"Russian?"

"Yessir. Dr. Carlati says it looks like the Russians have been here already and staked a claim to this valley."

Richards frowned. "Stop talking like a Western movie, Bates. This is international territory. Nobody's allowed to claim any damned thing."

The sailor shrugged. Richards reached for his parka and hauled it on. Zippering it up he muttered, "Come on, let's see this. Do any of the scientists read Russian?"

"Dr. Carlati does, sir."

As he climbed down from the hatch and set foot on the rocky ground again, Richards heard the sailor call out from above him, "Hey, look there, sir! Another crawler coming up the valley."

Richards saw it. A dark speck edging along the gray 306 rocks. He looked up the ladder at the sailor, who was still standing at the hatch. "Get one of the carbines and load it. Bring it with you."

"Should I radio McMurdo, sir?"

Caught for a moment between two priorities, Richards shook his head. "No. Get the carbine. We'll fill in McMurdo after we've talked to the Reds."

By the time Richards and the sailor got to the group of scientists the Soviet crawler was close enough to make out its red star insignia.

"The richest deposit of coal I've ever seen," one of the geologists was saying. "This must be what the Montana beds were like before the Sixties."

"Yes," said another parka-muffled man. "But apparently they were here first."

"There's plenty here for everybody."

Naive fool, Richards thought.

The Soviet crawler was advancing on them, looming bigger and more menacing with every clank of its treads. Richards stood watching it, no longer aware of the cold or the wind. The scientists seemed tense, too.

One of them said, "Do you think Podgorny might be with them?"

"Is he here this year?"

"That's what I heard."

*T haven't seen him since the Vienna conference."

Richards broke into their conversation. "I think you civilians had better get back to the crawler. Ensign Jefferson, go get two more carbines."

Jefferson raced for the American vehicle, while Bates hefted his carbine and stepped closer to the Lieutenant Commander. The scientists fidgeted irresolutely.

Dr. Carlati said, "Richards, aren't you being melodra- matic? What could cause trouble that would call for fire- arms?"

"I really think you should all get back to the crawler," Richards replied. "Since I'm responsible for your safety, I'm going to have to insist."

"But this is nonsense!"

"Please . . ."