Hansen let the point pass. More than one soldier had become a hero after the fact, he knew.

"Tell me then," Faure said, "what do you propose to do now?"

"Our only alternatives," he reported, "are to return to Earth with our mission unfulfilled, or to destroy Moonbase's electrical power equipment, which will force them to surrender within a few hours."

Faure's face, on the cockpit's small screen, looked perfectly composed. Only the slightest tremble in his voice hinted at the seething rage boiling within him.

"And if you destroy the electrical equipment," Faure asked, with exaggerated patience, "what happens to the people of Moonbase?"

Hansen said, "They will be forced to surrender."

Three seconds passed. Faure asked, "Why will they be forced to surrender?"

"Because without electricity their air-recycling system will shut down and they will soon have no air to breathe."

Another three seconds. "And once they surrender, do you have air for them to breathe? Do you have space aboard your ship to carry two thousand men and women back to Earth?" Faure's voice rose to a snarl. "Or do you propose to let them all die, choking to death while you watch?"

Hansen stared back evenly at the secretary-general's image. "I was merely stating what our options are, sir. I was not recommending a course of action."

While waiting for Faure's response, Hansen glanced at Killifer, who seemed grimly amused. "Friggin' politicians want to have their cake and eat it too," Killifer whispered. "And when they can't, they blame it on you."

"Attend to me, Lieutenant," Faure snapped. "You were sent to Moonbase to take over its operation and remove its leaders from control. It now seems that you cannot accomplish that task."

"Not without destroying the base, sir," Hansen replied. "And killing everyone in it."

Faure seemed to mull the situation over. "You say that Mrs Brudnoy is willing to accompany you back to Earth?"

"To negotiate directly with you, yes, sir."

The secretary-general toyed with his moustache. Then he asked, "And this news reporter, this Edie Elgin, she is still in Moonbase?"

"Apparently she intends to stay there. She says she does not wish to return with us."

Hansen thought he might be mistaken, it was hard to tell on this small screen, but Faure's face seemed to be getting quite red. As if he might explode into fury at any instant.

But instead, the secretary-general said mildly, "Very well. Bring Mrs Brudnoy back with you. Leave the news reporter. The mission is a failure, Lieutenant. A complete and utter failure."

Then he added, "Except, of course, for the martyrdom of Captain Munasinghe."

TOUCHDOWN PLUS 4 HOURS 48 MINUTES

"At least we don't have to pack anything," Joanna said as she sat at her delicate curved writing desk of light walnut and booted up her personal computer.

"Are you sure?" Lev Brudnoy asked, from the doorway to their bedroom.

"Of course," she answered, without even glancing up at him. "We'll go to the house in Savannah. My God, I'll be able to go shopping again!"