Eagle Station

Brad looked stubborn. “I’d rather not get into specifics just yet, sir.” He focused his gaze on Farrell. “Nadia and I are reasonably confident we can use existing, off-the-shelf hardware and technology for this lunar recon mission, Mr. President. But we’d really like to consult more closely with Sky Masters and Scion weapons and astronautical engineering experts before we get everybody’s hopes up. And we definitely want to run some in-depth computer simulations to test out our rough concept.”

Without hesitating, Farrell nodded. “Then I want your behinds back down here ASAP… so you can start refining this plan of yours.” He looked serious. “Because I know you two well enough to bet big on whatever wild-eyed scheme you’re cooking up.”

“Yes, Mr. President,” Nadia said solemnly.

Vnukovo International Airport, Outside Moscow

The Next Day

While a smartly uniformed Honor Guard Battalion military band played China’s national anthem, “March of the Volunteers,” President Li Jun descended the stairs from his official aircraft, a Boeing 747-8 wide-body passenger jet. Though he wore a heavy overcoat and scarf against a freezing wind sweeping across the tarmac, he was bareheaded — in part to demonstrate the youthful vigor that helped keep potential political rivals at bay.

At the foot of the stairs, Marshal Mikhail Ivanovich Leonov snapped a quick salute and shook hands with him. “Welcome to the Russian Federation, Comrade President,” he said in a booming voice. He smiled broadly.

Cameras clicked rapidly all around them. Moscow’s entire international press corps had been invited out to witness this beginning of Li’s state visit to the Russian Federation. Officially, he was here to celebrate the ongoing success of their joint “peaceful and scientific” Pilgrim missions to the moon. Unofficially, both leaders wanted the American president and his close advisers to know they were confronted by a solid Sino-Russian military alliance, both on Earth and in space.

Li donned his own answering smile. “Thank you, Comrade Marshal, for your kind greeting. I look forward to our upcoming talks. We have much to congratulate each other on, and a shared fraternal future to discuss.”

As he had expected, that last somewhat vague and even innocuous phrase created a stir among the assembled journalists. Within minutes, he knew, the internet and the world’s airwaves would be full of breathless and uninformed speculation about just what China’s leader might have meant.

A few minutes later, after a rapid inspection of the Russian honor guard — presenting arms at rigid attention in their gray fur caps, overcoats, and polished jackboots — Li followed his Russian host into the back of a long black limousine. Gratefully, he settled back against its heated leather seats. “A useful show,” he commented dryly.

Leonov nodded. “I hope it will make Washington think very carefully about its next moves.”

Both men intended this open demonstration of Russian and Chinese solidarity to help restrain the American president’s otherwise aggressive instincts. The longer Farrell hesitated, the better for Moscow and Beijing. After all, delay worked in their favor — buying time for more supplies and military hardware to reach the moon. And for the cosmonauts and taikonauts at Korolev to further refine their defenses.

“For the moment, I do not think we need worry excessively,” Li said with a shrug. “Our telescopes and space-based sensors all show that the Americans have stopped work on their Orion spacecraft docked at Eagle Station.”

“Ours, too,” Leonov agreed. A trace of a frown crossed his broad Slavic face. “Although we did observe one of their S-19 Midnight passenger spaceplanes departing the station several hours ago — apparently bound for the Sky Masters facility in Nevada.”

“It was probably just returning their space construction crew to Earth,” Li suggested without much concern.

“Perhaps.”

Li glanced sidelong at his Russian counterpart. “You do not agree?”

“I only hesitate to assume the Americans will surrender control over the moon so meekly,” Leonov told him.

“Meekly? Perhaps not,” Li said with a humorless smile. “But for the moment, I see no signs of any imminent American reaction to the destruction of their two satellites. In fact, I consider it especially significant that Washington hasn’t made those losses public. Nor has it even accused us, either openly, or privately through diplomatic back channels, of being responsible.”

“That is… odd,” Leonov said.

Li shook his head. “On the contrary, President Farrell may be wiser than I first believed. Perhaps he is simply unwilling to risk enraging his countrymen by revealing a defeat — especially one he cannot avenge?”

“Let us hope so,” Leonov said somberly. “Though I admit that I can’t see what the Americans can hope to do against us, at least on the moon.”

Now the Chinese leader laughed. “Come, Comrade Marshal, relax. Your strategy is working as planned. That’s a cause for celebration, not sudden misgivings.”