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ey would not conduct sound。
〃Every sheet of paper is numbered and accounted for；〃 the admiral told Jake。 〃The phone numbers are unlisted and changed monthly。 I can never find my number sheet； so I end up walking down here。〃
After a quick tour； Jake stood in the middle of the room with the admiral。 〃Where'd they get this carpet？〃
〃Stole it someplace。 I never asked。〃
〃Sure would be nice to get a little bigger space。 Thirty people？〃
〃This is all the space I have to give you。 It takes the signature of an Assistant Secretary of the Navy to get space not assigned to NAVAIR。 I haven't had time to kiss his ass。 But if you can get his scrawl； go for it。〃
〃Nothing's too good for the boys in navy blue；〃 Toad Tarkington chirped cheerfully from his little desk against one wall； loud enough to draw a frosty glance from the admiral。
〃You're Tarkington？〃 Dunedin said。
〃Yessir。〃
〃I hear you suffer from a mouth problem from time to time。 If it's incurable your naval career is about to hit the wall。 You read me？〃
〃Yessir。〃
Dunedin raised his voice。 〃Okay； folks。 Gather around。 I want you to meet Captain Jake Grafton； the new program manager。 He's your new boss。〃 Dunedin launched into a traditional 〃wele aboard〃 speech。 When he was finished Jake told the attentive faces how pleased he was to be there； then he and the admiral shook hands。 After a quick whispered word with Fritsche； Dunedin left the office。 Jake invited the manders and civilian experts into his new cubbyhole。 It was a very tight fit。 Folding chairs were packed in and the place became stuffy in minutes。 They filled him in on the state of the project and their roles in it。 Jake said nothing about his visits with the admirals and gave no hint that he knew anything about the project。
He looked over Helmut Fritsche first； the radar expert from Caltech。 About fifty； be was heavyset； of medium height； and sported a Hemingway beard which he liked to stroke when he talked。 He had alert； intelligent eyes that roamed constantly； even when he was addressing someone。 He spoke slowly； carefully； choosing his words。 He struck Jake as an intelligent； learned man who had long ago resigned himself to spending most of his life in the pany of fools。
George Wilson was at least five years younger than Fritsche and much leaner。 He spoke slowly； in cadenced phrases； automatically allowing his listeners to take notes if they wished。 When he used his third pun Jake finally noticed。 Listening more carefully； he picked up two double entendres and another pun。 At first blush Wilson seemed a man in love with the sound of his own voice； but Jake decided that impression didn't do justice to the fertile； active mind of the professor of aeronautical engineering。
The A…6 bombardier； mander Les Richards； looked as old as Fritsche although he couldn't have been a day over forty…two or forty…three。 Jake had met him years ago at NAS Oceana。 They had never been in the same squadron together but had a speaking acquaintance。 Richards' tired face contained tired eyes。 Jake remembered that just a year or so ago Richards had manded an A…6 squadron； so this assignment was his post…mand tour。 His eyes told whoever looked that the navy was no longer an adventure； if indeed it ever had been。 The navy and perhaps life itself were experiences to be endured on this long； joyless journey toward the grave。 If he caught any of Wilson's wordplay his face gave no hint。 In spite of his demeanor； Jake knew； Richards had the reputation of being an aggressive； petent manager； a man who got things done。
mander 〃Smoke〃 Judy was an F…14 pilot。 Like all the manders； he had had a squadron mand tour。 Smoke was short and feisty。 He looked like a man who would rather fight than eat。 The joyous petitive spirit of the fighter pilot seemed incarnate in him。 A fire…eater…no doubt that was the origin of his nickname； which had probably ceased to be a nickname long ago。 Jake suspected that his wife and even his mother now called him Smoke。
Dalton Harris was an extrovert； a man with a ready smile。 He grinned nervously at George Wilson's humor and glanced at him expectantly every time it seemed Wilson might bee inspired。 He was a lithe； pact man； as full of nervous energy as Judy。 An alumnus of the EA…6B Prowler munity； he was an expert in electronic warfare。 He even had a master's in electrical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School。
The other two manders； Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officers； were equally interesting。 Technical petence was their stock…in…trade。
An excellent group； Jake decided as the conversation wound down； good shipmates。 Harold Strong and Admiral Dunedin had chosen well。 He glanced at his watch with a start； they had been talking about the A…12 for two hours。 In parting he told them。 〃I want a plete inventory of the accountable classified material started tomorrow。 Every document will be sighted by two officers and they'll both sign the list。〃
〃We did an inventory after Captain Strong died。 Took two weeks。〃
〃You'd better hope I don't kick the bucket any time soon or you'll be doing it a couple more times。〃
Jake spent five minutes with each of the other officers； saving Moravia and Tarkington for last。 He saw them together。 After the preliminaries he said； 〃Miss Moravia； I'm going to be blunt。 You don't seem to have any test…flying experience other than Test Pilot School。〃
〃That's right； sir。 But I can do the job。 Try me and see。〃
Moravia was of medium height； with an excellent figure and a face to match。 Subtle makeup； every hair in place。 Her gold naval aviator wings gleamed above the left breast pocket of her blue uniform。 Try me and see…that fierce self…confidence separated those who could from those who never would。
Tarkington seemed to treat her with deference and respect； Jake noted wryly。 〃Ever flown an A…6？〃
〃About two hours or so at Pax River； sir。〃 Jake knew how that worked。 During the course of his training at Test Pilot School…TPS…each student flew anywhere from twelve to seventeen different kinds of aircraft。 The final examination to qualify for graduation consisted of writing a plete flying qualities and performance evaluation of an airplane the student had not flown before。 The student was handed a manual； and after studying it； was allowed to fly the airplane for four flights or six hours' flight time； whichever came first。 On the basis of this short exposure the student then wrote the report。 Rita Moravia was an honors graduate of that program。
Try me and see！
〃I want you and Tarkington to leave for Whidbey Island tomorrow morning。 The folks at VA…128 are expecting you。〃 VA…128 was the replacement training squadron for A…6 Intruders on the West Coast。 〃They're going to give you a crash course on how to fly an A…6。 Report directly to the squadron skipper when you get there tomorrow。 Mrs。 Forsythe in the admiral's office is getting you orders and plane tickets。〃 He looked again at his watch。 〃She should have them for you now。〃
〃Aye aye； sir；〃 Moravia said and stood up。 〃Is there anything else； sir？〃
〃Remember that nobody at Whidbey has a need to know anything。 You'll be asked no questions by the senior people。 The junior ones wil