scoonts.theminotaur-第31节

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　Franklin　just　nodded。　The　enormity　of　the　risks　he　was　running　to　earn　that　money　had　finally　sunk　in　the　last　four　days。　He　no　longer　thought　of　it　as　easy　money。　He　was　earning　every　goddamn　dime。
　〃You　may　leave　now。　Walk　up　Twenty…third　Street　to　the　Foggy　Bottom　Metro　station　and　board　there。　Goodbye。〃
　Terry　Franklin　rose　and　walked　away　without　a　backward　glance。
　
　〃How　long　you　guys　gonna　be　in　town？〃　the　driver　of　the　rental　car　shuttle　bus　asked　George　Wilson　as　they　circled　Terminal　C　at　Dallas…Fort　Worth　to　pick　up　more　people。
　〃Oh；　a　day　or　so。〃
　〃Going　home　then？〃
　〃No。　We've　got　a　couple　more　cities　to　visit。〃　Inquisitive　devil；　Jake　thought；　sitting　beside　George　and　watching　people　board。
　〃Did　you　e　here　from　home？〃　Maybe　the　driver　was　working　for　a　tip。　Or　maybe　he　was　just　bored。　He　got　the　bus　in　motion　again　as　the　people　who　had　just　boarded　tried　to　store　their　bags　in　the　bin　and　hold　on　too。
　〃Nope。　Came　from　L。A。　Been　on　the　road　a　while。〃
　〃I　knew　it！　You're　a　traveling　salesman；　huh？〃
　〃Yep。〃
　〃I　can　always　tell。〃
　At　TRX　Industries　the　six　men　were　passed　from　person　to　person　until　they　reached　the　program　manager。　His　ample　gut　hung　over　a　wide　leather　belt　secured　with　a　Budweiser　buckle。　At　least　it　appeared　to　be　a　Budweiser　buckle；　but　it　would　be　impossible　to　know　for　sure　unless　you　checked　while　you　were　shining　his　cowboy　boots。　His　name　was　Harry　Franks。
　After　the　introductions　and　how…are…yous；　he　said；　〃Do　you　guys　want　to　see　it　right　now；　or　go　to　the　conference　room　and　watch　the　video　presentation　first？〃　He　eyed　Jake。
　〃I'd　just　as　soon　see　the　plane　now。〃
　〃For　sure。　Maybe　see　the　presento　during　lunch。　We　worked　real　hard　on　it。　You　fellas　follow　me。〃
　As　they　strolled　along　he　bantered　with　Wilson　and　the　manders；　whom　he　called　by　name。　Just　a　bunch　of　good　ol'　boys。
　The　plane　was　in　the　hangar。　The　design　seemed　to　Jake　Grafton　to　be　more　conventional　than　Consolidated's。　This　plane　had　a　tandem　cockpit　and　twin　vertical　stabilizers　canted　in　at　the　top；　toward　each　other；　but　there　the　similarity　to　the　other　prototype　stopped。　This　bird　was　tactical　navy　gray；　with　engine　intakes　in　the　wing　roots　and　no　canards。　Instead　of　a　plenum　chamber　and　fairings　to　cool　the　exhaust；　the　tailpipes　were　arranged　above　a　fairing　that　might　shield　the　worst　of　the　heat　signature　from　a　ground　observer。　There　were　no　afterburners。　〃The　Soviets　are　doing　a　lot　of　work　on　air…to…air　IR　sensors　for　their　latest　generation　MiGs；〃　Smoke　Judy　said。
　〃Yeah；　probably　stole　ours；〃　somebody　grumbled。
　Jake　walked　slowly　around　the　plane；　the　chief　engineer　at　his　elbow。　On　the　left　side　of　the　fuselage；　just　behind　the　nose　radome；　was　a　place　from　which　a　twenty…millimeter…cannon　barrel　peeked　out。　〃Vulcan？〃
　〃Yep。　Six　hundred　fifty　rounds　capacity；　five　hard　points　for　missiles　and　bombs　faired　in　underneath。　This　baby'll　carry；　shoot　or　drop　anything　in　the　U。S。　inventory　or　anything　any　NATO　country's　got。〃
　〃Ranger？〃
　〃bat　radius　is　projected　at　six　hundred　nautical　miles　unrefueled。〃
　〃How　stealthy　is　this　thing？〃
　〃Well；〃　said　Harry　Franks　with　his　thumbs　in　his　belt；　〃it's　got　a　head…on　RCS　of　about　a　half　of　a　square　meter。　That　reduces　its　detection　range　pared　with　an　A…6　Intruder　by　about　forty…five　percent。　That's　naked；　as　she　sits。　Hang　bombs　and　a　belly　tank　and　the　RCS　rises；　though　it's　still　down　about　sixty　percent　from　an　A…6　loaded　for　bear。　Our　design　concept　was　to　be　as　stealthy　as　possible　and　still　e　up　with　a　mission…capable　attack　plane　with　good　range　and　flying　characteristics。　This　prototype　was　optimized　for　aircraft…carrier　operations。　It　seemed　to　us　that　if　you　guys　couldn't　get　it　aboard　ship　and　keep　it　there　for　a　reasonable　cost；　it　didn't　matter　how　stealthy　it　was。〃　He　sighed　and　scratched　his　head　and　checked　the　shine　on　the　toe　of　his　boots；　〃That　logic　didn't　impress　the　air　force；　of　course。　Not　stealthy　enough　for　them　by　a　long　shot。〃
　〃What's　this　thing　gonna　cost　Uncle　Sam？〃　Jake　already　knew　this　answer；　but　he　wanted　to　hear　Franks　say　it。
　〃Well；　there're　a　ton　of　variables。〃　Franks'　hands　went　into　his　pockets　and　he　looked　Jake　straight　in　the　eyes。　〃Optimum　production　rates；　as　is；　fifty…three　mil。〃
　〃When　did　you　stop　selling　used　cars　and　go　to　work　for　TRX？〃　Franks　chuckled　good…naturedly。
　〃If　it　were　something　under　fifty；　I　could　probably　bring　my　wife　over　and　let　her　drive　it。〃
　The　engineer's　grin　disappeared。　〃I　hear　you。　You'll　get　some　votes　in　Congress　under　fifty　that　you　won't　get　over　that　number。　But　we　already　scraped　and　cut　and　chopped　like　hell　to　get　down　to　fifty…three。〃
　〃Uh…huh。　Just　a　suggestion…we're　a　long　way　from　a　decision…but　were　I　you；　I'd　be　sweating　that　number　again　and　trying　to　shrink　it。　Sweating　it　real　hard。〃
　Later　Jake　managed　to　draw　Dalton　Harris　aside。　Harris　had　spent　most　of　his　career　in　electronic　warfare。　By　definition　he　was　an　expert　on　Soviet　radars；　their　capabilities　and　their　usage。　〃Tell　me；〃　Jake　asked；　〃what　a　forty…five　percent　reduction　in　the　detection　range　of　an　A…6　means　to　the　Soviets。　Over　fifty　percent　reduction　carrying　weapons。〃
　〃It　means　that　all　the　Soviet　fire…control　radars　are　obsolete。〃　He　shrugged。　〃They　would　have　to　redesign　and　replace　everything　they　have。　Or…and　this　is　a　big　or…they　would　have　to　double　the　number　of　existing　radars。〃
　〃At　what　cost？〃
　〃Replacement　would　be　astronomical。　Their　whole　system　involves　using　proven　technology　that　can　be　manufactured　in　quantity　at　low　cost　by　low…skilled　workers　with　inexpensive　equipment　and　techniques。　They　need　a　lot　of　everything　since　the　Soviet　military　is　so　big。　Has　to　be　big　because　the　country　is；　distances　are　mind…boggling。　So　they　rarely　declare　anything　obsolete　until　it's　worn　out　pletely。　Yet　in　a　mass　obsolescence　like　this　low…observable　technology　threatens；　they　have　to　e　up　with　new　cutting…edge　designs　or　fixes　for　over　a　dozen　types　of　front…line　radars；　manufacture　huge　quantities　and　get　them　all　in　service　quickly。〃　Harris　raised　his　bands　and　dropped　them　in　a　gesture　of　defeat。　〃I　don't　think　they　can　do　it。　It'll　cost　too　much。　Their　best　bet　is　to　merely　make　a　lot　more　of　what　they　have；　but　that　will　cost　them　the　farm　and　the　family　cow。　All　of　which　is　why　Gorbachev　has　bee　a　good　guy。〃
　〃You　think？〃
　〃Look　at　it　this　way。　The　Soviet　economy　is　on　its　ass。　They　don't　even　have　money　over　there。　The　ruble　is　non…convertible。　They've　been　spending　at　least　an　eighth　of　their　gross　national　product　on　defense。　The　barrel　is　empty。　They　hate　Star　Wars　because　the　research　and　development　costs　to　match　or　counter　it　are　prohibitive。　Now　es　stealth：　the　B…2；　the　F…l　17。　Those　are　threats　against　land…based　targets。　If　that　wasn't　enough　bad　news；　now　the　U。S。　Navy　wants　a　stealth　bird　to　threaten　their　fleet…the　A…12。　I'll　bet　if　we　were　on　the　Politburo　and　heard　what　countering　this　low…observable　technology　was　going　to　cost；　we'd　think　about　converting　to　Christianity。〃
　〃They　must　be　looking　hard　for　a　way　to　do　it　on　the　cheap；〃　Jake　suggested。
　〃Wouldn't　surprise　me。〃　Dalton　Harris　replied。
　〃Why　not　build　their　own　stealth　birds？〃
　〃They　will　someday。　Right　now　they　can't　afford　it。　When　they　do；　though；　we'll　have　to　upgrade　all　our　radars。〃
　〃Hell；　we　can't　afford　it　either；〃　Jake　Grafton　said。　Franks　was　walking　this　way。　When　he　was　close　enough　Jake　said　to　him；　〃Let's　sit　down　and　talk　about　the　flight…test　schedule。〃
　
　〃Oh；　Mom；〃　Lucy　Franklin　sobbed　into　the　telephone；　〃I　didn't　want　to　call　you；　but　I've　got　no　place　else　to　turn。〃
　〃You　did　the　right　thing；　Lucy。　Has　he　hit　you？〃
　〃Oh；　no。　It's　nothing　like　that。　It's。。。〃　She　bit　her　lip。　It　was　all　so　bizarre。　Her　neighbor；　Melanie；　hadn't　believed　her　and　neither　had　the　minister。　Her　mother　was　her　last　hope。　〃I　think　Terry　is　a　spy。〃
　Silence　on　the　other　end　of　the　phone。　Finally：　〃Tell　me　about　it。〃
　Lucy　explained。　She　went　over　the　events　of　last　Friday　night　in　great　detail。
　〃Well；〃　her　mother　said。　〃Something　is　going　on。　He's　probably　cheating　on　you。〃
　〃Mother！　Please！　This　is　more　serious；　I'm　scared　stiff。　I　can't　eat。　I　can't　talk　to　him。　I'm　afraid　of　what　he'll　do　to　the　kids。　Mother；　I'm　petrified。　I'm　at　the　end　of　my　rope。〃　She　began　to　sob。
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　e　out　there？〃
　〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　What　good　would　that　do？〃
　〃He　wouldn't　hurt　you　while　I　was　there。　We　could　confront　him。〃　More　silence。　〃Let　me　talk　to　your　father　and　call　you　back。〃
　〃Not　Daddy！〃　Lucy　wailed。　〃He　won't　understand。〃
　〃I　know　you　and　he　don't　see　eye　to　eye。　He　didn't　think　Terry　was　the　right　man　for　you。〃
　〃He's　never　let　me　forget　it。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　e　home？　Bring　the　kids？〃　If　she　went　home　her　father　would　be　there。　She　was　genuinely　afraid　of　her　father。　He　just　had　never　been　able　to　cope　with　a　daughter。。。
　〃Can　you　e　out　here？〃
　〃I'll　call　your　dad　at　work；　then　call　you　back。　Okay？〃
　〃Mom；　I　really　need　you　to　help　me　through　this　one。〃　They　said　their　goodbyes　and　hung　up。　Lucy　drank　more　coffee　and　chewed　her　fingernails。　Mom　would　be　such　a　help。　Terry　wouldn't　do　anything　with　her　her