johngardner.winloseordie-第3章

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tion　will　almost　certainly　be　monitored　until　the　listeners　decide　your　idle　chatter　is　harmless。
　Only　human　beings　can　install　the　small；　very　powerful　listening　stations　at　prescribed　points；　and　other　humans　insert　the　key　words　and　phrases　into　the　puter　databases。　After　that；　the　machines　take　over；　making　decisions　to　transcribe　conversations；　pinpoint　their　locations；　even　name　those　who　are　talking　by　identifying　voice　prints。　More　human　beings　analyse　these　transcripts；　sometimes　at　leisure；　more　often　at　speed；　lest　the　advantage　is　lost。
　Just　over　a　month　after　the　Son　of　Takashani　incident；　two　men　met　in　a　villa　overlooking　the　Mediterranean。　They　were　smooth…skinned；　immaculately　turned　out。　and；　to　all　intents　and　purposes；　businessmen　taking　coffee　on　a　vine…covered　patio　from　which　they　had　an　uninterrupted　view　of　spectacular　beauty：　cypresses；　olive　groves；　rough　grazing　land　for　sheep　and　goats；　the　twinkling　sea；　and；　in　the　distance；　the　baked　red　and　white　roofs　of　a　small　village。　Neither　of　the　men　could　have　known　that　a　powerful　receiver　was　hidden　in　that　village　which　looked　so　peaceful　and　secluded。
　The　receiver　scanned　an　area　of　some　fifty　miles；　shooting　a　million　or　so　words　a　second；　spoken　in　streets；　bars；　private　houses　and　on　telephones；　through　one　of　the　SATS　and　on　into　the　puters　of　two　large　listening…posts。　One　of　the　puters　picked　up　an　entire　phrase；　spoken　by　one　of　Ihe　two　men　as　they　drank　their　sweet　coffee。　The　phrase　was；　'Health　depends　on　strength。'　It　was　spoken　as　a　toast；　and　the　puter　memories　metaphorically　sal　up　and　took　noiice　as　the　four　words　were　repeated。　They　had　only　recently　been　inserted　into　the　wordscan　programs。
　'Health　depends　on　strength。'　the　younger；　dark…haired　man　smiled　as　he　lifted　his　cup　towards　his　older　panion　…　a　sleek；　olive…skinned　fellow　with　broad　shoulders　and　a　distinguished　grey　flecking　his　temples。
　'WIN　was　a　spectacular　disaster。'　the　older　man　said。　There　was　no　hint　of　criticism　in　his　voice；　only　a　trace　of　distaste。
　'I　apologise；'　his　panion　bowed　his　head　slightly；　'I　had　greal　confidence。　The　training　was　exceptional　。　。　。'
　'And　cost　a　small　fortune　。　。　。'
　True。　But　it　does　prove　that　if　we　are　to　take　all　of　them；　when　they're　aboard　what　they　like　to　call　Birdsnest　Two。　we　require　a　much　more　subtle　approach。　Even　if　we　had　doubled；　or　maybe　trebled　the　f；orce　for　WIN　there　would　have　been　carnage。　Birdsnest　Two　is　geared　for　any　kind　of　attack。　They　would　have　taken　out　our　hang…gliders　long　before　they　came　within　500　feet　of　the　target。　Also　it　will　probably　have　to　be　done　in　hard　winter　weather。'
　The　older　man　nodded；　'Which　means　the　atlack　can　really　only　e　from　within。'
　'You　mean　we　should　have　people　on　board？'　The　dark…haired　one　sounded　alarmed。
　〃Can　you　ihink　of　a　better　way？'
　'It's　impossible。　How　can　you　infiltrate　such　a　service　at　short　notice？　We've　less　than　twelve　months　to　go。　If　thai　had　ever　been　an　option　we'd　have　used　it；　saved　a　lot　of　time；　and　also　a　great　de？al　of　money。'
　On　the　tapes　that　were　finally　studied；　the　listeners　strained　their　ears　through　a　long　pause。　In　the　distance　came　the　sound　of　an　aircraft　high　and　a　long　way　off。　Nearer　at　hand；　a　dog　barked　angrily。　Then　the　older　man　spoke　…
　〃Ah；　my　friend；　so　often　we　go　for　a　plex　solution；　how　would　it　be　if　we　made　this　more　simple？　One　man。　One　man　aboard　Birdsnest　Two　would　be　all　we　need；　for　one　man　could　unlock　the　gates；　and　let　others　in。　Or　even　someone　in　the　retinue；　a　discontented　Flag　Officer；　for　instance。　One　is　all　we　require。　A　single　Trojan　Horse。'
　〃Even　one　would　be　。　。　。'
　'Difficult？　No。　not　if　he　is　already　there；　in　place。'
　'But　we　have　nobody　who　。　。　。'
　'Maybe　we　do　have　somebody　already　in　place；　and　maybe　even　he　does　not　yet　know　it。　Your　people　are　skilled；　surely　they　could　fell　who　this　man　is；　and　bring　pressure　to　bear？'
　Again　a　pause；　plete　with　the　barking　dog。　Then　…
　'promise。　Yes。　an　obvious　solution。'
　'So　obvious　that　you　had　to　waste　the　lives　of　twenty　mercenaries；　not　to　mention　the　finance　of　training　and　equipping　them。　Now；　go　and　find　the　agent　we　need。　Officer；　or　enlisted　man。　Crew　or　visitor。　Ii　doesn't　matter　which。　Just　find　him。'
　M　tossed　the　transcript　back　onto　his　desk　and　looked　up　at　his　Chief　of　Staff。　Bill　Tanner；　who　appeared　to　be　studying　the　old　Admiral's　face　as　a　strategist　would　examine　the　terrain　of　battle。
　'Well。'　M　said。　It　was　a　grunt　from　the　ihroal　rather　than　a　word　clearly　spoken。　'Well；　we　know　who　these　people　are；　and　we　know　the　target；　what　we　don't　know　is　the　full　objective。　Any　ments。　Tanner？'
　'Only　the　obvious；　sir。〃
　'Meaning？'　M　was　in　an　unashamedly　bellicose　mood　today。
　'Meaning；　sir；　that　we　can　have　things　altered。　We　can　have　the　brass　hats　moved　at　the　last　moment。　Put　them　on　a　cruiser　instead　of　Birdsnesl　Two　。　。　。'
　'Oh。　for　heaven's　sake。　Tanner；　we　know　Birdsnest　Two's　HMS　Invincible；　so　say　Invincible。'　HMS　Invincible　is　one　of　the　three　remaining　aircraft…carriers　…　capital　ships　…　of　the　Royal　Navy：　in　fact　ihree　of　the　largest　gas　turbine…powered　warships　in　the　world。　All　are　designated　as　TDCs　…　'Through　Deck　Cruiser'　…　of　the　invincible　class；　and　all　had　gone　through　major　refits　of　electronics；　weapons　and　aircraft　capabilities　since　the　lessons　learned　in　the　Falklands　war。
　With　only　the　slightest　pause。　Tanner　continued；　'Put　them　in　another　ship　。。。　at　the　last　minute　？　…　。'
　'What　other　ship？　A　destroyer；　or　a　frigate？　There　are　three　of　them。　Tanner。　Three　top　brass；　plete　with　their　staff。　I'd　say　around　twelve　or　fifteen　bodies　at　the　least。　Use　your　sense；　man。　they'd　have　to　share　bunks　on　a　frigate　or　destroyer；　and　that　might　be　all　very　well　for　the　Russkies。　but　I　cannoi　see　our　American　friends；　or　Sir　Geoffrey　Gould　taking　kindly　to　that。'
　'Call　it　off；　sir？'
　　Ll　think　there　would　be　rumblings　everywhere；　including　our　wonderful　Press　and　TV　Defence　Correspondents。　They'd　be　asking　〃why？〃　before　we　even　concocted　a　story。　In　any　case。　Landsea　'89　is　essential。　All　our　bined　exercises　are　essential；　and　what　with　this　wretched　business　ofglasnosi　and　perestroika；　NATO　feels　it's　doing　ihe　decent　thing。　Letting　the　Russians　in　on　our　war　games；　eh？'
　'We're　not　supposed　to　call　them　〃war　games'　anymore；　sir　。　；　。'
　'I　know　ihat！'　M　thumped　his　desk　heavily。　'It's　the　thin　end　of　the　wedge；　though；　letting　the　mander…in…Chief　of　the　Russian　Fleet　in　on　a　bined　exercise　as　plex　as　this。'
　Bill　Tanner　sighed；　'At　least　our　people　won't　have　to　dodge　their　spy　ships　all　the　time。　You　know。　sir。　even　Churchill　thought　a　sharing　of　information　might　be　a　good　thing。'
　'Thai。　Chief　of　Staff；　was　before　the　First　World　War。　It　was　also　a　sharing　with　the　Germans。　Russians　are　different　creatures。　I've　made　no　secret　of　the　fact　that　I　don't　approve　of　it。'
　〃Quite；　sir。〃
　'I've　been　very　outspoken　with　the　Joint　Intelligence　mittee；　though　a　fat　lot　of　good　it　did　me。　All　friends　together；　now　…　so　they　say。　One　idiot　even　quoted　Kipling　at　me：　Sisters　under　their　skim　and　that　kind　of　stuff。　No。　we　have　to　do　something　positive。'
　Tanner　had　walked　to　the　window；　and　stood　looking　out　at　the　rain　beating　down　on　Regent's　Park。　'Bodyguards；　sir？　Well…briefed　bodyguards'；''
　M　made　a　grumbling　noise。　Then　…　'We　know　what　these　people're　after；　Tanner；　but　we　don't　want　to　tell　ihe　world；　if　only　because　we　don't　know　the　reason　why。　Bodyguards　would　mean　widening　the　circle　of　knowledge；　and　as　you　very　well　know　that's　the　first　rule　in　our　business…　keep　the　circle　small。'
　He　stopped　suddenly；　as　though　struck　by　a　new　thought；　then　said；　'No！'　loudly；　and　not　to　anyone　in　particular。
　The　rain　continued　to　fall　on　the　grass；　trees　and　umbrellas　below。　In　his　head　Tanner　had　started　to　try　and　recite　a　piece　of　doggerel　somebody　had　told　him。　It　was　a　mon　theme　about　security　and　rumour　dating　back　to　the　Second　World　War　and　it　always　made　him　smile　…
　'Actual　evidence　I　have　none。　But　my　aunt's　charwoman　sister's　son；　Heard　a　policeman　on　his　beat。　Say　to　a　nursemaid　in　Downing　Street。　That　he　had　a　cousin；　who　had　a　frie