"I apologize for interrupting such intense study, Captain Cortin, but I
have been trying to attract your attention for several minutes." The
tall, attractive man in Enforcement gray, with St. Dmitri collar
insignia and major's leaf, bowed. "Major Ivan Petrovich Illyanov.
Your instructor--and delighted to have such an attentive student. How
far have you gotten?"
When Cortin told him, he smiled. "Excellent progress. Now we see how
well you have absorbed what you have read." He began questioning
her--without any of the memory-enhancing techniques, Cortin
noted--nodding or frowning occasionally at her responses. He made her
work, and she did so enthusiastically, disappointed when he finally
called a halt.
"You cannot learn a year's course material in one night," he said
drily. "Though at this rate you may well do so in a month. The
classroom material, at any rate." He touched a bandaged hand. "May I
see?"
"Of course. Uh . . ."
"'Uh' what?" Illyanov asked, gently unwrapping the bandage.
"Mike--Captain Odeon--told you why I want to learn this?"
"He did indeed." Illyanov paused, smiled at her. "I doubt there is an
officer in any Enforcement service on this world of ours, perhaps
anywhere in the entire Systems, who does not know of Captain Joan
Cortin and her ordeal. It should please you to learn that
anti-Brotherhood operations are currently overwhelmed with volunteers
sworn to avenge you. Although that has driven the Brotherhood to
ground, so I fear I must tell you we are having no more real success
than before."
"I am pleased--and flattered," Cortin said. "It never occurred to me
that there'd be that much of a reaction."
"But you are also pleased there will be some left to hunt when you
recover." Illyanov finished undoing the bandage, nodded approvingly at
the burn. "A good move, keeping these. You did it on instinct?"
"Yes. They're obscene, disgusting--a worse violation than the rape, by
far--but it didn't seem right getting rid of them. Though I probably
will, eventually."
"You will not show them at all times, then?"
"No--I plan to wear gloves except when I'm on a hunt."
"Remove them also during an interrogation, I would suggest." Illyanov
smiled, replacing the bandage. "You have not yet reached that point in
your studies, so you cannot be expected to know the psychological
impact, but such touches can appreciably increase your odds of success.
Terror is often more persuasive than pain."
"I will, then. Thank you." But she'd still use the pain . . .
"The pleasure is mine." He stood, bowed again. "Until tomorrow, then?"