"I hadn't considered that, but I suppose it should include correcting the damage, though I will not modify the added sensitivity you gave her; that is the best I can do in the way of reparations." He paused for a few seconds. "There, done. I can do nothing about your fertility, Colonel; that, if it is done at all, will be up to the true Protector."
Cortin smiled. "I never thought I'd be saying this, but thank you. This whole thing is a great relief to me—the real Protector coming, the Brotherhood ordered disbanded even if most of it won't obey, you supporting the Families and promoting devotion to the Protector … I wouldn't have believed any of it a day ago. Everything coming together so well, and so suddenly—a much better ending than I'd dared hope for."
"Ending, Colonel?" Lucius shook his head, his expression grim. "An end to this phase, perhaps, and some time to prepare for the next—but this phase has been nothing but a preliminary. We have not yet even reached the decision point—which will, by the way, not be the sort of confrontation you fear; no one will come to harm there. The decision made at that point will be the true beginning, and the best-case outcome will be a war more destructive of life than any so far in this universe's history."
26. Imperial Contact
St. Thomas, Monday, 27 July 2572 CE
A soft knock on the door and a barely-audible "Excellency?" from outside it woke her. It was Matthew's voice, so she let the gun stay under her pillow and got up, grumbling to herself as she put on a bathrobe and went to open the door. "What is it, Matthew?"
"A call from His Majesty, Excellency. He apologizes for waking you, but we've just captured an Imperial scoutship, and he would like you to be ready to interrogate the prisoners as soon as they're brought in. That should be about two hours."
"So they finally got this far out. Damn. Is His Majesty still on the phone?"
"No, Excellency; he was confident of your response." Matthew smiled. "Breakfast will be ready as soon as you finish Mass—shall I wake Captain Odeon to assist?"