In a dystopian future, a state apparatus employs a mechanical Inquisitor to extract confessions from suspected traitors. Kroll, an Interrogator, conducts brutal interrogations, believing in the righteousness of his duty to the State. He encounters three prisoners: Florence Horniman, Chester Wengrove, and Neil Leslie. Each undergoes varying degrees of torture, revealing the oppressive nature of the regime. Florence, despite her beauty and youth, refuses to betray her comrades, enduring pain without yielding information. Wengrove eventually breaks under pressure, providing details about his cell but is not released, instead sent to a Quarantine Camp for reprogramming. Leslie, however, remains defiant, refusing to speak even as he suffers severe torture. His resilience unnerves Kroll, who begins to question the morality of his actions. After a particularly harrowing day, Kroll is haunted by Leslie's final question: "How do you know you're right and we're wrong?" This doubt festers in Kroll's mind, leading him to a restless night filled with conflicting thoughts about loyalty and the State's righteousness. He attempts to suppress these doubts, convincing himself of the necessity of his role. The next day, Kroll arrives at work to find his position usurped by an assistant, Matthews, who has been appointed as the new Interrogator. The Inquisitor reveals Kroll's own words, expressing doubt about the State, branding him a traitor. Kroll's desperate attempts to assert his loyalty are met with cold indifference, culminating in his own capture by the very system he served. The narrative explores themes of power, loyalty, and the moral implications of state-sanctioned violence, ultimately questioning the nature of truth and justice in a totalitarian regime. Kroll's transformation from a loyal servant to a victim of the system underscores the fragility of belief in an oppressive society.
By Robert Silverberg · First published 1980 · Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Psychological Thriller