Blackcollar: The Judas Solution by Timothy Zahn Page A
Authors: Timothy Zahn
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, adventure, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction - Adventure, American Science Fiction And Fantasy, Science Fiction - Military
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retorted. "Over the whole Khorstron operation. Our pompous little Tactor Shaw has apparently gotten his back up and seems to think that whatever is done here should be under his command."
There was an obvious comparison just begging to be made, but Galway had already resolved to be as diplomatic as possible while in Haberdae's jurisdiction. "What does Lathe say about it?" he asked instead.
"He seems inclined to fight," Haberdae said. "He invoked Caine's Earth-based authority and Shaw backed off a little. But he might still reconsider." He eyed Galway. "And if he does, he's got the manpower to back it up. According to Shaw, he has nearly a hundred blackcollars on call." Galway stared at him. "Why didn't you tell me he had that kind of force available?"
"Because we didn't know," Haberdae countered. "Besides, what does it matter? As long as they get into Khorstron, why do we care how many of them it takes?"
"Because I don't want them going in like the Charge of the Light Brigade," Galway said. "I want Lathe to do the magic he does with small teams."
"Oh, relax," Haberdae said scornfully. "In my opinion, Shaw's blowing smoke. He might possibly have a hundred blackcollars on paper, but I doubt more than a few of them are in any shape to fight. If he can actually field even fifteen blackcollars, I'll be very surprised."
"You might be, at that," Galway said tartly. "Underestimating blackcollars is a dangerous game." Haberdae lifted his eyebrows. "And you know this from personal experience?" Galway took a deep breath. As diplomatic as possible ... "Yes, I do," he said evenly. "Which is why I don't want to do it again."
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Taakh shift position slightly. "Enou'," the Ryq said. His voice was quiet, but there was no mistaking the tone of command behind it. "Yae rill not argue rith 'Re'ect Galray."
"My apologies, Your Eminence," Haberdae said, turning toward the Ryq and bowing slightly. His tone was subservient, but there was a hint of resentment beneath it that even his loyalty-conditioning couldn't entirely erase. "I will, of course, defer to Prefect Galway in all matters of strategy and tactics on this operation." He turned back to Galway. "What are your orders? Sir."
"We first need to make sure that Lathe will be the main planner on the Khorstron raid," Galway said, choosing to accept Haberdae's new deference as genuine, which both men knew perfectly well wasn't true. "I'd prefer Judas stay in the background, but if necessary he and Caine's Earth Resistance authority can be used to support Lathe's position. If that doesn't work, we may have to look for a way to take Shaw out of the equation."
"Or maybe we should just go ahead and do that now," Haberdae suggested. Galway shook his head. "Tricky," he said. " And dangerous. We don't want to risk Lathe getting caught in the crossfire."
"It would still be worth working out some contingency plans," Haberdae pressed. Galway sighed silently. "Fine. Go ahead."
"I'll get on it at once," Haberdae promised, heading for the door. "You coming?"
"Not yet," Galway said. "I want to watch Caine a while first." Haberdae snorted under his breath. "I trust you realize that keeping him alive is a complete waste of time and energy and manpower."
"I don't kill unnecessarily," Galway said stiffly.
Haberdae gave him a thin smile. "Of course not," he said. "Neither do I."
* * *
The clothing Galway had left him turned out to be a loose-fitting, long-sleeved jumpsuit and soft indoor boot-slippers, the whole outfit made of a thin, crepelike orange cloth. Caine got dressed, then spent the next hour exploring his cell, methodically going over every square centimeter. From the design and lack of built-in surveillance equipment, he guessed the room had begun life as crew quarters and not a prison. That meant retrofits, all of which proved easy enough to spot.
The most obvious were the tiny cameras. The first, concealed in one of the bunk bed supports facing the door,
There was an obvious comparison just begging to be made, but Galway had already resolved to be as diplomatic as possible while in Haberdae's jurisdiction. "What does Lathe say about it?" he asked instead.
"He seems inclined to fight," Haberdae said. "He invoked Caine's Earth-based authority and Shaw backed off a little. But he might still reconsider." He eyed Galway. "And if he does, he's got the manpower to back it up. According to Shaw, he has nearly a hundred blackcollars on call." Galway stared at him. "Why didn't you tell me he had that kind of force available?"
"Because we didn't know," Haberdae countered. "Besides, what does it matter? As long as they get into Khorstron, why do we care how many of them it takes?"
"Because I don't want them going in like the Charge of the Light Brigade," Galway said. "I want Lathe to do the magic he does with small teams."
"Oh, relax," Haberdae said scornfully. "In my opinion, Shaw's blowing smoke. He might possibly have a hundred blackcollars on paper, but I doubt more than a few of them are in any shape to fight. If he can actually field even fifteen blackcollars, I'll be very surprised."
"You might be, at that," Galway said tartly. "Underestimating blackcollars is a dangerous game." Haberdae lifted his eyebrows. "And you know this from personal experience?" Galway took a deep breath. As diplomatic as possible ... "Yes, I do," he said evenly. "Which is why I don't want to do it again."
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Taakh shift position slightly. "Enou'," the Ryq said. His voice was quiet, but there was no mistaking the tone of command behind it. "Yae rill not argue rith 'Re'ect Galray."
"My apologies, Your Eminence," Haberdae said, turning toward the Ryq and bowing slightly. His tone was subservient, but there was a hint of resentment beneath it that even his loyalty-conditioning couldn't entirely erase. "I will, of course, defer to Prefect Galway in all matters of strategy and tactics on this operation." He turned back to Galway. "What are your orders? Sir."
"We first need to make sure that Lathe will be the main planner on the Khorstron raid," Galway said, choosing to accept Haberdae's new deference as genuine, which both men knew perfectly well wasn't true. "I'd prefer Judas stay in the background, but if necessary he and Caine's Earth Resistance authority can be used to support Lathe's position. If that doesn't work, we may have to look for a way to take Shaw out of the equation."
"Or maybe we should just go ahead and do that now," Haberdae suggested. Galway shook his head. "Tricky," he said. " And dangerous. We don't want to risk Lathe getting caught in the crossfire."
"It would still be worth working out some contingency plans," Haberdae pressed. Galway sighed silently. "Fine. Go ahead."
"I'll get on it at once," Haberdae promised, heading for the door. "You coming?"
"Not yet," Galway said. "I want to watch Caine a while first." Haberdae snorted under his breath. "I trust you realize that keeping him alive is a complete waste of time and energy and manpower."
"I don't kill unnecessarily," Galway said stiffly.
Haberdae gave him a thin smile. "Of course not," he said. "Neither do I."
* * *
The clothing Galway had left him turned out to be a loose-fitting, long-sleeved jumpsuit and soft indoor boot-slippers, the whole outfit made of a thin, crepelike orange cloth. Caine got dressed, then spent the next hour exploring his cell, methodically going over every square centimeter. From the design and lack of built-in surveillance equipment, he guessed the room had begun life as crew quarters and not a prison. That meant retrofits, all of which proved easy enough to spot.
The most obvious were the tiny cameras. The first, concealed in one of the bunk bed supports facing the door,
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