按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
firing cues of his missile delivery systems。 A digital puter automatically tracked the space shuttle； and he had little to do except press a button。
〃Colorado Control； I am locked on target。〃
〃Roger； Fox Leader。 Four minutes to touchdown。 Begin your attack。〃
Hollyman was torn by indecision。 He felt such a wave of revulsion that he was temporarily incapable of movement； his mind sick with the realization of the terrible act he was about to mit。 He had nurtured a forlorn hope the whole thing was some horrible mistake and the Gettysburg； like a condemned convict about to be executed in an old movie； would be saved by a last…minute reprieve from the President。
Hollyman's distinguished career in the Air Force was finished。 Despite the fact he was carrying out orders； he would forever be branded as the man who blasted the Gettysburg and her crew out of the sky。 He experienced a fear and an anger he had never known before。
He could not accept his lot as hard luck； or that fate chose him to play executioner。 He softly cursed the politicians who made the military decisions； and who had brought him to this moment。
〃Repeat； Fox Leader。 Your transmission was garbled。〃
〃Nothing； Control。 It was nothing。〃
〃What is your delay？〃 asked General Post。 〃Begin your attack immediately。〃
Hollyman's fingers hovered over the fire button。 〃God forgive me；〃 he whispered。
Suddenly the digits on his tracking display began to change。 He studied them briefly； drawn by curiosity。 Then he stared at the space shuttle。 It appeared to be rolling。
〃Colorado Control！〃 he shouted into his microphone。 〃This is Fox Leader。 Gettysburg has broken off her approach heading。 Do you copy？ Gettysburg is banking left and turning north。〃
〃We copy； Fox Leader；〃 replied Post； relief evident in his voice。 〃We have the course change on our tracking display。 Take up position and stay with shuttle。 Those guys are going to need all the moral support they can get。〃
〃With pleasure；〃 said Hollyman gleefully。 〃With pleasure。〃
A pall of silence hung over the Johnson Space Center control room。 Unaware of the near…fatal drama played out by the Air Force； the ground team of four controllers and a growing crowd of NASA scientists and administrators hung in a purgatory of gloom。 Their tracking network displayed the sudden turn to the north by the shuttle； but it could have merely indicated a roll or an S…turn in preparation for landing。
Then with startling abruptness； Jurgens' voice cracked the silence。 〃Houston； this is Gettysburg。 Do you read？ Over。〃
The control room erupted in a pandemonium of cheering and applause。 Merv Foley reacted swiftly and replied。 〃Roger； Gettysburg。 Wele back to the fold。〃
〃Am I talking to the real Merv Foley？〃
〃If there are two of us； I hope they catch the other guy quick before he signs our names to a lot of checks。〃
〃You're Foley； all right。〃
〃What is your status； Dave？ Over。〃
〃Are you tracking？〃
〃All systems have been go except munications and guidance control since you departed the space station。〃
〃Then you know our altitude is 44；000 feet； speed 1；100。 We're going to try for a touchdown at Key West Naval Air Station； over。
Foley looked up at Irwin Mitchell； his face strained。
Mitchell nodded and lightly tapped Foley's shoulder。 〃Let's pull out all the stops and bring those guys home。〃
〃She's a good four hundred miles outside the cross…range；〃 said Foley dejectedly。 〃We've got a hundred…ton aircraft with a descent rate of 10；000 feet a minute on a glide slope seven times steeper than a mercial airliner's。 We'll never do it。〃
〃Never say never；〃 Mitchell replied。 〃Now tell them we're getting on it。 And try to sound cheerful。〃
〃Cheerful？〃 Foley took a few seconds to brace himself； and then he pressed the Transmit switch。 〃Okay； Dave； we're going to work on the problem and get you to Key West。 Are you on TAEM？ Over。〃
〃Affirmative。 We're pulling every trick in the book to conserve altitude。 Our normal pattern approach will have to be deleted to extend our reach； over。〃
〃Understood。 All air and sea rescue units in the area are being alerted。〃
〃Might not be a bad idea to let the Navy know we're dropping in for breakfast。〃
〃Will do；〃 Foley said。 〃Stand by。〃
He punched in tracking data on the display screen of his console。 The Gettysburg was dropping past 39；500 feet； and she still had eighty miles to go。
Mitchell walked over； his eyes staring at the trajectory display on the giant wall screen。 He adjusted his headset and called Jurgens。
〃Dave； this is Irwin Mitchell。 Go back to auto。 Do you copy？ Over。〃
〃I copy； Irv； but I don't like it。〃
〃Better the puters handle this stage of the approach。 You can go back to manual ten miles from touchdown。〃
〃Roger； out。〃
Foley looked up at Mitchell expectantly。 〃How close？〃 was all he asked。
Mitchell took a deep breath。 〃Paper thin。〃
〃They can do it？〃
〃If the wind doesn't get temperamental； they stand a hairline chance。 But if it veers into a five…knot crosswind； they buy the farm。〃
There was no fear in the cockpit of the Gettysburg。 There was no time for it。 Jurgens followed the descent trajectory on the puter display screens very closely。 He flexed his fingers like a piano player before a concert； anxiously awaiting the moment he took over manual control for the final landing maneuvers。
〃We've got an escort；〃 said Burkhart。
For the first time； Jurgens turned his eyes from the instruments and gazed out the windows。 He could just make out an F…15 fighter flying alongside about two hundred yards away。 As he watched； the pilot switched on his navigation lights and waggled his wings。 Two other aircraft in formation followed suit。 Jurgens reset his radio to a military frequency。
〃Where did you guys e from？〃
〃Just cruising the neighborhood for girls and spotted your flying machine；〃 answered Hollyman。 〃Anything we can do to assist？ Over。〃
〃Got a towrope？ Over。〃
〃Fresh out。〃
〃Thanks for hanging around； out。〃
Jurgens felt a small measure of fort。 If they fell short of Key West and had to ditch； at least the fighters could stand by and guide rescuers to their position。 He turned his attention back to the flight indicators and idly wondered why Houston hadn't put him in munication with the Key West Naval Air Station。
〃What in hell do you mean Key West is shut down？〃 Mitchell shouted at a white…faced engineer standing at his side； who was holding a phone。 Without waiting for an answer； Mitchell grabbed the receiver。 〃Who am I talking to？〃 he demanded。
〃This is Lieutenant mander Redfern。〃
〃Are you fully aware of the seriousness of this situation？〃
〃It has been explained； sir； but there is nothing we can do。 A fuel tanker crashed into our power lines earlier this evening and blacked out the field。〃
〃What about your emergency generators？〃
〃The diesel…engine power source ran fine for about six hours and then failed from a mechanical problem。 They're working on it now and should have it back in service in an hour。〃
〃That's too damned late；〃 Mitchell sna