soner. "It seems odd," he finished, "that she wouldn't react,
especially with him dripping on eroticine, if it's as involuntary as
she--and we--thought."

"That agrees with what happened this morning," Illyanov said. "We
slept linked last night, and were still so when I woke." He smiled.
"You are all aware of her new ability to intensify climax?" When they
nodded, also smiling, he went on. "That ability can also be most
stimulating if you happen to be within her and relaxed. My point,
however, is that she did not let it continue; she removed herself
before either of us became too aroused. I agree with David: she has
some control, though it may not always be conscious control."

Odeon traded glances with Chang. That sounded as reasonable as the
truth about Cortin, and considerably more believable; they'd go along.
"Then maybe it wasn't a fluke, or fear, when she came down after the
first time," he said. "What about it, Sis?"

"Unconscious control?" Chang said thoughtfully. "I should like to
believe so, and from what you all say, it does sound reasonable. As a
hypothesis, then: she indulges herself based on--if you will excuse the
term--available, acceptable resources and time. I should like more
evidence to either confirm or refute that, however; I have obviously
been wrong on that subject before."

Odeon grinned at her. That was a more reasonable hypothesis for the
others--and for Joanie herself, until it was time for her to go
public--than he could've come up with. "We'll get it for you, though I
don't know if we'll be able to tonight." He waved at the group around
Cortin; they had her almost undressed, with her full cooperation, and
were getting out of their own uniforms as all of them moved toward her
bedroom. "But if one of us can arrange to be her last for the night,
he can do what Ivan did last night. If he's the only one with her, and
doesn't let her move away, the results should be conclusive."

"A good indication, at least," Chang agreed. "And I will put a
sedative doser in the bedside table in the event the conclusion is not
what we currently believe."

Cortin didn't have time to wonder why none of her team were in the
group surrounding her; Illyanov's embrace and kiss had been quite
enough to start the ache in her belly, and the Inquisitors' caresses
had turned it into a burning need--one they seemed to sense and perhaps
share, because almost as soon as they got her to the huge bed, one