“… Los venenos rápidos, los venenos lentos y los intermedios. Este es uno nuevo para ti: el Gom Jabbar. Sólo mata a los animales.
El orgullo dominó el miedo de Paul.
—¿Pretendéis insinuar que el hijo de un Duque es un animal? —preguntó.
—Digamos que sugiero que puedes ser humano —dijo—. ¡No te muevas! Te lo advierto, no intentes escapar de mi lado. Mi mano puede clavar esta aguja en tu cuello antes de que consigas alejarte lo suficiente”
Frank Herbert ( Dune )
“The Test for Humanity (The Box)
Two Proctors - Items required: none. Can be performed with an Agony Box, but it is not necessary. One proctor brings the candidate, locks and guards the door. The other proctor will give the actual examination.
Postulant . The candidate is unaware they are being tested until it has begun. It has been suggested that the applicant be slapped upon speaking followed by the order, .Do not smile, do not laugh, do not speak.. This is entirely up to the tester, but it is effective in bringing the applicant quickly into the state of consciousness where they need to be: Emotionally vulnerable and bewildered, to a certain degree. Tell them that this is a serious examination and their absolute attention and focus will be required. Generally speaking, the older and more educated the applicant, the more effective is this tool. With younger applicants it may not be necessary and trust must be maintained. However, if the candidate smiles at any time before the test begins, tell them to leave and they will be notified if and when they may be tested again. You must exert pressure on the candidate from the moment they enter the room. If you feel that the candidate does not fully understand the gravity of the test, you may ask her, .Are you ready?. If she says no, then she may be excused without penalty and allowed to take the test at a later date. If she says yes and you sense that she is speaking the truth, then you may continue the test. Thus, the tester is burdened with many great responsibilities. The postulant is instructed to kneel in front of the examiner or in a chair in front of the box, which should be covered with a cloth at this time. Then she is instructed to place her hand into the box and warned not to move or remove the hand. (The box is simply an opaque container. Inside the box is a metal plate full of holes. Another plate, covered
with tiny needles, is raised up from the bottom of the box until the points are felt by the postulant. These slightly painful points then begin to impart a steadily increasing voltage to the palm, increasing pain and tension in the subject. The rate is controlled by means of a dial on the back of the box.)
Tell her to thrust her arm into the box until her hand is resting upon the element. The element is a metal plate that should initially feel cool to the touch. Tell her to keep her hand on the element no matter what happens. Tell her if she removes her hand from the element, she will be finished as a Bene Gesserit. The threat of severe punishment must be credible. Remember to go slowly and use as much psychological pressure as you can. Try to keep the control of the apparatus hidden completely and let the effects seem to be totally under the control of your will.
The design and function of the box are important secrets. If anyone asks, tell them the box is empty and the subject is hypnotized. The surest way to keep a secret is to make people believe they already know the answer. People don.t ask questions then. If the secrets become known, the box will become useless for testing and we will have to employ other, potentially more dangerous methods. One reason for secrecy is the rare use of the agony box in interrogations. There is a large question of legality that we would rather not address if we do not have to. As a Reverend Mother you know how to keep
secrets, it is your most solemn duty. If the postulant does not believe in the power of the test, then the test is a meaningless game. Once the postulant has been informed of the rules, the test must be completed. You must make absolutely certain she understands the rules of the test! Do not laugh or extend any sympathies to the candidate. If she removes her hand or moves after this point, she fails and ceases to be Bene Gesserit.
The second phase of the test is inducing, by means of hypno-induction, or nerve induction, a state of fear in the postulant by suggesting that her hand is burning. Pain and fear are increased steadily and surely until the Proctor is satisfied with the Postulants. ability to overcome her own fear. After all, pain is the axis of the test, not the test itself.
The test is crisis and observation. Crisis and Observation: We observe her in pain to determine her humanity by her ability to override any nerve in her body. If she cannot control her most powerful instincts, then she is not truly Human.
As the voltage and pressure increase, the proctor should use some sparing remarks to increase the pressure in the subjects. mind. The following is only a suggestion:
.There is no shame in being scarred. The burn scars on your hand will become a part of you. I know it hurts, but even the punctures in your skin will heal quickly and the marks will fade in a few years. A Bene Gesserit must not be vain. A good scar is the perfect reminder we all need to keep us in touch with the sharp edges of reality..
The test for Humanity can take many forms, so let your senior Sister decide the best form. In any event, a great deal of non-injurious pain is required. It must be something that makes the Postulant question herself at a very deep level. If she can withstand the pain and humiliation with grace and self-control, then she has passed. In any case, the ordeal is to be kept a secret by all parties involved…”
Bene Gesserit Training Manual
Daniel Fletcher
