"All ready, sir." Chief Pablo Orontia looked sideways at his Commander-in-Chief. His gaze didn't betray the fact that he'd been born in Pueblo, Colorado, and still had family there. The President would settle things down, that was his job. Orontia's job, he reasoned, was to do his best to help the man. Orontia had served his country in two wars and many other crises, mainly as an admiral's yeoman on carriers, and now he turned off his feelings as he had trained himself to do. "Dear President Narmonov "

Captain Rosselli watched the first for-real transmission on the Hot Line since his arrival in Washington. The message was put up on the IBM-PC/AT and encrypted, then the computer operator hit the return button to transmit it. He really should be back at his desk, Jim thought, but what went through here might be vital to what he was doing.

"As you have probably been told there has been a major explosion in the central part of my country. I have been told that it was a nuclear explosion and that the loss of life is severe," President Narmonov read, with his advisors at his side.

"About what one would expect," Narmonov said. "Send our reply."

"Jesus, that was fast!" the Army colonel on duty remarked and began his translation. A Marine sergeant typed the English version, which was automatically linked to Camp David, Fort Ritchie, and the State Department. The computers printed out hard copy that was sent almost as fast to SAC, NORAD, and the intelligence agencies via facsimile printer.

AUTHENTICATOR: TIMETABLE TIMETABLE TIMETABLE

REPLY FROM MOSCOW

PRESIDENT FOWLER:

WE HAVE NOTED THE EVENT. PLEASE ACCEPT OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY AND THAT OF THE SOVIET PEOPLE. HOW IS SUCH AN ACCIDENT POSSIBLE?

"Accident?" Fowler asked.

"That was awfully fast, Robert," Elliot observed at once. "Too damned fast. His English isn't very good. The message had to be translated, and you take time to read things like this. Their reply must have been canned - made up in advance what does that mean?" Liz asked, almost talking to herself, as Fowler formulated his next message. What's going on here? Who is doing this, and why

PRESIDENT NARMONOV:

I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO AMERICAN NUCLEAR DEVICE WITHIN A HUNDRED MILES, NOR WERE ANY US WEAPONS IN TRANSIT IN THE AREA. THIS WAS A DELIBERATE ACT BY UNKNOWN FORCES.

"Well, that's no surprise," Narmonov said. He congratulated himself for correctly predicting the first message from America. "Send the next reply," he told the communicator. To his advisers: "Fowler is an arrogant man, with the weaknesses of arrogance, but he is no fool. He will be very emotional about this. We must settle him down, calm him. If he can keep control of himself, his intelligence will allow him to maintain control of the matter."

"My President," said Golovko, who had just arrived in the command center. "I think this is a mistake."

"What do you mean?" Narmonov asked in some surprise.