shouldn’t be making. It takes a special kind of mind to figure out
what’s wrong when things that anybody with common sense can see are
true turn out to be not true. I think you’re the guy.”
The compliments made Hunt feel slightly uncomfortable. He decided
to move things along. “What do you have in mind?”
“Well, the guys we have at present are top grade inside their own
specialties,” Caldwell replied. “Don’t get me wrong, these people
are good-but I’d like them to concentrate on doing the things
they’re best at. However, aside from all that, I need someone with
an unspecialized, and therefore impartial, outlook to coordinate
the findings of the specialists and integrate them into an overall
picture. If you like, I need people like Danchekker to paint the
pieces of the puzzle, but I need someone like you to fit the pieces
together. You’ve been doing a bit of that, unofficially, for quite
a while anyway; I’m saying, ‘Let’s make it official.”
“How about the organization?” Hunt asked.
“I’ve thought about that. I don’t want to alienate any of our
senior people by subordinating them or any of their staffs to some
new whiz kid. That’s only good politics. Anyhow, I don’t think
you’d want it that way.”
Hunt shook his head to show his agreement.
“So,” Caidwell resumed, “what I figure is, the various departments
and sections will continue to function as they do at present. Our
relationship with outfits outside Navcomms will remain unaffected.
However, all the conclusions that everybody has reached so far, and
new findings as they turn up, will be referred to a centralized
coordinating section-that’s you. Your job will be to fit the bits
together, as I said earlier. You’d build up your own staff as time
goes on and the work load increases. You’d be able to request any
particular items of information you find you need from the
specialist functions; that way you’d be defining some of their
objectives. As for your objectives, they’re abeady spelled out:
Find out who these Charlie people were, where they came from, and
what happened to them. You report directly to me and get the whole
problem off my back. I’ve got enough on my sched
ule without worrying about corpses.” Caldwell threw out an arm to
show that he was finished. “Well, what do you say?”
Hunt had to smile within himself. As Caldwell had said, there was
really nothing to think about. He took a long breath and turned
both hands upward. “As you said-an offer I can’t refuse.”
“So, you’re in?”
“I’m in.’~
“Welcome aboard, then.” Caidwell looked pleased. “This calls for a
drink.” He produced a flask and glasses from somewhere behind the
desk. He poured the whiskey and passed a glass to his newest
employee.
“When do you want it to start?” Hunt asked after a moment.
“Well, you probably need a couple of months or so to sort out
formalities with IDCC. But why wait for formalities? You’re on loan
here from IDCC anyway and under my direction for the duration;
also, we’re paying for you. So what’s wrong with tomorrow morning?”
“Christ!”
Caldwell’s manner at once became brisk and businesslike.
“I’ll allocate offices for you in this building. Rob Gray takes
full charge of scope operations and keeps the engineers I’ve
assigned to him as his permanent staff for as long as he’s in
Houston. That frees you totally. By the end of this week I want
estimates of what you think you’ll need in the way of clerical and
secretarial staff, technical personnel, equipment, furniture, lab
space, and computer facilities.
“By this time next week I want you to have a presentation ready for
a meeting of section and department heads that I’m going to call,
to tell them how you see yourself and them working together. Make
it tactful. I won’t issue any official notification of these
changes until after the meeting, when everybody knows what’s going
on. Don’t talk about it until then, except to myself and Lyn.
“Your ouffit will be designated Special Assignment Group L, and
your position, will be section head, Group L. The post is classed
as ‘Executive, grade four, civilian,’ within the Space Arm. It