Transformation

: EXTRAS

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 Pr
tector--and,

of course, the accommodations the Systems Church had made for

Enforcement and the Satyr Plague--the two were almost identical. Where

they differed otherwise were matters of discipline, with the Systems

version stricter. It was even possible, he told himself, that the

Third Aspect used both names, and the Protector's appearance in the

Systems didn't rule out Jeshua's Second Coming to the rest of the

Empire. It did bother him that Jim had said the Protector was limited

to the Systems, but he reminded himself yet again that a mortal could

never truly understand the Mind of God; all he could do was accept.



It wouldn't be difficult for him to make the necessary adjustments,

either, though he'd definitely have to see the Terran Pope if he

decided to take up either of Jim's offers. It probably wouldn't be a

good idea to tell him Pope Lucius' true identity, even though he was

certain it wouldn't be believed. But it wouldn't hurt to tell him

about having the Systems Pope's permission to celebrate Mass more than

once a day, and find out what would be expected of a priest who was

also a Ranger.



Odeon sighed when he got to that point. He'd managed to avoid facing

the fact so far, but he couldn't put it off forever; by bringing his

Family's welfare into the equation, Jim had made it impossible for him

to turn the job down. He'd known that even then, he thought, but he

hadn't wanted to accept it.



And he still didn't want to. He loved his Family too much to want to

leave them, particularly when it would mean he'd no longer be able to

love them. But as Jim had made him work out for himself, he could do

them a lot more good in the upcoming war by leaving to take a high

Imperial position than he could by staying. Dear God, but the prospect

hurt, though!



He sighed again. For the first time in his career, he was reluctant to

act on a decision as soon as he made it. This was the first one that

would bring about major changes in his essential self, and that

prospect frightened him. Even Shayan's mental surgery hadn't changed

what he was; it had only given him a couple of new abilities--very

minor ones, from what he'd read of Talent.



The memory of that surgery didn't help, either. Even though Shayan had

assured him it could've been done painlessly and in seconds, he

couldn't shake the association of mental changes with agonizing,

prolonged pain and violation. As he'd told Sara, though, if someone

needed his help as badly as she had, he didn't have any choice but to

try giving it, even though he wasn't sure he could endure such surgery

again.



That lack of choice was even more emphatic since the ones needing his

help included his Family. He had to submit to that surgery, endure it

to the best of his ability, and pray he'd have the strength to survive

it.



Live or die, he thought grimly, he'd be losing those he deeply

loved--and he wasn't sure whether he should indulge himself, tell them

all goodbye, or if it would be better to just go ahead and do it. That

decision could wait, though; he didn't want it to be obvious he hadn't

slept or--yet--that he was bracing himself to leave. He had just about

time to clean up and say Mass before he'd have to go in to breakfast.



* * * * *



Odeon removed his stole and kissed it, then folded it and put it in his

tunic pocket. Saying Mass had helped more than he'd expected; he was

feeling somewhere between resigned and serene when he went to the

dining room for breakfast. He'd also decided or been guided, he wasn't

sure, that since he was going to go, he might as well get it over with.

Brief goodbyes after breakfast, then ask the Protector to make the

necessary changes.



Fortunately for his peace of mind, he thought, the children weren't

there--maybe deliberately, because the Family's expressions told him

they knew something was going on. And, to his surprise, the new

Protector was sitting between Joanie and Jim, his plate holding more

food than Odeon would've thought reasonable for someone his size--if an

Aspect of God had to eat at all. Still, Jeshua had . . .



As Odeon sat down and began filling his own plate, Keith chuckled. "As

long as I'm in body," he said, "I do have to eat. And a Sandeman

warrior has a pretty high metabolic rate, so I have to eat a lot. Yes,

your Family knows what you've decided to do, and that you made that

decision primarily to help them. They also know I won't hurt you in

the slightest. We'll take care of it after breakfast, as you're

thinking. All right?"



"As you will it, Lord."



Keith grinned. "Better start getting used to giving orders instead of

taking them, Michael. Do you want just the abilities, or the mind-set

as well?"



Odeon tried to return the smile, but was sure it came out more like the

grimace he really felt. "I don't think you need to ask, Lord

Protector. If I'm going to do it, I'll do it right; I'll take whatever

you see fit to give me."



At that, he felt the other's approval. "So be it, Michael. You'll be

a real asset to your--and your Family's--new home."



* * * * *



After breakfast, the entire group went to the common-room. Odeon said

his goodbyes, embracing and kissing his Family head and spouses while

tears ran down his face.



Medart watched sympathetically. Odeon's feelings of betrayal and

uselessness might not have been enough to bring him to this point;

protecting his Family to the best of his ability, even if it meant

giving them up to do it, had done the job--something Medart had seen

the previous night, though Odeon hadn't yet realized it. He regretted

the man's present pain, but he was certain that once the Protector made

the necessary changes, Mike would find he job every bit as challenging

and satisfying as Medart himself did.



When Odeon was finished with his goodbyes, he turned to the Protector.

"I'm ready. What do you want me to do?"



"Find a comfortable chair, and tell me whether you want to remain

conscious for the procedure or not."



Odeon sat down in the nearest armchair, grateful to his Family for

gathering around as the Protector stood in front of him. Medart held

back, which made Odeon grin briefly. "You ought to be here too, Jim; I

made the decision I did because you forced me to face the fact I could

do my Family more good this way than I could any other."



"Decision?" Cortin asked sharply, as Medart joined the group. "The

decision point was Mike's?"



Keith saved Medart from having to answer. "Yes. You all protected him

by your certainty that the decision would be Joan's; now it's his turn

to protect all of you." He turned to Odeon. "Which would you prefer?"



"Since you say it won't hurt, I'll take it straight. I don't think I

could handle that kind of pain again."



Keith smiled. "You underestimate yourself, Michael; you are far

stronger than you believe. The only part of your basic personality

I'll need to modify at all is detaching you emotionally enough that

you'll no longer have or form close personal ties that would affect a

Ranger's necessary impartiality. The rest will be additions, or

speeding up attitude changes you'd be going through anyway."



"I think that's a relief," Odeon said. "Let's take care of it, okay?"



"Okay."



* * * * *



Keith stepped back and smiled. "Done, Michael. You and James need to

take care of some details, so we'll leave in a couple of minutes. I

gave you everything a Ranger needs, in some cases more, and took care

of a couple of your problems--such as removing your allergy to teaching

tapes; you'll be able to use them now, and you'll need them. Your

intelligence has doubled; you have and know how to use a powerful

Talent that includes telepathy, mind-shield, teleportation, and

materialization; and you have the other abilities and attitudes proper

for a Ranger. I also removed the satyr virus from your body, so you're

no longer contagious, a service I will perform for anyone else who

leaves the Systems. I made only one overt physical change, since

you've chosen the Traditional Church, which means you can't be my

priest or devotee any longer. I've reset your biological clock to

where it would be if you'd been selected in the usual manner, but to

maintain it there, you'll have to go on anti-agathics; my powers, as

James told you, don't extend beyond the Systems. Otherwise you look

and feel exactly the same--but if you should need them, I've given you

a complex of hidden changes, all of which will activate if any one of

them is required. Again, with improvements." He smiled again.

"You'll do well, Michael, both as Christ's priest and as a Ranger.

Joan, you reached a decision yourself while I was working; you ought to

tell them what it is."



Cortin looked from Medart to Odeon, then back. "If Mike thinks

anything about the Empire is important enough that he'll give up Family

Cortin for it, I'll trust his judgement; as sole negotiator for the

Kingdom Systems, I am empowered to say the Systems will join the

Empire. I ask that you give us all the help possible to reach the

level of the rest of the Empire, and show us how to take our proper

place in it."



"Gladly, Excellency, and welcome. We'll be happy to help our newest

citizens. Do you need military support as well?"



"Familiarization and upgrading only," Keith said. "They have the basic

tech level, with minor exceptions. Medical training and learning about

the Empire are their primary needs, though other things will be needed

as they gain the population base to support them."



"Right. Admin Service teachers and a couple of heavy destroyers ought

to take care of those; anything else you'd recommend?"



"Not at this time, Ranger, though it might help if you could leave a

detachment from the Lindner. I'm sure Colonel Cortin would provide

them lodging, and Lucius and I will protect them from the Brotherhood."



"I'll see to it."



"We'll leave you to brief Mike, then."



"Thank you, Protector."



* * * * *



Once they were alone, Medart spent a few moments studying Odeon. "You

do look the same, except for your hands." he said at last.



Odeon looked at his hands, which no longer had the blue circled

triangles. That was a relief, now, not the terrible loss it would have

been before his talk with Medart last night. "You heard him confirm

that I'm still a Catholic priest, Jim. I would've thought that would

violate the separation doctrine."



Medart shook his head. "Not necessarily. Most of us are Omnist or

agnostic, that's true. Once in a while, though, there's a deeply

religious one, and there's nothing prohibiting a priest." He grinned.

"If you want to get technical, I'm a priest myself, and so are a couple

of the others--but since that's true of all adult Omnists, nobody pays

much attention to it. They'll pay attention to you, since you're the

first non-Omnist priest, but that attention in itself doesn't violate

the doctrine. As long as you don't try to impose your beliefs on

others, or imply that the Empire in any way favors one religion over

another, your beliefs and devotions are between you and your God or

gods."



"I can handle that, I think, if it won't prohibit me from exercising my

priestly functions for Catholics who need them."



"It won't, though it'd be best if you do any of that in private. It

may never happen, either; I'll warn you right now that Catholics are a

tiny minority, the Traditional branch only one of half a decade or so."



"That's the impression I got from the studying I did on Columbus. I'm

not thrilled about it, but it isn't unexpected." He paused. "Mind if

I change the subject?"



"Go ahead."



"I had limited telepathy before, as a side effect of Shayan's mental

contact. I'd like to try the Talent version, but mind-touching you

might not tell me anything, since he spoke to you last night."



Medart chuckled. *The feel is totally different--see?*



*Yeah. I like this version a whole lot better.*



*So do I. Ready for me to introduce you to His Majesty, so he can name

you one of us officially?*



*How-- Oh. Mentally, of course.* Odeon hesitated, shook his head.

*Jim, what's happened to me? I couldn't have figured that out

before--or at least not that fast.*



*I'd venture to guess it's the doubled intelligence,* Medart sent

drily. *You're the first person to be given Ranger-level abilities,

rather than growing up with them, so I can't be positive, but that's my

best guess. Don't worry, you'll have time to get used to it; the trip

to Terra will take us about three weeks, and even if you weren't very

adaptable before, you are now.*



*Getting used to the way my mind works now may be the hardest part of

this whole thing. But I've known everyone except Shayan that I've

mind-touched before, and he initiated that one; how do I contact His

Majesty?*



*You know me, and I know him, so you ride along, so to speak, when I

contact him. Just let me know when you're ready.*



*Any time you are.*



*Okay, let's go.*



Odeon felt Medart's mind reaching out, and strengthened his contact so

the illusory "movement" wouldn't lose him. Almost immediately he felt

another mind-touch, similar in general feel to Medart's but different

in detail, and Medart made the introductions: *His Majesty Emperor

Charles Davis, Ranger-candidate Captain Michael Odeon.* Then he

briefed Davis, in a series of rapid thoughts.



The Emperor sent a chuckle. *That's quite a background, Captain Odeon.

A unique way of qualifying as a Ranger, but I have no doubt you are

qualified, particularly with a Sandeman warrior making the necessary

changes. Jim didn't describe what being a Ranger involves, other than

being dangerous at times, so did that process inform you?*



*Yes, sire, it did. But it didn't intimidate me into changing my mind.*



*Glad to hear it. Welcome to Imperial service, then, Ranger Odeon.*



*Thank you, sir.* Odeon paused briefly, then continued. *I'm

qualified, yes, but I was given only the most basic information about

the Empire--not much more than I'd studied on my own. If I'm not

needed for immediate assignment, I think I should spend some time

learning about it.*



*We'll make that your first assignment, then. You can start on your

way to Terra, then do as much more here as you can till a more urgent

assignment comes up--which shouldn't take too long, there's never a

shortage of work for Rangers. Normally I'd have you work with Jim for

two or three years as OJT, but none of the others came from out-Empire,

so your suggestion is the most sensible--and the reason for putting a

Ranger on the job immediately is that most of the jobs you'll get are

unique; there isn't usually any real preparation possible.*



*Both my studies and Jim made that perfectly clear, sir--but the

Protector removed my allergy to teaching tapes, so I'll be able to cram

in a lot more information than I would've been able to earlier.*



*Understood, but there's still a tremendous amount of information for

you to absorb.* Davis sent another smile. *You know how much getting

a new Ranger means, and I'd like to spend more time with you, but I'm

getting ready for a Grand Audience I can't put off just to chat. So

I'll talk to you later.*



*Yes, sir.*



With that, contact broke, and Odeon's consciousness returned to the

common-room. "What now?" he asked Medart.



But it was Keith who answered, entering the room. "You change

uniforms, Your Highness. Don't worry about the change in your sidearm;

you know how to use a needler, and you're as accurate with it as I



am--a lot more so than you were with your slugthrower."



With that, Odeon was wearing comfortable forest green, rather than the

snug gray he was used to. "Thank you, Lord Protector. I don't care to

wear a uniform I'm no longer entitled to."



Cortin followed Keith into the common-room, looking to Odeon like she'd

been crying. "Mike--the Protector told me I should ask your advice, if

you were willing to give it."



Medart swore to himself. This didn't sound like a promising start for

his new colleague . . . *Mike, don't say yes unless you're willing to

face the consequences. This is part of the Empire now, you don't have

the option I gave you yesterday of answering as a private individual.*



Odeon's answering thought was grim. *I know, but I can't refuse her.

I can give her the same warning, though.* "Make sure you want the

advice, Joanie. As Jim told me last night when I asked him for some,

most people don't ask Rangers questions because they won't like our

answers."



"Keith told me the same thing. I'm still asking."



"In that case, I'll answer. What's the question?"



"What's the best way to handle your . . . change? You're still senior

spouse of Family Cortin and my heir, among other things."



Odeon thought about that briefly, then the answer was obvious--and as

unpleasant as Medart had suggested it might be. "We both know that,

even though I haven't changed much physically, I'm not the same person

I was at breakfast. The fastest and most economical way to handle my

change would be to have Captain Michael Patrick Cortin-Odeon declared

legally dead, a declaration Ranger Odeon will not contest."



Cortin winced, then nodded. "It makes sense, Mike--too damned much

sense. Okay, that's how I'll handle it . . . but in that case, it'd be

best if you weren't around."



"I won't be, for long; the Emperor wants me to go to Terra, and I need

to start learning a whole lot more about the Empire as soon as I can,

so I'll be going up to Jim's ship, probably within an hour or so. It

would probably be better if I don't come back to the Systems unless I

have to on assignment."



"Yeah." Cortin started forward as if to embrace him, then dropped her

arms and stepped back. "That wouldn't work, would it? Keith told me

about your detachment . . ."



"No, it wouldn't. I won't forget any of you--but I don't feel anything

beyond liking for you any longer, either. The kindest thing to do is

break off now." Odeon studied her for a moment, then decided it would

be best to make the break with no delay at all. He made the sign of

the cross in the air between them. "God bless you and Family Cortin,

Colonel."



She returned the gesture. "And you, Ranger Odeon. You will have our

prayers."



Odeon bowed, then turned to his colleague. "I'm going up to the ship,

Jim. See you later."







Main Story Ends but

This continues in the novel Resurrection

which be found in the extras chapters



More

;