scoonts.theminotaur-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tance　just　enough。〃　He　gestured　to　a　row　of　pressure　bottles　that　stood　in　one　corner　of　his　workshop。　〃Still；　there's　so　much　puting　involved　we　had　to　go　to　a　distributed　system　with　multiple　CPUs。〃
　Jake　felt　like　a　schoolboy　who　hadn't　done　his　homework。　〃But　how　does　the　outgoing　radar　signal　cancel　the　ining　one？〃
　Dodgers　stepped　over　to　a　blackboard　standing　in　the　corner。　He　looked　around…〃Where's　the　rag？〃…then　used　his　shirt　sleeve　to　erase　a　spot　〃Harold；　where's　that　blasted　chalk？〃
　〃Here；　Dad。〃　The　young　man　picked　up　a　piece　from　a　nearby　bench。
　Dr。　Dodgers　drew　a　sine　wave　on　the　board。　〃Do　you　know　anything　about　radiation？〃　he　asked　Jake　gruffly。
　Jake　nodded　hesitantly　as　he　traced　a　sine　wave　in　the　air　with　his　finger。　He　knew　from　experience　that　claiming　knowledge　in　the　presence　of　a　physicist　was　not　a　good　idea。
　〃It　moves　in　waves；〃　Dodgers　agreed　dubiously。　He　drew　another　sine　wave　over　the　first；　yet　the　peaks　of　the　second　were　where　the　valleys　of　the　first　one　were；　and　vice　versa。　〃The　first　tine　is　the　reflected　signal。　The　second　line　is　our　outgoing　signal。　They　cancel　each　other。〃
　Jake　turned　to　Fritsche　with　raised　eyebrows。　Fritsche　nodded　affirmatively。　〃This　principle　has　been　known　for　a　century。　Dr。　Dodgers'　real　contribution…breakthrough…has　been　in　the　area　of　superconductivity　at　higher　temperatures　than　anyone　else　has　been　able　to　achieve。　So　he　asked　himself　what　puter　applications　were　now　possible　that　had　been　impossible　before。〃
　〃And　came　up　with　this　one；〃　Jake　muttered；　for　the　first　time　seeing　the　intelligence　and　determination　in　that　face　under　the　bill　of　the　cap。
　〃Let's　fire　it　up；〃　Dodgers　suggested。　〃Helmut；　if　you　will　be　good　enough　to　take　Captain　Grafton　and　Harold　up　to　the　outhouse；　I'll　do　the　magic　down　here。〃
　As　Harold　drove　the　rental　car　along　a　dirt　track　through　a　field；　Jake　asked；　〃How's　security　out　here？〃
　〃Security？〃　the　young　man　said；　his　puzzlement　showing。　〃The　neighbors　are　all　Presbyterians　and　Methodists　and　they　think　Dad's　a　harmless　loony。　Their　kids　get　curious　and　e　around　occasionally　when　they're　out　of　school　or　in　the　evenings；　but　we　don't　tell　them　anything　and　they　wander　off　after　a　while。　Just　got　to　keep　them　away　when　we're　radiating。　Been　having　some　troubles　with　the　power　pany　from　time　to　time。　We　sure　pull　a　lot　of　juice　when　we're　cooling　down　that　hydrogen　and　they've　dropped　the　load　hereabouts　a　time　or　two。〃
　〃We　had　the　head　of　the　Federal　Power　mission　call　the　president　of　Pacific　Gas　and　Electric；〃　Fritsche　told　Jake。
　〃The　district　engineer　still　es　around　occasionally；　though；〃　Harold　continued。　〃I　think　he's　harmless。　Dad's　been　feeding　him　a　line　about　experimentation　with　electromagnetism；　and　he　bought　it　'cause　he's　local　and　knows　Dad's　a　dingbat。〃　The　youngster　goosed　the　accelerator　to　take　them　through　a　mudhole　in　the　road。　〃Nice　car。　I'd　sure　like　to　have　a　car；　but　Dad…with　the　church　and　all。。。〃
　The　radar　was　mounted　in　the　old　outhouse　on　the　bench　where　the　seats　once　were。　It　radiated　right　through　the　open　door。　Harold　Dodgers　removed　a　padlock　from　a　flap　door　at　the　back　of　the　structure　to　gain　access　to　the　control　panel　and　scope。　〃This　is　an　Owl　Screech　radar；〃　Fritsche　told　Jake。　〃Was　borrowed　it　from　the　EW　range　at　Fallen。〃　The　Electronic　Warfare　range　at　NAS　Fallon；　Nevada；　provided　realistic　training　for　fleet　aircrews。
　〃Wonder　where　the　U。S。　Navy　got　this　thing。〃　Owl　Screech　was　a　Soviet…made　gunfire…control　radar。
　〃From　the　Israelis；　I　think。　They　had　a　few　to　spare　after　the　1973　war。〃
　The　drone　of　a　jet　somewhere　overhead　caused　Jake　to　scan　the　blue　sky。　It　was　high；　conning。　An　airliner　or　a　bomber。　A　row　of　trees　higher　on　the　hill　waved　their　leaves　to　the　gentle　breeze。　So　warm　and　pleasant　here。　Jake　sat　down　in　the　grass　while　the　redheaded　youngster　worked　at　the　control　panel　and　Helmut　Fritsche　observed。
　〃We're　not　getting　any　power；〃　Harold　announced。　〃Can　I　borrow　the　car　and　run　back　to　the　shop？〃
　〃Sure。　You　have　the　keys。〃　Harold　eased　the　car　around　and　went　bumping　down　the　dirt　road。　Fritsche　joined　Jake　in　the　grass。
　Jake　tossed　a　pebble　at　the　outhouse。　The　stone　made　a　satisfying　trunk。　〃What's　the　plan　to　get　this　gizmo　into　production？〃
　〃Normally　we　would　do　engineering　drawings　and　blueprints　and　take　bids；　but　due　to　the　time　constraints　and　secrecy　requirements；　we'll　have　to　select　a　contractor　on　a　cost…plus　basis。　The　government　will　retain　title　to　the　technology　and　we'll　pay　Dodgers　royalties。〃
　〃What　contractor　will　get　it？〃
　〃One　with　the　staff　and　manufacturing　capacity　to　do　it　right　and　do　it　quickly。　Probably　an　existing　radar　manufacturer。〃
　〃Cost…plus。　Isn't　that　beltway　French　for　'can't　lose'？　And　the　contractor's　engineers　will　see　all　the　technology　and　have　a　leg　up　on　bids　for　second…　and　third…generation　gear。〃
　〃Yep。〃
　〃And　if　they　can　dream　up　ways　to　do　it　better；　they　can　get　some　patents　of　their　own；〃　Jake　tossed　another　pebble　at　the　outhouse。　〃Gonna　be　a　nice　little　plum　for　somebody。〃
　〃Yep。〃
　〃Good　thing　all　the　guys　in　our　shop　are　honest。〃
　Fritsche　sat　silently；　weighing　that　remark；　Jake　supposed。　〃I　guess　our　people　are　like　everyone　else；〃　Fritsche　said　at　last；　without　inflection。　〃People　are　pretty　generally　alike　all　over。〃
　〃Why　was　Strong　killed？〃
　〃Don't　know。〃
　〃Any　ideas？〃
　〃Some。　But　I　keep　them　to　myself。　I　try　not　to　gossip。　There　are　laws　against　slander。〃
　Jake　Grafton　stood　and　brushed　off　the　seat　of　his　trousers。　〃A　river　of　money　flowing　along　in　front　of　a　bunch　of　guys　on　middle…class　salaries；　a　bunch　of　guys　all　humping　to　keep　their　bills　paid　until　they　get　middle…class　pensions　and　form　letters　of　appreciation　from　the　government。　Everybody's　honest。　Nobody's　tempted。　Makes　me　want　to　salute　the　fucking　flag　and　hum　a　march。〃　He　looked　down　at　Fritsche。
　〃I　have　no　facts；　Captain；〃　the　scientist　said。　〃None。〃
　Jake　looked　around；　trying　to　think　of　something　to　say。　He　gave　up　and　strolled　up　the　hill　to　the　trees；　where　he　relieved　himself。　Somehow　aboard　ship　things　had　been　simpler；　more　clear。　On　his　way　back　to　the　wooden　building　he　saw　the　car　returning　with　Harold　at　the　wheel。
　The　redhead　had　the　radar　fired　up　in　less　than　a　minute。　With　Fritsche　and　Jake　looking　over　his　shoulder；　he　flipped　switches。　〃This　is　its　target…acquisition…its　search…mode。　And　that　blip　right　there　is　the　tabernacle。〃　He　pointed。　Jake　stared　at　the　return　a　moment；　then　stepped　a　few　paces　to　his　right　and　looked　around　the　shed　at　the　scene。　The　radar　in　the　shed　made　a　variety　of　mechanical　noises　and　he　could　hear　the　antenna　banging　back　and　forth　against　its　stops。　Now　he　referred　again　to　the　radar　scope；　which　was　American；　not　Soviet。　Okay；　there　was　the　tabernacle；　the　house　beyond　and　to　the　right；　the　trees　on　the　left。。。
　〃Now；〃　said　the　young　Dodgers；　〃step　over　there　again　and　wave　your　arms　at　my　dad。　Then　he'll　fire　up　the　suppressor。〃　Jake　did　as　requested　and　returned　to　the　scope。　Even　as　he　watched；　the　blip　that　was　the　tabernacle　faded　from　the　screen；　along　with　the　ground　return　in　the　area　beyond。　Where　the　blip　had　been　was　merely　a　blank　spot　with　no　return　at　all…
　〃Try　the　frequency　agility；〃　Fritsche　suggested。　Harold　flipped　another　switch　and　then　turned　a　dial。　The　tabernacle　became　faintly　visible　as　a　ghost　image。　〃As　he　changes　frequency　on　the　Owl　Screech；　the　puter　on　the　suppressor　is　trying　to　keep　up；〃　Fritsche　explained　to　Jake；　〃so　he　sees　this　ghost　image；　which　is　not　enough　to　lock　on　to。　And　remember；　this　is　an　American　scope；　more　sensitive　than　Soviet　scopes。〃
　〃I'm　impressed。〃
　〃Go　to　a　higher　PRF　and　try　to　lock　on　the　spot　where　we　know　the　tabernacle　is；〃　Fritsche　said　to　Harold。　'Try　the　expanded　display。〃
　Nothing。　The　radar　failed　to　lock。　The　center　of　the　presentation　was　an　empty　black　spot。
　After　a　long　silence；　Fritsche　spoke　softly；　almost　as　if　he　were　afraid　of　his　own　thoughts。　〃If　we　could　implement　this　technique　at　optical　wavelengths　you　wouldn't　even　be　able　to　see　that　building　down　there　with　the　naked　eye。〃
　〃You　mean　you　could　see　right