Gerhardt's aide met him in the short tunnel before the converted cargo storage area where Kirchner's bore-hole team practiced. He led Lanier into a bare-rock cubicle lined with makeshift file cabinets. One wide vein of nickel-iron had been polished and wire-brushed to serve as a projection screen. Kirchner floated into a harness, viewing readouts on a slate, as Lanier was escorted in and announced. Gerhardt pushed himself along the hall and entered after him.

Kirchner nodded at them both. The admiral did not appear comfortable.

"Mr. Lanier—used to be lieutenant commander, did it not?" Gerhardt asked brusquely. He was a squat, trim man with wiry black hair and a broad squashed nose. His dress differed little from that of his internal defense marines: green uniform, black boots with soft rubber soles for traction.

"Yes, sir." Lanier waited out the pause.

"You did not inform us that Takahashi is a Soviet operative, Mr. Lanier," Kirchner said.

"No, I did not."

"You learned of this almost two weeks ago and did not inform your security team leaders of the breach?"

Lanier said nothing.

"You had your reasons," Kirchner offered.

"Yes."

"May we be informed?" Gerhardt asked, his tenor voice tightening slightly.

"It was our intention to give the Russians a little breathing space, to let them see we were backing off. We could not do that if Takahashi was locked up."

"Which I would have done," Gerhardt said.

Lanier nodded.

"You're right. I would have. Do you realize this could put our whole operation in jeopardy? Takahashi could have witnessed our maneuvers here, our preparations for the assault—"

"No, sir. He's kept to the compound except to send messages." Kirchner, his usual taciturn self, was letting Gerhardt administer the dressing-down.

"And he's been sending those messages right over our heads, right along with our alignment beams for OTV docking. Wonderful. I am arranging for his arrest now. I want him shipped back to Earth immediately and I want him tried for treason. Christ, Garry." Gerhardt shook his head vigorously, as if to frighten away insects. "Hoffman wanted this?"

"She implied it."

"She gave you the name. Any results? I mean, have the Russians decided to negotiate yet?"

"No, not that I've heard."

"You're damned right they haven't. They know what we're holding here. You expected them to believe we would just pull back and share it all with them?"

"I thought we needed a breather. Chance to reassess."

"Did Hoffman know what information Takahashi was passing along?" Kirchner asked.

"Yes. Material about the libraries."

"Jesus, Garry, the clown had access to places Kirchner and I can't go. If you ask me, you've screwed this operation up royally. Is there anything I should know that he knows? Or that your sweet little female student has learned?"

"Yes, undoubtedly," Lanier said, keeping calm, letting the general blow off steam. "And you know I won't tell you. You'll have to ask your superiors."