Odeon replied promptly. Turning to the
Sandeman, he went on. "As she says, I don't have the mental quirk that
lets me like hurting people; I'd be glad to get out of the job."

"It seems I do," Keith said. "At least since she wants this one to
hurt, I took a great deal of pleasure in causing him as much pain as I
could."

"It's all yours, then," Odeon said promptly. "With my thanks, by the
way--which I'll demonstrate later, if you want."

"In the meantime," Cortin said, "I'm hungry. Let's go up to supper."

Return to main storyline: 31. Explanation

30b. Torture (Medart's point of view)

The scene through the observation room window wasn't as bad as Medart
had expected. Or not as bad yet, he cautioned himself; it appeared
that Cortin was still conducting her preliminary examination.

What she'd called the third-stage room resembled, more than anything
else Medart could think of, a twentieth-century operating room, with
cabinets of supplies and equipment, monitoring machinery, even a
surgical table. But operating rooms didn't have chains hanging from
the ceiling, and patients weren't held spreadeagled, naked, between
those and eyebolts in the floor.

A couple of minutes after they entered, Odeon glanced toward the
observation room, raised a hand in acknowledgement, and said something
to Cortin. She turned toward them. "Colonel Bradford?"

"Yes," Bradford said, "with Ranger Medart and Lt. DarElwyn."

"If you'd care to, you're welcome to join me in here."

"Thank you, Excellency." Bradford switched off the intercom and turned
to the others, looking surprised. "That's a first; she doesn't
normally allow anyone in there except Captain Odeon or other
Inquisitors. The disadvantage is that you can't avoid her prisoner's
screams by shutting off the intercom."

"Even so," Medart said thoughtfully, "if an invitation's that rare, we
ought to accept."

The three entered the larger room, which smelled of antiseptic--rather
to Medart's bemusement. Why should Cortin care about infection in
people she was torturing to death? He kept that question to himself,
though.

"The interview went all right?" Cortin asked.

"Quite well," Bradford replied. "I'll get the operation moving as soon
as I get back to my office."

"Good--thanks, both of you." Cortin turned back to her prisoner, still
addressing the observers. "This one's nothing special, except in the
number of his crimes and the fact that he wa