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Chapters (71)
  1. Eon
  2. Dedication
  3. Prolog - Four Beginnings
  4. Chapter One - April 2005
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Three
  7. Chapter Four
  8. Chapter Five
  9. Chapter Six
  10. Chapter Seven
  11. Chapter Eight
  12. Chapter Nine
  13. Chapter Ten
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Chapter Fourteen
  18. Chapter Fifteen
  19. Chapter Sixteen
  20. Chapter Seventeen
  21. Chapter Eighteen
  22. Chapter Nineteen
  23. Chapter Twenty
  24. Chapter Twenty-One
  25. Chapter Twenty-Two
  26. Chapter Twenty-Three
  27. Chapter Twenty-Four
  28. Chapter Twenty-Five
  29. Chapter Twenty-Six
  30. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  31. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  32. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  33. Chapter Thirty
  34. Chapter Thirty-One
  35. Chapter Thirty-Two
  36. Chapter Thirty-Three
  37. Chapter Thirty-Four
  38. Chapter Thirty-Five
  39. Chapter Thirty-Six
  40. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  41. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  42. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  43. Chapter Forty
  44. Chapter Forty-One
  45. Chapter Forty-Two
  46. Chapter Forty-Three
  47. Chapter Forty-Four
  48. Chapter Forty-Five
  49. Chapter Forty-Six
  50. Chapter Forty-Seven
  51. Chapter Forty-Eight
  52. Chapter Forty-Nine
  53. Chapter Fifty
  54. Chapter Fifty-One
  55. Chapter Fifty-Two
  56. Chapter Fifty-Three
  57. Chapter Fifty-Four
  58. Chapter Fifty-Five
  59. Chapter Fifty-Six
  60. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  61. Chapter Fifty-Eight
  62. Chapter Fifty-Nine
  63. Chapter Sixty
  64. Chapter Sixty-One
  65. Chapter Sixty-Two
  66. Chapter Sixty-Three
  67. Chapter Sixty-Four
  68. Chapter Sixty-Five
  69. Epilog - Four Beginnings
  70. Epigraph
  71. Acknowledgements

"But at Podlipki—the secret hangars, the helicopters and airplanes waiting. . . surely the Party Secretary, the Defense Council—"

"Perhaps," Mirsky said, more to shut the man up than to agree.

"They will communicate with us, then." Belozersky looked up, eyes bright. "We must have our own outside channel of communication. If we negotiate, we must demand—"

"I have thought of that already," Mirsky said. "Now please be quiet. I have a lot of thinking to do before Pletnev arrives."

The truck rolled past the lines of foxholes and the barbed wire fences scavenged from the science compound. Russians in incongruous arctic camouflage peered at them, some still wearing their spacesuit helmets. The suits themselves had long since been discarded—they littered the drop zones in the first chamber, along with the para-sails and bodies of unlucky soldiers.

"Never such an action as this," Pletnev said flatly. "Never."

Major Annenkovsky—the representative of the Russians in the first chamber—stared sadly through the truck windows and ran his hands through brick-red hair. "I am grateful to be alive," he said.

Lieutenant Rudolph Jaeger translated for the two marine escorts in a low voice. The truck passed through the checkpoint by its demolished guardhouse and headed north.

At the northern end of the zero bridge, Lanier glanced at his watch: 1400 hours. The marines nodded to each other and they began crossing on foot, as agreed.

"I just hope those damn insurgents got the word," the young sergeant said, looking back at Alexandria.

Through cameras in the first chamber bore-hole opening, Kirchner monitored the progress of the truck on the same console that had conveyed photos of Earth's death just thirty hours before. Behind him, Link jerked up in her seat and quickly tuned in a signal.

"Incoming OTV," advised one of the soldiers on watch in the exterior dimple. "Not a Russian. One of ours."

Link gestured with one hand, the other punching buttons in rapid succession. "Captain Kirchner, we have an OTV from Station Sixteen. It's damaged and couldn't go to lunar settlement. . . . Sir, they say they have Judith Hoffman on board."

Kirchner swiveled in his chair. "I'm not surprised," he said laconically. "Bring 'em in. Miss Pickney, where did I leave my jacket?"

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

Mirsky crossed the field slowly, not so much out of caution as to display his dignity, and to gain some idea of their losses. Lanier, Lieutenant Jaeger, Major Annenkovsky and Pletnev advanced more rapidly, until only a few yards separated them. Pletnev stepped forward to grasp Mirsky's hand and upper arm, then backed away, standing alone.