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calipers when he smiled; he sat down and began to load a still more disreputable briar. He was short but powerfully built, square of countenance, bald of dome, with very steady brown eyes. ‘Well, Mr. Heim, what can I do for you?’
    ‘Uh … it concerns New Europe.’
    ‘I thought so.’ The smile died.
    ‘In my opinion—’ Heim decided he was being pompous. ‘M.Coquelin,’ he said, ‘I believe Earth ought to do whatever is necessary to get New Europe back.’
    Coquelin’s look went over his guest’s features, centimeter by centimeter, while he started his pipe. Thank you for that,’ he said at length. ‘We have felt lonely in France.’
    ‘I have some material here that might help.’
    The least intake of breath went through Coquelin’s teeth. ‘Proceed, if you please.’
    He sat altogether expressionless, smoking, never glancing away, while Heim talked. Only once did he interrupt: ‘Cynbe? Ah, yes, I have met him. The one they have quartered at—No, best I not say. Officially I am not supposed to know. Go on.’
    In the end he opened the packet, slipped a few films into the viewer on his desk, read, and nodded. The stillness quivered near breaking point. Heim puffed volcano-like, stared out the window into darkness, shifted his bulk so the chair groaned, and listened to his own heartbeat.
    Finally Coquelin muttered, There have been rumors about this.’ After another silence: ‘I shall see that you and Vadász join the Légion d’Honneur. Whatever happens.’
    ‘What will?’ Heim asked. His jaws ached with being clamped together.
    Coquelin shrugged. ‘Nothing, probably,’ he said, dull-voiced. They are determined to buy what they call peace.’
    ‘Oh. Yes, you’d know. So I can tell you I also know the plan.’
    ‘That Alerion shall have Europe Neuve? Good, we can speak freely. I am naturally honor bound not to reveal what is being decided until my fellow committeemen agree, and it would be a futile act with disastrous political consequences if I broke that promise. So I am most glad to have an outside listener.’ Coquelin passed a hand across his eyes. ‘But there is little we can say, no?’
    ‘There’s plenty!’ Heim exclaimed. ‘Come the formal meeting, you can show this stuff to Parliament, with scientific proof it’s genuine. You can ask them how anyone can hope to get re-elected after selling out so many human beings.’
    ‘Yes, yes.’ Coquelin stared at his pipe bowl, where the fire waxed and waned, waxed and waned. ‘And some will say I lie. That my evidence is forged and my scientists are bribed. Others will say alas, this is terrible, but – half a million people? Why, a few missiles striking population centers on Earth could kill twenty times that many, a hundred times; and we had no rightto be in the Phoenix; and nothing matters except to make friends with Alerion, for otherwise we must look for decades of war; so we can only weep for our people out there, we cannot help them.’ His grin was dreadful to see. ‘I daresay a monument will be raised to them. Martyrs in the cause of peace.’
    ‘But this is ridiculous! Earth can’t be attacked. Or if it can, then so can Alerion, and they won’t provoke that when we have twice their strength. A single flotilla right now could drive them out of the Auroran System.’
    ‘Half the Navy has been recalled for home defense. The other half is out in the Marches, keeping watch on the Aleriona fleet, which is also maneuvering there. Even some of the admirals I have consulted do not wish to spare a flotilla for Aurore. For as you must know, monsieur, the numbers available on either side are not large, when a single nuclear-armed vessel has so much destructive capability.’
    ‘So we do nothing?’ Heim grated. ‘Why, at the moment even one ship could – could make serious trouble for the enemy. They can’t have any great strength at Aurore as yet. But give them a year or two and they’ll make New Europe as unattackable as