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There was a cluster of officers at the bar, Lieutenant Rollins right in the
middle. They were grouped around a newspad, watching the latest Terran News
Channel update just beamed in from Blackmane. Barbara Miles, perfect as ever,
looked out of the screen with an expression of mingled concern and reassurance
as she spoke.
Despite denials from official Confederation channels, TNC now has
independent confirmation that the Locanda star system has been placed under
absolute quarantine in the wake of an outbreak of a virulent plague said to be the
result of a Kilrathi biological weapons attack. There are unconfirmed rumors that
this is not the first time such weapons have been used against human colonies. It
is now generally believed that the colony on Locanda Four has already suffered
heavy losses, and may be all but wiped out as the disease runs its course.
She paused significantly. In other news from the front, TNC has learned that
a strategic withdrawal of Confed forces is underway in several outlying sectors.
While government and military spokesmen officially deny any such actions,
unofficially several sources have suggested that these withdrawals have been
ordered as a means of consolidating the front lines by surrendering unimportant
territory in the hope that the Kilrathi will spread themselves too thin and thus be
exposed to a significant counterstroke. But independent military analysts
retained by TNC have labeled this suggestion as spurious, and believe the
Ñconsolidation is merely an improvised response to the advances of the enemy.
This is Barbara Miles reporting, with another TNC Infoburst . . .
Shut it off, Radio, a lieutenant Blair recognized as one of the carrier s shuttle
pilots growled. Always the same old line from those cat symps.
Rollins blanked the screen. Hey, Trent, where ve you been? We were at
Locanda . . . and they re breaking down Blackmane Base right now. I hear tell
there s been talk of sending a peace envoy to Kilrah . . . that we re as good as
ready to surrender. So how can you keep buying the fantasy that we re actually
winning this war?
What I want to know, Rollins, Blair said, placing a hand on the lieutenant s
shoulder, is why you re so all-fired eager to tell us how bad everything s going?
Ah, c mon, Colonel, Rollins said. You d have to be blind to miss the facts.
Things are bad . . . and they re getting worse. Fact: we haven t had a real shore
leave in months. Fact: they keep shuttling this old bucket around from one
trouble spot to another, as if one battered carrier and one fighter wing was all
they could spare to cover half the sector. Fact: we ve been on one defensive op
after another, and we always seem to end up pulling back when it s over. Seems
pretty damned clear to me, Colonel. This war s winding down, all right. But we re
not on the winning side.
Blair looked from Rollins to the others grouped around him. Most of them
were nodding their heads in agreement, though a few, like Lieutenant Trent, were
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frowning at his words. You want facts, Lieutenant? I ll give you a few to chew
on. Fact: the grunts on the front lines, even the ones with lots of well-placed
sources. never see the whole picture in a war. Fact the fastest way to lose a war is
to allow morale to be sapped by half-assed young officers with big ears, bigger
mouths, and no common sense at all. And fact: I know a communications officer
with too much time on his hands who is letting his love for gossip jeopardize the
morale of this ship.
With all due respect, sir, I m entitled to my opinion, Rollins said stubbornly.
Indeed you are. But if I hear any more of this defeatist talk, you ll be
reassigned to Waste Recycling, where your crap belongs. Get my drift?
Telling him to shut up won t make the truth go away, sir, one of the others
spoke up.
If it is the truth, wailing about it isn t going to change a damned thing, Blair
said. We ll just have to play the cards we re dealt. But like I said, the grunts at
the front hardly ever know what s really happening. Hell, maybe it s worse than
old Gloom and Doom here thinks. But maybe it s a lot better. Point is, if we
decide everything s lost anyway, and give up, we might end up letting down some
folks who need us to turn things around. He paused. I m not telling anyone
what to think. Or even saying you can t shoot the bull over a few drinks. But
spreading the worst possible rumors × that s crossing the line. I ve heard my
share of rumors that were a lot less nasty, and I m sure Rollins here has heard
them too. . . but those don t get much play, because they re not spicy enough.
Rollins gave him a long look, then shrugged. Maybe you re right, sir, he said.
Maybe I do like to shoot my mouth off.
Well, as of now, consider the safety on. Blair forced a smile. Anyway, aren t
there better things to talk about than this damned war? The girl you left behind . .
. or the shore leave you ll never live down? He turned to the bartender. Rosty . .
. a round on my account. But only to the ones who have something pleasant to
talk about, okay?
That boosted some spirits, and the others were laughing and chattering
happily as Blair moved to an empty table by the viewport. He sat there staring
into the darkness.
He could have been quoting from a manual on keeping up morale when he d
spoken to them. The trouble was he didn t believe a word of it himself.
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Captain s Ready Room, TCS Victory Blackmane System
Blair paused at the entrance to the captain s ready room, reluctant to touch
the buzzer. Victory was astir with fresh rumors today, speculations rising from
the arrival of a courier ship from Sector HQ at Torgo. No one knew what word the
ship brought to Eisen, but everyone was sure it heralded a change of orders,
perhaps fresh action. Blair wasn t looking forward to learning what was in store
for them now. He didn t feel ready to go back into action again so soon, not with
the failure at Locanda still hanging over him. It wasn t something he could admit
to anyone, either, not without requesting a transfer to some rear-echelon outfit,
off the firing line.
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