A Matter of Honor

ip shuttles, Medart said, "I'd like to start that other training you mentioned

fterward, you will need volunteers for practice. I do not like the idea of using unTalented for that, but I see no choice; I can teach you only so much with myself as your targ

ng, take us to Sher

hip replied, and the

s so important, at least for basic training, we're going to wha

? I do not remember seeing any trees

y girl, all the way through. Except for orientation, I don't think she's ever bee

"that you, a Ranger, would take s

nd up either getting herself kicked out of the Navy in disgrace, or as Chief of Naval Operations, and I'd tend to agree. She doesn't know it, but I asked to have her assigned to my ship to give her th

ll of a warship. It was impossible, Corina knew, but it certainly looked like the parkland was lit by a brilliant yellow sun, while clouds drifted slowly across a blue

control before speaking. "It is bea

holograms, the sun's a Type IV. If you want the technical details, I'll have to re

e. If everyone were city-bred, like Sunbeam, that wouldn't be a problem, but most aren't. We had some pretty serious morale problems until Ranger Ellman suggested this idea about five years ago. It's proven q

t beneath a wide-spreading, though not very tall, tree.

l right?" M

al off-duty crewmembers strolling around, either singly or in

He sat cross-legged, his back against th

said. "If you cannot protect yourself, noth

l have to bring your shield under voluntary control. An automatic shield is adequate under most

tand that

morning-* She caught a sudden picture of herself holding the sheathed blade

sed, then,

n quickly. Now I must test you, to find your

y of her attack while the Ranger fought to hold his shield. His eyes closed, his fists clenched with his effort

all right

. it was like nothing I've ever felt, ever even imagined." He took several

alf my m

t compare

a thoughtful frown. "I would estimate he has half again my

e chance in five? Looks to

kely to strike me, and strengthen my shield accordingly. There is the added factor that th

Despite his words, Medart was doubtf

f sessions like that per day, until you gain strength. It would be as well to begin teaching you to use dar

rt agreed. "How do

ectly rather than through the TP center, and is much more powerful. You m

lf strength so she could feel any succe

d slightly. Still nothing. She dropped it even further, finally

ith a frown. "That didn't seem to be workin

individual is different, even among Irschchans, and though it is far clearer than most, your pattern rema

sed his eyes, and Corina set her shiel

efore fading again. She studied the Ranger's expression of concentration, and decided to keep her shield up at the same i

k in the grass, looking up at Medart's worried f

up, dazed, and felt

right?" he

uncomfortable, and reassured him. "I am unharmed, thoug

working, so I tried picturing a giant anaconda-that's a Terran snake-wrapped around you, con

of that. Unless you concentrate on words, I keep getting pictures from you.

ake care of it. You said it yourself: everyone's different, and you're not that familiar with human

and how similar in others, Irschchans and humans are until your shield fell. I seemed to almost be you for a couple

stared at him, then started searching intensively through her memories of the last few

the Ranger of multi-colored spaghetti. She started probing at it, using his actual visualization to guide her as she finally tugged at what appeared to be a key strand. T

rt," she breat

"But what is it? I'm not sure I under

re in close physical proximity and under considerable stress. Something-the Order is not sure what, but the most respected theory is both

ferent for that to happen?" Medart objected. "Th

the Order's millennia of experience cannot be

chan patterns are closer tha

wo basic patterns w

I told you I had more trouble read

to know-" Corina cut that thought off before

ranted, but he did know what his problem was. Apparently so did what she called her undermind, and it agreed with him. "I'd suggest a hearty meal and a

to integrate the... new experiences. I would say you in particular; I at l

it more. I've been through something similar-y

Corina agre

s possible, and Gaelan DarShona, who had sworn personal fealty

id. "An artificial form of telepa

ll-experience probe, with myself hooked up as the receive

agreed. "I wonder if I will experience that

sure you'll find it both interesting and

ly moderate success. It was less the contents of the transfer that concerned her, than the reason for

she's probably staying on the day-shift schedule, so she'd be going to eat about now. She sho

?" Corina asked, glad o

sionally. It was stiff the first few times, right after I took over Chang, until they adapted. It wouldn't

d, were invited to join the pair. They agreed; it was, after all, what they had hoped for. Corina decided on hellbeast steak again; it was becoming one of h

n assortment you've got there. What're you

ppears I will be aboard for some time, and I prefer var

he table when Medart noticed somethi

erstand how you can drink something so c

t down as he continued, "But the Navy seems to run o

d, having missed the first

d. "Sir Corina thinks w

he thinks coffee's bad

Sunbeam's gaiety. "The things you humans ingest and c

rina? His name's Pat; we got to talking while you were hassling with Colonel Greggson. He's going to coach me in unarmed combat-he's the ship's men's champion, s

uite good, the

th Greggson?" M

, and summarized the incident for him

oes me. I'll let it go for now, since His Majesty's already warned him and I have a feeling

ed by his seriousn

tmosphere and continue accustoming herself to it. She felt occasional twinges of familiarity which she knew must come from the Medart-pattern that was becom

ries into a pattern that would allow her to grasp and use them. She might never fully understand them, but when the process was co

ary, some less so. She/Jim was laying in a bed with bars, a huge pink face

kittens and wouldn't let him leave. There were three already, tiny white-furred things blindly nursing. The mother stare

leasant one for the human, but one that made

oom after the Test Week results were posted, through his first meeting with the Emperor soon after-it had be

Medart's invita

the Chang when Rick was elected Successor, and renewing his acquaintance with Dave when Captain Hobison took command. The Ondrian affai

mperial help. The mind-probe of Gaelan, giving her a new insight into the small warriors, and added respect for their integrity and ability. Gl

eemed to see the funeral from two viewpoints at once: her own, the film in history class, and Jim's

ennard had come up with an idea that might keep imprisoned Traiti alive, at least long enough to be questioned b

hery gray skin and sharklike face. Not attractive at all to Medart's way of thinking- then-but the big male was hur

mersion in rapid-heal, it had been for nothing. The two prisoners the boarding part

k; although it wasn't common, it was known. His carelessness and stupidity could have cost

n in a dream. He was a Ranger, he had bee

atched herself defeat the Marines, studied her own records, discussed them with the Emperor. Again came the invitation to

ional sips and thinking. Did she still have a choice, or did the Empire's need of her make this a matter of honor? Jim-no, Ranger Medart, though it was now