Deception Point Page 81

As you know, the CIA theatre director went on, his t unrivaled sharpening, all U.S. government entities who pile with sensitive word information be governed by strict rules of secrecy- multitude, CIA, NSA, NRO-all of them mustiness abide by stringent laws regarding the concealment of the data they glean and the technologies they develop. I subscribe to you all, yet again, why NASA-the agency currently producing the largest portion of up-to-date aero space, imaging, flight, software, reconnaissance, and telecom technologies used by the phalanx and information community-exists out-of-door this umbrella of secrecy.The President heaved a weighty sigh. The proposal was clear. Restructure NASA to become destiny of the U.S. military intelligence community. Although similar restructurings had happened with opposite agencies in the past, Herney refused to entertain the composition of placing NASA under the auspices of the Pentagon, the CIA, the NRO, or any other military directiv e. The matter Security Council was starting to splinter on the issue, many siding with the intelligence community.Lawrence Ekstrom never looked pleased at these meetings, and this was no exception. He shot an acidulous glare toward the CIA director. At the risk of repeating myself, sir, the technologies NASA develops are for nonmilitary, academic applications. If your intelligence community wants to turn maven of our space telescopes or so and look at China, thats your choice.The CIA director looked like he was about to boil over.Pickering caught his eye and stepped in. Larry, he said, careful to keep an even t iodin, every year NASA kneels before sexual congress and begs for money. Youre coverning operations with too little funding, and youre paying the price in failed deputations. If we incorporate NASA into the intelligence community, NASA will no longer need to ask Congress for help. You would be funded by the black budget at signifi rattly higher levels. Its a win-win. NASA will take a crap the money it needs to run itself properly, and the intelligence community will demand peace of mind that NASA technologies are protected.Ekstrom shook his head. On principle, I cannot endorse painting NASA with that brush. NASA is about space science we have nothing to do with matter security.The CIA director stood up, something never make when the President was seated. Nobody stopped him. He glared down at the administrator of NASA. Are you telling me you think science has nothing to do with national security? Larry, they are synonymous, for Gods sake It is only this conceiverys scientific and technical edge that keeps us secure, and whether we like it or not, NASA is playing a larger and bigger part in developing those technologies. Unfortunately, your agency leaks like a sieve and has proven time and again that its security is a liabilityThe room fell silent.Now the administrator of NASA stood up and locked eyes with his attacker. So you suggest locki ng twenty thousand NASA scientists in airtight military labs and making them work for you? Do you really think NASAs newest space telescopes would have been conceived had it not been for our scientists personal desire to see deeper into space? NASA makes astonishing breakthroughs for one reason only-our employees want to understand the cosmos more deeply. They are a community of dreamers who grew up staring at starry skies and asking themselves what was up there. Passion and curiosity are what drive NASAs innovation, not the promise of military superiority.Pickering cleared his throat, speaking softly, trying to lower the temperatures around the table. Larry, Im certain the director is not talking about recruiting NASA scientists to build military satellites. Your NASA mission disputation would not change. NASA would carry on business as usual, except you would have increased funding and increased security. Pickering turned now to the President. Security is expensive. Everyone in t his room certainly realizes that NASAs security leaks are a result of underfunding. NASA has to barf its own horn, cut corners on security measures, run joint projects with other countries so they can share the price tag. I am proposing that NASA repose the superb, scientific, nonmilitary entity it currently is, just with a bigger budget, and some discretion. some(prenominal) members of the security council nodded in quiet agreement.President Herney stood slowly, staring directly at William Pickering, clearly not at all amused with the way Pickering had still taken over. Bill, let me ask you this NASA is hoping to go to Mars in the following decade. How will the intelligence community feel about spending a hefty portion of the black budget running a mission to Mars-a mission that has no immediate national security benefits?NASA will be able to do as they please.Bullshit, Herney replied flatly.Everyones eyes shot up. President Herney rarely used profanity.If there is one thing Ive learned as president, Herney declared, its that those who simplicity the dollars control the direction. I refuse to put NASAs purse strings in the hands of those who do not share the objectives for which the agency was founded. I can only imagine how much pure science would get done with the military deciding which NASA missions are viable.Herneys eyes scanned the room. Slowly, purposefully, he returned his rigid scan to William Pickering.Bill, Herney sighed, your displeasure that NASA is engaged in joint projects with foreign space agencies is distressingly shortsighted. At least someone is working constructively with the Chinese and Russians. counterinsurgency on this planet will not be forged by military strength. It will be forged by those who come unitedly despite their governments differences. If you ask me, NASAs joint missions do more to promote national security than any billion-dollar spy satellite, and with a sine of a administer better hope for the future.Pick ering felt an anger welling deep within him. How presume a politician talk down to me this way Herneys idealism compete fine in a boardroom, but in the real world, it got spate killed.Bill, Marjorie Tench interrupted, as if sensing Pickering was about to explode, we know you lost a child. We know this is a personal issue for you.Pickering heard nothing but condescension in her tone.But please remember, Tench said, that the White tin is currently holding back a floodgate of investors who want us to open space to the private sector. If you ask me, for all its mistakes, NASA has been one hell of a friend to the intel community. You all might just want to count your blessings.A rumble strip on the shoulder of the highway move Pickerings mind back to the present. His result was coming up. As he approached the exit for D.C., he passed a bloody deer lying dead by the side of the road. He felt an odd hesitation but he kept driving.He had a rendezvous to keep.96The Franklin Delano Roos evelt Memorial is one of the largest memorials in the nation. With a park, waterfalls, statuary, alcoves, and basin, the memorial is divided into four outdoor galleries, one for each of FDRs terms in office.A mile from the memorial, a lone(prenominal) Kiowa Warrior coasted in, high over the city, its running lights dimmed. In a town hyperbolise as many VIPs and media crews as D.C., helicopters in the skies were as common as birds flying south. Delta-One knew that as long as he stayed well outside what was known as the dome-a bubble of protected airspace around the White House-he should draw little attention. They would not be here long.The Kiowa was at twenty-one hundred feet when it slowed adjacent to, but not directly over, the darken FDR Memorial. Delta-One hovered, checking his position. He looked to his left, where Delta-Two was manning the night vision telescopic viewing system. The video run away showed a greenish image of the entry drive of the memorial. The area was dese rted.