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〃So what's the penalty？〃 The lift came to a halt and the doors opened。 As she stepped out； Moneypenny tossed a look over her shoulder； eyes twinkling。 〃Some day； James； you have to make good on your innuendoes。' She led the way through to the Operations Room。
All the screens were active and the men and women who work below ground for the SIS sat at desks with smaller monitors； or listening through headphones； while senior officers examined maps and spoke quietly to each other。
Bond's closest friend in the world of secrets； Bill Tanner； the old M's faithful Chief of Staff； detached himself from the knot of senior officers and headed for Bond and Moneypenny； his hand stretched out。 〃Good to see you again； James。
〃What's going on； Bill？ This looks like the old days。〃 He gestured at the satellite pictures ing in and the large video wall。
They all showed similar views … barren； snow…covered land with ruins and the big radio telescope dish。
〃It's more than like the old days。 This time it looks very unpleasant。 About ten minutes ago we intercepted an alarm signal from the supposedly abandoned radar station at Severnaya。。
〃Right up north？〃
〃Just about as far north as you get。 Just look at what our satellite intelligence picked up。〃 He gave an order to one of the technicians and the picture on the video wall rewound itself； froze screen and then enlarged。
〃We've got a match。 Your missing Tigre。〃 There it was； the black shape quite clear against the snow。 The technician opened up a smaller screen next to the video screen and up came the helicopter again； shown in both plan and section。
〃From Monte Carlo to the far north of Russia。 That's quite a leap。' 〃Personally； I think that it pletes your own theory about the Janus syndicate。 Pity the Evil Queen of Numbers won't let you run with the ball。〃
〃You were saying？〃 M's voice came from right behind them。
〃I was just
〃Making an unnecessary ment on a nickname I have already heard； Mr。 Tanner。 I happen to believe in numbers。 Numbers are more accurate than human beings。〃
〃With respect； Ma'am； numbers are only as pure and accurate as the person who's inputting them。〃
〃That goes without saying。〃 She gave Tanner a look that would cause concern to the toughest of men。 〃Now； the Prime Minister's waiting for an update on the situation； so please proceed with your briefing； Mr。 Tanner。〃 Bill Tanner paused for a moment； then walked across to the video wall。 Bond had never seen Bill Tanner fazed by anyone； and the new M； hard as she was； seemed to have little effect on him。
〃After the distress signal； James； the helicopter took off。
Seconds later the Russians scrambled three 〃Flogger…Ks〃 from the Anadyr base。 They're heading towards Severnaya； as is some unidentified piece of space junk … at least that's what we've always thought it to be。' 〃Severnaya's supposed to have been dormant since 〃90； you think it's operative again？〃
〃I think it's been operative all the time。 The ruins and general mess around it are； I believe； merely cosmetic。〃
〃So what're they using it for？〃
〃There was a time；' Tanner looked very troubled as he spoke； 〃when we suspected that Severnaya might just be the ground control station for that secret space…based weapons programme they coded GoldenEye。 But M chipped in。 〃But our statistical analysis； our electronic and satellite intelligence could see they had neither the funds nor the technology to implement it。〃
〃Statistics； Ma'am； were never my strong point。 Elint and Satint only go so far。 With respect； you can read numbers from these sources； you can analyse them； but you can't get into the heads and hearts of the people operating whatever your target happens to be。 These pictures live？〃 M gave a short； dismissive laugh。 〃Unlike the American government we prefer not to get bad news from CNN。 Of course they're live。〃 She looked up and； like the rest； saw the pulsing red icon； the highlit area of Severnaya； and the moving pinpoints of light that were the Russian aircraft； heading towards the facility。
Below the ground at Severnaya； Natalya stood in the doorway； looking at the ripped and sprawled bodies of her friends。 She felt shock and disgust； also a terrible fear seemed to clutch at her； icing her heart and sending her into a momentary depression。
She looked up at the map； saw the counters below it ticking off their numbers； took in the various icons and symbols； knowing what it meant。 With that knowledge came action。 She turned and dashed for the door that led towards the sleeping quarters。 She had to get out of here very quickly indeed； and； if she had to face the snow and ice above ground； she needed more than the black skirt； the shirt and the skimpy underwear she wore with fort in the air conditioned； underground facility which had been her natural habitat。
In her room she quickly changed into thermal underwear； jeans and her stout leather boots which she had bought during her last leave。
She shrugged herself into a thick fur coat； jammed a fur hat onto her head and was already drawing on fur…lined gloves as she ran back to the charnel house that had been the work area。
She could not hear the three jets； now in tight formation； at four thousand feet above the plex； their leader talking to base； saying that all seemed normal。
Above the aircraft； things were far from normal。 The piece of space junk was changing shape； a hundred kilometres up。 It appeared to detach pieces of charred and blackened metal that were merely outer covering。 Petya was revealing itself as a hard steel core； while around it； a series of shields fanned out； like the ruff which opens up on some threatened reptile。 Then； as it rolled slightly downwards； it detonated。
The immediate area around Severnaya was suddenly lit up by a cone…shaped blinding light。 Within the light there were hundreds of writhing electrical charges； like long blue snakes。
Two of the 〃Flogger…Ks' … one stationed just above the other were immediately engulfed in coils of electricity。
The upper aircraft seemed to be slammed down by the charge。 The two aircraft merged together as one in a brilliant flash and explosion。
The lead 〃Flogger…K' was hit by a similar bolt of electricity。 It simply turned on its back and began to plunge earthwards； the pilot desperately pulling on the eject handle。 He was still pulling when the machine bulleted into the huge radio telescope dish and burst into a fireball。
Below ground； Natalya Fyodorova Simonova thought there had been an earthquake。 The entire plex shook violently and was plunged into darkness so that she found herself in the middle of the technical area with crackling blue lights circling and in constant movement around the masses of electronics which were scattered across the once pristine； hygienic puter room。
Her fear fed on the already obvious need to escape； and by the flickering deadly lights she dodged across the room； through what had been the main control section； stepping over the Duty Officer's body； then running to the voice recognition unit。 Twice she called out her n