scoonts.theminotaur-第38部分

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he　got。　Sometimes　he　made　up　chances。　〃If　you　wanta　be　famous；　get　a　lobotomy　and　bee　a　rock　star。〃
　After　he'd　calmed　down；　he　wanted　a　plete　oral　report　on　Matilda　Jackson　and　Smoke　Judy。　That　had　taken　an　hour。　Then　the　boss　had　asked　questions　for　a　half　hour　and　discussed　tactics　and　strategy　for　another　thirty　minutes。　When　he　signaled　the　discussion　was　over；　Luis　Camacho　was　tired　and　needed　to　go　to　the　rest　room。
　Now　Camacho　slumped　in　his　office　chair　and　shuffled　through　the　paper　in　his　in　basket。　He　was　rereading　a　new　administrative　procedure　for　the　third　time　when　Dreyfus　tapped　on　his　door；　then　stuck　his　head　in。　Pipe　smoke　swirled　into　the　room。　〃Wanta　watch　the　tape　of　Smoke　Judy　we　made　yesterday？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Got　it　on　the　VCR。〃
　The　two　men　went　to　the　little　conference　room　next　door　and　Dreyfus　pushed　buttons。　〃The　plates　and　glasses　they　used　are　at　the　lab。　Should　have　some　good　prints。〃
　〃Terrific。〃
　〃The　lab　wizards　synched　up　the　sound　from　one　of　the　mikes　with　the　video。〃　Judy　and　the　beefy　man　in　the　windbreaker　appeared　on　the　television　screen。　Dreyfus　twiddled　the　color　knob　and　adjusted　the　volume。
　〃。。。not　happy　with　all　the　media　on　procurement　problems　down　there。〃　The　beefy　man　had　a　well…spoken　baritone　voice；　but　his　nervousness　was　evident。
　Judy　replied；　but　his　back　must　have　been　to　the　parabolic　mike　that　picked　up　this　sound　track；　because　his　words　were　indistinct　Dreyfus　punched　the　pause　button　and　said；　〃We　have　two　other　audio　tracks　and　think　we　got　it　all；　but　it'll　take　a　few　hours　to　e　up　with　a　plete　transcript。〃
　Camacho　nodded　and　the　tape　rolled　on。
　〃。。。big　risks。　Some　people　will　be　going　to　prison；〃　Judy's　panion　said；　〃after　they've　been　drawn　and　quartered　in　a　public　trial　that　will　take　six　months。〃
　Judy　leaned　forward　and　spoke　earnestly。　Snatches　of　his　remarks　came　through。　〃。。。you　people　。。。　a　lifetime　building　the　pany　。。。　literally　millions　at　stake。　You　guys　really　need　this　because　。。。　You'll　make　tens　of　millions　in　the　next　twenty　years　and　I'll　get　a　little　stock　and　a　paycheck　and　a　pension　。。。　not　much　。。。〃　The　rest　was　too　garbled　to　follow。
　〃That's　enough；〃　Camacho　said　after　another　five　minutes。　〃Let　me　see　the　transcript　when　it's　finished。〃
　Dreyfus　stopped　the　tape　and　pushed　the　rewind　button。　〃I　think　that　guy's　gonna　buy　what　Judy's　selling。〃
　〃When　you　get　that　rewound；　e　on　back　to　my　office。〃
　In　his　office　Luis　Camacho　took　a　sheet　of　scratch　paper　and　printed　one　word：　〃Fallacy。〃　He　handed　it　to　Dreyfus　when　he　came　in。　〃See　if　this　is　in　any　of　the　Minotaur's　letters。〃
　Dreyfus　dropped　into　a　chair　and　began　to　fiddle　with　his　pipe。　He　put　the　paper　in　his　shirt　pocket　after　a　glance。　〃Where'd　you　get　it？〃　he　asked　when　he　had　his　pipe　going　again。
　〃Ask　me　no　questions　and　I'll　tell　you　no　lies。〃
　〃Vice　Admiral　Henry；　huh？〃
　〃I　found　it　in　the　John。〃
　〃Why　can't　we　get　a　list　of　all　the　code　words　from　NSA？〃
　〃We've　been　all　through　this　before。〃
　〃So　I'm　not　too　bright。　Tell　me　again。〃
　〃NSA　won't　give　us　the　code　words　without　the　approval　of　the　mittee。　The　mittee　has　not　approved。〃　The　mittee　was　slang　for　the　ultrasecret　group　that　formulated　intelligence　munity　policy　and　coordinated　the　intelligence　activities　of　all　U。S。　agencies。　Some　of　its　members　included　the　directors　of　the　FBI　and　CIA；　the　Secretary　of　Defense；　the　Secretary　of　State；　the　National　Security　Agency　chief；　and　speaking　directly　for　the　President；　the　National　Security　Adviser。
　〃So　what　does　that　tell　you？〃　Dreyfus　asked；　his　voice　sharper　than　usual。
　Camacho　rubbed　his　eyes；　then　his　face。　〃You　tell　me。〃
　〃If　it　walks　like　a　duck；　quacks　like　a　duck；　and　leaves　duck　shit　all　over；　it　probably　is　a　duck。〃
　〃Umm。〃
　〃I　think　those　assholes　already　know　what　the　Minotaur　has　given　away。　So　they're　in　no　rush　for　us　to　put　a　list　together。〃　Dreyfus　flicked　his　lighter　and　puffed　several；　times。　〃Somebody　in　Moscow　has　gotta　be　telling　them。〃
　〃Maybe；〃　said　Luis　Camacho；　weighing　it。　〃Or　maybe　they're　hoping　this　whole　thing　will　crawl　into　a　corner　and　die　quietly　without　being　a　major　embarrassment。　Budgetary　blood　feuds　in　Congress；　some　big…ticket　military　programs　on　the　chopping　block；　Gramm…Rudman…hell；　they'd　be　less　than　human　if　they　didn't　try　to　play　ostrich　for　a　while。〃
　〃So　what　are　we　gonna　do　about　Smoke　Judy？〃
　〃What　would　you　suggest？〃
　〃That　shithead　is　shopping　secrets　to　defense　contractors。　He　wants　more　than　a　military　pension。　What'd　the　boss　say　when　you　told　him　this　morning？〃　His　voice　had　a　belligerent；　bitter　edge。
　〃Hang　loose。　Keep　an　eye　on　him。〃
　〃Fuck　us！　The　same　old　story。　No　matter　what　we　turn　up；　we　get　the　same　answer　from　ol'　brass　ass。　Be　cool；　guys！〃
　〃Calm　down；　Dreyfus。　You've　been　around　long　enough…〃
　〃How　much　shit　you　gonna　eat；　Luis；　before　you　decide　you　don't　like　it？　Right　now　the　Minotaur　is　busy　figuring　what　secrets　to　give　away　next　and　scribbling　another　little　love　letter　to　the　Russian　ambassador。　Terry　Franklin　is　still　running　around　loose；　you're　sneaking　code　words　from　friends　in　the　Pentagon…we're　doing　some　dynamic　drifting　but　our　investigation　is　going　nowhere。　You　know　that！　And　the　sickening　thing　is　the　mittee　is　quite　fortable　with　that　state　of　affairs。〃　His　voice　had　risen　to　almost　a　shout。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　think…I　think　the　guys　on　that　mittee　are　laughing　themselves　silly。　I　think　they're　tickled　pink　that　the　fucking　Russians　are　seeing　this　stuff。　That's　what　the　hell　I　think。〃
　〃I　think　you're　an　idiot；　Dreyfus；　with　a　big　mouth　and　a　piss　ant's　view　of　the　world。　I've　heard　enough。　Now　get　back　to　work。〃
　Dreyfus　bounced　to　his　feet　and　rammed　his　right　hand　out　in　a　Nazi　salute。　〃Ja　wohl…〃
　〃You　son　of　a…〃
　〃Don't　bullshit　yourself；　Luis。　I　know　you're　doing　the　best　you　can。　But；　goddamn；　I'm　sick　of　this　fucking　around！〃　Camacho　jerked　his　head　at　the　door　and　Dreyfus　went。
　
　13
　
　The　Naval　Weapons　Center；　China　Lake；　lies　in　the　desert　of　southern　California　east　of　the　range　of　mountains　that　form　the　eastern　wall　of　the　San　Joaquin　Valley。　The　air　at　China　Lake　is　clean；　hot；　and　dry。　Tuesday　afternoon　Jake　Grafton　dragged　in　lungfuls　of　it　as　he　walked　across　the　baking　concrete　toward　the　air　terminal　with　Helmut　Fritsche　and　Samuel　Dodgers。　Behind　them；　still　trading　quips　with　the　female　crew　of　the　T…39　that　had　flown　them　here　from　Andrews　AFB　in　Washington；　via　NAS　Moffett　Field　where　they　had　collected　Dodgers；　Toad　Tarkington　and　Rita　Moravia　supervised　the　loading　of　the　luggage　into　a　navy　station　wagon。
　An　hour　later　Dr。　Dodgers　lifted　his　ball　cap　and　scratched　his　head。　He　was　standing　with　Grafton　and　Fritsche　in　a　hangar　that　was　empty　except　for　an　A…6E　Intruder。　Sentries　were　posted　on　the　outside　of　the　doors　with　orders　to　admit　no　one。
　The　men　were　examining　grease…pencil　marks　placed　on　the　plane　by　Fritsche。　These　were　the　locations　he　remended　for　the　special　antennas　of　Dodgers'　Athena　system。　And　Sam　Dodgers　was　scratching　his　head　as　he　surveyed　Fritsche's　artwork。　〃Well；〃　he　said　unenthusiastically；　〃I　guess　these　spots　will　work　okay；　after　we　tweak　the　output　of　each　antenna。　But。。。〃　His　voice　trailed　off。　Jake　glanced　at　him　without　curiosity。　He　had　already　discovered　that　Dodgers'　enthusiasm　came　in　uneven　dribbles。
　〃It's　the　left　side　of　the　airplane　only；〃　Fritsche　said　firmly。　〃Fourteen　antennas。　Side　of　the　tail；　fuselage；　left　outboard　pylon；　under　the　cockpit　rail；　forward　on　the　nose。。。　and　one　on　the　left　wingtip　in　place　of　the　position　light。〃
　〃You　really　need　one　in　front　of　the　left　intake；　where　that　flat　plate　is。　That　plate　is　probably　the　biggest　single　contributor　to　the　plane's　RCS　when　viewed　from　this　side…makes　up　maybe　half　of　it。〃
　〃Can't　put　one　there。　Might　get　broken　off　by　the　airflow　and　go　down　the　intake。　It'd　destroy　the　engine。〃
　〃How　about　in　front　of　that　plate？〃
　They　discussed　it。　Yes。
　〃This　jury　rig　is　just　for　test　purposes；〃　Fritsche　told　Jake。　〃An　operational　Athena　system　for　an　aircraft　will　have　to　have　conformal　antennas；　'smart　skin'　in　the　jargon　of　the　trade。　Literally；　the　antennas　will　be　part　of　the　aircraft's　skin　so　they　won't　contribute　to　drag　or　ever　be　broken　off。〃
　〃How　much　is　that　going　to　cost？〃
　〃Won't　be　cheap。　Conformal　antennae　are　under　development；　but　they'll　be　new　technology　and　aren't　here　yet。〃
　〃Forget　I　asked。〃
　Jake　wandered　over　to　where　Tarkington　and　Moravia　stood　with　mander　L。D。　Bonnet；　the　manding　officer　of　the　A…6　Weapons　System　Support　Activity；　which　owned　the　airplane。　All　three　saluted　Jake　as　he　approached　and　he　returned　the　gesture　with　a　grin。　〃So；　L。D。；　are　you　going　to　let　these　children　fly　your　plane？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　They　appear　sober　and　reasonably　petent。〃
　〃I　appreciate　your　letting　us　borrow　the　plane　and　hangar　for　a　few　days。〃
　〃Admiral　Dunedin's　very　persuasive。〃
　Jake　flashed　a　grin。　L。D。　must　have　hesitated　a　few　seconds　before　he　agreed　to　the　Old　Man's　requests。　〃Here's　what　I'd　like　to　do。　Fritsche　and　Dodgers　are　going　to　take　a　day　or　two　to　install　some　little　antennas　on　the　left　side　of　the　plane。　They'll　use　glue　and　drill　a　few　holes；　then　install　a　tiny　fairing　in　front　of　each　antenna。　They're　going　to　need　the　help　of　a　couple　of　good；　capable　airframe　technicians　who　can　keep　their　mouths　shut。〃
　Bonnet　nodded。
　〃Then　Rita　and　Toad　will　fly　the　plane　up　to　the　Electronic　Warfare　range　at　Fallen　since　the　EW　range　here　at　China　Lake　is　out　of　service　this　week。　Fritsche　and　I　will　fly　up　there　ahead　of　them。　Dodgers　will　stay　here　to　work　on　the　gear　in　the　plane。　Rita；　I　want　you　to　keep　the　plane　under　three　hundred　knots　indicated　to　minimize　the　airflow　stress　on　these　antennas。　They're　gang　to　be　jury…rigged　on　there　with　a　little　bubble　gum　and　Elmer's　glue。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir；〃　she　said。
　〃L。D。；　I　need　you　to　loan　me　a　couple　of　young　officers　with　at　least　ten　pounds　of　tact　each。　They'll　alternate　duty；　so　that　one　of　them　will　be　with　Dodgers　day　and　night。　They're　to　escort　him　to　work；　stay　with　him　all　day；　escort　him　to　the　head；　take　him　back　to　the　BOQ；　eat　with　him；　see　that　he　talks