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afe： the key； a plastic card； and a small golden disk in the centre of which was an engraved eye。
〃Good。 Now； make the blind see。〃 The major looked down at the disk and removed a piece of golden tape from the centre of the eye； revealing a circle where the pupil would have been。
〃You know how the GoldenEye works？〃
〃Yes； General。 When positioned correctly the disk allows a laser beam to lance through its centre； thus initiating the firing mechanism of the satellite。〃
〃Good。
You have done well； Major。 I think that will be all we require。〃 He turned to Xenia。 〃Colonel。 You take over。
Xenia almost lazily unslung her Uzi and put two quick bursts in the direction of the two officers。 Then she walked unhurriedly to the door leading to the technicians' area and sprayed everything in sight； changing magazines with an almost robot…like perfection。
Bodies were thrown back against equipment or spun violently； showers of sparks and smoke leaped from puter work…stations。 The entire business took less than thirty seconds。
In the small kitchen； Natalya Simonova spilled her coffee and looked up； horror in her eyes。
Back in the main control room Xenia bent down and removed a second firing key hanging on a silver chain from around the dead Duty Officer's neck and went over to the long console at which Ourumov had already taken his place； throwing switches and watching the long screen light up high above the instruments。
With great precision Ourumov slid the GoldenEye disk into a slot； not unlike a CD player。 He placed the day's code card in front of him and inserted the key into a lock to the right of the point where the golden disk had slid into place。 Xenia had already inserted the key taken from the Duty Officer。 〃On my count；' he rapped。 〃Three； Two； One； Zero。' They turned their keys in unison and the rest of the console lit up； needles flicked and the screen above them showed a segment of the earth with one of the satellites in orbit。
〃Set target acquisition for Petya。 Severnaya；' the general ordered。
High above the earth's surface； a piece of what appeared to be space junk … possibly the burned out stage of a rocket … seemed to be tumbling around in orbit； but； as the mand from Severnaya leaped silently through space to wake it up； so the satellite coded Petya emitted blasts from hidden propulsion units and began to change course。
Inside the control room； both Ourumov and Xenia looked at the screen above them and saw what Natalya had been watching； less than half…an…hour before。 The red symbol that was the Petya began to move rapidly； shifting from its position over the Middle East and heading at an unthinkable speed towards northern Russia。
On a lower display screen information started to ribbon out： PETYA LOCATION： 80。31。160。17 TARGET： 78。08。107。58。
Then： TIME TO TARGET： 15。43。21 Ourumov； consulting the card containing the codes； began to punch in a series of numbers。 The display now flashed a further message： WEAPON ARMED。
At that very moment； panic stricken at what she could hear； Natalya knocked over her cup。 In the sterile silence the noise was like a hand…grenade exploding。
Both Ourumov and Xenia jerked back。
〃Check it；' the general said in a low voice and； as Xenia walked away； so the second…in…mand； sprawled in his own blood on the floor； moved。 Close to death it was almost a reflex action。 His hand shot up and punched one of the many alarm buttons in the room。 Xenia whirled around； giving him a quick final burst from the Uzi； but it came a fraction too late； and their ears were assaulted by a sudden shrieking of warning sirens and alarms。
Xenia； pausing； looked anxiously at the general who said； 〃Get on with it。 Their best response time is seventeen minutes。 This place will be hit in less than fifteen now。 Go。〃
In the kitchen； Natalya pulled a chair to a point directly under the maintenance grille in the room's ceiling； and started to work on loosening the metal。 She had pulled it I； halfway down when she heard the rapid footsteps of Xenia ing hell for leather down the passageway。
Miles away； at the Anadyr air base in Siberia； three MiG23MDL 〃Flogger…Ks' … hurtled off the main runway。 The pilots had only just e on duty when the alarm sounded； and they received the target information literally as they were taxiing from their bunkers。 In seconds they would be on their way to Severnaya Station。
Below the earth； in the small kitchen； one of the cupboard doors squeaked and opened as Natalya crawled out。
In London； James Bond was just entering the Operations Room below the Secret Intelligence Service's headquarters。
Xenia kicked the kitchen door open； saw the broken cup and the spillage of coffee； then looked at the chair and the metal grille above it； now dangling； ripped from its setting。
She smiled grimly and lifted the Uzi spraying the entire ceiling； changing magazines and blasting away again。
Nobody hiding up there could possibly live。
Back at the console； she told Ourumov that she had dealt with the matter。 He nodded with a tiny smile on his lips； then gestured towards the timers ticking down at what appeared to be a very fast pace。
〃Time flies； Colonel。〃
〃They have a saying in the West〃 She grinned ~ at him。
〃Time flies； particularly when you're having fun。〃 He nodded again； slipped the GoldenEye disk from the console and placed it in his briefcase which he closed with the finality of a coffin lid。
〃I think we should get out of here。〃 Using the voice print security system again； they left； once more marching in step； up the concrete stairs and out into the cold。
In less than four minutes the Tigre helicopter was starting to lift off in a cloud of snow； from which it emerged； black and sinister。
Bond went down to the Operations Room with Moneypenny who； he had to admit； was looking more than usually ravishing in a simple black dress with a gold clasp just below her right shoulder。
〃Dressed to thrill；' he murmured to himself as they got into the lift。
〃I beg your pardon？〃 She had just caught what he had said。
Moneypenny's hearing was almost unnaturally acute。
The old M used to say that she could hear the rumours from the powdervine directly from her office。
〃I was observing that I've never seen you look so lovely。〃
〃Well； thank you； James。〃
〃Got some special assignment on tonight？〃
〃Well； I don't sit around all the time waiting for you to call。 I have a date； if you're really interested。 A date with a gentleman。 We're going to the theatre。〃
〃Nothing too taxing； I trust〃
〃Shakespeare actually。 Love's Labours Lost〃
〃I'm devastated。 What will I ever do without you？〃 She gave a coy little smile。 〃So far as I recall； James； you've never had me。〃 He gave her a sidelong glance。 〃No； but it's often been my midsummer night's dream。〃 Moneypenny turned her head away。 〃James； you know that kind of talk could easily be classed nowadays as sexual harassment。
〃So what's the penalty？〃 The lift came to a halt and the doors opened。 As she stepped out； Moneypenny