held his position in the
swamps while his superiors were supposedly reforming behind him,
actually while they frantically tried to reach terms with the enemy.

One of the West-world lieutenants laughed at Joe's expression. "You're
going to have to get used to the fact that there're as many fracas
buffs over here, sir, as there are back home."

The Sov colonel waggled a finger at him. "But, no, you misunderstand
completely, Lieutenant Andersen. We _study_ the bloody fracases of the
West. Following the campaigns of such tacticians as your Marshal
Stonewall Cogswell goes far toward the training of our own Pink Army
in its, ah, fracases."

That brought up a dozen questions in Joe's mind, but first he turned
and indicated Max, who'd been standing behind, his eyes wide, and
taking in the luxurious airport, the vehicles about it, the buildings,
the airport workers, few in number though they be, the road leading to
the city beyond.

Joe said, "Gentlemen, may I present Max Mainz?"

The faces of the lieutenants went blank, and one of them coughed as
though apologetically.

The Sov colonel looked from Joe to Max, and then back again, his face
assuming that expression so well known to Joe for so very long. The
aristocrat looking at one of lower class as though wondering what made
the fellow tick. Kossuth said, "But surely this, ah, chap, is a
servant, one of your, what do you call them, a _Lower_."

Max blinked unhappily and looked at Joe.

Joe Mauser said evenly, "I had heard the Sov-world was the Utopia of
the proletariat. However, gentlemen, Max Mainz is my friend as well as
my ... assistant."

The three officers murmured some things stiffly to Max, who, a Lower
born, was not overly nonplused by the situation. Zen, he knew the
three were Upper caste, what was Major Mauser getting into a tissy
about? He was given a seat in the front, where the chauffeur would
have once been, and the others took places in the rear, one of the
lieutenants dialing the hovercar's destination.

* * * * *

Joe Mauser said, "I am afraid my background is hazy, Colonel Kossuth.
You mentioned the Pink Army. You also mentioned your own fracases. I
knew you maintained an army, of course, but I thought the fracas was a
West development, in fact, your military attaches are usually on the
scornful side."

The two lieutenants grinned, but Kossuth said seriously, "Major, as
always, nations which hold each other at a