Metafire

"OK, then, who can we talk to about what we need?" The younger man, introduced as Philip Cooper, was in charge.

"Me," said Ferguson.

"A class ten room. I need the Series 296 disk drive jigs down from my laboratory in Marlboro, my DEC Alpha, my Tek scope and analyzer. We are going to read the data off very slowly."

Ferguson looked at the Major with a bit of confusion on his face. Maybe these guys should work in their lab. But the Major stepped in, "I will fly you up with a Marine guard. The President will call the CEO of DEC in order to secure complete cooperation and security. I will go along with you. We should be back by tomorrow afternoon. OK?"

"OK." Philip was satisfied. "By the way, the disk jig weighs three hundred pounds."

"We'll take a big jet and ten Marines." The Major smiled as he left the room. After a few minutes, he returned and escorted the DEC engineers out. Two Marines with side arms were stationed in the room with the disk drive, and two other Marines, with short snub-nosed submachine guns, were now stationed outside.