Metafire

"Is there any way to know how many bombs Metafire was able to obtain from the Ukraine?"

The Major wanted Jill to know that at least he had read the report, "No. This guy Platon Burak was chief of bomb production. Andrei Gleba, another one of the Whitefire people, was head of the manufacturing plant. Together, Platon and Andrei could have smuggled ten or a hundred bombs during the turmoil. We know the eleven that have already exploded. The only good news in this is that these Ukranian people were generally regarded as pacifists who had spoken many times of their desire that bombs not be detonated and only be used as threats. You know, the old cold war line."

"Then I want one more thing, Major." John Ferguson had another idea. "I want you to arrange for a companion for Metafire when it leaves New Boston for open space. It'll be a bomb that we control. Regular explosives, mind you, but we will require them to have it attached. Ready to die or not, we can use it as a threat if they fail to live up to their side of the bargain."

"You want them to know about this one?" The Major was surprised.

"Yes, we will tell them it is a bomb. We will tell them it is booby-trapped. We will tell them not to interfere with it and that there is no bargaining on it. Period."