The hotel's restaurant was nearly empty. Only two other couples sitting at the elegant tables, and a family of four off in the farthest corner, where the children wouldn't annoy other diners. They've got more waiters than customers, Meyers noticed as she scanned the richly-decorated room. Windowall screens displayed astronomical scenes, glorious interstellar nebulas glowing delicate pink and electric blue. Meyers realized that real windows would have shown the scenery outside spinning lazily; not the most soothing background for flatland tourists to eat and drink by.

McGrath had ordered champagne. They clinked their fluted glasses and toasted each other's health. Meyers had dressed in comfortable tan slacks and a loose blouse embroidered with flowers. McGrath wore a bulky white turtleneck sweater over jeans that looked stiffly new.

With a lopsided grin on his beefy face, McGrath asked, "Do you come here often?"

It was a corny line and they both knew it.

Meyers laughed politely. "I used to, in the old days."

"I understand you were quite a hell-raiser back then," he said.

Her smile turned reminiscent. "Back then," she murmured.

The waiter brought them oversized menus. McGrath ordered three courses and more wine, Meyers only a salad.

"Okay," he said, after the waiter had left, "you asked me to meet you here. What's up?"

Meyers looked into his pale blue eyes. "Edan, you know that if I were still in the Senate I'd be raising all kinds of hell about this war against Moonbase."

"I'd hardly call it a war," he said.

"That's what your network calls it."

McGrath shrugged. "That's show business, Jill. You know how it is."

"I need your help to put pressure on the President," she said.

His brows rose slightly. "I thought you were on her side. You're the same party-"

"Not on this," Meyers snapped. "I've never been a blind supporter of the New Morality and she knows it. She named me to the World Court to get me out of the Senate because she knew I'd raise hell about going after Moonbase."

"Why don't you raise hell now? I'd give you all the air time you want."

"I can't," Meyers said, shaking her head. "As a judge in the International Court of Justice I've got to stay strictly out of politics."

With a laugh, McGrath asked, "What you're doing now isn't politics?"

"This is private, just between you and me."

"And Global News and the White House," he added.

Meyers gave him a disdainful look. "You know what I mean, Edan."

"Okay, okay," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "But what more can I do? Global's been airing Edie Elgin's reports from Moonbase. Faure's pissed as hell with me over that."

"You could start by showing what a ghost town this space station has become," Meyers said. "American jobs are down the tubes because of Faure."

"And the New Morality's insistence that the nanotech treaty be enforced even on the Moon."

"Right."

"You want me to take on the New Morality?"