"Full colonel?"

"Seems Frank's landed on his feet, Earthside. He was wearing a bird colonel's eagles."

"He's at Vandenberg?"

"Right. Apparently they've let him take over your Gen- eral Murdock's command."

"Sonofabitch!"

"And," Harriman went on, "this request from the UN for handling a party of visitors from Selene has already reached his level. Approved by no less than the President of the United States his own self."

"You mean it's all set?"

Harriman scratched at his goatee. "Not only have they moved faster than anyone in Washington has since the riots of ninety-two, but they seem to be going out of their way to be nice to us."

"What do you mean?"

"They're asking permission to send up a shipment of people from all over the world who've asked to emigrate from their native lands to Selene. Leonov's kids might be among them. I might even be able to get your daughter included, Diane."

She said nothing, but Kinsman felt her fingers tighten on his arm.

He leaned back against the sofa's foam padding, wonder- ing aloud, "I don't get it. Why are they being so accommodat- ing, all of a sudden?"

"I asked myself the same question," Harriman replied. "There are several possible answers."

"Such as?"

"Well, for one thing, Colt's probably having some influ- ence. He must be telling them that we really mean the United States no harm, and that an independent Selene friendly to the U.S. is better than a Selene that's hostile."

Kinsman nodded.

"Then, too, the think-tank people must have figured out by now that we could easily become allies of the Soviet Union, which would be disastrous for the U.S. Another reason for them to treat us carefully."

"Go on."

Harriman shrugged. "There's also world opinion: the big, bad U.S. picking on a helpless little new nation. That doesn't count for much, I think, but it might explain the request to send up a token bunch of immigrants."

Trojan horse? The thought flicked through Kinsman's mind. "I want to know exactly who these immigrants are. Complete data on each of them."

"Right."

"You've had a busy day, Hugh."

Harriman grinned toothily. "Yes, but it's been very rewarding. I even spoke briefly with the Russian ambassador to the United Nations. Marrett told me where to find him; he'd canceled a holiday trip home. It looks as if the Russians won't be averse to recognizing our independence—as long as they can inspect the space stations and the ABM satellites and satisfy themselves that we really are independent."

"Check with Leonov about that. And find out about whether or not his kids are in that shuttle-load of immi- grants."

"Right."