lost a few minutes after that, when he
outraced his beam and tried to decelerate too quickly.

Twenty-four hours into the mission, only seven of the original forty
remained, still at least eight hours away from their estimated time of
intercept.

IV

Hayes was wakened at 0400. He felt upon first consciousness, as he
often did after a short sleep, a vague and powerful sense of
uneasiness, like a man walking steeply uphill, with death drawing
nearer behind him. He sat bolt upright, his jaw set and eyes squinting
fire, and slowly the feeling passed. He got out of bed, told the
yeoman to send Calder to him at 0420, and stalked into the bathroom.
Finishing his toilet he reentered the bedroom and immediately began his
morning isometrics, running through his mind as he did so the business
of the day, and recalling with disciplined satisfaction his performance
of the night before. His words to the meeting of Staff:

"My fellow officers of the intrepid Third Fleet, your
Commander-in-Chief asks much of you. As President, he understands as I
do the urgent necessity of our great endeavor, and along with the
Senate, stands squarely behind us. But his political enemies, the
weak-hearted opposition who hold the majority in Congress, needing to
make themselves feel important, have delayed a vote on the formal
Declaration of War. They have attempted to sabotage the mechanisms of
just vigilance and freedom. They SAY they need more proof." As he
said this, and various officers scowled, he had looked over at Frank
and nodded gravely, as if this was what had upset him in the
President's reply.

"Fortunately, Edgar Stone is not the kind of man to let ignorance and
cowardice stand in his way. They have said they need more proof, of
the ruthless barbarity of the Coalition leaders against their own
people, as well as the armed strength of our great nation---and he has
assigned US to give it to them." Expressions of satisfaction and
approval. "To us then falls the task of demonstrating the absolute
superiority of the United Commonwealth of America, and the prowess of
its men at arms. He knows that in this, we shall not fail him."

As he recalled this speech Hayes felt only one regret. In referring to
Stone's (supposed) vote of confidence in the Third Fleet, and
simultaneously expressing his own desires and expectations of it, he
had unwittingly imparted into their image of the President a courage
and forthrightne