nderstand, that you brought me here by magic. But this feels like the
hyperdrive ships I know, and your sidearm looks like an issue blaster.
I was under the impression magic and science didn't mix."

"They usually don't," 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."

"He is." They were at the Bridge by then; the door slid open to admit
them, and the Traiti in the command chair stood, showing open relief as
he scrutinized Ariel.

"You are well, ka'naya Ranger!" he said.

"Fine, Captain. This is my colleague from Alpha Prime, James Medart."

The Traiti bowed, crossing arms over his chest in that race's formal
gesture. "I am honored, Ranger Medart."

Medart returned the gesture. "Likewise, Captain Chavvorth. I'm
pleased to see that humans and Traiti share the Empire even in a
universe so distant from mine."

"As am I--though I sense that until recently we were at war in yours,
and you were nearly killed by one of our fighters."

"Right." Medart tried to hide his astonishment, and reply as though it
were normal for someone in such a remote universe to know that kind of
personal detail. "I wouldn't call a hundred years ago recent, but I
suppose to a Traiti it would be . . . I was almost torn in half, and
your people survived only because my colleague Steve Tarlac took your
Ordeal of Honor and then died, becoming one of your gods. Peacelord
Esteban."

"The one who kept that war from happening by doing the same here," the
Traiti said. "He was able to determine the reason for the first
incident, and then the way to prevent escalation. His courage in
coming to us alone, we believe, saved millions of lives."

"Try billions," Medart said. "We were never able to determine accurate
casualty figures, but the best estimate for both sides, military and
civilian, is between eight and ten billion, mostly Traiti. And we came
entirely too damn close to genocide before Steve was able to