scoonts.theminotaur-第57部分

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those　updrafts。　That's　it！　Let　'er　fly。　Just　sorta　urge　'er　along。〃
　He　was　right。　The　plane　soared　like　a　living　thing；　banking　and　diving　and　climbing；　seeking　the　rising　air　and　responding　willingly。　The　evening　sun　flashed　on　the　wings　and　fuselage　and　made　the　little　craft　brightly　lustrous　against　the　darkening　blue　of　the　sky　above。
　〃Let　Rita　try　it；〃　Amy　urged。
　〃Don't　you　want　to？〃
　〃No。　Let　Rita。〃
　〃e　over　here；　Rita　Moravia。〃　The　pilot　did　as　she　was　bid。　She　watched　the　captain　manipulate　the　controls　as　he　explained　what　each　was。　〃The　thing　you　gotta　watch　is　that　the　controls　work　backwards　as　you　look　at　the　plane　head…on。　Turn　around　and　fly　it　by　looking　over　your　shoulder。　Then　left　will　be　left　and　right　will　be　right。〃
　Rita　obediently　faced　away　from　the　house　and　looked　back　over　her　shoulder。　Toad　waved。　Jake　handed　her　the　radio　control　box。　As　David　and　Amy　tried　to　offer　simultaneous　advice；　Rita　clumsily　swung　the　plane　back　and　forth　and　worked　the　nose　hesitantly。　She　overcontrolled　as　David　groaned；　〃Not　too　much；　no　no　no。〃
　But　the　wind　was　dying。　She　got　the　nose　too　high　trying　to　maintain　altitude：　the　plane　stalled　and　the　nose　fell　through。　The　plane　shot　forward　away　from　the　house；　toward　the　street。　David　scrambled；　but　Rita　stalled　it　again　and　the　left　wing　and　nose　dug　into　the　sandy　lawn　before　the　running　boy　could　reach　it　The　rubber　bands　let　loose　and　the　wing　popped　free　of　the　fuselage；　minimizing　the　damage。　〃Nasty；〃　David　declared。
　〃My　dinner！〃　Callie　exclaimed；　and　charged　for　the　door。
　〃You　did　great　for　a　first　solo；〃　Amy　assured　Rita。　The　pilot　pulled　the　girl　to　her　and　gave　her　a　mighty　hug　and　a　kiss　on　the　cheek。　She　got　a　big　hug　in　return。
　〃She　ain't　banged　up　too　bad；　Cap'n；〃　David　called。　Up　on　the　roof　Toad　was　laughing。　He　blew　Rita　a　kiss。
　After　dinner　Callie　shooed　Jake　and　Toad　off　to　the　screened…in　porch　while　she　cleaned　up　the　dishes。　Rita　and　Amy　helped。
　〃So　what　did　your　parents　think　of　Toad　when　they　met　him；　or　have　they　yet？〃　Callie　asked　Rita。
　〃We　went　to　visit　them　two　weekends　ago。　Mother　invited　a　few　of　their　closest　friends　over　to　meet　the　newlyweds。　Then　she　cornered　Toad；　and　making　sure　I　was　in　earshot；　she　asked　him；　'Now　that　you're　married；　when　is　Rita　going　to　give　up　flying？'〃　Rita　laughed　ruefully；　remembering。　〃How　well　do　you　know　Toad？〃　she　asked　Callie。
　〃Not　very　well。　I　met　him　for　the　first　time　last　year　in　the　Mediterranean。〃
　〃Well；　he　looked　at　Mother　with　that　slightly　baffled。　Lord　of　the　Turnip　Truck　expression　of　his；　and　said；　'Why　would　she　do　that？　Flying　is　what　she　does。'　I　could　have　kissed　him　right　there　in　front　of　everyone。〃　Rita　chuckled　again。
　〃Doesn't　your　mom　want　you　to　fly；〃　Amy　piped；　her　chin　resting　on　a　hand；　her　eyes　fixed　on　her　new　heroine。
　〃My　mother　is　one　of　these　new　moderns　who　have　elevated　the　elimination　of　risk　to　a　religious　status。　She　serves　only　food　certified　safe　for　laboratory　rats。　She　writes　weekly　letters　to　congressmen　urging　a　national　fifty…five…miles…per…hour　speed　limit；　helmets　for　motorcyclists；　gun　control…she　has　never　been　on　a　motorcycle　in　her　life　and　to　the　best　of　my　knowledge　has　never　even　seen　a　real　firearm。　Her　latest　cause　is　a　ban　on　mountain　climbing　since　she　read　an　article　about　how　many　people　per　year　fall　off　cliffs　or　die　of　hypothermia。　This　from　a　woman　who　regards　a　walk　across　a　large　parking　lot　as　a　survival　trek。〃
　〃I'm　not　afraid　of　things；〃　Amy　assured　Rita。
　〃It's　not　fear　that　motivates　Mother。　She　thinks　of　government　as　Super…Mom；　and　who　better　to　advise　the　politicians　than　the　superest　mom　of　them　all？〃
　〃Flying　is　risky；　inherently　dangerous。　I　can　understand　your　mother's　concern；〃　Callie　said　as　she　rinsed　a　pot。　〃Flying　is　something　I've　had　to　live　with。　It's　a　part　of　Jake　and　his　life；　a　big　part。　But　I've　had　very　mixed　emotions　about　his　being　grounded。〃　As　she　dried　the　pot　she　turned　to　Rita。　〃You　or　Toad　may　be　killed　or　crippled　for　life　in　an　accident。　After　it　happens；　if　it　happens；　it　won't　matter　whose　fault　it　is　or　how　good　you　are　in　a　cockpit。　I　know。　I've　seen　it　too　many　times。〃
　〃Life　is　risky；〃　Rita　replied；　〃Life　isn't　some　bland　puree　with　all　the　caffeine　and　cholesterol　removed。　It　doesn't　just　go　on　for　ever　and　ever　without　end。　Amen。　For　every　living　thing　there　is　a　beginning；　a　middle；　and　an　end。　And　me　is　chance。　Chance　is　the　means　whereby　God　rules　the　universe。〃
　The　flier　thought　a　moment；　then　continued；　choosing　her　words　carefully。　〃I　have　the　courage　to　try　to　live　with　my　fate；　whatever　it　may　be。〃
　〃Do　you　have　enough？〃　Amy　asked；　dead　serious。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Rita。　She　smiled　at　the　youngster。　〃I　hope　so。　I　haven't　needed　much　courage　so　far。　I'm　healthy；　reasonably　intelligent；　and　I've　been　lucky。　But　still；　I　gather　courage　where　I　find　it　and　save　it　for　the　storms　to　e。〃
　
　20
　
　Through　the　years　Jake　Grafton　had　bee　a　connoisseur　of　air　force　bases。　Visiting　one　was　like　driving　through　Newport　or　Beverly　Hills。　With　manicured　lawns；　trimmed　trees；　well…kept　substantial　buildings　and　nifty　painted　signs；　air　force　bases　made　him　fed　like　a　poor　farm　boy　visiting　the　estate　of　a　rich　uncle。　In　contrast；　the　money　tile　admirals　wheedled　from　a　parsimonious　Congress　went　into　ships　and　airplanes。　The　dedication　of　a　new　cinder…block　enlisted　quarters　at　some　cramped　navy　base　in　the　industrial　district　of　a　major　port　city　was　such　a　rare　event　that　it　would　draw　a　half　dozen　admirals　and　maybe　the　CNO。
　The　Tonopah　facility；　however；　didn't　look　like　any　air　force　base　Jake　had　ever　seen。　It　looked　like　some　shacky；　jerry…built　temporary　facility　the　navy　had　stuck　out　in　the　middle　of　nowhere　during　World　War　n　and　had　only　now　decided　to　improve。　Perhaps　this　base　was　just　too　new。　Bulldozers　and　carthmovere　sat　scattered　around　on　large；　open　wounds　of　raw　earth。　No　trees　or　grass　yet；　though　two　trenchers　appeared　to　be　excavating　for　a　sprinkler　system。　When　the　wind　blew；　great　clouds　of　dust　embedded　with　tumbleweeds　swept　across　the　flat；　featureless　desert　and　through　the　stark　frames　of　buildings　under　construction；　and　the　wind　blew　most　of　the　time。
　Security　was　as　tight　as　Jake　had　ever　seen　it　in　the　military。　Air　policemen　in　natty　uniforms　with　white　dickeys　at　their　throats　manned　the　gates　and　patrolled　chain　link　fences　topped　with　barbed　wire　while　they　fought　to　keep　their　spiffy　blue　berets　in　place　against　the　wind。　The　fences　were　woven　with　metal　strips　to　form　opaque　barriers。　Signs　every　few　yards　forbade　stopping　or　photography。　You　needed　a　pass　to　enter　any　area；　and　prominent　signs　vibrating　in　the　wind　advised　you　of　that　fact
　The　place　reeked　with　that　peculiar　aroma　of　government　intrigue：　Important；　stupendous　things　are　happening　here。　You　don't　want　to　know！　We　who　do　also　know　that　you　couldn't　handle　it。　Trust　us。　In　other　words；　the　overall　effect　was　precisely　the　same　gray　ambience　of　don't…bother…us　superiority　that　oozes　from　large　post　offices　and　the　mausoleums　that　house　the　departments　of　motor　vehicles；　social　services；　and　similar　enterprises　throughout　the　land。
　Even　the　sergeant　at　the　desk　of　the　Visiting　Officers'　Quarters　wanted　to　see　Jake　Grafton's　security　documents。　He　made　cryptic　notations　in　a　battered　green　logbook　and　passed　them　back　without　ment　as　he　frowned　at　Helmut　Fritsche's　facial　hair。　After　all；　didn't　Lenin　wear　a　beard？
　As　he　escorted　Jake　and　Fritsche　down　the　hall　toward　their　rooms；　Toad　Tarkington　said；　〃This　place　is　really　dead；　Captain。　The　nearest　whorehouse　is　fifty　miles…away。〃
　Fritsche　groaned。
　〃Tonopah　makes　China　Lake　look　like　Paris　after　dark；〃　Tarkington　told　the　physicist　with　relish。　〃This　is　as　far　as　you　can　get　away　from　civilization　without　starting　out　the　other　side。〃　He　lowered　his　voice。　〃There's　spies　everywhere。　The　place　is　crawling　with　'em。　Witch　your　mouth。　Remember；　loose　lips　sink…〃
　〃Loose　lips　sink　lieutenants；〃　Jake　Grafton　rumbled。
　〃Yessir；　them　too；〃　Toad　chirped。
　That　evening　Jake　inspected　the　Consolidated　Technologies　airplane。　Under　the　bright　lights　of　the　cavernous　hangar；　it　was　being　tended　by　a　small　army　of　engineers　and　technicians　who　were　busy　checking　every　system；　every　wire；　every　screw　and　bolt　and　rivet。　Adele　DeCrescentis　watched　a　man　fill　in　a　checklist。　Each　item　was　carefully　marked　when　pleted。　Rita　Moravia　walked　back　and　forth　around　the　aircraft；　looking；　probing；　asking　more　questions　of　the　pany　test　pilot　who　stood　beside　her。　Toad　Tarkington　was　in　the　aft　cockpit；　going　over　the　radar　and　puter　one　more　time　as　a　nearby　yellow　cart　supplied　electrical　power　and　cooling　air。
　At　9　P。M。　they　gathered　in　a　large　ready　room　on　the　second　deck　of　the　hangar's　office　pod。　The　room　was　devoid　of　furnishings　except　for　one　portable　blackboard　and　thirty　or　so　folding　chairs。　
　The　meeting　lasted　until　midnight。　Every　aspect　of　tomorrow's　flight　was　gone　over　in　detail。　Consolidated's　people　approved　the　test　profile　and　agreed　on　the　performance　envelope。　Rita　would　have　to　stay　within　on　the　first　flight。　The　route　of　the　flight　was　laid　out　on　a　large　map　which　was　posted　on　one　wall　and　briefed　by　mander　Les　Richards。　He　pointed　out　the　places　where　ground　cameras　would　be　posted。　Real…time　telemetry　from　the　airplane　would　be　supervised　by　mander　Dalton　Harris。　Smoke　Judy　would　fly　the　chase　plane；　an　F…14　borrowed　from　NAS　Miramar；　and　a　carefully　briefed　RIO　would　film　the　Consolidated　prototype　in　flight　from　the　F…14's　backseat
　After　the　meeting　broke　up；　Jake　Grafton　spent　another　thirty　minutes　with　his　staff；　then　went　down　to　the　hangar　deck。　Only　a　dozen　or　so　technicians　were　still　on　the　job。
　The　overhead　floods　made　little　gleaming　pinpoints　where　they　reflected　on　the　black　surface　of　the　Consolidated　stealth　plane。　As　he　walked；　the　tiny　pinpoints　moved　along　the　plex　curved　surfaces　in　an　unpredictable　way。　With　his　face　only　a　foot　or　so　from　the　skin　of　the　plane；　he　studied　it。　The　dark　material　seemed　to　have　an　infinite　depth；　or　perhaps　it　was　only　his　imagination。
　The　outer　skin；　he　knew；　was　made　of　a　posite　that　was　vir