Ann Wilson

“ Ryan looked around. "I'm glad you're here, Kelly. He doesn't have any information, he just wants us to believe he's from a universe where we're part of the Empire—and where he was bequeathed a saber for giving one of our warriors Last Gift. He waived immunity from compulsion to obtain that belief, and he's trying to cooperate, but his auto-defenses are stronger than I'd have credited to a Terran; if I keep going I'll send him into convulsions, maybe kill him if his defenses collapse too quickly for me to pull back." ”

“ But it's never an easy fight; there are times we have to go in and rebuild, even after they're thrown out. The stronger a universe is, the better for everyone—and this one would be strongest with you and the Empire as allies. United would be best, but that wasn't easy at home; it may be impossible, here."
"And just how was such a union managed in your universe?"
Medart managed a grin. "Sweet reason, backed by five battle fleets. The fleets turned out to be a temptation rather than the threat I'd expected, but either way they worked."
"To your pleasure." Ryan scowled, then shook his head. ”

“ When our Sandemans overthrew their Shapers, almost all the Shaper records were destroyed. My personal opinion is that it was sheer arrogance."
"Which they passed along to their creations," Chavvorth said.
Medart chuckled. "They have some justification, you must admit—they're stronger, faster, and more intelligent than the standard human norm."
"True," Chavvorth said grudgingly. "They also have greater mage-power, as you must have deduced from what I told you about their ability to escape."
"Uh-huh. In my universe, they've got greater than usual Talent, especially the warriors. ”

“ A dark-skinned face with light blond hair and pale grey eyes appeared on his comscreen. "You are intruding, Imperial. Identify yourself and give us a reason not to blast you out of existence."
"James Medart, Prince of the Terran Empire—but an Empire in a different universe. At home, we're friends, and I'd like the same to be true here." He unhooked the lightsaber from his belt, held it where the Sandeman could see. "I was bequeathed this by the warrior Leigh of Clan Vader, for giving him Last Gift. ”

“ Ryan frowned. "I can testify to your power, Prince; that was obvious in the strength of your automatic defense against my compulsion spell. But magic training is started young, as soon as the ... I suppose you could call them magical-energy channels ... begin to develop. With respect, you are no longer young; such training would be both painful and dangerous. And fighting a magical duel would be even more so. I would prefer not to pay our debt in such a negative way." ”

“ Ten minutes later Medart and Chavvorth were sitting in the senior officers' lounge, drinking coffee and chovas. Medart had adjusted to the idea of magic far more easily than to the idea of Sandemans as enemies; magic was, for all practical purposes, something new, which made it easy to accept. ”

“ Medart spent the time resting as well as he could, nibbling on the food either Kelly or Haley kept him supplied with, and talking to the two of them.
He regained some strength, but the pain didn't ease in spite of Kelly's healing spells, so finally, the evening before the duel, he decided to ask her for a prognosis.
When he did, she frowned. "There's been no relief at all?"
"None that I've been able to notice."
"That is bad." Kelly paused. "As Ryan told you, we've had little experience with training adults to use magic, and you are our only experience teaching our system to a Terran. ”

“ That gives me a reasonable chance, better than the Empire'd have if I don't even try." Medart felt himself weakening, summoned his remaining resources. "You'd do the same if it were the Sandeman race at risk; I know that from personal experience. Even if you knew it'd cost you your life."
"That is true," Ryan replied slowly. "Very well, Highness, I will make the arrangements. But you should rest until then, doing no magic—and you must try to eat. In your present condition, even winning a duel would be fatal; to have a chance of surviving, you need to build yourself back up." ”

“ Medart said. "That's not exactly what I had in mind. At home, you're a vital part of the Empire—a crucial part of our military, and contract police on any world that really values law and order. To me, that's the ideal—but I'll settle for having you as friends to this one, allies against the worst enemy any civilization in any universe has ever faced."
Ryan looked suddenly interested. "Oh? An even better enemy?" ”

“ Whoever I fight the duel with damnsure won't pull his punches, though, so I have to go along with Ryan—best I train with someone who's going all-out, too."
"That part no one can argue," Kelly said. "But ... James, can you tolerate the added stress? Watching you is like watching a warrior in constant need, with no hope of being able to give you release."
Medart winced, aware of how much that would distress any warriors'-woman. "I'm not in that bad a shape—I've seen some who were, remember? What I'm going through is no fun, but I think I can hold out long enough." ”

“ Terran magic operates primarily through symbols, tools, and ceremony; ours operates through personal mana. There's very little danger in their method, but as they admit, it costs them power. We accept the risks in return for that extra edge."
Medart chuckled. "Exactly the reaction I'd expect. Since I need that edge too, I have to accept the dangers as well. How long will it take for me to learn enough to fight a duel?" ”

“ Ariel replied. "Magic-using universes are much lower probability than technological ones, and the magic/technology mix is far lower even than that—but there are a few, and this is one." She smiled back at him. "Other than that, this universe should be almost a duplicate of yours, in everything important. I'd be willing to bet you'd even recognize this ship's designation, maybe name—IBC Emperor Barton."
"I do," Medart said. An Imperial Battle Cruiser, named after the twelfth Sovereign. "Then from what you've said about Captain Chavvorth, I'd expect him to be a Traiti." ”

“ And he'd wondered how long Ryan would keep supporting him, so he wasn't surprised when the clan-chief joined him, Kelly, and Haley—both of whom had taken to remaining close except when Haley was at his own training sessions—at the evening meal.
Medart endured the clan-chief's scrutiny, certain he knew what was coming, so he wasn't surprised when Ryan spoke. "Prince James, will you admit I have done my best to teach you as you asked?"
"You have, Clan-chief," Medart replied. "My inability to benefit by more than the most basic instruction cannot be laid to your lack of effort." ”

“ Medart turned his attention back to Captain Chavvorth. "The Shapers were genetic engineers who left Terra in 2130 and deliberately lost themselves. Not long after that, they began using their own germ plasm to create the Sandeman race as improvements on humanity. The idiots didn't stop with that, though. They designed a complex of physical and psychological traits that made a percentage of the males into genetically-determined warriors who not only like to fight—it's one of their favorite occupations—they have to either fight or make love at regular intervals just to stay healthy." ”

“ Sandemans thought a lot more alike than their standard-human cousins; if one was willing to make such a concession, most others would too. And the few that wouldn't immediately would probably change their minds as soon as they saw the benefits of Imperial citizenship. Of course, that still left him with the problem of winning the duel ...
If he had to fight a duel, Medart thought, at least he had a good day for it. The weather at Vader clanhome was clear and sunny, the temperature a comfortable twenty degrees as he stood waiting for his opponent in the outdoor practice arena. ”

“ They aren't life as we usually understand the term; some scientists believe they aren't really life at all. From time to time, at unpredictable intervals, they erupt into a random universe and—if that universe doesn't have a technological and population level near the Empire's—devastate it and proceed to another. But no Empire-level civilization is attacked more than once, because a civilization at that stage can defeat them, and so far always has. ”

“ One day he'd barely be able to make his opponent feel his efforts or protect himself, the next it would take the monitors to erect fast barriers to keep him from injuring the other, while his own defenses were at peak.
"The warrior Loren of Clan Raynor," Kelly told him. "I think Chief Ryan is trying to force a breakthrough, finding you strong opponents who won't pull their punches the way we've started doing because we don't want to add to your problems." ”

“ Ask me about the Ravagers while you have me under—they're something nobody would believe on simple hearsay. If you're lucky, you'll never run into them—but if you're not, and they show up here, you'll be glad of any allies you can get. ”

“ In that case, I'd like to borrow the best magic teacher available; I won't be much real good until I can control the power I accidentally burned Captain Chavvorth with."
The Emperor frowned. "I saw the record tape of that, Jim. We don't have any teachers who can give you control of that much power without limiting it—the only ones who might even come close are the Sandemans, and they're not likely to want to help an Imperial."
"In that case, I'd like the fastest small ship available—something on the order of a courier—with a volunteer crew, to take me to Sandeman territory. ”

“ Medart winced at that. Sandeman customs allowed enemy warriors to be tortured for information, and having warriors as battle-companions made him the closest possible non-Sandeman equivalent of a warrior. As Ryan said, giving Last Gift had made him immune from that particular unpleasantness, at least as far as Clan Vader was concerned—but it also looked like telling his story under that compulsion spell was the only way he'd be believed. And for his already-uncertain plan to have any chance of success, he'd have to have more than belief ”

“ I know that about you from home, so naturally I'm willing to take the same sort of chance to give you and this Empire the opportunity to become friends."
"Gareth, of Levva," was the next introduction. "I believe your acceptance of such a risk, and your willingness to endure such painful training, have earned that opportunity; win your duel, and Clan Levva will send a delegation to investigate the desirability of acknowledging the citizenship you say is ours by right."
Medart let his relief show. "That's all I ask, Clan-chief." ”

“ I've played Tunnels characters who used magic, but I don't know a thing about the way it really works."
"In that case, I'd say you are and don't know it. I haven't had a spell miss its mark that far since I was in middle school. We'll find out for sure when you meet Captain Chavvorth, though. He's what we call a Reader, he can sense things about you just being in your presence." Ariel sighed, showing fatigue she'd concealed before. "And he tends to worry about me, since an inter-universe summoning can be tricky. Not to mention dangerous, if you tap into the wrong alternate. ”

“ And some will need a few more moments to wake up."
"Go ahead." This wasn't anything he could have expected, Medart thought, and he had no idea what effect it would have. A drastic one, he was sure; Sandemans weren't known for moderation in their reactions, especially to strong stimuli, and this was one of the strongest possible. If he lost the duel, it could easily send them back into combat with the determination to eliminate every trace of the Shapers and their kin. If he won, their reaction was less predictable. They wouldn't continue the war; honor wouldn't permit that. ”

“ Medart entered the appropriate order, took the steaming cup when it appeared, and handed it to the Traiti, then took his own seat. "You said you'd start teaching me magic. I know better than to tell a teacher how to teach, but I have a feeling I'm going to need something I wasn't wearing when Ranger Ariel summoned me. So I think I'd better learn that summoning spell first."
Chavvorth looked uncomfortable, but shook his head. "Such a summoning is dangerous even for an experienced magician—far too dangerous for a novice, particularly one who is also a Ranger. ”

“ So he did know the warrior caste's language, another point of similarity in his favor. Ryan examined the saber, checking for the small traces of workmanship that distinguished Vader-made lightsabers from those of other clans. They were there, including Leigh's engraved signature inside the powerpack cover. That made four points—five, if he counted the signature as extra verification of the saber's provenance. ”