Dune is a story about intergalactic politics, among several thousand other things. The main characters are born into noble families with millennia of legacy and endless power. Millions of humans die in the ages-old feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen. Most wars are fought for resources, like the spice melange. If there's one group with a secure political position in the Dune universe, it's the Spacing Guild. No one can get anywhere without them.