Garrity adjusted some controls on his board, then sat back.
'Wild, wild guess,' he asked. 'A satellite data link.'
'A satellite?' Markham whistled. 'That radar at Kavaznya is talking to a satellite?'
'Maybe two satellites,' Garrity asked. 'Now this is really wild, I know, but I keep on seeing an embedded data signal in the Kavaznya radar transmission. It's slightly out of sync with these two signals 'Meaning?'
'Meaning these two, Kavaznya and this second-whatever it is-may be talking. 'Garrity rubbed at his eyes and went on.
'Kavaznya is talking to something else, though. Not a radar signal. A data signal.'
'What kind of data?' Markham asked, trying to make some sense of what the operator was telling him.
'Hey, I'm just guessing here,' Garrity said, shaking his head.
'Guess some more.'
Garrity rubbed once again at his eyes. Then: 'Steering signals. 'As Markham bent forward to study the signals, Garrity pointed at his displays and explained: 'Here and here.
Kavaznya and Joe Blow satellite. Simple transponder-type signals-interrogate and reply. That means azimuth and elevation 'Position data,' Markham said.
'It has to be,' Garrity asked. 'Kavaznya telling Joe Blow here where he is and vice versa. But then Kavaznya sends this blurb out.
Garrity drew a circle on a sheet of notebook paper. He recreated the Kavaznya oscilloscope signal as best as he could.
'Right here. I see it every now and then. 'He drew a squiggle almost parallel to the Kavaznya signal, but much smaller and of a slightly different frequency, or shape.
'The timing is the most critical difference,' Garrity explained. 'The timing between Kavaznya and the second party is clear, but Kavaznya tells someone else something. And it's not just position data. I think it's a steering signal.
'Steering what?' Markham asked.
'Don't know,' Garrity replied. 'I've never seen anythin like it-hell, I'm not even sure if I am seeing it. A data signal embedded in a radar emission?' He shook his head. 'I've been on duty for eighteen hours.
I might be seeing beeps and buzzes in my dreams.'
'Code it,' Markham said.
Garrity looked at him in surprise. 'Code what?'
'Exactly what you told me,' Markham asked. 'Everything.'
'I told you a fairytale,' Garrity asked. 'A wet dream. I don't have anything concrete. The computer hasn't verified any of my inquiries about the second signal destination.
'That doesn't matter,' Markham asked. 'They told us to report any findings of significance in the Kavaznya area. I heard that request came from very high. Code it and send it up for the Old Man's signature, then send it.
'This isn't a finding,' Garrity protested. 'It's an opinion… a guess. It's not really even an educated guess-' 'Listen, Garrity,' Markham said, 'something screwy is going on. The Russians risk a fifty million ruble bomber in a freezing rainstorm to scare us away. Now Kavaznya is active It's been active for days,' Garrity said.
'Then how come you haven't seen these side data signals before?'
Garrity had no answer for that.
'Something's going on, and we're right on top of it,' Markham said.
'Code exactly what you told me, then send it. 'Garrity shook his head.
'You're the boss. But do I need to put my signature on it?
They'll laugh me right outta the Service.
'They might give you a goddamned medal,' Markham said.'if you're right.
VANDENBURG AIR FORCE BASE, CAUFOMM
A single green and gray camouflaged locomotive wound around a curve on a deserted railroad siding. It pulled a quarter-mile-long train of long, six-sided rail cars, moving easily at about twenty miles an hour.
Eight miles away in an underground control center, a group of Air Force officers were being briefed by another group of civilian contractors on the test that was about to take place.
'Range reports ready, Mr. Newcombe,' a technician said.
Newcombe, the chief civilian contractor, nodded. 'Tell them to stand by. General Taylor, gentlemen, the range has just reported ready. All of the Air Force tracking stations from here to Guam are ready for the first operational test launch of America's newest strategic weapon-the GLM- 123 Javelin Small Mobile Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, or, as the press has so fondly christened it, 'Midgetman.'
'What can I tell you about her that you don't already know?' Newcombe searched the faces around him. Taylor shook his head and smiled, lighting a briar pipe. These Air Force generals had been working with him for years. MajorGeneral Taylor, the chief of the Strategic Development Branch, Aerospace Systems Division, Air Force Logistics Command, was an old friend. This test-its success an almost foregone conclusion, after seven previous successful launches-would ensure Taylor's third star and another promotion. Of course, Newcombe's new position as senior vice-president of the Javelin's prime contractor was already in the bag.
'The train orbiting the test track is typical of a normal Javelin mobile rail deployment,' Newcombe asked. 'Six cars in all-the locomotive, two missile cars, two security cars, and the launch command and control car. Each car is super hardened against EMP-that's electromagnetic pulse effect, for you neophytes-caused by nearby nuclear explosions.
'The new arms-elimination agreement have you worried, Ed?' one of General Taylor's aides asked Newcombe. 'Javelun would be the first to lose research and development funding.'
'Of course, we all want to see world peace,' Newcombe asked. 'The arms-elimination treaty would be a great break through. But I feel it's just as important to continue with serious research and development. This will mark the culmination of those tests-the birth of a new kind of strategic weapon for the United States.
'The Javelin is the most versatile weapon of its kind in the world,' Newcombe continued. 'Our quick-reaction rail launch test today demonstrates just one possible way it can be deployed; we've done other deployment tests that you won't believe.
'The Javelin is small enough to be carried aloft on cargo aircraft, such as a C-513 or even a modified Boeing 747, Dropped via parachute, an successfullyy air-launched-no silo, no launch vehicle or submarine needed. Versions of the Javelin have successfully accomplished what we've called 'telephone pole' tests. We've rolled a Javelin missile off the deck of a Navy destroyer. In the water, it floated into a perfect upright launch attitude and was successfully fired by remote control.
'Its potential is unlimited. The Javelin has an advantage over other small tactical or strategic nuclear vehicles-despite its small size, the Javelin carries three warheads, not just one or even two. In addition, the Javelin is designed to carry the new maneuverable reentry warhead, which makes the Javelin's business end many times more survivable should the Soviets decide to redeploy antiballistic missile defenses in the future. It might be worth it to replace cruise missiles and gravity weapons with Javelins if the arms-elimination treaty is ratified. 'Interested nods from General Taylor-he was already planning on star number four.
Newcombe walked over to a map of the Vandenburg Air Force Base rail test track. 'The Javelin missile has been riding Vandenburg's track for only a few hours. In a few moments we'll demonstrate the ability of our Javelin to launch within sixty seconds of a launch order.
'We've 'leaked' it to the Javelin test crew that the launch will be sometime this afternoon. The crew is completely isolated and has no idea that we're about to stage the test.
'When the order is given, the train stops right where it is. A continually-running ring-laser gyro navigation unit instantly feeds position and gyro alignment data to the missile guidance system. By the time the rocket is ready for launch, the erector has raised it to firing position and the crew has authenticated the President's launch order.'
Newcombe checked the control panel, then studied the map.
