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〃I don't think they'll target Columbus。 They'd be leaving themselves wide open for us to retaliate against their new Salyut 10 station。 I say they'll try for the shuttle。〃
An icy silence settled over the Roosevelt Room as every man present struggled with his own thoughts。 Then Hudson's face took on an enlightened expression； and he rapped his pen against the table surface。
〃We've overlooked something；〃 he said in a level tone。
〃Like what？〃 asked Fawcett。
〃The true purpose behind their attack on Jersey Colony。〃
Brogan took the lead。 〃To save face by destroying all trace of our breakthrough in space。〃
〃Not destroy but steal；〃 Hudson said fervently。 〃Murdering the colonists wasn't an eye…for…an…eye punishment。 Jess Simmons hit on it。 To the Kremlin's way of thinking it was vital to seize the base intact in order to help themselves to the technology； the data； and the results of billions of dollars and twenty…five years of work。 That was their goal。 Revenge was secondary。〃
〃He makes a valid point；〃 said Oates。 〃Except that with the colonists on their way to earth； Jersey Colony is up for grabs。〃
〃By using our lunar transfer vehicle we can have another crew on site within two weeks；〃 said Hudson。
〃The two cosmonauts who are sitting in Selenos 8；〃 Simmons said。 〃What's to stop them from simply walking in and taking over the abandoned colony？〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 Hudson answered。 〃I forgot to mention that Steinmetz transported the five dead Russians back to the lunar larder and loaded them on board。 Then he forced the surviving crew to lift off and return to earth by threatening to scatter them over the moon's surface with the last rocket in his launcher。〃
〃The sheriff cleaning up the town；〃 Brogan said admiringly。 〃I can't wait to meet this guy。〃
〃Not without cost；〃 said Hudson quietly。 〃Steinmetz is bringing back two seriously wounded men and one body。〃
〃What is the name of the dead man？〃 asked the President。
〃Dr。 Kurt Perry； a brilliant biochemist。〃
The President nodded at Fawcett。 〃Let's see that he receives a proper ceremony。〃
There was a slight pause； and then Post brought the discussion back on track。 〃Okay； if the Soviets didn't get Jersey colony； what are they left with？〃
〃The。 Gettysburg；〃 Hudson answered。 〃The Russians still have a chance at pirating a treasure trove of scientific data。〃
〃By snatching the shuttle out of the air？〃 Simmons stated sarcastically。 〃News to me they have Buck Rogers on their side。〃
〃They don't need him；〃 Hudson retorted。 〃It's technically possible to program a deviation into the flight guidance systems。 The puters can be fooled into sending the wrong signal to the drive elevons； the thrusters； and other equipment to control the Gettysburg。 There are a thousand different way to nudge the shuttle off its course a few degrees。 Depending on the distance from touchdown； it could be thrown off as far as a thousand miles from the Kennedy spaceport at Cape Canaveral。〃
〃But the pilots can override the automated system and land on manual control；〃 protested Post。
〃Not if they're conned into thinking Houston Control is monitoring their return flight path。〃
〃Is this possible？〃 asked the President incredulously。
Alan Mercier nodded。 〃Providing the Soviets have local transmitters with the capacity to overpower the shuttle's internal electronics and jam all signals from Houston Control。〃
The President exchanged grim looks with Brogan。
〃Cayo Santa Maria；〃 Brogan muttered miserably。
〃An island north of Cuba containing a powerful transmission and listening facility with the necessary muscle to do the job；〃 the President explained to the others。
〃Maybe they haven't caught on that our colonists have left the moon；〃 Fawcett said hopefully。
〃They know；〃 replied Hudson。 〃Once their eavesdropping satellites were aimed toward Jersey Colony； they've monitored every one of our transmissions。〃
〃We'll have to e up with a plan to neutralize the island's equipment；〃 suggested Post。
Brogan smiled。 〃Just so happens there is an operation in the works。〃
Post smiled back。 〃If you're scheming what I'm thinking； all I'd like to know is when。〃
〃There is talk purely a rumor； mind you that Cuban military forces are going to launch an attack…and…destroy mission sometime after midnight tonight。〃
〃And the departure time of the shuttle for home？〃 asked Alan Mercier。
〃0500 tomorrow；〃 Post answered。
〃That settles it；〃 said the President。 〃Inform the mander of Columbus to hold Gettysburg on the docking platform until we can guarantee its safe return。〃
Everyone around the table seemed satisfied for the moment； except Hudson。 He had the look of a boy who had just lost his puppy to the county dogcatcher。
〃I just wish；〃 he muttered to no one in particular； 〃it was all that easy。〃
Velikov and Maisky stood on a balcony three levels above the electronic listening center and looked down on a small army of men and women who manned the sophisticated electronic receiving equipment。 Twenty…four hours a day； giant antennas on Cuba intercepted United States civilian telephone calls and military radio signals； relaying them to Cayo Santa Maria； where they were fed into the puters for decoding and analysis。
〃A truly superb job； General；〃 said Maisky。 〃The reports on your installation have been far too modest。〃
〃A day doesn't go by when we don't continue the expansion；〃 Velikov said proudly。 〃Besides the business end of the plex there is a well…supplied dining room and a physical conditioning center with exercise equipment and a sauna。 We even have an entertainment room and a barber shop。〃
Maisky's gaze rose to two screens； each ten by fifteen feet； on different walls。 The left screen contained puter…generated displays while the right showed various data and intricate graphs。
〃Have your people discovered the status of the moon colonists yet？〃
The general nodded and picked up a telephone。 He spoke a few words into the receiver while looking down on the busy equipment floor。 A staff member at a console looked up and waved a hand。 Then the two screens went dark for a brief instant and returned to life with a new data display。
〃A plete rundown；〃 said Velikov； pointing to the right screen。 〃We can monitor almost everything that is transmitted between their astronauts and Houston Control。 As you can see； the moon colonists' lunar transporter docked three hours ago at the space station。〃
Maisky was fascinated as his eyes traveled over the display information。 He could not bring himself to accept the fact that American intelligence undoubtedly knew as much if not more about Soviet space efforts。
〃Do they transmit in code？〃 he asked。
〃Occasionally； if it is a military mission； but NASA usually talks to their astronauts quite openly。〃
〃As you can see on the data display； the Houston Ground Control Center has ordered the Gettysburg to postpone its scheduled departure for tomorrow morning。〃
〃I don't like the look of that。〃
〃I see nothing suspicious。 The President probably wants time