looked puzzled, then shook his head. "No, sir, I
haven't. Why?"

"How many women would you say Ch'kara has? It's typical."

"I didn't see many, sir, maybe a quarter of the ones here. Guess not
even Shark women like seeing someone get hurt."

"He was the Ordeal taking," Yarra said in English. "All who could here
be, him to honor, were. You the right percentage saw."

Dr. Jason understood the implications at once. "Jesus H. Christ!
They've got to be good with women, then--and childcare, too. But what
about my patients?"

"Only four who aren't fit to travel," Tarlac said thoughtfully. "No
real problem, then; I can give them support, though it won't be
obvious. Take them along, in the Hermnaen's sickbay."

"If you can do that, sir, why can't you heal them?"

"I could, but I'm not going to. You heard what I said about keeping
things as normal as possible. If I healed them, I'd be expected to
heal others, and it would escalate from there. I'll give them the same
chance they'd have if they weren't being moved, no more."

Tarlac didn't like that, but what he'd said was true. Godhome had been
right when it told Kranath that refraining from action was often harder
than taking it--and that too much intervention would harm, not help,
even when it meant allowing suffering and death he could stop by an act
of will. He sensed Dr. Jason's resentment at what seemed like
callousness, and knew the man simply didn't have the scope to
understand. "My word as a Ranger, Doctor. If I do more than the
absolute minimum to help your patients, in the long run it could
destroy the Empire. And that I will not risk."

"I can't argue, sir," Dr. Jason said grimly. "May I be dismissed to
prepare them for the trip?"

"In a moment, Doctor. You're free to tell the prisoners anything you
think appropriate about what you've seen here, though I doubt you'll
find much belief if you mention my death and return."

Jason shook his head. "I'm not sure I believe that myself, sir, and I
was here. I'll just say you passed the Ordeal and we're going to
Terra."

Tarlac smiled. "Good. That should satisfy them." He turned to the
Supreme. "If you'll provide escorts and transportation?"

"Done, Lord," the Supreme said promptly. "They will be at the Hermnaen
by daybreak, as the First Speaker and I will. By your leave, then?"
Both rulers bowed formally and held that attitude.

"Granted," Tarlac said. As they straightened, prepari