is dark eyes watching the President closely.
Smith went on to suggest limits for the size of both cadres, their
equipment, and the kind of transportation. Ivan made only one
suggestion: that the details, such as permissible arms and standards of
conduct, be left to the cadre commanders to settle between themselves
before the leaders' parties arrived.

"Your continual espionage activities," Smith said coldly, "do not
recommend your government as one to be trusted in the matter of
agreements without guarantees. My cadre commander will be instructed as
to details."

The Asian grunted. "You speak of trust, yet violate it in advance by
preparing an assault against us."

They glared at each other. After a few more words, the conversation
ended abruptly, and the matter was tentatively settled.

* * * * *

It was Antarctic Summer. The sun lay low in the north, but clouds
threatened to obscure it, and a forbidding coastline hulked under the
ugly sky. A small group of ships sulked to the east, and watched another
group that sulked to the west. Two rows of buoys marked an ice-free
strip across the choppy face of the sea.

A speck appeared in the north, grew larger, became a giant sea-plane. It
circled once, then swooped majestically down between the rows of buoys,
its atomic-fired jets breathing heat over the water. It slid between
streamers of spray until slowly it came to a coasting halt and rode on
the rise and the fall of the sea. A section of its back rolled open. It
pushed a helicopter up into view. The helicopter unfolded its rotors,
spun them, then climbed lazily aloft like a beetle that had ridden the
eagle. It soared, and travelled inland. The sea-plane taxied west to
join one group of ships.

The helicopter landed near a long, windowless concrete building which
lay in the shadow of an old control-tower's skeleton. The tower was
twisted awry, and the concrete was pock-marked by shrapnel or bullets
dating back to one of the peace-efforts. The President, two Stand-ins,
and the pilot climbed from the helicopter. A small detachment of troops
presented arms. The cadre commander, a major general, approached the
delegation formally, gave it a salute, and took the President's hand.

"The Peoplesfriend is already in the conference hall, Sir, with several
of his aides. Do you wish to enter now, or--"

"Where are their troops?"

"Over there, Sir. As you know, we could not agree to complete