ing along the ground, moving over the oceans or through the
skies in slender, blackened craft, creatures that could exist where no
_life_ could remain, metal and plastic figures that waged a war Man had
conceived, but which he could not fight himself. Human beings had
invented war, invented and manufactured the weapons, even invented the
players, the fighters, the actors of the war. But they themselves could
not venture forth, could not wage it themselves. In all the world--in
Russia, in Europe, America, Africa--no living human being remained. They
were under the surface, in the deep shelters that had been carefully
planned and built, even as the first bombs began to fall.

It was a brilliant idea and the only idea that could have worked. Up
above, on the ruined, blasted surface of what had once been a living
planet, the leady crawled and scurried, and fought Man's war. And
undersurface, in the depths of the planet, human beings toiled endlessly
to produce the weapons to continue the fight, month by month, year by
year.

* * * * *

"First stage," Taylor said. A strange ache went through him. "Almost to
the surface."

"But not quite," Moss said.

Franks led them through the soldiers, over to one side, near the lip of
the Tube.

"In a few minutes, a lift will bring something down to us from the
surface," he explained. "You see, Taylor, every once in a while Security
examines and interrogates a surface leady, one that has been above for a
time, to find out certain things. A vidcall is sent up and contact is
made with a field headquarters. We need this direct interview; we can't
depend on vidscreen contact alone. The leadys are doing a good job, but
we want to make certain that everything is going the way we want it."

Franks faced Taylor and Moss and continued: "The lift will bring down a
leady from the surface, one of the A-class leadys. There's an
examination chamber in the next room, with a lead wall in the center, so
the interviewing officers won't be exposed to radiation. We find this
easier than bathing the leady. It is going right back up; it has a job
to get back to.

"Two days ago, an A-class leady was brought down and interrogated. I
conducted the session myself. We were interested in a new weapon the
Soviets have been using, an automatic mine that pursues anything that
moves. Military had sent instructions up that the mine be observed and
reported in detail.

"This A-cl