scoonts.theminotaur-第11部分

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iplomat。　He　was　a　blunt；　brilliant；　take…no…prisoners　kind　of　guy。　Somebody　killed　him。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　wish　I　knew。〃　Henry　described　how　he　personally　drove　to　West　Virginia　on　Saturday　morning　after　the　Friday…night　automobile　accident。　He　summarized　the　conversation　he　had　had　with　the　West　Virginia　state　trooper　who　investigated　the　accident。　The　trooper　had　served　four　years　in　the　marine　corps　and　by　a　stroke　of　fortune　Henry　bad　been　in　uniform。　The　trooper　had　been　good；　he　knew　murder　when　he　saw　it。　He　had　taken　the　admiral　to　see　the　local　prosecuting　attorney；　who　had　been　splitting　firewood　in　his　backyard　when　the　two　of　them　arrived　in　the　police　cruiser。　After　two　hours　of　talking；　Henry　induced　the　prosecutor　and　the　trooper　to　agree　to　a　wording　of　the　accident　report　that　did　not　mention　homicide　and　yet　would　not　preclude　a　homicide　prosecution　if　the　identity　of　the　murderer　could　ever　be　established。
　〃My　theory〃…Henry　shrugged…〃I　got　no　evidence；　you　understand…my　theory　is　Harold　found　out　something；　teamed　something　somebody　didn't　want　him　to　know…so　he　got　rubbed　out。〃
　The　navy　Ford　pulled　up　to　the　curb；　but　Henry　put　a　hand　on　Jake's　arm。　〃This　is　big；　Jake。　Real　big。　You　don't　understand　how　big。　The　Russians　will　figure　out　we're　going　to　do　something　different　and　wonderful　with　the　A…12　and　they'll　pull　out　all　the　stops　to　get　Athena。　And　five　billion　dollars　in　development　money　is　on　the　line；　plus　twenty　to　thirty　billion　in　production　money…that　much　shit　will　draw　every　blowfly　and　bloodsucker　in　the　country。　A　lot　of　these　people　would　kill　for　this　technology。〃
　〃Maybe　someone　already　has。〃
　〃Just　don't　trust　anybody。〃
　〃I've　figured　that　out；　sir。　I　think　there's　a　hell　of　a　lot　here　you　haven't　told　me。　So　I　don't　trust　you。〃
　Henry　threw　back　his　head　and　guffawed。　〃I　knew　you　were　the　right　man　for　this　job。〃　He　became　instantly　serious。　〃I　don't　give　a　damn　whether　you　trust　me　or　not。　Just　do　your　job　and　keep　your　mouth　shut　and　we'll　get　the　navy　a　good　airplane。〃
　〃By　the　way；　did　Strong　know　about　the　active　system？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　The　admiral's　driver　dropped　Jake　at　his　office　building。　One　of　the　few　benefits　of　working　a　black　program　was　that　he　could　e　to　work　in　civilian　clothes。
　Vice　Admiral　Dunedin　was　finishing　a　conference；　so　Jake　visited　with　Mrs。　Forsythe。　In　fifteen　minutes　the　door　opened　and　people　streamed　out；　in　a　hurry。
　〃Good　morning；　Admiral；〃　Jake　said。
　〃How'd　your　talk　go　with　Admiral　Henry？〃
　〃Very　well；　sir。〃
　〃Don't　lie　to　me；　Captain。　I'm　your　boss。〃
　〃Yessir。〃　Jake　found　a　seat　and　looked　straight　at　the　blue…eyed　Scotsman　behind　the　desk。　〃He　told　me　what　he　wanted　me　to　know　and　that　was　that。〃
　〃How　long　you　been　in　the　navy？〃
　Long　enough　to　know　how　to　take　orders；　Jake　thought。　〃Yessir。〃
　〃Let's　talk　about　the　A…12。　It's　now　your　baby。〃
　An　hour　later　the　admiral　rose　from　his　chair。　〃Let's　go　meet　the　crew。〃
　Jake　mentioned　to　the　admiral　that　he　had　been　looking　at　the　personnel　folders。　〃Lieutenant　Moravia。　She's　got　platinum　credentials　but　no　experience。　How'd　she　get　on　the　team？〃
　〃Strong　wanted　her。　He　was　down　at　Pax　River　when　she　went　through　as　a　student。　He　said　she's　one　of　a　kind。　Since　he　was　a　test　pilot　himself；　I　figured　he　had　the　experience　even　if　she　didn't；　so　I　said　okay。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　test　pilot；〃　Jake　said。
　〃I　know。　These　people　work　for　you。　If　you　want　someone　else；　just　say　so。　That　goes　for　any　of　them；　except　for　Fritsche。　If　they　stay　it's　because　you　think　they　can　do　the　job　and　you　trust　them。〃
　〃I　read　you　loud　and　clear；　sir。〃
　〃Anybody　doesn't　pull　his　weight；　or　you　get　goosey　about　any　of　them；　I'll　have　them　sitting　on　the　ice　cap　in　the　Antarctic　so　quick　they　wont　have　time　to　pack　their　long　Johns。〃
　The　office　in　Crystal　City　where　the　A…12　program　team　worked　was　a　square　space　with　twenty　metal　desks　jammed　in。　Five…drawer　filing　cabinets　with　bination　locks　on　the　drawers　had　been　arranged　to　divide　the　room　into　work　areas。　The　scarred　tops　and　askew　drawers　of　the　desks　proclaimed　them　veterans　of　other　offices；　other　bureaucratic　struggles　now　forgotten。　Office　equipment　was　scattered　all　over　the　room：　a　dozen　puter　terminals；　four　printers；　a　copy　machine；　a　paper　shredder；　and　a　fax　machine　linked　to　an　encryption　device。　Jake's　office　would　be　one　of　the　two　small　private　offices。　These　two　small　offices　each　had　an　outside　window　and　a　blackboard；　plus　the　usual　filing　cabinets　with　bination　locks　on　the　drawers。
　But　the　security…wow！　There　were　two　entry　doors；　each　with　cipher　locks；　and　a　closed…circuit　television　that　monitored　the　dead　space　between　the　doors。　An　armed　security　team　was　on　duty　inside　twenty…four　hours　a　day。　Their　business　was　to　check　each　person　entering　the　space　against　a　master　list　and　log　them　in　and　out。　The　windows　had　the　music　sound　vibrators　and　could　not　be　opened。　The　shades　were　permanently　closed。　The　fire　extinguisher　system　in　the　ceiling　had　plastic　cutouts　installed　in　the　pipes　so　that　they　would　not　conduct　sound。
　〃Every　sheet　of　paper　is　numbered　and　accounted　for；〃　the　admiral　told　Jake。　〃The　phone　numbers　are　unlisted　and　changed　monthly。　I　can　never　find　my　number　sheet；　so　I　end　up　walking　down　here。〃
　After　a　quick　tour；　Jake　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　with　the　admiral。　〃Where'd　they　get　this　carpet？〃
　〃Stole　it　someplace。　I　never　asked。〃
　〃Sure　would　be　nice　to　get　a　little　bigger　space。　Thirty　people？〃
　〃This　is　all　the　space　I　have　to　give　you。　It　takes　the　signature　of　an　Assistant　Secretary　of　the　Navy　to　get　space　not　assigned　to　NAVAIR。　I　haven't　had　time　to　kiss　his　ass。　But　if　you　can　get　his　scrawl；　go　for　it。〃
　〃Nothing's　too　good　for　the　boys　in　navy　blue；〃　Toad　Tarkington　chirped　cheerfully　from　his　little　desk　against　one　wall；　loud　enough　to　draw　a　frosty　glance　from　the　admiral。
　〃You're　Tarkington？〃　Dunedin　said。
　〃Yessir。〃
　〃I　hear　you　suffer　from　a　mouth　problem　from　time　to　time。　If　it's　incurable　your　naval　career　is　about　to　hit　the　wall。　You　read　me？〃
　〃Yessir。〃
　Dunedin　raised　his　voice。　〃Okay；　folks。　Gather　around。　I　want　you　to　meet　Captain　Jake　Grafton；　the　new　program　manager。　He's　your　new　boss。〃　Dunedin　launched　into　a　traditional　〃wele　aboard〃　speech。　When　he　was　finished　Jake　told　the　attentive　faces　how　pleased　he　was　to　be　there；　then　he　and　the　admiral　shook　hands。　After　a　quick　whispered　word　with　Fritsche；　Dunedin　left　the　office。　Jake　invited　the　manders　and　civilian　experts　into　his　new　cubbyhole。　It　was　a　very　tight　fit。　Folding　chairs　were　packed　in　and　the　place　became　stuffy　in　minutes。　They　filled　him　in　on　the　state　of　the　project　and　their　roles　in　it。　Jake　said　nothing　about　his　visits　with　the　admirals　and　gave　no　hint　that　he　knew　anything　about　the　project。
　He　looked　over　Helmut　Fritsche　first；　the　radar　expert　from　Caltech。　About　fifty；　be　was　heavyset；　of　medium　height；　and　sported　a　Hemingway　beard　which　he　liked　to　stroke　when　he　talked。　He　had　alert；　intelligent　eyes　that　roamed　constantly；　even　when　he　was　addressing　someone。　He　spoke　slowly；　carefully；　choosing　his　words。　He　struck　Jake　as　an　intelligent；　learned　man　who　had　long　ago　resigned　himself　to　spending　most　of　his　life　in　the　pany　of　fools。
　George　Wilson　was　at　least　five　years　younger　than　Fritsche　and　much　leaner。　He　spoke　slowly；　in　cadenced　phrases；　automatically　allowing　his　listeners　to　take　notes　if　they　wished。　When　he　used　his　third　pun　Jake　finally　noticed。　Listening　more　carefully；　he　picked　up　two　double　entendres　and　another　pun。　At　first　blush　Wilson　seemed　a　man　in　love　with　the　sound　of　his　own　voice；　but　Jake　decided　that　impression　didn't　do　justice　to　the　fertile；　active　mind　of　the　professor　of　aeronautical　engineering。
　The　A…6　bombardier；　mander　Les　Richards；　looked　as　old　as　Fritsche　although　he　couldn't　have　been　a　day　over　forty…two　or　forty…three。　Jake　had　met　him　years　ago　at　NAS　Oceana。　They　had　never　been　in　the　same　squadron　together　but　had　a　speaking　acquaintance。　Richards'　tired　face　contained　tired　eyes。　Jake　remembered　that　just　a　year　or　so　ago　Richards　had　manded　an　A…6　squadron；　so　this　assignment　was　his　post…mand　tour。　His　eyes　told　whoever　looked　that　the　navy　was　no　longer　an　adventure；　if　indeed　it　ever　had　been。　The　navy　and　perhaps　life　itself　were　experiences　to　be　endured　on　this　long；　joyless　journey　toward　the　grave。　If　he　caught　any　of　Wilson's　wordplay　his　face　gave　no　hint。　In　spite　of　his　demeanor；　Jake　knew；　Richards　had　the　reputation　of　being　an　aggressive；　petent　manager；　a　man　who　got　things　done。
　mander　〃Smoke〃　Judy　was　an　F…14　pilot。　Like　all　the　manders；　he　had　had　a　squadron　mand　tour。　Smoke　was　short　and　feisty。　He　looked　like　a　man　who　would　rather　fight　than　eat。　The　joyous　petitive　spirit　of　the　fighter　pilot　seemed　incarnate　in　him。　A　fire…eater…no　doubt　that　was　the　origin　of　his　nickname；　which　had　probably　ceased　to　be　a　nickname　long　ago。　Jake　suspected　that　his　wife　and　even　his　mother　now　called　him　Smoke。
　Dalton　Harris　was　an　extrovert；　a　man　with　a　ready　smile。　He　grinned　nervously　at　George　Wilson's　humor　and　glanced　at　him　expectantly　every　time　it　seemed　Wilson　might　bee　inspired。　He　was　a　lithe；　pact　man；　as　full　of　nervous　energy　as　Judy。　An　alumnus　of　the　EA…6B　Prowler　munity；　he　was　an　expert　in　electronic　warfare。　He　even　had　a　master's　in　electrical　engineering　from　the　Naval　Postgraduate　School。
　The　other　two　manders；　Aeronautical　Engineering　Duty　Officers；　were　equally　interesting。　Technical　petence　was　their　stock…in…trade。
　An　excellent　group；　Jake　decided　as　the　conversation　wound　down；　good　shipmates。　Harold　Strong　and　Admiral　Dunedin　had　chosen　well。　He　glanced　at　his　watch　with　a　start；　they　had　been　talking　about　the　A…12　for　two　hours。　In　parting　he　told　them。　〃I　want　a　plete　inventory　of　the　accountable　classified　material　started　tomorrow。　Every　document　will　be　sighted　by　two　officers　and　they'll　both　sign　the　list。〃
　〃We　did　an　inventory　after　Captain　Strong　died。　Took　two　weeks。〃
　〃You'd　better　hope　I　don't　kick　the　bucket　any　time　soon　or　you'll　be　doing　it　a　couple　more　times。〃
　Jake　spent　five　minutes　with　each　of　the　other　officer