USN Bureau of AI
USN AI presents:
EBCDIC Time
Part 3
Able-49 is climbing into the "Fly on the Wall" orbiter. He contorts in as lab tech Jack Mitchell plugs the ribbon cable into the back of his head.
Within forty-five minutes the Fly on the Wall is on its tow cable behind a B-52H. The bomber pulls the orbiter up to high altitude. Able-49 pulls the flaps and
the orbiter climbs up to 53000 feet. He send the signal to the bomber and the tow cable releases and he fires his external solid rocket booster and he noses
up. After thirty seconds, the motor burns out and Able-49 fires the explosive bolts releasing it. He uploads his track and fires his thrusters for a minor
course correction. He decodes his orders a prepares for what will undoubtedly be a dangerous mission.
The Pentagon, several minutes later . . .
"Able-22?"
"Yes Sir, Mr. Secretary I'm over here."
The Secretary of Defense walks over to the map table where Twenty-two is updating dispositions of Iranian and Turkish units. He watches for a second as
Twenty-two updates some of the tokens on the map.
"How old are those positions?"
"None of them are older than two hours, Mr. Secretary."
"Ok, how far have the Iranians gone into Iraq after the Kurds?
"Nearly forty-two kilometers," Twenty-two points his laser pointer on to the map to the reported positions.
"Thanks, Twenty-two. Will you be around here?"
"Yes Sir, I'm here for the next two weeks, I'll need to have a filter changed . . ."
"Thanks Twenty-two."
Marine Recon Detachment 6 northeast of Rawanduz, Iraq besides highway #3 . . .
The HUMVEES are concealed under cammo nets in a small depression on the side of the hill. Staff Sargent Garsis is watching through a night scope in the direction of flashes of light in the distance. He whispers into his mic to Able-28, "Bot, who do you think shooting now?"
An answer appears in the scope as a text message: "The Iranians are shelling the Kurds with 175mm."
"Where are you in relation to me?"
"Bearing 95 degrees, range 2.5 meters."
Garsis looks over his shouder and sees Twenty-eight in his desert cammo practically on top of him.
"I didn't hear you move up."
"The requirements say I need to produce less than 1.77 decibells when in an operation such as this. Did I do OK?"
"You graduated with honors."
