– I told you to keep it short," the general rebuked his subordinate.

– A little more basic, the rest on demand," the captain replied calmly.

Vasilievich and the General smoked a second one.

It did not turn out to be brief. It was a rather long and detailed report. To everyone's delight, it came to an end.

– That's pretty much it. I'll submit the whole printout," the general's subordinate finished.

There was silence in the office. Everyone was silent. Vasilievich looked at Rutra with a concerned look. The general spoke first:

– Do you intend to inspect everything? I can provide you with the records of our inspections.

– We saw them," Zhidkov replied.

– Oh yes, how could it be otherwise! – exclaimed the general. – You can count on my comprehensive assistance.

– Thank you," Vasilyevich replied, sighed heavily and added: "I dare not interrupt you any longer. We'll go.

– Why, at any moment, Yuri Vasilyevich," Sukhov replied kindly.

Vasilievich stood up, the general behind him. Rutra followed suit. The captain handed Rutra a secret package with a crossed-out red stripe, asked him to sign it, which Rutra did, and then they said goodbye. The car took them to the "institute".

– Do you understand the program? – Vasilievich asked briefly.

– Understood," Ruthra replied just as briefly.

– Here's your assignment, research the topic, we'll discuss it tomorrow.

– The point is, we're looking for an unregistered transmitter? I take it the signal is illusory? The location of its output is constantly changing? And does it signal irregularly? – Ruthra asked.

– Good, right on target. The only thing I would add is that it interferes with the Perimeter system's data collection stations on a frequency appropriate to its purpose. It is suspected that it was camouflaged a long time ago, and it turns on on a timer or automatically. Could be cloaked anywhere. The most likely place is where something similar has been. I will also say that a conspiracy or collusion is not excluded, that is, I do not trust them either, – said Vasilievich, pointing his finger in the direction from which they came. – That's all for now.

– I understand," Ruthra replied, shook hands with his superior and went to his office.

Zhidkov left in the service car. Ruthra spent the rest of the day studying the Perimeter system and everything connected with it. His intuition told him to look where something like it had been. For some reason, its exploitation had been abandoned, though the urgency of the subject had not waned.

During the Cold War, the U.S. had its own "backup" codenamed "Mirror". Crews were constantly in the air for three decades with the mission to control the skies if control of the ground was lost due to a surprise attack. The main difference between the Mirror and the Perimeter system, which they called "dead hand", was that the Americans relied on humans to warn them of an attack.

After the Cold War, the U.S. abandoned the system, although it is still not clear who exactly controls the Soviet version. Rutra was never able to figure out who made the initial decision, as there were three other posts besides the official ones. One of them was within the structure of Center Zero, but the other two were designated by the secret code "Polygon" and the facility "Kremlin-2". No indication of the disposition of these posts he did not find. Vasilievich also strangely evaded answering, citing that he could not talk about it, even on a closed line, and added: "This is an empty designation. These posts do not exist. The secret of these posts is only this. To have spies looking for something that doesn't exist."

Such an explanation, which could not be said over the special communications telephone, raised even more questions. Ruthra didn't seem concerned by this answer, though there was certainly common sense in such a disguise. He also found out that even high-ranking military officers were careful not to speak on the subject.

General Ivashov, head of the analytical department for new types of weapons and, at the same time, head of the "P" department where Post No. 3 was located, was the only person in the center who was knowledgeable on the subject. When asked by Rutra about the structure of the system and the problem it posed, he evasively replied, "Those who know about it avoid talking about it." When asked to talk about Polygon and Kremlin-2, he replied in a way that stumped Rutra: "I can't talk about it, because I know what happens to those who try to find out.

Ruthra decided to wait until the next day and talk frankly with Vasilievich. In the meantime, he decided to study what was opposing the Perimeter system.

The U.S. system Operation Looking Glass, or "Looking Glass": air command centers of the U.S. Strategic Air Command on Boeing EC-135C aircraft. 24 hours a day, two Looking Glass aircraft are constantly in the air – one over the Atlantic and the other over the Pacific. The crews are on constant alert to assume command of strategic nuclear forces in the event that ground command centers are defeated. The VCPs are currently on duty at 4 airbases in constant readiness for takeoff.

Ruthra knew what the Perimeter system was before. But why was it the world's number one problem? Although, judging by its purpose, it very well could be.

– What do you want to know about her? – I heard General Ivashov's voice behind me.

Rutra was not confused.

– Everything. And more details," he replied, turning around in his chair. – Everything.

– And more details?

– Yes. Anything you know. It's important to me.

Rutra invited the old military specialist into his office and asked him to sit down. He began to tell everything he knew about the system without charging a price.

– The Perimeter system remains the only weapon in the world that guarantees a retaliatory nuclear strike against the enemy, even in the nightmare event that we no longer have anyone to decide on that strike. The unique system counterattacks automatically – and brutally. The Perimeter system is nicknamed "the dead hand" in the West and "the hand from the coffin" in the East. This is the control system of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Strategic Missile Forces. In documents it was named "Perimeter". The system was supposed to create such technical means and software that would allow in any conditions, even the most unfavorable, to bring the order to launch missiles directly to the launch teams. According to the idea of the creators of the system could prepare and launch missiles even if everyone died and there would be no one to give the order. This component became unofficially known as the "dead hand". That's the main thing I know about it.

– Not the main one? And what exactly is the problem?

– The problem is this: the logic of the dead hand's actions implies regular collection and processing of a huge amount of information. All sorts of information is received from all sorts of sensors. For example, about the state of communication lines with the higher command center: there is communication – no communication. On the radiation situation in the surrounding area: normal radiation level – increased radiation level. About the presence of people at the starting position: there are people – no people. About registered nuclear explosions and so on. "Dead Hand" has the ability to analyze changes in the military and political situation in the world. The system evaluates the commands received over a certain period of time, and on this basis can conclude that something is wrong in the world. When the system decides that its time has come, it will activate and launch a command to prepare for the launch of missiles. At the same time, the "dead hand" cannot start active actions in peacetime. Even if there is no communication, even if the entire combat team leaves the launch position, there are still a lot of other parameters that block the system. After the order received from the highest levels of control to a special command post, the command missile with a special head is launched, which in flight transmits launch commands to all launchers and command posts that have appropriate receivers. The command missile is the only widely known component of the system. The system is designed to guarantee the launch of silo-mounted intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles in the event that, as a result of a crushing nuclear strike by the enemy against Soviet territory, all command units capable of ordering a retaliatory strike are destroyed.