Kelly was genuinely frightened. He could not look straight at Kinsman.
"Come on," he said, gesturing down another spidery catwalk. "We don't have much time."
"I didn't expect you to be with them," Kinsman said, falling in step beside the younger officer.
"I didn't expect you to be handing Moonbase over to the Russians," Kelly answered, keeping his eyes straight ahead. "Or to hand them our defense satellites."
"You're wrong about that, Pat. We're creating a new nation here."
Kelly shook his head.
"You know, if you blow up the water factory you'll be killing everyone up here."
"They can send us water from Earthside."
"How soon? Two, three days? A week? A month? And how much? Enough for a thousand people, every day? Don't be stupid. Pat. And don't think they'll do anything —especially if the shooting starts."
Kelly did not reply.
"It's your wife and kids. Pat. You'll be killing them, too."
"You're the guy who made me bring them here! Was that your idea, to use them as hostages?" "I'm trying to save their lives."
For the first time Kelly turned to face Kinsman. "By 421 handing them over to the Russians? So they can shoot them?" He banged a fist against the catwalk railing, making it reverberate hollowly. "If we go to war they're as good as dead anyway. I'm not going to let you help the Russians beat America."
"Then why don't you help me to prevent the war from happening?" Kinsman's voice rose enough to echo off the huge metal machinery below them.
"You can't talk your way out of this," Kelly said, starting to walk along the catwalk again. "You can't avoid the war by giving the enemy everything he wants."
"Leonov and his people aren't the enemy."
"They're Russians' That's the enemy! I took an oath to protect and defend the United States of America!" Kelly shouted, his voice cracking. "So did you. It might not have meant anything to you, but it's the most important thing in my life."
"It won't work. Pat."
"I know what my duty is'"
"And your family?"
