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woman, frail and feeble to your eyes. You think it safe to mock me.”
    “I assure you, Ma’am—”
    “Quiet, Captain. Listen before you lose your life.”
    “You’re threatening me?”
    “No, no, you misunderstand. Your arrogance, your New Man nature blinds you to reality. You must learn to control it.”
    “You stir dangerous waters, Ma’am,” Maddox said, as his features stiffened.
    She shook her head. “You’re so young, so alive and full of yourself. You do not realize that the Spirit uses you.”
    “Because I’m di-far ?” he said.
    “No, no, you’re di-far because the Spirit uses you as a change vessel. Many… currents flow through you. These currents are paths, choices or ways of acting. When they flow through you, Captain, you have the power to redirect them. Instead of going straight, you can take a new way.”
    “Can you be a bit more specific?” he asked.
    “A current flowed through you when you entered the alien Destroyer. The path of universal human destruction derailed. You shifted humanity onto a new path of possibility, one that is still playing out.”
    “And this change didn’t happen because of my decisions or actions?”
    “Of course you were the cause. It would be foolish to think otherwise. I’m trying to point out it wasn’t your strength that caused the path change. No mortal has that kind of power. The only logical answer is that someone gifted you the strength. Who is this mysterious benefactor? The answer is obvious: the Spirit gave you the power. He worked through you, making you di-far .”
    “Let me see if I understand,” Maddox said. “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I’m a…station for the current. The Spirit used me as a switch, derailing humanity’s doom, putting us onto a different path.”
    “Crudely stated, but accurate nonetheless.”
    “If I’m not responsible for the change, why bother telling me any of this?”
    “I have stung your pride, I see. If you wish to continue being di-far , you must learn humility. You must see what is actually taking place. Otherwise, conceit will end your usefulness. The Spirit will choose another.”
    As she spoke, the deck shifted under Maddox’s feet. The old woman looked about in alarm.
    “I take it our time is up,” Maddox said. “Star Watch interceptors are here, I presume, firing at us. What message do you have for the Lord High Admiral?”
    “You must keep our conversation a secret.”
    Maddox shook his head. “It’s your turn to be di-far , as the Spacers are going to have to make a choice. Are you with us or against us?”
    “It is not that simple.”
    The deck shuddered again. This time, Maddox was ready for it. He didn’t stagger as far as before.
    “I think you Spacers stumbled upon Builder tech,” Maddox said. “Star Watch could use that. You must help us find the Swarm Imperium and the New Men’s Throne World.”
    “You are not here to lecture me, young man. You have entered my sanctum so you may learn humility before your pride destroys you. Remember what I have told you.”
    Maddox realized they spoke at cross-purposes. So be it. “If the Spacers don’t help Star Watch, you’ll go down once we’re gone.”
    “Not so,” the Visionary said, sitting straighter. “We know avenues of which you have no conception.”
    The hatch opened as a klaxon wailed in the outer hall. One of the provost sentries rushed in with a bundle in his hands. He pitched it to Maddox. Behind the sentry raced Shu 15.
    “Come,” she said, motioning to Maddox. “You must leave before they destroy our vessel.”
    “Why are you in league with the androids?” Maddox shouted at the Visionary.
    “You continue to misinterpret events,” the Visionary said. “We spied on the androids to see what they would do to you. As we watched you destroy each of them in turn, it became obvious the Spirit was still with you. You are still di-far . Thus, we thought it best to warn you. More currents are