scoonts.theminotaur-第62章

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　here；　the　craftsmanship　of　these　welds；　the　way　he　polished　this　forging　with　acid　to　minimize　heat　loss。　Look　here！　See　how　he　built　this　to　maximize　cooling　and　shorten　the　wire　runs。　And　he　didn't　even　use　a　puter　to　design　this！〃
　〃Instinct。　The　troll's　a　genius；〃　Jake　Grafton　admitted　reluctantly…
　The　other　shoe　fell　on　Sunday　morning；　when　Jake　received　a　telephone　call　from　Washington。　George　Ludlow　was　on　the　other　end　of　the　wire。　〃Royce　Caplinger's　flying　out　to　see　you　this　afternoon。　He's　bringing　Senator　Hiram　Duquesne　with　him。　Each　of　them　will　have　an　aide　along。　Get　them　rooms　in　the　BOQ。〃
　〃Jesus；　Mr。　Secretary。　This　project's　got　a　security　lid　tight　as　a　virgin's　twat。　We　don't　need　any　godda…any　senator…〃
　〃Duquesne　had　to　be　told；　Captain。　He's　the　chairman　of　the　Senate　Armed　Services　mittee。　I'm　not　asking　your　opinion。　I'm　informing　you。　Got　it？〃
　〃Yessir。　I　got　it。　Have　you　also　informed　Admiral　Dunedin？〃
　〃Yes。〃　The　connection　broke。　Jake　cradled　the　phone。　He　soon　learned　there　were　but　two　empty　rooms　in　the　BOQ；　so　he　sent　the　two　junior　members　of　his　party　to　a　motel　off　base。　Those　two　were　Toad　and　Rita；　neither　of　whom　looked　very　distressed　when　they　tossed　their　bags　into　the　back　of　a　navy　station　wagon　and　drove　away。
　He　wore　his　only　clean　white　uniform　and　was　standing　in　the　sun　in　front　of　the　terminal　when　the　T…39　taxied　up　and　Royce　Caplinger　stepped　out。　The　CO　of　the　base　was　standing　beside　Jake。　Both　officers　saluted　smartly。　They　also　snapped　a　salute　to　Senator　Duquesne；　who　was　dressed　in　slacks　and　pullover　shirt　and　looked　like　he　had　had　a　couple　snorts　on　the　trip。　As　Duquesne　blinked　mightily　at　the　bright　light；　a　woman　descended　the　little　stair　from　the　plane。
　Jake　recognized　her　even　as　Caplinger　said　her　name。　〃Ms。　DeCrescentis。　She's　a　guest　of　Senator　Duquesne。〃
　〃Consolidated　Technologies。　She's　a　vice　president；　isn't　she？〃
　〃Yep；〃　said　Duquesne。　〃Good　to　see　you　again；　Captain；〃　he　said　in　a　tone　that　implied　just　the　opposite。
　〃Hitchhiking　today；　Ms。　DeCrescentis？〃
　〃She's　here　to　take　the　tour　with　us；〃　Caplinger　said。
　〃Could　I　talk　to　you　privately　for　a　moment；〃　Jake　said；　not　a　question；　and　walked　away　from　the　group。
　Twenty　paces　or　so　away　Jake　turned　around。　Caplinger　was　right　behind。　Jake　let　him　have　it：　〃Ludlow　said　you　were　ing　for　a　briefing　with　a　senator；　even　though　this　project　is　classified　to　the　hilt。　But　I'm　not　about　to　let　a　vice　president　of　a　defense　contractor　that　is　going　to　be　bidding　on　the　ATA　have　a　look　at　Athena　or　be　a　party　to　any　conversation　on　the　subject。　She　has　no　bona　fide　need　to　know　at　this　stage　of　the　game。　She　doesn't　have　access。　Not　only　no；　but　hell　no。　Sir。〃
　〃My　responsibility；〃　Caplinger　said；　then　clamped　his　lips　into　a　thin　line。
　〃No；　sir。　Ludlow　didn't　mention　any　defense　contractors；　and　even　if　he　had；　I'd　have　to　clear　this　with　Admiral　Dunedin。　I　take　orders　from　him。　He'd　probably　have　to　talk　to　CNO。　Her　presence　would　violate　a　couple　dozen　reg…〃
　〃Call　him。〃
　〃Now？〃
　〃Yes；　goddamnit；　right　fucking　now。　We'll　wait　in　the　lounge。〃　Caplinger　stalked　for　the　blue　carpet　that　led　inside；　followed　by　Jake　Grafton。　The　base　CO　led　the　others　inside。
　Jake　used　the　phone　in　the　operations　officer's　office　on　the　second　deck。
　He　reached　Dunedin　at　his　office　in　Crystal　City　on　the　first　try　and　outlined　the　situation。　〃Fuck！〃　said　the　admiral。
　〃Yessir。〃
　〃I'll　call　Ludlow。　If　that　goes　sour　I'll　call　CNO。〃
　〃Okay。〃　Jake　gave　him　the　phone　number　where　he　could　be　reached。
　〃You're　really　sticking　your　neck　out；　Jake。〃
　〃So　fire　me。〃
　〃I'll　call　you　back。〃
　Thirty　minutes　went　by。　Jake　stared　out　the　window　at　the　little　passenger　jet　and　watched　the　men　with　the　gas　truck　refuel　it　as　heat　waves　rose　off　the　tarmac。　Blue　mountains　lay　on　the　horizon。　Not　a　single　airplane　stirring　this　Sunday　morning。　After　a　while　he　examined　the　photos　and　mementos　the　ops　boss　had　arranged　on　his　walls。　He　recognized　some　of　the　names　and　faces　in　the　group　pictures。
　He　was　sitting　behind　the　desk　with　his　feet　propped　on　it　and　doodling　on　a　scratch　pad　when　the　phone　rang。　〃Captain　Grafton。〃
　〃George　Ludlow。　Admiral　Dunedin　tells　me　there's　a　problem。〃
　〃Yessir。　Caplinger　and　Duquesne　arrived　here　a　while　ago　with　a　vice　president　of　Consolidated　Technologies　tagging　along。　They　want　her　to　see　Athena。　It's　classified　special　access；　above　top　secret；　and　she's　getting　an　unfair　advantage　over　the　other　contractors。　I　said　no。〃
　〃What　did　Caplinger　say？〃
　〃He　wasn't　happy。〃
　〃Do　you　understand　that　Hiram　Duquesne　is　chairman　of　the　Senate　Armed　Services　mittee？　We　have　to　have　his　support　if　we're　going　to　get　a　replacement　aircraft　for　the　A…6。　Without　it　we're　pissing　up　a　rope。〃
　〃I　understand　that。　And　I　understand　that　you　chose　me　for　this　job　because　I　can　wear　a　Medal　of　Honor　on　my　shirt　and　because　I'm　expendable。　You're　going　to　have　me　make　a　remendation　on　which　plane　to　buy　based　on　a　short　operational　evaluation　fly…off；　and　if　you　like　it；　I'll　have　to　go　over　to　Congress　and　defend　it。　You　can　disavow　me　anytime。　I　understand　all　of　that。　I　took　the　job　anyway。　Now　I'm　telling　you；　I　can't　go　over　to　the　Hill　and　make　a　remendation　if　five　or　six　senators　and　congressmen　are　out　to　cut　my　balls　off　with　a　scalping　knife　because　I　let　Consolidated　in　on　the　ground　floor　in　violation　of　the　law　and　DOD　regulations。　I　won't　be　able　to　hide　behind　Royce　Caplinger　over　there。　That　little　shit　is　too　goddamn　small　to　hide　behind。〃
　Ludlow　chuckled；　a　dry　sound　that　lasted　three　or　four　seconds。　〃Go　get　Caplinger。　I'll　talk　to　him。〃
　Jake　left　the　phone　lying　on　the　desk　and　went　downstairs　to　the　VIP　lounge。　〃Mr。　Secretary；　you　have　a　phone　call　upstairs。〃
　Duquesne's　face　was　still　red　and　mottled。　DeCrescentis　looked　like　she　could　chew　up　all　of　them　and　spit　hamburger。　The　base　CO　was　nowhere　in　sight。　He　had　probably　attacked　in　another　direction；　maybe　toward　the　golf　course。
　Jake　followed　the　Defense　Secretary　back　up　the　stairs。
　As　soon　as　Caplinger　recognized　his　son…in…law's　voice；　he　shooed　Jake　from　the　office。　Jake　could　hear　his　voice　booming　through　the　door。　It　wasn't　just　the　Advanced　Tactical　Aircraft　he　was　concerned　about…it　was　the　entire　defense　budget。　As　he　roared　at　Ludlow：　〃。。。you　and　I　both　know　that　Grafton　will　probably　remend　the　TRX　plane。　With　Athena；　it's　the　obvious　choice。　But　that　leaves　Duquesne　in　political　trouble　at　home　and　we　need　his　support。　Jesus　fucking　Christ；　George；　you　people　have　an　aircraft　carrier　up　for　funding；　three　Aegis　cruisers；　two　boomer　boats；　the　air　force　wants　more　F…l　17s　and　some　B…2s；　and　army　wants　more　tanks。　SDI　is　desperate　for　money。　And　Congress　is　trying　to　cut　the　deficit！　Don't　tell　me　to　tell　Duquesne　to　fuck　off！〃
　He　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　when　he　spoke　again　his　voice　was　low　and　Grafton　couldn't　hear　the　words。　He　knew　Ludlow　well　enough　to　know　how　it　was　going；　however。　Let　Grafton　take　the　heat；　the　Secretary　of　the　Navy　was　probably　saying。　Make　Grafton　the　villain。
　And　that　was　how　it　went。　When　Caplinger　came　out　of　the　office　he　buttonholed　Jake。　〃You're　going　downstairs　and　explain　to　the　senator　that　you　personally　must　put　DeCrescentis　back　on　that　plane。　You　will　brief　me　and　the　senator　this　afternoon　on　Athena　and　we'll　see　it　in　operation　tomorrow。　But　you　are　going　to　insist　that　woman　goes　home　now；　and　you　are　going　to　make　Duquesne　like　it。　Got　it？〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　The　senator　didn't　like　it；　of　course；　and　DeCrescentis　liked　it　even　less；　but　when　Grafton　made　it　clear　that　the　law　was　going　to　be　obeyed　regardless　and　he　was　the　man　insisting；　both　of　them　gave　ground　with　what　grace　they　could　muster。　Duquesne　had　more　of　it　than　the　corporate　vice　president　did；　perhaps　because　he　knew　that　even　Caesar　had　to　retreat　occasionally。
　After　an　hour　with　Samuel　Dodgers　in　the　hangar；　it　appeared　Hiram　Duquesne　wished　he　had　joined　DeCrescentis　on　the　plane。
　Dodgers　gave　Athena　no　more　than　half　his　air　and　used　the　rest　to　blast　away　at　Congress；　corporations　and　the　munist…Jew…nigger　conspiracy。　Fi