Chapters 15 and 16 Summary

In Chapter 15, "The Conference Line," as Buck translates another conversation between Khrushchev and the President, he detects a pattern of grunting and sighing in the Premier's tone that he recognizes as typical of a Russian peasant's expression of great sorrow. He writes a note to the President that Khrushchev is sad. The Premier comments that little can be done at the moment. He says 860 supersonic fighters went sent into the air, but only 70 could find the Vindicators, and only two of the bombers have been destroyed. Of those 75, all but five were destroyed by the Vindicators. Khrushchev now agrees to set up a tactical line between his people and the Americans, which the President immediately orders. The President asks if the Russians jammed the Vindicator radio frequencies, and he says they did, to try to prevent the bombers from receiving confirmation...