“With hindsight the decision to use another atomic device so close to the city was not the right one, but that is not down to us. As it didn’t detonate we have a second chance.”
The Colonel was looking more comfortable now the subject had been broached and it had not been himself who had done so. It even gave him the confidence to rejoin the exchange. “Apart from anything else, if the Soviets find it intact they will have a PR field day. Until now they haven’t been able to offer the worlds media any hard evidence that some weapons used have been…not theirs. That’s the beauty of these things when they work properly. No fingerprints or other evidence is left behind.”
The Intelligence officer stepped in again, taking over now that the heart of the matter had been reached. “We’ve muddied the waters in the past by insisting the earlier explosions have been from their bombs, detonated during careless handling. They do have an appalling safety record in their nuclear industry.”
“What if they have found it already. They’re not just going to give it back to us, no matter how nicely we ask.” Now that the subject was out in the open, Revell hoped he could ask some of the flood of questions that occurred to him.
“If we move fast, really fast, then most likely they won’t have moved it before you get there. The bomb has anti-handling devices, several levels of safety mechanisms. Our people reckon it will take the best part of twenty-four hours for the Russians to neutralise them, if they can.”
Smugness, a degree of self-satisfaction was creeping in to the Intelligence Officers tone.
“It would be longer if they have to ship in experts from the depths of the USSR. That is our main hope that we can get to the bomb before the Russians have had a chance to disarm it.”
“What if the Reds have found it but haven’t succeeded in neutralised it, can they still move it. I am guessing they don’t want to leave it hanging about near their convoy route.” Revell was surprised when the Intelligence Officer answered without hesitation.
“If it can’t be disarmed then moving it is fraught with difficulties. If it has been knocked about, if some of the six safety devices have been by-passed due to damage or ham fisted handling or inefficient attempts at disarming then carting it about the country is not a good idea.”
It was difficult to foresee their possible reactions but Revell had to wonder how his squad would feel about sharing their transport with an unstable nuclear device. “What are the odds the Reds will be able to fix it and prevent detonation.”
“If they can get the right people then it can be rendered safe, providing it’s not too badly damaged.”
Revell could see that the Intelligence officer was weighing just how much to reveal.
“You know the Commies. The well-being of a handful of transport troops would not be high on their list of priorities. But the first attempt to lift the brute might be the one that sets it off, then they would be doing our job for us. We know it is in the location we intended and if it goes bang then the autobahn flyovers will be down, their route will be buggered.”
The Intelligence Officer spoke with a brisk authority, in the manner of a man who knew his subject or who had been well briefed and remembered it all. Revell wondered if that was really his unit. There were virtually no insignia on what appeared to be a brand-new uniform. It looked like it had been drawn from stores just for this meeting. Perhaps it had.
“Realistically, if the weapon is still there, what are the options” Already Revell was ticking off the obvious questions. The answers might not be nice. “I presume it has been considered but why not just call down a cruise missile or two.”
“If the bomb is badly damaged, or if the Russians have made it unstable by unsuccessfully trying to disarm it then yes, it will have to be destroyed on the spot. Calling down missiles or artillery fire is a non-starter, it is too small a target for artillery. Even a direct hit from a shell might leave evidence, as might a missile solution, no matter how accurate.”
The Intelligence Officer was running through the possibilities, discarding those which Revell would have been happiest to see employed and answering some of his questions even before he posed them. “If the Reds experts make it safe then the area will crawl with their troops. They’ll have their P.R. trophy and have blocked our efforts to hamstring their convoy system. A double whammy if ever there was one.”
The Intelligence Officer was watching for any reaction from Revell. Others might have been flippant or turned the whole scenario into a drama. He was relieved to see that the Major indulged in none of that, just quickly and quietly taking in what he was told.
“But before that, while they work on the device, it is reasonable to assume they will maintain a cordon sanitaire around the site with just a minimum of personnel in the immediate vicinity. If only a small detachment of troops and specialists are present then you may be able to get to the device and either destroy it or spirit it away.”
“You will be supplying some one who can make the judgement as to which course of action is called for, and supply demolition materials for if we need them?”
“Taken care of, you’ll be getting two good men and forty pounds of material for destroying the bomb. You’ll get a thorough briefing shortly, but any questions right now?”
It was with surprise and pleasure Revell heard him call the bomb by that name. The coyness had begun to irritate him.
“One, just one. The destruction of the bomb, if it turns out we can’t move it. Has this been done before in any way, shape or form?” This time Revell monitored a perceptible hesitation before he got an answer.
“The method of destruction we have in mind will probably work. There will be residual radiation but there is nothing we can do about that. It’s the price we have to pay.”
“Probably?” Revel knew that was the main question that would be asked by the members of his squad.
“It’s not something we have ever envisaged doing before. It has not been tried. But I am assured it should work” The Intelligence Officer tried to inject confidence in to his tone but knew the words alone would convey the doubts that existed.
Revell took a long moment to consider that. “How big is this thing, what’s the yield and if it goes critical…that’s the right word isn’t it? If it goes critical do we have time to make a run for it?”
“It’s a Mk 54, our smallest warhead, a good sized fifty kilo pack. The interior gizmo’s are a mix of electronic and clockwork. It is of variable power and the specialists can reset it quickly. But our man had no instructions to do that so it is set for point one of a kiloton. So the men you take with you will know what they’re handling.”
He paused again, much longer this time and didn’t look at Revell as he spoke. “If all the safety devices fail, if the weapon has been badly damaged then it can go at anything from instantaneous to one hour. At the setting it’s on you need to be a half kilometre from ground zero and behind armour. The ground shock and pressure waves will be bad but you’ll be OK at that distance, if you have the time to make it.”
Colonel Lippincott tried to move the conversation on. “Major Revell, considering you’ll have to carry two technicians and two large packs internally, how many men will you take?”
“Driver, communications board operator, turret gunner and myself plus a squad of eight including a medic and your two experts. That will leave room, at a squeeze, for your specialist and his escort if we can find them alive.” Revell waited until the orderly had returned to the outer room.
“One last thing Major Revell. The Intelligence officer lowed his voice to a conspiratorial whisper that wouldn’t be heard by Colonel Lippincott, who was busy on the telephone. “If for any reason, after finding the specialist alive, you cannot bring him out then make quite sure he is not in a position, or condition, to tell the Reds anything. The same goes for the ones you’re taking in, should there be the risk of their capture.”