Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 764
once, centuries ago. And then after 3340 died, I became
human again... when I met Megan. Now that she’s gone, am I
still? I don’t know."
"You are more than ever, Armiger. That is her gift to
you. Don’t squander it."
"Gift..." He nodded. "The part of her I can keep. Yet I
don’t know what to do with it."
"Just be, my friend. Learn to simply be."
He shook his head, but not in denial. "And you? Have
you given up everything you were to become a nun in a cell? I
can hardly believe it."
"It is necessary." She looked around at the narrow space.
"I am too ambitious by far. And rulership is addictive.
Something new is needed for the great of soul to do, and I wish
to learn what that thing is. Consider this cell to be a selfimposed
discipline."
He nodded. "But you will soon have no country to rule,
anyway."
She smiled ruefully. "Ah, Armiger. I am Mad Galas--I
have ever been, and so I shall ever be. What do I care for mere
nations? I set my sights higher the instant I was born. So what
if I’m just a mortal--no wiser, no smarter? In all the trillions of
people in your vast universe, I bet there is no one like me.
"I have to admit to a new temptation. Now that my
world is free, Ventus needs a philosopher to protect it against
new threats. The greatest, in the long run, is the ‘tyranny of
condescension’ you told me rules everywhere else. Of course,
that may not take hold for centuries; we are still an uneducated
and rural people. Right now, I worry about who will replace
kings and generals as the wielders of power over men. I very
much fear that it will be religious fanatics of one sort or
another. They will have to use words to compel, because to