John Gardner - Win, Lose Or Die

Everyone did some back-tracking, because these kinds of groups do have a tendency to choose highfalutin names. The damage from those first incidents was small and there were no deaths, but those who advise on international terrorism told us to take them damned seriously, if only because BAST is a demonic name. BAST, it seems, is a word that comes from Ancient Egypt: sometimes known as Aim or Ayin. BAST is said to appear as a three-headed demon - head of a snake, head of a cat, head of a man - mounted on a viper. The demon BAST is connected with incendiarism, and we now have little doubt that the Brotherhood chose the name because of its demonic connotations.”

“Demons?” Bond raised his eyes towards the ceiling.

“Yes, demons.” M, who was far from being a superstitious man, appeared to be taking the entire thing very seriously. “A lot of research has been done on this. Now, we know that there are indeed three leaders - like the snake, man and cat - and a prime leader upon which they all ride and exist. The viper, if you like, comes by t’\e name of Bassam Baradj, a former ranking member of the PLO, a former friend of Arafat’s, and a wealthy man in his own right. Baradj is certainly paymaster and mastermind.”

Tanner nodded and said that other intelligence had pinpointed three associates of Baradj, all one-time members of Middle Eastern paramilitary political groups. “Abou Hamarik; All Al Adwan; and a young woman, Saphii Boudai - the man, the snake and the cat.

Apparently those are their key names: street names.

They’re all experienced in the arts of terrorism, they’re also disenchanted with all the old causes.

“They’ve embraced the idea of anarchy with one thought only.

They believe that Napoleon’s definition of anarchy is the one and only true definition - “Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power Bond felt a tingling chill down his spine. He had fought against fanatical shadows before.

“Y’see, James,” M appeared to have softened, “these people who sound so childish with their BAST signature, are far from childish.

Baradj can lay his hands on billions; he is also a shrewd and cunning strategist. The other leaders are trained soldiers in the terrorist wars. They can teach skills, and, through Baradj, they can buy and sell as many mercenaries as they need. Mad as it might seem, these people are pledged against practically all political and religious ideologies. They have their own ideal - to gain absolute power. What they do with that power once they’ve got it, heaven only knows. But that’s what they’re after, and, if recent activities are anything to go by, they’re going to be a nasty poisoned thorn in the sides of all nations and all types and conditions of government for some time to come.”

“And how do we know they’re after the little band of naval brass?”

Bond asked.

M explained. He spoke at length about the voice prints they had on three of the leading members of BAST; how they had also stumbled across the organisation’s call-sign or password, “Health depends on strength.”

“The problem is,” M went on, “that these people appear to be so flaky, as our American brothers-in-arms would say, that one is inclined not to take them seriously. We have to take them seriously. That strange and almost ridiculous attack on the Japanese tanker was their doing, and that was a rehearsal, carried out in cold blood. A supertanker,James, is not altogether unlike an aircraft-carrier. They wanted to see if they could take out a tanker, in order to test the feasibility of a similar assault on Invincible.”

“But how do we know that?” Bond pressed.

“We plucked two voices from the air.” M smiled for the first time since Bond had entered the room. “We got voice prints on Baradj and Abou Hamarik. It appears the latter organised the event - they coded it Operation WIN, incidentally - and Hamarik’s trying to plant, or compromise someone either already serving in Invincible, or on the staff of one of our visiting Admirals. The ones to whom you, 007, will act as Nanny.”

“Delighted, sir.” Bond’s lips curved into one of the cruellest smiles M had ever seen. Later the Chief was to say that, to use a Biblical expression, “Iron had entered into 007’s soul.” He was not far wrong.

Bond’s thoughts turned to Napoleon again and he remembered that he had also said, “A love of country, a spirit of enthusiasm, and a sense of honour, will operate upon young soldiers with advantage.” Not only young soldiers, James Bond considered, but Naval officers with a history of matters secret as well.

Many people in the intelligence world who knew Bond, were surprised a month later to read in the London Gazette BOND, James Commander RNVR. Relieved of current liaison duties at the Foreign Office. Promoted to the substantive rank of Captain RN and returned to active service forthwith.

Reflections in a Harrier

The Sea Harrier taxied to the foot of the so-called ski ramp - a wide metal hill, sweeping upwards at 120 - and the nose-wheel rolled into perfect alignment with the dark painted strip that was the centre line.

The legendary V/STOL (Vertical/Short Take-Off& Landing) pronounced “Veestol” - aircraft responded to the tiny throttle movement and climbed so that the entire fuselage became positioned into the upward configuration.

Bond went through the take-off checks for the last time: brakes on, flaps OUT, ASI (Air Speed Indicator) “bug” to lift-off speed.

The aircraft was alive, trembling to the idling of the Rolls-Royce (Bristol) Pegasus 104 turbofan which could generate an impressive 21,500 pounds of thrust.

On the Sea Harrier the thrust is channelled through two engine propulsion nozzles, set at port and starboard, capable of being rotated, from the aft horizontal position, through some 98.50. This is the Harrier’s great advantage over conventional fixed-wing aircraft, for the jet nozzles allow vertical lift plus horizontal flight, together with all the other variables in between, such as hover and backward flight.

Bond’s hand moved to the nozzle lever, and he glanced down to confirm that it was set to short take-off position at the 500 stop mark. He lifted his right hand into the clear thumbs-up position, which would be seen by the deck control handling officer in his “bubble” on the starboard side, and who Bond, strapped into the cockpit and angled towards a squally grey sky, could not see. At the same moment he heard the Commander (Air) give him the “Go” - “Bluebird cleared for take-off.”

Bond opened the throttle to 55 percent RPM, released the brakes, then slammed the throttle hard into fully-open. The Pegasus engine roared behind him, and he could feel himself pushed back against the padded metal seat as though a pair of giant hands were pressing his chest and face.

The Sea Harrier rocketed from the ramp, and as it did so, Bond flipped the gear into the “up” position, hardly noticing the whine and thump as the wheels came up into their housings, for in the first fifteen seconds or so of the ramp take-off the Harrier was not actually flying, but was shot, ballistically, into a high, fast trajectory.

Only when the ASI “bug” flashed and beeped did Bond set the nozzles to horizontal flight, and click flaps to IN. The head-up-display (HUD) showed that he was climbing at an angle of almost 600 at a speed in excess of 640 knots.

If the take-off had been from a carrier, or similar ship, the sea would lie directly below, but this, Bond’s first real take-off from the ski-ramp, was from the Royal Naval Air Station, Yeovilton in Somerset, among some of the West Country’s most beautiful landscapes. Not that he had any view of the ground now, for his Harrier had shot above the mile-high cloudbase and was still climbing as he set course for the bombing range in the Irish Sea, not far from the Isle of Man.