"Came through without damage." General Finogenov paused a moment. When no comment was forthcoming, he continued: "Perhaps we built a bit more strongly, Major."
"You did this deliberately," Major Winship said testily.
"No, no. Oh, no, no, no, no. Major Winship, please believe me. I very much regret this. Very much so. I am very distressed. Depressed. After repeatedly assuring you there was no danger of a quake—and then to have something like this happen. Oh, this is very embarrassing to me. Is there anything at all we can do?"
"Just leave us alone, thank you," Major Winship said and cut off the communication.
"What'd they say?" Capt. Wilkins asked.
"Larry, General Finogenov said he was very embarrassed by this."
"That's nice," Lt. Chandler said.
"I'll be damned surprised," Major Winship said, "if they got any seismic data out of that shot.... Well, to hell with them, let's get this leak fixed. Skip, can you get the calking compound?"
"Larry, where's the inventory?"
"Les has got it."