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！
y advisers。
The messages are usually concerned with rapid deployment of conventional troops and weapons。。
〃The alteration in the Readiness State of nuclear strike capacity？〃
〃That's a priority； yes。〃
〃And tell me； would the instructions be obeyed？ Immediately； I mean。 Suppose the President were； for the sake of argument； in Venice and wished both to put NATO forces on the alert and prepare his nuclear strike forces for action。
Would it be done？ Without consultation？〃
〃Quite possibly。 The code for that kind of action is； in effect； a puter program。 Once it's fed into the system it works。 In the scenario you're suggesting； the British Prime Minister and the mander…in…Chief NATO would consult back。 But the Readiness State would continue。
〃And if the British Prime Minister and the C…in…C NATO forces were known to be with the President at the moment of transmission？〃 It was very dangerous ground。 Bond frit his stomach turn over。 Then he remembered Rahani's words … 〃No blackmail 。 。 。 no plots to kidnap the President； or hold the world to ransom 〃In those circumstances the instructions would go to all local manders automatically。 They would be fed into the mainframe puters； the program would begin to run； globally； straight away。 No question。〃 This was something more devious； more ingenious than some harebrained revolutionary plan to override the system and transmit presidential orders to raise the level of tension between the superpowers。 〃But surely you know all of this。〃
〃Indeed I do。〃 There was an almost insane tranquillity in the way in which Holy answered。 〃Oh； I know the minutiae。 Just as I know who has access to the daily ciphers for use through the EPOC frequency； and who also has access to that frequency。
〃Tell me。〃 Bond gave the impression of not knowing the small print。
〃e； Mr。 Bond。 You know as well as I do。
〃I'd rather hear it from you； sir。〃
〃There are only eleven ciphers that are capable of being sent via EPOC。 These are seldom altered； for； as you say； they are programs； designed to be automatically set in motion while the President is out of the country。 The eleventh is； incidentally； a countermand program to stop an order； returning things to the status quo。 But that can be used only on a limited time scale。
The frequency itself is altered at midnight every two days。 Right？〃
〃I believe so。
〃The ciphers are carried by that omnipresent； and somewhat frightening official known as the Bag Man。
Correct？〃
〃The system has been found reliable；' Bond agreed。
〃There was a Bag Man present in J。F。K。 〃s entourage in Dallas。
It's never been changed。 He's always around … in the United States as well as when the President travels abroad。 It's the penalty for having your head of state as C…in…C Armed Forces。〃
〃The Bag Man can part with the ciphers and EPOC frequency only to the President； or the Vice…President； should anything happen；' Holy went on。 〃Should the President meet with a fatal accident overseas； the ciphers would be immediately null and void； unless the Vice…President were with him。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃So； if someone … anyone … were in possession of the EPOC frequency； and the eleven ciphers； it would be possible to relay a mand which would automatically begin to run？〃 For the first time since they had started talking； Bond smiled； slowly shaking his head。
〃No。 There is a fail safe。
The EPOC frequency is a beamed satellite signal。 It goes directly through one of the Defense munications Satellite Systems； and they are very tricky little beggars。
The program will run only if the satellite confirms that the signal has e directly from the area where it knows … because it has been told … the President is。 You would have to be very close to him before you could beat the system。
〃Good。〃 To Bond's surprise； Jay Autem Holy looked quite happy。
〃Would you be surprised to learn that we already have the eleven ciphers； the programs？〃
〃Nothing surprises me any more。 But if you're playing games with an Emergency Presidential Order you still have to get hold of the frequency for the forty…eight hours when you plan to operate。 Then you have to get close to the President； and be able to use the frequency。 I'd say the last two were the hardest parts getting near the President with the equipment needed to transmit； and obtaining the necessary frequency。
〃So who else knows the EPOC frequency … always？ I'll tell you； Mr。 Bond。 The Duty Intelligence Officer at the NATO C…in…C's Headquarters； the Duty munications Officer at the C。I。A。 HQ Langley； the Duty munications Officer at N。S。A the corresponding senior munications officers of the U。S。 armed forces … and； Mr。 Bond； the senior monitoring officer at G。C。H。Q。 Cheltenham。 The Duty Security Officer at the British Foreign Office … who is always a member of the Secret Intelligence Service … is also in possession of the frequency。
It's quite a list； when you consider that the President himself doesn't know the EPOC frequency until he has occasion to use it。〃
〃They're so very rarely used。 Yes； as I remember it； you've got the list right but for one other person。
〃Who？〃
〃The officer who controls the ciphers and frequency at the outset。 Normally a munications security officer with the National Security Agency。
〃Who usually； Mr。 Bond； has forgotten the details within five minutes。 What we shall need from you is the precise EPOC frequency on a particular day； which means we need it twenty…four hours in advance。
All other details are taken care of。〃
〃And how do you expect me to give you the EPOC frequency？〃 Jay Autem Holy gave a throaty laugh。 〃You have done service as Duty Security Officer at the Foreign Office。
You know the system and the routine。 Someone with your background and your expertise should have no difficulty in obtaining what we require。 Just put your mind to it。 This is why you were the obvious candidate； Bond。 Providing you're as straight as we believe you to be。
There is an old proverb： when you want something from the lions； send a lion； not a man。
〃I've never heard that before。〃
〃No？ You are the lion going to the lions。 You are trusted； but if you should fail us 。 。 。 Well； we are not forgiving people； I'm afraid。 Incidentally； I'm not surprised you didn't recognise the proverb。 I just invented it。〃 Jay Autem Holy threw back his head in a guffaw of laughter。 James Bond did not think it was at all funny。
〃You'll get the frequency for us； won't you； Bond？〃 The query came out through a series of deep breaths； as he gained control of himself。
〃Think of it as your revenge。 I promise you it will be used for good； and not to create havoc and disaster。
He had no option。 〃Yes； I'll do it。 It's only a few numbers you want； after all。〃
〃That's right。 You're in the numbers racket now。 A few simple digits； Mr。 Bond。〃 He paused； the vivid green eyes boring into Bond's skull。 〃Did you know the Soviets use almost an identical method when the General Secretary and Chairman of the Central mittee is abroad？
They call it the Panic frequency … but in Russian of course。
〃You need access to this Panic frequency as well？〃 Bond asked； his