Ohashi paused beside his chair. "Did you tell him?"
"Yes. I asked for help." She shook her head. "He wouldn't commit himself."
"I brought ham sandwiches," said Ohashi.
Francine's chin lifted abruptly. "Defeated!" she said. "That's it! He acted completely defeated!"
"What?"
"I've been trying to puzzle through the strange way Langsmith was acting. He just radiated defeat."
Ohashi handed her a sandwich. "Better brace yourself for a shock," he said. "I ran into Tsu Ong, liaison officer for our delegation ... in the cafeteria." The Japanese raised the sandwich sack over his chair, dropped it into the seat with a curious air of preciseness. "The Russians are pressing for a combined attack on the Galactic ship to wrest their secret from them by force."
Francine buried her face in her hands. "The fools!" she whispered. "Oh, the fools!" Abruptly, sobs shook her. She found herself crying with the same uncontrollable wracking that had possessed her when she'd learned of her husband's death.
Ohashi waited silently.
The tears subsided. Control returned. She swallowed, said: "I'm sorry."