“It’s their perfect, low-gravity launching pad, but there’s more. They could turn around tomorrow and destroy every one of our ships as they approach Earth. If they wanted to, they could probably turn those weapons outward and rotate around and around our planet, taking potshots at all our other bases in the solar system. This war could all be over in a few days.”

“They signed that treaty,” Tom said, remembering it from Tactics. “They agreed to a neutral zone.”

“What’s a treaty? It’s a piece of paper. An agreement means nothing in itself. It’s the power to force others to comply with that agreement—that’s all that counts. That’s the sham of this whole thing.”

Marsh leaned his elbows on the railing, his face bathed in moonlight.

“The fact is, son, we fight the Chinese because they’re letting us fight this. They hold that final punch because this war isn’t ultimately about China winning the solar system. It’s not about America. It’s not about any countries. It’s about those men and women you met on those meet and greets.”

Tom was a bit relieved, because he’d come here expecting to be bawled out, but Marsh seemed more introspective than angry. “Yeah, I know that, sir. And I know I screwed up with them.”

“I know why you find those people contemptible. So do I. They want a crack at all those resources in space, yes, but do you know what they want even more, Raines? They want a war that never ends. That’s why we’ve got that moon up there the Chinese aren’t putting in to play. That moon ends the gravy train and everyone knows it. You know what I’d do if I ran this boat?”

Tom shook his head.

“I’d muster our forces, feign an assault on the shipyards near the Gauntlet—”

Tom recognized the term for the intensive free-fire zone, encircling the neutral zone. It was a hazardous, combat-intense stretch of space that had to be survived to get home free to the safe haven around Earth.

“And then, Raines, I’d assault the Chinese fortifications on the moon. Sneak attack, and let history call me a backstabber. I’d destroy every single piece of equipment they’ve got. Find anything they’ve got beneath the surface, blow those up, too. Scar that beautiful, rocky face, but, by God, I’d take that advantage for our side. And then I’d use it. I wouldn’t fight with one hand tied behind my back, and they wouldn’t do it anymore, either. Someone would win, and someone would lose.” He was silent a moment. “You know why I’d never get put in charge?”

“Because you’d blow up the moon?” Tom guessed.