"Timothy Zahn - Blackcollar 2 - The Backlash Mission" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)

of the remaining blackcollars on Plinry, Lathe had saved Caine's life at least twice and had
succeeded in pulling the younger man's first Resistance mission to success out of what had been wet
ashes indeed.

On the other hand, he'd also lied to Caine on several occasions, sent him around the red-herring track
more times than Caine cared to remember, and had virtually reduced him to pawn status on that
same mission. And to top it off, for the past seven months Lathe had been the one running Caine
through Plinry's brand-new floating blackcollar academy.

Which had included a lot of this brand of tooth-grinding test.

Stepping to Caine's side, Lathe glanced over Skyler's armor. "Not bad," he said. "You also got three
fast kills and two slow ones with your shuriken. The last one, though, you nearly missed. Let's go to
the lodge and run the tapes."

Skyler was looking upward. Caine followed his gaze, found the tiny black dot hovering far above.
"Smile for Security's cameras," Skyler suggested.

Caine considered sending an obscene gesture instead, decided not to bother. Replacing his shuriken
in its pouch, he followed Lathe back through the trees as, all around him, the "dead" returned to life
to await the next victim.

тАФ
It was really rather sobering to see the performance on tape.

Seated before the screen, his mind replaying his own memories as he watched, he listened to Lathe's
running critique. "...here you lost half a second in the backward underhand throw.... Good roll, but
he should by rights have nailed you on his next shot.... Skyler may have been too quiet to hear, but
you should have sensed his approach.... Late, but a good takedown anyway."

The tape ended, and Caine uncurled his fists. "So what's the verdict?" he asked. "Are you graduating
us now, or do I have to wait until the next time the Novak heads for Earth?"

Lathe set his elbows on the desk in front of him, fingering the ring he wore on the middle finger of
his right hand as he gazed into Caine's face. Caine's eyes dropped to the ring: a silvery dragonhead,
its batwing crest curving back over the knuckle, its ruby-red eyes proclaiming its owner to be a
blackcollar comsquare. A symbol of ability, dedication, and sheer fighting power... and for Caine, a
symbol too of what he intended to do with his new skills.

"You'd like to wear the dragon, wouldn't you?" Lathe asked into his thoughts.


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Blackcollar: The Backlash Mission

"Not without earning it," Caine told him.

Lathe shrugged fractionally, his eyes still on Caine's. "We could grant you a special exception,
provided we could find an unused ring to fit you."