Beneath the Red Dragon

”All of you back off, you fools, she’s holding a knife to my neck, she will cut my throat,”

Stilgar raised his neck, trying to avoid being scratched by Lady Jessica’s dagger, yet he spoke calmly.

The Fremen are formidable warriors, but Jessica, as a witch once rigorously trained by the Sisterhood, is skilled in physical control and combat abilities, as well as mental influence, and counteracted the leader of the Fremen who underestimated women in an instant when the conflict broke out.

A Fremen warrior stabbed at Jessica, but the witch easily dodged with a simple sidestep, then shaped her hand into a palm, nimbly and delicately chopping at the Fremen warrior’s neck, knocking him down.

Stilgar was also instantly overtaken by this combination of witch and warrior, and his Crystal Fang Dagger was seized.

However, judging by Stilgar’s tone, this formidable leader did not seem worried about his situation; perhaps, this was the scenario he was pleased with.

Similarly trained in combat skills since childhood with Duncan, the Sword Saint of the family, Paul Atreides evaded the attacks of the Fremen warriors, easily breaking through the encirclement of several Fremen.

Then he lept onto the rocks of the canyon, past the other Fremen still lying on the stones, indifferent, watching like spectators, quickly reaching the highest point, taking out firearms, aiming at the Fremen below, controlling the scene.

The firearm in Paul’s hand was not primitive, firing bullets, but rather a laser weapon; after the interstellar civilization, humanity had long abandoned primitive firearms.

The Holtzman Shield Field invented by humans is a protective shield device, forming an energy shield enveloping the entire body armor at a specially vibrating frequency, a nemesis for kinetic weapons.

The Holtzman Shield Field can only be penetrated by slow-moving objects below six to nine centimeters per second, like air, slow-moving swords, but can completely block bullets and other high-speed objects that cause damage using kinetic energy.

And laser firearms and spacecraft’s laser cannons can puncture the Holtzman Shield Fields, but will trigger a small nuclear explosion.

Therefore, due to some tacit convention, today’s interstellar nobility legions use specially crafted cold weapon blades for internal warfare.

Warriors proficient in quick and slow swords, able to freely switch attack modes between rapid and slow, are the elite warriors of major legions.

Only when conquering alien planets will they use exceptionally powerful city-destroying weapons, like the main cannon of spacecraft, or during extermination warfare, as the Harkonnen Clan and Emperor annihilated House Atreides.

But these native Fremen do not have such high-tech Holtzman Shield Fields, unable to block the firearm in Paul’s hands. Therefore, all Fremen immediately halted, no longer rashly attacking.

”Why didn’t you say earlier you are like a witch, why didn’t you say you’re also a powerful warrior,”

Lady Jessica’s face was calm, completely different from when facing the Ancestral Red Dragon before.

She held the dagger firmly in her smooth hands, without the slightest tremor, pressed closely against Stilgar’s neck.

Her eyes, like a mother wolf, scanned the surrounding Fremen, slowly leaning her mouth towards Stilgar’s ear, calmly saying, ”Too late to say!”

”Calm down, don’t act rashly, woman, stay calm,”

Stilgar took a breath, raising his hands, demonstrating he had no other actions, then calmly said, ”I was impulsive just now.”

Jessica glanced at Stilgar, then leaned her cheek close to Stilgar’s robe, gently kissed the man’s robe, and released this mighty warrior.

”Uh,”

Stilgar freed from crouching, stood up, slightly raised his head, looked at the witch, extended his hand toward Jessica, but his words were directed at all warriors.

”Dawn is approaching; we must reach Teb Cave before sunrise. The fate of these two outsiders will be decided there.”

Jessica stared into Stilgar’s eyes, then returned the dagger made from sand worm teeth she seized from him.

Only then did Stilgar turn around, facing the Fremen, loudly declaring, ”Until then, they’re under my protection!” At this moment, he lifted his glove, lightly scraped the Crystal Fang Dagger across the back of his wrist, performing the Fremen’s vow, ”I guarantee it!”

One by one, the Fremen acknowledging Stilgar’s leadership also performed this action, indicating they respect the tribe leader’s decision and will protect these young outsiders until they reach Teb Cave, the dwelling place of the Fremen.

Paul Atreides, controlling the scene from high ground, seeing this, prepared to lower his firearm.

But a young woman’s voice sounded behind Paul, ”I won’t let you harm my friends!”

Paul Atreides quickly turned around, aiming his firearm at the source of the voice.

In the highest corner, hidden in the shadows, was a Fremen Female Warrior he had not previously noticed, crouching in the corner, holding a dagger, poised as if ready to strike anytime, staring at Paul.

Although this Female Warrior wore a Distillation Suit, with her entire body, including her face, wrapped under a robe, only her eyes and the nose clip-style breathing filter were exposed.