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Pardot & Liet (right) on Arrakis
Liet-Kynes, also known as Weichih Kynes was the son of Pardot Kynes and his wife Frieth and the father of Chani (who became the concubine of Emperor Paul Atreides), as well as the adopted father of Liet-chih. Liet was a prominent imperial planetologist/ecologist of Arrakis, the Judge of the Change, and the secret Abu Naib of all Fremen at the time House Atreides took control of Arrakis in 10,191AG.
History[]
During Liet's childhood, he grew up with Warrick, who was a fellow Fremen from Red Wall Sietch. Friends from early childhood, Warrick accompanied Liet Kynes, on many of the routine and everyday occurrences that Liet experienced as a teenager. Among Imperials, Liet was known by the name Weichih.
Dominic Vernius[]
As the two grew into men, they discovered the hidden hideout of the former Earl Dominic Vernius who had established an underground base on Arrakis' Southern Polar Region. Discovered by the Earl's men while delivering the annual melange tribute to the Spacing Guild, Liet and Warrick were led before the renegade nobleman. The exiled leader of House Vernius agreed to spare the lives of the young duo, and Liet and Warrick agreed to help the help Dominic better hide his base. Released by Vernius, Liet and his close friend never told of the Antarctic location.
Marriage to Faroula[]
As the two progressed into adulthood, their eyes were caught by a young Fremen women named Farola, daughter of the Naib of their sietch. Liet confided in Warrick that he had written poetry about Faroula, but the ever confident Warrick sadly stated that Liet would probably never share the words with her. Warrick further re-iterated that he, too, was interested in the teen Fremen maiden. Finally, Farola issued a marriage challenge to both, including Liet, leaving them a note in each of their quarters, that she could be found in the far away Cave of Birds. The first of the two young males to find her, would be her betrothed.
Liet summoned a Giant sandworm,and used his Maker hooks to guide the beast across the sands of Dune. Sadly, Liet arrived at the Cave just a few moments later than Warrick did, and as Warrick and Faroula pledged their lives to each other, Liet slowly turned around, and did not interrupt his friend's tender moment.
Salusa Secundus[]
Liet left the Sietch soon afterwards, embittered about his loss of the hand of Faroula, and headed for the Antarctic regions of the planet. He left Dune, and joined Vernius at another of his secret bases on Salusa Secundus. Liet soon tired of the Corrino Empire prison world, and Liet headed back to Arrakis.
A few months later, Liet gave word to the Sietch that he was returning to his extended family. Liet gave word to Warrick, and told him to meet him in the Southern Polar Region. Warrick was overjoyed, and the two had a short-lived reunion. Warrick explained to Liet that he and Faroula had formally married in Liet's absence; and within a year, their son, Liet-chih had been born.
The Coriolis Storm[]
On the way back to their ancient homestead, a fierce Coriolis storm began to come near them from far off in the desert. The sandworm that they were riding fled deep into the sand as the giant storm approached. A small out-cropping of rock, only big enough for one man, was the only shelter that the duo could find. The two lifelong friends struggled as to whom should use the rock shelter, as the other would almost certainly die, due to being exposed to the fercious sand winds.
Warrick debated that Liet should use the shelter, as he was the son of Umma Pardot Kynes. Liet demanded that Warrick use the shelter, as he had a wife and child to take care of. As neither would "take no for an answer", and the storm was almost upon them, they left their fate to chance, to throwing sticks. Warrick cast first, and rolled a score of seven; Liet acquired a nine. As the two argued still further, the storm came upon them, and Warrick pushed Liet into the enclosure.
The Water of Life[]
Liet survived unscathed, but Warrick was critically wounded and blinded; the skin scoured from his face and parts of his body. Liet took him back to the Sietch, to the gasps and horrified look of Faroula and the rest of the Fremen. Warrick announced that he had received a prophectic vision from Shai-Hulud during the sandstorm, and that more would be revealed about the Lisan al Gaib if Warrick drank from the Water of Life.
After a few short days, Sayyadina Ramallo arrived and administered the deadly Water to Liet's close friend. Warrick was quickly poisoned, but began spouting forth utterances as he suffered towards mortality. He vaguely spoke that "they will not be able to control him" in reference to the Lisan, but Ramallo could not adequately interpret his oraclur speakings. Soon, Warrick died in the process.
Death of Pardot & Birth of Chani[]
Almost immediately, Liet married his best friends' widow, with the blessings of the Sietch, and a few years later, little Chani was born to the Fremen couple. Sadly, Liet's father, Pardot, perished in a cave-in as he checked on the progess of one of the terra-forming stations. Liet-Kynes inherited his father's mantle and served as both the planetary ecologist of Dune and leader of the Fremen. He continued his father's vision of gradually terraforming the planet from a harsh desert world into a temperate world with precipitation, greenery, and open water.
Involvement with House Atreides[]
Dr. Liet Kynes, as portrayed by actor Max von Sydow in the 1984 Dune Movie.
Upon the arrival of House Atreides on Arrakis, Kynes acted as arbiter of succession in regard to the change of fief, as ordered by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV. Kynes' role was to report to the Landsraad and the Emperor regarding the legality of the processes used by the Atreides in taking control of the planet, after House Harkonnen was ordered to leave.
Through his intelligence network, Duke Leto Atreides quickly came to realise that, as well as maintaining official imperial duties, Kynes also possessed some authority with the Fremen. Reports indicated that Kynes had "gone native". As a result, Duke Leto attempted to show Kynes as much as possible that he was taking control of the planet in an honourable fashion. Moreover, Leto realised that if he could get Kynes on side, it could possibly go a long way in winning the Fremen over, who had long-standing suspicion and distrust for the Faufreluches due to their lack of concern for the welfare of the native inhabitants of Arrakis.
Loyalty and Death[]
Kynes' act of saving the Atreides served to illustrate a point: the Atreides, through their honourable ways, could instill fanatic loyalty in people, to the point where they would give their life for them. Indeed, in the case of Liet-Kynes, this is indeed what happened. Upon the return of House Harkonnen to Arrakis, Kynes was captured as an accomplice to the Atreides, the Fremen, and witness of the dishonourable ways of the Harkonnens. He was abandoned in the desert without water or a stillsuit, and ultimately killed when heat exhaustion, dehydration and delirium prevented him from escaping a massive spice blow.
Legacy[]
Kynes was survived by his daughter, Chani, who later became concubine of Paul. As a result, he was grandfather to the God-Emperor, Leto II, and his twin sister, Ghanima Atreides. Kynes' descendants continued the terraforming of Arrakis, until it became a lush and fertile world.
Ghola During Kralizec[]
Kynes was one of the first historical figures reborn as part of Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother Sheeana's ghola project aboard the no-ship, the Ithaca. His ghola grew up on the vessel, and formed a close bond with the ghola of his former friend Stilgar. His memories are successfully restored, however Kynes refused to discuss the experience with the other gholas.
After a decade of wandering, the no-ship found the planet Qelso, which was slowly being converted to a desert by sandworms seeded previously by the Bene Gesserit. Kynes and Stilgar stayed behind to help a group of natives both slow the advance of the desert, but prepare for the inevitable aridity of the world. Later, following Duncan Idaho's merging with the independent robot Erasmus, Duncan returned to Qelso with an army of Thinking Machines to halt the spread of the desert.