scoonts.theminotaur-第7章

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　the　walls。
　A　mander　greeted　Jake。　〃I'm　a　little　early；〃　Jake　said；　glancing　at　his　watch。
　〃I'll　see　if　the　admiral's　free。〃　He　was。　Jake　was　escorted　in　through　a　swinging　double　saloon　door。
　Vice　Admiral　Tyler　Henry　rose　from　his　chair　and　came　around　his　desk　wearing　a　warm　smile　to　greet　Jake。
　〃Good　to　see　you　again；　Captain。〃　The　men　had　met　on　several　occasions　in　the　past；　but　Jake　was　unsure　if　Henry　would　remember。　After　he　pumped　Jake's　hand　the　admiral　motioned　to　a　chair。　〃Please；　be　seated。　Have　any　trouble　getting　here　this　morning？〃
　〃I　rode　the　Metro　this　morning；　sir；〃　Jake　said　as　the　admiral　seated　himself　behind　his　desk。　It　was　dark　wood；　perhaps　mahogany。　A　matching　table　extended　outward　from　the　main　desk；　forming　the　leg　of　a　T。　It　was　at　this　table　Jake　sat。
　〃Good　idea。　Parking　places　are　all　for　car　pools　and　flag　officers。〃　He　pushed　the　button　on　his　inter　box。　〃Chief；　did　mander　Gadd　sweep　the　office　this　morning？〃
　〃Yessir；〃　was　the　tinny　reply。
　〃Are　the　window　buzzers　on？〃
　〃Yessir。〃
　〃Please　close　my　door。。。　Window　buzzers　are　little　security　gizmos　to　vibrate　the　glass。　Supposed　to　foil　parabolic　mikes；　but　who　knows？〃　the　admiral　explained。　〃The　damn　things　play　waiting　room　music；　and　I　can't　hear　noises　like　that　anymore。〃　Jake　listened　hard。　He　could　just　hear　the　beat　and　a　trumpet。
　The　admiral　leaned　back　fortably　in　his　chair　as　the　door　to　the　office　closed　behind　Jake。　〃Soundproof；〃　he　muttered；　then　smiled。　〃You　look　surprised。〃
　Jake　smiled；　his　embarrassment　showing。　〃Seems　like　a　lot　of　trouble　to　go　to　just　to　talk　to　the　guy　who's　going　to　be　designing　the　new　officer　fitness　report　form。〃
　The　admiral　smiled　broadly。　〃That　job　has　been　floating　around　with　no　takers。　No；　we　have　another　project　for　you　that　is　going　to　demand　expertise　of　a　different　sort。〃
　Jake　was　having　trouble　holding　his　eyebrows　still。　〃I　thought；〃　he　said　softly；　〃that　I　was　a　pariah　around　here。〃
　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