"The orbital flight of Captain Yong-Joo is the greatest space achievement of our era. His feat proves to all that our republic now owns the most advanced launch technology on

Earth. Technology that is clean, swift, and efficient-based on modem breakthroughs in superconductivity and tunable lasers. Innovations that other nations seem unable to achieve-or even to imagine."

(Wry smile from Kim. Fierce cries of glee from the sixty thousand.)

"Today, men and women around the world turn their eyes to Singapore. They are bewildered by the magnitude of our achievement-a cold fact that puts the lie to years of globalist slander. They wonder how our city of four million souls has triumphed where continental nations have failed.

"But our success is not a secret. It -was inherent in our very destiny as a nation. Our island is lovely-but cannot feed us.

For two centuries, we of the Lion City have earned every mouthful of rice by our own wits."

(A stern frown on the enormous video-board face. Excited ripples through the crowd.)

"This struggle gave us strength. Harsh necessity forced

Singapore to shoulder the burden of excellence. Since Merdeka, we have matched the achievements of the developed world- and surpassed them. There has never been room here for sloth or corruption. Yet while. we forged ahead, those vices have eaten into the very core of global culture."

(A gleam of teeth-almost a sneer.)

"Today the American giant slumbers-its Government re- duced to a televised parody. Today, the Socialist Bloc pur- sues its hollow dreams of consumer avarice. Even the once-mighty Japanese have grown cautious and soft.

"Today, under the malignant spell of the Vienna Conven- tion, the world slides steadily toward gray mediocrity.

"But the flight of Captain Yong-Joo marks a turning point.

Today our historic struggle enters a new phase-for stakes higher than any we have faced before.

"Empires have always sought to dominate this island. We fought Japanese oppressors through three merciless years of occupation. We sent the British imperialists packing, back to their European decay. Chinese communism, and Malaysian treachery, sought to subvert us, without success.

"And today, at, this very moment, the globalist media net seethes with propaganda, targeted against our island."

(Laura shivered in the balmy tropic air.)

"Tariffs are raised-export quotas imposed on our products- conspiracies launched against our pioneering industries by foreign multinationals. Why? What have we done to deserve such treatment?

"The answer is simple. We have beaten them on their own ground. We have succeeded where the globalists have failed!"

(His hand cut the air with a sudden flash of cuff link.)

"Travel through any other developed nation in the world today! You will find laziness, decay, and cynicism. Every- where, an abdication of the pioneering spirit. Streets littered with trash, factories eaten by rust. Men and women aban- doned to useless lives on the dole queue. Artists and intellec- tuals, without goals or purpose, playing empty games of listless alienation. And everywhere the numbing web of one- world propaganda.

"The regime of Gray Culture stops at nothing to defend, and extend, its status quo. Gray Culture cannot fairly match the unleashed vigor of Singapore's free competition. So they pretend to despise our genius, our daring. We live in a world of Luddites, who give billions to preserve ugly jungle wilderness-but nothing for the highest aspirations of humanity.

"Lulled by the empty promise of security, the world out- side our borders is falling asleep.

"It is an ugly prospect. Yet there is hope. For Singapore today is alive and awake as no society has ever been before.

"My fellow citizens-Singapore will no longer accept an imposed and minor role in the world's periphery. Our Lion

City is no one's backyard, no one's puppet state! This is an

Information Era, and our lack of territory-mere topsoil-no longer restrains us. In a world slipping into medieval slum- ber, our Singapore is the potential center of a renaissance!"

(The woman in stretch pants clutched her husband's hand.)

"I have risen before you today to tell you that a battle is coming-a struggle for the soul of civilization. Our Singapore will lead that battle! And we will win it!"

(Frenzied applause. Throughout the stadium, men and women-Party cadres perhaps?-leapt to their feet. Catching the cue, the entire crowd rose in surges. Laura and Suvendra stood, not wanting to be conspicuous. Shouts died down, and the stadium rang with cadenced applause.)

("He's nasty," Laura muttered. Suvendra nodded, pretending to clap.)

"Dear ladies and gentlemen," the prime minister murmured. (The crowd settled back like angry surf.)

"We have never been a people of complacency. We

Singaporeans. have never abandoned our wise tradition of universal military service. Today we profit by that long sacri- fice of time and effort. Our small but highly advanced armed forces now rank with the finest in the modern world. Our adversaries have threatened and blustered for years, but they dare not trifle with Fortress Singapore. They know very well that our Rapid Deployment Forces can carry swift, surgical retribution to any corner of the globe!

"So the battle we face will be subtle, without clear bound- aries. It will challenge our will, our independence, our traditions-our very survival as a people.

"The first skirmish is already upon us. I refer to the recent terrorist atrocity against the Caribbean island of Grenada.

"The Grenadian government-I use the term loosely ..."

(A tension-relieving burst of laughter.)

"Grenada has publicly alleged that certain elements in

Singapore bear responsibility for this attack. I have called on

Parliament to conduct a thorough and public investigation of the affair. At present, dear ladies and gentlemen, I cannot comment on this matter fully. I will not prejudice the investi- gation, nor will I endanger our vital intelligence sources.

However-I can tell you that Grenada's enemies may have used Singapore's commercial conduits as a blind.

"If this is true, I pledge to you today that the- parties responsible will pay a heavy price."

(Look of grim sincerity. Laura checked the faces of the crowd. They sat on the edges of their seats, looking serious and glowing and ennobled.),

"Dear ladies and gentlemen, we of this island bear no ill will toward, the suffering people of Grenada.. Through diplo- matic channels, we have already reached out to them, offering them medical and technical assistance in their time of crisis.

"These acts of goodwill have been rejected. Stunned by the cruel attack, their government is in shambles, and their rhetoric is scarcely rational. Until the crisis settles, we must stand firm against acts of provocation. We must have pa- tience. Let us remember that the Grenadians have never been a disciplined people. We must hope that when their panic fades they will come to their senses."

(Kim released his white-knuckled grip on the podium and brushed the smooth lock of hair. from his eyes. He paused a moment, working his fingers as if they itched.)

"In the meantime, however, they continue to utter belliger- ent threats. Grenadia has failed to recognize our basic com- monality of interest."

(Laura blinked. "Grenadia?" )

"An attack on Grenadia's sovereignty is a potential threat to sour own. We must recognize the possibility-the probability

-of a covert divide-and-conquer strategy at work. Happening

... today ... "

(Kim glanced away from the camera. There were sudden beads of sweat on his powdered forehead-on the giant screen, they looked as big as soccer balls. Long seconds passed.

Little knots of anxious murmuring rose among the crowd.)