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Arrakeen, Arrakis.(DWN)- As violence flares up on Arrakis, high ranking Sardaukar officers on Kaitain have told reporters that they plan to "kill or capture" Paul Muad'dib, the high ranking Fremen cleric who is believed to be responsible for the recent outbreak of violence.
The charasmatic fundamentalist leader called for the fremen people to rise up against the Emperor last week and has since been in hiding. Authorities believe he has taken refuge somewhere beyond the Shield Wall.
The last week has been quite hard on Sardaukar troops. On tuesday an ornithopter went down to enemy fire, making it the second in four days. A number of civilian hostages have been taken, including three Guild Steersmen, seven Bene Gesseritts, and an unknown number of Harkonnen contractors. Nevertheless, Sardaukar remain resolute, "submit or die" says one Sardaukar to the fremen.
The recent violence has been increasing the criticism towards Emperor Shaddam IV. It has been just over one year since the courageous invasion of Arrakis, which toppled the corrupt dictatorship of Leto Atreides. Leto's one son, Paul Atreides, had been killed in a shootout with Sardaukar forces, and Leto himself was captured while hiding in a small hole in the ground, his present whereabouts are state secret.
Some fremen appear to be having doubts about the Sardaukar liberation. "Didn't the Emperor appoint the Duke (Leto) in the first place?" asks one Arrakeen mentat, "and now they want to replace him with this guy Harkonnen? Isn't he a known criminal?"
Yet the Sardaukar actually appear to be quite loved by the fremen, whom the Sardaukar liberated from Leto's treacherous duchy. A recent poll of Fremen shows that the majority fremen, 85%, appreciate Sardaukar forces on Arrakis. Some critics of the poll say the sample pool is to small, as the actual number of fremen is unknown.
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