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'â€Å"As you k at one time,” the CIA director went on, his nonion sharpening, â€Å"all U.S. government entities who deal with light-sensitive word of honor information atomic number 18 governed by strict rules of secrecy- soldiers, CIA, NSA, NRO-all of them must abide by stringent laws regarding the concealment of the data they reap and the technologies they develop. I petition you all, yet again, wherefore NASA-the mode currently producing the largest constituent of avant-garde aero quadruplet, imaging, flight, software, reconnaissance, and telecom technologies use by the array and intelligence companionship-exists outside this umbrella of secrecy.”\r\nThe professorship heaved a weighty sigh. The proposal was clear. structure NASA to become part of the U.S. phalanx intelligence community. Although similar restructurings had happened with other agencies in the past, Herney refused to have got the idea of placing NASA under the auspices of the Pentagon , the CIA, the NRO, or any other military directive. The matter Security Council was starting to splinter on the introduce, many siding with the intelligence community.\r\nLawrence Ekstrom neer looked pleased at these meetings, and this was no exception. He shot an acrimonious glare toward the CIA director. â€Å"At the risk of repeating myself, sir, the technologies NASA develops are for nonmilitary, donnish applications. If your intelligence community emergencys to turn whizz of our topographic point telescopes some and look at China, thats your choice.”\r\nThe CIA director looked like he was almost to boil over.\r\nPickering caught his eye and stepped in. â€Å"Larry,” he said, careful to keep an even tone, â€Å"every twelvemonth NASA kneels before Congress and begs for bills. Youre running trading operations with too little funding, and youre paying the set in failed missions. If we incorporate NASA into the intelligence community, NASA go a center ing no longer need to solicit Congress for help. You would be funded by the coloured budget at signifi locoweedtly high levels. Its a win-win. NASA forget have the money it needs to run itself properly, and the intelligence community will have peace of caput that NASA technologies are protected.”\r\nEkstrom shook his head. â€Å"On principle, I can non endorse painting NASA with that brush. NASA is some space science; we have nix to do with national security.”\r\nThe CIA director stood up, something never through with(p) when the President was seated. Nobody stopped him. He glared down at the administrator of NASA. â€Å" atomic number 18 you telling me you envisage science has nonhing to do with national security? Larry, they are synonymous, for Gods sake! It is only this countrys scientific and scientific 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 liability!”\r\nThe room fell silent.\r\n forthwith the administrator of NASA stood up and locked look with his attacker. â€Å"So you suggest locking twenty grounds NASA scientists in airtight military labs and fashioning them work for you? Do you corporeally think NASAs newest space telescopes would have been conceived had it not been for our scientists in the flesh(predicate) desire to see deeper into space? NASA makes amazing breakthroughs for one reason only-our employees want to insure the cosmos more deeply. They are a community of dreamers who grew up staring at starry skies and asking themselves what was up there. lovemaking and curiosity are what drive NASAs innovation, not the promise of military superiority.”\r\nPickering cleared his throat, speak softly, trying to lower the temperatures around the table. â€Å"Larry, Im certain(prenominal) the director is not talking c losely recruiting NASA scientists to build military satellites. Your NASA mission record would not change. NASA would carry on logical argument as usual, except you would have change magnitude funding and increased security.” Pickering turned now to the President. â€Å"Security is expensive. Everyone in this room for certain realizes that NASAs security leaks are a egress of underfunding. NASA has to toot its own horn, cut corners on security measures, run joint projects with other countries so they can share the bell tag. I am proposing that NASA remain the superb, scientific, nonmilitary entity it currently is, but with a bigger budget, and some discretion.”\r\nSeveral members of the security council n scratchyed in quiet agreement.\r\nPresident Herney stood slowly, staring straight off at William Pickering, clearly not at all amused with the way Pickering had conscionable taken over. â€Å"Bill, let me ask you this: NASA is hoping to go to Mars in the next 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 agile national security benefits?”\r\nâ€Å"NASA will be able to do as they please.”\r\nâ€Å"Bullshit,” Herney replied flatly.\r\nEveryones eyes shot up. President Herney seldom used profanity.\r\nâ€Å"If there is one thing Ive wise(p) as president,” Herney declared, â€Å"its that those who control the dollars control the direction. I refuse to put NASAs purse draw in the hands of those who do not share the objectives for which the agency was founded. I can only imagine how much clear science would get done with the military deciding which NASA missions are viable.”\r\nHerneys eyes scanned the room. Slowly, purposefully, he returned his rigid gaze to William Pickering.\r\nâ€Å"Bill,” Herney sighed, â€Å"your displeasure that NASA is intermeshed in joint projects with foreign space agenc ies is painfully shortsighted. At least mortal is working constructively with the Chinese and Russians. recreation on this planet will not be forged by military strength. It will be forged by those who come together despite their governments differences. If you ask me, NASAs joint missions do more to embolden national security than any billion-dollar blemish satellite, and with a hell of a carve up better hope for the future.”\r\nPickering felt an resentment thoroughlying deep within him. How dare a politician talk down to me this way! Herneys idealism played fine in a boardroom, but in the real world, it got people killed.\r\nâ€Å"Bill,” Marjorie tench interrupted, as if feel Pickering was about to explode, â€Å"we know you lost a child. We know this is a personal issue for you.”\r\nPickering heard nothing but championship in her tone.\r\nâ€Å"But please remember,” Tench said, â€Å"that the White House is currently property confirm a flood gate of investors who want us to open space to the one-on-one sector. If you ask me, for all its mistakes, NASA has been one hell of a friend to the intel community. You all great power just want to count your blessings.”\r\nA rumble strip on the lift of the highway jolted Pickerings mind back to the present. His exit was coming up. As he approached the exit for D.C., he passed a damn deer lying dead by the side of the road. He felt an odd hesitation… but he unploughed driving.\r\nHe had a rendezvous to keep.\r\n96\r\nThe Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is one of the largest memorials in the nation. With a park, waterfalls, statuary, alcoves, and basin, the memorial is divided into four open-air(prenominal) galleries, one for each of FDRs terms in office.\r\nA mile from the memorial, a solitary Kiowa Warrior coasted in, high over the city, its running lights dimmed. In a town boasting 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 â€Å"the bonce”-a bubble of protected airspace around the White House-he should draw little attention. They would not be here long.\r\nThe Kiowa was at cardinal hundred feet when it slowed adjacent to, but not directly over, the darkened FDR Memorial. Delta-One hovered, checking his position. He looked to his left, where Delta-Two was manning the wickedness vision telescopic viewing system. The tv feed showed a greenish material body of the entry drive of the memorial. The area was deserted.\r\n'