Read Online Able One by Ben Bova - Free Book Online Page A

Base?”
    “Relayed from the Pentagon.”
    “Better pipe it to me,” she said.
    A series of clicks. Then a mechanical voice started dictating a formal military order. Computer-synthesized audio, Colonel Christopher realized. The voice droned through the date, routing, and classification level: Top Secret.
    Then it said, “From: Major General Bradley B. Scheib, deputy commander, MDA. To: Lieutenant Colonel Karen R. Christopher, command pilot, ABL-1.
    “A nuclear device apparently launched from North Korea has been exploded in orbit. All commercial satellites have been either knocked out completely or seriously degraded.
    “You will proceed to a site to be designated over the Sea of Japan and orbit until further orders. Navigational information is being transmitted in a separate order. You will avoid violating territorial airspace of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and/or the People’s Republic of China. You will attack and destroy any ballistic missiles launched from DPRK. Confirm receipt of this order immediately.”
    Christopher looked at Major Kaufman, who sat wide-eyed and suddenly pale.
    Swallowing hard, she said into her mike, “Order received and understood. Please confirm to General Scheib.”
    “It’s going to take a little time, Colonel,” said the flight controller’s voice. “The commsats are overloaded with traffic.”
    “Send the confirmation,” Colonel Christopher said in the hard voice of command she had learned at the Air Force Academy.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Major Kaufman seemed frozen in his seat. “Shoot down any missiles launched from North Korea? Are they crazy?”
    “Get on with the engine start,” she snapped. “Maybe they are crazy, but orders are orders.”
    As Kaufman punched up the second engine, Christopher unbuckled her safety harness and got to her feet. “I’d better talk to the chief nerd.”
    But as she stepped through the hatch and into the area where the navigator and communications stations were, she wasn’t thinking of the chief of the laser crew or of her surly, suddenly frightened copilot, or even of the possibility that her orders meant a war was starting. She was thinking of the last time she had seen Major General Bradley B. Scheib.
     
    “You’re out of uniform, Colonel.”
    She smiled at the general. “So are you, sir.”
    She was standing nude in the bathroom doorway while he lay on the thoroughly rumpled king-sized bed. The motel was a little on the seedy side, but Karen hadn’t minded that. Over the months since she’d fallen in love with Brad Scheib she’d become accustomed to being furtive. It even added a touch of spice to their relationship. Brad was married; she’d known that from the outset, but she knew how to make him happy and his preppy socialite wife didn’t.
    The Air Force brass did not like it when an officer had an affair with a married officer. But there was this handsome hunk of a man, so serious, so troubled when she’d first met him. And now he was smiling and contented. At least, most of the time when they were together. But he wasn’t smiling at the moment.
    She went to the bed and snuggled beside him. He wrapped his arms around her. For long moments neither of them spoke a word.
    At last he half-whispered, “I’m up for the deputy director post at the MDA.”
    Delighted, she asked, “That means a second star, doesn’t it?”
    He nodded. Only then did she realize how grave his tone was.
    “You want the job, don’t you?” “I sure do.”
    “So you’ll be moving to Washington, then. It’s okay. I can get there often enough.”
    “I don’t think so, Karen,” he said.
    She suddenly understood where he was heading, but she didn’t want to believe it. “What do you mean?”
    “There’s going to be an investigation.”
    “Of you?”
    He shook his head. “Of you. My wife ...” His voice trailed off.
    “She ratted you out?” Karen felt anger seething up inside her.
    He wouldn’t look into her eyes.