mc.risingsun-第51章

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ust　look　at　the　numbers。　Don't　do　it。〃
　〃Please。〃
　Morton　said；　〃I'll　think　about　it；　fellas。〃
　The　two　aides　seemed　to　realize　that　that　was　all　they　were　going　to　get。　They　closed　their　printouts　with　a　snap。
　〃You　want　us　to　send　Margie　over　to　rewrite？〃
　〃No。　I'm　thinking　about　it。〃
　〃Maybe　Margie　should　just　rough　out　a　few　lines。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Okay；　John。　Okay。〃
　〃You　know；〃　Morton　said；　as　they　were　leaving；　〃some　day　an　American　politician　is　going　to　do　what　he　thinks　is　right；　instead　of　what　the　polls　tell　him。　And　it's　going　to　look　revolutionary。〃
　The　two　aides　turned　back　together。　〃John；　e　on。　You're　tired。〃
　〃It's　been　a　long　trip。　We　understand。〃
　〃John。　Trust　us　on　this；　we　have　the　figures。　We　are　telling　you　with　ninety…five　percent　confidence　intervals　how　the　people　feel。〃
　〃I　know　damn　well　how　they　feel。　They　feel　frustrated。　And　I　know　why。　It's　been　fifteen　years　since　they've　had　any　leadership。〃
　〃John。　Let's　not　do　this　one　again。　This　is　the　twentieth　century。　Leadership　is　the　quality　of　telling　people　what　they　want　to　hear。〃
　They　walked　away。
　Immediately；　Woodson　came　up；　carrying　a　portable　phone。　He　started　to　speak；　but　Morton　held　up　his　hand。　〃Not　now；　Bob。〃
　〃Senator；　I　think　you　need　to　take　this　…〃
　〃Not　now。〃
　Woodson　backed　away。　Morton　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃You're　Mr。　Connor　and　Mr。　Smith？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Connor　said。
　〃Let's　walk；〃　Morton　said。　He　started　away　from　the　film　crew；　toward　a　hill　overlooking　the　rolling　course。　It　was　Friday。　Not　many　people　were　playing。　We　stood　about　fifty　meters　from　the　crew。
　〃I　asked　you　to　e；〃　Morton　said；　〃because　I　understand　you're　the　officers　in　charge　of　the　Nakamoto　business。〃
　I　was　about　to　protest　that　it　wasn't　true；　that　Graham　was　the　officer　in　charge；　when　Connor　said；　〃That's　true；　we　are。〃
　〃I　have　some　questions　about　that　case。　I　gather　it's　been　resolved　now？〃
　〃It　seems　to　be。〃
　〃Is　your　investigation　finished？〃
　〃For　all　practical　purposes；　yes；〃　Connor　said。　〃The　investigation　is　concluded。〃
　Morton　nodded。　〃I'm　told　you　officers　are　particularly　knowledgeable　about　the　Japanese　munity；　is　that　right？　One　of　you　has　even　lived　in　Japan？〃
　Connor　gave　a　slight　bow；
　〃You　were　the　one　playing　golf　with　Hanada　and　Asaka　today？〃　Morton　said。
　〃You're　well　informed。〃
　〃I　spoke　with　Mr。　Hanada　this　morning。　We　have　had　contact　in　the　past；　on　other　matters。〃　Morton　turned　abruptly　and　said；　〃My　question　is　this。　Is　the　Nakamoto　business　related　to　MicroCon？〃
　〃How　do　you　mean？〃　Connor　said。
　〃The　sale　of　MicroCon　to　the　Japanese　has　e　before　the　Senate　Finance　mittee；　which　I　chair。　We've　been　asked　for　a　remendation　by　staff　from　the　mittee　on　Science　and　Technology；　which　must　actually　authorize　the　sale。　As　you　know；　the　sale　is　controversial。　In　the　past　I　have　gone　on　record　as　opposing　the　sale。　For　a　variety　of　reasons。　You're　familiar　with　all　this？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Connor　said。
　〃I　still　have　problems　about　it；〃　Morton　said。　〃MicroCon's　advanced　technology　was　developed　in　part　with　American　taxpayer　money。　I'm　outraged　that　our　taxpayers　should　pay　for　research　that　is　being　sold　to　the　Japanese　…　who　will　then　use　it　to　pete　against　our　own　panies。　I　feel　strongly　we　should　be　protecting　American　capacity　in　high…tech　areas。　I　feel　we　should　be　protecting　our　intellectual　resources。　I　feel　we　should　be　limiting　foreign　investment　in　our　corporations　and　our　universities。　But　I　seem　to　be　alone　in　this。　I　can't　find　support　in　the　Senate　or　in　industry。　merce　won't　help　me。　The　trade　rep's　worried　it'll　upset　the　rice　negotiations。　Rice。　Even　the　Pentagon　is　against　me　on　this。　And　I　just　wondered；　since　Nakamoto　is　the　parent　pany　of　Akai　Ceramics；　whether　the　events　of　last　night　had　any　relationship　to　the　proposed　sale。〃
　He　paused。　He　was　looking　at　us　in　an　intense　way。　It　was　almost　as　if　he　expected　that　we　would　know　something。
　Connor　said；　〃I'm　not　aware　of　any　linkage。〃
　〃Has　Nakamoto　done　anything　unfair　or　improper　to　promote　the　sale？〃
　〃Not　that　I　am　aware；　no。〃
　〃And　your　investigation　is　formally　concluded？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　just　want　to　be　clear。　Because　if　I　back　down　on　my　opposition　to　this　sale；　I　don't　want　to　find　that　I've　stuck　my　hand　in　a　box　of　snakes。　One　could　argue　that　the　party　at　Nakamoto　was　an　attempt　to　win　over　opponents　to　the　sale。　So　a　change　of　position　can　be　worrisome。　You　know　in　Congress　they　can　get　you　ing　and　going；　with　a　thing　like　this。〃
　Connor　said；　〃Are　you　abandoning　your　opposition　to　the　sale？〃
　From　across　the　lawn；　an　aide　said；　〃Senator？　They're　ready　for　you；　sir。〃
　〃Well。〃　Morton　shrugged。　〃I'm　out　on　a　limb　with　this　thing。　Nobody　agrees　with　my　position　on　MicroCon。　Personally；　I　think　it's　another　Fairchild　case。　But　if　this　battle　can't　be　won；　I　say；　let's　not　fight　it。　Plenty　of　other　battles　to　be　fought；　anyway。〃　He　straightened；　smoothed　his　suit。
　〃Senator？　When　you're　ready；　sir。〃　And　he　added；　〃They're　concerned　about　the　light。〃
　〃They're　concerned　about　the　light；〃　Morton　said；　shaking　his　head。
　〃Don't　let　us　keep　you；〃　Connor　said。
　〃Anyway；〃　Morton　said。　〃I　wanted　your　input。　I　understand　you　to　say　that　last　night　had　nothing　to　do　with　MicroCon。　The　people　involved　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　I'm　not　going　to　read　next　month　that　someone　was　working　behind　the　scenes；　trying　to　promote　or　block　the　sale。　Nothing　like　that。〃
　〃Not　as　far　as　I　know；〃　Connor　said。
　〃Gentlemen；　thank　you　for　ing；〃　he　said。　He　shook　both　of　our　hands；　and　started　away。　Then　he　came　back。　〃I　appreciate　your　treating　this　matter　as　confidential。　Because；　you　know；　we　have　to　be　careful。　We　are　at　war　with　Japan。〃　He　smiled　wryly。　〃Loose　lips　sink　ships。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Connor　said。　〃And　remember　Pearl　Harbor。〃
　〃Christ；　that　too。〃　He　shook　his　head。　He　dropped　his　voice；　being　one　of　the　boys。　〃You　know；　I　have　colleagues　who　say　sooner　or　later　we're　going　to　have　to　drop　another　bomb。　They　think　it'll　e　to　that。〃　He　smiled。　〃But　I　don　t　feel　that　way。　Usually。〃
　Still　smiling；　he　headed　back　to　the　camera　crew。　As　he　walked；　he　collected　people；　first　a　woman　with　script　changes；　then　a　wardrobe　man；　then　a　sound　man　fiddling　with　his　microphone　and　adjusting　the　battery　pack　at　his　waist；　and　the　makeup　woman；　until　finally　the　senator　had　disappeared　from　view；　and　there　was　just　a　cluster　of　people　moving　awkwardly　across　the　lawn。
　
　？
　I　said；　〃I　like　him。〃
　I　was　driving　back　into　Hollywood。　The　buildings　were　hazy　in　the　smog。
　〃Why　shouldn't　you　like　him？〃　Connor　said。　〃He's　a　politician。　It's　his　job　to　make　you　like　him。〃
　〃Then　he's　good　at　his　job。〃
　〃Very　good；　I　think。〃
　Connor　stared　out　the　window　silently。　I　had　the　sense　that　something　was　troubling　him。
　I　said；　〃Didn't　you　like　what　he　was　saying　in　the　mercial？　It　sounded　like　all　the　things　you　say。〃
　〃Yes。　It　did。〃
　〃Then　what's　the　matter？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　Connor　said。　〃I　was　just　thinking　about　what　he　actually　said。〃
　〃He　mentioned　Fairchild。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Connor　said。　〃Morton　knows　the　real　story　about　Fairchild；　very　well。〃
　I　started　to　ask　him　what　it　was；　but　he　was　already　telling　me。
　〃Have　you　ever　heard　of　Seymour　Cray？　For　years；　he　was　the　best　designer　of　superputers　in　the　world。　Cray　Research　made　the　fastest　puters　in　the　world。　The　Japanese　were　trying　to　catch　up　with　him；　but　they　just　couldn't　do　it。　He　was　too　brilliant。　But　by　the　mid…eighties；　Japanese　chip　dumping　had　put　most　of　Cray's　domestic　suppliers　out　of　business。　So　Cray　had　to　order　his　custom…designed　chips　from　Japanese　manufacturers。　There　was　nobody　in　America　to　make　them。　And　his　Japanese　suppliers　experienced　mysterious　delays。　At　one　point；　it　took　them　a　year　to　deliver　certain　chips　he　had　ordered　…　and　during　that　time；　his　Japanese　petitors　made　great　strides　forward。　There　was　also　a　question　of　whether　they　had　stolen　his　new　technology。　Cray　was　furious。　He　knew　they　were　fucking　with　him。　He　decided　that　he　had　to　form　a　liaison　with　an　American　manufacturer；　and　so　he　chose　Fairchild　Semiconductor；　even　though　the　pany　was　financially　weak；　far　from　the　best。　But　Cray　couldn't　trus