ve to catch that thing. He
jolly well knows its exact trajectory."

"You forget we're under martial law," Chung said, aside to him. "If we
don't go freely, he'll land some PP's and march us off at gunpoint.
There isn't any choice. We've had the course."

"I don't understand," Ellen said shakily.

Chung went back to his intercom. Blades fumbled out his pipe and
rolled it empty between his hands. "That missile was shot off on
purpose," he said.

"What? No, you must be sick, that's impossible!"

"I realize you didn't know about it. Only three or four officers have
been told. The job had to be done very, very secretly, or there'd be a
scandal, maybe an impeachment. But it's still sabotage."

She shrank from him. "You're not making sense."

"Their own story doesn't make sense. It's ridiculous. A new missile
system wouldn't be sent on a field trial clear to the Belt before it'd
had enough tests closer to home to get the worst bugs out. A war-head
missile wouldn't be stashed anywhere near something so unreliable, let
alone be put under its control. The testing ship wouldn't hang around
a civilian Station while her gunnery chief tinkered. And Hulse,
Warburton, Liebknecht, they were asking in _such_ detail about how
radiation-proof we are."

"I can't believe it. Nobody will."

"Not back home. Communication with Earth is so sparse and garbled. The
public will only know there was an accident; who'll give a hoot about
the details? We couldn't even prove anything in an asteroid court. The
Navy would say, 'Classified information!' and that'd stop the
proceedings cold. Sure, there'll be a board of inquiry--composed of
naval officers. Probably honorable men, too. But what are they going
to believe, the sworn word of their Goddard House colleague, or the
rantings of an asterite bum?"

"Mike, I know this is terrible for you, but you've let it go to your
head." Ellen laid a hand over his. "Suppose the worst happens. You'll
be compensated for your loss."

"Yeah. To the extent of our personal investment. The Bank of Ceres
still has nearly all the money that was put in. We didn't figure to
have them paid off for another ten years. They, or their insurance
carrier, will get the indemnity. And after our fiasco, they won't make
us a new loan. They were just barely talked into it, the first time
around. I daresay Systemic Developments will make them a nice juicy
offer to take this job over."

Ellen colored. She stamped her foot.