Alison, seeing the door was ajar, popped her head into Patrick’s room. Andrei and Patrick were seated opposite each other at a small table. The chessboard was being set up. Patrick tapped Andrei’s hand and winced when the black pawn was revealed. “Oh Hi boys,” Alison chimed in, not venturing further into the room, “I thought I heard voices. Hi Andrei.” Andrei waved without turning around. “Don’t let me disturb you.”

“We’re just settling into a few quick games of chess,” Patrick said, as the board was reversed, taking his place behind the two black phalanxes. “Later, we’re going to watch the CFL game on TV. Why don’t you join us?”

“Who’s playing?”

“Alouettes and Hamilton.”

“Not the Rough Riders?”

“Local games are always blacked out. I have some beer and pretzels for the game.”

“That sounds swell. I’ll see if I can rustle up something more substantial for the snacks”

Alison closed the door quietly behind her. Andrei led with the Queen’s pawn. Patrick hated that, but unusual openings were Andrei’s signature. Patrick readied himself for a slow, methodical rout. He made a passable show at playing chess, but never came up with a strategy Andrei hadn’t already studied in one of his books. He countered with a knight. He moved with a quickness aimed to leave himself more time on the clock to think during the middle game.

Andrei brought a knight into play. “So, is it official, you’re packing up and headed for Labrador?”

“Near as, I guess. I don’t see a lot of alternate career moves that aren’t a step backwards.”

“But you sound hesitant. I thought you liked being up north. You seem to flourish there. I couldn’t.”

“The sudden hyper-militarism has me spooked. I came from Montreal thinking I’d be part of some grand Pearsonian peace plan. Now, I shudder when I think of where things are headed.”

“I think you should go, when you’re needed. There are worse things than being needed and useful.” Patrick detected the note of self-pity Andrei had been trying to hide behind optimism.

“Perhaps you have a better sense of how useful I’ll be than I.” Patrick was now down two pieces. resigned to making a brave show to an inevitable loss. There were cracks in his defence. Andrei’s was a fortress of cross-support.

Andrei waved his hand over the board, “Allow me,” he had the positions memorized. He often did this as a teaching trick, set things back a few moves and demonstrate the missed opportunity. “What’s happening to you is classic game theory. In Mutually Assured Destruction, each side is capable of launching a devastating raid against its opponent.” His finger traced out the possible attacks each of his pieces was capable of making. “But as long as the command centre remains functional,” indicating the black king, “an equally devastating retaliation can be launched.” He traced out the possible attacks from white. “But now, suppose the attack is possible directly on the command centre.” Andrei picked up a bishop, hopped the intervening pawns and knocked off the black king, letting it roll noisily off the table and onto the ground. “The retaliation is still possible. But the advanced bases have to have instructions as to what to do if they lose contact with the command centre.” He waved at the remaining pieces, indicating their attack is still viable.

“But in the north, communication is often lost during weather and solar disruptions.”

“That’s where you come in, my friend.” He put the pieces back to their previous position and contemplated. Patrick sensed he already saw his way to mate, although the board was still crowded. Patrick thought, if he could only see what Andrei sees, he might be able to counter it. But nothing promising seemed to offer itself. He castled, although Andrei’s strategy was to exploit a king bottled up in a corner. “I’ve been thinking about another interesting problem you raised.” An exchange left Patrick without a knight. Knights were Andrei’s forte.

“What’s that?”

“You were wondering why the Soviets would send up a payload in the satellite with so little scientific value. This is very interesting.” Patrick was now left to a rather futile attempt to advance one of his pawns. The tactic would only delay the inevitable. “At first I thought it was simply that the scientists didn’t trust the engineers. They expected the booster to fail, so they didn’t want to send up a valuable scientific payload. But that didn’t really make sense. The cost of the boosters is so much more than the scientific payload, that the loss would be disproportionate. Then it dawned on me. The military engineers didn’t trust the scientists. So they threw together their own payload at the last minute.”

Patrick’s advanced pawn was cleared in an exchange. The lines of Andrei’s attack were now clear. Patrick took a moment to absorb what Andrei had said. He looked at his friend with astonishment. “Why would they mistrust the scientists? We’re supposed to be the good guys. The seekers after truth.”

“You have to look at it purely from the point of view of advancing Leninist dogma. Outer space is nowhere. Class warfare is everything.” The game had now reached a point where Patrick might honourably resign. At least he stood a better chance playing white. They switched the board, allowing Patrick to play the more comfortable, and conventional opening. “I was a little surprised to see you and Tracy together the other day. You two looked nice and chummy.”

“Why surprised?”

“Well, I had a feeling you kept a certain distance from her.”

“Me? She’s pleasant enough.”

“But you seem to want to stay out of a marriage trap, she and Alison have cooked up.”

“Oh, you’ve picked up on that too?”

“I assume that was the purpose of the double date last week.” Patrick took a moment to take stock. He was about to enter into an exchange that would leave him one pawn down, but saw no viable alternative.

“I don’t know about you, but I’ve been getting a lot of signals that tenure-track positions are not open to unmarried men.”

“But not Tracy.”

“Why not?”

“I just assumed you heard the same thing I did. Rumours really, but that she was Professor Johnson’s mistress.”

Patrick didn’t have the chance to digest Andrei’s news, or to formulate anything like a comprehensive attack. A rather sharp rap came on the door. Alison poked her head in again. “Listen, sorry to disturb. But there are two police cars outside the house.” She went over to the window, drew the curtains aside gently. “Take a look,” She motioned Patrick over.

He went to the window and leaned casually forward to take in the streetscape. Just as she said, two police cars were parked directly in front of the boarding house. He then noticed the familiar RCMP officer approaching from the east. “Shite. This is not good.”

“What, you think this is the round-up they’ve been talking about?”

“We better get him somewhere safe.”

“Why me?”

“I’m not the one with five syllables in my last name.”

“Why don’t I take him to Avalon? Or maybe the hunting cabin. That’s better. No one knows where that is.” She pulled at Andrei’s arm, who was reluctant to leave the game in progress. “We can go out the back door, you double round to the Château Laurier. Wait inside until you see my car. We can pass by your residence. If the coast is clear, you can pack up a few things.”

“Go if you’re going,” noting that Constable Leduc was now on their block. And like a flash, they headed out the rear fire escape.

After a few moments of silence, the doorbell rang. Patrick knew he was probably alone in the house and that it would be up to him to open the door. He waited a few seconds, to give Alison and Andrei a chance to separate and gain some distance. He walked down the stairs and tried to look casual opening the door.

“Am I under arrest, or wanted for questioning?”

Constable Leduc was puzzled, then realized Patrick must be referring to the patrol cars. “They’re City Police. Probably on lunch break.” Patrick looked at the cars, noting now that they were empty. There was a lunch counter down the road that was frequented by the neighbourhood beat cops. Constable Leduc waved a small clutch of papers he had with him. “I just need to clear up a few more details with your security clearance, then you’re all set to go.”

Patrick motioned for him to come through the door and followed him up the stairs, still half suspicious this was a trap, or that they were looking for Andrei. Or perhaps were going to ask more detailed questions about Andrei’s overseas contacts. They went into Patrick’s room. He didn’t bother to close the door behind him. Constable Leduc looked around the room, as if his eye might pick up any last-minute details he had overlooked. He looked at the chessboard with a puzzled look. “Playing chess by yourself?”

Patrick gestured to the radio. “I was playing with someone over the shortwave. But I was losing, so we packed it in early.” He nodded at the papers. “Are those for me?”

“Only a few more signatures. We’ve completed the check and are satisfied you’re good for the increased level of clearance. The NORAD procedures are new, more thorough.” He laid out the papers, letting Patrick scan them for a few seconds. “You’ve read all these and are comfortable with the terms?” Patrick nodded he had. “Good. I need you to initial a few clauses.” He pointed, “You consent to a medical examination here.” Patrick initialled. “And these declarations.” Reading with a solemn tone. “You declare that you are not a member of the Communist Party, or associate with anyone you know to be a Communist sympathiser. Patrick looked at him disapprovingly, the officer shrugged as if to say those Americans. Patrick initialled.

The officer pointed at another clause. “You declare you are not a homosexual, or associate with anyone you know to be a homosexual.” Patrick again hesitated. The declarations hadn’t been part of what he had been given to read.

He initialed. But not able to overcome his hesitance, he let the thought circulate in his brain for a few moments. “They say they’re pretty good at keeping things hidden. How are you supposed to know if someone’s homosexual, or not?”

Constable Leduc shuffled to the last page, which had been signed and witnessed on one side. A blank spot sat ready for his full signature. “The rectal exam will tell them everything they need to know.” He looked back at the open door, as if looking for someone else in the hallway. “Is there anyone else in the house who can witness your signature?” Patrick shook his head no. “I can witness, if you’re comfortable with that.”

Patrick looked apprehensively, thinking of the finality of the commitment once he signed. “That’s fine.” He reached forward and signed with a sense of resignation.