"God damn!"

Leonov turned and stared out the window. "Well, my idealistic comrade, what do you do about that?"

"That's not the question," Kinsman said. "The real question is, what are you prepared to do, Pete?"

He turned back and gazed at Kinsman, his face somber, his eyes grave and weary. "Anything," he said in a near-whis- per. "Anything that will save my children from being killed."

"They're really going to do it? Launch the missiles?"

"Of course they are!" the Russian exploded. "They can't come this close without pushing the final button. Oh, they will talk and argue and threaten each other for a few days more—a week or even two, perhaps. They will stretch everyone's nerves to the breaking point before they convince themselves that they must attack. But they'll do it, and when they do, it will seem almost like a relief. One of them will press the button—for the glory of the Motherland, or to save the world for democracy. Then the rest happens automati- cally."

"It's up to us to stop them."

Leonov laughed bitterly. "How? By declaring indepen- dence? By waving a piece of paper at them? I said I would do anything, but it must be something that will work\ I will not sit up here safely and watch my nation . . . my people . , . my children ..."

"Okay, okay." Kinsman put both hands on his shoul- ders. "Take it easy. Cool down."

"No, I will not cool down!" Leonov shouted. "I am not an automaton. I am not a creature of ice water, as you are. I have blood in my veins! Russian blood! The world is about to explode and you expect me to stand here calmly and discuss politics with you. How can you . . ."

"Stop it!" Kinsman snapped. "They won't need bugs to hear us."

Leonov's face was glistening with sweat. His chest heaved.

"I just want to know one thing," Kinsman said. "Are you willing to disobey orders and stay here?"

"Stay at Lunagrad instead of . . ." Leonov's voice trailed off for a moment. Then, clenching his fists with the effort of decision, "Yes. I will be doing the children no good by pushing buttons at Tyuratam."

"Al! right." Kinsman licked his lips. They tasted salty. Maybe I'm not ice water after all. "This is what we need to do: The ABM satellite networks are both unfinished, but together they can effectively cover the whole Earth and shoot down any missiles launched by either side. Or anybody else, for that matter."

"Together?" Leonov echoed.

"Right. We take over the space stations at the same time we declare Selene independent. If we can grab the command and control centers for the satellites, we can stop the war before it starts. And enforce our own independence."

"But they'll send troops."

Kinsman could feel the sweat trickling down his ribs. "They can try. But they'll have to send them in shuttle rockets. If the satellites can shoot down ballistic missiles they can shoot down troop-carriers, as well."

"You . . . could do that?"

'T'd warn them first. But they probably wouldn't listen."

"Your people would shoot down Americans?"

"We'd have to. Wouldn't want your people to do that; it might cause bad feelings among us."

Leonov seemed to sag against the window.

"It's the only way," Kinsman urged. "Neither side can stop a war, not the way they've been going. One of them would have to back down and neither of them is going to do that. Only an outside force can stop them. We've got to be that outside force."