Giedi Prime/DE

Giedi Prime was the third planet orbiting the star Ophiuchi B. It was the historical homeworld of House Harkonnen.

Characteristics
Giedi Prime had a day of length 31.27 standard hours and a local year lasting 2.6 standard years. The planet was of average temperatures and maintained a low level of photosynthesis. This low level of photosynthesis was largely due to the heavy industrialisation of the planet under the Harkonnens. However, the Harkonnens did maintain some of the planet's original forests, mainly of pilingitam trees for logging and export.

During this time the planet sported factories, arenas, and many cities. The arenas were used to hold spectacles for the populace, including gladiatorial events. During the rule of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, his nephew Feyd-Rautha would often perform in these arenas as a means for gaining popularity among the populace and the Houses Minor. The main climate was volcanic wastelands.

History
The planet became the homeworld of the House Harkonnen. In 10165 AG Leto I Atreides with House Tipnear and House Chusak performed in a "black" raid on Giedi Prime; they took over the slave-market city of Baathaas and freed about 20000 slaves, not to mention immense damage was done to the Harkonnen slaving fleet based there. The slaves were taken to Caladan, given their freedom and were offered passage to any of the systems that had taken part in the raid.

In early 10192 AG, Count Hasimir and Lady Margot Fenring were sent as official observers to Harko, to witness the birthday celebrations for Feyd-Rautha, the na-Baron.

After the fall of the Harkonnens, Wensicia Corrino was banished to Giedi Prime, where she took refuge with the family of Dalak Fenring. The refuge was given reluctantly, entirely as a favour to her son Farad’n.

Administration of the planet was taken over by people of Caladan. During this time it was renamed by Atreides Warmaster Gurney Halleck into Gammu. It was an historical irony that Halleck would come to have power over Giedi Prime, as many years prior, he and his sister were slaves to the Harkonnens when they ruled there.

The Bene Gesserit had an investment there, which they had to write off as a total loss, and offset the cost by fees charged for services relating to the Star Jewel Project.

As part of Caladani (later Danian) administration of Giedi Prime (Gammu), most of the machines of industry were dismantled, and the planet's natural ecosystem was regenerated by large-scale replanting that lasted over thousands of years. Despite this however, some five thousand years after Harkonnen rule had ended, oily residue could still be found in the planet's soil.

Eventually, much of Gammu came under the control of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood. It became the base from which they grew Duncan Idaho gholas for their breeding programs. However, many parts of Gammu's cities were also under the control of Houses Minor and organisations returning from The Scattering, organisations that had managed to amass significant wealth. Indeed, Gammu appeared to become a popular destination of people returning from The Scattering, and upon their return they brought with them many new and strange customs that found a home there.

One of the few surviving copies of the Assassin's Handbook belonging to Baron Vladimir was to be found on Giedi Prime.

The First Discovery Conference was held on Giedi Prime, met only to establish an agenda for the planning of the investigation of the Rakis hoard find.

People
The Harkonnen military forces were conscripted from the general populace of Giedi Prime. These forces were fairly effective because many of them had managed to channel their oppressed upbringing into military endeavours. Indeed, much of the planet's population lived a meagre and oppressed existence due to the harsh rule of the Harkonnens. Many natives of Giedi Prime were used as slave labour to work the machines of heavy industry that occupied so much of the planet's surface.

Behind the scenes
The name is derived from the Latin Prima Geidi, which is the current name for the star that Geidi Prime is meant to orbit.

Appearances

 * Dune
 * God Emperor of Dune
 * Heretics of Dune