A Matter of Honor

was accustomed to, when Corina was awakened by her doorchim

nbeam," came from

closet. She slipped into it, then stuck her head around the

s to command, Sir Corina; remember Capta

closet, she was glad to see, had cleaned her kilt; otherwise it would be looking rather bedraggled by m

to do this morni

Ranger Medart has planned for me. Right now, though, I would like a glass of

Sunbeam said. "I coul

he sensed that Sunbeam was agitated about something and wanted to move ar

oyed a deep swallow, then said, "What i

s above! The whole ship's talking about how you put down five top Marines with no more troub

and calm the human Ensign. "I am the same person you met yeste

"Maybe not, but you did a great

Marines a

d." Sunbeam paused, then grinned. "Four of them, anyway. That cute Sandeman keeps saying how pretty you are, and what a w

admit his compliments are flattering... I do regret causing the others distress, though the demonstration was

rful. "Maybe it would he

, at the firs

around the ship like an old bear, snapping at everyone. I don't think he's too fond of you. Maybe

ike me even before

us. Sometimes I don't think he even likes himself. But there aren't many of t

Without bothering to find out who i

, and she and

e told Sunbeam. "Can you find something t

ppily. "I've been trying to finish

lf in the other armchair and gazed intently at Corina for several seconds. She returned the

ant, Sir Corina. I don't want you to answer me now; I just

ed, puzzled by his str

m what I'd found. We were both quite impressed." Medart paused, seeming unsure of himself, then hurried on. "We ne

der about Medart's mental stabilit

. "I have not even finished school-I am to graduate this summer, and Thark did not insist

"You said you'd think about it before

joining the Prime Chapter, or... She forced those thoughts from her mind. The p

least three of us said the same thin

of some way to change the subject, and at last she succeeded. "I h

on the idea.

ot know how to use it. Were you an Irschchan, with a mind shield as strong as the one you certainly possess, I would be sure that your other Talents were equ

pite what she'd said about the Rhine experiments, he didn't consider them either complete or conclusive-he'd heard of nothing he found conv

I am certain of, but y

ry for i

the potential I think possible from your

'm willing to take t

tence, that may not be possible. If not, perhaps we can weaken it by inducing a relaxed emotional state. I will not attempt to break through with darlas, though I am sure I could, bec

a Ranger's job description; Med

infliction of systematic pain, weakening

have to tell me how to do it, though; until you said something about it yesterday, I

rth. Yours is a shield, and I am not sure I can tell you in words how to let it down; you may have to work that out. It can be describ

s. Corina concentrated on his shield, ready to slip through the smallest ope

ing a control. This was a lot more nebulous. He didn't have any switches to throw or dials to turn, he had to d

hyperventilate. In and hold, then out and hold was the pattern. He began the exercise, doin

an hour, he opened hi

s, or suspicious. If this is to work, you must trust me." She thought for a minute, then took the dagger from her belt a

rina's action. She had to be really determined about this working, he thought. Thark's betrayal must have hurt even more t

ort. That was highly unusual, but she was becoming accustomed to unusual things

deep-breathing routine. In and hold... body relaxed... out and ho

flash, an instant of touch too fast for

is. Every time I try to relax, I see those four Marines stunn

emed to get the impression of memory-smell, though I cannot be sure. And perhaps of a small feline. When MacLeod discovered Irschcha, he th

"I used to raise Siamese cats, and you Irsch

se; young Losinj was more like Kimi, slender and incredibly graceful. She'd climb up

ble to catch a mental picture of herself, with parts of her fur more deeply colored, curled

ure he could not feel her check. That was both quick and thorough, his mental "atmosphere" far less murky than the other humans she had touched-and his patterns

should not be particularly difficult. She knew the theory, and Thark had done the same for her; it was merely a matter of redirecting the mental impuls

speak aloud. *Perhaps if we combine what you are doing now with a

He could definitely receive, then-a very g

rs twitch nervously, hoped he did not notice. The redirection she was attempting was indeed simple, but

get me wrong, but it doesn't have many laughs, and the most satisfying parts are usually the result of a lot of work, and sometimes pain." He chuckled, ruefully. "Exactly what I shouldn't be telling someone I'm trying to ge

d just made her, so Corina pursued it. *True. I find it difficult to believe, however, that

as fond of life as anyone else-maybe more so, since we're at risk so often. But t

them, and others, is something I think well worth the risk I took. But I am a pr

oud, though. "We aren't, but that evaluation is still up to us; if we think the situation's worth risking a Ranger, or if it nee

rina agreed. *I believe I would find it difficult to thin

e've all made at least one bad call, usually going in when we should've sent someone. That hasn't been fatal so far, and

t incident,* Corina sent, *but wo

icularly nasty poison. He'd refused a comm implant for reasons he never explained, so I can't argue them, but it meant he couldn't call for help. If it hadn't been for a young camper who rescued him, and one of the rebels who

na hoped he would not realize it right away, would instead remain intent on the conversation for at least a few minutes more to strengthen the new pattern. *The young man was David Scanlon, was he not? And he cared

timony. He insisted that one of them come into the cave to prove @'s identity before he'd give up his blaster-and when

as most fortunate he and the u

e Circle of Lords looking after him. Speakin

s, religion is a rather peculiar aberration; while a deity or deities may exist, they are unnecessary and none have

as raised and I can't disprove their existence, I accept them, though I'm not what you'd call devout. Most of us are either Omnist or agnostics, like you, and t

retending vocal speech, though she wasn't being obvious about her silence; he was doin

ave her a sharp look.

sent with a purr. *And you have surpassed your teacher; it was some w

on, and glared at her, fists on his hips. "You tricked me!" Then he ga

prised by the Ranger's rapid grasp of the situation.

w l

your lap. It relaxed and amused you enough that you dr

t said, half in admiration and half

said calmly. "If you had, the pro

humans? Did you fi

ght to be more similar. As for your other question, you do have much potential; it remains to be seen if you can develop it. Your mind s

sensed such an aspect of Talent. Even describing it vaguely is difficult." She paused again, laying her ears back in a fr

s humans are unTalented! Undeveloped and untrained, most certainly, but hardly unTalented. You have not bred for it, eve

incompetents he thinks

th him; his beliefs, once established, require overwhelming proof to be changed." Her ears twitched. "I have thought about contacting him telepathi

nd this Crusade of his. I'm just hoping the information you've already given us, and

ure was quite chaotic and warlike at one time, but the Order was a civilizing

nation, too. Your progress slowed from faster than ours to almost nothing after the Order took over, in the name of stability. Even slower than the Traiti, and for th

han the center of a growing Empire." Then her tone grew softer. "But I was raised an Imperial citizen, and I am glad of it. If

th replacing her normal controlled formality. No, he mused, she'd never be hap

ith a mental image she had of herself. She was clad in Imperial Navy service blue with an ensign's stripe, standing on the bridge of a ship. The vessel appeared to

be. Anything short of the Rangers would be a waste as far as she was concerned, but he knew he couldn't force her into that decision. There were compensations, sure, but

gency to make the best possible use of such outstanding minds-especially, now, a non-human's. Linda Ellman might have found it easier to persuade the young Irschchan, he th

then said,

ly, returning to re

et her to show you the ship? I have some work to do, and if you're plannin

u need to rest, give your undermind a chance to adjust to the idea of telepathy.

't have the time. I can work on something that wo

rned traitor out of conviction that it was necessary and not for gain... yet the thing which had made him think the humans unfit for rule, their lack of Tal

responded. "This works between us; I'd like to try it on

that by shielding, of course, but it was her first experience with it, and she preferred not to. Such contact was not unusual betw

n't be able to, so you can

can approve of you attempting to read Sunbeam. It is honorable to probe the unTalented only when truly necessary, since they cannot de

k this is necessary. I need to know all I can about Talent, esp

. "I can monitor, and if you should begin using darlas,

ed, and Corina calle

a?" the small ensign asked

rina replied. *Try now, Ra

lk and stil

else, why not?* Corina continued aloud, to Sun

on it, and who knows? I may decide to switch to Sciences instead of staying a Line officer.

ot see the two desires as exclusive; perhaps Ranger M

Navy look into it, and if there aren't any maj

e, Sir Corina? I think you'd enjoy it, and if you're going to

se; I have found so few things that do not interest me that I will pr

she's not even screened. But it seemed somehow harde

ed. *As I said earlier, it should be the oth

eat? Then give her the grand tour, Sunbeam, anything she

s,