"Why all this interest in my early life?" Kinsman asked, trying to make it sound light.
Faraffa shrugged elaborately. "Ahh . . . call it curiosity, Colonel. I am a scientist, after all. Scientists are intensely curious. Especially when they find a mystery."
"There's no mystery," Kinsman lied, guessing at what was driving the Egyptian. "Ask me what you want to know and I'll tell you. Including the months I flew patrol out of Cyprus."
Faraffa's head rocked back. "So you were part of the so-called peacekeeping force." "Yes, I was."
"I thought as much." The Egyptian nodded and smiled, 301 more to himself than to those around him.
"All you had to do was ask/' Kinsman said, feeling a trickle of sweat down his ribs.
"Yes, of course." Faraffa made a stiff little bow, more with his head than his torso, and walked away without a further word.
Diane watched him go, then turned to Kinsman. "Do you have many foreign visitors here?"
"About forty or so—mostly Western Europeans and Japanese. A few Third Worlders. And Faraffa."
"No Israeli refugees?"
"Six. But they're here permanently, with their families."
More than fifty people were already by the pool, in swimsuits, with more pouring into the dome every minute. The prevailing skin tone was white, with a few browns and only two blacks. Several people were swimming, and the usual handful of muscular exhibitionists had pushed the teenagers off the high platform to make spectacular—if poorly coordinated—low-gravity dives. They sliced down- ward in dreamlike slow motion. The water splashed around them with equal languor. Most of the people around the pool ignored them, busy talking with drinks in their hands.
There were only a few Russians in the crowd. Kinsman noted. Leonov's not here. What orders did he get today?
"Ah, there you are!"
Kinsman turned to see Hugh Harriman knifing through the crowd, drinks in both hands, bearing down on him like a heat-seeking missile. Harriman was short, round, bald, bearded, popeyed, loud-mouthed, irreverent, dirty-minded, a self-professed coward, and probably the brightest human being within roughly 384,405 kilometers.
"Our esteemed leader!" Harriman bellowed. "Have a drink!"
Kinsman took the proffered plastic cup as people in the crowd turned to watch, and handed it to Diane.
"Oh, shit!" Harriman snapped. "Might've known you'd have a gorgeous woman with you. Should've brought an extra drink. I'd give you this one except I've already pissed in it."
"That doesn't matter." Kinsman took the cup from him. "The alcohol purifies everything."
"You sonofabitch!" Harriman yelped. 302
