With a shake of his head, Colt objected, "But, look, sir, it sounds blowhard to say it, but, hell, I've got the highest score of any of the rocket jocks here. If you want—"
"I don't want any arguments, dammit!" The General's normal tenor voice rose higher, and his face started to show splotches of purple. "You fly-boys turn every order into a debate. I want you on Moonbase."
"But I don't understand why, sir."
"You know why. I don't have to draw you any maps."
Colt rolled his eyes heavenward. "Sir, this may surprise you, but I can't read your mind."
"Dammit, Colt'" Murdock actually drummed his chubby fists on the desk, like a little boy having a tantrum. "Do I have to spell it out? You know Kinsman's commanding Moonbase. He refused rotation last year, claiming medical reasons, and those fools on staff let him get away with it."
Now it was becoming clear. Colt almost smiled. "You want me up there to look over Chet's shoulder during the buildup."
"That's right."
"Because you don't trust him." 319
Murdock glared. "I've had to deal with Kinsman for more than fifteen years. He's too emotional. Too unreliable."
It was unkind to tease the Genera!, but Colt could not resist. "Then why don't you relieve him? Rotate him out of Moonbase. Nobody's supposed to serve on the Moon for more'n a year, anyway. How long's he been there now —three, four years?"
"More like five," Murdock answered, his bald head glistening with sweat. "But it's not that simple. Everybody up there's fanatically loyal to him. And it would be hard to find a qualified man of high-enough rank who'd be willing to stay on that rockpile for a year straight. Would you take the job? Willingly?"
"Hell no!"
"You see? And besides, Kinsman's got some medical problem in his record—a heart flutter or something like that. Probably faked, but if he's relieved of duty he could stay on the Moon as a medical case. Who'd want to take over as commander with him standing over his shoulder?"
Colt wanted to laugh, but instead he probed deeper. "Yeah, but Chet gets the job done, doesn't he? Moonbase is coming along fine, from what I hear: everything on schedule or ahead."
Murdock did not take the bait. Instead, he leaned forward confidentially and lowered his voice. "Listen, Frank, I know Kinsman. And I know a good deal more about him than you do. Things nobody else knows. I don't want him up there with a totally free hand if a crisis comes up. He's gotten very friendly with the Russians up there. He's just too soft all around. I want you up there so that you can take command, if and when the crunch comes."
Colt heard himself say, "Chet and I were buddies. We've been through a lot together."
"I know that. But he stepped right over you to grab the Moonbase assignment for himself. And a full colonel's ea- gles," Murdock said. "But I know that when the chips are down, you'll react like an American and an officer—not like a weak-kneed neurotic."
Neurotic? The word made Colt's stomach tighten.
"In an emergency situation," Murdock continued, grim- 320 faced, perspiring, "I know that you'll put your orders and the nation's well-being above your personal feelings."
