viewed as renegades, rebels... If we refuse to accept what 90% of _the Landsraad will, it is going to be bad for us._EXECUTRIX: Baron is right. Sheer numbers can decide an emperor no matter what we _want. That is logical. We are assuming you have some sort of plan to prevent this, _Baron. That is the reason of this call. That is obvious._BARON: I do. We've been fighting for a long time, and we don't have to enjoy this. But _Houses Ordos and Harkonnen need to agree for a cease fire and focus on their _common enemy. _EXECUTRIX: House Ordos wants the throne. House Ordos will not accept a _Harkonnen emperor. We are enemies as well. That is logical._BARON: If that second voting session happens, it will not matter anymore. Our _objective is to prevent it from happening._COUNT RICHESE: And what is your idea, Baron?_BARON: To strike the Atreides where it hurts them the most... and where they aren't _prepared. Caladan._COUNT RICHESE: Caladan? That will be a hard thing to break. Their air and naval _power... that planet is mostly water. Their Navy is roaming everywhere._BARON: Not now. Most of their military effort is focused on Arrakis. I have carefully _moved my own military focus from Arrakis to a Caladan campaign, slowly, in time._EXECUTRIX: If all 5 of us invade Caladan, this will attract all other Landsraad _members. We will gain a lot of heat. That is a threat._BARON: This is the catch. We're not going to invade Caladan together. This is your _chance to fix your own issues, Executrix. Same goes to Count Richese. I know about _the issues you had recently with the Ixians. Dominic Vernius declared himself an ally of _Duke Leto Atreides. He would send help on Caladan without hesitation. Leto has other _allies as well, who will no doubt interfere, especially if two big Houses like Atreides and _Vernius are on their side._VISCOUNT MORITANI: We are expecting House Ginaz to aid the Atreides anyway. _That is my own issue. Houses Moritani and Ginaz have a vendetta for a long time. The _thing is: we're all winning something from this coalition. You get to deal with the Ixians, _while we deal with the Atreides and Ginaz._COUNT RICHESE: That is a very compeling deal. An opportunity to destroy House _Vernius... Sweet. _BARON: With no offense, but for it to be effective, you'll need the help of House _Ordos. Together, you can lay waste on Ix. Then, you can claim the technological _leadership easily._BARON MUTELLI: It really depends on the Executrix. _EXECUTRIX: House Ordos will join your coalition. House Ordos will direct its military _towards Ix, together with House Richese. The Ordos will not interfere against the _Atreides. That is the directive._BARON: Excellent. With your attack on Ix, Dominic Vernius will be unable to send help _on Caladan. My forces, along with Moritani and Mutelli, will destroy the Atreides._COUNT RICHESE: We'll be starting preparations immediately.__Transmission ended...__Tyle (thinking): Why the hell would we attack Ix? I thought we wanted to preserve _funds, now we're getting in another war? What for?__Transmission established with Count of Richese...__COUNT RICHESE: I am honestly surprised you accepted. I thought you had a long-_standing trade partnership with the Ixians. In fact, the Deviator you are using on Arrakis _is Ixian technology._EXECUTRIX: House Ordos has a trade agreement with Ix. But House Ordos has an _interest in the Atreides losing their massive influence they possess at the moment. That _is priority. House Ordos can also find a possible trading parter in House Richese, if the _latter can provide us with the technological goods we require. That is the directive._COUNT RICHESE: Of COURSE WE CAN! For so many hundreds of years the known _universe thinks the Ixians are the gods of technology. We shall prove this is not true. _Once Ix lays in ruins, we'll show everyone that House Richese can provide much _better machines, which are not suspected of violating the terms of the Butlerian Jihad, _like the ixian technology is labeled recently, due to some in-depth studies._EXECUTRIX: That remains to be seen. We shall prepare for an invasion of Ix.__Transmission ended...__TYLE: Your highness, may I ask, why are we getting involved in a war that doesn't _directly concern us?_EXECUTRIX: House Vernius of Ix is investigating the Tleilaxu activities lately. They are _suspecting some possible bio-engineering which could violate most of the Landsraad _conventions. That is a threat. By attacking Ix, we prevent them from discovering about _the ghola Shaddam. That is the directive. We shall invite the Tleilaxu in this as well. _They have even higher interests in destroying Ix than us. That is good. They will join _the invasion without difficulties. There is only a 12.4% chance they will refuse this._TYLE: But what about the military funding? That requires a considerable increase._EXECUTRIX: It does not. We shall use our ghola army from now on. It has been _created for this purpose: artificial manpower increase for wars. That is wise. House _Ordos will invest the minimum required manpower and war assets in order to remain in _good terms with House Richese and the Tleilaxu. We are planning to let them fight the _big battles, while we preserve as much as possible from our gholas. In order to ensure _that we do not suffer critical defeats, you shall have access to ghola reinforcements _should your Starports be operational. That is assistance. You shall prepare for an _immediate move on Ix, Executor. You shall lead the invasion for House Ordos. That is _the directive.__Transmission ended...__TYLE: I am speechless._LORA: Your negativity lately is amazing, love. You act like a sad child._TYLE: They didn't want to invest shit into saving our Arrakis campaign, but now, they _invest in an invasion of Ix, OUR TRADE PARTNERS._LORA: Former._TYLE: Whatever. Sending the gholas they purchased is still an investment..._LORA: You heared them, haven't you? We're acting like we care, and that we wanna _help the Richesians, but in reality we don't give a damn. That is the whole plan. We're _building up relations with other Houses, as we could obviously notice in the Landsraad _meeting that House Ordos is lacking in this domain. I'll contact you when I have all the _attack plans. Get ready for Ix, and stop complaining.__A few days later, after a powerful landing on Ix, Tyle receives orders:__LORA: I have the info. You are to deploy close to House Richese forces in sector A-4. _They are already fighting local Ixians resistance there, and I've been told House _Vernius is setting up a military base to repel the attack. The Tleilaxu have also moved _there to stop that. We shall do the same. Be advised, though..._TYLE: About what?_LORA: We believe the Tleilaxu might be up to something..._TYLE: Like what?_LORA: We are not sure yet, but we got reports of certain issues with Ghola production _facilities on Draconis IV. This might sound like it's just an accident, the Executrix _believes there could be a plot going on. They have also delayed the payment and _delivery contract creation for the Shaddam ghola._TYLE: Well this doesn't sound very well._LORA: According to our calculations, there is only a very small chance the Tleilaxu _could turn on you during this assault. But anyway, be on your guard. And remember, _don't try too hard. Let the Richesians and the Tleilaxu fight most of the battles.__==========_Objective: The Harkonnen finally revealed the reason they helped us on Arrakis. A _huge coalition against House Atreides, in which our mighty House has been invited. _We accepted, and are now preparing the invasion of Ix, led by House Vernius, Leto's _most powerful ally. Together with House Richese and the Tleilaxu, you must take the _Ixians by storm. You must deploy next to a Richesian base and aid them in the _destruction of the two Ixian forward bases. There are also Tleilaxu forces fighting by _your side, but keep an eye for them, as they are suspected to plot behind our backs. _And remember: don't try too hard. Let your allies fight the big and costly battles and _intervene only to help repel dangerous attacks, defend your own self, or finish off the _enemy, showing up at the end like a true hero saving