Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

of the living, not the dead. Rows and rows of markers, with no room to walk between them. It didn’t matter.
    Everyone knew Lachrymae Christi was where lepers went to die. Mother Beatrice changed all that.
    Weary of the compromises and politics that were already creeping into her new Church, she made it her business to discover people who had a taste and a talent for such work, and happily handed it over to them, so she could get back to what she considered real work for a nun. And so she went to Lachrymae Christi, to give hope to the hopeless, because no one else would.
    It never occurred to her that she was doing something very brave, or noble, or even self-sacrificing, risking her life in a place no one cared about, for people Humanity had discarded. She went because she thought she was needed, because she thought she could do some good.
    Because she was Saint Bea.
    The lepers took heart from her quiet determination not to be beaten by circumstances, or to give in to despair. She gave them back pride in themselves, and encouraged them to make as much of their lives as they could, while they still could. And she never once pushed her religion on them. To those who asked why God had allowed such a horrible thing to happen to them, she said, God has a plan for all of us. And to those who said they didn’t believe in God, she just smiled and said, That’s all right. He believes in you.
    The lepers worked hard because she worked harder, and believed in themselves because she believed in them. They became a colony in truth at last, establishing small settlements farther and farther out in the jungle. It was a basic kind of life, but better by far than they’d had any right to expect. Everything was going so well. Until the Hadenmen came to Lachrymae Christi. Owen got some of this from Mother Beatrice’s words, and some from Sister Marion’s acid interventions, and some he’d known already from talking with the colonists. It fitted with what he’d previously heard of the Saint of Technos III. He studied her unobtrusively while he was eating, looking for some kind of halo, or a sense of self-righteousness, but Mother Beatrice came across as reassuringly normal and level-headed. But there was still something about her, something… focused. Owen wondered idly if that was how people saw him sometimes. He realized Sister Marion was snapping at Mother Beatrice, and paid attention.
    The Sister didn’t take any nonsense from anyone, not even Saint Bea. “If you don’t ease up on your workload, you’ll end up in one of your own infirmary beds,” said Sister Marion angrily. She hadn’t taken
    her witch’s hat off for dinner, and the long plumes bobbed emphatically as she glared at Mother Beatrice.
    “You work harder than anyone else, and you don’t get nearly enough sleep. You’re no good to anyone dead on your feet from exhaustion. And you needn’t think I’m going to take over as head nurse. I can cope with the bandages and bedpans, but I’m no good at talking to them, or holding hands and mopping brows, and all that nonsense. That’s your department.” “Hush, Marion,” said Mother Beatrice affectionately. “After my time on Technos III, this is a picnic. Besides, I’ve never needed much sleep.”
    Sister Marion glowered at her, unconvinced. This was an argument they’d clearly had many times before, and would again.
    “We need to know more about the Hadenman attacks,” said Owen, pushing away his plate. It was still more than half full, so Hazel immediately transferred its contents to her own plate. Owen wasn’t surprised. Hazel would eat anything if she was hungry enough. He concentrated on Beatrice. “How long is it between each attack? Normally?”
    “Sometimes days, sometimes hours,” said Mother Beatrice. She sounded suddenly tired. “The Hadenmen first came just over a month ago. There was no warning. No ultimatums. We were completely unprepared. The first we knew was when some of the outer settlements stopped answering our calls.
    Then the first refugees arrived, bringing tales of death and destruction. The few who’d tried to surrender were cut down without mercy. We lost a lot of people, until I gave the order for the outer settlements to be abandoned. Then the Hadenmen came here. We’ve strengthened our fortifications, and everyone here has learned to use a weapon. The Sisters of Glory have proved excellent teachers. And then there’s Colonel William Hand, and Otto. You’ll