"We escaped from the dome," said Broward. "We heard firing down this way, and we thought we should protect our rear before going back into the dome. We found dead Russians, but we never did see the enemy. They must have been the ones you ran into." "Perhaps," she said. "You must go. You know the rules. No unauthorized personnel near the BR." "No non-Russians, anyway," said Scone flatly. "I know. But this is an emergency." "You must go," she said, raising the barrel of her gun. She did not point it at them, but they did not doubt she would. Scone turned and strode off, Broward following. When they had turned the first corner, Scone said, "We must leave the base on the first excuse. We _have_ to get back to Clavius." "So we can start our own war?" "Not necessarily. Just declare independence. The Russ may have their belly full of death." "Why not wait until we find out what the situation on Earth is? If the Russians have any strength left on Earth, we may be crushed." "Now!" said Scone. "If we give the Russ and the Chinese time to recover from the shock, we lose our advantage." "Things are going too fast for me, too," said Broward. "I haven't time or ability to think straight now. But I have thought of this. Earth could be wiped out. If so, we on the Moon are the only human beings left alive in the universe. And...." "There are the Martian colonies. And the Ganymedan and Mercutian bases." "We don't know what's happened to them. Why start something which may end the entire human species? Perhaps, ideology should be subordinated for survival. We need every man and woman, every...." "We must take the chance that the Russians and Chinese won't care to risk making _Homo sapiens_ extinct. They'll have to cooperate, let us go free. "We don't have time to talk. Act now; talk after it's all over." But Scone did not stop talking. During their passage through the corridors, he made one more statement. "The key to peace on the Moon, and to control of this situation, is the _Zemlya_." Broward was puzzled. He knew Scone was referring to the Brobdingnagian interstellar exploration vessel which had just been built and outfitted and was now orbiting around Earth. The _Zemlya_ (Russian for Earth) had been scheduled to leave within a few days for its ten year voyage to Alpha Centaurus and, perhaps, the stars beyond. What the _Zemlya_ could have to do with establishing peace on the Moon was beyond Broward. And Scone did not seem disposed to explain.