As the long day wore on, the entire absurd idea began to seem almost natural, inevitable. We're thumbing our noses at the two most powerful nations in the world. Why? Oh, because I killed a Russian girl once. And, incidentally, we're trying to save the world. So what's new with you? Kinsman began to feel lightheaded.
Diane was the last one to come into his office.
"You know what's going down," Kinsman said to her as Kelly watched nervously from the couch. "Can we depend on your cooperation, or should we relieve you of duty at the comm center?"
Diane smiled, despite herself. "I just got the job; I'd hate to give it up so soon."
Kinsman felt his hopes soar. "Then you'll work with us?"
"I guess I'll have to."
"I thought you didn't want any part of this," Kinsman said, remembering their conversation earlier that morning.
Without an instant's hesitation Diane replied, "I don't. At least, I didn't. I was scared. Middle-of-the-night scared. But it's daytime now. You're going ahead with it, even though it's crazy."
Kinsman nodded.
"Okay," Diane went on. "If you're going to do it, then I've got to go along with you."
"Even though ..."
"Even though it scares hell out of me, yes," Diane said. "I can't sit on the sidelines. I've got to be a part of this, 414 whether I like it or not. I've been trying to warn people about this government for a long time, you know. Some of us saw where they were leading us way back when. Some of us saw this war coming years ago. Why do you think they stopped me from singing? Why do you think they exiled me up here?"
"You're on our side, then."
"What you're doing is right, Chet," she said. "I don't think it's going to work. I think we're all going to get ourselves killed. But you're right; we've got to try."
"We'll make it work," he said grimly. "We'll make it work."
"You'll want the comm center shut up tight." Diane seemed to draw herself up to her full height. Her decision made, she became businesslike, professional. "All Earthside messages routed straight to you?"
"Right. And no traffic beamed Earthside without my specific okay."
"No traffic at all?" Diane asked. "Won't that make them suspicious?"
He shrugged. "Can't take the chance on somebody sneaking a message out."
"I can monitor the outgoing messages for you."
