Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online
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[Illustration]
_THE
NEXT LOGICAL STEP_
Ordinarily the military least wants to have the others
know the final details of their war plans.
But, logically, there would be times--
_BY BEN BOVA_
"I don't really see where this problem has anything to do with me," the
CIA man said. "And, frankly, there are a lot of more important things I
could be doing."
Ford, the physicist, glanced at General LeRoy. The general had that
quizzical expression on his face, the look that meant he was about to do
something decisive.
"Would you like to see the problem first-hand?" the general asked,
innocently.
The CIA man took a quick look at his wristwatch. "O.K., if it doesn't
take too long. It's late enough already."
"It won't take very long, will it, Ford?" the general said, getting out
of his chair.
"Not very long," Ford agreed. "Only a lifetime."
The CIA man grunted as they went to the doorway and left the general's
office. Going down the dark, deserted hallway, their footsteps echoed
hollowly.
"I can't overemphasize the seriousness of the problem," General LeRoy
said to the CIA man. "Eight ranking members of the General Staff have
either resigned their commissions or gone straight to the violent ward
after just one session with the computer."
The CIA man scowled. "Is this area Secure?"
General LeRoy's face turned red. "This entire building is as Secure as
any edifice in the Free World, mister. And it's empty. We're the only
living people inside here at this hour. I'm not taking any chances."
"Just want to be sure."
"Perhaps if I explain the computer a little more," Ford said, changing
the subject, "you'll know what to expect."
"Good idea," said the man from CIA.
"We told you that this is the most modern, most complex and delicate
computer in the world ... nothing like it has ever been attempted
before--anywhere."
"I know that They don't have anything like it," the CIA man agreed.
"And you also know, I suppose, that it was built to simulate actual war
situations. We fight wars in this computer ... wars with missiles and
bombs and gas. Real wars, complete down to the tiniest detail. The
computer tells us what will actually happen to every missile, every city,
every man ... who dies, how many planes are lost, how many trucks will
fail to start on a cold morning, whether a battle is won or lost ..."
General LeRoy interrupted. "The computer runs these analyses for both
sides, so we can see what's happening to Them, too."
The CIA man gestured impatiently. "War games simulations aren't new.
You've been doing them for years."
"Yes, but this machine is different," Ford pointed out. "It not only
gives a much more detailed war game. It's the next logical step in the
development of machine-simulated war games." He hesitated dramatically.
"Well, what is it?"
"We've added a variation of the electro-encephalograph ..."