They were frightful times -- times at the very brink of war. And it was a war that the nation would lose.

"That, gentlemen," said the Secretary of War, "is the situation. Arvania has stolen the Ziegler plans and formulae. With their acquisition it becomes the most powerful nation on earth. The Ziegler plans are at present in the Arvanian Embassy, but they will be smuggled out of the country soon. Within a month of their landing in Arvania, war will be declared against us. That means" -- he glanced at the tense faces around the conference table -- "that we have about three months to live as a nation -- unless we can get those plans!"

There was a hushed, appalled silence, broken at last by General Forsyte.