Tycho Under was pressing problem. If those ships bombed warrens--and news from Earthside was demanding exactly that--Tycho Under could not take it; roof was thin. H-bomb would decompress all levels; airlocks aren't built for H-bomb blasts.

(Still don't understand people. Terra was supposed to have an absolute ban against using H-bombs on people; that was what F.N. was all about. Yet were loud yells for F.N. to H-bomb us. They quit claiming that our bombs were nuclear, but all North America seemed frothingly anxious to have us nukebombed)

Don't understand Loonies for that matter. Finn had sent word through his militia that Tycho Under must be evacuated; Prof had repeated it over video. Nor was it problem; Tycho Under was small enough that Novylen and L-City could doss and dine them. We could divert enough capsules to move them all in twenty hours--dump them into Novylen and encourage half of them to go on to L-City. Big job but no problems. Oh, minor problems--start compressing city's air while evacuating people, so as to save it; decompress fully at end to minimize damage; move as much food as was time for; cofferdam accesses to lower farm tunnels; so forth--all things we knew how to do and with stilyagi and militia and municipal maintenance people had organization to do.

Had they started evacuating? Hear that hollow echo!

Were capsules lined up nose to tail at Tycho Under and no room to send more till some left. And weren't moving. "Mannie," said Finn, "don't think they are going to evacuate."

"Damn it," I said, "they've got to. When we spot a missile headed for Tycho Under will be too late. You'll have people trampling people and trying to crowd into capsules that won't hold them. Finn, your boys have got to make them."

Prof shook his head. "No, Manuel."

I said angrily, "Prof, you carry this 'no coercion' idea too far! You know they'll riot."

"Then they will riot. But we will continue with persuasion, not force. Let us now review plans.'

Plans weren't much but were best we could do. Warn everybody about expected bombings and/or invasion. Rotate guards from Finn's militia above each warren starting when and if cruisers passed around Luna into blind space, Farside--not get caught flat-footed again. Maximum pressure and p-suit precautions, all warrens. All military and semi-military to go on blue alert sixteen hundred Saturday, red alert if missiles launched or ships maneuvered. Brody's gunners encouraged to go into town and get drunk or whatever, returning by fifteen hundred Saturday--Prof's idea. Finn wanted to keep half of them on duty. Prof said No, they would be in better shape for a long vigil if they relaxed and enjoyed selves first--I agreed with Prof.

As for bombing Terra we made no changes in first rotation. Were getting anguished responses from India, no news from Great China. Yet India had little to moan about. Had not used a grid on her, too heavily populated. Aside from picked spots in Thar Desert and some peaks, targets were coastal waters off seaports.

But should have picked higher mountains or given less warning; seemed from news that some holy man followed by endless pilgrims chose to climb each target peak and hold off our retaliation by sheer spiritual strength.

So we were murderers again. Besides that, our water shots killed millions of fish and many fishermen, as fishermen and other seafarers had not heeded warnings. Indian government seemed as furious over fish as over fishermen--but principle of sacredness of all life did not apply to us; they wanted our heads.

Africa and Europe responded more sensibly but differently. Life has never been sacred in Africa and those who went sightseeing on targets got little bleeding-heart treatment. Europe had a day to learn that we could hit where we promised and that our bombs were deadly. People killed, yes, especially bullheaded sea captains. But not killed in empty-headed swarms as in India and North America. Casualties were even lighter in Brasil and other parts of South America.

Then was North America's turn again--0950.28 Saturday 17 Oct '76.

Mike timed it for exactly 1000 our time which, allowing for one day's progress of Luna in orbit and for rotation of Terra, caused North America to face toward us at 0500 their East Coast time and 0200 their West Coast time.

But argument as to what to do with this targeting had started early Saturday morning. Prof had not called meeting of War Cabinet but they showed up anyhow, except "Clayton" Watenabe who had gone back to Kongville to take charge of defenses. Prof, self, Finn, Wyoh, Judge Brody, Wolfgang, Stu, Terence Sheehan--which made eight different opinions. Prof is right; more than three people can't decide anything.

Six opinions, should say, for Wyoh kept pretty mouth shut, and so did Prof; he moderated. But others were noisy enough for eighteen. Stu didn't care what we hit--provided New York Stock Exchange opened on Monday morning. "We sold short in nineteen different directions on Thursday. If this nation is not to be bankrupt before it's out of its cradle, my buy orders covering those shorts had better be executed. Tell them, Wolf; make them understand."

Brody wanted to use catapult to smack any more ships leaving parking orbit. Judge knew nothing about ballistics--simply understood that his drillmen were in exposed positions. I didn't argue as most remaining loads were already in stow orbits and rest would be soon--and didn't think we would have old catapult much longer.

Sheenie thought it would be smart to repeat that grid while placing one load exactly on main building of North American Directorate. "I know Americans, I was one before they shipped me. They're sorry as hell they ever turned things over to F.N. Knock off those bureaucrats and they'll come over to our side."

Wolfgang Korsakov, to Stu's disgust, thought that theft speculations might do better if all stock exchanges were closed till it was over.

Finn wanted to go for broke--warn them to get those ships out of our sky, then hit them for real if they didn't. "Sheenie is wrong about Americans; I know them, too. N.A. is toughest part of F.N.; they're the ones to lick. They're already calling us murderers, so now we've got to hit them, hard! Hit American cities and we can call off the rest."

I slid out, talked with Mike, made notes. Went back in; they were still arguing. Prof looked up as I sat down. "Field Marshal, you have not expressed your opinion."

I said, "Prof, can't we lay off that 'field marshal' nonsense? Children are in bed, can afford to be honest."

"As you wish, Manuel."

"Been waiting to see if any agreement would be reached."

Was none. "Don't see why I should have opinion," I went on. "Am just errand boy, here because I know how to program ballistic computer." Said this looking straight at Wolfgang--a number-one comrade but a dirty-word intellectual. I'm just a mechanic whose grammar isn't much while Wolf graduated from a fancy school, Oxford, before they convicted him. He deferred to Prof but rarely to anybody else. Stu, da--but Stu had fancy credentials, too.

Wolf stirred uneasily and said, "Oh, come, Mannie, of course we want your opinions."

"Don't have any. Bombing plan was worked out carefully; everybody had chance to criticize. Haven't seen anything justify changing it."

Prof said, "Manuel, will you review the second bombardment of North America for the benefit of all of us?"

"Okay. Purpose of second smearing is to force them to use up interceptor rockets. Every shot is aimed at big cities--at null targets, I mean, close to big cities. Which we tell them, shortly before we hit them--how soon, Sheenie?"

"We're telling them now. But we can change it. And should."

"As may be. Propaganda isn't my pidgin. In most cases, to aim close enough to force them to intercept we have to use water targets--rough enough; besides killing fish and anybody who won't stay off water, it causes tremjous local storms and shore damage."