"Bowers, sir," said the JCS chairman.
"That's right. What became of him?"
"Retired."
"Well, I guess it doesn't make any difference now." He doodled some more and finally said, "Gentlemen, it looks like this is it. How much time did you say we had?"
"Not more than ninety days, sir. Maybe as little as thirty."
The President looked up at the JCS chairman.
"We're as ready," said the chairman, "as we will ever be. We can handle them—I think. There will, of course, be some—"
"I know," said the President.
"Could we bluff?" asked the secretary of state, speaking quietly. "I know it wouldn't stick, but at least we might buy some time."
"You mean hint that we have time travel?"