Two weeks had passed, and Avery walked Lucille and Sienna from the archway of the new cathedral Herr Muller had built on his estate. The Dedication service had been a bit extended, the consecration performed by Benn Wile with Father Ammens assisting, was also a memorial service in honor of those who had fallen to free Avon. The complement of the CHRISTOS, save for Sister Seika, had stayed for the dedication, as had Diocullis. Sir Colmer and Arlyis had wandered off afterwards, hand in hand, to take in the manicured grounds of the estate.

A marble reliquary had been built into the church, inscribed with the names of Daniel La Platte,and Leslie La Platte, among others. Herr Muller wanted to inscribe Samuel Maven's name as well, but that would have withdrawn hope from Sienna, so a separate marble plaque had been mounted adjoining the reliquary dedicating his courage, and listing him as M.I.A.

Sienna and Avery had grown close, and with her father M.I.A., she had decided to stay on Avon.

Joshua, Bishop Benn Wile and Diocullis still lingered just outside the arch of the newly erected structure talking in low tones. Joshua shook the Bishop's hand.

"It was a fine service, Benn. Herr Muller was tickled to have his church consecration attended by a Cardinal, and you have the undying appreciation of Father Abrams."

"Yes, ah, the very least I could do my boy, the very least, couldn't have missed it. Just tell me this was all worth something, in the end. We did clean the cosmos of that rascal Gregory, yes?"

Diocullis sighed. "I pressed the button before he disappeared. There is much to be said of that. First, in the act of vanishing, that at least he knew he had no exclusive on Wavie technology and that such blackmail as he intended need not to be tolerated. Second, if the signal worked, the prototype was destroyed. Third, there is no trace of the man or his ship anywhere, so our odds are good that he is no more. More importantly,"Diocullis smiled grimly at this point, "the Earth - system people are clueless, they didn't find the tech, and they didn't connect with the Wavies, so we are blessed. There are only four people on this planet who had any contact with them, and they are not going to say anything. The Pope has reconsidered releasing anything about the Wavies to the galactic polity at large, given the circumstances. The brief view anyone else had was just that ...brief." Dio shrugged. "So lots of people saw ghosts, right after or during a battle. They can say whatever they like. All in all, could have been much worse."

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Bishop Wile made a face at Michael and said, "Ever the optimist. Must be a military thing. I conferred with the Pontiff, and John and I agreed. We, ah, sat with Mr. Brown and his Queen. They have agreed to stay well away from the shipping lanes and ships in general. They won't try to contact those outside the church - they have seen the discord in our souls, so to speak. The remaining employees of St.Croix are another matter. We do not know for certain how many others were in Gregory's confidence. The fact he considered the Wavies to be an industrial secret, notwithstanding. Then, there is that fellow Haviland. The Earth legal system had to release him. The ship-crowding charge didn't stick."

Dio snorted. "One out of work scow pilot. An acceptable risk, I think."

The churchman hunched his shoulders in deference to Dio and continued, "The Wavie Queen was able to pinpoint the location of Friar Theomendus Carcciccio's lost flock. Mr. Brown and Mr. Green took some of their fellows there. Many of the Colonists were still alive, and they were able to restore the lost nutrient content to the water and soils, so they will not have to be relocated. A church medical relief team has been dispatched, of course."

Joshua sighed. "Pope John felt moved to ratify the crusader's order. Only fair, really. Oh! Sister Seika sent her regrets. Her request for a permanent research facility has been approved, and she was in a hurry to set up station-keeping at the Wavie nesting grounds."

Joshua's stomach issued a profound growl.

Michael asked, "Do you think they will throw us a lunch?"

"The Wavies?"

"The Avonians!"

Postscript: Victoria

Sister Victoria Seika sat in the darkened viewing room watching the Wavie colony and taking notes. There had been a significant increase in activity for the last three days. Mr. Brown had said that a birth was expected soon, so she had been taking her meals and sleeping here in "The Blind" as she called it. Her audio re-interpreters were running constantly and with the visual and energy recorders going, there was no particular reason why she should insist on this vigil, but she did.

A shower of light developed above a slowly circling ring of Wavies. The output of her audio translators brought forth an increasing swell of singing, Sister Seika recognized it as the one they had learned aboard the CHRISTOS.

Joyful! Joyful!

As the refrain built, the light increased, forming a mile-high triangle of scintillating light, at the apex of which a small pyramid of wavering energy appeared. The pyramid bloomed to illumination, and a borealis of beams shot from each side of the small glowing structure, fanning out like wings of fire.

Why, she thought, it looks just like that ornament my mother topped her Christmas tree with, when I was a child!