The good news was that we had to fly again.

The bad news was that we had to feed Spike again.

The really bad news was that we arrived at the Pathic Training center.

I'd been guiltily hoping the whole time that the map was wrong, or that Tuck's uncanny memory would somehow fail, or even that we'd run into Barons or some other form of trouble. But none of those things happened. We were here, and I was here to stay.

I had to ask myself at one point why I didn't want to learn empathy. Why would anyone in their right mind want to keep risking their life and keep killing others? Was I some kind of freak? My only answer was: yeah, maybe. Not very reassuring. All I knew was that for some incomprehensible reason I did want to keep fighting. I didn't want to leave Tuck and Shay. I didn't want to be a student for months or years more.

The first we saw of the facility were the guards stationed outside it, as it was with all government settlements past the midway point of Colossan ground. Seeing our Col uniforms and badges, they let us pass once Shay explained our business there. One led us to the entrance to the center, then left to rejoin his companions. And my time was up.

Tears had sprung up behind my eyes. I tried to brush them away, push my feelings aside. These were stubborn tears, selfish tears, and I had no right. I tried to be strong, to gladly (or at least willingly) do the right thing.

I felt Shay put his hand on my shoulder, now fully recovered, and stopped and turned me around to look at him. I saw the understanding in his blue eyes, but knew that this was it.

"Think you can take it on your own from here, Bryt?" he asked gently. How can a person be so gentle and so harsh at the same time? I wondered, frustrated. It must be part of the art of being a War Captain. I nodded.

"Will you�when you guys go back to the base, will they replace me?" I asked. I'd only been with this team a little over a month, but somehow I didn't want a new one.

"No," Shay assured me. "We'll report the�ah�end of Mina's service as a missioneer and request a new medic. This time of year the barracks are probably full, so someone's got to have medical skills. But you're still a part of this team, Bryt. Remember that."

I nodded again, feeling slightly better. "Of course, you know I'll never forgive you for this," I said, smiling up at Shay to show that I was kidding. At least, I hoped I was.

Shay answered in the same tone, "Oh, come on, Bryt. You'll thank me."

I shook my head and looked at the ground, knowing he was probably right and at some very, very distant date I would probably thank him for it. But I was a long was from that day now.

However, on an impulse, I hugged him. I didn't know what my team would be doing while I was safely training. Shay could die, I realized; Tuck could die. I didn't want to depart angry.

"It'll be fine, Bryt," Shay reassured me, though I knew there was no way he could know. "You'll see us again."

I pulled away and turned to Tuck. I didn't hug him; I knew he wouldn't want me to. I just mustered as much of a smile as I could and said, "Just don't save the world without me."

Tuck grinned. "Hey, no promises." I was actually a little disappointed that saying goodbye was this easy for him. But I guess when you lose your best friend for life it's not hard to lose someone you've only known a month. Even so, it made me slightly jealous that his friendship had meant so much more to me than mine had to him.

I knelt down and picked up Spike by two of the legs (or arms; I still hadn't quite figured that out) sticking out of her head (or body). "Promise you won't forget me," I said, "'cause I'll be back sometime." Spike's happy, vacant expression didn't change. "You're hopeless," I told her fondly.

They remained there until I opened the thick metal door and entered the Training center.

* * *

I felt the vibration of the door shutting behind me, and stepped inside, my heart nervously fluttering.

"Hello," a young feminine voice said as soon as I'd walked in. "Can I help you with something?"

"I guess so," I said uncertainly, wondering if I should have planned out what I was going to say. "I�um�I was told to come here and train to be an empath."

"So you're totally new here?" The girl was sitting across the large room at a small table. She was about my age, well-dressed, and with blond hair that fell neatly to her shoulders. She didn't sound particularly friendly.

"Yes," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

The girl sighed and said in a pained tone, "We're overcrowded here already. But wait here. I'll go find our Headteacher, and she'll know what to do with you."

"Thank you?" I said so doubtfully that it sounded more like a question than a statement. I was half overjoyed that I might possibly not be able to train and half distressed that empathy was already going worse than I'd expected. It wasn't that I had no experience dealing with types like this girl � but what if they were all like this? I certainly didn't want to end up surrounded by people who didn't like me and also could read my mind.

Not a minute after the girl had left, a thin woman entered though the small door, alone.

"Well, hello there," she said in a clear, pleasant voice. "And welcome. My name is Norae. I'm Headteacher here. And what is your name, young missioneer?"

"I'm Brytani Sarliss," I said, my voice once again uncertain. I would have been put at ease by her tone, except that the discrepancy between the two women I'd just met confused me. Was I wanted here or not?

"Oh now, I hope Deelah didn't scare you too badly," Norae placed her hand on my shoulder in a motherly gesture, the gentle understanding in her eyes comforting me instantly. "We give her that station for a reason, you know. She excels at turning away unwanted students, which makes it so much easier for us in times like this."

"Oh, I'll gladly leave if you're overfull here already," I said humbly.

Norae laughed. "Don't sound so eager, Brytani. What's wrong? Ready to get back into the heat of battle?"

I flushed. "I'm sorry," I said quickly. "It's just I�I'll miss my teammates�"

"Yes, I'm sure," Norae said so quickly that I knew that she knew that I was not telling entirely the truth, and looked down, feeling my cheeks grow hot again.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, not looking up.

"It's all right, Brytani. You've done nothing wrong, though I must say I'm surprised at the strength of the friendships you've formed in only a month. I understand it's often that way among mission teammates, though."

I looked up at her, trying unsuccessfully to keep the shock out of my face. This woman may have been the Headteacher here, but how could she possibly tell how long I'd been with my teammates from my feelings?

Norae laughed kindly again. "No, Brytani, I cannot read naked facts from your mind. But you're too young to have graduated before this year, and the graduations took place a month ago."

This time I laughed, and began to relax.

"So, Brytani, how old are you?" she asked conversationally.

"Nineteen," I replied automatically. "But you can just call me 'Bryt'. Everyone does."

"You're a little young to be hiding your true age, aren't you, Bryt?" she asked me with a sly smile.

I blushed but smiled this time, unashamed. "I�m sorry. I've been telling everyone that. I'm only eighteen, because I graduated two years early. Since nineteen's really the youngest acceptable age for a graduate�" I shrugged, ending my explanation with that, and trusting Norae to read my mind for any more information she needed. Then I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer, and had to ask her humbly, "What else do you know about me?"

The empath threw back her head and laughed. Then, seeing I really wanted her to answer, she began the long list. "Well, let's see. I know you've been a missioneer for a month. I know you spent quite a lot of your missioneering time marching from place to place. I know you've been in battle, though not recently. I know you've been following the river. I know you don't mind the taste of slimeberries. And I know you've gotten used to living outdoors. I can see it in your face."

I shouldn't have been surprised, but I still couldn't seem to close my mouth. Finally I managed to say, awed, "All of that?"

Norae patted my shoulder again. "Oh, soon enough you'll be able to do it, too. One of the first things we'll teach you is how to pay attention to external details. They can tell you a lot without needing any pathic ability at all."

"But you said you could see it �"

"You're sunburned." She grinned.

I was speechless. Finally I just said, "Wow." Then I realized something else she'd indirectly told me.

"You mean you want me here? Even when you're already overcrowded?"

"Of course," Norae said with a smile. "Missioneers are always welcome. It's those trying to use this facility as an alternative to joining a pac that we try to avoid."

"Great," I said, not sure whether I meant it sincerely or not. I still didn't want to be there. I still wondered what Shay and Tuck and Spike would be doing without me. But I couldn't deny that Norae had impressed me. I wanted to learn to do what she could do. She'd piqued my curiosity. And I could already see how useful this particular skill would be to a mission team.

"The first thing we have to do is ask you about a thousand questions that you'll probably find both tedious and boring," Norae said, grinning with no trace of apology. "Tomorrow the excitement will begin. Come along." And she led me out of that large outer room through the small door.