et to these Galactic Confederation emissaries and put
a bug in their bonnet. Get over to them that there's more than one
major viewpoint on this planet. Get them to investigate our side of
the matter."

"Get to them how? If the Russkies--"

Hennessey was tired. The flash of spirit was fading. He lifted a thin
hand. "One of my assistants is crossing the Atlantic with you. He'll
give you the details."

"But why _me_? I'm strictly a--"

"You're an unknown in Europe. Never connected with espionage. You
speak Russian like a native. Morton Twombly says you're his best man.
Your records show that you can think on your feet, and that's what we
need above all."

Hank Kuran said flatly, "You might have asked for volunteers."

"We did. You, you and you. The old army game," Hennessey said wearily.
"Mr. Kuran, we're in the clutch. We can lose, forever--right now.
Right in the next month or so. Consider yourself a soldier being
thrown into the most important engagement the world has ever
seen--combating the growth of the Soviets. We can't afford such
luxuries as asking for volunteers. Now do you get it?"

Hank Kuran could feel impotent anger rising inside him. He was off
balance. "I get it, but I don't like it."

"None of us do," Sheridan Hennessey said sourly. "Do you think any of
us do?" He must have pressed a button.

From behind them the major's voice said briskly, "Will you come this
way, Mr. Kuran?"

* * * * *

In the limousine, on the way out to the airport, the bright,
impossibly cleanly shaven C.I.A. man said, "You've never been behind
the Iron Curtain before, have you Kuran?"

"No," Hank said. "I thought that term was passe. Look, aren't we even
going to my hotel for my things?"

The second C.I.A. man, the older one, said, "All your gear will be
waiting for you in London. They'll be sure there's nothing in it to
tip off the KGB if they go through your bags."

The younger one said, "We're not sure, things are moving fast, but we
suspect that that term, Iron Curtain, applies again."

"Then how am I going to get in?" Hank said irritably. "I've had no
background for this cloak and dagger stuff."

The older C.I.A. man said, "We understand the KGB has increased
security measures but they haven't cut out all travel on the part of
non-Communists."

The other one said, "Probably because the Russkies don't want to tip
off the spacemen that they're being isolated from the western