one of the deputies said, "but is there any real
necessity for our trying to locate the Wizard Trader time lines? If
you can get them from the Esaron Sector, it'll be the same, won't it?"

"Marv, in this business you never depend on just one lead," Ranthar
Jard told him. "And beside, when Skordran Kirv's gang hits the base of
operations in North America, there's no guarantee that they may not
have time to send off a radio warning to the crowd at the base here in
India. We have to hit both places at once."

"Well, that, too," Vall said. "But the main thing is to get these
Wizard Trader camps on the Kholghoor Sector cleaned out. How are you
fixed for men and equipment, for a big raid, Jard?"

Ranthar Jard shrugged. "I can get about five hundred men with
conveyers, including a couple of two-hundred-footers to carry
airboats," he said.

"Not enough. Skordran Kirv has one complete armored brigade, one
airborne infantry brigade, and an air cavalry regiment, with
Ghaldron-Hesthor equipment for a simultaneous transposition," Vall
said.

"Where in blazes did he get them all?" Ranthar Jard demanded.

"They're guard troops, from Service Sector and Industrial Sector.
We'll get you the same sort of a force. I only hope we don't have
another Prole insurrection while they're away--"

"Well, don't think I'm trying to argue policy with you," Ranthar Jard
said, "but that could raise a dreadful stink on Home Time Line.
Especially on top of this news-break about the slave trade."

"We'll have to take a chance on that," Vall said. "If you're worried
about what the book says, forget it. We're throwing the book away, on
this operation. Do you realize that this thing is a threat to the
whole Paratime Civilization?"

"Of course I do," Ranthar Jard said. "I know the doctrine of Paratime
Security as well as you or anybody else. The question is, does the
public realize it?"

A buzzer sounded. Ranthar Jard pressed a switch on the intercom-box in
front of him and said: "Ranthar here. Well?"

"Visiphone call, top urgency, just came in for Chief's Assistant
Verkan, from Novilan Equivalent. Where can I put it through, sir?"

"Here; booth seven." Ranthar Jard pointed across the room, nodding to
Vall. "In just a moment."

* * * * *

Gathon Dard and Antrath Alv--temporary local aliases, Ganadara and
Atarazola--sat relaxed in their saddles, swaying to the motion of
their horses. They wore the rust-brown hoo