Meanwhile, On Earth...

Could there be a coup in Moscow? BORIS YELTSIN took the rumor of one seriously enough recently to scramble his top military and security chiefs in a demonstration of strength. "We have sufficient forces to nip in the bud any plans to seize power," he told the commanders--a surprising and rare admission that such a risk might exist. He praised the military and interior forces for their close coordination, and pledged that they--unlike other workers--would be paid on time. (Sources tell TIME that Defense Minister IGOR SERGEYEV had prepared to resign over the government's failure to pay his troops.) During the...