Megafortress. If any of you, either now or later on, feel you cannot handle the rigors we'll place on you, see me in private and you'll be released. 'There was a sort of relieved nod from everyone-everyone except Anderson.
'Colonel Anderson, the floor is yours.'
Anderson nodded thanks to General Elliott, then swung on the rest of his newly assembled crew like a disgusted drill sergeant at an induction 'The routine is simple, ladies and gentlemen. Our mission is to collect data on avionics, weaponry, hardware, and software aboard the B-52 India model for use in other specialized military aircraft.
Very simple.
'To do this, we study. Every waking minute, every free moment, you will spend studying the missions and the scenarios faced in each one.
You will not concentrate only on your own specialty. You will be intimately familiar with the duties and responsibilities of every member of this crew.
'When the plane is available to fly, we spend all afternoon, from thirteen hundred hours until eighteen hundred hours, in mission planning. The crew briefing will be three hours prior to takeoff. All of our flights will be night sorties to help insure security, and they will be four hours in duration. There will be three hours debriefing following the sortie, then eight hours crew rest before duty begins the next day.
'When the plane is not available, we will use the simulator.
Simulator sessions are five hours long, and there will be five hours for mission planning and briefing and three hours for post-briefing.' Anderson started to pace in front of his assembled crew, staring each one down.
'This is not a scientific laboratory, an office, or a board he said.
'This is a classified tactical unit on an urgent room, assignment.
Because of the need for speed and accuracy, we will consider this field conditions from here on. Their will be no leave, no absence, no sick call, no vacation, no days off.
You will have no visitors, receive no calls from your other place of employment, or work on any other project save this one. Am I understood?'
No reply.
You are expected to be familiar with the entire contents of the I-model technical order by noon tomorrow. Then, we will meet here and talk about the plane and its characteristics.
Questions?'
Again, no reply, Anderson turned to Elliott. 'General?' Elliott shook his head.
'You will be sorry,' Anderson said menacingly, 'if you come here tomorrow and you don't know your shit. Dismissed.
The Old Dog's crewmembers filed out, everyone afraid to speak or make any comment with Anderson anywhere within earshot. Elliott, McLanahan, and Briggs were the last to leave.
'That man,' Briggs said, 'is one intense sonofabitch.'
'I can see working with him is going to be a real blast,' McLanahan asked. 'Thanks for the great assignment, General.
'Don't mention it,' he replied, smiling. 'I hope you've been studying.
You're starting out with two strikes against you already.
'I know,' McLanahan asked. 'I'm a nav-and I'm not Mentzer. Who is Mentzer, anyway?'
An aerospace engineer who has worked closely with Anderson for five years,' Briggs replied.
'But he had a clearance problem?'
'Hal here unearthed some… discrepancies in Mentzer's background before he came to Dreamland,' Elliott asked. 'TOO many overlapping jobs. Our Hal here is the suspicious typebut I haven't gone wrong yet trusting his instincts.
'Why, thanks, General- 'But there's always a first time,' Elliott said, smiling.
'Wait until Anderson hears it was a lowly lieutenant keeping Mentzer out of the project. 'Briggs groaned. 'Anyway, I'm keeping him out of this phase of the project until we get it straightened out.'
'Then can I get out of this loony bin?' McLanahan asked, only half jokingly.
'Mentzer only builds them,' Elliott asked. 'He can't drop them. You can. Better than anyone else in the country.'
'Great. 'McLanahan glanced at Briggs. 'Hal, my friend, there had better be some beer around this dustbowl, or I'm gonna get real cranky studying tonight.'
'You can count on me,' Briggs replied.
On the way outside, McLanahan noticed Wendy Tork standing alone between her barracks and the briefing room. He excused himself and walked over.
'I didn't recognize you at first-with the glasses and all.'
'How is the King of Bomb Comp,' Wendy said, placing her hands on her hips.
'Can't complain,' McLanahan said, smiling. 'Well, actually I can…
This Colonel Anderson seems to be really bad news. I'd like to drop him out of the Old Dog's bomb bay instead of one of those Striker bombs.'
'Maybe you'll get your chance,' Wendy said, smiling.
'But they don't give trophies for that, do they?'
'Not the last I heard,' McLanahan said. He shifted his feet uncomfortably, trying to think of what to say next. 'So,' he said finally, 'why didn't you tell me when we met what a crackedack electronics warfare operator you were?I thought you were some sort of technician.'
'You didn't ask,' Wendy asked. 'Besides, you seemed busy basking in your own limelight. I figured you weren't interested.
'But I was,' McLanahan said, realizing as he said it that he was much too emphatic. 'I mean… sure I was interested. 'God, he was making a mess of this.
Wendy began walking toward the women's barracks and McLanahan fell into step with her. 'Hey,' he said, 'you've got to explain your ECM gear to me. It was the most confusing part of that damn manual. I think I need some expert advice.
Tonight Wendy stopped a few yards short of the barracks and folded her arms over her chest. 'Tonight?'
'if it wouldn't be much trouble,' McLanahan said quickly.
Wendy hesitated a moment while giving him an appraising look. 'All right,' she said finally, 'tonight it is. See you after dinner.
'Fine,' McLanahan said. He waved to her as she disappeared inside the barracks. This may not be a bad TDY after all, McLanahan thought to himself.
THE UNITED NATIONS
Ian McCaan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, had just called the meeting of the United Nations Security Council to order when Gregory Adams spoke: 'Mr. Secretary-General,' Adams said, 'information has been brought to the attention of the government of the United States concerning the incident described in the specification of charges against the government of the Soviet Union. I have been instructed by my government to allow the ambassador from the Soviet Union to respond to the charges in lieu of presenting evidence to the Security Council.'
McCaan looked confused. 'Am I to understand, Ambassador Adams, that your government is dropping its charges against the Soviet Union?'
'Allow me to explain, Mr. Secretary-General,' Dmitri Karmarov interjected. 'My government has been in careful negotiations with the American government since the charges were first preferred agahist us in the emergency session. The, sensitive research and development charges concern a high, facility in the Soviet Union, which my government would rather not discuss even in closed Security Council session.
Therefore, we have taken steps to enter into negotiations with the United States directly.'
'I wish to make it clear,' Adams immediately added, staring directly at Karmarov, 'that the charges against
