The Alembic Plot: A Terran Empire novel

  9. Surgery

  Shannon fumed in helpless anger. The first direct attack on Cortin'snew team--one he admitted to himself shouldn't have been made, but thathe'd found irresistible--had been a total disaster. The troopers hadbeen outnumbered more than two to one, yet they had still routed hismen, as far as he knew taking no casualties while claiming eight kills.Worse, he'd had to let one of his own go before death. It was alwaysunpleasant to lose someone useful, and when that one was sworn to him,it was humiliating as well.

  Worse, though, was his near-certainty of why Cortin and her peoplewould be taking another of his to a remote security area, when that onewas a near-perfect medical match. Restoring Cortin's sexual function,and the use she would make of it, would cause severe and possiblycritical damage to the use he had been making--and intended to continuemaking, if she didn't reclaim it--of human sexuality. Especially thenew virus-enhanced version, which offered such delicious possibilitiesif properly redirected and emotionally loaded.

  Was there anything he could do to prevent it? Degas, a formerBrother--though unfortunately too young then to be properly sworn tohim--was on Cortin's team. It was possible he could be blackmailedinto cooperating . . . though that would mean using his power, sincesecurity at a Royal retreat was so tight. Cortin would have to besedated for the surgery, maybe for part of her recovery time as well,and it should be safe enough to use them while she was drugged. If heonly knew when she'd be under!

  But without that knowledge, he decided regretfully, it would be wiserto refrain. The Adversary had pointed out that timing was crucial; hesimply dared not take the risk of rousing Cortin's power too early.

  * * * * *

  Friday, 28 Feb 2572

  Odeon was sitting beside the heavily sedated Cortin, stroking the handwithout tubes, when Bradford entered the shelter. He started to rise,but settled back at Bradford's gesture. "Yes, Colonel?"

  "Brad, please." Bradford looked at the woman for some time, then heturned his attention back to the scar-faced man who was her second incommand. "You've known and loved her for years, Mike. So will youplease tell me why in God's name the most talented Inquisitor I've everseen won't take a nice, safe, productive assignment at the New DenverDetention Center where the most difficult cases can be referred to her?"

  "I thought you wanted her in the field!" Odeon exclaimed.

  "Dear God, no! If I had my way, she'd be at the Center with all themedical and professional support I could provide, not out in the fieldgetting shot at, torturing herself by making her back trouble worse,and wasting her talents on criminals a second-semester student couldhandle. If I try to keep her there, though, I'm afraid I'll loseher--she's never said it in so many words, but if I read her right,she'd go rogue rather than give up her hunt for the Shannons."

  "I think so too," Odeon said. "She wants revenge, and I can't blameher. So I'll help her, and protect her as well as I can . . . and sowill the rest of Team Azrael."

  "And any other Enforcement man who's been around her for long,"Bradford said drily. "Interrogation isn't her only talent, I'vediscovered. She doesn't know about it, I found when I debriefed her--Ican't help wondering if you've noticed."

  "Noticed what?" Odeon asked, puzzled.

  "How people, men especially, react to her."

  Odeon chuckled. "That? That's easy! She's an Enforcement officer, socivs are apprehensive about her--more than they are of us, but untilSis came aboard she was the only woman officer. And our people likeher, probably for the same reason."

  "Your observations are accurate, of course--I'd expect that, from aTracker. But not completely so, since I have yet to find anEnforcement trooper, officer or enlisted, who's been around her formore than a short time and only likes her. To the best of my research,any trooper who's spent as little as ten or fifteen minutes with herhas fallen in love. I used to believe it was because of sex--you knowhow generous she was with herself--but since her maiming, I found thattheory was wrong." He grimaced. "The effect isn't even conscious,much less deliberate. When I went in to debrief her, I thought itwould be routine, and that I was braced against anything she might try.But she didn't, and I wasn't--by the time I left, I was in love withher, and so was every man on my team. I can't claim I don't feel anysexual attraction for her, because I most definitely do, even thoughI'm a happily married man with a child. But my primary feeling for heris protectiveness, and I understand that's how the rest feel.Including," he grimaced again, "Major Illyanov, the entireInquisitorial staff of the Detention Center, one clerk-private, and theproprietor of the Eagle's Nest. Probably others as well."

  "Mmm . . . that fits." Odeon hadn't thought about it that way, but nowthat Bradford had pointed it out, it did fit. The team's degree ofprotectiveness toward their commanding officer and their concern withhow she came through the operation were both unusually strong; it wasgood to have an explanation. Especially one that also explainedBradford's presence--and Illyanov's, since he wouldn't normally be amember of a Royal party. "I hadn't realized, but you're right. Sowhat do we do about it?"

  "Damned if I know," Bradford said. "There's probably nothing that canbe done, since she's not doing it either deliberately or knowingly. Imentioned it to you primarily because you're her second and need to beaware of that effect. It could be useful--at least if a young civfalls in love with her, you'll know to send him to a recruiter!"

  Odeon chuckled. "True--too bad all recruiters don't have a method thateffective. It would've saved me a lot of time, when I had that duty."

  "It would save the Service a lot of time, too, getting rid of ones whodon't work out," Bradford agreed. "If she weren't such an incrediblytalented Inquisitor, I'd want her on that duty--though she'd have tohave a partner who could tell when it happened, because as I said, shedoesn't know she's doing it."

  Odeon frowned. "Do we want her to know? I don't like keeping thingsfrom her, but offhand I'd say she's better off thinking it's normalcomradeship, with her back trouble as an explanation for any help orprotection out of the ordinary."

  "Which is what I was working around to asking you," Bradford said. "Ifyou think that's best, we'll keep it between the two of us."

  "Us and the team," Odeon corrected, "so they don't mention it bymistake. No one else is likely to say they love an Inquisitor, even ifit's true. I know I'd never dare."

  "Did you tell her before she got her Warrant?"

  "No--she never seemed to want that kind of tie, so I didn't burden herwith it." Odeon frowned briefly, then smiled. "Fortunately forme--and the rest of us, I guess--she doesn't need that to make love tous."

  "I've heard," Bradford said appreciatively. "As well for you--us, ifshe's willing to go outside her team--that she doesn't put a dailylimit on herself."

  "She's never restricted herself to a given team, either," Odeon said."Only to Enforcement men. I'm sure she'd be willing to accommodate youand Major--I mean, Ivan."

  "Good!" Bradford smiled. "Both our wives understand and accept thedispensation, of course, and so does Ivan's mistress, if that mattersto her."

  "I don't know if it does or not," Odeon admitted, surprised at himself."She's never mentioned it to me, or to anyone else I know of. If Ithought about it at all, I guess I assumed she assumed any wives orgirlfriends did accept it."

  "Okay. Sis expects her to wake up tomorrow?"

  "Late afternoon or early evening, yes."