Inside the terminal's waiting room Rhomerdunov finally spoke to Govorov: "I've been ordered to Tashkent, to supervise the southern TVD air defenses in case retaliatory strikes into the Soviet Union occur during Feather. Otherwise I would go with you back to Tyuratam to inspect this… this so-called secret space force you've developed. Bear this in mind, General Govorov. Normally I would consider all you have said and done as the ultimate in insubordination and abuse of power. The secret development of a weapon, regardless of its necessity, its use, or the intentions of its developer, is a treasonable offense. If the information about this Scimitar missile or the arming of Elektron spaceplanes leaks out and is discovered by the Politburo or the general staff, you may find yourself in Lubylanka Prison for a very long stay."
Govorov kept quiet, and it was then that Rhomerdunov decided to trust the young officer. There were really only two choices: ignore Govorov and quietly remove him as a threat to Rhomerdunov's authority, or believe in him and his convictions and back him. If Govorov had shown any hesitation or uncertainty, Rhomerdunov would have let the matter die then and there. But with his steely blue eyes convincingly steady, Govorov looked, spoke and acted like a man firmly committed to his beliefs. And just because those beliefs were hugely upsetting didn't make them wrong. It would have been easier to believe Govorov was carried away by his idée fixe. But if he was crazy, he was the most intelligent and well-organized psychopath in history… "We must take steps, Govorov, to be sure that the development of this Scimitar missile, the arming of Elektron spaceplanes and the formation of a space-borne attack unit have been thoroughly documented. These programs must become authorized as revived projects of the Aerospace Forces and the Space Defense Command, not as the clandestine and illegal activities of a renegade."
Govorov's attention was on the word we, and he had to struggle to resist the urge to break out into an unmilitary cheer. Deputy First Minister of Defense Rhomerdunov had just identified himself with the plans. There was still hope…
"We'll discuss this further, Alesander."
Govorov nodded, noticing that boarding preparations were being completed. An air force Starshiy Serzhant came up now to Rhomerdunov and reported that his plane was ready for boarding. Govorov picked up Rhomerdunov's briefcase and carried it to the boarding ramp outside an Antonov An-72 military transport jet. "Sir." Govorov handed the briefcase to a crewmember but looked directly at Rhomerdunov. "About my ongoing preparations…?"
"They are to continue. Quietly. I will contact you when it's possible. Be prepared to fully brief myself and the Kollegiya on the project." He paused as a few officers stepped behind him: "And be prepared to dismantle it. Both with equal speed."
Govorov saluted, and Rhomerdunov stepped onto the escalator and disappeared from sight.
CHAPTER 14
"It's ready."
Kevin Baker and Ann Page floated next to Baker's master laboratory-computer console, looking expectantly at a "READY" message on the terminal screen. Baker maneuvered himself down to the console near a microphone but then stopped short and motioned to Ann. "Be my guest."
Ann slipped down to the microphone. "Toaster checksum. Her words were typed across the computer monitor screen, and immediately a message flashed across the screen: "TOASTER. CHECKSUM READY."
"Run," Ann said.
Instantly a chart was drawn on the screen showing a graphic presentation of the sixteen-thousand memory locations available in the Skybolt superconducting circuit relay. The screen asked, "WOULD YOU LIKE A TEST RESULT PRINTOUT?"
"Yes," Ann told it.
Another prompt requested, "READY TO START." Ann said, "Start," and immediately several columns were filled with figures representing the memory location being examined by the computer. "I can't believe you put this together in just eight hours," Ann said to Baker. "I couldn't have done it in eight weeks."
"It's just knowing how to use the resources that are available," Baker said. That and fifty years experience as a computer engineer, he thought to himself. He ought to be able to pull a rabbit out of his hat once in a while. She was the geniusy one, but there was still room for operations guys too…
Slowly, the numbers began to change as each memory location in the electronic relay was examined, its data-correct checksum value computed, the memory location analyzed and the resident checksurn value computed. If the two checksum values were different, it would indicate a problem in that particular memory location. The circuit controlling that memory location could then be checked for malfunctions, which would lead to the solution of the Skybolt laser's tracking and power-supply problems.
Baker glanced at his watch. "Eighty seconds to check one register. Sixty-four registers… about an hour and a half for the left MHD superconducting relay. That's a lot longer than I expected."
"Considering it would normally take one of us about five minutes to check each register, I'd say that's pretty good."
"Yes, well, did you find anything else while I was programming the computer? Something we maybe overlooked?"
"I wish I had. No, everything else checked out. You were right. I think the problem is in one of the 'toasters.' Why are the solutions in the last place you—"
Suddenly, a shrill Klaxon alarm echoed throughout the station. The horn blared three times; then a computer-synthesized voice announced, "Missile launch detection. Missile launch detection."
Ann detached herself from her Velcro anchor pad and shot for the hatch to the connecting tunnel between the experimentation module and the command center. She was through the portal in an instant.
To her surprise very little had changed in the command center. Colonel Walker was peering at the monitor that Sergeant Jefferson had been assigned; everyone else was closely monitoring his own instruments. "Coming through, Ann." It was General Saint-Michael pushing past her. He caught hold of his commander's chair, maneuvered around it and strapped in. She noticed that he was wearing a damp flight suit, as if he had hurriedly jumped out of the shower after hearing the alarm. He put on his communications earset and she quickly readjusted hers as Baker moved beside her just inside the command-module hatch. "Missile launch detection, infrared telescopic scan and confirmed by SBR," Jefferson reported. "In the vicinity of Bandar-e Lengeh in Iran."
"Silkworm?"
"Not yet confirmed, sir… wait, now confirmed, General. SBR tracking three Silkworm-F subsonic missiles heading two-six-one, velocity one-seven-zero knots groundspeed and accelerating."
"Target?"
There was an uncomfortable pause. Then: "Looks like three Soviet battleships in the Strait of Hormuz…"
"Transmit tactical warning message to all forces in the region. Continue tracking. Any aircraft up?"
"Soviet airborne from the Brezhnev, sir. An Antonov An-18 carrier recon plane… SBR now reports total of five missiles in flight from Bandar-e Lengeh."
"Any of ours up?"
"We've got one 767B AWACS plane over Saudi Arabia," another tech reported. "No confirmation of missile launch from him."
"Status of missiles?"
"On course for the destroyers, speed now three-one-zero and accelerating… Sir, aircraft launching from the Brezhnev. Two highspeed aircraft…"
"The alert fighters," Walker said. "Any chance of those fighters chasing down the Worms?"
"Range from fighters to destroyers, one hundred twenty nautical miles. Range from missiles to ships… mark… forty nautical miles. Groundspeed of missiles now four hundred knots. Approximately six minutes to impact. Fighters now approaching five hundred knots groundspeed and accelerating rapidly."