Odeon thought about that briefly, then the answer was obvious--and as unpleasant as Medart had suggested it might be. "We both know that, even though I haven't changed much physically, I'm not the same person I was at breakfast. The fastest and most economical way to handle my change would be to have Captain Michael Patrick Cortin-Odeon declared legally dead, a declaration Ranger Odeon will not contest." Cortin winced, then nodded. "It makes sense, Mike--too damned much sense. Okay, that's how I'll handle it . . . but in that case, it'd be best if you weren't around." "I won't be, for long; the Emperor wants me to go to Terra, and I need to start learning a whole lot more about the Empire as soon as I can, so I'll be going up to Jim's ship, probably within an hour or so. It would probably be better if I don't come back to the Systems unless I have to on assignment." "Yeah." Cortin started forward as if to embrace him, then dropped her arms and stepped back. "That wouldn't work, would it? Keith told me about your detachment . . ." "No, it wouldn't. I won't forget any of you--but I don't feel anything beyond liking for you any longer, either. The kindest thing to do is break off now." Odeon studied her for a moment, then decided it would be best to make the break with no delay at all. He made the sign of the cross in the air between them. "God bless you and Family Cortin, Colonel." She returned the gesture. "And you, Ranger Odeon. You will have our prayers." Odeon bowed, then turned to his colleague. "I'm going up to the ship, Jim. See you later." This continues in the novel Resurrection [Preparer's note: This is the end of the main story. The material following this note is the supplementary material linked to from elsewhere in this file.] 1a. Raid Master St. Thomas, Wednesday, 19 June 2571 "The goddamned Bitch is still alive, Raidmaster." Lawrence Shannon looked up from the shabby table he was using as a desk, smiling as one of his doubles threw a newspaper down in front of him. "Yes, excellent. Thank you, James." "Excellent!" the double snarled. "I said she's alive!" "You weren't mumbling," Shannon assured him. "If I'd wanted to kill her then, I would have. I chose to let her live for now, maimed and crippled; that will make it all the more satisfying when I do decide to kill her." He smiled in a way that made his double flinch. "Isn't it better to have her alive and in pain than dead and free of it? Doing something of the sort to her was my purpose in leading that raid, after all." "But I thought--"