The negotiations were conducted in the first chamber, in the first science team compound cafeteria. Half of the second compound barracks was temporarily given over to house Russian soldiers; a line drawn in white paint divided the sectors and was guarded on one side by five marines, on the other by five tired-looking Space Shock Troopers.

Eventually, the Russians indicated, they would move most of their soldiers out of the first chamber and claim a large section of the fourth chamber.

Gerhardt spoke through Lanier and Jaeger to Mirsky. Colonel Vielgorsky—a darkly handsome middle-aged man with jet-black hair and green eyes—advised Mirsky on political considerations. Major Belozersky was always lurking nearby. The third political officer, Major Yazykov, assigned to the fourth chamber, part of a Russian survey team.

They worked trough the early evening of the second day of the truce. During a break for coffee and lunch, Kirchner appeared in the cafeteria entrance with a guest and two guards. Lanier looked up at the group and slowly lowered his cup of coffee.

"Looks like you don't need much help," Judith Hoffman said. She was pale and her hair was uncharacteristically mussed; she wore an outsize jumpsuit and one of her hands was wrapped in a bandage. In the other, she carried a personal effects box from the shuttle. Without a word, Lanier pushed back his chair and crossed the room to wrap her in a tight hug. The Russians watched with mild irritation at the interruption; Vielgorsky whispered something to Mirsky, and he nodded, sitting up in his seat.

"Jesus," Lanier said softly. "I was sure you hadn't made it. You don't know how good it is to see you."

"As good as it feels to be here, I hope. The President fired me and the whole board four days before. . . Before. I pulled in some favors and took a VIP tour of Station Sixteen the next day. I was arranging for an OTV flight—not easy. I was persona non grata with the politicos, and that worried the brass, but two shuttle jocks were willing to smuggle me aboard. We were all fueled and ready to go when the. . . war began, and we got away with six civilian evacuees just before they—" She swallowed. "I'm very tired, Garry, but I had to see you and let you know I'm here. Not as your boss. Just here. There are nine others—four women, two men, three crew. Let me sleep and then tell me how I can help."

"We haven't worked out chain of command yet. We don't even know whether we're an outpost or a territory or a nation," Lanier said. "There'll be plenty for you to do." His eyes were watering. He wiped them with the back of his hand and grinned at Hoffman, then pointed to the bargaining table. "We're talking. The fighting's over—for now, perhaps for good."