Rakitin wanted to protest that Lynx had done the difficult part, but he remembered the large man's reticence to discuss the lizard's origin. Apparently he didn't want it known that he happened to have a large, venomous reptile on hand. People could be funny that way.

"Thank you, sir," Ippolit demurred, smiling softly, flushed with pleasure. "That's really not necessary."

He was at a loss for what more he could possibly want.

Lynx's encouragement helped him approach, drawn forward like a wooden duck on a string.

With infinite care, Rakitin knelt and took the Colonel's arm. The veins were proud and easy to locate, running alongside scars that flowed like India ink across rich parchment. Ippolit thought of what it would be like to run reverent fingers along their course, tracing the shape of the sinuous curves.

"This will only hurt for a moment," Ippolit said, positioning the needle with a steady hand. "Then you should begin recovering strength very quickly, though you should still take it easy for a while."

He smiled down at the depressed plunger.

"You have a lot more strength than average to recover, if you don't mind my saying so, sir."