mation, and if she could do it by proxy, that only made
her more effective.

And, one late February evening, Chang and Odeon reported to their
commanding officer's quarters with the news that Chang's research had
at long last borne fruit. When Cortin invited them in, Chang bowed.
"I can report limited success, Captain--and our superior has taken an
interest." She handed her commanding officer an envelope. "He wished
me to maintain silence until a suitable donor was found, to prevent
undue anxiety on your part. Lieutenant Bain and I did so this
afternoon; if you agree to the procedure, Team Azrael will depart
tomorrow morning for a suitable surgical and recuperation area with its
prisoner."

Cortin waved them to seats and took one herself, then opened the
envelope. It held a single sheet of paper, directing her to place
herself under Medic-Lieutenant Chang's orders if she chose the
procedure, with a handwritten note at the bottom: "It sounds indecent,
but promising. If you decide to have it done, keep me in mind next
time you're in New Denver or I'm out East."

Cortin scowled at her subordinates, but couldn't maintain the
expression; it was too hard to keep from grinning, and she finally did.
"For people who've been going behind their CO's back, you two look
remarkably unrepentant--not to mention smug. So tell me about this
'indecent but promising,' 'limited success' procedure . . . not that I
think I'll need much convincing."

"The team will be ready to go at 0500," Odeon said, doing his best to
look innocent.

Cortin gave him a dirty look, then shook her head in resignation. "I
must be getting too predictable. Go on, Sis, spill it."

"As the Captain says." Chang's face remained impassive, but her eyes
twinkled. "As I thought, the original rumor was exaggerated. The
Inquisitor was not regrowing tissue; he was merely reattaching items
that had been removed. And it was only external items; internal organs
are either too complicated or simply beyond his skill. However, full
function and sensation were restored in all cases, even when the
reattachment was to another subject, provided the blood type was the
same and the work was carefully done. And the recipient subject was
maintained on an adequate dosage of algetin."

Cortin winced. Algetin was a potent pain-enhancer, which made it
extremely useful for interrogations, but this was the first she'd heard
of it having any medical use. Still . . . "