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Even a possibility of covert troops, commandos, from a sub coming ashore and destroying the shuttle and surrounding facilities.' Miller wheezed and continued his scenario.
    Hell, they could be all over the place right now. Could have been picked up by a yacht, everyone in tourist civies, and roaming 'round the cape this very minute.
    Okay, Dave. What do you propose? Hays asked as he glanced through his window at Columbia and thought about security measures for Discovery, Endeavor, and Atlantis.
    Not much for your folks. Rex. Just be aware, and alert everyone to the possibility of sabotage. Miller coughed, then continued. The Army is going to surround the complex and beef up security at the gates. The Marines are securing the beach, and, Miller paused, lighting another unfiltered cigarette, they will have six Cobra gunships there in Miller checked his watch 'bout forty-five minutes.
    What about overflights by civilian airplanes? Hays asked.
    The FAA has been notified. They're issuing a Notice to Airmen immediately. It'll be effective from now until further notice and designates the airspace for twenty miles 'round the launch complex, from the ground to infinity, as a prohibited area.
    What is the penalty for violating the airspace? Hays thought about a threat from a passive-looking civilian airplane.
    The message clearly states that any unidentified aircraft, civilian or military, traversing the prohibited airspace will be destroyed.
    Destroyed by what?
    I 'magine marine gunships or ground-launched missiles, Miller responded.
    Sounds as if the president is serious, Hays remarked, probing the possibility of moving the launch time up a day or two.
    Damn right he is! The Navy is sitting all over the subs and the Saratoga is in a hum to leave Norfolk. Should be underway in two or three hours.
    Miller paused, then continued. Air Force is sending F-16s from Shaw and Homestead. They'll patrol around the clock and operate out of Patrick and the shuttle emergency runway.
    Navy F-14s from Jacksonville will rendezvous with the Saratoga and provide air cover further out to sea. The Navy boys have a squadron of ASW planes over the subs now.
    Miller paused, then continued. Listen, Rex, I gotta' run.
    The boss just flagged me, so if you have any questions, let me know.
    The NASA chief had many questions regarding the safety of the shuttles, but Miller was not the individual to deal with on this matter.
    Okay, Dave. Appreciate the information, Hays replied, then placed the phone receiver down.

Defcon One (1989)

THE KREMLIN
    The general secretary, with assistance from the Politburo, had briefed the Central Committee during the morning session about the difficulties the government had experienced in the previous years.
    Zhilinkhov sipped at his strong, hot tea and reflected on Soviet history. Periods of Soviet lenience had always been followed by crackdowns, the only effective way to rule a communist country.
    The general secretary thought about the mid-eighties when the new policy of glasnost, or openness, had been installed.
    The deterioration of the party had been obvious and immediate.
    Riots had broken out during 1986 in Alma-Ata, the capital of Kazakhstan, over perestroika, reconstruction. The kazakh who had led the republic's Communist party for more than a generation had been retired and replaced by a Russian. The unfortunate riot caused by that action had been made public and demonstrations erupted over the next five years in many outlying regions.
    The open society approach resulted in Pravda, the Communist party daily, criticizing the Brezhnev era policies. The paper blamed the former general secretary for sending the country into an economic slump. Pravda also charged that favoritism had been rampant during the Brezhnev years.
    Zhilinkhov had known that such open reporting would hurt the Party and the country. He had known also that the information was correct.
    Leonid's friendship for him had paved the way to his becoming chief of