"Not unless they've developed it themselves.  This information is only a few hours old."  Moore did not reveal that Sir Basil had his own ear in the Kremlin.  Ryan didn't know much about it himself, had only heard some disconnected rumblings.

"With your permission, I have asked Admiral Greer to be ready to fly to England to brief the prime minister."

"Why not just send—"

Judge Moore was shaking his head.  "Mr. President, this information—let's say it's only delivered by hand."  Eyebrows went up all around the table.

"When is he leaving?"

"This evening, if you wish.  There are a couple of VIP flights leaving Andrews tonight.  Congressional flights."  It was the usual end-of-session junket season.  Christmas in Europe, on fact-finding missions.

"General, do we have anything quicker?" the president asked Hilton.

"We can scratch up a VC-141.  Lockheed JetStar, almost as fast as a -135, and we can have it up in half an hour."

"Do it."

"Yes, sir, I'll call them in right now."  Hilton rose and walked to a phone in the corner.

"Judge, tell Greer to pack his bags.  I'll have a cover letter waiting for him on the plane to give to the prime minister.  Admiral, you want the Invincible?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'll get her for you.  Next, what do we tell our people at sea?"

"If October just sails in, it won't be necessary, but if we have to communicate with her—"

"Excuse me, Judge," Ryan said, "that is rather likely—that we'll have to.  They'll probably have these attack boats on the coast before she gets here.  If so, we'll have to warn her off if only to save the defecting officers.  They are out to locate and sink her."

"We haven't detected her.  What makes you think they can?" Foster asked, miffed at the suggestion.

"They did build her, Admiral.  So they might know things about her that will enable them to locate her more easily than us."

"Makes sense," the president said.  "That means somebody goes out to brief the fleet commanders.  We can't broadcast this, can we, Judge?"

"Mr. President, this source is too valuable to compromise in any way.  That's all I can say here, sir."

"Very well, somebody flies out.  Next thing is, we'll have to talk to the Soviets about this.  For the moment they can say that they're operating in home waters.  When will they pass Iceland?"

"Tomorrow night, unless they change course," Foster answered.