〃How did it go； then？〃 Jason asked as they sat down； at a long refectory table set on bare polished boards in the dining room。
〃We've found two more random problems you can set into the early section。 Raise the general and search strengths of the British patrols； and you get some very interesting results。〃 Peter gave a lopsided smile。
〃And； to equalise； there's a new random for the later stages；' Cindy added。 〃We've put in a random card that gives the Colonial Militia more uncaptured cannon。 If you draw that option the British don't know the strength until they begin assaulting the hill。〃 Freddie and Dazzle were chattering away about clothes； but Jason caught Bond's interested eye。 He turned to Peter and Cindy。
〃Mr。 Bond doesn't approve of using such high…tech magic for mere games。 He smiled； the ment bearing no malice。
〃Ah； e on； Mr。 Bond！〃
〃It's intellectual stimulation。
Cindy and Peter leapt to Holy's defence simultaneously。 Peter continued； 〃Is chess a frivolous use of wood or ivory？〃
〃I said nothing of the kind； said Bond； laughing。 He knew that the testing time was getting close。 〃I was simply trained as a programmer in Cobol； databases and the use of graphics … for government purposes … … 〃Not military purposes； Mr。 Bond？〃
〃Oh； the military use them； of course。
When I was a naval officer we didn't have the benefit of that kind of technology。〃 He paused。 〃I would in fact be intrigued to hear about your work。 These games … are they really games？〃
〃They are games in one sense；' Peter answered。 〃I suppose they're also tutorials。 A lot of serving military people order our products。
〃They teach； yes。〃 Jason leaned over towards Bond。
〃You cannot sit down and play one of our games unless you have some knowledge of strategy； tactics and military history。 They can be taxing； and they do require intelligence。 It's a booming market； James。〃 He paused； as though a thought had struck him。 〃What's the most significant leap forward in the puter arts … in your opinion； of course？〃 Bond did not hesitate。 〃Oh； without doubt the advances being made； almost by the month； in vastly increased storage of data using smaller and smaller space。 Jason nodded。 〃Yes。 Increased memory in decreased space。
Millions of accessible facts； stored for all time in something no larger than a postage stamp。 And； as you say； it's advancing by the month； even by the day。 In a year or so； the little home micro will be able to store almost as much information as the large mainframe puters used by banks and government departments。
There is also the breakthrough that marries the laser video disk recording with puter mands … movements； actions； scale； response。
At Endor we have a very sophisticated set…up。 You may like to look around after dinner。
〃Put him on The Revolution and see if a novice player es up with anything new；' suggested Cindy。
〃Why not？〃 The bright green eyes glittered； as though some challenge were in the offing。
〃You've made a puter game out of what？ The Russian Revolution？〃 Jason laughed。 〃Not quite； James。 You see； our games are vast； in a way too large for the home puter。
They're all very detailed and need a big memory。 We pride ourselves on their playability as well as their high level of intellectual stimulation。 In fact； we don't like calling them games。
Simulations is a better word。
〃No； we haven't yet got a simulation of any revolution。
At the moment； we have only six on the market： Crecy； Blenheim； the Battle of the Pyramids … Napoleon's Egyptian expedition Austerlitz； Cambrai； which is very good； because the oute could have been very different； and Stalingrad。 We're also very well advanced with one on the Blitzkrieg of 1940。 And we are preparing an interesting one on the American Revolution … you know； the final stages prior to the War of Independence： Concord； Lexington； Bunker's Hill。
September 1774 to June 1775。〃 Freddie and I are going to look at the conservatory；' Dazzle suddenly interrupted； rather sharply。 〃It's shop all the time。 Very boring。 Hope to see you later； James。
Lovely meeting you。
Jason did not even apologise； merely smiling benignly and shrugging。 Freddie gave Bond a broad wink as the two ladies left the room。 As he turned back to the table； he caught Cindy looking at him again； in the same almost conspiratorial way； tinged this time with jealousy。
Or did he imagine it？
Jason had hardly paused。 〃Naturally； you're conversant with flowcharting a puter program；James？〃 Bond nodded； recalling the hours spent in Monaco drawing the plex charts which showed exactly what you wanted the puter to do。 Once more； with the memory came that odd sense of Percy's presence。 He dragged himself back； for Jason was still speaking。
〃Before we prepare a detailed flowchart； we have to find out what we want to chart。 So we begin to plan the simulation by playing it on a large table。 This acts as our graphics guide； and we have counters for units； troops； ships； cannon； plus cards for the random possibilities： weather cards； epidemics； unexpected gains or losses； hazards of war。〃 Peter took over。 〃From this we learn the scope of the program task。 So； when we've played the campaign。
〃About a million times；' Cindy added。 〃It seems like a million； anyway。
Peter nodded 〃。 。 。 We're ready to begin flowcharting the various sections。 You have to be dedicated in this job。〃
〃e down to the laboratory。〃 Jason's voice became manding。 〃We'll show James the board we're working on now。 Who knows； he may get interested and return to battle it out with me。 If you do；' he said； looking intently at Bond； 〃make sure you have plenty of time。 Campaigns cannot be fought in five minutes。〃 Behind these seemingly pleasant words there was a hint of obsession that Bond found disturbing。
As they left the room； he was conscious of Cindy brushing against him。 He felt her hand touch his right hip lightly； just where the ASP 9mm was holstered。 Had that been accidental； or was she carrying out a subtle search？ Whatever the answer； Cindy Chalmer； at least； knew that he was armed。
They went through the main hall； where Jason produced a bunch of keys attached to a thin gold chain； unlocking a door which； he said； had once been the way down to the cellars。
〃We've made a few changes； naturally。〃
〃Naturally；' responded Bond； unprepared for the nature of the alterations。 Below the house there were three large； well…equipped； puter rooms； with models of all the best…known micros sitting in front of their visual display units。 In a fourth room； Jason's office； Bond's heart leapt as he spotted a machine that looked almost exactly like the Terror Twelve now safe outside in the Bentley's boot。
From his office Jason led the way into a long chamber； lit from above by at least thirty spotlights。 The walls were covered with charts and maps and in the centre was a large table。 Almost entirely covering the table and overlaid with a thick plastic grid was a detailed map of the eastern seaboard of America； centred on Boston as it was in the 1 770s。 The main municating roads and natural features were clearly marked in colour。 In the centre of the grid stood a rectangular framework made of black plastic； the size and shape of a large television screen； while two small easels had been placed at the far end。 Two trays； on opposite sides of the table； contained packs of white three…by…five cards。 There was a chair in front of each tray and a desk top to each player's right； well…stocked with paper； maps and printed forms。
Peter and Cindy began to explain the nature of the game； and how it was used to build up all the details of the simulation before anything was mitted to a puter program。 The black plastic frame moved both vertically and horizontally across the map。
〃That is the area a player will eventually see on his screen； when we have built the game；' said Jason。 His manner had bee less warm； as though the professional had suddenly ousted the friendly side of his nature。 He explained how they could slot close…ups of the terrain into the rectangle。 〃When we've got the game on puter； you'll be able to scroll around this whole map； but