"Which may be just the reason Salgath started this uproar," Vall
suggested.

"That," Tortha Karf said, "is being considered; there is a discreet
inquiry being made into Salgath Trod's associates, his sources of
income, and so on. Nothing has turned up as yet, but we have hopes."

"I believe," Vall said, "that we have a better chance right on Home
Time Line than outtime."

Tortha Karf looked up sharply. "So?" he asked.

Vall was stuffing tobacco into a pipe. "Yes. Chief. We have a big
criminal organization--let's call it the Slave Trust, for a
convenience-label. The people who run it aren't stupid. The fact that
they've been shipping slaves to the Esaron Sector for ten years before
we found out about it proves that. So does the speed with which they
got rid of this Nebu-hin-Abenoz, right in front of a pair of our
detectives. For that matter, so does the speed with which they moved
in to exploit this Croutha invasion of Kholghoor Sector India.

"Well, I've studied illegal and subversive organizations all over
paratime, and among the really successful ones, there are a few
uniform principles. One is cellular organization--small groups, acting
in isolation from one another, coöperating with other cells but
ignorant of their composition. Another is the principle of no upward
contact--leaders contacting their subordinates through contact-blocks
and ignorant intermediaries. And another is a willingness to kill off
anybody who looks like a potential betrayer or forced witness. The