your records in order, must you not?" He turned to Cortin.
"If you would identify yourself for this young man, Captain, we can
proceed."

"Of course, Major." Cortin dug out her ID, the first time she'd used
it since before going into the convalescent hospital, and had to hide
her surprise as she showed it to the clerk. Besides the standard
Enforcement Service card, the little folder held an Inquisitor's badge!
Keeping her voice level, she said, "Now, may we see those records?"

"Yes, Captain--it'll only take me a moment." While he went to the
files for them, Cortin gave Illyanov a curious look, got only a slight
shrug in return, and took a closer look at her ID. It was the one
she'd had since making captain, yes--there was where the pen had
spluttered while she was signing it--but it had been altered. Very
skillfully altered, by someone who knew precisely what he was doing,
and according to it, Illyanov was right; she wasn't in full uniform.
Or . . . was she? Surely she would have noticed an SO patch on her
sleeve! She snuck a quick glance, and was relieved to see nothing
there. At least it didn't look like she was going either blind or
insane!

"Here you are, Captain," the clerk said, handing her a small stack of
folders. "If you want to go through them here, you can use that desk
by the west door."

"Thank you." Cortin took them, going to the desk and seating herself,
then opening the first one--but her mind was on the additions to her
ID. She took out the folder again, staring at the badge and the
Special Operations stamp. "What's going on?" she asked Illyanov in a
low voice. "Why do I get a badge while I'm still in training, and why
sneak it all in on me like this?"

Illyanov thought for several moments, frowning. At last, keeping his
voice as low as hers had been, he said, "Unless you wish to attribute
it to Colonel Bradford's well-known and decidely peculiar sense of
humor, which I consider likely, I do not know. The speed can perhaps
be explained if he has information not generally available about an
upcoming raid, though I would have expected that as your instructor I
would have been informed when you were granted a Warrant--out of
courtesy, if nothing else--but I can think of no logical reason for him
not to inform you."

"Neither can I, so I guess you're right about it being his sense of
humor." Cortin put the ID away and began studying the prisoner
records. They seemed to be arrange