"That may not be our greatest problem. There are still two thousand humans in the Thistledown; sooner or later, we have to bring them under our control. Our first guest, Vasquez, was already very close to learning how to manipulate the sixth chamber machinery. I assume others will eventually duplicate her work, despite the interdictions in the Thistledown libraries."

"Star, Fate and Pneuma never see fit to limit our troubles, do they?" the P.M. said with a sigh that upset the billows of his robe. "Logos be praised."

"Logos," Olmy echoed doubtfully.

"We share a certain Geshel incredulity, don't we?" the P.M. said, watching Olmy's reaction carefully. "Not wise to reveal it to everyone, however, not from this lofty position, anyway. Is there immediate danger of our. . . ancestors! Such a word—is there much chance of their disturbing the sixth chamber soon?"

"Not with Vasquez in the Axis City. Not in a matter of months, or even a year."

"Very well. First things first. I'd say it would be in our best interests, if we reveal at all—and that seems unavoidable now—to make a public show of our guests. They are extraordinary—and they might give us an advantage over the President's opposition. I'll have my secretaries plan an agitprop. Their advocate—your partner, Suli Ram Kikura—has she been useful?"

"Very," Olmy said. "But her work has hardly begun."

"Excellent," the P.M. said. "But we mustn't be too confident. If the Jarts start their offensive early—or, heaven forbid, decide to open a gate into a star's heart—then our visitors will mean next to nothing." Ingle shook his head, picting a chain of symbols—a gnat being consumed in a solar prominence.

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty

Corporal Rodzhensky lay with his back against the black library wall. Before him were scattered ration packets and tins, some Russian, most American. He snored lightly and regularly. Beside him, Major Garabedian had squatted to eat an American dinner of ham and potatoes au gratin, imported from the fourth chamber as part of the as-yet-unratified treaty agreements.

As he ate, he kept a wary eye on the American soldiers lounging several dozen meters across the quadrangle. The forces were exactly equal; ten Russians, ten Americans, all armed with rifles but without lasers. There would be no silent assassinations.

Tensions had calmed slowly after the Americans had arrived at the behest of Corporal Rodzhensky and the Chinese man and woman. The library had been sealed ever since, with Lieutenant General Mirsky, Colonel Vielgorsky, Majors Belozersky and Yazykov and Lieutenant Colonel Pogodin held incommunicado. There had been some suspicion at first that American trickery was involved; Garabedian had decided otherwise after several hours of talks with Pritikin, Sinoviev and the American civilian leader, Hoffman.