h fun you are,
especially at a shelter party; I'd appreciate being allowed in, either
alone or with the rest of the team."

"And I'd enjoy having you, either way." She'd liked the pairing that,
even with Enforcement's dispensation, it was wisest to confine oneself
to in civilization--but she'd also liked, and taken full advantage of,
the opportunities offered by an entire team in one of the shelters the
Service put up for its people traveling in remote areas. She cut off
those memories sternly, before they could become too painful.
"Unfortunately, the attack left me incapable of that pleasure."

"Dear God!" Pritchett said, looking sick. "There must be something
that can be done!"

"Cosmetically, yes, my doctor says. Nothing . . . erotically useful."
Cortin grinned sourly. "Which I don't think upset her unduly. She's a
good doctor, but a typical civilian. I'm learning to live with that,
as well as the pain. I appreciate your concern, but if you'll excuse
me the Terran slang, what can't be cured must be endured; don't worry
about it." She stood, extending a hand. "Welcome again, Tiny."

* * * * *

It took two dozen more interviews over the next couple of days to find
the other two members she wanted for Team Azrael. Odeon had conducted
the interviews with both; she promised herself she'd have a private
talk with each of them later, when they were less pushed for time. One
was Lt. David Bain, demolitions expert and the backup Inquisitor she'd
hoped to find, a tall blue-eyed brunet with an easy grin; the other was
Lt. Anthony Degas, a quiet, self-contained small-arms expert who could
have been the model for Michelangelo's David. She could have had
more--some teams had over a dozen--but she and Odeon wanted to keep
Team Azrael small and mobile enough to respond quickly.

With the team complete, Cortin had them begin training together every
morning. She herself started the day with Mass for the Detention
Center Inquisitors and their guests, as she'd promised, losing herself
in the ceremony and coming back to mundane reality only when it was
over and she removed the stole. After breakfast was the team training,
then lunch, followed by individual work or study. For her, that meant
interrogations--and she decided quickly to allow Bain to do the
preliminary stages, concentrating her own attention on the stubborner
subjects. With a limited, if uncertain, time before they had to be