Good, human interest stuff, Edith thought as she edited Claire's interview. It's a shame I couldn't get her to cry, though.

The phone's chime startled her out of her concentration. She swivelled her chair from the editing screens to the phone screen and tapped the ANSWER keypad.

A young male comm tech's face appeared on the screen. "A call for you, Ms Elgin. From Earthside."

"Earthside? I thought all links were shut down."

"This is coming in on a special laser tight beam, from Atlanta: a Mr Edan McGrath."

Edith felt her eyes go wide. "McGrath? Put him on!"

Someone had once called McGrath the sexiest bald-headed man on Earth. Looking at his image in the phone screen, Edith thought he wasn't really sexy, but he sure radiated energy and power.

"Mr McGrath," she said, surprised at how humble she sounded.

Three seconds later he said, "Edie, I wanted to tell you that I think you're doing a fine job up there. An excellent job! I'm proud of you."

She blinked with surprise. The top boss doesn't break a U.N. blackout just to praise one of his reporters, Edith told herself, even if I am his number one on-screen personality.

"Thank you," she said. Again, timidly.

McGrath hadn't waited for her response. He kept on talking. "After this is all over and you get back here, I'm going to personally see that you get a regular prime-time slot for yourself. No co-host, all yours. And a full-length documentary on your experiences up there. And a book deal, too. The only reporter at Moonbase. I've got to hand it to you, kid. You're the greatest."

It was the 'kid' that broke Edith's spell. He wants something, she realized. Of course he does! He wouldn't go to the trouble of establishing a clandestine laser link unless he wanted something from me.

"I'm glad that you like what I'm doing," she said. "Now what's the reason for your call?"

When her words reached him, McGrath's brows hiked. Then he broke into a big, boyish grin.

"Can't fool you, can I?" he said, brushing at his moustache. Edith thought it had been considerably grayer the last time she'd seen him. He must be coloring it.

"The Peacekeepers' attack is imminent," he went on. "From what I've been able to find out, they'll come at you in another few days. A week, at most."

He stopped, waiting for her reply. Edith nodded and said, "That's the way it looks here."

"Okay," he said after the delay. "Here's my question. Can you cover the battle for us?"

"Cover the battle?"

He hadn't stopped for her reply. He was saying, "I know you're only one person, Edie, but I've been thinking maybe you could get some of the Moonbase people to handle cameras, give us a blow-by-blow, minute-by-minute eyewitness account of the fight. Like Ed Murrow did in London during the Blitz."