The Major smiled, revealing even white teeth. “I don’t know exactly how that came about. It just kind of happened over the years. Now everyone calls me ‘the Major.’” He chuckled. “I’ve never had the heart to tell them, but actually I was a brigadier general in the Air Force.”

Nicole’s expression caused him to laugh. “See, even my staff doesn’t realize they’ve demoted me.”

He turned slightly and again put out his hand. “You’re Eric Lloyd. I’m very pleased to meet you.” He held his hand in midair for a moment, then shrugged, unperturbed by the other’s implacable gaze. “Dr. Cameron knows me by reputation,” he said easily, “and I knew of your father in the same way, Eric. Though I realize it’s little consolation to you now, I deeply regret that he was killed. I admired his courage and integrity very much.”

Nicole expected that to trigger an outburst, but Eric just watched, his face an unreadable mask.

The Major turned and took Nicole by the arm. “May I present Nicole Lambert, one of our staff officers in the Monitoring Control Center.”

Dr. Cameron merely nodded, but Eric spoke for the first time. “We’ve met,” he said dryly.

Nicole nodded, holding his gaze until he looked away.

“Sit down,” the Major invited, motioning the two men to the cot. Not waiting for them to obey, he stepped over and picked up the wooden stool, flicked off a minute speck of dust, then sat it down for Nicole, placing it where she would be facing both men. As he straightened, he saw that neither of them had moved.

“Dr. Cameron, just before Nicole and I entered, you and Eric were speculating on his present condition, I believe.”

The doctor nodded, almost imperceptibly.

“I can understand your suspicions and your reluctance to trust me, or anyone else in Shalev, for that matter, but I assure you, our only desire is to get Eric out of detention as soon as possible. Now, if you’d sit down, both of you, we’ll not prolong this any longer than necessary.”

Dr. Cameron complied, followed a moment later by Eric. As he sat on the cot, the doctor’s eyes never left the Major’s face. “So,” he finally said, half to himself, “Dr. Curtis M. Denison. That explains a great deal. I heard you’d gone into top-secret brain research. Rumors kept cropping up, but…” He let the words trail off.

“Yes,” the Major responded, leaning easily against the wall. “Actually I proposed a project for the military and was given control of it. We called it ‘Benevolent Pacification.’ Our basic task was to explore ways of taking a hostile civilian population conquered in war and render them harmless and obedient without resorting to violence, threat, incarceration, or military occupation.”

“Benevolent pacification?” Eric said bitterly. “Is that what our village got? You make it sound so beautiful.”