johngardner.rollofhonor-第7章

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　〃Okay；　this　may　look　like　some　weird　game　to　you；　but　I　promise　you；　it's　a　very　advanced　training　aid。〃　Percy　operated　the　joystick　and　the　rectangle　slid　across　the　screen；　moving　the　map　as　it　reached　the　outer　perimeter；　so　that　it　scrolled　up　and　down。　　The　entire　area　covered　was　about　eighty　square　mil　5　of　border　and　below　it　on　the　screen　was　a　blank　oblong　blue　space。
　〃I　type　in　coordinates　and　we　go　immediately　to　that　section　on　the　map。〃　Percy　suited　action　to　word；　and　the　map　jumped　on　the　screen；　the　rectangle　staying　in　place。　　〃Now　we　can　look　at　what's　going　on　in　a　smaller　area。〃　She　positioned　the　rectangle　over　a　village　about　a　mile　from　the　border　and　pressed　the　trigger　on　the　joystick。　　Bond　had　suddenly　bee　aware　of　the　perfume　Percy　was　wearing　but　couldn't　decide　what　it　was。
　He　jerked　his　mind　back　to　the　matter　in　hand。
　It　was　as　if　a　zoom　lens　had　been　applied　to　the　screen；　for　now　he　could　see　detail　…　roads；　trees；　houses；　rocks　and　fields。　　Among　this　detail　Bond　could　pick　out　at　least　six　tanks　and　four　troop　carriers；　while　a　pair　of　helicopters　sat　hidden　behind　buildings；　and　three　Harrier　aircraft　could　be　defined　on　pads　shielded　by　trees。
　〃We　have　to　assume　that　some　form　of　non…nuclear　hostility　exists。〃　Percy　was　typing　mands　into　the　micro；　asking　for　information；　first　on　NATO　forces。　　The　tanks；　troop　carriers；　helicopters　and　Harriers　blinked　in　turn；　as　their　designated　call…signs　and　strength　ribboned　out　on　the　lower　part　of　the　screen。
　Percy　noted　the　call…signs　on　a　pad　at　her　elbow　and　then　typed　a　mand　for　information　about　Warsaw　Pact　forces　in　this　tiny　area。
　They　appeared　to　be　facing　at　least　two　panies　of　infantry；　with　armoured　support。
　〃It'll　only　give　you　available　information；　the　kind　of　thing　intelligence　and　reconnaissance　would　actually　have。〃　Percy　watched　as　the　screen　flashed　up　known　positions；　with　data　concerning　the　enemy　running　out　on　the　blue　space　below。
　Bond　could　not　take　his　eyes　from　the　soft　curl　of　her　hair　on　an　almost　exposed　shoulder　as　she　began　to　input　orders。　　Two　of　the　Harriers　moved　of！　as　though　flying　in　to　attack　the　enemy　armour。　　At　the　same　time；　she　activated　the　NATO　tanks　and　troop　carriers。
　Individual　responses　from　the　tank　and　infantry　manders　came　up　on　the　screen；　while　the　tiny　vehicles　moved　to　her　bidding；　the　tanks　suddenly　ing　under　attack；　indicated　by　shell　bursts　on　the　screen　and　audible　crumps　and　whines。　　Bond　stooped　slightly　for　a　closer　look；　and　found　himself　glancing　sideways　at　Percy's　face；　profiled　and　absorbed　alongside　his。　　He　looked　quickly　back　at　the　screen。
　The　action；　controlled　throughout　by　Percy；　lasted　for　almost　twenty　minutes；　during　which　time　she　was　able　to　gain　a　small　superiority　over　the　enemy　forces　with　the　loss　of　three　tanks；　one　helicopter；　a　Harrier　and　just　under　one　hundred　men。
　Bond　stood　back　a　pace　behind　Percy。　　He　had　found　the　whole　operation　fascinating。　　He　asked　if　this　kind　of　thing　were　used　by　the　military。
　〃This　is　only　a　simple　puter　TEwT。…　Percy　was　talking　about　a　Tactical　Exercise　Without　Troops；　a　technique　used　in　training　officers　and　N。C。O。s。　　〃In　the　old　days；　as　you　know；　they　did　TEWTS　with　boards；　tables；　sand　trays　and　models。　　Now　all　you　need　is　a　micro。　　This　is　very　simple；　but　you　should　see　the　advanced　games　they　use　at　staff　colleges。〃
　〃And　Dr　Holy　was　programming　this　kind　of　thing　for　the　Pentagon？〃　For　the　first　time　Bond　noticed　a　little　mole　on　Percy's　neck。
　〃This；　and　more。　　When　he　disappeared；　Jay　Autem　was　into　some　exceptionally　advanced　stuff。　　Not　only　training　but　specialist　programs；　where　the　puter　is　given　all　the　possible　options　and　works　out　the　one　most　likely　to　be　taken　by　an　opposing　power　under　a　particular　set　of　circumstances。
　〃And　now？　　Given　that　he　really　is　still　alive　。
　〃Oh；　he's　alive；　James。〃　She　flushed　suddenly。　　〃I've　seen　him。
　Don't　doubt　it。　　He's　the　one　I've　already　told　you　about　…　Jason　St。　John…Finnes；　of　Nun's　Cross；　Oxfordshire。　　I　should　know。　　After　all；　I　was　his　watchdog　for　three　and　a　half　lousy　years　〃Watchdog？〃　Her　eyes　really　were　the　most　incredible　colour；　a　subtle　shade　of　grey…blue　that　changed　according　to　the　light。
　Percy　looked　away；　biting　her　lip　in　mock　shame。　　〃Oh；　didn't　they　tell　you？　　I　married　the　bastard　under　orders。
　I'm　a　pany　lady　…　from　Langley。　　Marriage　to　Dr　Holy　was　an　assignment。　　How　else　would　I　know　the　inside　of　this　op？〃
　〃He　wasn't　trusted　then？〃　Bond　tried　not　to　show　surprise；　even　though　the　idea　of　a　C。I。A。　　employee　being　instructed　to　marry　in　order　to　keep　surveillance　on　her　husband　appalled　him。
　〃At　that　time；　with　his　contacts　…　he　had　many　friends　among　the　scientific　munity　in　Russia　and　the　Eastern　Bloc　…　they　couldn't　afford　to　trust　him。　　And　they　were　right。〃
　〃You　think　he's　working　for　the　K。G。B。　　now？〃
　〃No。〃　She　went　to　the　small　chiller　to　get　another　bottle　of　champagne。　〃No；　Jay　Autem　worked　for　Jay　Autem　and　nobody　else。　　At　least　I　discovered　that　about　him。〃　Passing　another　glass　to　Bond；　she　added；　〃There　are　almost　certainly　Soviet　connections　in　what　he's　doing　now；　but　it'll　be　on　a　freelance　basis。　　Jay　Autem　knows　his　business；　but　he's　really　dedicated　only　to　money。
　Politics　is　another　matter。
　〃So　what　sort　of　thing　do　you　reckon　he's　doing？〃　Bond　caught　another　strong　whiff　of　that　strange　perfume　which　he　would　always　now　associate　with　Percy。
　〃As　they　say；　James；　that's　for　him　to　know　and　you　to　find　out。
　And　it's　my　job　to　teach　you　how。　　Tomorrow　morning　we　start　in　earnest。　Eight…thirty　suit　you？〃
　〃Hardly　worth　my　going　back　to　my　own　room。〃　He　glanced　casually　at　his　watch。
　〃I　know；　but　you're　going　all　the　same。　　I'm　to　teach　you　all　I　can　about　how　to　prepare　the　kind　of　programs　Jay　Autem　writes；　and　give　you　a　course　on　how　to　break　into　his　programs；　should　you　be　lucky　enough　to　get　your　hands　on　one。
　Percy　took　hold　of　his　wrist　and　reached　up　to　kiss　him　gently　on　the　cheek。　　Bond　moved　closer；　but　Percy　stepped　away；　wagging　a　finger。
　〃That's　a　no…no；　James。　　But　I'm　a　good　teacher；　and　if　you　prove　to　be　a　diligent　pupil；　I　have　ways　of　rewarding　you　that　you　never　dreamed　of　when　you　were　at　school。　　Eight…thirty　sharp。　　Okay？〃
　〃You　guarantee　results；　Proud　Percy？〃
　〃I　guarantee　to　teach　you；　Bond　James；'　she　said　with　a　wicked　grin；　〃and　about　puter　programming　as　well。〃　Promptly　at　eight…thirty　the　next　morning；　Bond　knocked　on　her　door；　one　arm　hidden　behind　his　back。
　When　she　opened　up；　he　thrust　out　his　hand　to　give　her　a　large　rosy　apple。
　〃For　the　teacher；'　he　said　with　a　broad　smile。
　It　was　the　only　joke　of　the　day；　for　Percy　Proud　proved　to　be　a　hard　and　dedicated　taskmaster。
　
　
　THE　Training　TOOK　a　little　less　than　a　month　and　was　a　tribute　to　Persephone　Proud's　teaching　skill。　　Her　pupil's　capabilities　were　taxed　to　the　limit。　　The　task　had　been　equivalent　to　learning　a　new　language　and　several　plicated　dialects　as　well。　　Indeed；　Bond　could　not　remember　a　time　when　he　had　been　forced　to　call　so　heavily　on　his　mental　reserves；　to　focus　his　mind；　like　a　burning　glass；　on　the　subject　at　hand。
　They　quickly　established　a　routine；　which　seldom　varied。　　For　the　first　few　days　they　started　at　eight…thirty　each　morning；　but；　as　the　late　nights　began　to　take　their　toll；　this　was　modified　to　ten　o'clock。
　They　would　work　until　one　o'clock；　take　lunch　in　a　nearby　bar；　walking　there　and　back；　they　work　again　until　five。
　Each　evening　at　seven　they　would　go　down　to　Le　Bar；　the　Hotel　de　Paris's　famous　meeting　place；　where；　it　is　said；　the　wrists　and　necks　of　the　ladies　put　the　Cartier　showcases　to　shame。
　If　they　intended　to　stay　in　Monaco　for　the　evening　they　would　dine　at　the　hotel；　but　they　could　be　seen　at　L'Oasis　in　La　Napoule　when　the　Cannes　Casino　took　their　fancy；　sampling　the　latest　tempting　dish　invented　by　the　master　chef；　Louis　Outhier。　　Sometimes　they　would　eat　a　more　austere　meal　at　the　Negresco　in　Nice；　or　even　in　La　Reserve　at　Beaulieu；　or　…　on　occasion　…　at　the　modest　Le　Gallon　in　the　Menton　port　of　Garavan。
　The　meal　was　always　a　prelude　to　a　night　at　the　tables。
　Don't　go　i