Part 6 (2/2)
”The Monarchs' Council in New Rome this past December did remarkably little of significance, to outward seeming. Not true?”
”Very true,” Cortin said. ”I'd expected a lot more, after the Kunming raid.”
”Most people did--and from observations I have made since, the expectations were accurate; the reality has simply not been revealed yet. I am convinced that Their Majesties, either at His Holiness'
urging or with his full consent, are in the process of forming an inter-System--or perhaps all-System, the effect is the same--anti-Brotherhood elite.”
”It's about time!” Odeon exclaimed.
”I agree. Especially since it appears the members of that force will be people who have little reason to be overly fond of the Brotherhood.
All but one of the people I believe to be selectees or potential selectees are Special Operations personnel, and all have suffered some personal harm from the Brothers.” He glanced at Joan, smiling. ”From his interest in you, Captain, I think it highly likely that you are not in full uniform. You certainly have most of the other qualifications I have deduced: a personal grievance that would motivate you to accept extremely hazardous anti-Brotherhood missions, a clean service record, excellent to outstanding combat skills, regular attendance at church when possible--all except a specialty, which you are getting now. I would say that as soon as you receive your Warrant, you will be approached about joining that unit.”
”It fits,” Odeon said softly. ”So well that's got to be it. But why did you say it might be at His Holiness' urging?”
”You do not remember the Kunming raid Captain Cortin referred to?”
”When it happened,” Odeon said drily, ”I was s...o...b..und in the Northwest Territory, alone in a shelter halfway between Holy Cross and Laredo Junction. By the time I got out almost a month later, there wasn't much talk about it any longer--I don't remember hearing any details.”
”It was quite similar to the raid in which Captain Cortin was attacked.
The church was full of schoolchildren and their teachers; there were no survivors.”
Odeon crossed himself, feeling sick. Schoolchildren in church, staff and patients in a convalescent hospital-- ”What next?”
”Only the Brothers know,” Illyanov said grimly. ”But I would be extremely surprised if they plan to attack anyone who can defend themselves. Nor do they seem amenable to persuasion, which leaves no alternative: they must be eliminated.”
”Now that I could enjoy,” Cortin said consideringly. ”I could enjoy it a lot.”
”I am sure you will have the opportunity,” Illyanov said. ”Perhaps Captain Odeon will as well, if he is a specialist and has adequate personal grievance.”
”I do. I'm a specialist, yes, a Tracker. The grievance I'd rather not talk about, except to say it gives me a good reason to go after Brothers. Any idea when this group will go public? Because I plan to apply for it as soon as I can.”
Illyanov shrugged. It wasn't hard for an experienced Inquisitor to read Odeon's expression, and from that deduce his grievance; the question was whether Colonel Bradford would consider it sufficient.
”The timing I can only guess at, Captain. I have heard no rumors on that subject.”
”Living in the capital, though, you'd have a feel for it; what's your best guess?”
”Until recently, I would have said the next time the Brothers made a particularly abhorrent raid, but that would have been the hospital one.
I still believe it will be tied to such a raid, though it now appears there is at least one additional criterion. The most likely is that the unit does not yet have sufficient personnel, but it could be any number of other possibilites; I simply do not know.”
Odeon nodded. ”Makes sense--but that could be months, at their current rate. If I see him before that, I'll try to apply then.”
”There is one other item of interest,” Illyanov said as they drove into the Detention Center compound and toward the gray, windowless main building. ”That is that many of the new unit's members supposedly either have been or will be given full Holy Orders. I find this plausible, since such a force will of necessity spend much time in remote areas where priests are extremely rare.” He paused, then said thoughtfully, ”I think that a wise decision, if only for reasons of morale. A civilian priest would find it difficult if not impossible to survive under such conditions, yet people in mortal danger should not be deprived of the sacraments for prolonged periods; I know that I, for one, would not care to be placed in such a situation.”
”Neither would I,” Cortin said, then she turned to smile at Odeon. ”It looks like you won't have to apply for a special exemption after all, Mike--just get into this new unit, and let them know you're interested in the priesthood.”
”I plan to do exactly that,” Odeon said. ”In fact, unless you need me to help in the interrogation, I don't think I'll wait until I happen into him; I'll see if I can get hold of the good Colonel and put my bid in. Initiative never hurts, and he can't very well say much if I tell him I'm applying based on extrapolations from rumor.”
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