Forbidden Knowledge by Stephen R. Donaldson

axiomatic that nobody likes law more than us illegals do. It’s a love-hate relationship. The more we hate the UMCP, the more we love Nick Succorso.”
    Morn blinked at him. “That doesn’t make sense.”
    Vector lifted his shoulders in a mild, humorous shrug.
    A moment passed before she noticed just how smoothly he’d distracted her from his idea that Nick never lost.
    While she was still trying to collect her thoughts, however, the intercom in the galley chimed. The same neutral voice she’d heard earlier said, “Morn Hyland, come to the bridge.”
    A moment later Vasaczk added, “Acknowledge.”
    Morn didn’t move. She was frozen again; taken by surprise and snared in fright.
    Vector’s stiffness seemed constant. His movements gave such an impression of resistance in his ioints that Morn expected him to wince as he got up from his chair and went over to the intercom. Nevertheless his expression remained as calm as blue water: any pain he may have felt remained far below the surface.
    Keying the intercom, he responded, “She’s with me. I’ll make sure she doesn’t get lost.” Then he clicked off the pickup.
    By way of explanation, he told Morn, “This will give me an excuse to be on the bridge. I want to know what’s going on myself.”
    She hardly heard him. No, she insisted to herself, no, don’t panic, not now. Any risk she failed to face might kill her: she could only hope to survive if she met each danger as it came. Don’t panic now.
    Nevertheless she was suddenly afraid right to the bottom of her belly. And the zone implant control was back in her cabin; she had no defense. She could feel what remained of her will crumbling. Her reserves drained out of her as if she were a broken vessel. Without her black box, she was only the woman Angus had raped and tormented, nothing more. If Vector Shaheed had left her alone, she would have put her arms down on the table and hidden her face against them.
    He didn’t do it. Instead he touched her shoulder gently, urging her to her feet.
    She stood as though she were under his control.
    “Come on,” he said. “You don’t want to miss this. It might be interesting. You can be scared later.”
    His hand on her shoulder guided her out of the galley.
    “I told you that you don’t need to worry about whether you can trust us. That’s true. But there are a couple of people you should watch out for. Mikka Vasaczk is one. She can’t hurt you—but she would if she could.”
    A moment later, in the same tone of secret humor he’d used earlier, he added, “Hell, we all would.”

CHAPTER        3
 
    H ell, we all would.
    For several minutes nothing else penetrated Morn Hyland’s distress, although Vector kept talking while he led her through Captain’s Fancy . Retailing information and descriptions like a tour guide, he steered her to the nearest lift and down to one of the outer levels; he may have thought that the sound of his voice would steady her.
    But she only heard, We all would .
    She was sure she’d guessed the truth. Nick had been summoned from her cabin to deal with some urgent development which involved her. It involved Com-Mine Security and Angus. Something had gone wrong with the deal Nick had made for his departure—with the deal Security’s traitor had arranged for him.
    Or some hint or rumor about her zone implant had been passed to Nick, and now he meant to expose her; ruin her.
    Surely there were other, less fatal possibilities? If there were, she couldn’t imagine them. Angus had burned that capacity out of her. She had to brace herself for the worst and face it.
    Somehow.
    All would .
    Her training in the Academy must have been good for something. Hadn’t it taught her enough toughness to pull her brain into focus? Hadn’t Angus taught her enough desperation? She needed the zone implant control, wanted it so badly that she almost begged Vector to let her detour to her cabin; but she knew the risk was too great, she couldn’t