The Alembic Plot: A Terran Empire novel

  24. Revenge

  Thursday, 26 March 2572, New Denver

  After Mass and breakfast, Odeon, Bain, and Blackfeather went to thedungeon. There was no question, Blackfeather thought, of her giving upher work as Cortin's historian, even though she'd joined FamilyIllyanov during her unity with Ivan last evening; while both of themregretted the separation, it would be only until Family Cortin andStrike Force HQ moved to Archangel--probably, Cortin and Illyanovestimated, by late winter or early spring.

  To give them time to do whatever Odeon intended to the Brother both ofthem had claims on, Cortin went to her main-floor office and read themorning New Denver Times, which had picked up Blackfeather's reportsand front-paged them, along with news of the Brothers' raid on theconvent and Enforcement's successful defense. The Times maintained itsreputation for strict reportorial impartiality; Cortin had to turn tothe editorial pages to find reaction rather than the facts she alreadyknew.

  Not much to her surprise, the reaction was cautious. The editorialwriters acknowledged that Families probably would stop or reverse thepopulation decline, but were doubtful that they would be widelyaccepted, even though the Pope, when approached, had said he could seeno objection. The creation of her Archduchy and her ennoblement wereacknowledged, along with the creation of Family Cortin, as probablygood for the new Archduchy and definitely good for the Family, an honorthe Inquisitor-Colonel had earned, though she sensed the writer wasrelieved not to be in her fief. The Sealings weren't commented on atall. On the other hand, praise for the convent defense was unstinting,and Cortin was singled out for taking swift action to protect thepress-gang victims and find the hostages, with the writer expressingthe hope she would carry out equally swift justice on the capturedBrothers, particularly the one who had helped maim her. There was nomention of revenge, but there was the implication the writer thought itwould be appropriate for her.

  Cortin put the paper down, frowning. It was true that she had beenlooking forward to her first chance at personal revenge ever since theattack on her--but now that she had it, the opportunity didn't seemanywhere near as attractive. There was no question but that theBrother deserved the revenge she'd planned for him, and more; hiscrimes undoubtedly deserved more punishment than she could possiblyinflict.

  But punishment wasn't the problem with this one, any more than it hadbeen with any of her earlier subjects. It was the revenge part thatbothered her, though it certainly wasn't illegal--or sinful, forEnforcement troops, since they were carrying out God's vengeance evenwhen it had a personal component. So why had the idea of taking herrevenge on this Brother suddenly lost its savor?

  She mulled that over for some time before she was able to come to whatseemed like a reasonable hypothesis. The Father had claimed vengeanceas His own, but Jeshua had concentrated on mercy, even though some ofHis priests had been fighters. The Protector emphasized love andjustice; possibly those who represented Him weren't supposed to indulgein vengeance. She'd have to talk to Mike about that, find out if he'drun into the same thing.

  Maybe she could tell without talking, though, so she went down to SuiteBravo's observation room--Suite Alpha held the Brother team-leader--andjoined Blackfeather. The reporter looked pale and had turned thespeaker off, but was managing to control herself; Cortin greeted herwith approval, then turned to watch Odeon.

  Odeon's back was to her, so she couldn't see his expression. Hismanner, though, was more professional than passionate, which supportedher hypothesis so far. The same went for Bain, who was holding theprisoner, though that was less evidential; to the best of Cortin'sknowledge, he'd never expressed any desire for personal revenge againstthe ones who'd maimed her. She'd only be sure of it regarding him ifthey happened to capture one of the terrorists who'd tortured hisbrother.

  "If he was on one of Larry's personal teams, he won't be able to tellyou anything," Blackfeather said, interrupting Cortin's train ofthought. "Larry did something to them, and to all his doubles, so theycouldn't."

  "Unfortunate, but not entirely unexpected," Cortin said. "Whatever Ithink of him otherwise, I know he's not stupid; it stands to reasonthat he'd give his closest associates the best protection he could.Especially if it also protected him at the same time."

  "What will you do to him, then? Turn him over to the courts? Or takeyour revenge?"

  Cortin looked at her sharply, but saw none of the disapproval the wordsimplied, only curiosity. "Neither. If I gave him to the courts, hewould simply be turned over to another Inquisitor for punishment andexecution--probably one who wouldn't give him the time or opportunityto repent."

  "Repent!" Blackfeather exclaimed, looking confused. "Joan, you can'tbelieve--"

  "I'll try, but I don't expect him to take the opportunity." Thehistorian still looked uncertain, so Cortin continued. "He deservesfar more punishment than I can impose, but I no longer believeanyone--even Shayan himself--deserves Hell for eternity. So I'll putthis one through as much as he can survive of the kind of torment hegave his victims, though my methods will be different since I have bothskills and equipment he didn't--but I will also pray for him, and if herepents, give him the Sacraments and allow him to finish his punishmentin Purgatory."

  "You don't want revenge?"

  "Not any more. I think vengeance is for those who can't acceptjustice, and maybe for those who've been denied it. From the way Ifeel, I'd say it's not for the Protector or His people--though Mike mayfeel differently."

  "He said about the same thing before he and Dave got started. At theconvent, he wanted revenge, but by this morning, he was past thatstage. And I think that frightened the Brother more than the revengedid."

  Cortin thought for a moment, then nodded. "It probably would me, too.You can get to someone who's emotionally involved, if only to egg themon and end it quicker; a professional doing a job doesn't have thatkind of handle."

  "I can see that--" Blackfeather broke off as Odeon turned, rubbing hisknuckles, and switched the sound back on.

  "Is Colonel Cortin with you, Sara?" he asked.

  "I'm here, Captain," Cortin said. "You have the subject ready for me?"

  "Yes, Excellency. How would you like him?"

  Cortin hesitated before answering. She had intended to start by rapingand gelding this one, but since she now had to take Sara's history intoconsideration, that no longer seemed appropriate. Although he'dundoubtedly raped and maimed quite a few besides herself, making itappropriate in that sense, the fact that he had done it to her wouldgive it the appearance of personal revenge rather than impersonalpunishment. Better to use techniques with less chance formisinterpretation. "Standard position, I think. At least to beginwith."

  "Our pleasure, Excellency." Odeon bowed slightly, then he and Baintook care of securing the prisoner as she'd asked, and Bain left.

  Cortin explained her change of plan and the reason to Blackfeather, andgot a nod. "I made the assumption you'd want to see at least onesession," she finished, "but if you'd rather it be later, that's up toyou."

  "I don't want to, but I definitely should," Blackfeather said. "And Isuppose this is as good a time as any."

  "Let's go, then." It wasn't until she was entering Bravo's third-stageroom that Cortin thought to ask, "Do you want me to describe what I'mthinking as I work? Though I doubt it'll be suitable for publication."

  "As I said earlier, even what I don't publish will be useful forbackground--knowing your thought processes will be a big help."

  "All right--but it'll mean leaving the speaker on. Want me to mute himafter I finish the preliminary, so you don't have to hear screams?"

  "I-- Yes, please." Blackfeather managed a shaky grin. "I neverthought I was the squeamish type, but there's something about this kindof violence that bothers me, even when I know it's necessary."

  "That's normal," Cortin said. "Nothing to worry about, as long as youdon't get carried away, like some Terrans did, and worry more about thecriminal's pain than the victim's. Compassion is goo
d, but you have toremember who deserves that and who deserves punishment."

  "I know--being squeamish doesn't mean I've gone soft in the head. I'drather not butcher my own meat, either, but I'm grateful to the oneswho do it."

  "Fair enough." God willing, she thought, Sara would never get overwhat she called squeamishness; humanity needed far more of that typethan it did Inquisitors, or even regular Enforcement troopers.

  The prisoner spat as she approached him to begin her preliminaryevaluation. "Do your worst, Bitch--you'll get nothing from me!"

  "So I have been informed, by a far more reliable source. I will beasking you no questions." Wait, though. And think aloud, for Sara."Not immediately, at least. You have been protected againstconventional questioning, even an Inquisitor's--but that means onlythat you cannot be forced to speak; it does not mean you cannot speakif you choose. Preliminaries first, however."

  Those went better than she had expected. Mike was developing a goodability to anticipate the way she intended to work on a subject, andhad been careful selecting the areas to sensitize. When she finishedher evaluation, she went to her cabinets, studying their contents."I'm ready to silence him. Something that won't do more than minordamage, preferably, which leaves out surgery . . . yes, this shoulddo." She removed a vial, filled a syringe, and returned to hersubject. "My observer prefers that you not scream, and since I cantell from your reactions if you should wish to confess, I am free tooblige. Paralyzing your throat muscles should serve the purposenicely."

  To her surprise, he didn't fight the injection. "Do you expect him tosave you somehow?"

  The man shook his head, sneering.

  "To give you an easy death, then?"

  He shrugged.

  "You believe it possible, though he avoids me and did nothing to saveyou from Captain Odeon's beating."

  "On the other hand," Blackfeather said through the speaker, "he couldvery well be using your punishment for his own ends. He told me oncethat letting a failure die under an Inquisitor's questioning was a goodpreliminary to what would happen once said failure died and arrived inHell."

  The man stiffened, mouthing Blackfeather's name.

  Cortin nodded. "I see he did not tell you he sent her to us. MissBlackfeather is now Sealed to the Protector, and a part of His team. Icannot offer you either, but should you repent during this part of yourpunishment, I will see that you die in a state of grace."

  "Go to Hell, Bitch!" the man mouthed.

  "Sara, were you able to read his lips?"

  "No. What was it?"

  "The usual; he wished me in Hell." Cortin's attention went back to hersubject. "That is not my destination. In an attempt to keep you fromgoing there, however, I will provide you the closest approximation Ican manage to its torments. You will die painfully here, and continueto suffer afterward--but as long as you live, you have the chance toreject Shayan, make your torment a brief prelude to Heaven."

  * * * * *

  After a couple of hours, Cortin could no longer ignore a nigglingfeeling she'd had since entering the dungeon; she broke off herinterrogation, signaling Odeon and Blackfeather to join her in thesuite's office.

  "You feel him too, huh?" Odeon asked, as soon as the door closed behindhim.

  "I feel something like being watched, yes. It's not Sara, but she'sthe only other person here--what 'he' are you talking about, and howcould he be watching anything?"

  "Shayan," Odeon said flatly. "There's a different feel to hismind-touch--I couldn't sense any menace from him--but after what he didto me, I can't mistake his identity."

  "Shayan!" Cortin and Blackfeather exclaimed in unison.

  "But I didn't sense anything," Blackfeather continued. "I would'vethought any time he was around, physically or otherwise, I'd know it."

  Odeon shrugged. "I can't say about that, Sara--all I know is what I'vejust told you. He's watching us, for whatever reason, yet I feel verystrongly that he's not going to interfere." He rubbed the scar acrosshis mouth, frowning in puzzlement. "Impossible as it sounds, I get theimpression he intends to help us somehow. Not that he likes us--anybut Sara, anyway. The feeling's more like . . . it's vague, not basedon deliberate communication, but I'd call it something like adetermined, if reluctant, alliance."

  Cortin frowned. "Are you sure?"

  "It's vague, like I said, but I'm as sure as I can be under thecircumstances. I don't think it's possible to lie, mind to mind--couldbe your truthsense is a special form of telepathy."

  "Shayan helping us. That doesn't sound possible." Cortin paused,still frowning. "I hate to ask, Mike, and I'll understand if you don'twant to--"

  "But you'd like me to ask him directly." Odeon rubbed the back of hisneck, sighing. "Okay. Just don't be surprised if I go into anotherfunk." He turned his attention to the Hell-King. *You've beenlistening; you know what I want.*

  *You are quite correct about both the alliance and the reluctance,*came the reply. *This, however, is not the time to go into that; thediscussion we need to have will take longer than Cortin should give herprisoner to regroup. I am observing primarily so I will know when youare free for that discussion; I will not continue it now. For themoment, suffice it to say I will be pleased if her efforts to obtainthis one's repentance are successful, though I very much doubt thatwill be the case.* With that, the direct contact broke, though Odeonstill sensed the observation.

  "Are you okay, Mike?" Cortin asked anxiously. "You look pale."

  "Yeah, just a little shaken. By what he said, not the contact itselfthis time." Odeon repeated what he'd been told, seeing astonishment tomatch his own on the women's faces.

  "He'll be pleased if this one repents?" Cortin asked in disbelief.

  "Uh-huh. And he doesn't want you giving him too much of a break."

  "That doesn't sound like Larry, unless . . ." Blackfeather paused,cocked her head. "He's got something to gain. Something thatoutweighs all his other interests--so I'd recommend very strongly thatYour Excellency take his advice and return to your subject."

  "Since it would seem what he has to gain coincides with our interests,at least temporarily, that would seem to be the best, yes."

  * * * * *

  Cortin peeled off her coverall and went upstairs with the other two,feeling a peculiar combination of satisfaction and disappointment. Hersubject had been punished as thoroughly as she could manage for nearlyten hours--but he'd been as intransigent as Shayan had hinted, and he'ddied cursing the Protector.

  That was a blow, though she'd known she couldn't possibly turnall--maybe not even most--of her subjects to God. She'd tried her bestwith this one, she reminded herself, and if she hadn't been able toturn him, no one could have.

  The odd part was that Shayan had wanted her to turn him, which shestill didn't understand. While most of her wanted to avoid anypossible contact with him, a small part was so curious about why he wascooperating that she couldn't help wanting the discussion he'dmentioned.