have no objections to using those results. We get few thanks and less
praise for what we do, so it is well that God grants us the mercy of
deriving our satisfaction from the work itself."

Odeon nodded. That was something else he'd never thought about . . .
and again, it made sense. "I understand, I think. So I'll work with
her whenever she's doing an interrogation, then?"

"Yes. When you feel able to assist, you will of course be covered by
her Warrant." He looked at his watch, then grinned ruefully at Cortin.
"I thought we had been busy for some time, but I had not realized I had
lost track of time to this degree. It is almost midnight--I think we
had best call it a day immediately, and pray Doctor Egan does not find
out how late I kept you. I am not feeling sucicidal enough to face her
if she feels I have been overworking you again."

"Neither am I! Once was more than enough." The chewing out Egan had
given tham when she'd caught them in a tutoring session after visiting
hours was one Cortin would remember with respect for some time. "See
you at breakfast?"

"It would be my pleasure."

* * * * *

Cortin slept soundly, and when she woke early it was in anticipation of
assisting at Mike's First Mass and then celebrating her own. She found
herself looking forward to both of them more than she could remember
having done since her First Communion, after the way the previous day's
had made her feel.

Her anticipation suffered a setback, though, when she found a note from
Mike in her message box; he'd been asked to say his First Mass for some
newly-arrived Strike Force selectees, and he said she would have as
well if she hadn't still been on hospital status. She didn't see how
saying Mass could be more strenuous than conducting
interrogations--though maybe Egan didn't know she'd done any--but she
couldn't object.

For Odeon's First Mass: Odeon's First Mass

She opened the field Mass kit she'd been issued and laid it out on the
bureau, kissed the stole and put it around her neck, then blessed
herself and began her First Mass. She was surprised at how easily she
was able to speak the Latin; even though she'd heard it almost every
Sunday since she was old enough to remember, she'd never seriously
tried to use it. She'd heard the Terrans had experimented with using
whatever the local language happened to be, but that seemed almost
sacrilegious; she couldn't imagine Mas