e it was such an
immense operation."

"But why?" Moss demanded angrily.

"Because it is unthinkable that you should be allowed to resume the war.
With all the Tubes sealed, it will be many months before forces from
below can reach the surface, let alone organize a military program. By
that time the cycle will have entered its last stages. You will not be
so perturbed to find your world intact.

"We had hoped that you would be undersurface when the sealing occurred.
Your presence here is a nuisance. When the Soviets broke through, we
were able to accomplish their sealing without--"

"The Soviets? They broke through?"

"Several months ago, they came up unexpectedly to see why the war had
not been won. We were forced to act with speed. At this moment they are
desperately attempting to cut new Tubes to the surface, to resume the
war. We have, however, been able to seal each new one as it appears."

The leady regarded the three men calmly.

"We're cut off," Moss said, trembling. "We can't get back. What'll we
do?"

"How did you manage to seal the Tube so quickly?" Franks asked the
leady. "We've been up here only two hours."

"Bombs are placed just above the first stage of each Tube for such
emergencies. They are heat bombs. They fuse lead and rock."

Gripping the handle of his gun, Franks turned to Moss and Taylor.

"What do you say? We can't go back, but we can do a lot of damage, the
fifteen of us. We have Bender guns. How about it?"

He looked around. The soldiers had wandered away again, back toward the
exit of the building. They were standing outside, looking at the valley
and the sky. A few of them were carefully climbing down the slope.

"Would you care to turn over your suits and guns?" the A-class leady
asked politely. "The suits are uncomfortable and you'll have no need for
weapons. The Russians have given up theirs, as you can see."

Fingers tensed on triggers. Four men in Russian uniforms were coming
toward them from an aircraft that they suddenly realized had landed
silently some distance away.

"Let them have it!" Franks shouted.

"They are unarmed," said the leady. "We brought them here so you could
begin peace talks."

"We have no authority to speak for our country," Moss said stiffly.

"We do not mean diplomatic discussions," the leady explained. "There
will be no more. The working out of daily problems of existence will
teach you how to get along in the same world. It will not be easy,