The Russians removed their suits and were escorted by seven Apple-bearing marines across the staging area and into the communications center. Kirchner greeted him—his words translated by Lieutenant Jaeger—and explained the procedure.

"The senior officer for your men in the Stone is in our second chamber. According to a message from your Major General Sos—Sos—"

"Sosnitsky," Jaeger finished for him, translating.

"Sosnitsky has promoted an officer named Mirsky to lieutenant general. That means we have to negotiate passage across the first chamber; your comrades have us blocked off here. Our only alternative is to fly you across the axis, and I don't think anyone relishes that thought."

Pletnev listened to Lieutenant Jaeger, and nodded vigorously. "I will speak to them again," he said. "This time directly."

"You don't have seniority over them. They may think you're a traitor."

"I can only try," Pletnev said. "Perhaps I go down alone, or with my crew, and try to convince them. . . .”

"They don't seem anxious to be convinced. Your transmissions have been broadcast to the troops and they've continued fighting."

"Yes, so?" Pletnev blustered, his face becoming even redder. "We try again."

"We try again," Kirchner agreed. "First, we'll let you transmit to the first chamber. Tell them everything; what our situation is here, what you plan on doing, what happened on Earth."

"Yes, I am no idiot. That is what I will tell them." He glared at Kirchner and then offered his hand again. "You butchered us," he said.

Kirchner hesitated, then shook the hand firmly. "Your men fight bravely."

"Show me where to go now." Pickney suggested he follow her to a communications post. She pinned a wireless microphone to his lapel and tuned the equipment to a frequency used by the Russians.

Pletnev spoke with a Lieutenant Colonel I. S. Pogodin in the first chamber. The German translated most of the rapid exchange for Kirchner.

"—You cannot have forgotten me, Pogodin. I instructed your class in Novosibirsk."

"Yes, indeed, you sound like Pletnev—"

"Lay down your fears, Pogodin! The battle is over. I need to cross your territory to speak with Colonel Mirsky—now Lieutenant General Mirsky. Will you allow—" He glanced at Kirchner.

"Yourself, one of your crew and an escort of four marines," Kirchner said.

"Two of us and four of them to cross?"

There was no reply for a moment. "We have no communication with the second chamber, or any other chamber. Our own Colonel Raksakov is dead. I am not senior officer in this chamber—there is Colonel Vielgorsky."

"Then get together with Vielgorsky and make a decision, Pogodin."

There was a few minutes' wait until Vielgorsky came back with a reply.

"You may cross unarmed. I will want to speak with you in person."

Pletnev cast a querying look at Kirchner. "Unarmed? Is that acceptable?"

Kirchner nodded.

"We will come down, then—"