"Oh, come now."
"Mr. Barnes, within two months we shall have a visitor from Mars."
Jules Barnes finished his drink. "You don't say?"
"I do say."
"Are you sure you won't have a drink? Or have you had too many?"
"Mind if I use your phone?"
"Go right ahead."
The captain dialled a number, said into the mouthpiece: "General?... Shratt. I'm at Barnes.... Yes. Of course. Have the President put on, will you?" The captain turned to Barnes. "You'd recognize the voice of William Livingstone, the President of the Americas, wouldn't you?"
Barnes nodded his head silently.
He took the receiver from Shratt and listened gravely.