This time another answered, Ambassador Salnikov, who had just entered.
"You beat them back because you knew they were coming weeks in advance, and because they did not send their full strength against you. Indeed, it could only have been a diversion, meant to give you false confidence. Do not think you will find the station lightly guarded, General Kopek. THEY (there was something peculiar in the way he said the word) play this game to win."
"What does an ambassador know of war?" retorted Kopek angrily.
"Much more than I care to. Put away your guns and your anger, general.
They will not help you here." The old man sat down with a snort.
There was a long, defeated silence. Finally one man, a co-worker and friend, raised his hand.
"Yes, Lebedev."
"What can we do to fight this thing?"
Dobrynin felt the small spark inside him that he knew to be hope.
"Well I am glad someone asked. We are not beaten yet. Stein, you are chief scientist here. What flaws do you see in the Canton scheme?"
The tall man rose, bowed his head self-consciously. "Well, governor. As we discussed before, I see two problems for the station. First, if the tripod is indeed used as an anchor—-and this seems likely—-and if the gravity beam is as strong as it must be to do this thing, then the pull on the station itself must be tremendous. Doubtless it is well constructed, of the hardest alloys and banding fields, for this purpose. . .and there may be other forms of cohesion as well. But even so, I would have to say it cannot maintain that kind of stress for long. We are given eighty-six hours—-though I must tell you that is only an estimate, it could happen much sooner. The Cantons must also know this. I do not think they have much longer."