scoonts.theminotaur-第75章

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　29
　
　Vice　Admiral　Henry's　funeral　was　on　Wednesday　in　Arlington　National　Cemetery；　held　outdoors　on　the　grass　at　the　request　of　his　eldest　daughter。　Everyone　who　was　anyone　in　the　Department　of　Defense　was　on　hand；　so　Jake　Grafton　ended　up　seated　among　the　rank　and　file。　The　politicians　who　ruled　the　armed　forces　sat　on　the　right　and　side　of　the　aisle；　while　on　the　left　were　the　admirals　and　generals；　who　had　been　carefully　seated　in　order　of　seniority　as　protocol　demanded。　A　band　played　funeral　airs　and　Royce　Caplinger；　George　Ludlow；　and　CNO　delivered　short　eulogies…
　From　where　he　sat　Jake　could　see　the　backs　of　the　heads　of　some　of　the　heavyweights。　Off　to　his　left　were　the　rows　and　rows　of　white　monuments；　marching　across　the　green　rolling　terrain　with　faultless　precision。
　To　his　right　was　the　low　bulk　of　the　Pentagon；　only　the　top　of　it　visible　between　the　heads　of　the　people　and　the　uniformed　ushers　at　parade　rest。
　Tyler　Henry　had　spent　his　adult　life　in　uniform；　and　Jake　had　no　doubt　that　interment　at　this　cemetery；　with　all　those　who　had　also　served；　would　have　met　with　Henry's　approval。　After　all；　Henry　had　died　in　bat；　fighting　for　something　he　believed　in。
　Half　listening　to　the　speeches；　Jake　Grafton　once　again　considered　all　he　knew　about　the　Minotaur　affair。　It　was　precious　little；　yet　it　seemed　to　him　he　could　see　the　underlying　structure。　Perhaps；　he　mused；　even　that　was　an　illusion。
　The　funeral　was　real　enough。　Henry　was　truly　dead。　The　people　involved　were　real；　the　information　passed　to　the　Soviets　was　real；　Smoke　Judy's　attempt　to　steal　the　Athena　file　was　real。　And　yet。。。
　When　he　got　back　to　the　office；　he　made　another　trip　to　the　copy　machine　for　paper。　This　time　he　wrote：　〃I　KNOW　YOU　ARE　THE　MINOTAUR。〃
　He　addressed　the　envelope　as　before　and　deposited　it　in　the　plaza　mailbox　when　he　went　down　to　catch　the　shuttle　to　the　Pentagon　for　another　round　of　meetings。
　On　Thursday　the　announcement　was　made　that　the　various　mittees　of　congress　had　authorized　the　navy　to　purchase　the　TRX　plane　as　the　A…12。　Although　the　buy　schedule　was　lower　than　planned；　which　would　raise　the　cost　of　each　plane　by　five　million　dollars；　a　general　celebration　was　in　order。　That　afternoon　Jake　and　Admiral　Dunedin　treated　everyone　in　the　office　to　a　beer　bash　at　Gus's　Place；　a　beanery　on　the　lower　floor　of　Jefferson　Plaza　1…
　〃If　you　had　any　class；　Grafton；〃　Rob　Knight　told　him；　〃you'd　have　taken　us　to　Amelia's　in　the　Underground。〃
　〃No　class。　You　got　that　right。〃
　〃Two　more　hearings　to　go；〃　Rob　said。　〃Without　an　appropriation　of　money；　all　we　have　is　a　piece　of　paper　to　frame。〃
　
　Dunedin　was　in　a　cheerful　mood。　He　laughed　and　joked　with　the　troops；　seemingly　glad　to　once　again；　if　only　for　a　little　while；　be　just　one　of　the　guys。　He　never　could　be；　of　course。　The　officers　he　had　spent　his　career　with　were　all　retired；　except　for　those　precious　few　who　were　also　vice　admirals。　All　the　others　were　playing　golf　in　Phoenix　and　Orlando；　selling　insurance　in　Virginia　Beach　or　boats　in　San　Diego；　or　were　working　for　defense　contractors。
　At　one　point　Dunedin　ended　up　at　Jake's　table。　When　they　were　temporarily　alone；　he　said；　〃Really　a　shame　about　Tyler　Henry。　He　was　going　to　retire　in　three　months；　you　know。〃
　No；　Jake　didn't　know。
　〃Had　a　little　cottage　up　in　Maine；　right　near　the　beach。　Owned　it　for　years。　Was　going　to　spend　the　rest　of　his　life　there；　he　told　me；　and　if　be　never　heard　the　sound　of　freedom　again　be　thought　he　could　live　with　that。〃　〃The　sound　of　freedom〃　was　a　public　relations　euphemism　for　jet　noise。
　〃I　guess　you　burn　out　after　a　while；〃　Jake　said。
　〃I　guess。　You　win　some；　lose　some；　hope　for　the　best。　Even　the　politicians；　they　try　to　do　that。〃
　
　Jake　remembered　that　ment　the　following　week　after　he　watched　Royce　Caplinger　sweat　in　front　of　a　Senate　Appropriations　submittee。　They　kept　him　going　over　numbers　for　most　of　the　day。　Although　he　was　subpoenaed；　Jake　never　took　the　stand。　He　was　delighted。
　Caplinger　stayed　afterwards　for　private　conversations　with　the　senators。　Jake　left　with　Toad　Tarkington；　who　had　acpanied　him。　As　they　were　leaving；　Caplinger　and　Senator　Duquesne　were　shaking　hands。　It　was　then　that　Jake　remembered　Dunedin's　ment。
　A　week　later　the　House　Appropriations　mittee　held　their　closed…door　hearing。　Caplinger　spent　three　hours　on　the　stand；　Ludlow　two　hours。　After　lunch　came　Jake's　turn　on　the　hot　seat。　Three　hours　later　Congresswoman　Samantha　Strader　cleared　her　throat。
　Strader　was　in　her　early　fifties；　her　hair　penned；　her　eyes　screwed　up　in　a　characteristic　squint。　One　of　only　two　Democrats　in　her　state's　congressional　delegation；　she　represented　a　district　carved　from　the　core　of　her　state's　capital　city；　the　only　area　of　the　state　with　a　significant　minority　population。　She　had　one　of　the　safest　Democratic　seats　in　the　country　and　had　been　elected　pro　forma　a　dozen　times；　yet　until　the　last　election　she　bad　been　almost　unknown　outside　her　state。　Prior　to　that　election　she　had　publicly　entertained　the　idea　of　entering　the　presidential　primaries　as　the　only　woman　in　the　field。　Her　short…lived　quest　came　to　grief　on　the　shoals　of　political　and　financial　reality；　but　not　before　her　name　and　face　had　been　splashed　coast　to　coast　by　the　media。　She　bad　jabbed　and　pricked　the　real　contenders　during　her　moment　in　the　spotlight；　had　a　delightful　time；　and　squinted　all　the　while。
　Sam　Strader's　avowed　passion　was　the　military。　Every　officer　in　the　Pentagon　knew　what　that　meant。　She　hated　them。　With　an　excellent　mind；　a　quick　wit；　and　a　tongue　to　match；　she　was　a　formidable　opponent。
　Today；　at　this　closed　hearing　of　the　black　projects　submittee　of　the　House　Appropriations　mittee；　she　adjusted　the　microphone　in　front　of　her　and　gazed　at　Jake　Grafton　as　though　looking　through　a　dense　smoke　screen。　〃Captain；　please　justify；　if　you　can；　the　acquisition　of　another　very　expensive　major　weapons　system　by　the　U。S。　Navy　when　Chairman　Gorbachev　is　cutting　the　Soviet　military　budget　drastically；　reducing　manpower　levels　by　ten　percent；　slashing　new　ship　construction；　cutting　navy　steaming　tune。〃
　〃Congresswoman；〃　Jake　said；　trying　to　digest　the　question。　〃I　don't　think　I'm　qualified　to　address　that。　I'm　here　to　testify　about　the　merits　of　the　prototypes　evaluated　by　the　Advanced　Tactical　Aircraft　program　for　production　as　the　A…12。〃
　〃Didn't　Secretary　Ludlow　send　you　over　here　to　testify？〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am。　He　did。　And　this　panel　questioned　him　for　two　hours　this　morning。〃
　〃Now　it's　your　turn。　Answer　the　question；　if　you　can。〃
　〃As　I've　already　said；　we　need　the　A…12　because　the　A…6　is　wearing　out。　The　A…6　has　an　airframe　designed　in　the　1950s　and　is　already　past　the　end　of　its　service　life。　The　carriers　must　have　a　viable　all…weather　attack　capability　or　they　are　obsolete　and…〃
　〃But　what　about　the　Soviet　initiative？〃
　〃Congresswoman；　he's　trying　to　answer　your　question。〃　The　chairman　of　the　House　Appropriations　mittee　was　a　Texas　Democrat。　Just　now　he　looked　bored。　No　doubt　he　was　faking。　Rumor　had　it　he　had　underestimated　Sam　Strader　once　too　often　in　the　past。　That　was　a　mistake　Jake　Grafton　had　no　intention　of　making。　He　was　sitting　at　attention；　listening　carefully。
　Strader　ignored　the　chairman。　〃Captain　Grafton；　I　want　to　know　when　the　navy　is　going　to　realize　that　the　Soviet　threat　is　diminishing　and　accordingly　lower　its　requests　for　funds　from　this　Congress。〃
　〃The　navy　doesn't　make　budget　requests　of　Congress。　The　administration　does。　Be　that　as　it　may；　you　assume　the　Soviet　threat　is　diminishing　significantly。　I　disagree。　And　the　Soviets　are　only　one　of　our　possible　adversaries。　They　still　have　four　million　men　under　arms。　They　have　a　formidable；　capable　navy。　We　are　buying　the　A…12　to　provide　an　all…weather　attack　capability　for　our　aircraft　carriers　for　the　next　thirty　years。　We　must　provide　a　strong　Sunday　punch　for　our　fleet　regardless　of　the　twists　and　turns　of　Soviet　policy　or　the　ups　and　downs　of　this　or　that　munist　politician。〃
　〃If　the　threat　is　diminishing；　can　we　then　scrap　a　carrier　or　two　and　cut　back　the　A…12　buy　order？〃
　〃Congresswoman；　the　Warsaw　Pact　still　has　over　fifty　thousand　tanks；　four　times　as　much　artillery；　and　twice　as　many　planes　as　NATO　can　muster。　The　Soviet　army　is　three　times　larger　than　ours。　We　are　a　sea　power。　Over　fifty　percent　of　our　oil　is　imported。　I　think　any　reduction　of　our　naval　capability　when　faced　with　these　realities　would　be　very　unwise。〃
　〃Captain；　it　seems　to　me　that　both　we　and　the　Soviets　have　spent　more　money　on　the　military　than　either　nation　can　afford；　and　now　we　have　a　perfect　opportunity　to　reduce　that　expenditure。　If　we　deterred　them　with　what　we　had　before　they　made　a　ten　percent　reduction；　we　can　deter　them　just　as　well　in　the　future　if　we　make　a　ten　percent　reduction。〃
　〃You　persist　in　assuming　the　Soviet　Union　is　our　only　possible　opponent　in　a　world　in　which　we　have　global　mitments。　In　the　last　forty　years　the　navy　has　seen　action　in　Korea；　Vietnam；　Grenada；　and　Libya　and　Lebanon　several　times。　We've　had　to　meet　those　mitments　and　deter　the　Soviets　too。〃
　〃And　more　gadgets　are　going　to　enable　the　navy　to　continue　to　do　that？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　characterize　the　A…12　as　a…〃
　〃I　would！　You　people　are　gadget…happy。　The　attitude　in　the　Pentagon　seems　to　be　that　gadgets　will　keep　us　free。　In　the　meantime　our　schools　are　atrocious　and　our　bridges　and　highways　are　disintegrating。　We　desperately　need　a　nationwide　chud…care　system　for　working　mothers　and　a　long…term　healthcare　system　for　the　elderly。　The　damage　that　drugs　are　doing　to　the　children　of　America　is　a　national　disgrace。　We　need　to　greatly　expand　our　drug　education　and　law　enforcement　efforts。　Yet　we　can　afford　none　of　this　because　we　keep　borrowing　money　to　buy　grotesque　gadgets　to　kill　people　with。　And　this　at　a　time　when　the　Cold　War　is　over！〃
　〃I'm　not　testifying　to　that；〃　Jake　said　tartly；　and　felt　Toad　Tarkington　kick　him　under　the　table。　〃The　choices　are　difficult；〃　he　added。　〃I　don't　envy　you　your　responsibilities。〃
　〃Congresswoman　Strader；〃　the　chairman　rumbled。　〃This　is　a　closed　hearing。　Your　remarks　will　not　leave　this　room；　so　I　am　at　a　loss　as　to　why　you　are　making　a　stump　speech　to　Captain　Grafton；　who；　unless　I　am　mistaken；　doesn't　vote　in　your　district。〃
　Strader　shifted　her　squint　back　to　Grafton。　〃Just　when　will　the　navy's　budget　requests　reflect　the　new　geopolitical　realities？〃
　Jake　answered　carefully。　〃The　navy's　budget　requests　to　the　administration　are　based　on　the　needs　of　the　navy　in　light　of　the　mitments　the　government　has　assigned　the　navy。　As　for　geopolitical　realities；　I　think　the　political　ferment　that　is　occurring　in　the　Soviet　Union　is　the　most　hopeful　development　in　that　nation　in　this　century。　But　who　knows　if　Gorbachev　will　prevail？　He　may　be　assassinated。　There　may　be　a　coup。　He　may　just　be　booted　out　by　his　colleagues。　We　can't　sink　the　U。S。　Navy　this　year　and　hope　for　the　best。〃
　〃Time　will　tell。　Is　that　your　testimony？　We　should　let　the　real　human　needs　of　our　citizens　go　unmet　so　we　can　continue　to　fund　a　military　establishment　that　is　a　travesty　in　a　world　seeking　real　peace？〃
　〃Your　admiration　for　Chairman　Gorbachev　is　in　many　ways　reminiscent　of　Neville　Chambe