scoonts.theminotaur-第60节

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　〃He　isn't　my　dad。　He's　Jake。〃
　〃He's　gonna　be　good；〃　David　insisted。
　〃That's　not　so　tough　to　do；〃　she　said；　sitting　up。
　〃Oh　no？　Why　don't　you　try　it。〃
　〃Can　I；　Jake？〃
　〃Yeah。　e　over　here　and　watch　me　for　a　minute。〃　He　explained　the　controls　and　demonstrated　how　they　worked。　After　two　passes　up　and　down　the　beach　with　Amy　watching　intently；　be　turned　the　box　over　to　her。　She　overbanked　and　nosed　the　plane　in　on　the　very　next　turn。
　David　smacked　his　hands　together　in　exasperation。　〃'Nothing　to　it。'　Girls！〃　He　pronounced　the　last　word　as　if　it　were　spelled　〃gurls。〃
　The　left　wing　had　torn　skin　and　a　broken　spar。　The　three　aviators　collected　their　gear　and　trudged　for　the　house。　〃Don't　worry；　Cap'n；〃　the　boy　said　with　a　disgusted　glance　at　Amy；　〃I　can　fix　it　good　as　new。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　can；〃　Jake　told　him；　grinning。
　〃Girls　don't　know　nothin'　about　flyin'。〃
　〃Don't　bet　on　it；　Dave。　There's　a　woman　pilot　working　for　me；　and　she's　real　damn　good。〃
　Amy　squared　her　shoulders；　threw　her　head　back　and　marched　proudly　before　them；　at　long　last　assuming　her　rightful　place　among　the　exalted　sisters。
　
　〃You're　what？〃　exclaimed　Harriet；　Rita's　horrified　roommate。　It　was　Sunday　evening　and　they　were　in　the　bedroom。　Out　in　the　living　room　Toad　had　settled　in　to　watch　a　Knicks　game。
　Rita　held　up　her　left　hand　and　waggled　it　proudly。　〃Here's　the　ring。　I'm　married。〃
　〃My　God！　How　long　have　you　known　him？　A　month？　How　long　were　you　engaged？〃
　〃A　little　over　an　hour。　We　were　driving　to　Deep　Geek　Lake　for　the　weekend　and　around　Prostburg　we　decided　to　get　married。　So　Toad　drove　off　the　next　exit　and　into　Oakland。　We　found　the　most　delightful　minister。　He　knew　a　lady　in　the　county　clerk's　office…she　was　a　member　of　his　church…and　she　drove　downtown　and　opened　up　the　courthouse　just　to　issue　us　a　license。　Wasn't　that　sweet？〃
　Harriet　lowered　herself　onto　the　bed　and　covered　her　face　with　her　hands。
　〃The　minister's　wife　gave　me　some　flowers　from　her　garden。　Some　paper…white　narcissus　and　tulips　and　multicolored　butterfly　daffodils；　all　accented　by　bridal　wreath　in　a　beautiful　bouquet。　I　cradled　them　in　my　right　arm　when　we　said　our　vows。〃　She　sighed　remembering。　〃I　have　the　best　ones　down　in　the　car。　I　thought　you　and　I　could　press　them。〃
　〃A　one…hour　engagement！　Rita；　Rita；　Rita；　you　poor　poor　child。　What　do　you　know　about　this　man？　What？〃　Harriet　opened　the　bedroom　door　a　crack　and　looked　with　loathing　at　the　groom　sagged　out　in　front　of　the　TV　with　a　beer　in　his　hand。　No　wonder　they　called　him　Toad。
　〃My　God；　Rita；　how　could　you？〃　she　hissed。　〃What　do　you　know　about　him？　He　could　be　AC…DC　or　a　closet　pervert；　or　even　a　Republican！　What　will　your　mother　say？〃　Harriet　spun　like　a　lioness　ready　to　pounce。　〃Have　you　told　her　yet？〃
　〃Well…〃
　〃I　knew　it！　When　are　you　going　to　tell　her？　After　all；　Rita；　she　is　your　mother。　She　once　told　me　that　after　buying　a　thousand　wedding　presents　for　all　of　your　friends；　she　was　so　looking　forward　to　inviting　every　one　of　them　to　your　wedding。　You're　her　only　daughter！〃　Harriet　threw　herself　backward　onto　her　bed　and　bounced　once。　〃How　could　you？〃　she　moaned。
　〃It　was　easy；〃　Rita　Moravia　Tarkington　said　lightly。　She　dearly　enjoyed　Harriet's　tantrums。　〃It　was　so　romantic。　Just　like　I　always　wanted　it　to　be。　He's　so　handsome；　so。。。　We're　going　to　be　so　very　happy　all　our　lives。　He's。。。　he's。。。〃　She　sighed　again　and　smiled。
　〃One　thing's　for　sure；〃　Harriet　said　acidly；　〃he's　all　yours　now。〃
　
　On　Monday　morning　Lieutenant　Toad　Tarkington　and　Lieutenant　Rita　Moravia　entered　Jake's　office　together；　side　by　side。　They　stopped　in　front　of　his　desk　and　waited　at　parade　rest　until　he　looked　up　from　the　report　he　was　working　on。
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃We　have　some　news　for　you；　Captain；〃　Rita　said。
　Jake　carefully　surveyed　their　expectant　faces。　He　scowled。　〃Why　have　I　got　the　feeling　I'm　not　going　to　enjoy　this？〃
　Rita　and　Toad　both　grinned　broadly　and　glanced　at　each　other。　〃We're　married；〃　Toad　said。
　Jake　Grafton　clapped　his　hands　over　his　ears。　〃I　didn't　hear　that。　Whatever　it　was；　I　didn't　hear　it。　And　I　don't　want　to　hear　it。〃　He　stood　and　leaned　slightly　toward　them；　his　voice　low；　〃I　have　enough　problems　around　here　without　people　sniping　at　me　about　the　romantic　status　of　my　test　crew。　What　you　two　do　on　your　own　time　is　your　business。　But　until　we　get　the　prototype　testing　pleted　and　I　submit　the　report；　you　two　puppies　are　going　to　walk　the　line　for　me。　All　business。　No　kissy…facey　or　kootchy…koo　or　groping　or　any　of　that　other　goofy　hooey。　No　glorious　announcements。　Strictly　business。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Rita　said。
　〃I　warned　you　about　this；　Tarkington。　No　romances；　I　said。　And　look　at　you！　It's　disgusting；　that's　what　it　is。〃
　〃Yessir；〃　Toad　said。
　〃I　can't　let　you　out　of　my　sight　for　a　minute。〃
　〃I　just　couldn't　control　myself；　sir。〃
　〃You　two　are　going　to　be　very　happy　someday。　But　not　today　or　tomorrow。　Right　now　you're　serious；　mitted；　dedicated　professionals。　Pretend。　Try　real　hard。〃
　〃Yessir；〃　they　both　said。
　〃Congratulations。　Get　back　to　work。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃　They　came　to　attention　like　plebes　at　the　Naval　Academy；　did　a　smart　about…face　and　marched　out；　Rita　leading。　Jake　Grafton　bit　his　lip　and　resumed　work　on　his　report。
　
　19
　
　〃Somebody　explain　how　this　airplane　is　going　to　be　used。〃　Jake　Grafton　looked　from　bee　to　face。　He　had　his　staff　gathered　around　while　he　stood　at　the　office　blackboard　with　marker　in　hand。　〃Who　wants　the　floor？〃
　〃Captain；　there's　been　two　or　three　studies　on　that　written　during　the　last　three　or　four　years；〃　said　Smoke　Judy。
　〃I　know。　Somebody　dug　them　out　for　me　and　I　read　them。　I　want　to　hear　your　ideas。〃
　〃Seems　to　me；〃　said　Toad　Tarkington；　〃that　the　first　thing　it　has　to　do　is　land　and　take　off　from　a　carrier。　Must　be　carrier…patible。〃
　Jake　wrote　that　down。　Obvious；　but　often　overlooked。　Any　navy　attack　plane　must　have　a　tailhook；　nose　tow；　strong　keel；　routinely　tolerate　a　six…hundred　foot…per…minute　sink　rate　collision　with　the　deck　on　landing；　fit　into　allotted　deck　space　and　accept　electrical　power　and　inertial　alignment　information　from　the　ship's　systems。　It　had　to　be　capable　of　being　launched　from　existing　catapults　and　arrested　with　existing　machinery。　In　addition；　it　would　have　to　be　able　to　fly　down　a　3。5…degree　glide　slope　carrying　enough　power　to　make　a　wave…off　fusible；　and　with　a　low　enough　nose　attitude　so　that　the　pilot　could　see　the　carrier's　optical　landing　system。　Amazingly　enough；　in　the　late　1960s　the　navy　was　almost　forced　to　boy　a　plane　that　wasn't　carrier…patible…the　TFX；　which　the　air　force　called　the　F…11I　and　immediately　began　using　as　an　all…weather　tactical　bomber　with　a　system　identical　to　the　A…6's。
　〃Corrosion…resistant；〃　Tarkington　added　as　Jake　made　furious　notes。　〃Has　to　be　able　to　withstand　long　exposure　to　salty　environment　without　a　lot　of　expensive　maintenance。〃
　〃Maintenance；〃　muttered　Les　Richards。　〃Got　to　have　easy　maintainability　designed　in。　Easy　access　to　engines；　black　boxes　and　so　forth；　without　a　lot　of　special　equipment。〃
　The　requirements　came　thick　and　fast　now；　as　quick　as　Jake　could　write。　Range；　speed；　payload　and　a　lot　of　other　parameters。　After　ten　minutes　he　had　filled　up　most　of　the　board　and　his　staff　paused　for　air。
　〃How're　we　going　to　use　this　thing？〃　he　asked　again。　〃What　I'm　getting　at　is　this：　these　stealth　designs　appear　to　be　optimized　for　high…altitude　ingress　over　heavily　defended　territory。　Presumably　at　night。　Are　all　our　missions　going　to　be　at　night？〃
　〃We　can't　afford　to　give　away　the　day；〃　someone　said。
　〃What's　that　mean　in　the　way　of　aircraft　capability？　Daytime　means　enemy　fighters　and　optically　aimed　surface…to…air　missiles。　They'll　see　our　plane。　Do　we　have　to　be　able　to　engage　the　fighters　and　dodge　the　missiles？　How　much　G　capability　do　we　need？　Sustained　turning　ability？　Dash　speed？　Climb　speed？　Will　we　go　in　low　in　the　daytime？　If　so；　how　about　ability　to　withstand　bird　strikes　and　turbulence？〃
　The　staff　spent　an　hour　on　these　questions。　There　was　no　consensus；　nor　did　Jake　expect　one。　No　plane　in　the　world　could　do　everything；　but　any　design　must　meet　most　of　the　major　requirements　for　its　intended　employment。　Shortings　due　to　design　trade…offs　would　have　to　be　overe　or　endured。
　〃Weapons。〃　The　ideal　plane　would　carry　and　deliver　every　weapon　in　the　U。S。　and　NATO　inventory；　and　a　lot　of　them。　Was　that　a　realistic　goal　with　the　stealth　designs　under　consideration？
　After　four　hours　of　brainstorming；　the　staff　reexamined　the　proposed　test　program　for　the　prototypes。　In　the　five　nights　of　each　airplane　that　SECDEF　had　budgeted　money　and　time　for；　they　needed　to　acquire　as　much　information　as　possible　to　answer　real　questions。　pany　test　pilots　had　already　flown　both　planes。　These　five　nights　of　each　plane　by　the　navy　would　have　to　produce　data　that　verified　or　refuted　the　manufacturers'　claims。　More　importantly；　the　nights　would　determine　which　plane　was　best　suited　to　fill　the　navy's　mission　requirements；　or　which　could　be　made　so　by　cost…effective　modifications。
　〃We　really　need　more　than　five　flights　per　plane；　Captain；〃　Les　Richards　said。
　〃Five　flights　are　enough　for　what　we　want　to　fin