The traffic this time of day was always heavy, even in a levcraft, and the clinic was in another

quarter of the city. Eve did her best not to fidget but she had never been able to feel completely comfortable in a levcraft. Even with all the comforts built into her father's custom craft she felt nervous. Somehow her common sense could never grasp how such vehicles could stay aloft. That, and she was afraid of heights. Eve did not think anyone knew of her phobia, she had never told anyone,not even her parents, and she planned to keep it that way. It would be the height of embarrassment if people were to learn Evelyn Mary Susan Bertrox, only child of David Bertrox, head of the Bertrox Group, was afraid of something so insignificant as altitude. Both of her parents were with her in the spacious cabin. Her mother was trying to have a conversation with her but Eve could not focus. Normally she loved to talk with her mother. With a multiple doctorates, Ruth Bertrox could carry on a discussion in almost any subject. The best Eve could do was respond half heartedly and grunt agreeably. Her father, as usual, sat quietly, listening to the exchange. His quiet attitude spooked his competitors and most of his associates. They were acting normally but Eve was nervous in a way that even a ride in a levcraft could not explain. It was not every day that a person was tested for extranatural ability. The family had put it off for as long as possible. Extranaturals were still not always accepted in Federation of Sol-Earth and in certain circles they were outright shunned. Most of those associated with the corporate world belonged to this second group and the Bertrox family sat firmly within this group. For Eve this test had always been an inevitability. The discovery that a distant cousin of hers had manifested extranatural powers had certainly sped up the process. Eve wished they could have done this in the privacy of their own home but the doctor had been adamant. He had said that he could not afford to leave the hospital where he worked for such a long time for a single patient. He wasn't bother by the fact that he technically worked for the Bertrox group, the hospital was owned by the conglomerate. He could do that since he was the only one in the region who was licensed to administer the test. The traffic was clearing up now as the lev approached the hospital. While the hospital was open to the public employees of the Bertrox Group were given a discount and the plant managers made sure accidents were few and far between. The majority of the patients were retired employees who retained their corporate insurance as part of their severance. Landing sites for levs were always crowded, luckily there were several spaces reserved for executives and one specifically for Mr. Bertrox himself. Walking through the corridors filled with the hushed bustle present in virtually all hospitals it occurred to Eve that hospitals had not changed much in the last few centuries. She had seen and read descriptions of hospitals of past times and they were still about the same. Brightly lit hallways and the

scent of sterilized equipment that could not quite cover the smell of sickness. Dark rooms with quietly beeping and buzzing machines just beyond the reach of the lights as if jealously guarding their charges from the outside world. When Eve and her parents came closer to their destination the ambient noise dropped off. This wing seemed empty compared to the others. The sound of their footsteps were only broken by distant, muffled conversations and Eve's mother, who was still trying to engage her daughter. Ruth Bertrox was nothing if not sociable. They finally found the office. On the door, in large, plain text, was the name Dr. Saul Herbert. Inside, the waiting area was very small and there was only one receptionist. Eve's father introduced them and the receptionist immediately waved them in, saying the doctor was now free. Dr. Herbert was standing when they entered.Seeing them he greeted Eve's father warmly, Ah, Mr. Bertrox thank you for coming. I'm sorry I could not accommodate your request. My position here requires me to be near the hospital and I am often on call for emergencies. It's quite all right. You don't need to explain professional necessities to me, Answered Eve's father. It's gratifying to meet employees with such integrity. The men shook hands and David Bertrox introduced the rest of the family. The doctor was a slim man of medium height. He was likely quite a bit taller but he had a pronounced slouch which made him seem smaller. In fact everything about him was small and unimposing, from his posture to his voice. Eve couldn't decide if it was natural or affected. Now, Doctor Herbert said, I'm sure you don't want to waste any more time so let's get started. Luckily this should not take very long. Miss Evelyn if you would please sit down, He said indicating one of the chairs. Mr. and Mrs. Bertrox feel free to make yourselves comfortable. As Eve sat the doctor picked up a small stack of papers and flipped through them as he continued to speak to her parents. I understand the Empire requested you test your daughter after it was confirmed that a relative of yours had manifested extranatural ability on his own. Is this correct? Yes, they both answered. Imperial Records indicate that the last known extranatural in your family was Mrs. Bertrox's great-grandmother. Which explains why the Empire stopped checking every member of the family. We had believed the powers had died out in our family. Eve's mother stated. It is unusual for the ability to have skipped so many generations but it is not impossible, as you have seen. Doctor herbert shifted your attention to Eve's father, There have been no extranaturals on your side of the family, correct? Yes, he answered. We understand that you will be testing for extranatural ability but how

exactly will you be able to tell whether or not she has it? Hm, I believe it would be easier to show you than explain. Doctor Herbert rummaged through a desk and produced a large faceted crystal. It was clear and about half the length of Eve's forearm. It virtually flawless and its polished sides looked as smooth and any drinking glass. Absently polishing the crystal on one sleeve the doctor asked Eve, Which is your dominant hand Miss Evelyn? Please call me Eve, She requested Alright. Eve had been a bit miffed that, even though this visit had been for her benefit, no one had seen fit to ask her anything. She understood why, she had not know the answer to those questions about the family history, but she was certainly glad Doctor Herbert was now directly addressing her. I am ambidextrous. Oh, well, that complicates things a bit. He thought for a moment. In that case, hold this in whichever hand feels most comfortable, he said handing her the crystal. Eve took the crystal and passed it between her hands a few times. She had been expecting it to feel strange or give off some sort of unnatural vibe but it just felt like a smooth piece of cold glass. She finally settled on her left hand and looked at the doctor expectantly. Good, now that that is settled, he said, Please hold out your right hand and rest your left in a comfortable position, this sometimes takes a while. Eve did as he asked. Thank you Miss Eve. Close enough she thought to her self. Doctor Herbert moved another chair in front of hers and sat down. He then took her outstretched hand in both of his. The doctor's large hands completely engulfed her own. Now, he said, Close your eyes and relax. Concentrate on breathing. She did and slowly the world faded away. After what felt like hours he continued, Excellent. Now feel the weight in your hand. Visualize what you hold. His voice, quiet before, had become exceedingly soothing. Eve did her best to remember every detail of the crystal, a surprisingly difficult task with a clear, smooth object. Somehow, when she felt she had reconstructed the image as best she could, Doctor Herbert seemed to know. Now see a light shining from the crystal. Feel the warmth on your hand. It is bright and clear. His voice faded as she concentrated on the task. In the midst of this concentration her mind began to wander. Eve felt a bit silly, briefly imagining what this might look like to her parents. Still, she persisted. She doubted anything would happen but she was confident the doctor would stop her once he was satisfied with the test.

The doctor's voice suddenly cut through her musings. A single sentence reverberating in her head, My breath, the spark of light. In some unknown place deep in her mind, or perhaps a place beyond even that, something clicked and she felt a sudden rush of energy surge through her being. It felt like it was gushing from every pore then swirling around her body. Finally the power coalesced into a single point in her left hand. Startled, she opened her eyes and was shocked to see that the crystal was indeed glowing in her hand. Eve noticed her mouth was dry and realized she had been repeating that last sentence for some time. She also noticed her arm had fallen asleep. She looked at the clock and saw that it had been nearly three hours since they come into the office. It definitely had not felt that long to her. Judging by the look on her parents' faces they were just as surprised as she was about the situation. Doctor Herbert stood up saying, Alright. Please keep holding that light for a while I need to take a reading. Eve thought the request was absurd. She had know idea how she was even doing this in the first place. He picked up a device from his desk and pointed it at her. He fiddled with it for a moment then asked, I don't suppose you could strengthen you output at all. Eve's response was a blank stare. Oh, he said, seeing the look, I suppose not. He fiddled a it more then nodded at whatever result he was seeing. You can put it out now if you like. He said as he wrote something on a pice of paper. Excuse me, but how exactly am I supposed to do that? Eve asked shakily, still stunned, as she eyed the glowing rock. Ah. Forgive me, Doctor Herbert responded. I forget that beginners rarely know what to do. I'm sure you felt the initial contact with the Weave. It is quite an intense sensation the first time. Eve nodded. If you go back and look at the place it came from you should be able to See a line of energy sustaining the spell. All you need to do is sever the line or close the gate. Normally that sentence would have sounded ridiculous but Eve was holding a four pound magic glowstick so she did not argue. Concentrating on it she could indeed sense a stream of energy shooting out of herself and flowing around her body. She had no idea what he had meant by gate so she followed the other suggestion, mentally cutting the line emanating from within. Instantly, the crystal went dark. Except for the sound of Doctor Herbert's writing the room was silent for a while before her father spoke. Now that we know our daughter is an extranatural what do we do next. Miss Eve is actually a mage, the smallest subset of extranaturals. Doctor Herbert replied. As I am also authorized to instruct new mages in the basics I would be happy to train her. I could also recommend several other instructors in the area. No, Eve's father said, shaking his head, I meant what are our other options.

At this the doctor looked saddened, There are certain procedures that can be taken to either temporarily or permanently block her abilities. I think that would be the best... her father began to say. However, Doctor Herbert interrupted, not yet finished with his statement. I would strongly advise against those options. Even the temporary block comes with a significant chance of serious and permanent damage to the mind. It is a tragedy how many young extranaturals are crippled in this way due to pressure from social prejudices throughout the Empire, particularly here in the Sol-Earth Federation. Then would it be possible to simply leave her as she is, without any training or blocking? Her father asked. Unfortunately, no. Imperial law dictates that all mages, and to a certain extent all extranaturals, must be trained in the basics or blocked. Both for her safety and for those around her. In either situation her file will still be flagged as extranatural in the Imperial archives which can be accessed by many organizations, then possibly made public, which would defeat your intent. I don't see why that would be necessary. She just found out about her abilities. I doubt anything can come of it at this point. Actually, said the doctor, The initial contact with the Weave is almost always the most difficult. Any time after this test it will be much easier for your daughter to channel energy from the weave. In fact, she is subconsciously doing it right now since she has not been taught how to suppress the instinct. Hearing this, Eve tried to find the energy thread again and, as the doctor said, found there was a new current of energy flowing around her. She tried the same technique of severing the line. She tried it a few more times and grew more alarmed as the thread reformed each time. Eve thought about what the doctor had said. If it was true, that meant that the only reason she would now need to be trained is because she was tested to begin with. Her father had come to the same conclusion. As comprehension dawned n his face so too did the anger. Doctor Herbert saw it and moved to head off the coming outburst. I understand the situation may look unfair... Unfair? her father shouted. This is beyond unfair. How could the Empire demand such a thing when they know this situation is so common? That may be true but most people find it difficult to repeal a law personally put forth and enacted by the Emperors. Even David Bertrox's bullish opinions, almost legendary in the business world, stood little chance against the absolute authority of the Emperors. Eve could see him physically deflate. But, true to form, he

recovered quickly and rushed ahead, intent on getting the last word. So it seems our glorious leaders are not so perfect. I always knew Aria was strange but I didn't think she was stupid. Doctor Herbert was taken aback by such an informal use of the Empress' name. Eve was used to it, her father often referred to the Empress in this fashion, but the doctor looked annoyed. I agree that the Empress is indeed quite strange by normal standards, Doctor Herbert said, but I would never accuse her of being stupid. Empress Aria's policy of social engineering is a bit baffling but, in the long run, both Empress Aria and her brother have proven right more often than not. I will continue placing my faith in their judgement. For a minute Mr. Bertrox paced about the office in an attempt to rid himself of the impotent energy. Looking at his wife he asked, Ruth, what do you think dear. She studied the doctor for a moment, thinking. Doctor, she asked, Is the blocking procedure still, in your professional opinion, too dangerous to recommend? Yes, he answered. In that case, I believe we should leave the decision up to Eve. This is her life we are talking about. Whatever the choice, it will have a definite impact on her life. Even as her parents this is not something we can decide for her. So, honey, She said smiling at Eve, What do you think? Eve was a little startled to have the attention of the room so quickly redirected towards her. She was also very nervous. This was the first time in her life she had ever been presented with such an important decision. One that she would have to live with for the rest of her life. She knew if she did not get the block it could seriously damage her public image as well as the family's reputation. But she liked the idea of being mentally crippled for life even less. And her father's influence could certainly mitigate most of the blowback if anyone ever did find out she had magic. Taking a deep breath she announced her decision. I think it would be best if I were trained. I do not want to take any chances with such a dangerous procedure. Doctor Herbert smiled broadly, obviously relieved to hear her choice. Her mother was also smiling, if not as enthusiastically, clearly showing which side she favored. Her father was still outraged over the whole situation but he did not seem angry with Eve's decision. Now that that is decided, the doctor said, would you like my recommendation for an instructor? There are a few reputable mages in the city who I trust to mentor new mages. Eve's father took over speaking for the family again. I think I would prefer you teach my daughter. I think I've got you about figured out as an honest man and you're already on my payroll. No need to go through the hassle of vetting another person. Mr. Bertrox extended his hand towards the doctor.

Very good, Doctor Herbert said, shaking Mr. Bertrox proffered hand. Speak to my secretary. She will help you set up a convenient day for your first lesson. The last part was directed at Eve. I look forward to teaching you the arcane arts.