two, did have enough variety and interest to keep him occupied until a
reasonable time, local, to go to bed and do some thinking until he fell
asleep. If you were alone, he'd found, bed was one of the best places
possible for concentrated thought: dark, quiet, and with no
interruptions.

One thing he'd have to do fairly soon, he decided, was have a serious
discussion with Odeon about religion. It was clear even from the
little he'd seen, never mind Odeon's conviction that God and Devil had
cooperated in healing Cortin, that religion was far more important in
the Systems than it was in the Empire.

After that, though, what? The Brothers of Freedom seemed to be the
Kingdom Systems' biggest problem; it would have to be a big plus if he
and the rest of the visiting Imperials could help wipe out that sort of
threat.

He wasn't prepared for what happened next. He felt a mind-touch, more
powerful than he would have believed possible. *You needn't be
concerned about the Brotherhood, Ranger. They are my concern, and the
Protector's.*

*What the-- Who are you?*

*I have many names. You call me Satan, people here call me Shayan, and
at present I call myself Lucius. You are absolutely correct about the
other, however; you should indeed have a talk with Michael Odeon, and
soon. Tonight, I think.*

*Satan, huh?* The other believed that, and his mind-touch was
definitely both powerful and non-human, though it reminded him in a way
of Cortin's. But the actual Christian Devil? *That's a bit hard to
swallow.*

*You will come to accept it. I would say, from what I sense going on
in the common-room, that Cortin is in the process of transferring her
Protector role to the one who will hold it permanently. That means a
decision point crucial to this entire universe will arrive within days,
perhaps hours, and you should have the same information I was permitted
to give Family Cortin.* Medart got the impression of a sardonic smile.
*Cortin's role in the primary drama has ended, save for the formality
of bringing the Systems into your Empire, and the Protector will be, as
I am, restricted to the Systems, at least for a time. The true focal
point here is, and always has been, Michael Odeon; his birth and
development are the culmination of the history you studied on the way
here, and his decision will determine the fate of this universe. He
does not know that, and you will be no more able to tell him than I
am--but I wo