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ers … capital ships … of the Royal Navy： in fact ihree of the largest gas turbine…powered warships in the world。 All are designated as TDCs … 'Through Deck Cruiser' … of the invincible class； and all had gone through major refits of electronics； weapons and aircraft capabilities since the lessons learned in the Falklands war。
With only the slightest pause。 Tanner continued； 'Put them in another ship 。。。 at the last minute ？ … 。'
'What other ship？ A destroyer； or a frigate？ There are three of them。 Tanner。 Three top brass； plete with their staff。 I'd say around twelve or fifteen bodies at the least。 Use your sense； man。 they'd have to share bunks on a frigate or destroyer； and that might be all very well for the Russkies。 but I cannoi see our American friends； or Sir Geoffrey Gould taking kindly to that。'
'Call it off； sir？'
Ll think there would be rumblings everywhere； including our wonderful Press and TV Defence Correspondents。 They'd be asking 〃why？〃 before we even concocted a story。 In any case。 Landsea '89 is essential。 All our bined exercises are essential； and what with this wretched business ofglasnosi and perestroika； NATO feels it's doing ihe decent thing。 Letting the Russians in on our war games； eh？'
'We're not supposed to call them 〃war games' anymore； sir 。 ； 。'
'I know ihat！' M thumped his desk heavily。 'It's the thin end of the wedge； though； letting the mander…in…Chief of the Russian Fleet in on a bined exercise as plex as this。'
Bill Tanner sighed； 'At least our people won't have to dodge their spy ships all the time。 You know。 sir。 even Churchill thought a sharing of information might be a good thing。'
'Thai。 Chief of Staff； was before the First World War。 It was also a sharing with the Germans。 Russians are different creatures。 I've made no secret of the fact that I don't approve of it。'
〃Quite； sir。〃
'I've been very outspoken with the Joint Intelligence mittee； though a fat lot of good it did me。 All friends together； now … so they say。 One idiot even quoted Kipling at me： Sisters under their skim and that kind of stuff。 No。 we have to do something positive。'
Tanner had walked to the window； and stood looking out at the rain beating down on Regent's Park。 'Bodyguards； sir？ Well…briefed bodyguards'；''
M made a grumbling noise。 Then … 'We know what these people're after； Tanner； but we don't want to tell ihe world； if only because we don't know the reason why。 Bodyguards would mean widening the circle of knowledge； and as you very well know that's the first rule in our business… keep the circle small。'
He stopped suddenly； as though struck by a new thought； then said； 'No！' loudly； and not to anyone in particular。
The rain continued to fall on the grass； trees and umbrellas below。 In his head Tanner had started to try and recite a piece of doggerel somebody had told him。 It was a mon theme about security and rumour dating back to the Second World War and it always made him smile …
'Actual evidence I have none。 But my aunt's charwoman sister's son； Heard a policeman on his beat。 Say to a nursemaid in Downing Street。 That he had a cousin； who had a friend； Who knows when the war is going to end。'
It was not until he reached the last line； that Bill Tanner realised he had quoted the lines aloud；
'Thai's it！' M almost bellowed。
'What； sir？'
'Nursemaid。 Chief of Staff。 We'll give them a nursemaid。 A good Naval man。 Sound as a bell。 A man willing to put his life before the lives of his charges。' M's hand reached for the internal telephone which put him directly in touch with his devoted； though long…suffering private secretary。 'Moneypenny；' he all but shouted loud enough for her to hear on the other side of the padded door。 〃Get Double…O Seven up here fast。'
Within ten minutes。 James Bond was sitting in M's holy of holies with his old Chief giving him what he thought of as the 'fish eye'； and Bill Tanner looking a little uneasy。
〃It's a job。' M announced。 〃An operation that calls for more than the usual discretion； and certainly one that'll require you to alter your circumstances a greai deal。'
'I've worked undercover before； sir。' Bond leaned back in the armchair in which M had invited him to sit。 It was a chair Bond knew well。 If you were asked to sit in this； the most fortable chair in M's office； the news could only be bad。
'Undercovc。r's one thing； 007。 but how would you feel about going back into the Royal Navy？'
'With respect； sir； I've never left the RNVR。'
M growled again； and James Bond thought he saw a gleam of unusual malice in the old Chief's eyes。 'Really？' M raised his eyes towards the ceiling。 'How long is it since you stood a Duty Watch； 007？ Or had to deal with defaulters； live day and night wilh （he routine and discipline within a capital ship； or even felt a quarterdeck rise and fall sixty feel in a gale？'
'Well； sir 。 。 。'
〃The job。 007。 will require you to go back to active duty。 In turn that'll mean you'll have to go on a course； several courses in fact； to bring you up to date with life and warfare in our present…day Roya'l Navy。'
The thought struck home。 Bond's life in the Service had； many times； caused him to work at full…streteh； but on the whole there were long periods of relaxation。 To go back to active service in the Royal Navy would be a return to the old disciplines； and a re…honing of skills almost forgotten。 A series of pictures flickered through his head。 They were rather what he had always imagined a dying man saw： his life many years ago； in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve on active service。 The images in his brain did not attract him as much as they had done when he was a young midshipman。 'Why？' he asked lamely。 Ч mean why should I go back to active service； sir？'
M smiled and nodded。'〃Because。 007； in the late winter of next year； the Royal Navy； together with elite troops； air forces； and the navies of all the NATO powers； including the United States Navy； will be carrying out an exercise： Landsea '89。 There will be observers： Admiral of the Fleet； Sir Geoffrey Could； Admiral Gudeon。 United States Navy； and Admiral Sergei Yevgennevich Pauker； mander…m…Chief of the Soviet Navy … a post unknown in any other navy in the world。' M took a deep breath。 'The latter has been invited because of the current thawing in relationships between East and West。 Glasnost。peres…troika； that kind of thing。'
'They will be 。 。 。？' Bond began。
They will be in Invincible。 They will have with them； like Gilbert and Sullivan's Sir Joseph Porter； all their sisters and their cousins and their aunts。 They will also be in danger。 Almost certainly attempted abduction。 At worst； murder。 You will be there； in Invincible； to see it does not happen。'
〃Can you explain about the danger； sir？' The trigger of magnelie interest had been squeezed deep in Bond's mind。
M smiled like a man who has just hooked the biggest fish in the river。 'Certainly； James。 Bill and I will a tale unfold。 It begins with that little problem in the Straits of Hormuz … the Japanese tanker。 Son of Hitachi； or whatever it's called 。 。 。'
The Chief of Staff corrected the tanker's name； and for his pains received a venomous glare from M；