scoonts.theminotaur-第20章

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　〃Now；　as　I　understand　it；　George；　you　people　are　not　going　to　do　your　usual　T　and　E　routine；〃　Senator　Duquesne　said。　T　and　E　was　Test　and　Evaluation。
　〃No　way　to　keep　the　lid　on　or　meet　our　time　goals　if　we　did　it　the　usual　way。〃
　〃You　a　test　pilot？〃　Duquesne　shot　at　Jake。
　〃No；　sir。〃
　Ludlow's　leg　came　off　the　arm　of　his　chair。　〃He's　an　attack　pilot；〃　the　secretary　said　mildly；　〃one　of　the　very　best　we　have。　He　knows　carrier　aviation　as　well　as　anyone　in　uniform。〃
　〃What　d'ya　know　about　stealth？〃　the　senator　demanded。
　〃Very　little；　sir；　but　I'm　learning。〃
　〃Horse　puckey！　What　does　the　navy　need　for　an　attack　plane　at　the　turn　of　the　century？　What　about　range；　payload；　survivability；　maintainability？　How　much　should　the　navy　pay？〃
　〃I…〃　Jake　began；　but　Ludlow　was　also　talking：　〃Senator；　policy　is　my…〃
　Senator　Duquesne　raised　his　voice。　He　thundered　at　Ludlow：
　〃I'll　say　this　again　with　these　gentlemen　present。　I'm　not　happy　about　this　whole　thing；　George。　Not　happy。　You　have　a　program　here　that　you　will　want　funded　for　three　hundred　and　fifty　airplanes　at　about　fifty　million　each；　seventeen　and　a　half　billion　dollars'　worth；　and　you　intend　to　make　the　decision　on　which　prototype　to　buy　based　on　Captain　Grafton's　quick　and　dirty　remendation？〃
　〃You　overstate　it；　Senator。　We…being　me；　CNO；　Vice　Admirals　Henry　and　Dunedin…we　propose　to　make　a　remendation　to　SECDEF　based　on　the　needs　of　the　navy。　We　will　look　closely　at　Captain　Grafton's　evaluation　to　help　us　determine　which　of　the　two　prototypes　best　meets　those　needs。　And　his　evaluation　will　be　quick　but　it　won't　be　dirty。〃　The　senator　twisted　in　his　chair。　The　secretary　continued；　relentless。　〃No　captain　determines　the　needs　of　the　navy；　Senator。　I　do　that。　The　President　and　SECDEF…〃
　Duquesne　stopped　him　with　an　upraised　palm。　〃Don't　lecture　me；　George。　And　don't　patronize　me！　Major　weapons　systems　procurement　gets　shrouded　in　secrecy；　taken　out　of　the　normal　channels　where　Congress　can　look　things　over；　and　major　decisions　get　made　on　the　basis　of　one　document　generated　by　one　of　your　junior　subordinates　which　no　one　can　confirm　or　refute。　And　you　tell　me　to　relax？　Seventeen　billion　dollars　for　a　plane　that　may　or　may　not　be　adequately　tested；　that　may　or　may　not　do　what　we're　buying　it　to　do？　Plus　ten　more　billion　for　spare　parts　and　simulators　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　No　dirt；　huh？　Goddamnit；　Ludlow；　I　don't　trust　you　any　further　than　I　could　throw　a　scalded　cat！　You're　trying　to　make　Congress　a　goddamn　rubber　stamp！〃
　Ludlow　leaned　forward　in　his　chair。　〃I　never　said　for　you　to　relax！　You　people　agreed　to　the　classification　level　of　these　black　stealth　projects！　You　people　understood　the　problems　involved　and　approved　the　administrative　shortcuts！　Now　you…〃
　〃I　said　don't　patronize　me！　And　quit　pointing　that　fucking　bullet　at　me！〃
　Henry　rose　nastily　and　Jake　followed。　〃Talk　to　you　later；　Mr。　Secretary；〃　he　said；　and　Ludlow　nodded　as　he　fired　another　volley　at　the　senator。
　〃Jesus。〃　Jake　muttered　when　they　reached　the　hallway　and　the　door　closed　behind　them…
　〃Yeah；〃　the　admiral　agreed。
　〃How　e　Duquesne　is　so　upset　when　the　decision　hasn't　been　made？〃
　〃That's　just　it。　One　of　the　prototypes　was　manufactured　in　his　home　state。　He's　fought　hard　on　the　Hill　for　stealth　and　he　wants　his　plane　to　be　chosen　and　the　air　force　didn't　buy　it。　Now；　if　the　navy　doesn't。。。　Well；　you　get　the　idea。〃
　〃Uh…huh；〃　Jake　said　as　the　full　dimensions　of　his　new　position　came　into　much　better　focus。　So　Henry　had　asked　for　him　to　run　the　ATA　project；　eh？　No　doubt　his　name　had　been　discussed　with　Ludlow　and　the　Chief　of　Naval　Operations　as　well　as　Vice　Admiral　Dunedin…NAVAIR。　They　could　praise　him　to　the　skies　for　his　report　or　ease　him　right　out　of　the　navy。　They　needed　a　man　they　could　dispose　of　if　necessary。　And　they　found　me；　Jake　thought　bitterly。　A　gilt…edge　reputation；　my　ass！
　In　Henry's　office；　Jake　said　calmly；　〃Better　make　sure　your　antibugging　devices　are　on。〃
　The　admiral　did　so　while　eyeing　Jake。　When　he　was　seated；　Jake　said；　〃I　took　a　little　drive　yesterday；　sir。　Saw　a　state　trooper　up　in　West　Virginia　named　Keadle。　Read　an　accident　report。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Passed　one　of　the　guys　from　my　shop　on　my　way　back　here　yesterday　afternoon。　He　was　on　his　way　to　West　Virginia。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Admiral；　why　don't　you　tell　me　what　really　happened　in　West　Virginia　after　Harold　Strong　was　killed？〃
　〃Are　you　suggesting　I　haven't？〃
　〃I　can't　do　my　job；　sir；　unless　you　play　straight　with　me。　I　play　straight　with　you；　you　have　to　play　straight　with　me。〃
　Admiral　Henry　looked　out　his　window　a　while；　examined　his　fingernails　and　finally　directed　his　gaze　back　to　Jake。　〃I　think　you　had　better　discuss　any　concerns　you　have　with　Admiral　Dunedin。〃　He　picked　up　a　sheet　of　paper　and　began　to　scan　it。　The　interview　was　over。
　〃Aye　aye；　sir；〃　Jake　said；　and　left　the　room。　He　retrieved　his　hat　in　the　outer　office　and　caught　the　shuttle　back　to　Crystal　City。
　As　the　little　bus　wound　its　way　from　the　parking　lot；　Jake　looked　back　at　the　Pentagon。　It　appeared　tow　and　massive　from　this　perspective。　Endless　rows　of　windows。　It　also　looked　gray　under　this　overcast。
　Admiral　Dunedin　was　in　conference。　Jake　didn't　get　in　to　see　him　until　almost　3　P。M。　He　got　right　to　it。　〃I　went　to　West　Virginia　yesterday　to　see　what　I　could　find　out　about　Harold　Strong's　death。　On　the　way　back　here　I　passed　one　of　the　people　from　my　shop　heading　the　other　way。〃
　〃Who？〃　said　Dunedin；　apparently　genuinely　curious。
　〃Smoke　Judy。〃
　〃How　about　that；〃　Dunedin　muttered。
　〃Admiral；　I'm　a　little　baffled。　Vice　Admiral　Henry　briefed　me　on　some　of　the　events　surrounding　Strong's　death；　but　this　morning　when　I　mentioned　this　incident　to　him；　he　didn't　even　ask　who　it　was　from　my　office　that　passed　me。　I　get　the　distinct　impression　I'm　being　mushroomed。〃
　Dunedin　lifted　an　eyebrow；　then　apparently　thought　better　of　it　and　went　back　to　deadpan。　He　apparently　knew　about　mushrooms：　you　kept　them　in　the　dark　and　fed　them　shit。　〃I　guess　everyone　is　a　little　baffled；〃　he　said　carefully。　〃Strong's　death　was　a　tragedy。　Nothing　we　can　do　about　it；　though。〃
　〃Well；　I　could　sure　use　a　little　more　infor…〃
　〃Who　couldn't？　But　I　don't　have　any　information　I　can　share　with　you。　Sorry。〃　His　tone　made　the　apology　a　mere　pleasantry。　Before　Jake　could　reply；　he　said；　〃There's　a　meeting　at　sixteen…thirty　hours　in　the　Under　Secretary　of　the　Navy's　office　on　next　year's　budget。　We've　got　a　billion　dollars　for　ATA　buried　in　there　under　carrier　modernization　and　enhancement。　You　go　to　the　meeting　and　represent　me。　If　they　try　to　cut　that　line　item　or　slice　it　down　in　any　way；　you　call　me。〃
　〃Yessir。〃　The　admiral　selected　a　report　from　his　in　basket　and　began　to　read。　Jake　left。　After　he　told　the　secretary　that　he　was　going　to　a　meeting；　he　walked　to　the　officer　personnel　office；　where　he　had　to　wait　until　two　other　officers　had　finished　before　he　could　talk　to　the　chief　petty　officer。　〃Do　you　have　my　service　record　in　here？〃
　〃Last　four　digits　of　your　social　security　number；　sir？〃
　〃Oh…six…oh…seven。〃
　It　took　the　chief　just　half　a　minute　to　pull　it　from　the　drawer。
　〃Chief；　how　about　you　ginning　up　a　request　for　retirement　for　my　signature？〃
　The　chief　yeoman's　eyes　showed　his　surprise。　〃Okay；　sir；　if　that's　what　you　want。　It's　gotta　be　effective　on　the　first　day　of　a　month　between　four　and　six　months　from　now。〃
　Jake　eyed　the　wall　calendar。　〃September　first。　When　can　I　sign　it？〃
　〃Monday　okay？〃
　〃See　you　then。〃
　〃Any　particular　reason　you　want　stated；　sir？〃
　〃The　usual。　Whatever　you　usually　say。〃
　
　Dashing　the　four　blocks　to　Dr。　Arnold's　office　after　her　eleven　o'clock　class　on　Friday　was　always　a　hassle　for　Callie。　A　student　or　two　usually　buttonholed　her　to　clarify　a　point　or　ment　made　during　class　and　it　took　several　minutes　to　satisfy　them　without　being　rude。　Then　came　the　four…block　march　which　crossed　two　avenues　hub　to　hub　with　noon　traffic。
　She　was　perspiring　slightly　when　Arnold's　receptionist　nodded　at　her。　Two　minutes　early。　Of　course；　a　few　minutes　late　wouldn't　hurt；　but　Arnold　ended　the　sessions　precisely　at　ten　minutes　before　the　hour　and　the　fee　was　105　regardless