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chance to refute the charges。 In fact； charges were never read to him； he never knew what he had been accused of。 That scarcely mattered to Valeri's father。 He was Ukrainian； that alone was enough to mark him as a potentially dangerous criminal。
〃That's just what the Russians had made me；〃 he would tell Valeri many years later。 〃A dangerous criminal。〃
In Solovki； Valeri's father and his fellow inmates were fed… when they were fed at all…on nine ounces of moldy black bread and a bowl of something akin to hot water with a lump of frost…blackened turnip floating in it。 Clothes were out of the question； as was any form of heat； save the occasional fire。
A week after his father arrived in Solovki； there were already so many inmates that the overcrowding became intolerable。 As a consequence； inmates were herded out in order to be sent to another camp。 Valeri's father watched with bleak eyes as his fellow criminals pushed； shoved； clawed； and fought each other to be chosen。 Anyplace； the reasoning went； would be an improvement over Solovki。
His father was chosen in the last batch herded out； but in the turmoil he managed to slip away； secrete himself beside a mother and child； blue…skinned and stiff； dead for a day and a half。 He had no desire to be trekked to another place he knew nothing about。 Better the devil you know； he told himself； than stepping out blindfolded in the dark。
It was two months before he received word through the camp grapevine as to the fate of those who had left Solovki。 They had been sent to Siberia。 Marched up the narrow ice…clogged Vasyugan stream； they had been left on the ice fields and the barren bogs without food or clothes。 All of them had died。
His father spent just over three years in Solovki。 Though he lost two fingers and four toes to frostbite； though he lost sixty pounds； he was a survivor。 He stole food from the dead； ate the flesh of the odd guard dog that died of exposure； and eventually learned how to snare fish from the icy waters。
He escaped； finally； one moonless winter's night； with the snow falling eerily on the water； the guard dogs barking frantically； the darkness aflame with automatic gunfire。
He was wounded but managed to escape。 It took him six weeks to make his way back to Kiev； and by that time he had lost the feeling in both his legs。
In order to save his life； the legs had to be amputated。 〃Do it！ Do it！〃 he had shouted at the surgeons； shaking with rage at the indignity of what was about to happen。 〃What's the difference？ I only have six toes； anyway。 That's not so much to miss！''
But Solovki had done more than take his legs； it had dehumanized him。 Living with the dead； eating frozen dog meat； watching day by day as his fellow Ukrainians wasted away or were shot by guards bored； drunk； or both； had scarred his soul。 He could never again think about his country in the same way。 Just as the murder of his brother had caused a violent reaction in him； so had his time in Solovki。 But instead of turning his burning rage outward； now his isolation had turned it inward。
It had been his son； Valeri； who had saved him from taking a pistol and putting it to his head。 Valeri had said the only thing that would make his father want to keep living： ''I want to learn； Father。 I want to know what it means to be a Ukrainian； and I can only do that from you。''
Now I am the father； Valeri Bondasenko thought； sitting beside his mute； unthinking daughter on the wide lawn of the asylum near Arkhangelskoe。 I want to teach her what you taught me； Father； but even if she hears me； she isn't listening。
Does this mean they've won； Father？ The Russians who systematically beat us； stripped us of our culture； our past； who have entangled us in hopelessness； who have tried their best to exterminate us？ No； no； no！ I haven't forgotten what you taught me； how to bury my hate so deeply no one would ever find out what was in my heart。
No。 They haven't won； the Russians； but they haven't lost。 Not yet。 Not yet。
Another day； another visit to the man who would be God； Mars Volkov thought as he drove up to the Hero's fortresslike plex within Star Town。
He did not immediately get out of the Chaika limousine； however； but instead listened again to the tape recording he had made of his last conversation with the Hero。
〃I don't know what's e over me。 Before I lifted off； I never had much of a sense of humor。 Who knows； perhaps being suspended between heaven and a living hell will do that for you。 〃
It had been a rather nice touch。 Mars thought； to make such a theatrical display of disabling the monitoring equipment in the Hero's living quarters。 Of course； it was quite real。 Mars had actually shut down the system。 And he had been correct not to inform the dolts downstairs。 Their display of genuine pique had put the icing on the cake。 No amount of acting； no matter how expert； would fool the Hero or his idiot manque； Arbat。 （Mars had to admit that the bloody dolphin had been his one major mistake； but now that it was done； he could hardly take it away。）
〃There are some who think you 're lying； or have misremembered； or are delusional。 〃
''Are you one of those ？''
All in all； Mars thought； the last interrogation had gone well。 Mars was far too clever to try to fool the Hero at this late stage。 It would； he knew； be another mistake to underestimate the Hero now； even though he； Mars； had finally gamed the high ground in their battle of wits。 Mars's own sentiments about being fed up with playing their no…win game had been real； as well。 But he was not as much the maverick as he had led the Hero to believe…it was far more convincing to tell a semblance of the truth than to try to put over a lie。 Consequently； Mars had e prepared to his last meeting。 He had been wearing a body mike attached to a portable microcassette recorder。 The same was true today。
〃The corpse opened its mouth and…〃
〃No； no。 This isn't something out of a science…fiction or a horror film。〃 He didn't e back from the dead； nor was he animated like a zombie or a golem。 This was something else 。 。 。〃
Mars reached over； shut off the tape。 What had happened up there between the stars？ He was being consumed with this puzzle。
He sat for a moment longer； lost in thought。 Then he got out of the Chaika； went through the laborious but necessary security procedures to allow him entrance to the Hero's plex。
Inside； the Hero was with Tatiana。 She was a short blond woman； with a ruddy plexion and wide…set； direct gray eyes。 She had the wide shoulders； narrow waist and hips of the athlete。 She was as attractive as Lara； though in an entirely different way。
''Good morning； rade；'' Tatiana said when she saw Mars enter the pool area。 Her swimsuit was quite shockingly brief； cut very high around the tops of the legs in the Western manner； and Mars made a mental note to order different； more modest suits for his guard girls。
He nodded to her； said； 〃Where is Odysseus？〃
Arbat surfaced； sped across the diameter of the pool； spewed water all over Mars。 Tatiana put her hand over her mouth； tamed her face away； but not before Mars caught a glimpse of her laughing。
〃He's in the shower；〃 she sai