For a long moment Colt said nothing. Then, "People talked about building the satellites in orbit when the SDI idea was first proposed."

"I know. But we can do it now. All the pieces are in place—almost."

"You got all the pieces tied together," Colt said. "One big program that's got something for everybody. Moonbase becomes an important mining center instead of a geriatrics hospital. The big corporations get Uncle Sam to finance factories in orbit for them. And the Star Wars guys get their ABM satellites deployed for half the cost of building them on Earth and launching 'em from the ground."

"Not really half the cost," Kinsman said. "It won't be that cheap, I don't think. They'll want to continue to build the first-generation satellites on the ground. The space- manufactured stuff is for the next generation, the satellites 239 that'll be carrying the high-power lasers."

Colt kicked his recliner upright and bounced to his feet. "Shee-it, man, you've got it made! You've pulled the two projects together into one big beeyootiful program that makes sense! Nobody could vote against it! It'd be like spittin' on the motherlovin' flag!" Colt laughed and stuck his hand out to Kinsman, palm up. "Man, it's the best piece of strategical thinking since Moses led the Children of Israel out of Egypt!"

Kinsman slapped at his hand, then grabbed it. "You really think so?"

"Hell yes! The brass'll love it. And you get your god- damned Moonbase out of it. Shrewd, man. Shrewd."

A sigh of relief eased out of Kinsman. "Okay, great. Now the first thing we've got to do is tell Murdock about it."

"First thing tomorrow we'll corner him."

"Could you do me a favor, Frank?" Kinsman asked. "You tell him. Leave me out of it. As soon as I try to tell him anything he shuts me off. If I bounce this plan off him he'll find a million reasons to junk it without bucking it further up the chain of command. It'll die right there in his office."

Colt eyed his friend. "Yeah, maybe. But you're the guy who knows all the shit about this. I don't. I couldn't put it across to Murdock as well as you could."

Glancing at the purpling sky and the dark shadow of the Pentagon on the horizon. Kinsman said slowly, "Well . . . we've got all night to rehearse it. Unless you have something else to do."

Colt frowned. "Lemme make a phone call. This is gonna break the heart of the best-looking piece of ass the Secretary of Agriculture ever had working for him."

"Aw, hell, Frank, I didn't want . . ."

With a wink, Colt said, "Forget it, buddy. She'll keep. And you're right, I do impress Murdock with my keen military bearing."

Kinsman would have paced his office if it had been big enough. Instead he sat at his desk, the chair tilted back against the faded pastel wall, and had nothing to do but think.

You're selling out, you know that. You're giving them what they want: a military base on the Moon. Neal was right; vou're spreading the arms race all the way to the Moon. 240

You're willing to start a war up there.

But another part of his mind answered, They're putting up the ABM satellites anyway. And the manned interceptor comes next. This way, at least we get a Moonbase out of it. At least I'll be there, away from all this madness.

And what are you going to do, he asked himself, when you're on the Moon and they order you into battle? What are you going to do when they start blowing up the cities of Earth?

He had no answer for that.

Colt burst into his cubbyhole office, his grin dazzling. "He bought it! He was on the horn to Sherwood before I even finished. Man, did he go for it! Whammo!" Colt smacked a fist into his open palm.

Suddenly Kinsman feit too weak to get to his feet. "And General Sherwood?"

"He wants to see us this afternoon."

"Us?"