Chapter 25: God Emperor Of Dune (Summary)

Leto sits on his raised platform in the audience chamber when his Fish Speaker acolytes bring in Duro Nunepi, the Tleilaxu Ambassador, ahead of his scheduled order. Nunepi wears full ambassadorial regalia and surveys the armed guards with bright amusement before Duncan Idaho enters and stations himself near the God Emperor. Leto expresses his open distaste for Shape Changers and rejects Nunepi's diplomatic standing, abruptly accusing the Tleilaxu of spreading malicious lies concerning Leto's personal habits. Shocked by the false accusation, Nunepi stammers in denial and fear as Leto declares himself a metamorphic vector of Shai Hulud and the supreme God. Forgiving the ambassador for his crime but condemning his stupidity, Leto strips the Tleilaxu of their spice allotment for the decade and orders his Fish Speakers to drag Nunepi into the public plaza for a severe public flogging. Left alone with Idaho, Leto explains that he is teaching a lesson about responsibility and the dangerous illusion that military conspirators or invaders can escape accountability for their actions against others. Idaho expresses deep doubt regarding the political fallout of the punishment, but Leto remains unconcerned and insists on using repetition to impress his pedagogical points upon his followers. A crystalline control panel projects a three-dimensional live view of the plaza where Nunepi is bound to a tripod and stripped of his garments. A masked Fish Speaker named Nayla steps forward and begins to lash Nunepi's exposed back with an elacca whip while a crowd gathers and watches the bloody spectacle. Sensing that Nayla is overly ardent and risks killing the ambassador, Leto commands Idaho to send an official to halt the punishment after twenty lashes and announce that the God Emperor has magnanimously reduced the sentence. Idaho turns back to Leto in dismay and questions the wisdom of such a violent demonstration, to which Leto heartily agrees that nothing good will come of it.