"Yes, though break-in was the interviewer's phrase, not mine," she said. "My purview is the Orion probe and that's where I wish to keep my focus. In my prepared comments a moment ago, I explained that the shuttle's remains are being transported from the launch site to the Vehicle Assembly Building for reconstruction, a procedure I've been busy coordinating throughout the day. The remainder of my time has been spent working out procedural guidelines for the investigation, selecting members of our team, and doing everything I can to let the press know what we're up to."

Annie motioned to another print man, Allen Murdock, a staff reporter with the Washington Post.

"To stay with the issue my colleague from AP just raised," Murdock said, "when asked on television whether the events in Brazil could have been linked to Orion, you stated you had no knowledge of it--quote, unquote--but refrained from dismissing the possibility outright. Does that mean there may be signs that they're related acts of sabotage? And if so, who do you believe might have been responsible for them?"

"Allen, I don't think it serves me any purpose to parse words. 'No knowledge' means precisely that--"

"But it's well known that Roger Gordian has been a steady proponent and financial backer of ISS for many years. If the reports of his company closing up shop in Brazil were to prove accurate, wouldn't it be reasonable to conclude that the decision was precipitated by a serious threat to his employees?"

That makes, what, three qualifiers in a single sentence?

"You're asking several questions at once, all of them hypothetical, and I'd rather stick to the facts. Again, I'm not sure how this notion about UpLink abandoning the program originated, though it seems to me it's based on a supposition drawn from a misrepresentation of some remarks that were made on the air earlier, which I think everyone here would agree can really get things in a tangle."

Next!

She pointed to a fresh face. A young woman swimming amid a school of combative males. Sisterly kinship. Feminine rapport. Her press pass identified her as Martha Eumans from CNBC.

Martha stood. "Should UpLink decide to withdraw its support of ISS, whatever the reason, how seriously would it impact upon the space station's future prospects ... ?"

And so it went for another very, very trying half hour.

"Annie, I realize these are difficult times, but gotta say you're looking magnificent."

"That's very kind of you, Mac."