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〃Do you know what Athena is？ Do you silly half…wit peepers have any idea what the hell Athena is all about？〃
〃Well； you said…〃
〃I know what I told you！ I'm asking if any of your superiors have even the slightest glimmer how valuable Athena is。〃
〃I don't know。〃
The admiral gestured hugely in exasperation。 〃Just what in the name of God is going on； Luis？〃
They had reached the edge of the duck pond。 Camacho stood with folded arms and gazed across the placid surface； past the statue of U。S。 Grant on horseback； at the imposing edifice of the Capitol building。 〃I can only guess；〃 he said softly。
〃But do they have any idea what Athena is…just what the hell they are giving away？〃
〃I don't know what they know。〃
〃This isn't fiber optics； or ring laser gyros； or any of that other magic shit they've been letting the Minotaur cart out of the vault Athena is the Hope Diamond； the mother lode； the most precious； priceless treasure in the vault。 Do those stupid； ignorant inpetent half…wit political pimps have even the faintest glimmer what it is the Minotaur just laid his filthy hands on？〃
〃I don't know！〃
〃Athena will make radar obsolete。 Inevitably it will bee cheaper and will be able to miniaturize if get it so small and cheap we can use it to hide tanks and jeeps； not just ships and airplanes。 We can hide satellites with it。 In ten years or so we can probably hide submarines with it。 Athena will revolutionize strategy； tactics； weaponry。 And we've got it！ The Russians don't！ Yet！ If we can keep them from getting it for just a couple years…just a couple years…I tell you； Luis； Athena will give America such a huge technological edge that war will bee a political and military impossibility。 War will be impossible！〃
〃I believe you。〃
〃Then why？ Tell me that！ Why？〃
Camacho shrugged。
〃What could be so goddamn valuable that they would bet the ranch； the nation； the future of mankind？〃
〃I don't know for sure； and I couldn't tell you if I did。〃
The admiral exploded。 Thirty…some years in the navy had really taught him how to swear。 Camacho didn't think he had ever heard such a virtuoso performance。
Finally Henry stopped spluttering。 Bitterness had replaced his exasperation。 〃I think there's some treason going on over in your shop； Camacho。 That's all it could be。〃
〃Better go easy with that word。〃
〃Treason。〃 Henry spit it out。 〃Don't like it； huh？ By God； if Congress gets hold of this； that may be the kindest word those slimy spook bastards ever hear。 People will go to prison over this。 You wait and see。〃
Camacho lost his temper。 〃I showed you that piece of paper so you could take some reasonable steps to protect Athena； you swabbie；〃 he snarled。 〃Like change the code or empty the file。 Not so you could shoot your mouth off about things you know nothing about； things that will ruin you and me。 Now I've heard all the crap from you that I'm gonna listen to。 I've heard enough。 One more crack out of line and I'll e get you with a national security warrant and you can sit in a padded cell at St。 Elizabeth's until I think it's safe to let you out。 That may be when you're a corpse。 Is that what you want？〃
〃No；〃 said Tyler Henry contritely； aware that he had gone too far。
〃Just one word。 Admiral； just one little slip by you； and I'll e after you with that goddamn warrant。 You'd better believe it！ You and John Hinckley can spend your declining years together。〃
Camacho wheeled and walked away； leaving Henry standing there staring at his retreating back。
22
Tyler Henry acpanied the ATA project crew when they returned to Tonopah in July。 The admiral shook hands with the TRX engineers and spent three hours inspecting the plane； which occupied the hangar where the Consolidated bird had rested； and asking questions。 At his request Rita Moravia and Toad Tarkington remained beside him。 Many of his questions were directed at Rita； but when he wanted to know something about the navigation/attack system； he asked Toad。
〃Is that right； Franks？〃 the admiral growled at the TRX program manager after he bad listened carefully to one of Toad's answers。
Harry Franks nodded his assent。 It looked to Jake as if Franks had lost ten pounds or so； but the cotton of his colorful sport shirt still seemed loaded near its tensile strength where it stretched over his middle。 Franks rolled the stump of a dead cigar from one corner of his mouth to the other and winked at Jake。
With his shoulders thrown back and his genial air of self…assurance and mand； Franks reminded Jake of the salty chief petty officers he had grown to respect and admire when he was a junior officer。 Franks certainly was no modem naval officer or chief in mufti； not with that gut。 In today's navy even the chief petty officers were slimmed down or retired； victims of rigid weight standards enforced with awesome zeal。 The senior admirals liked to think of their service as a lean； mean fighting machine； which of course it was not。 More accurately； the navy was a host of skinny technocrats。 Not only were roost sailors technicians； most of the officers spent the vast majority of their professional lives as administrators； experts on instructions； notices； regulations； and budgets。 The bureaucracy was mean but certainly not lean。
Confusing； Jake mused； glancing once again at Franks' portico； very confusing。
Unlike the trendy and not so trendy humans who stood admiring it； TRX's prototype was exquisite functionality。 The mission was all…weather attack。 The plane would be launched from the deck of an aircraft carrier； in any weather day or night； to penetrate the enemy's defenses； find and destroy the target without outside aid； and return to the tiny ship in the vast ocean from whence it came； there to be refueled and rearmed and launched again。 Every form and feature had been carefully crafted for the rigid demands of this mission； and no other。
As he stood listening to the engineers describe their creation； Jake Grafton's eye fell on Rita Moravia and Toad Tarkington； two intelligent young people in perfect health with good educations。 They and others like them would have to use this machine as a weapon； when and if。 The technocrats would build it and take it to sea。 Yet the plane would never be anything but a cunning collection of glue； diodes； and weird alloys。 The attack must e from the hearts of those who rode it down the catapult into the sky。
The important things in war never change。 As always； victory would go to those who prepared wisely； planned well； and drove home their thrusts with a grim； fierce determination。
When the F…14 chase plane was safely airborne； Rita Moravia smoothly advanced the throttles to the stops and let the two improved F404 engines wind up to fill！ power as she checked the trim setting one more time。 The cockpit noise level was higher than in the Consolidated plane； and no doubt the roar of the engines outside was also louder。 The exhausts had not been as deeply inset above the wing and cooled as extensively with bypass air from the pressors； consequently more of the engine's rated power was available to propel the plane through the atmosphere。 And the noise was not the only clue： she could