Blackcollar: The Blackcollar

Tremayne gestured to the scholarly looking man at Bakshi's right. "My aide, Jeremiah Dan, is handling that. Jer?"

Dan steepled his fingers. "Your ship—I assume it was yours—crashed on the eastern slope of the Rumelian Mountains some thirty hours ago. We know approximately where; the problem at the moment is that Security has closed off the whole area. We have a small cell already in the region and they've been alerted, but that's the best we can do right now."

Lathe's jaw tightened momentarily. "Well, keep us informed. If you hear he's been found—by either side—let me know immediately." He looked back at Tremayne. "That leads into my second question. I'd like to know something about your organization; specifically, its size and distribution and how well you've done against the Ryqril."

"Seems to me it would be simpler for you to tell us first exactly what you want," Bakshi suggested mildly. "Then we can tell you if we can supply it."

"Simpler, maybe, but not as interesting," Skyler spoke up. "Besides, knowing what size team you've got often determines which game you're going to play."

Bakshi started to reply, but Tremayne laid a restraining hand on the blackcollar's arm. "No, he's right, Serle. Well, let's see. Radix currently has something like half a million members and active support perso

"What about your security?" Lathe asked. "I'd think with cells as big as this one you'd have a large infiltration problem."

Tremayne shrugged. "Actually, I think we have less of one this way, since everyone in a cell has to agree on accepting a new member. The quizlers occasionally try and slip in ringers, but we catch them quickly enough."

Lathe nodded. "All right. Now tell us about your notch record."

"Well, we're still here, despite quizler efforts to the contrary," Tremayne said with a humorless smile. "Other than that, it's not as good as we'd like. We harass them here and there—hijacking goods shipments, for example—but the really big targets are essentially invulnerable."

"You know this from experience?" Skyler asked politely.

"Very painful experience. Usually we recognize the inevitable early enough to pull back and cut our losses."

"You have some specific target in mind?" Jeremiah Dan asked.

"Eventually, yes," Lathe said. "First of all, though, we'll need you to locate all the old Star Force veterans you can find. I presume there were a number trapped on the ground when the defense folded?"

"Yes," Tremayne said, forehead corrugating. "But the war was a long time ago."

"That won't be a problem if they've been getting Idunine regularly," Vale put in quietly from somewhere behind Caine.

"They have been getting Idunine, haven't they?" Skyler asked, eyeing the Argentians' youthful faces.

"Now look—" the olive-ski

"At ease, Uri," Tremayne said. "As it happens, Commando, we've been very successful at intercepting Idunine shipments. And war veterans are high on our priority list."

"Good." Lathe nodded. "Then I'd like your people to start rounding them up as soon as possible."

"I'm afraid the rounding up's already been done," Dan spoke up. "Word came last night, Ral; I didn't get a chance to tell you."

"Oh, hell," Bakshi growled. "Again?"

Dan nodded.

Tremayne looked like he had a bad taste in his mouth. "I guess you're out of luck, Comsquare. All three hundred fifty of the old starmen have been locked away, probably for a couple of months."

"What?" For the first time since Caine had known him Lathe looked completely taken by surprise. "Why?"

"Happens every time the Ryqril launch a major thrust against the Chryselli in this theater," Bakshi explained. "The front's only a parsec or so away at this point. I guess they're afraid that someone will grab a ship while their forces are busy and can't give chase."

"That's ridiculous," Lathe snorted. "Where could he go?"

"Practically anywhere," Bakshi shrugged. "A single ship could penetrate almost any picket screen, even near a battle front."

"I know that" Lathe snapped. "What I meant was where would he land? Everything within thirty parsecs is owned, occupied, or under attack by the Ryqril."

"Look, we don't make up these rules," Bakshi pointed out with some heat. "The quizlers don't ask our permission before putting people in jail."

"You're right." Lathe rubbed a hand across his face. "Sorry. Any idea where they're being held?"

"Same place as always: Henslowe Prison, on the southern edge of the Strip," Dan said. "It's about twelve kilometers from here."

"Well guarded, I suppose."

"Very much so." Tremayne was looking more and more curious. "What exactly do you need these vets for?"

"For the moment that's still confidential," Lathe told him.

"Look, Comsquare—"

"You've had a long night," Bakshi interrupted his chief. "Why don't we let you rest for a while, and continue our talk later?"

"That would probably be a good idea," Lathe agreed.

Tremayne looked less than happy, but he nodded. "All right. Jer, did you arrange space for them?"

Dan nodded. "The man just outside will show you to your rooms."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Lathe said, getting to his feet.

"It's no problem. Rest well."

The door closed behind the blackcollars and Tremayne pushed his chair back. "Thanks for short-circuiting the argument, Serle," he said to Bakshi. "Comments?" he added, glancing to both sides.

"I still think it was a bad idea to bring them here," Uri Greenstein, the olive-ski

"If?" Bakshi cut in mildly.

"Yes, if. Blackcollars are human, too, Comsquare, and I don't believe all of you can be as noble as you'd like us to think. As I was saying, even if they're really on our side the extra Security activity they've precipitated could be a real problem."

"That's a good point," Jer Dan agreed. "If reports from the Rumelian district are indicative, the quizlers are preparing to turn the whole planet over."

"What do you suggest?" Tremayne asked.

"Isolate them," was the prompt reply. "Break off contact with all other cells so that only the Calarand group is at risk."

"Will that leave us enough manpower?" Bakshi wondered.

"What, with a dozen new blackcollars at your disposal?" Greenstein snorted.

"We can keep the Janus people here," Tremayne told Bakshi. "That's no extra risk, since Lathe's men already know them. Other comments? All right, then. Jer, I want you to start alerting the other cells to stay clear of us. Uri, you'd better get back to Millaire and pass the word to the southern division."

"Right," Greenstein nodded. "Also, since Calarand is going silent, you won't be able to monitor the search for the missing blackcollar, Jensen. I'll handle that."

"Thanks." Tremayne paused. "Speaking of blackcollars, did anyone else notice something unusual during the mock attack earlier?"

There was a moment of silence. "I did," Bakshi said. "One of them fell into a slightly different combat stance than the others."

Tremayne nodded slowly. "That's what I thought, too, The Janus report said they were from Plinry but were operating under Earth auspices. I wonder...."

"You think the odd man's an Earther?" Dan asked.

"Could be," Tremayne said. "Which raises the question of how he got out past Earth Security."

"Maybe there isn't any," Bakshi suggested. "Depending on how hard Earth was hit, there may not be much there to guard."