"I'll be careful," Cortin assured him. "You've told me often enough that the line between persuasive pain and unconsciousness is a very fine one, and I don't intend to let him cross it." "Very good." Illyanov smiled at her. "I will intervene only if you ask, or if you appear about to do something unfortunate. Shall we go?" 4. Ordination St. Thomas, Tuesday, 23 July 2571 About mid-afternoon, Shannon was leaning back in his desk chair, planning the March raid that would supposedly mark the beginning of the Brotherhood's real push against the Kingdoms, when he sensed a use of power that had to be Cortin. It was weak, barely detectable, but undeniably there, and he swore viciously. Even the slightest deliberate use she made of her power might lead to more . . . did he dare check to see if it was deliberate? That should be safe enough, he decided at last. It was far more difficult to detect a passive use such as observing than an active one such as coercion or physical alteration, and Cortin's use was weak enough it might well be unconscious. Despite his decision that the risk was low, he was cautious in extending his sensitivity toward her. When he made contact, though, he felt a sense of relief. Her use was unconscious, which meant there was no immediate danger. He could have retreated then, but he was too intrigued; she was getting her first practical experience as an Inquisitor, and he couldn't resist the temptation to watch. The subject was one of the Brotherhood's suppliers. Too cowardly to actually join the Brotherhood, but a skillful thief who could generally get what the Brothers wanted, and sold it to them at about half what he'd charge anyone else. It was a shame to lose him, but worth it to watch Cortin work on her first victim, whether she turned out to be the incomparable expert he expected if she had the nerve, or the total incompetent he expected if she didn't. "Are you a Brother of Freedom?" she asked the prisoner. "No." Cortin nodded. "Then have you worked for them?" "Not that, either." "In that case, we can proceed. I don't suppose you'd care to answer my questions without unpleasantness?" "I don't have anything to tell you." "The choice is yours." Cortin picked up a scalpel, pausing at the expression on Illyanov's face. "Is something wrong, Major?" "That is not the standard way of beginning an interrogation." "It will be, for me," Cortin said. "I'll do whatever is needed to stop criminals, but I have no intention of hurting innocents." "He denied everything." "But he only told the truth the first time. He's worked for the Brothers, even though he isn't one himself, and he has some significant information." "You never told me you had truthsense," Illyanov said quietly. "That is a most useful talent." "The subject never came up--but I can't be lied to, never could even as a child. If a question has a yes-or-no answer, it doesn't matter if he tells the truth or not. I'll know."