Chapter 3: The Battle with the Morro

The next morning Mev awakened and immediately began to scry as far from the ship as possible for the Morro. As he had known for some time he could now sense five Morro ships as large and as powerful as the one he was in, with a much greater number of smaller supporting vessels. It would not be possible to defeat them using the weaponry of the ship alone.

Mev stirred and gently extracted himself from the narrow bunk, leaving Kathleen still asleep upon it. He quickly gathered fresh clothes and toilet articles and went off to the nearest head for his morning ablutions. There was morning muster in the shop in an hour and it was necessary to make a personal appearance there.

After a few minutes in the head Mev returned to the compartment and saw Kathy was now awake. He could see the difference in her now, most obviously the unconscious inner shields possessed by all high lords no matter what their level of training and experience. As a newly converted high lord Kathleen would require training and experience to gain full use of her capabilities.

Kathleen had awoken feeling little different at first but as time went on she started noticed subtle differences. Yet for the most part she did not notice anything really different from before and she wondered a little if the change had really succeeded. Mev had explained to her before that the change would either succeed or would fail catastrophically resulting in the death of both of them. Since Kathleen was still alive she had to assume that the change had succeeded. Yet it seemed little had changed. Her musings were interrupted by Mev's return from the head.

"Hello, Kathleen. How do you feel?" Mev asked her as he came in the door.

"I feel good. But it doesn't seem like there is much difference from before," the girl replied.

"It will seem to be that way at first, however rest assured the change was successful. The physical change has been accomplished already but there is still the need for you to learn how to control and use your new abilities." Mev replied.

"Thank you for your reassurance. I was starting to feel a little worried about it." Kathleen said.

"What you experienced is normal for one who has just been converted. You will notice more differences as time passes."

"What happens now?" Kathleen asked.

"I must attend a muster meeting at the shop. It will last for approximately half an hour. Once that is completed I will return and teach you what you will need to know for today's events." Mev answered.

"How long until the Morro arrive?" Kathleen asked.

"In perhaps two to three hours they will draw within detection range of the ship's sensors. If there is time I will show them to you upon my return."

"OK, I will wait for you."

"I need to leave for the meeting now. I should return in one half hour," Mev said. With that he left the compartment.

The morning meeting turned out to be the usual routine with no special announcements or anything unusual happening. It was very much the calm before the storm as in a short time it would all change. There was no sense in warning of the approaching Morro forces for they were arrayed in such a way that escape, without combat, would be impossible. Also, retribution for the destruction of Venda was needed today. So Mev held his peace during the meeting and immediately returned to the internal communications room as soon as it was over.

Upon his return Kathleen was sitting quietly reading from a hand held book reader. She looked up and smiled when she saw Mev.

"Hello Mev. I've been waiting for you. I'm worried about the Morro, won't they be here soon?" Kathleen asked.

"Yes, they approach even now, there is little time." Mev replied.

"You were going to show them to me?"

"Yes, if there is time. But there are several important things you must learn first."

"What are those, Mev?" the girl asked.

"The first and most important is about shielding and personal defense. In the hours ahead that could be needed, though it is to be hoped not. But it is necessary to be prepared if it should become necessary." Mev said.

"OK."

"You already posses the involuntary shields all High Lords have. These shields provide protection for your body and mind and require no conscious effort to maintain. I shall demonstrate..." As he was speaking Mev stealthily reached over to a drawer under the work bench and grasped the handle of a hammer.

Suddenly, Mev whipped around and slammed the head of the hammer savagely into the girl's side. The sound of the impact filled the room with a loud "BINGGG!" and the handle of the hammer bucked wildly in Mev's hand, though he controlled it easily. Despite being stuck a powerful blow by the heavy hammer the girl was unharmed and was unmoved by the force of the impact.

Kathleen stood there in shock, both that Mev would do such a thing to her, and that she was completely uninjured from what had been a powerful blow. She had felt a light tap on her side just strong enough to let her know well that she had been struck. Somehow she even knew the size and shape of the surface of the hammer head which had struck her but felt no pain or significant impact.

Mev watched the girl warily for a few moments with defenses prepared for anything the girl, in her shock at the sudden blow might do without thinking. His striking her that way was very effective in driving home quickly how changed she now was. Yet there was a small but real chance she might strike him with power in untrained reflex reaction to the blow. He relaxed after he saw the shock fade from her eyes.

"Now you know that you have indeed been changed, Kathleen. A blow such as the one I just gave you would have caused serious injury to a human such as you were before. But a High Lord need have no fear of such, though it is unwise to allow yourself to be struck like that." Mev told the girl.

Kathleen stood there speechless for a time, her mind trying to get itself around what she had just experienced. For the first time it really struck her how significant the change she had experienced had been.

"Mev, please explain it to me further." The girl asked, finally finding her voice again.

"During the coming battle you will be well protected from much of what might happen. If somehow the Morro should happen to board the ship there is no hand carried projectile or energy weapon they might have that can harm you, though they could damage your clothes or hair. Ship mounted weapons are more dangerous but this compartment is within the ship's armored citadel. You are also vulnerable to spending more than a short time in vacuum, since there is no time now to teach you to sustain yourself under such conditions." Mev told Kathleen.

"How long is a short time?" she asked.

"Perhaps fifteen minutes if you are careful to not breathe during that time."

"Ok. So how am I supposed to make myself look like you?" the girl asked.

"Through use of what we call 'The Power of Impersonation'." Mev replied.

"How do I learn that?" Kathleen asked.

"To transfer the knowledge will require direct mental contact between you and I. There is no danger to this process." Mev replied.

"What do I have to do?" the girl asked.

"It will be easier for the first time if we are touching. We can lie together on the bunk. Just relax and wait for me to start, you will know when it happens." Mev replied.

The two moved over to the bunk and lay together on it. Kathleen tried to relax and waited for something to happen.

Suddenly, in a way Kathleen had never experienced before, Mev was in her mind. Thoughts and images flashed by as Mev shared a brief history of his life. In that short time she learned more about him than she had ever known before. She saw images of the beauty of Venda before it was destroyed by the Morro. A vision of how the collapse in the final defense triggered a wave in the pattern of existence which had nearly killed Mev.

Then Mev moved on to the matter at hand. He shared with Kathleen the image of the pattern of the spell for 'The Power of Impersonation', how to start it, and how to end it. Though it did take quite a bit of energy to get it started the pattern was easy to maintain once it was in place. Mev was careful to ensure that Kathleen understood that the 'Power of Impersonation' caused an actual physical change to the body. Mev shared with her everything she might possibly have to do while he was away from the ship. Then he withdrew from contact with her.

"There is time for a little practice and then I must prepare for the Morro. You will need to remove your clothes first." Mev said.

The girl quickly removed her blouse, pants, and underwear until she stood nude in front of Mev.

"I'm ready, Mev." Kathleen said.

"Initiate the pattern," Mev instructed.

The girl's appearance blurred and then Mev was looking at a double of himself.

"Release it," Mev instructed again. He was looking at Kathleen again. Mev had the girl practice the spell several more times until he was sure she could do it easily and quickly.

"Now I must prepare for the Morro. Please change now and don my uniform as the ships sensors will detect them very soon." Mev turned and went over to the opening to the void, opened it, and removed his sword and other weapon. He then removed his uniform and donned the clothes he was intending to wear when he went to the Morro on their ships.