t I can't give you an answer just yet. First I've
got to work out my spiritual problem, and decide whether or not I'd be
willing to leave my family even for something like that."

"I can't do anything for you about the first, but maybe I can ease your
concern about the latter a bit. The one who mind-visited me said he
gave Family Cortin some of the same information he gave me; did that
include anything about an upcoming invasion I'm not going to be allowed
to warn the Empire about?"

"He didn't mention that part, but yeah, a super-nasty one. Why?"

Medart chuckled. "You don't need me to answer that; you can do it for
yourself, but I'll give you a hint if you want."

Odeon thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Don't bother. It's
pretty clear that someone who can command fleets would have a lot more
effect against invaders than a Strike Force officer who's been ordered
off active duty. Which means I could do more for the people I love by
leaving them than I could by staying with them." He paused, then shook
his head. "And that hurts too--especially since one of the public
things is that Rangers don't have any close personal ties, so if I take
the job, I won't even love them any more. Will I?"

Medart hesitated, but he couldn't either lie or refuse to answer. "No,
you won't. That's an emotion I've never had, other than maybe for the
Empire as a whole. Liking and respect for individuals, yes--love, no."

"And I won't miss it. I think that may be the worst." Odeon sighed.
"But you hit me in my vulnerable spot, Jim, and I think you know it.
I've spent my entire adult life doing my damndest to protect and help
people; if I can get past my spiritual problem, I'm going to have to
accept the job."

"If it's any consolation, none of us asked for the job, or particularly
wanted it--my own plans were to go through the Academy, have a Naval
career, and then retire to Herbert's World with a cattle ranch. Every
one of us, Corina included, took it on out of a sense of obligation."

34. Transformation

Odeon was right; he didn't get any sleep. He'd left Medart as soon as
a messenger from the ship delivered the materials the Ranger had
ordered, and spent the next few hours comparing the Traditional
Catholic Bible with the one he knew so well, and studying their
doctrines.

With the exception of a couple of name changes, the Final Coming, and
the Third Aspect being the Holy Spirit instead of the Prot