Stephen Coonts - Combat

It seemed to take forever for Barnes to work his way through the different sections: space frame, weapons, sensors, flight control. The final slide was a list of unsolved design issues.

Ray spoke softly to Schultz beside him. “He’s got an old copy of the file. I’ve solved two of those questions and added a new one.”

Schultz nodded, then pulled out his data pad and typed quickly. Kramer, watching the presentation, looked down at his pad, and tapped something, then turned to look at Schultz, nodding.

General Forrest had started to ask about one of the issues when Admiral Kramer spoke up. “Excuse me, General, but that list may be a little old. Mr. McConnell, the engineer who designed Defender , is here, and has solved some of those problems.”

Schultz nudged Ray, and the engineer stood up and moved toward the podium. As he passed Admiral Kramer, the naval officer muttered, “Go get ’em, Ray.” The engineer never felt less like getting anyone in his life.

As he approached the podium, Captain Barnes shot him a hard look, seemingly reluctant to leave. Ray said, “Hello,” conscious of the captain’s sudden obsolescence, and tried to smile pleasantly. Barnes nodded politely, if silently, picked up his notes and data pad, and returned to his chair.

Ray was acutely aware of the many eyes on him. He linked his pad into the screen and transferred the most recent version of the file to the display. He used the moment’s fiddling to gather his wits. He’d given dozens of briefs. This was just a little more impromptu than most. And much more important.

“I’m Ray McConnell, and I designed Defender to protect assets in space from ground-based attacks. It uses the Lockheed VentureStar prototype with equipment currently available to detect launches, maneuver to an intercept position, and kill the attacking vehicle. It also has the capability to destroy the launch site from orbit.”

Barnes had said that much, Ray knew, but he’d felt a need to also make that declaration, to say to these men himself what Defender was and what it could do.

He opened the file, and rapidly flipped through the large document. McConnell realized that the pilot had done a pretty good job of summarizing Defender , so he concentrated instead on the work that had gone into selecting and integrating the different systems. That was his specialty, anyway, and it improved the credibility of his high-tech offspring.

A message appeared on his data pad from Admiral Schultz as he talked. “Are there any Army or Marine systems in the design?” Ray understood immediately what Schultz was driving at, and spent a little time on the kinetic weapons, adapted from Army antitank rounds. There wasn’t a piece of Marine gear anywhere on the ship, and McConnell mentally kicked himself for not understanding the importance of Pentagon diplomacy.

Ray made it to the last slide as quickly as he could, and felt positive as he assured the assembled generals that all the questions listed there could be answered.

“Thank you, Mr. McConnell.” Kastner rose again and Ray quickly returned to his seat, barely remembering to grab his data pad. “I’m much more confident about Defender ’s ability, and probability, than I was at the start of this meeting. It is my intention to recommend to the President that Defender be built, and soon.”

McConnell felt a little numb. Schultz gave him a small nudge and smiled.

“We haven’t really discussed the political implications of arming spacecraft.” General Forest’s tone was carefully neutral, but his expression was hard, almost hostile. Would he fight Defender ?

Kastner was nodding, though. “A good point, Ted, and part of our task.” He looked around the table. “Admiral Kramer?”

“I believe the Chinese have solved that issue for us, sir. They’ve fired the first shot, and said so proudly and publicly.” He smiled. “I think Defender ’s name was well chosen.”

General Warner added quickly, “I concur. GPS is dual-use. The gaps are already starting to affect civilian applications, and that will only get worse. And those civilian applications are worldwide, not just here in the U.S.”

“All of our public statements will emphasize that we are taking these steps only as a result of Chinese attacks,” Kastner stated.

Admiral Kramer quickly asked, “Should Defender even be made public? With enough warning, the Chinese might be able to take some sort of countermeasure.”

Kastner considered only a moment before answering. “All right, my recommendation will be that Defender remain secret until after its first use.”

General Warner announced, “I’ll have my people look for a suitable development site immediately. With all the Air Force bases we’ve closed …”

“Your people aren’t the only ones with runways, General. This is a Navy program. Mr. McConnell is a Navy employee.”

“And that’s why he put his design on the Internet, because of the tremendous Navy support he was receiving.” Warner fixed his gaze on Kramer, almost challenging him to interrupt. “It was my understanding that he offered this design to the DoD as a private citizen. Certainly the Air Force is the best service to manage an aerospace-warfare design. We’ll welcome Navy participation, of course.”

“The Navy has just as much technological expertise as the Air Force. And more in some of the most critical areas …”

Ray understood what was going on even as it horrified him. Defender would mean a new mission, and if it worked, a lot of publicity. That mattered in these lean times, for money, for recruiting, maybe for the future in ways they couldn’t guess. But now they were arguing over the prize like children.

“The Army’s experience with ballistic-missile defense means we should be able to contribute as well.” General Forest’s tone wasn’t pleading, but his argument almost was.

Kastner spoke forcefully. “We will meet again at 0800 hours tomorrow morning. Every service will prepare a summary of the assets it can contribute, and any justification it might feel for wanting to manage the project.”

Oh, boy , thought McConnell. It’s going to be a long night .

Trevor West stood outside Whitehall while morning traffic crept past him. His overcoat and umbrella protected him against a rainy London day, but the wind fought his words. He spoke up, and held the microphone close.

“After an emergency meeting of Parliament this morning, in which the Prime Minister spoke on the Chinese antisatellite attacks, the British government has officially condemned the Chinese and demanded that they stop. The Official Note, which was given to the Chinese ambassador here approximately half an hour ago, protests not only the attacks themselves but the ‘militarization of space.’

“The Chinese ambassador received the Note without comment.

“The American ambassador, provided with a copy of the Note, welcomed the British support and stated that the United States was doing everything in its power to defend its property.

“Ministry of Defense sources are unsure what the Americans plan to do about the Chinese attacks. They believe a direct attack on the launcher in southern China would be difficult, and the GPS satellites themselves are defenseless.

“One source speculated that the Americans may try to threaten Chinese interests elsewhere in Asia, pressuring them into stopping their attacks. They say they’ve even seen some signs that this may already be occurring. Of course, military pressure risks a wider conflict — a general war between the United States and China.