42
(report from Special Agent Payne, Ankara)
As far as I've been able to determine, the explosion that demolished the old market early today was accidental. First reports indicate that among the twenty-seven identifiable casualties were six known agitators, two of them convicted felons, and at least ten others known to the police as undesirables. My personal hunch is that the boys were making bombs, and somebody goofed.
Witnesses give conflicting reports of several men who left the courtyard prior to the explosion. Looks like a few of the group got away.
I'll have an opportunity to examine the scene closely later today, Chief Hatal assured me. Although the blast was severe enough to break windows three blocks away, I feel certain that it was not a nuclear device. At least, there's no radiation count. Details follow.
43
(statement from Special Encrypter Th. Uling, picked up by electronic surveillance grid)
"I don't see the point in coding all this routine stuff. It takes a lot of expert man-hours that are in short supply. But I'll do as I'm told, as usual. I wonder if HQ, IAF knows what they're doing. Like this item on some radical bunch blowing themselves up in Asia Minor, what's that got to do with Imperial Security? Don't answer-that's a rhetorical question. I'm not prying into security matters, let's keep that straight. I don't want to join ex-Chief Trace in detention. OK, my orders are to have the basic program encoded and on system by eleven hundred hours today, after which I start the continuous update program, with all the nut items. Don't quote me, Phil, you know what I mean. I'm a loyal citizen, you know that. Only I'm damned if I can see the point in gumming up the strategic computer with a lot of trivial details. I know there's a lot I don't know and don't have to worry about. Don't think I'm not grateful for that. But if they're really going to turn state security over to a computer, they oughta take it easy and not overload it with garbage. Sure, I know it's the computer's own instructions, but let's face it, it's only been on low-alert now for twelve hours. It's pretty green. We oughta use some judgment."
44
(First Secretary Strategic Command, Hexagon, to General Margrave)
"I don't mean to get out of line, General, but this is too important for me to just forget about. I was thinking about the security problem with the big new Military and Defense computer. They're talking about a blockhouse, and a whole brigade of Bolos on patrol, but let's face it. We can't build a structure that's proof against a direct hit with a first-line N-head. So suppose, instead of giving a potential rebel a fixed target, we keep MAD moving-or at least mobile, so nobody outside High Command will know twelve hours in advance where she'll be? The new Bolo Mark XXX war hull can take more punishment than anything built of our best reinforced Alloy Ten. The computer will be safe aboard a mobile hull-and the new hull can be expanded to give it more than enough cargo space for MAE)-and no one will know where she'll be, no matter what kind of lead we may have here at GHQ. You, yourself, sir, will set up the random relocation pattern. Well, that's about it, sir. I hope I haven't been taking too much on myself, bringing this direct to the General. If the General would like to see my preliminary sketches…"
45
(Bolo maintenance monitor, to General Margrave)
"That's right, General. We have to duplicate the Bolo's circuitry in a stationary installation. That's what the Bolo said-we have to clone the memory, too. Yes, I know, it's very odd that it should propose its own replacement, but nothing about the infernal thing has worked out as we expected.
"Gobi, that's the site selected for the master memory. Yes, by the machine, by and with the advice and consent of the Scientific Committee. There are certain changes to be made in the override circuitry, which as you know has notably failed in its function aboard the CSR. So, this is the schedule:"
(projection appended)
46
(Georgius Imperator to His Royal Highness, Crown Prince William)
Willy, I like it. -Georgius Imp.
47
(transcript of conversation from room in Royal Hotel, Georgetown, occupied by the RAS terrorist, "Cliff" Hangar)
Thank you, gentlemen, for meeting me here. Got to lie low-heat's still on after the explosion in Ankara. And don't ever believe it wasn't sabotage. Cäyük never made mistakes like that.
RAS did a good job, sneaking me into the country on false papers, so let's face facts. Grease is dead, and I'm the logical one to take over. After all, I was his right-hand man for over three years. I know what he had in mind, and we're going ahead with it. Thanks to Gunn's forethought, we have Cäyük's formulae and can proceed immediately to synthesize a ten-pound batch of Compound 31 IB. That will be enough to carry out Operation Fumigate. You know the rough outline-and now it's time to start filling in the details.
The site selection committee will study the data and finalize the precise location, somewhere in the middle of Cabinet Hollow in Arlington. There's more civilian brass concentrated there in their ritzy townhouses than in any other square mile on the planet. When Fumigate goes up, I guarantee they're not going to be able to ignore our program any longer.
Now, there's the matter of the two volunteers who'll place the device. One other volunteer, I should say, because I'm claiming the privilege myself. The chances of getting in are good to excellent, but frankly, the odds on getting back out don't look so hot. OK, who's first? Quietly, gentlemen, one at a time now. No, Hank, you're out of order. There's to be no debate as to whether the operation goes, only the matter of who will accompany me. Gentlemen, silence, please! I'll hear each of you in turn. What's the matter, Gunther, you're not in contention for the honor? That's all right, I prefer a younger man in any event…
48
(picked up by electronic surveillance grid, unidentified terrorist, Queen's Park, November 1, 1084, 1800 hours)
"Right in that flowerbed yonder. Boss Hangar said at 1815 hours precisely, and he and Gunn studied the setup for over two years, so I guess we'd better stick strictly to instructions. Old Secretary Millspaugh knocks off puttering in his garden at 1800 sharp, and we have to give him time to get busy with his dinner.
"Another six minutes is all. Take it easy. We walk right in there as if we owned the park, dump our stuff in the big red-white-and blue box, and make it out the other side and split up. Just follow my lead-and think about something else. We got no time for jitters. Buck will be there with the car, and by the time she blows on the 5th we'll be long gone and under cover.
"Never mind that, Binder. Maybe I'd better do it alone after all. OK, OK, "I'm just thinking out loud. Your job is to keep the old eyeballs peeled just in case one of these fat cats happens to come wandering in, off-schedule. But that's highly unlikely at cocktail-and-dinner time, all out of the public trough.
"Keep cool. All right, now we cross the street and look at the schedule on the post over there, as if we missed the ferry or something. I'm carrying the garbage, all wrapped and sealed according to the law. OK, watch that servo-cart! Damn steering beam gave me an after-image!
"Funny, that wasn't in our briefing. OK, now!"
49
(fragmentary message received by Space Communications from Pluto Probe, November 2, 1084 NS)
… as a result of the above, I have relieved Commander Bland, and shall do my best to hold my command intact. Naturally, the Lord of All expects instant compliance with all instructions, but I have resolved to leave that decision to his Imperial Majesty, and am aborting the mission as of this hour 0213111981. Confirm soonest, as I must commit within ninety-one hours.