ard； taking his place on Nick's right。 Simon now hovered between them。
As soon as he was in his seat； Nick became the plete professional； showing Bond the instrumentation； and pointing out the all…important valves for the ballonets。
〃Whenever you're ready；' Rahani called out； but Nick did not answer。 He was busy with the preflight checks； sliding his window open to shout down to the man in mand of the ground crew。 〃Okay；' he called。 〃Tell your boys to stand by。 I'm starting up； and I'll give you a thumbs…up when they have to take strain。〃 To Bond； he said he would be starting the port engine first； and immediately afterwards the starboard would fire。 〃We fill the ballonets straight away； and as they're filling I shall release us from the mooring mast。
The chaps outside； if they've been trained correctly； will take the strain and dump the ballast hanging from the gondola。 After that； I trim the ship； lift the nose and；' he turned； grinning； 〃we'll see if they have the sense to let go of the guy ropes。
Reaching forward； Nick started both engines； one after the other； very fast； and set the air valves to fill。 As Bond watched； Simon leaned forward； felt inside his jacket and removed the ASP。 There was a double click as one round went into the breech； then the weapon was handed back。 〃You kill him； if the Colonel gives the order。 If you try anything clever； I'll shoot you。〃 Bond did not even acknowledge him。 By now he was following everything that Nick was doing； opening the throttles； pulling the lever that moored them to the mast； monitoring the pressure。
The airship's nose tilted upwards； and Nick waved to the ground crew as he gave the engines full throttle。 The nose slid higher and there was a tiny sensation of buoyancy； then； very slowly they moved forwards and upwards … rock…steady； no tremor or vibration as they climbed away from the field。 It was like riding on a magic carpet。
PLOUGHSHARE IN HIS TIME
James Bond had either flown； or flown in； most types of aircraft； from the old Tiger Moth biplane to Phantom jets。 Yet never had he experienced anything like the Europa。
The morning was clear and sunny。 With its two little engines humming like a swarm of hornets； its single blade wooden airscrews blurring into twin discs； the fat silver ship glided out from the wide cleft in the mountains； over the road and railway lines； and climbed above the lake。 It would have been an enchanted moment for anyone； like Bond； who loved machines。 At a thousand feet； gazing out at the spectacular view of lake and mountains he even forgot for a few seconds the horrifying and dangerous mission they were embarked upon。
It was the stability of the ship that amazed him most。
There was a plete lack of any buffeting experienced at that height and over that type of terrain in a conventional aircraft。 No wonder those who travelled on the great airships of the 1920s and 1930s fell in love with them。
The Europa dipped its nose； almost stood on it； turning a full circle。 At fifteen hundred feet they had a panoramic view of the lake： the mountain peaks touched with snow against the light blue sky； Montreux in the distance； the French side of the lake with the town of Thonon looking peaceful and inviting。
Then Nick eased the ship around so that they could see Geneva as they approached at a stately fifty miles per hour。
Bond turned his head to look at the rear of the gondola。 Rahani and Jay Autem Holy ignored the view； hunched over the transmitter。
They had folded down some of the seat backs； so that Bond had a good view of the radio； seeing that it was linked to the micro。
Holy appeared to be muttering to himself as he tuned to the frequency。 Rahani watched him closely； like a warder； Bond thought。
General Zwingli was half…turned in his seat； giving advice。 Both Simon and the Arab boy stood guard； the boy never taking his eyes off the pilot and Bond。 Simon was leaning against the door； almost as though he were covering his masters。
Below them； the lakeside of Geneva slid into view。 The airship slowed； tilted forward and turned gently。
〃No playing around； Nick；' Rahani called in warning。
〃Just do what you normally do。 Then take her straight over Le Richemond。〃
〃I'm doing what I normally do。 I'm doing it by the book；' the pilot said laconically。 〃That's what you wanted and that is just what you're getting。〃
〃And what；' Bond called back； 〃are we really doing； anyway？ What is this caper that's going to change history？〃 Holy lifted his eyes towards the flight deck。
〃We are about to put the stability of the world's two most powerful nations to the test。 Would you believe that the ciphers directly transmittable to the emergency networks of the American President and the Chairman of the U。S。S。R。 include programs to deactivate their main nuclear capabilities？〃
〃I'd believe anything。〃 Bond did not need to hear any more。 M was right。 The intention was to send the U。S。 Ploughshare program； and its Russian counterpart； into their respective satellites； and from there into irreversible action。 It was at this moment that Bond made up his mind。
His whole adult life had been dedicated to his country； this time he knew it would be forfeit。 There was one Glaser slug in the ASP。
With luck； in the confined gondola it would blow any one of the men in half。 But only one。 So what was the use of a human target？ Kill one； then be killed。 That would serve no purpose。 If he chose the right time； and the Arab boy could be distracted； the one Glaser slug； placed accurately； would blow the radio and possibly the micro as well。
He would die very soon after taking out the hardware； but for Bond this was as nothing pared to the satisfaction of knowing he would once more have smashed SPECTRE'S plans。 Maybe they would try again。
But there were always other men like himself； and the Service had been alerted。
Geneva； clean； ordered and picturesque； now lay to their right； as Nick gently turned the ship。 Mont Blanc towered above them。 The airship began to descend to a thousand feet for its short journey along the lakeside。
〃How long？〃 It was the first time Zwingli had spoken to the men at the controls。
Nick glanced back。 〃To Le Richemond？ About four minutes。
〃Are you locked onto that frequency？〃 The General was now addressing Holy。
〃We're on the frequency； Joe。 I've put the disk in。 All we have to do is press the Enter key； and we shall know whether rade Bond has been true to his word。〃
〃You're activating the States first； then？〃
〃Yes； Joe。〃 Rahani replied this time。 〃Yes； the United States get their instructions in a couple of minutes。〃 He craned forward to look from the window。 〃There it is； ing up now。
Bond gently slid the safety catch off the ASP。
〃Ready； Jay。 Any minute。〃 Rahani did not raise his voice； yet the words carried clearly over the length of the gondola。
The luxurious hotel with its perfectly laid out gardens was ing up below them。 Nick held the Europa on a true course which would take them straight over the palatial building。
〃I said ready； Jay。
〃Any second 。 。 。 Okay；' Holy answered。
At that moment； Bond； gripping the ASP； turned towards the Arab boy and shouted； 〃Your window。 Look to your window。〃 The Arab turned his head slightly； and Bond； knowing there was one chance； and one chance only； brought his hand up and squeezed the trigger。 In the whirling engine noise； the solid clunk of the pistol's firing mechanism crashing forward obliterated everything。
For a second he could not believe it。 Was it a misfire？
A dud round？ Then came Simon's laugh； echoed by a grunt from the Arab boy。
〃Don't think of throwing it； James。 I'll cut you down with one hand。 You didn't honestly think we'd let you on board with a loaded gun； did you？ Too much of a risk。〃
〃Damn you； Bond。〃 Rahani was half out of his seat。
〃No gunplay … not in here。 Have you given us the frequency； or is that as false as your own loyalty？〃 The bleep and whir from the back of the gondola indicated that Holy had activated the cipher program。
He gave a whoop of joy。
〃It's okay； Tamil。 Whatever else Bond's tried； he has given us t