out for centuries. Even
when he gets a real flash, he piles on a lot of intuitive
extrapolation. And the farther he gets from that central flash, the
less reliable the predictions are."

"Do you think we'll get theory and symbology worked out before that
meteor is supposed to hit Moonbase One?" asked the general.

The civilian shrugged. "Who knows? We'll have to take a lot on faith
if we do, because there won't be enough time to check all his
predictions. Each subject is being given a report sheet with his
forecast on it, and he's supposed to check the accuracy of it as it
happens. And our agents are making spot checks on them just to make
sure. It'll take time. All we can do is hope."

"I suppose." General Layton took a quick look through the periscope
again. The ship's air lock still hadn't opened; the air and ground
were still too hot. He looked back at the civilian. "What about the
espionage reports?"

The civilian tapped his briefcase. "I can give it to you in a capsule,
verbally. You can look these over later."

"Shoot."

"The Soviets are getting worried, to put it bluntly. We can't hide
those rockets, you know. Their own Luna-based radar has been picking
up every one of them as they come in and leave. They're wondering why
we're making so many trips all of a sudden."

"Have they done any theorizing?" the general asked worriedly.

"They have." The civilian chuckled sardonically. "They've decided
we're trying for another Mars shot--a big one, this time."

The general exhaled sharply. "That's too close for comfort. How do
they figure?"

"They figure we're amassing material at Moonbase One. They figure we
intend to build the ship there, with the loads of stuff that we're
sending up in the rockets."

"_What?_" General Layton opened his mouth, then closed it. Then he
began to laugh.

The civilian joined him.

* * * * *

Donna Tedesco pushed the papers across Brian Taggert's desk. "Check
them yourself, Brian. I've gone over them six ways from Septuagesima,
and I still can't see any other answer."

Taggert frowned at the papers and tapped them with a thoughtful
finger, but he didn't pick them up. "I'll take your word for it,
Donna. At least for right now. If we get completely balled up, we'll
go over them together."

"If you ask me, we've already completely balled up."

"You think it's that bad?"

She looked at him pleadingly. "Can you think of any other
explanati