"Speculate. There's gotta be some blue-sky launch system that could move that kind of tonnage."
"Well, in another decade or so, we could be launching satellites without rockets. That's the talk."
"Using what?"
"Well, they're just in the theoretical stage. There's a lot of talk that the latest superconductor breakthroughs might be the key. They've got them working on a small scale. They're basically peashooters using magnetic propulsion."
"Magnetic!" the general said excitedly, scribbling on a pad.
"Right. Imagine a rifle that fires a bullet without using gunpowder."
"Yeah!" the general said, writing that down too.
"Those we have. Now imagine one a thousand times bigger. "
"I can see it clear as day," the general said loudly. "That's the next generation of satellite launcher."
"This thing you're talking about. Could it launch a warhead?"
"No problem. You wouldn't need boosters or fuel or anything of that sort. Just load it and press the button."
"How about a locomotive?"
"Come again, General?"
"Could it launch a steam engine? I'm being theoretical here. "
"Into orbit?"
"Maybe. Not necessarily," General Leiber said guardedly. "If someone could build a prototype launcher large enough, sure. But it would have to be nearly a quarter of a mile long."
"Yeah?" the general said, writing the figure down. "How come?"
"To build up the power to throw it. The device I'm talking about would be electromagnetic."
"Electromagnetic!" the general said enthusiastically, writing the word down. After a pause he added the prefix "hyper."
"Hyperelectromagnetic," he said under his breath.
"What's that, General?"
"Nothing," said the general, his pencil poised to write the NASA man's next words after "hyperelectromagnetic." This was great. He didn't need to show the model after all.
"Now, what do they call one of these babies?"
"A rail gun."
The general's pencil lead snapped at the tail of the letter R.
"A what?" he croaked.
"A rail gun."
"You said 'rail'?"
"Yeah, rail. Why? You sound funny."
General Leiber turned to see what the President was doing. The President was coming toward him. He wore a strange expression on his face. It was half-scowl, half-confusion.
"Quick," he whispered. "Give me all the scientific theory you can as fast as you can."
General Leiber scribbled furiously. "I gotta go now, Bob," he said hastily, and hung up. He put on his best smile and turned to face the President. He shifted on his seat and managed to slip the locomotive under him. Another part snapped under his shifting weight and he winced as something-it felt like the cowcatcher-dug into his scrotum.
"You have something for me, Mr. President?"
"NORAD just transmitted these satellite photos." Hesitantly General Leiber accepted the photographs from his Commander in Chief. He looked at the blurred black smear floating above the blue of the Atlantic on the first photo.
"NORAD believes that's your KKV," the President said.
"Mean-looking brute, isn't it?" the general said, flipping to the second photo. It too showed an indistinct blot. The general began to let out his pent breath-then he saw the third photo. He started coughing.
"Have you an explanation for this, General?" the President asked bitingly.
The general got control over his cough.
"Oh!" he said suddenly, jumping to his feet. "I nearly forgot. I was going to show you the KKV model." He presented the President of the United States with the paper-bag-wrapped package.
The President took the package. He tore away the paper with careful fingers. The paper fell to the floor and the President held in both hands a model of a steam locomotive with the cowcatcher askew.
"This is a locomotive," the President said quietly. "Actually, that's the civilian term for it, sir. We in the military prefer to call it a KKV, because, sir, as you can see, sir, while it appears to be a steam locomotive and may well have been built for that purpose, these photographs show conclusively that some dastardly outlaw nation has perverted the designer's original intent. It's a Kinetic Kill Vehicle now. Sir."
"I have one question for you, General."
"Sir?"
"How?"
"As a matter of fact, sir, I have just completed my task analysis of the problem. Obviously the Soviets have beaten us in the rail-gun race."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Rail gun, sir. Don't tell me you've never heard of it?"
The President's face hardened. "No."
"Well, you're new, sir. I suppose you haven't been briefed."