"Come on, Pete'" he snapped. "Do you have a plan of action?" the Russian asked softly.

"I wish I did." Kinsman stamped his booted foot, stirring up a cloud of dust. His legs felt itchy and it was impossible to scratch them inside the cumbersome suit.

"So," said Leonov. "You talk and worry and stay awake nights—but you have no idea of what can be done."

"Do you?"

Leonov raised both hands above his heimet. "Spare me this endless self-flagellation!"

"Now, don't get excited," said Kinsman. "Before we can lay any plans we've got to agree on how far we're willing to go."

"In what direction?"

"Well ..." Kinsman suddenly realized that he had known the first step all along. "To begin with, suppose you refused to return Earthside. Suppose you requested that you remain in Lunagrad. What then?"

The shoulders of Leonov's red suit moved vaguely, as if he were shrugging inside it. "I have several weeks' leave due to me. I could ask to spend it in Lunagrad rather than at home. But it would be a very suspicious move."

"Suppose you refused to relinquish command of Luna- grad?"

"Mmm . . ." The Russian's voice grew somber. "That would be a direct disobedience of orders. Treason against the state. Very serious."

"What about your wife and children?"

"I doubt that the security police would bother them. Nothing like that has been done in twenty years, despite the horror stories concocted by your Western press. But, frankly, I would worry about the children."

"And your wife?"

He almost laughed. "My darling wife would be quite happy to see me shot. It would free her completely."

"Oh, I didn't know . . ."

"It is not something one boasts about."

An embarrassed silence settled over them. Finally Leo- 354 nov asked, "Well, you obviously have something in mind. What is it?"

Without letting himself stop to think. Kinsman an- swered, "Declare independence."

Leonov said nothing.

"Make Selene a nation, declare our independence from both the United States and the Soviet Union and apply for membership in the United Nations."

It took a long time for Leonov to reply. "I thought so. I was afraid that would be your brilliant idea."

"Look at it point by point," Kinsman urged, starting to feel some enthusiasm. "First, we won't have to fight here on the Moon. If we unite, we won't fight. The only way we can unite is for both of us to stop taking orders from Earthside. The only way we can stop taking orders is to declare ourselves independent ..."

"We would starve to death in a matter of weeks."

"Not so!" Kinsman snapped. "Moonbase's water capaci- ty can more than take care of all our needs. If we combine it with yours we can irrigate more farmlands and grow enough crops and livestock to be completely self-sufficient."