scoonts.theminotaur-第47部分

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understood。　The　air　force　would　be　able　to　use　much　cheaper　bombers　than　the　B…2；　which　they　would　never　get　any　significant　number　of　at　a　half　billion　dollars　each。
　〃I　want　it　right　now；〃　Admiral　Lanham　said。　〃These　devices　will　make　surface　ships　invisible　to　radar　satellites　and　cruise　missiles。　The　entire　Soviet　naval　air　arm　will　be　obsolete。　I　want　a　crash　program　that　puts　Athena　in　the　fleet　right　now；　and　damn　the　cost。〃
　Caplinger　shifted　his　gaze　to　Helmut　Fritsche；　on　Jake's　right。　〃Will　it　work？　Can　it　be　made　to　work？〃
　〃Anything's　possible　given　enough　time　and　money。〃
　〃How　much？〃　demanded　Under　SECDEF　Russell　Queen。　In　civilian　life　he　had　been　president　of　a　large　accounting　firm。　White　skin；　banker's　hands；　bald；　Queen　had　long　ago　lost　the　battle　of　the　bulge。　He　was　a　humorless　man　with　thick　glasses。　Jake　decided　it　would　require　prodigious　faith　to　believe　Russell　Queen　had　once　been　young　or　ever　loved　a　woman。　〃How　much　do　you　think　will　be　enough？〃
　Fritsche's　shoulders　rose　a　quarter　inch　and　fell。　〃Depends　on　how　you　go　about　it…how　you　structure　the　contract；　how　many　units　you　buy　annually；　how　big　a　risk　you're　willing　to　take　on　unproven　technology。　We　didn't　test　a　full…up　system。　All　we　did　was　prove　the　concept；　and　we　have　some　more　work　to　do　on　that　next　week。　We're　a　long　way　from　an　operational　system　that　will　protect　just　one　tactical　airplane。〃
　〃How　long？〃
　Helmut　Fritsche　took　out　a　cigar　and　rolled　it　thoughtfully　between　his　hands。　He　didn't　reach　for　a　match。　〃Two　or　three　years…if　you　can　make　all　the　paper　pushers　keep　hands　off。　Four　or　five　if　it's　business　as　usual。〃　Every　head　at　the　table　bobbed　its　owner's　concurrence。
　〃Humph；〃　snorted　Caplinger；　who　sucked　in　a　bushel　of　air　and　sent　it　down　as　far　as　it　would　go；　then　exhaled　slowly。　〃I　can　try　to　put…maybe　slip　it　under　the　stealth　stuff…but。。。〃　His　enthusiasm　wouldn't　fill　a　thimble。　Even　the　Secretary　of　Defense　couldn't　control　the　legions　of　bureaucrats　with　rice　bowls　to　protect。　They　were　too　well　armed　with　statutes　and　regulations　and　pet　congressmen。　〃Russell；　you'll　have　to　make　this　work；　find　some　dollars　in　one　of　your　little　hidey…holes；　keep　it　too　small　for　anyone　to　get　curious　about。　And　no　fucking　memos。〃
　Queen　nodded　slowly；　his　smooth　round　face　revealing　his　disfort。　He　looked；　Jake　thought；　like　a　man　staring　into　a　dark　abyss　that　he　has　been　told　to　lower　himself　into。
　〃I　don't　think　that's　the　way　to　do　it。〃　Ludlow　said。　〃Admiral　Lanham　wants　it　now　and　the　air　force　will　too。　We're　going　to　have　to　fund　Athena　as　one　of　our　highest…priority　items。　We're　going　to　have　to　throw　money　at　it　and　hope　the　technology　works。〃
　〃Do　you　agree；　Admiral？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　I'd　rather　have　Athena　than　a　whole　lot　of　projects　I　can　name；　including　the　A…12。〃
　〃We　need　them　both；〃　Caplinger　said。　〃So　we'll　keep　Athena　in　with　the　ATA　and　request　funding　for　them　both。〃
　〃What　about　Congress？〃　Ludlow　murmured。　When　no　one　replied；　he　expanded　the　question。　〃How　will　Athena　be　seen　by　the　liberals　dying　to　chop　the　defense　budget？　Will　they　think　it　gives　us　such　a　large　qualitative　technical　advantage　over　the　Soviets　that　they　can　chop　our　capital　budget？　Shrink　the　navy？〃　To　maintain　a　navy；　worn…out；　obsolete　ships　must　be　constantly　replaced　with　new　ones。　New　ships　are　expensive　and　require　years　to　construct。　A　decision　not　to　build　as　many　as　necessary　to　maintain　current　force　levels　was　a　decision　to　shrink　the　navy。　Insufficient　ships　to　fulfill　continuing　worldwide　mitments　forced　planners　to　delay　ship　overhauls　and　keep　sailors　at　sea　for　grotesquely　long　periods；　which　wore　out　ships　prematurely　and　devastated　enlisted　retention　rates。　It　was　a　cruel　downward　spiral。　This　was　the　post…Vietnam　nightmare　from　which　the　navy　was　just　recovering。
　〃No　democracy　will　ever　buy　enough　ships；〃　Jake　Grafton　said。　〃Not　over　the　long　haul。〃
　〃You're　saying　we　can't　maintain　a　six…hundred…ship　navy；〃　Lanham　said；　frowning。
　〃We　don't　have　six　hundred　ships　now；　sir；　and　we're　not　likely　to　ever　get　them；〃　Jake　shot　back；　suddenly　sure　he　didn't　want　Lanham　to　think　he　could　be　cowed。
　〃Lessen　the　primary　threat　and　we　won't　need　as　many　ships。　That's　the　argument；〃　said　Ludlow。
　〃Politicians　never　understand　mitments；〃　Royce　Caplinger　said　dryly；　〃perhaps　because　they　make　so　many　of　them。　The　federal　deficit　is　totally　out　of　control　due　to　mandated　increases　in　social　program　expenditures。　They　borrowed　money　and　never　asked　if　they　could　afford　the　interest。　They　approved　treaties　and　never　weighed　the　cost　in　defense　expenditures。〃
　The　CNO　made　a　gesture　of　frustration。　〃We　have　more　practical　concerns。　The　air　force　is　facing　institutional　death。　They　gave　up　the　close　air　support　mission　to　the　army　a　generation　ago。　The　strategic　bomber　mission　is　on　the　ropes。　All　they　have　left　are　ICBMs…which　the　army　could　run…and　tactical　air　and　airlift。　Their　bases　are　fixed；　vulnerable　to　ICBMs　and　political　upheavals。　The　world　is　passing　them　by。　They're　panicking。　And　they　have　a　lot　of　friends。　If　they　don't　get　Athena　and　get　it　now。。。〃
　〃It'll　get　ugly；〃　Ludlow　agreed。
　〃I　am　the　Secretary　of　Defense；〃　Caplinger　said；　his　voice　hard。　〃I　will　take　care　of　the　air　force。　You　people　take　care　of　the　navy。〃
　The　heavy　silence　that　followed　was　broken　by　Tyler　Henry。　〃No　one　has　mentioned　the　Minotaur。〃　All　eyes　turned　to　the　vice　admiral。　An　unfortable　look　crossed　his　face；　as　if　he　had　just　farted　in　church。
　〃What　about　him？〃　Caplinger　asked。
　〃He　hasn't　gotten　Athena　yet；　but　the　minute　we　start　bringing　defense　contractors　into　the　loop；　he　will。〃
　Caplinger　leaned　forward。　〃Where　will　we　be　if　he　gives　Athena　to　the　Russians？〃
　Henry　had　recovered　his　posure。　〃We'll　have　lost　our　advantage；〃　he　said　with　a　trace　of　irritation　in　his　voice。　〃They　outgun　us　two　to　one。　We　need　the　technological　edge　to　stay　in　the　game。〃
　Caplinger　got　to　his　feet　and　reached　for　the　jacket　draped　over　the　back　of　his　chair。　〃Thanks　for　lunch；　George。　Russell；　you　talk　to　these　people　and　get　this　Athena　business　on　track。　I　want　it　in　production　as　soon　as　possible。　We'll　include　it　with　the　ATA　in　the　budget。　Black　all　the　way。〃　He　paused　and　surveyed　the　faces　at　the　table。　〃The　navy　can　develop　this。　Keep　it　under　wraps。　Security　as　tight　as　a　miser's　money　belt。　Develop　it　for　planes　and　ships。　But　the　air　force　must　be　brought　into　this　as　soon　as　we　have　to　start　talking　to　Congress。　This　may　kill　the　B…2；　but　it'll　save　the　B…L。〃
　〃But　what　about　the　billions　we're　pouring　into　stealth　planes　now？〃　Russell　Queen　the　bean　counter　asked　his　boss。
　〃Heck；　Russell；　this　Athena　gizmo　may　not　work。　Probably　won't。　Sorry；　Tyler；　but　after　all！　A　religious　crackpot　in　a　backyard　workshop？　It's　too　good　to　be　true。　Sounds　like　something　Tom　Clancy　dreamed　up　after　he　had　a　bad　pizza。〃
　An　hour　later　as　Tyler　Henry　and　Jake　Grafton　walked　along　the　E…Ring　back　toward　the　admiral's　office；　Jake　remarked；　〃At　lunch；　Admiral；　you　said　we　need　a　technological　edge　to　stay　in　the　game。　What　if　the　game　has　changed？〃
　〃You　mean　Gorbachev　reforming　the　Kremlin；　converting　the　mies？　Bull　fucking　shit。〃
　〃The　Soviets　packed　up　and　pulled　out　of　Afghanistan。　They　helped　get　the　Cubans　out　of　Angola。　They're　relaxing　their　hold　on　Eastern　Europe。　They're　even　talking　to　the　Chinese。　Something's　going　on。〃
　〃So　the　sons　of　Uncle　Joe　Stalin　have　given　up　their　goal　of　world　domination？　The　fucking　thugs　who　murdered　twenty　million　of　their　own　people？　My　aching　ass。　That's　all　big…lie　propaganda　that　liberal　half…wits　want　to　believe。　Twenty　million　men；　women　and　children！　They　make　Adolf　Hitler　look　like　a　weenie　waver。　We'd　better　have　the　edge　when　the　shit　splatters；　because　we'll　never　get　a　second　chance。〃
　〃So　you're　maintaining　an　open　mind　on　the　question。〃
　〃You've　been　hanging　around　with　that　loose…screw　Tarkington　too　long；　Grafton。　You're　beginning　to　sound　like　him。〃　Dunedin　must　have　mentioned　Tarkington　to　Henry；　Jake　surmised。　He　was　sure　Henry　had　never　met　the　lieutenant。
　〃But　what　if　Royce　Caplinger　and　the　politicos　in　Congress　think　the　game　has　changed？〃
　〃Caplinger　isn't　a　fool。〃　Two　paces　later　Henry　added；　〃Thinking　politician　is　an　oxymoron。〃
　After　Jake　parted　from　the　admiral　he　walked　to　the　cafeteria；　where　he　bought　a　packet　of　Nabs　and　washed　them　down　with　a　half…pint　of　milk。　Humans　are　unique　animals；　he　reflected。　What　other　species　has　man's　ability　to　see　the　world　as　he　wants　it　to　be；　rather　than　as　it　actually　is？　He　couldn't　think　of　any。　The　worst　of　it　is　that　this　human　trait　deprives　you　of　the　ability　to　recognize　reality　when　you　see　it。　On　this　gloomy　note　his　thoughts　turned　to　Callie。
　
　〃What　d'ya　think's　wrong　with　it？〃　Camacho　asked　nervously　as　he　and　Harlan　Albright　stood　listening　to　Luis'　car。　It　had　a　ragged；　sick　sound；　most　likely　because　Camacho　had　taken　out　one　of　the　spark　plugs　and　pounded　the　hide　arm　against　the　core　until　there　was　no　gap　at　all；　then　reinstalled　it。
　〃Sounds　to　me　like　you　got　a　cylinder　missing；　but　I'm　no　mechanic；〃　Albright　said；　and　made　notations　on　the　service　form。　〃We'll　have　a　guy　look　at　it　this　afternoon　and　give　you　a　call。　I　can't　give　you　an　estimate　or　tell　you　how　long　it'll　take　to　fix　until　we　find　out　what's　wrong。〃
　〃What　neighborhood　of　finance　are　we　talking　here？　Checking；　savings；　or　second　mortgage？〃
　Albright　grinned　and　slid　the　form　across　the　counter　for　Camacho　to　sign。　〃We'll　call　you。〃
　〃Well；　poo。　How　about　running　me　back　downtown？〃
　The　service　manager　glanced　at　the　wall　clock；　〃I　get　off　for　lunch　in　about　thirty　minutes。　You　wait　and　I'll　take　you。　Go　browse　in　the　showroom　or　get　some　coffee。〃
　Albright　was　driving　a　new　car　with　dealer　plates。　Camacho　settled　into　the　passenger　seat　and　fastened　the　seat　belt　as　Albright　pulled　out　into　traffic。　〃Thought　I　oughta　drop　by　and　fill　you　in。　Sally　and　I　have　to　go　to　a　church　dinner　tonight。　The　only　thing　wrong　with　my　car　is　a　bad　spark　plug。　Don't　let　your　mechanical　wizards　screw　me。〃
　〃So　what's　happening？〃
　〃We've　got　a　letter　from　Terry　Franklin's　mother…in…law。　She　says