Still, they will have a great deal of help, possibly more than they want. Telekinetics are rare, and telepaths are even more so; there are only a few dozen in the whole of the Terran Sphere. And in all but two of them, the talent is quite rudimentary. The interstellar government realizes that such abilities may be of enormous benefit, so they take a great interest in anyone found to possess them.”

“The government again,” Father LeBarre cried, exasperated. “Will they never be done meddling in the affairs of the Church?”

“Beware, Father—the government might think it is you who violates the separation of Church and State.”

“But what was more natural than to bring him to the priest?” Father LeBarre spread his hands. “This is a small village; only the magistrate represents the Terran government, and none represents the DDT. The parents were on the verge of panic when objects within their house began to fly through the air in the boy’s presence. What was more natural than to bring him to the priest?”

“Natural, and wise,” Father Al agreed. “For all they knew, it might have been a demon, or at least a poltergeist.”

“And what was more natural than that I should call upon my Archbishop, or that he would call upon the Vatican?”

“Quite so. And therefore I am here—but I doubt not I’ll find no taint of the supernatural, as I’ve said. At that point, Father, the matter ceases to fall within our jurisdiction, and moves to the government’s. ‘Render unto Caesar…’ ”

“And is this boy Caesar’s?” Father LeBarre demanded.

A soft, muted chime spared Father Al from answering. He turned to the comscreen and pressed the “accept” button. The screen blinked clear, and Father Al found himself looking through it into a Curia chamber, hundreds of miles away in Rome. Then the scene was blocked by a brooding face under a purple biretta. “Monsignor Aleppi!” Father Al smiled. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”