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An uneasy apprehension showed in Steinmetz's eyes。 〃You think they plan to attack us； is that it？〃
〃Yes； Eli； I do；〃 said the President。 〃Selenos 8； the Soviet lunar station； entered orbit around the moon three hours ago。 NASA puters project it to pass up a safe landing site on the face and e down on the dark side in your block of the neighborhood。 A risky gamble unless they have a definite objective。〃
〃The Jersey Colony。〃
〃Their lunar landing vehicle holds seven men；〃 the President continued。 〃The craft requires two pilot…engineers to direct its flight。 That leaves five for bat。〃
〃There are ten of us；〃 said Steinmetz。 〃Two to one； not bad odds。〃
〃Except they'll have firepower and training on their side。 These men will be the deadliest team the Russians can field。〃
〃You paint a grim picture； Mr。 President。 What would you have us do？〃
〃You've acplished far more than any of us had any right to expect。 But the deck is stacked against you。 Destroy the colony and get out before there's any bloodshed。 I want you and your people safely back on earth to receive the honors you deserve。〃
〃I don't think you quite realize what we've busted our asses to build here。〃
〃Whatever you've done isn't worth your lives。〃
〃We've all lived with death for six years；〃 said Steinmetz slowly。 〃A few more hours won't matter。〃
〃Don't throw it all away on an impossible fight；〃 the President argued。
〃Sorry； Mr。 President； but you're talking to a man who lost his daddy at a little sand spit called Wake Island。 I'll put it to a vote； but I already know the oute。 The other guys won't cut and run any more than I will。 We'll stay and fight。〃
The President felt proud and defeated at the same time。 〃What weapons do you have？〃 he asked wearily。
〃Our arsenal consists of one used rocket launcher； which is down to its last shell； an M…14 National Match rifle； and a twenty…two…caliber target pistol。 We brought them for a series of gravity experiments。〃
〃You're outclassed； Eli；〃 the President said miserably。 〃Can't you realize that？〃
〃No； sir。 I refuse to quit on a technicality。〃
〃What technicality？〃
〃The Russians are the visitors。〃
〃So what？〃
〃That makes us the home team；〃 said Steinmetz slyly。 〃And the home team always has the advantage。〃
〃They've landed！〃 exclaimed Sergei Kornilov； smashing a fist into one hand。 〃Selenos 8 is on the moon！〃
Below the VIP observation room； on the floor of the Soviet Mission Control Center； the engineers and space scientists burst into wild cheering and applause。
President Antonov held up a glass of champagne。 〃To the glory of the Soviet Union and the party。〃
The toast was repeated by the Kremlin officials and high…ranking military officers crowded in the room。
〃To our first stepping…stone on our quest of Mars；〃 toasted General Yasenin。
〃Here； here！〃 replied a chorus of deep voices。 〃To Mars。〃
Antonov set his empty glass on a tray and turned to Yasenin； his face abruptly serious。 〃How soon before Major Leuchenko makes contact with the moon base？〃 he asked。
〃Allowing for time to secure the spacecraft systems； make a reconnaissance of the terrain； and position his men for the assault； I would say four hours。〃
〃How far away is the landing site？〃
〃Selenos 8 was programmed to touch down behind a low range of hills less than three kilometers from where Selenos 4 detected the astronauts；〃 answered the general。
〃That seems quite close；〃 said Antonov。 〃If the Americans tracked our descent； Leuchenko has lost all opportunity for surprise。〃
〃There is little doubt they have realized what we're up to。〃
〃You're not concerned？〃
〃Our advantage lies in Leuchenko's experience and superior firepower； rade President。〃 Yasenin's face wore the expression of a boxing manager who had just sent his fighter into the ring against a one…armed man。 〃The Americans are faced with a no…win situation。〃
Major Grigory Leuchenko lay stretched in the fine； gray dust of the moon's surface and stared at the desolate wasteland spread beneath the pitch…black sky。 He found the silent and ghostly landscape similar to the arid desert of Afghanistan's Seistan Basin。 The gravel plains and rolling mound…shaped hills gave little definition。 It reminded him of a great sea of plaster of paris； yet it seemed strangely familiar to him。
He fought off an urge to vomit。 He and his men were all suffering from nausea。 There had been no time to train for the weightless environment during the journey from earth； no weeks or months to adjust as had the cosmonauts of the Soyuz missions。 They were given only a few hours' instruction on how to operate the life…support systems of their lunar suits； a brief lecture on conditions they could expect to find on the moon； and a briefing on the location of the American colony。
He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder through his lunar suit。 He spoke into his helmet's internal transmitter without turning。
〃What have you got？〃
Lieutenant Dmitri Petrov pointed toward a flat valley running between the sloping walls of two craters about a thousand meters to the left。 〃Vehicle tracks and footprints； converging into that shadow below the left crater's rim。 I make out three； maybe four small buildings。〃
〃Pressurized greenhouses；〃 said Leuchenko。 He set a pair of boxlike binoculars on a small tripod and settled the wide viewing piece around the faceplate of his helmet。 〃Looks like vapor issuing out of the crater's sloping side。〃 He paused to adjust the focus。 〃Yes； I can see it clearly now。 There's an entrance into the rock； probably an airlock with access to their interior facility。 No sign of life。 The outer perimeter appears deserted。〃
〃They could be hiding in ambush；〃 said Petrov。
〃Hide where？〃 asked Leuchenko； sweeping the open panorama。 〃The scattered rocks are too small to shield a man。 There are no breaks in the terrain； no indication of defense works。 An astronaut in a bulky white lunar suit would stand out like a snowman in a field of cinders。 No； they must be barricaded inside the cave。〃
〃Not a wise defensive position。 All to our advantage。〃
〃They still have a rocket launcher。〃
〃That has little effect against men spread in a loose formation。〃
〃True； but we'll have no cover and we can't be sure they don't have other weapons。〃
〃A heavy concentration of fire inside the cave entrance might force their hand；〃 suggested Petrov。
〃Our orders are not to cause any unnecessary destruction to the facility；〃 said Leuchenko。 〃We'll have to move in=
〃Something is moving out there！〃 Petrov cried。
Leuchenko stared through the binoculars。 An odd…looking open vehicle had appeared from behind one of the greenhouses and was traveling in their direction。 A white flag； attached to an antenna； hung limply in the airless atmosphere。 He watched until it stopped fifty meters away and a figure stepped out onto the lunar soil。
〃Interesting；〃 said Leuchenko thoughtfully。 〃The Americans want to parley。〃
〃Might be a trick。 A ruse to study our force。〃
〃I don't think so。 They wo