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For all his ambition to rule, Andropov cherished anonymity. More technocrat than autocrat by instinct, he shunned the accolades and personality cult that had tickled the vanity of his predecessor. But if Andropov assessed the politically possible with computer-like precision, he remained a man of his generation. Other Soviet leaders have left their distinctive mark on Soviet history, but future chroniclers will have difficulty in discerning an Andropov "era," and not only because of its brevity. Though the late Soviet leader may have aspired to be more than a transitional leader, he was ultimately unable—or unwilling—to do more than tinker with the system that he inherited. —By John Kohan. Reported by Erik Amfitheatrof/Moscow