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"Don't tell me a three hundred percent safety margin is not enough?" Sergei blasted his guest. "Being engineers, you know darn well that it is plenty enough."
"Yes, but the Bureau says it is not. It will take another two months to get the long-range stations working."
Sergei was angry now. "They were supposed to work before the system was up!"
"We had hoped to import some major components for the data link from the USA," said the spokesman, "but the US Commerce Department refused to issue IBM the required export permits. We have to build the required equipment ourselves. As you might appreciate, it is expensive to get such a huge task done in two months. The lab is working three shifts a day, seven days a week. At this rate we might just make it in the two month time frame that we quoted to you."
"Until then our country's entire missile fleet will be hot, armed, and dangerous?" Sergei interrupted the speaker angrily, staring at the spokesmen of the group who obviously represented the interests of the Bureau. The man was becoming red in the face.
"It wasn't an easy decision," the spokesman defended himself. "It was made at the highest level. They are all well aware of your concerns with respect to safety, comrade Arenski, but they are also worried about an unconfirmed report of a secret new weapon that is being deployed in the USA. They would rather be cautious under these circumstances. In any case, comrade, your work hasn't been scrapped. They have committed a lot of resources to get it implemented as quickly as possible. So you see, it's only been delayed."
He stood up as if this finished the meeting. "Besides," he laughed, "the undeniable fact is that our missiles are no more dangerous now than they had always been."
"Sure!" Sergei approved, "but can't you see the danger the old system presents? Compared to this, I see no justification why the new system had to be made optional," he sniped back. "How can you be dissatisfied with a three hundred percent safety margin compared to the risks you impose on the people in the target zones!" He swallowed a half a glass of Vodka in one gulp.
"Comrade, we did not come to argue," said the head of the delegation in a firm tone. "I hear what you say. But it is also true that neither of us can change the matter. We only come to tell you how things stand, and to tell you that this information is to be kept absolutely secret. This was the reason why we hadn't telephoned." The spokesman pointed out that since the change in policy was temporary, it would not be announced to everyone. He said that only a few would ever know. The spokesman warned Sergei not to go around and lobby to get the decision changed. That was the real reason why they had come.
Nothing more was said at this meeting about the project. Laara had interrupted their discussion with a pot of coffee and a tray of sandwiches. On the next morning, the delegation departed. There was nothing left unsaid that would have changed anything. Peter brought the bus to the front door after breakfast. Everyone seemed satisfied, except Sergei. The spokesman thanked him kindly for his hospitality and waved briefly as the bus started to roll.
Ah, but when Peter returned, Sergei called him upstairs to his office to make plans for a big lobbying effort.
"I know who might be behind the cancellation," he said in a whisper.
"There isn't anything you can do about it," Peter cautioned him, "you might put the whole project in jeopardy, including your job. What would you have achieved, then?"
"If we proceed cautiously we may succeed! It is irresponsible to keep our missiles at a volatile state when it can be avoided. We must at least try, even if it is a bit risky."
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