"As an officer in the Commonwealth Inter-Republican Council for Security and director of security for the Fisikous Research Institute, General Gabovich has expressed his concern that . . . the right interests are not being met by these arrangements."

"What do you mean by 'the right interests,' Major?" Voshchanka asked, in heavily accented, sloppy Russian. "Are your interests not those of the Commonwealth?"

The old Byelorussian war horse had come right to the point, Gabovich thought. Good-maybe this would be a short meeting. Gabovich said, "Let's save both of us some time here, General. We both know that the treaty will hurt both Belarus and my principals."

"Your principals? Who are your principals, General Gabovich?" Voshchanka asked. "Do you not serve the Commonwealth?"

I Owe no loyalty to the CIS, General," Gabovich said irritably. Why Was Voshchanka challenging him? All indications from Gabovich's SOurces in Mingk ~ thot ~ ',,n~, ~ ~ r'T~

~1:j.~ -'

future as Gabovich. Was Voshchanka saying all this to bait him, or was he truly that wedded to this damned Commonwealth? What if he had seriously misjudged Voshchanka? Well, it was too late now..

Gabovich continued. "When Fisikous closes, I will be out of work. I have a small pension, in worthless Russian currency. The same goes for the scientists, engineers, and administrators that work at the Institute. They will all be out of work. When the plant closes, their life's work will undoubtedly be sold or destroyed or... handed over to the West."

Voshchanka nodded. No matter how much one espoused the benefits of openness with the West, Voshchanka and those like him, including Gabovich, were vehemently distrustful of the reforms and especially of the West. He had spent his entire career serving the Soviet Union only to see the collapse of his life's work, the USSR, and his own Belarus, dominated by countries like Russia and the Ukraine, even Lithuania and Latvia.

"Many things have changed," Voshchanka said. "In many ways this Commonwealth is worse than the old Soviet Union. It seems the government has no control. Why have a government if it will not assume control?" He looked at Gabovich warily. He had to remember that this man was . . . KGB. Even if he was no longer working for a Soviet government, the old KGB

ways were undoubtedly still in him. "So, the scientists in Fisikous are your principals?"

"They offer a solution to the problems we face," Gabovich said. "An opportunity for us to break out of the stagnant cesspool we find ourselves being dragged into."

"Indeed? And what sort of things are your.. . 'principals' working on in Fisikous?"

Voshchanka asked.

"The future," Gabovich said. "The state of the art in Soviet aerospace weapons. Antimissile and aircraft systems unlike anything in the Commonwealth's inventory. Cruise missiles that rival anything in the West, let alone the Commonwealth." He paused to make sure that the old fart Voshchanka was following him.

"But the best thing of all," Gabovich continued, "is that we have an operating breeder reactor-a facsimile of an efficient German model, not a Soviet one-capable of producing small amounts of weapons-grade plutonium. Once we return to full production, we can produce three hundred thermonuclear warheads per year, all with a yield of over one hundred kilotons."