scoonts.theminotaur-第92节

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ls　of　political　and　financial　reality；　but　not　before　her　name　and　face　had　been　splashed　coast　to　coast　by　the　media。　She　bad　jabbed　and　pricked　the　real　contenders　during　her　moment　in　the　spotlight；　had　a　delightful　time；　and　squinted　all　the　while。
　Sam　Strader's　avowed　passion　was　the　military。　Every　officer　in　the　Pentagon　knew　what　that　meant。　She　hated　them。　With　an　excellent　mind；　a　quick　wit；　and　a　tongue　to　match；　she　was　a　formidable　opponent。
　Today；　at　this　closed　hearing　of　the　black　projects　submittee　of　the　House　Appropriations　mittee；　she　adjusted　the　microphone　in　front　of　her　and　gazed　at　Jake　Grafton　as　though　looking　through　a　dense　smoke　screen。　〃Captain；　please　justify；　if　you　can；　the　acquisition　of　another　very　expensive　major　weapons　system　by　the　U。S。　Navy　when　Chairman　Gorbachev　is　cutting　the　Soviet　military　budget　drastically；　reducing　manpower　levels　by　ten　percent；　slashing　new　ship　construction；　cutting　navy　steaming　tune。〃
　〃Congresswoman；〃　Jake　said；　trying　to　digest　the　question。　〃I　don't　think　I'm　qualified　to　address　that。　I'm　here　to　testify　about　the　merits　of　the　prototypes　evaluated　by　the　Advanced　Tactical　Aircraft　program　for　production　as　the　A…12。〃
　〃Didn't　Secretary　Ludlow　send　you　over　here　to　testify？〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am。　He　did。　And　this　panel　questioned　him　for　two　hours　this　morning。〃
　〃Now　it's　your　turn。　Answer　the　question；　if　you　can。〃
　〃As　I've　already　said；　we　need　the　A…12　because　the　A…6　is　wearing　out。　The　A…6　has　an　airframe　designed　in　the　1950s　and　is　already　past　the　end　of　its　service　life。　The　carriers　must　have　a　viable　all…weather　attack　capability　or　they　are　obsolete　and…〃
　〃But　what　about　the　Soviet　initiative？〃
　〃Congresswoman；　he's　trying　to　answer　your　question。〃　The　chairman　of　the　House　Appropriations　mittee　was　a　Texas　Democrat。　Just　now　he　looked　bored。　No　doubt　he　was　faking。　Rumor　had　it　he　had　underestimated　Sam　Strader　once　too　often　in　the　past。　That　was　a　mistake　Jake　Grafton　had　no　intention　of　making。　He　was　sitting　at　attention；　listening　carefully。
　Strader　ignored　the　chairman。　〃Captain　Grafton；　I　want　to　know　when　the　navy　is　going　to　realize　that　the　Soviet　threat　is　diminishing　and　accordingly　lower　its　requests　for　funds　from　this　Congress。〃
　〃The　navy　doesn't　make　budget　requests　of　Congress。　The　administration　does。　Be　that　as　it　may；　you　assume　the　Soviet　threat　is　diminishing　significantly。　I　disagree。　And　the　Soviets　are　only　one　of　our　possible　adversaries。　They　still　have　four　million　men　under　arms。　They　have　a　formidable；　capable　navy。　We　are　buying　the　A…12　to　provide　an　all…weather　attack　capability　for　our　aircraft　carriers　for　the　next　thirty　years。　We　must　provide　a　strong　Sunday　punch　for　our　fleet　regardless　of　the　twists　and　turns　of　Soviet　policy　or　the　ups　and　downs　of　this　or　that　munist　politician。〃
　〃If　the　threat　is　diminishing；　can　we　then　scrap　a　carrier　or　two　and　cut　back　the　A…12　buy　order？〃
　〃Congresswoman；　the　Warsaw　Pact　still　has　over　fifty　thousand　tanks；　four　times　as　much　artillery；　and　twice　as　many　planes　as　NATO　can　muster。　The　Soviet　army　is　three　times　larger　than　ours。　We　are　a　sea　power。　Over　fifty　percent　of　our　oil　is　imported。　I　think　any　reduction　of　our　naval　capability　when　faced　with　these　realities　would　be　very　unwise。〃
　〃Captain；　it　seems　to　me　that　both　we　and　the　Soviets　have　spent　more　money　on　the　military　than　either　nation　can　afford；　and　now　we　have　a　perfect　opportunity　to　reduce　that　expenditure。　If　we　deterred　them　with　what　we　had　before　they　made　a　ten　percent　reduction；　we　can　deter　them　just　as　well　in　the　future　if　we　make　a　ten　percent　reduction。〃
　〃You　persist　in　assuming　the　Soviet　Union　is　our　only　possible　opponent　in　a　world　in　which　we　have　global　mitments。　In　the　last　forty　years　the　navy　has　seen　action　in　Korea；　Vietnam；　Grenada；　and　Libya　and　Lebanon　several　times。　We've　had　to　meet　those　mitments　and　deter　the　Soviets　too。〃
　〃And　more　gadgets　are　going　to　enable　the　navy　to　continue　to　do　that？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　characterize　the　A…12　as　a…〃
　〃I　would！　You　people　are　gadget…happy。　The　attitude　in　the　Pentagon　seems　to　be　that　gadgets　will　keep　us　free。　In　the　meantime　our　schools　are　atrocious　and　our　bridges　and　highways　are　disintegrating。　We　desperately　need　a　nationwide　chud…care　system　for　working　mothers　and　a　long…term　healthcare　system　for　the　elderly。　The　damage　that　drugs　are　doing　to　the　children　of　America　is　a　national　disgrace。　We　need　to　greatly　expand　our　drug　education　and　law　enforcement　efforts。　Yet　we　can　afford　none　of　this　because　we　keep　borrowing　money　to　buy　grotesque　gadgets　to　kill　people　with。　And　this　at　a　time　when　the　Cold　War　is　over！〃
　〃I'm　not　testifying　to　that；〃　Jake　said　tartly；　and　felt　Toad　Tarkington　kick　him　under　the　table。　〃The　choices　are　difficult；〃　he　added。　〃I　don't　envy　you　your　responsibilities。〃
　〃Congresswoman　Strader；〃　the　chairman　rumbled。　〃This　is　a　closed　hearing。　Your　remarks　will　not　leave　this　room；　so　I　am　at　a　loss　as　to　why　you　are　making　a　stump　speech　to　Captain　Grafton；　who；　unless　I　am　mistaken；　doesn't　vote　in　your　district。〃
　Strader　shifted　her　squint　back　to　Grafton。　〃Just　when　will　the　navy's　budget　requests　reflect　the　new　geopolitical　realities？〃
　Jake　answered　carefully。　〃The　navy's　budget　requests　to　the　administration　are　based　on　the　needs　of　the　navy　in　light　of　the　mitments　the　government　has　assigned　the　navy。　As　for　geopolitical　realities；　I　think　the　political　ferment　that　is　occurring　in　the　Soviet　Union　is　the　most　hopeful　development　in　that　nation　in　this　century。　But　who　knows　if　Gorbachev　will　prevail？　He　may　be　assassinated。　There　may　be　a　coup。　He　may　just　be　booted　out　by　his　colleagues。　We　can't　sink　the　U。S。　Navy　this　year　and　hope　for　the　best。〃
　〃Time　will　tell。　Is　that　your　testimony？　We　should　let　the　real　human　needs　of　our　citizens　go　unmet　so　we　can　continue　to　fund　a　military　establishment　that　is　a　travesty　in　a　world　seeking　real　peace？〃
　〃Your　admiration　for　Chairman　Gorbachev　is　in　many　ways　reminiscent　of　Neville　Chamberlain's　warm　regard　for　Adolf　Hitler。　I　hope　you　don't　have　reason　later　on　to　regret　your　enthusiasm；　as　Chamberlain　did。〃
　Toad's　shoe　smacked　on　his　shin　again　as　Strader　snarled；　〃I　deeply　resent　that　remark；　Captain。　I…〃
　The　chairman　cut　her　off。　〃Congresswoman　Strader；　this　is　not　the　time　and　place　for　a　political　colloquy　with　Captain　Grafton。　Please　address　your　questions　to　the　issue　at　hand。　I　must　insist。〃
　Strader　stared　at　Grafton。　She　was　furious。　〃Why　is　the　A…12　a　black　project？〃
　〃The　technology　involved　is…〃
　〃No！　I　reject　that。　The　air　force　used　that　explanation　for　the　B…2　bomber…516　million　each…and　going　higher…and　the　F…117A…62　million　each。　They've　acquired　unproven　airplanes　with　limited　capabilities；　airplanes　that　must　be　operated　from　paved　runways　that　will　be　the　Soviets'　first　nuclear　targets　in　the　event　of　war。　No；　Captain　Grafton。　Public　debate　is　what　the　administration　and　the　Pentagon　seek　to　avoid。〃　Her　gaze　shifted　to　the　chairman。　〃Public　debate　is　what　you　wish　to　avoid；　Mr。　Chairman；　so　that　your　state　can　secure　another　bloated；　outrageous　defense　contract　for　technology　that　may　well　not　do　what　those　hogs　at　the　Pentagon…〃
　〃Time's　up。〃　The　chairman　smacked　his　gavel。
　Strader　was　just　getting　up　steam。　〃。。。that　those　money…hungry　swine　at　the　Pentagon　have　carefully　steered　to　your　state　so　that…〃
　〃You're　out　of　time；　Congresswoman；〃　the　chairman　said；　his　voice　rising；　〃and　out　of　order。　Thank　you　for　your　testimony；　Captain　Grafton。　You're　excused。〃
　Strader　kept　talking。　Jake　packed　his　briefcase　and　handcuffed　it　to　his　wrist　〃。。。these　machines　are　being　purchased　to　fight　wars　that　everyone　knows　will　never　occur。　Billions　of　dollars　down　the　sewer！　It's　obscene。〃
　Jake　rose　and　walked　for　the　door　with　Tarkington　at　his　elbow。　Behind　him　Strader　and　the　chairman　were　shouting　at　each　other。
　〃You　ever　kick　me　again；　Tarkington；　and　you'll　need　a　proctologist　to　surgically　remove　that　shoe。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　When　the　door　closed　behind　them　and　they　were　walking　down　the　corridor；　Jake　said；　〃I　really　lost　it　in　there；　didn't　I？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　You　did。〃
　〃Well；　if　they'll　just　vote　the　funds　now；　we've　done　the　navy　a　pretty　good　job。〃
　〃I　suppose。〃
　As　they　went　down　the　outside　steps　of　the　Capitol；　Jake　said；　〃I　hope　she's　right。　I　hope　the　wars　never　occur。〃
　〃Yeah。　And　I　hope　I　live　forever；〃　Toad　Tarkington　said；　and　signaled　to　the　transportation　pool　driver；　who　was　standing　beside　the　car　a　hundred　yards　away。
　As　the　car　pulled　up；　Toad　climbed　into　the　front　seat；　Jake　into　the　back。　They　had　just　pulled　the　doors　shut　when　the　rear　door　opened　again。　Jake　looked　up。　The　man　standing　there　had　a　pistol　pointed　at　him。　〃Slide　over；　Captain。〃
　Jake　hesitated　for　just　a　second　and　glanced　into　the　front　seat。　The　driver　had　a　gun　pointed　at　Toad。　Jake　scooted。
　The　man　outside　took　a　seat　and　pulled　the　door　shut。
　〃Gentlemen；　as　you　can　see；　we　are　both　armed。　You　are　going　to　be　our　guests　for　a　little　while；　Mr。　Tarkington？〃
　When　Toad　didn't　respond；　the　man　beside　Jake　nudged　Toad　in　the　neck　with　the　bar