Eagle Station

The Energia-5VR heavy-lift rockets Russia had built to put its Mars One space station into orbit were remarkably powerful, able to carry close to one hundred tons of payload. But they were expendable rockets, which made every Energia launch incredibly expensive. Just getting into space consumed roughly 96 percent of every rocket’s mass. True, with a crash engineering and rocket production program, Marshal Leonov’s country might be able to land robotic mining equipment on the moon within several years — but only at an enormous cost that could easily bankrupt Russia’s already strained economy.

If anything, the People’s Republic of China was even further behind. While many components of its planned robotic and manned lunar missions were well along in development, putting the necessary heavy payloads into orbit affordably was a major stumbling block. Beijing’s aerospace engineers were working on a reusable rocket of their own, the Long March 8. They were also designing a massive, Saturn V — class launcher, the Long March 9. But neither rocket could possibly be ready to fly much before 2030.

Boiled down to the essentials, neither Moscow nor Beijing could possibly match President Farrell’s ambitious timeline. Much as it galled Chen to admit it, this new civilian space race was probably already lost.

“Your conclusions are irrefutable,” Leonov said, after listening to the Chinese general work through his reasoning.

If anything, Chen’s expression grew even more dour. “Then our two nations face a most serious threat.”

“Agreed,” Leonov said. “Allowing the Americans to forge an insurmountable edge in space and fusion power — related technologies would be an enormous strategic error.”

Chen scowled. “But if this race is already lost?”

“Then we must change the terms of the contest,” Leonov said coolly. “If we cannot yet match the Americans in the civilian space arena, then we must deny them any chance of exploiting the moon’s valuable resources.”

Chen raised an eyebrow. “And how do you propose to achieve such an end?”

“As I told your president,” Leonov answered him patiently. “By combining our resources. And by being willing to take risks the Americans would never dare dream of.” He glanced toward one of his aides and nodded slightly.

The younger officer tapped a control on his laptop. Instantly the large LED display lit up, revealing the first page of a document headed Operatsiya Nebesnyy Grom, or Operation Heaven’s Thunder.

Speaking carefully, Leonov walked through the framework of his intricate, highly complex plan. Computer-generated graphics accompanied each stage of every proposed mission — illustrating how he believed Russian and Chinese space and weapons technologies could be fused into a greater whole.

When he finished, Chen bowed his head slightly in admiration. “A brilliant concept, Comrade Marshal.” His fingers drummed quietly on the table for a few moments, while he considered what he had just been shown. At last he nodded decisively. “I will recommend its approval to President Li Jun.”

Leonov smiled. “Thank you, Comrade General.”

“But absolute secrecy remains essential,” Chen warned. “With surprise, what you propose is possible. But if the Americans discover what we are doing too soon, the consequences for both our nations could be severe.” He shrugged. “I hope you will forgive me for pointing out that a great many of your most precious secrets seem to have leaked to the West in recent years.”

“True enough,” Leonov agreed coldly. Thorough study of Gennadiy Gryzlov’s past failures had turned up significant evidence that American spies — probably working for Scion — had repeatedly penetrated even the tightest Russian security. “Which is why I plan a series of special measures designed to distract our enemies while we prepare.”

He nodded again to his aide.

New images appeared on the large flat-panel screen. Drawn from radar and visual observations made by ground- and space-based Russian telescopes and surveillance satellites over the past several weeks, they showed some of the new U.S. Space Force S-29 spaceplanes making repeated passes — at varying altitudes and orbital inclinations — against Eagle Station.

Chen watched them in silence. When the screen went black again, he looked back at the Russian. “So? We’ve captured much of the same data with our own satellites.”

“And what is your evaluation of this activity?” Leonov asked.

Chen shrugged. “It seems obvious. What we see are war games. The American space station is practicing its defense against attacks by hostile spacecraft.”

“Exactly,” Leonov said with a thin smile. “And in doing so, the Americans reveal to us what they fear most.”

For a brief moment, Chen could not hide his confusion. “So?”