Page 30 of Edge of Eternity (The Century 3)

"On the day she got back from Siberia?" said Opotkin skeptically.

"It wasn't really an assignment. I suggested she drop by sometime to see what was going on, that's all."

"Don't lie to me," said Opotkin. "You're just trying to protect her."

Daniil raised his chin and gave a challenging look. "Isn't that what you're here to do?"

Before Opotkin could reply, Captain Mets returned. "The case is still under consideration," he said.

Opotkin introduced himself and showed Mets his identity card. "The question is not whether Tanya Dvorkin should be punished, but how," he said.

"Exactly, sir," said Mets deferentially. "Would you like to come with me?"

Opotkin nodded and Mets led him down the stairs.

Dimka said in a quiet voice: "He won't let them torture her, will he?"

"Opotkin was mad at Tanya already," Daniil said worriedly.

"What for? I thought she was a good journalist."

"She's brilliant. But she turned down an invitation to a party at his house on Saturday. He wanted you to go, too. Pyotr loves important people. A snub really hurts him."

"Oh, shit."

"I told her she should have accepted."

"Did you really send her to Mayakovsky Square?"

"No. We could never do a story about such an unofficial gathering."

"Thanks for trying to protect her."

"My privilege--but I don't think it's working."

"What do you think will happen?"

"She might be fired. More likely, she'll be posted somewhere disagreeable, such as Kazakhstan." Daniil frowned. "I must think of some compromise that will satisfy Opotkin but not be too hard on Tanya."

Dimka glanced at the entrance door and saw a man in his forties with a brutally short military haircut, wearing the uniform of a Red Army general. "At last, Uncle Volodya," he said.

Volodya Peshkov had the same intense blue-eyed stare as Tanya. "What is this shit?" he said angrily.

Dimka filled him in. As he was finishing, Opotkin reappeared. He spoke obsequiously to Volodya. "General, I have discussed this problem of your niece with our friends in the KGB and they are content for me to deal with it as an internal TASS matter."

Dimka slumped with relief. Then he wondered whether Opotkin's entire approach had been to maneuver himself into a position where he could appear to do a favor for Volodya.

"Allow me to make a suggestion," said Volodya. "You might mark the incident as serious, without attaching blame to anyone, simply by transferring Tanya to another post."

That was the punishment Daniil had mentioned a moment ago.

Opotkin nodded thoughtfully, as if considering this idea; though Dimka was sure he would eagerly comply with any "suggestion" from General Peshkov.

Daniil said: "Perhaps a foreign posting. She speaks German and English."

This was an exaggeration, Dimka knew. Tanya had studied both languages in school, but that was not the same as speaking them. Daniil was trying to save her from banishment to some remote Soviet region.

Daniil added: "And she could still write features for my department. I'd rather not lose her to news--she's too good."

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