by Dale Brown
ery of the semiconductor. It is important that we try again.
But this time you must try to ignore the electrical charge when
it happens."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"There's no training manual for this . . . you must maintain
theta-alpha through the interface process. I'm really not sure
how to tell you to do that. Think of something else, try to shut
out the pain. After a while the system will help you, but you
must be able to endure the first wave of it until the system can
learn how to help - "
"What about drugs?"
"Drugs would interfere with the neurological impulses in
your system. Besides, this program is based on creating an
aircraft that responds to thought commands. We can't very well
go around drugging all our pilots before sending them into
combat. "
The full realization of what was happening finally hit him.
"You really intend to put this system on an aircraft. You say
you can control an aircraft just by thinking?"
"Exactly. We already use sophisticated computers to fly our
jets. But with ANTARES, we've developed the most powerful
computer of all-the human brain. It's a thousand times more
44 DALE BROWN
powerful, a hundred times faster, and a million time s more
reliable than any computer ever conceived or conceivable.
" You've flown Colonel McLanahan's F-15 ATF-imagine
putting all this on a plane like Cheetah. Or a plane more so-
phisticated than Cheetah-you've seen the plans for the new
fighter they're developing, the X-34. Imagine the speed and
power of your mind going into the X-34. It would be all but
invincible, more powerful than a squadron of F-15s. It would
rewrite most everything we know about fighter combat."
Carmichael paused. "And you would be the first pilot."
Maraklov was stunned. This was miles beyond anything he'd
hoped or bargained for. Carmichael was serious. They actually
were going to move ahead with plans to put all this on an
airplane.
"But how can all this gear go into an aircraft?"
"Ken, this is a laboratory. We do everything on huge scales
because we have the room to spread out. But in the real world
we'd miniaturize all this. With new microchips and supercon-
ducting technology, most of the computers in this lab can be
miniaturized to the size of a -steamer trunk. In three years that
trunk-sized computer could be the size of a toaster. By the turn
of the century it could be down to the size of a walnut."
He relaxed and smiled for the first time since entering what
he had once thought of as Carmichael's chamber of horrors. It
sounded far-fetched, but they could really be on the verge of a
massive technological breakthrough. If they were, then Ken
James, alias Andrei Maraklov, a newly promoted major of in-
fantry in the KGB, was to be the principal, the key actor in a
remarkable scientific discovery.
"All right," he said. "Fire it up again."
Carmichael signaled to his technicians.
"But make sure you spell the name right in the history books.
It's-".
"I know," Carmichael said. "J-A-M-E-S."
No, he said to himself, beginning his deep breathing exer-
cises, starting from his toes and consciously ordering every
muscle to relax. Spell it M-A-R-A-K-L-O-V.
DAY OF THE CHEETAH 45
The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR
Thursday, 6 December 1994, 1451 EET (0551 EST)
"In summary, then, General Secretary," General Boris Cher-
kov, Chief of Staff of the military forces of the Soviet Union
concluded, "we still command a substantial lead in both con-
ve ntional and nuclear forces in Europe and Asia, and we should
be able to maintain that superiority through the rest of this
century. I am ready to take questions."
No one in the Kollegiya raised any; few ever did during
these briefings. The men and women who made up the lead-
ership of the Soviet military, intelligence and state bureaucracy
sat mute, nodding to Cherkov as if congratulating him on his
presentation-the same one he had given during the past three
years, and very similar to the one that the General Secretary
had heard since assuming the office. Now he turned to Vladimir
Kalinin, chief of the Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti,
the KGB. "Do you have a comment?"
"Just this. How is it possible that we are so superior? With
respect, sir, I question the conclusions made here this after-
noon. Since the late eighties and in this year of 1994 as well,
the Americans have begun a steady increase in levels of con-
ventional forces all over the world, including western Europe.
We know they have a space-based strategic defense system in
place that is more sophisticated than our ground-based one.
Intermediate-range nuclear forces have been eliminated, our
strategic nuclear forces have just been cut in half, and biolog-
ical weapons have been eliminated. We have been forced to
draw down the size of all our forces to help relieve our budget
problems and promote perestroika. How can we be maintaining
such a large advantage over the United States and the NATO
forces-? "
"Because of our continuing five-to-one numerical advantage
and our increasing technological achievements," Chief-of-Staff
Cherkov broke in. "For the first time we have an aircraft car-
rier force that rivals the Americans'--
"We have three carriers. The Americans have seventeen.
Even the British have more than we do."
"We have an unrivaled worldwide cargo-transport capabil-
ity. In each and every area we-"
"If we commandeer every civilian-passenger jet in Aero-
46 DAIE BROWN
flot," KGB chief Kalinin interrupted, "not counting civil
transports, the Americans still have more airlift capacity. We
can juggle numbers, but the fact is that we have lost the ad-
vantage. The Americans have fielded two new types of fighters
in Europe in the past ten years; we have fielded one. The
Americans have launched two new aircraft carriers in the past
ten years and equipped each one with new F-31 fighters. We
still have one carrier of equivalent size in sea-trials, with
fifteen-year-old fighters on board. In every area except armor
and total manpower we have either lost our advantage or suffer
a real lessening of whatever advantage we retain."
"Times have changed," Minister of Defense Andrei Tovo-
rin said. "Our security is no longer based exclusively on mil-
itary strength. We have treaties and agreements with many
nations. We have mutual verifiable cuts in strategic and tactical
nuclear weapons, beginning with the INF treaty . . . "
"But we do not agree to roll over and accept domination by
the West," Kalinin said. "Sir, you will be on American tele-
vision in one hour, smiling at their cameras, saying how de-
lighted you are at the progress that has been made since you
signed the INF Treaty seven years ago. But, sir, the peace and
&n
bsp; security of our nation still depends on the strong arms and
backs of our people, rather than on pieces of paper. Those
treaties will be the first things to be set on fire in a major
conflict-"
"Are you saying that this nation is in danger because we
have agreed to reduce the number of nuclear weapons pointed
at us?" the General Secretary asked. "Are you saying that we
are in greater danger of destruction as a nation now than ten
years ago?"
"I believe we were more secure ten years ago, yes," Kalinin
said. "Then I knew that we had the military capability and the
national resolve to defend ourselves against any attack. Now,
I am not so sure. For the first time in my career I wonder
whether we could resist an invasion of western Europe or hold
off a NATO invasion of western Russia. I question the security
of our cities and military bases. And yet I see American stores
and American hotels being built in Moscow. Where is all this
taking us?"
"Into the future," General Cherkov said. "The truth is we
DAY OF THE CHEETAH 47
are a richer, more secure nation than ever. We also are a mem-
ber of the world community, no longer the ugly Russian bear. "
Kalinin said nothing. The General Secretary, probably the
most popular Soviet leader in history, was a formidable enough
opponent in the government. But along with Cherkov, the mil-
itary veteran and hero of Afghanistan and Africa, the opposi-
tion was all but overwhelming.
"This meeting is adjourned," the General Secretary said,
and accepted the handshakes and good luck wishes from the
Kollegiya members. Kalinin stayed behind after the rest of the
members, except Cherkov, had left.
"I apologize for spoiling the mood of the meeting, sir, but
I feel I have a duty to express my opinion-"
"You are correct," the General Secretary said. "I encour-
age such discussions; you know that."
"Yes, sir." The General Secretary was getting ready to leave
for the new Kremlin press office for his interview. "Sir . . . I
need your authorization for additional manpower on an ongo-
ing project. I need ten more men for five years overseas."
The General Secretary straightened papers in his briefcase.
"Overseas? "
"The United States. Deep cover operation on an American
military-research base."
The General Secretary paused, glanced at Cherkov, then
shook his head. "It sounds like a major escalation. Ten people
on one base?"
Kalinin tried to control his irritation. The General Secretary,
it seemed, had already decided in the negative but wanted to
pump his KGB chief for information before saying no. "In one
city, actually," Kalinin pushed on. "Perhaps two or three on
the base itself, one or two on a separate research center
nearby. "
"This perhaps refers to Dreamland?" General Cherkov
asked. "More activity there?"
"It is Dreamland," Kalinin admitted. The old than was well-
informed. The crafty Chief-of-Staff's small but hig ly e cient
cadre of internal investigators were still very much hard at work
spying on the KGB for the General Secretary. "We have re-
c6ived information on a new American project that I believe
should be of great interest to us."
"Obviously," the General Secretary deadpanned. "Ten new
7-
48 DALE BROWN
operatives in one area at one time is a lot. Is there a danger of
discovery? "
"There is always that chance, sir. But this project is so im-
portant I feel the additional manpower is absolutely vital."
"Wasn't your young pilot assigned to Dreamland? " Cher-
kov asked. "The deep-cover agent that you managed to help
transfer from their Strategic Air Command?"
"Major Andrei Maraklov, yes, and he is the one who has
reported on a new American project that I must track very
closely.
"And this project?"
Kalinin hesitated-he didn't expect to be grilled like this. As
reported to him so far, the new project was so unusual that he
didn't fully understand it; it was going to be very difficult ex-
plaining it to the General Secretary. This was another chango
from practices of ten years ago-back then, the government
was so large and, more to the point, so bureaucratically com-
partmentalized that sending ten or even fifty new agents to the
United States was relatively easy. Now all personnel move-
ment, even covert or so-called diplomatic transfers, were ap-
proved in advance. "I'm talking about a project begun by the same research '&
center we obtained the short takeoff and landing data from,"
Kalinin said. "Maraklov has been assigned to a project study-
ing . . . thought-controlled fighter aircraft-"
" Thought-controlled aircraft? " The General Secretary
quickly looked down at the small stack of papers on his desk-
apparently stifling his skepticism.
"Maraklov reports they've had significant success with this
project," Kalinin said, stiffening. "I feel it is very impor-
tant . . . "
The General Secretary shook his head. "I am sorry, but ten
men for such a project is too much. I can authorize two in the
Los Angeles consulate, and this must be coordinated with the
foreign minister."
"But, sir, I was going to use two men as handlers for Mar-
aklov. The handlers are very important. Maraklov's move-
ments are carefully monitored and more than one contact is
essential. If I only have two new men and use them as handlers
I will not have any for inside duties at the research center.
DAY OF THE CHEETAH 49
"I have another meeting, Kalinin," the General Secretary
said, snapping shut his briefcase. "I am scheduled to be in Los
Angeles in one month. It will not look well if a large-scale
deep-cover ring is discovered. I can't risk that. Two men only,
Kalinin. If more information on this project comes in, I may
reconsider. Now I must go."
As the General Secretary moved around his desk to leave,
Kalinin quickly stepped toward him, not blocking his way but
obviously wanting to hold his attention a moment longer. "Sir,
I assure you, this is most urgent."
The General Secretary looked directly at his KGB chief. He
was shorter than Kalinin by several centimeters and at least
twenty years older; Kalinin had a full head of dark brown hair,
the General Secretary was bald except for graying temples.
The older man was solidly built and only recently giving way
to fat; Kalinin was lean, as athletic as a career bureaucrat from
Leningrad could manage.
Yet as they stood face-to-face, the General Secretary exuded
a power that was considerably more than physical. He had a
presence, an aura, an intensity that had all but mesmerized
heads of government around the world. His eyes were espe-
cially effective in seizing and transfixing.
"Vladimir, the KGB has been well supported by this gov-
ernm
ent. I have given you my support. I did so even when the
Politburo believed I had made a wrong decision in appointing
you to head the KGB. I believed the KGB needed a strong
young leader for the future, and I chose you. I know that you
look to something greater than merely the head of the world's
largest intelligence organization-perhaps minister of defense
or even General Secretary. Your ambitions are your own affair.
But do not accuse me, Vladimir. I do what is in the best interest
of our country and this government, including the KGB. "
1 Kalinin saw the understated power in those blue eyes. After
eight years in power, he was still considered by many to be
the most influential man on the world scene. With glasnost now
an important part of Soviet life, the General Secretary was
much more visible in the eyes of the world. Kalinin realized
confrontations at this time were pointless and even dangerous.
But the man was getting older. Older and more cautious.
Nearly every decision involved weighing how it would look in
the eyes of the world. Kalinin didn't much care about the eyes
so DALE BROWN
of the world-he cared about Russia, her security, based on
her strength. The Soviet Union was not just another member
of the world community-she was, or should be, its leader.
The General Secretary studied the younger man's eyes for a
moment before moving toward the door. Cherkov, once the
General Secretary's mentor and now his submissive guard-dog,
followed him out.
The General Secretary might be, as some said, a visionary,
Kalinin thought, but right now he was being dangerously short-
sighted. Forget him this time, Kalinin told himself. This was
a KGB project-it would remain a KGB project.
And if there was any way for this strange new American
technology to advance his own position in the government,
then let it happen.
Air Force High Technology Advanced Weapons
Center (HAWC)
Wednesday, 10 June 1996, 0430 PDT (0730 EDT)
AIR FoRCE LIEUTENANT Colonel Patrick S. McLanahan watched
Captain Kenneth Francis James preparing to mount his "steed."
