"No sir." So that was it, all right. The rumors, as usual, had a germ of truth in them. All rumors did. And these had been more persistent than most. _Cold war not so cold anymore. General Adams transferring. That last note from Big Red--didn't all get to the papers! Cold war not so cold anymore...._ "Now, Major, when you were a sophomore in high-school--the book entitled _A World United_ not on your required English or Political Science reading lists, was it?" "No sir, not as I recall, but--" "Then why did you read it? You have admitted before that you _did_ read it--" Pause. All up to him. Every single word, every single inflection, up to him.... "I took quite an interest in my studies, both in high-school and in college, sir, as I believe my records will show you. They'll show that I also read books relating to other courses that weren't a regular part of the curriculum...." Nodding. But looking him squarely in the face, hesitating just the right length of time. Then suddenly "Major Thorn do you swear here and now in the presence of witnesses that your allegiance to your country comes first above all with the sole possible exception of Almighty God?" "I do so swear...." And on and on.... "... why did you major in the Fine Arts in high-school, switch to Engineering in college, then switch again to take your degrees in World History and Political Science ... were you ever heard to say, or reported to have said, or did you in fact say.... Major, I have here the records of...." The Senators had their questions. The psychiatrists had theirs. "... hesitation, Major, in firing upon an Enemy aircraft, even though disabled ... guilt-feeling at destroying a city containing almost one million people.... Major you told us that ... training for five years, now, and you realize...." More and more and more, but it was not so difficult to keep his nerves straightened out as it had been the first time or the next time after that. He had told the absolute truth as far as he could possibly know it. So it was just a matter of giving the same answers he had always given. Let 'em make what they could of the truth.... "Yes, Senator, I readily admit having written my senior essay on the basis of the book _A World United_. Yes sir, I studied philosophy and some foreign languages in college.... No sir--no sir, nothing like that. No. Never...." And then hardly an hour after it was all over, less than an hour to relax for Streeter and himself, cooped up in a single room with cigarettes and magazines and nothing else and nobody else to talk to, hardly an hour, and then Final Briefing was underway. General Groton: Typical Orders of Procedure. General Simms: Technical Details. General Orton: Estimate of the Present Situation. _Rumors, hell...._ And then the Secretary of Defense himself.