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Sergei leaned back into his chair. "Did I ever tell you that Ralph grew up in Seattle?" he asked a moment later. "His daughter still lives there. If situations were reversed, I really don't know how I would have reacted in his stead." He wiped the sweat of his forehead again.
"Considering this, Ralph behaved exceptionally well," Peter replied.
"Indeed he has. They all have, Peter."
"Shouldn't you call Moscow?" said Peter. "Maybe you can persuade them to agree!"
"No, you must call them, Peter," Sergei replied, looking aimlessly out the open window. Lanterns were lit in the garden below. Some of the guests were outside, talking quietly.
"You must call Moscow," Sergei repeated, "because they won't listen to me anymore, not after this. They might listen to you, though. Remind them that nothing would have happened if they had not made my project an optional mode. No Peter, you better not say that."
Sergei stood up, switched his terminal off and walked to the door. The sounds of the party could still be heard in the background. He stopped by the door, briefly, and turned toward Peter. "I'm much too involved in this mess, Peter," he said. "I might say a wrong word and get them angry. I might botch it. It's up to you now, Peter. If anyone has a chance at all, it's you, the diplomat. If anyone can cool Moscow, it's one of their own that they trust. And you're a giant in that respect. Trust yourself with this one. You can do it."
Before he left the room, Segei hesitated and turned around once again. "I think I am going to get drunk now," he said. "That's the very best I can do at the moment for my country."
As the heavy oak door fell shut, Sergei heard the phone ring. "By God, Peter, do it!" he said to himself as he walked downstairs to join the party.
He went directly into the cellar where he obtained a fresh bottle for himself. As he came up, he met his friend Nicolayevitch. He motioned him to join him in an adjacent room. "Come Nicolayevitch, help me to celebrate the end of the world."
Nicolayevitch shrugged his shoulders, smiled, and raised his glass....
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