As the two bowls came within a foot of each other the Geiger counter started to concentrate on what was happening, taking a definite interest. The scaler measured fast neutrons by multiplication. One light for two neutrons, two lights for four. Up to six lights for sixty-four escaping particles, then starting over again. The red lights blinked like eyes rousing from a nap.

“It won’t be over soon.” Oppy’s voice took a sharper tone. “The Japanese didn’t give up on Iwo Jima or Okinawa. They will fight ten times harder on their own islands. It won’t be just kamikaze planes. Army intelligence says they’re building kamikaze boats and teaching people to strap dynamite to their chests. The estimate I’ve seen for the invasion is one million casualties. Japanese and American, soldiers and civilians.”

“Four inches,” Harvey said.

There was a bar and kitchen to stock. Utilities, water, linen. It might be tricky, getting around the liquor laws on Indians. He might not be allowed to pour a bottle even if he owned the place.

The Dragon shone like ice.

“A demonstration on an island sounds like a good idea,” Oppy said. “With a bunker for the Emperor and his generals. But what if a single enormous blast didn’t convince the Japanese that it was caused by a single weapon? We can barely convince our generals, let alone theirs. And what if the bomb was a dud?”

“Eighty percent critical.” Harvey watched the red line on the graph paper, and then for the first time answered Oppy. “The uranium bomb works.”

“We have two bombs. The uranium bomb we think will work, and the plutonium bomb we hope will work. We don’t have enough refined uranium to make another. The plutonium bomb must be tested at Trinity. We can get more plutonium, though it won’t matter if Trinity doesn’t work. The point is, we have none to expend on good intentions and mere fireworks.” Oppy spoke through a veil of weariness. “God knows, I wish we did. But the invasion will be carried out before bad weather sets in over the Japanese islands. It won’t be postponed while we build more bombs or while we negotiate when and where the Emperor should sit for a better view of a peaceful demonstration. Should he come to Trinity? Trinity is in twelve days. Stop time for me, Harvey. Give me more bombs and a cushion for the divine Emperor to sit on and watch.”

“Three more inches, Joe. Then at least a base, Oppy, not a city.”

“A waste. A waste of the bomb and a waste of the soldiers. The Japanese would censor every report and all that would be left would be a wisp of smoke and rumors. You know the blast effects, Harvey. There wouldn’t even be that much to see in a camp—not like a city, not like buildings.”

“Not like civilians?”