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"Have you anything to add, Admiral Aleyev?" Cherny asked. |
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Stepan Lykov spoke up nervously. "The submarine was obsolete, Honorable President, destined for destruction in Murmansk. It was declared available for modification as an ocean environmental research vessel by the Ministry of Marine." There was suddenly a sheen of sweat on his face. |
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"On whose authority, Academician Lykov?" |
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"Admiral Aleyev's, Excellency." |
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"Well, Admiral?" Cherny asked, regarding Aleyev. |
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"I didn't steal the goddamned submarine, Aleksandr Borisovich," Aleyev muttered. "Nor sink it." |
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"Watch your manners," President Cherny said, bristling. "Tell me what was done with it, and for what purpose." |
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"Go to hell," Aleyev said. "Excellency." |
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Cherny said bleakly, "If what I have been told is correct, there is a very good chance we shall all go there. And soon." He turned to stare coldly at the two men from the Naval Design Cadre. "The Pravda was modified to carry a single very large ballistic missile. Is that not what you have buried here in almost unreadable technical jargon?" |
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"Well, yes, Your Honor. That is what was done," Lykov said faintly. He thought, the man has the report I wrote, intended only for General Kondratiev's eyes, after the triumph of Soyuz. |
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"General Orgonev's Nuclear Weapons Development Bureau delivered such a missile to the submarine at Kola. Is that not so?" Cherny pursued. |
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The two academicians spoke at the same time. Then Yadanov yielded to Lykov, who said pleadingly, "You must realize, Excellency, that the Design Cadre's work covers a great many projects. Authorization is automatically sent down approved from the Bureau of Ships with the authority of the general staff of the navy." |
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For the first time Cherny looked at Marshal Suvorov, who had been sitting silently, staring at the tabletop. "How much |
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