scoonts.theminotaur-第6部分

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　The　smile　disappeared　from　Admiral　Henry's　face；　〃I'm　not　going　to　bullshit　you；　Captain。　Last　fall　when　you　disobeyed　a　direct　order　from　a　vice　admiral；　you　may　have　torpedoed　any　chance　you　had　of　ever　getting　promoted　again。　Now　with　hindsight　and　all；　most　people　can　see　you　did　the　right　thing。　But　the　military　won't　work　if　people　go　around　telling　flag　officers　to　get　fucked。　For　any　reason；　justified　or　not。　And　the　congressmen　and　politicos　from　SECDEPs　office　who　interfered　with　a　navy　investigation　of　that　incident　made　you　no　friends。〃
　He　raised　his　hand　when　Jake　opened　his　mouth　to　speak。　〃I　know；　I　know；　you　had　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　that　and　you　couldn't　control　the　politicians　even　if　you　tried。　No　one　can。　They　go　any　damn　place　they　want　with　hobnail　boots。　Still；　they　raised　hackles　when　they　implied　the　navy　couldn't　or　wouldn't　be　fair　in　its　treatment　of　a　naval　officer。〃
　〃I　understand。〃
　The　admiral　nodded。　〃I　suspect　you　do。　Your　record　says　you're　one　of　our　best；　which　is　why　I　asked　for　you。　We　need　a　shit…hot　attack　pilot　with　a　ton　of　smarts　and　a　gilt…edge　reputation　who　can　waltz　a　little　project　through　the　minefields。　You're　him。〃
　Jake　flexed　his　hands　and　rearranged　his　bottom　in　his　chair。　〃I　didn't　think　my　reputation　was　quite　that　shiny。　And　I've　never　had　any　Pentagon　duty　before。〃
　Henry　pretended　not　to　have　heard。　〃Do　you　want　to　hear　about　the　job？〃
　〃I'm　just　a　little　surprised；　sir。　Shocked　might　be　a　better　word。　I'd　thought。。。〃　He　punched　the　air。　〃What's　the　job？〃
　〃You'll　be　working　for　Vice　Admiral　Roger　Dunedin。　He's　NAVAIR。〃　NAVAIR　was　Naval　Air　Systems　mand；　the　procurement　arm　of　naval　aviation。　〃He　needs　a　new　program　manager　for　the　Advanced　Tactical　Aircraft；　also　known　as　the　ATA。　If　and　when　we　get　it；　it'll　be　the　A…12。〃
　Jake　Grafton　couldn't　suppress　a　grin。
　The　admiral　laughed。　〃The　fact　we　have　this　project　is　unclassified。　ATA；　A…12；　those　are　the　only　two　things　useless　in　the　whole　program；　and　those　two　terms　were　just　recently　declassified。　The　project　is　black。〃　Jake　had　heard　about　〃black〃　programs；　so　highly　classified　that　even　the　existence　of　the　program　was　sometimes　a　secret。
　The　admiral　rapped　a　knuckle　on　the　desk。　〃So　far；　it　appears　to　be　one　of　our　best…kept　military　secrets。〃　His　voice　fell　to　a　murmur。　〃No　way　of　being　sure；　of　course。〃
　Henry　fixed　his　eyes　on　Jake。　〃The　A…12　is　our　follow…on　airplane　for　the　A…6。〃　The　A…6　Intruder　was　the　aircraft　carriers'　main　offensive　weapon；　an　all…weather　medium　attack　plane。
　〃But　I　thought　the　A…6　was　going　to　remain　in　the　inventory　into　the　next　century。　That　was　the　justification　for　the　A…6G　project…new　graphite…posite　wings　and　updated　avionics。〃
　〃The　A…6　had　to　have　the　new　wings　just　to　stay　in　the　air；　and　the　A…6G　avionics　are　going　into　the　A…12。　We　were　trying　the　new　gee…whiz　gizmos　out　in　the　A…6G；　until　they　canceled　it。〃　The　A…6G　had　died　under　the　budget　cutters'　knives。　Henry　smiled　wickedly。　〃The　A…12　will　have　something　even　better。　Athena。　Do　you　know　Greek　mythology？〃
　〃A　smattering。　Wasn't　Athena　the　goddess　of　war；　the　protector　of　warriors？〃
　〃Yep；　and　she　had　a　quality　that　we　are　going　to　give　to　our　new　plane。〃　He　paused　and　raised　one　finger　aloft。　When　he　grinned　like　that　his　eyebrows　matched　the　curve　of　his　lips。　〃She　could　make　herself　invisible。〃　Jake　just　stared。
　〃Stealth　technology。　The　air　force　built　a　land…based　fighter：　that's　first…generation　stealth　technology。　Then　came　new　paint　and　radar…absorbent　materials　and　the　flying…wing　shape…that's　second…generation。〃　His　voice　dropped　conspiratorially。　〃We're　building　an　all…weather；　go…anywhere　anytime　carrier…based　attack　plane　that　will　equal　or　exceed　the　A…6　in　range；　speed　and　payload；　and　carry　advanced　sensors　that　will　make　the　A…6　look　blind　as　a　cornfield　scarecrow。　These　sensors…anyway；　they're　a　whole　new　generation　beyond　the　A…6。　And　the　A…12　will　have　third…generation　stealth　technology…Athena…which　will　make　it　truly　invisible　to　radar。　A　stealth　Super…Intruder；　if　you　wish。　That's　the　A…12。〃　Henry's　eyebrows　danced。
　〃And　that；　my　friend；　is　the　secret〃
　The　admiral　smacked　his　hand　on　the　desk。　The　gold　rings　encircling　his　sleeve　attracted　Jake's　eye。　〃The　Russians　don't　know　about　it。　Yet。　If　we　can　get　this　thing　to　sea　before　they　steal　the　technology　and　figure　out　how　to　counter　it；　we've　pretty　well　guaranteed　that　there　won't　be　a　conventional　war　with　the　Soviets　for　at　least　the　next　ten　years。　Their　ships　would　be　defenseless　against　a　stealth　Intruder。〃
　Admiral　Henry　sighed。　〃We're　trying　to　build　one　of　these　things；　anyway。　You're　replacing　Captain　Harold　Strong；　who　was　killed　in　a　car　wreck　a　month　ago。　We　had　to　wait　to　get　you；　but　now；　by　God；　your　ass　is　ours。〃
　Jake　Grafton　sat　stunned。　〃But　how…all　the　weapons　will　have　to　be　carried　externally　and　they'll　reflect　energy…how　will　you　get　around　that？〃
　The　corners　of　Henry's　lips　turned　up　until　his　mouth　formed　a　V　and　his　eyebrows　danced。　〃You're　going　to　enjoy　this　job；　Captain。〃
　〃A　real　job；〃　Jake　said；　his　relief　obvious。　〃And　I　thought　I　was　just　going　to　be　designing　fitness　report　forms。〃
　〃Oh；〃　Henry　boomed。　〃If　you　want　you　can　work　on　that　in　your　spare　time。　Don't　know　when　you'd　sleep；　though。〃　He　turned　serious。　〃Things　are　really　starting　to　move。　We've　got　two　prototypes　about　ready　to　fly…constructed　by　two　different　manufacturers…and　we　must　get　them　evaluated　and　award　the　production　contract。　We've　got　to　quit　noodling　and　get　this　show　on　the　road。　We　need　airplanes。　That's　why　you're　here。〃
　After　a　glance　at　his　watch；　Henry　reached　for　his　inter。　His　hand　hovered　near　it。　〃Start　checking　in；〃　he　said　hurriedly。　〃Go　get　your　paperwork　done。　They've　got　some　orders　for　you　someplace；　you'll　have　to　find　them。　Maybe　at　NAVAIR；　which　is　over　at　Crystal　City。　Then　you　might　go　around　the　corner　and　introduce　yourself　to　the　project　coordinator。　mander　Rob　Knight。　He's　here　today；　I　think。　I'll　see　you　at　nine　tomorrow　morning。　And　then　I　want　to　hear　all　about　the　attack　on　United　States　and　how　you　started　El　Hakim　on　the　road　to　Paradise。〃
　He　keyed　the　inter　and　started　talking　as　he　shooed　Jake　out　with　his　left　hand。　Jake　didn't　even　get　a　chance　to　say　thanks。
　Crystal　City；　Jake　was　informed　by　Henry's　aide；　was　across　the　Pentagon's　south　parking　lot；　on　the　other　side　of　the　highway；　southeast　of　the　Pentagon。　NAVAIR　was　in　buildings　JP…1　and　JP…2；　in　the　northern　portion　of　the　Crystal　City　office　plex。　He　wandered　out　into　the　corridors　and　walked　along　slightly　dazed。　A　real　job！　A　big　job！
　Although　the　aide　had　suggested　the　shuttle　bus；　Jake　decided　to　walk。　After　asking　an　air　force　officer　in　the　parking　lot　which　set　of　tall　buildings　was　which　and　getting　a　careful　sighting　across　a　pointing　finger；　Jake　began　walking。　The　wind　was　chilly；　but　not　intolerably　so。　Under　1…395；　across　a　four…lane　boulevard　dodging　traffic；　under　U。S。　Route　1；　the　hike　took　about　ten　minutes。　He　accosted　a　pedestrian　and　building　Jefferson　Plaza　1　was　pointed　out。　In　he　went；　punched　the　elevator　button　and　after　waiting　what　seemed　to　be　an　inordinately　long　time；　rode　to　the　twelfth　floor；　the　top　one。
　They　did　have　a　set　of　orders。　It　took　the　civilian　secretary　five　minutes　to　find　them；　and　in　the　interim　Jake　visited　with　three　officers　he　knew　from　his　shipboard　days。　With　the　orders　in　his　hand；　the　secretary　called　a　yeoman；　who　put　the　captain　to　work　filling　out　forms。
　Jake　was　eating　lunch　in　Gus's　Place；　a　mercial　cafeteria　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　plex；　when　Toad　Tarkington　spotted　him。　Toad　came　over；　tray　in　hand。　〃Saw　you　sitting　over　here　by　yourself；　CAG。　May　I　join　you？〃
　Jake　moved　his　tray　and　Toad　off…loaded　his　food　onto　the　table。
　A　group　of　junior　officers　twenty　feet　away　began　to　whisper　and　glance　in　their　direction。　〃How　has　your　morning　gone？〃
　〃Same　old　stuff；〃　Toad　announced　as　he　placed　his　large　brown　manila　envelope　full　of　orders　and　forms　on　his　chair　and　carefully　sat　on　it。　〃Got　my　picture　taken　for　my　permanent　building　pass；　which　I'm　supposed　to　pick　up　this　afternoon。　I　must　have　signed　my　name　fifty　times　this　morning。　Every　naval　activity　between　here　and　Diego　Garcia　will　soon　receive　notification　in　triplicate　that　I　can　be　found　sitting　on　the　bull's…eye　at　this　critical　nerve　center　of　the　nation's　defenses；　ready　to　save　the　free　world　from　the　forces　of　evil。〃　Toad　made　a　gesture　of　modesty　and　slowly　unfolded　his　napkin。
　〃I　hear　we're　going　to　be　putting　that　new　officer　fitness　report　form　together；　though　just　why　the　heck　they　got　the　two　greatest　aerial　warriors　of　the　age　over　here　at　NAVAIR　to　do　that　sort　of　beats　me。　Ours　not　to　reason　why。。。〃　He　glanced　at　Jake　to　get　his　reaction　as　he　smoothed　the　napkin　on　his　lap。
　Grafton　sipped　his　coffee；　then　took　another　bite　of　tuna　salad。　〃But　what　the　hell；〃　Toad　continued　cheerfully。　〃Plying；　walking；　or　sitting　on　my　ass；　they　pay　me　just　the　same。　Do　you　know　there　are　3。4　women　in　Washington　for　every　man？　This　is　the　place。　Bachelor　city。　Sodom　on　the　Potomac。　A　studly　young　lad　ought　to　be　able　to　do　pretty　well　with　all　these　lonely　females　seeking　to　satisfy　their　social　and　sexual　needs。　Mr。　Acmodation；　that's　me。　I　figure　with　my　salary…〃
　〃The　sexual　revolution　is　over；〃　Jake　muttered　as　he　forked　more　tuna　salad。　〃You　missed　it。〃
　〃Been　carrying　on　a　guerrilla　campaign；　sir。　Indomitable　and　unconquerable；　that's　the　ol'　Horny　Toad；　even　in　the　age　of　latex。　I　just　dress　up　like　the　Micbehn　man　and　go　for　it。　A　fellow　could　always　spring　a　leak；　I　guess；　but　the　bee　must　go　from　flower　to　flower。　That's　the　natural　order　of　things。〃　He　chewed　thoughtfully。　〃Have　you　noticed　how　those　people　over　Acre　keep　weaking　looks　at　us？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Jake　didn't　look　around。　Although　the　room　was　wed　with　civilians　and　uniformed　men　and　women　eating　and　carrying　trays　and　visiting　over　coffee；　the　tow　junior　officers　two　tables　away　had　been　glancing　over　and　speaking　softly　since　Jake　sat　down。
　〃It's　been　like　that　all　day　with　me；〃　Toad　said　with　a　hint　of　despair　in　his　voice；　then　sent　another　mouthful　of　food　down　b