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sisters。
〃You're what？〃 exclaimed Harriet； Rita's horrified roommate。 It was Sunday evening and they were in the bedroom。 Out in the living room Toad had settled in to watch a Knicks game。
Rita held up her left hand and waggled it proudly。 〃Here's the ring。 I'm married。〃
〃My God！ How long have you known him？ A month？ How long were you engaged？〃
〃A little over an hour。 We were driving to Deep Geek Lake for the weekend and around Prostburg we decided to get married。 So Toad drove off the next exit and into Oakland。 We found the most delightful minister。 He knew a lady in the county clerk's office…she was a member of his church…and she drove downtown and opened up the courthouse just to issue us a license。 Wasn't that sweet？〃
Harriet lowered herself onto the bed and covered her face with her hands。
〃The minister's wife gave me some flowers from her garden。 Some paper…white narcissus and tulips and multicolored butterfly daffodils； all accented by bridal wreath in a beautiful bouquet。 I cradled them in my right arm when we said our vows。〃 She sighed remembering。 〃I have the best ones down in the car。 I thought you and I could press them。〃
〃A one…hour engagement！ Rita； Rita； Rita； you poor poor child。 What do you know about this man？ What？〃 Harriet opened the bedroom door a crack and looked with loathing at the groom sagged out in front of the TV with a beer in his hand。 No wonder they called him Toad。
〃My God； Rita； how could you？〃 she hissed。 〃What do you know about him？ He could be AC…DC or a closet pervert； or even a Republican！ What will your mother say？〃 Harriet spun like a lioness ready to pounce。 〃Have you told her yet？〃
〃Well…〃
〃I knew it！ When are you going to tell her？ After all； Rita； she is your mother。 She once told me that after buying a thousand wedding presents for all of your friends； she was so looking forward to inviting every one of them to your wedding。 You're her only daughter！〃 Harriet threw herself backward onto her bed and bounced once。 〃How could you？〃 she moaned。
〃It was easy；〃 Rita Moravia Tarkington said lightly。 She dearly enjoyed Harriet's tantrums。 〃It was so romantic。 Just like I always wanted it to be。 He's so handsome； so。。。 We're going to be so very happy all our lives。 He's。。。 he's。。。〃 She sighed again and smiled。
〃One thing's for sure；〃 Harriet said acidly； 〃he's all yours now。〃
On Monday morning Lieutenant Toad Tarkington and Lieutenant Rita Moravia entered Jake's office together； side by side。 They stopped in front of his desk and waited at parade rest until he looked up from the report he was working on。
〃Yeah。〃
〃We have some news for you； Captain；〃 Rita said。
Jake carefully surveyed their expectant faces。 He scowled。 〃Why have I got the feeling I'm not going to enjoy this？〃
Rita and Toad both grinned broadly and glanced at each other。 〃We're married；〃 Toad said。
Jake Grafton clapped his hands over his ears。 〃I didn't hear that。 Whatever it was； I didn't hear it。 And I don't want to hear it。〃 He stood and leaned slightly toward them； his voice low； 〃I have enough problems around here without people sniping at me about the romantic status of my test crew。 What you two do on your own time is your business。 But until we get the prototype testing pleted and I submit the report； you two puppies are going to walk the line for me。 All business。 No kissy…facey or kootchy…koo or groping or any of that other goofy hooey。 No glorious announcements。 Strictly business。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 Rita said。
〃I warned you about this； Tarkington。 No romances； I said。 And look at you！ It's disgusting； that's what it is。〃
〃Yessir；〃 Toad said。
〃I can't let you out of my sight for a minute。〃
〃I just couldn't control myself； sir。〃
〃You two are going to be very happy someday。 But not today or tomorrow。 Right now you're serious； mitted； dedicated professionals。 Pretend。 Try real hard。〃
〃Yessir；〃 they both said。
〃Congratulations。 Get back to work。〃
〃Aye aye； sir。〃 They came to attention like plebes at the Naval Academy； did a smart about…face and marched out； Rita leading。 Jake Grafton bit his lip and resumed work on his report。
19
〃Somebody explain how this airplane is going to be used。〃 Jake Grafton looked from bee to face。 He had his staff gathered around while he stood at the office blackboard with marker in hand。 〃Who wants the floor？〃
〃Captain； there's been two or three studies on that written during the last three or four years；〃 said Smoke Judy。
〃I know。 Somebody dug them out for me and I read them。 I want to hear your ideas。〃
〃Seems to me；〃 said Toad Tarkington； 〃that the first thing it has to do is land and take off from a carrier。 Must be carrier…patible。〃
Jake wrote that down。 Obvious； but often overlooked。 Any navy attack plane must have a tailhook； nose tow； strong keel； routinely tolerate a six…hundred foot…per…minute sink rate collision with the deck on landing； fit into allotted deck space and accept electrical power and inertial alignment information from the ship's systems。 It had to be capable of being launched from existing catapults and arrested with existing machinery。 In addition； it would have to be able to fly down a 3。5…degree glide slope carrying enough power to make a wave…off fusible； and with a low enough nose attitude so that the pilot could see the carrier's optical landing system。 Amazingly enough； in the late 1960s the navy was almost forced to boy a plane that wasn't carrier…patible…the TFX； which the air force called the F…11I and immediately began using as an all…weather tactical bomber with a system identical to the A…6's。
〃Corrosion…resistant；〃 Tarkington added as Jake made furious notes。 〃Has to be able to withstand long exposure to salty environment without a lot of expensive maintenance。〃
〃Maintenance；〃 muttered Les Richards。 〃Got to have easy maintainability designed in。 Easy access to engines； black boxes and so forth； without a lot of special equipment。〃
The requirements came thick and fast now； as quick as Jake could write。 Range； speed； payload and a lot of other parameters。 After ten minutes he had filled up most of the board and his staff paused for air。
〃How're we going to use this thing？〃 he asked again。 〃What I'm getting at is this： these stealth designs appear to be optimized for high…altitude ingress over heavily defended territory。 Presumably at night。 Are all our missions going to be at night？〃
〃We can't afford to give away the day；〃 someone said。
〃What's that mean in the way of aircraft capability？ Daytime means enemy fighters and optically aimed surface…to…air missiles。 They'll see our plane。 Do we have to be able to engage the fighters and dodge the missiles？ How much G capability do we need？ Sustained turning ability？ Dash speed？ Climb speed？ Will we go in low in the daytime？ If so； how about ability to withstand bird strikes and turbulence？〃
The staff spent an hour on these questions。 There was no consensus； nor did Jake expect one。 No plane in the world could do everything； but any design must meet most of the major requirements for its intended employment。 Shortings due to design trade…offs would have to be overe or endured。
〃Weapo