Entrepreneuse of Dune

(The Lady Jessica walks through the Sietch Libr basin. Chani is sitting on the rock throne holding baby Ghanima. Harah and Phillipa stand next to her. Usul Leto and Alia are playing on the basin floor. Everyone looks up and sees Jessica walking through the sietch basin).

CHANI (to Phillipa):

"Phillipa, please take Usul and Alia. (Usul Leto and Alia run to where Phillipa is standing, take her hands and follow her out of the basin. Jessica steps onto the rock dais). This is your granddaughter. Ghanima."

JESSICA:

"My gods, she is! The shape of her eyes! Her nose!"

CHANI (to Harah, who is still standing next to the rock throne):

"Harah, please take her to Phillipa and the children. (Chani hands Ghanima to Harah who walks out of the basin. (To Jessica)): I told you, my mother, you would always be a welcome guest here."

JESSICA:

"Try to understand, Chani! For me, this planet has been nothing but a place of pain and loss! I lost my home. I lost my lover. My children. My grandchildren."

CHANI:

"My mother, save for your home, your lover, and your firstborn grandson, these losses were of your own doing."

JESSICA:

"No, Chani! My son died!"

CHANI:

"And where were you before he died?"

JESSICA:

"I know I've much to answer for. But let me be plain. I wish to start over. I wish to see my daughter and my grandchildren."

CHANI:

"When it comes to Alia, that is entirely up to her."

JESSICA:

"And my grandchildren?"

CHANI:

"For them, you must begin with me. My mother, I've never been good enough for you!"

JESSICA:

"Chani, I beg your indulgence! This was not the life I imagined for my son!"

CHANI:

"Well, your wish came true! Paul returned to a palace and his royal wife produced an heir. And he's mine now!"

JESSICA:

"Must you be so harsh?"

CHANI:

"You Bene Gesserit have never learned, have you? The more you plotted, the more harm you caused, mostly to yourselves."

JESSICA:

"I thought I was doing what I had to do! For the Sisterhood! For House Atreides! For my son!"

CHANI:
"Jessica, it's not just how you felt about me. You lied about me!"

JESSICA:

"Whatever do you mean?"

CHANI:

"Paul told me, during our last hours together. You told him I was meeting suitors!"

JESSICA:

"You were!"

CHANI:
"Not when you told him I was! Not until three years after Paul became Emperor! And I could not choose one! You see, while your son was alive and wed, I still had grieving to do."

JESSICA:
"Don't you see? My son was in pain! I would have said anything to help him move on! You left him, Chani!"

CHANI:

"No. He left me the moment he chose to marry someone else."

JESSICA:

"You would have been his only lover. You know that!"

CHANI:

"I needed my lover to be mine alone, in name and in passion!"

JESSICA:

"How little you know of the Great Houses."

CHANI:
"And how little you know of me! I needed you, Jessica! We had both just lost little Leto. Rather than comfort me, you watched as my lover took a wife! And you dared to tell me that this was right!"

JESSICA:

"What do you want me to say?"

CHANI:
"Before I can ever trust you with your grandchildren, you must make it right with me."

JESSICA:
"I am very sorry that I hurt you, Chani."

CHANI:

"It's not an apology that I want. I want you to see me. Respect me. Love me, even. I am the mother of your grandchildren, be it in name or in blood."

JESSICA:

"I will try. But please, tell me. Will my grandchildren carry on the Atreides name?"

CHANI:

"I promise you, they will always know who their father was. They may use the Atreides name if they so choose. But here in the sietch, family is so much more than names, than titles. Do you understand?"

JESSICA:
"I suppose I must."

CHANI:

"As promised, you will always be welcome here. But I shall not leave you alone with the children. Any of them. Including Alia. Just because you lost your Bene Gesserit abilities does not mean that I trust that their spirits are safe with you."

JESSICA:

"Might they ever visit me on Caladan?"

CHANI:
"Not unless you are willing to let me accompany them into your fine palace. This means that you must make your peace with Arrakis. You cannot see your daughter and grandchildren if you refuse to set foot here. You missed a beautiful ceremony for Ghanima!"

JESSICA:
"I know. I just wasn't certain whether she was..."

CHANI (interrupting):

"I'm not that way, Jessica, despite any prejudices you may have towards Fremen women."

JESSICA:

"Forgive me, I meant no offense. It's just that . . . you had been apart from him for so long. And now he's gone."

CHANI:

"Yes, he is gone. We said all we needed to say to each other in the end, and for that, I am grateful. Maybe one day I'll be ready to love again. But my first responsibility is to my children. All of them."

JESSICA:
"I am glad for you. I truly wish that my Leto and I had said all we needed to say to each other."

CHANI:

"I'm afraid you can't. But if you're willing to change your heart, perhaps you can say all you need to say to the children. And to me."

JESSICA:
"Thank you, Chani. I shall do my best."