The General frowned in deep concentration, then relaxed and shook his head.
"Even if something like that would be possible, we've got nothing to worry about. Every missile carries a device which can be used to destroy it if the missile goes off course."
John O'Hara Smith shook his head like a teacher confronted with a pupil who was not too bright.
"Now, General, if an inertial guidance system can be penetrated, a destructor can be blocked."
"That's a mighty big if," the General shot back.
Dr. Smith smiled sardonically.
"It may not be so big when Eddie tells us what happened to the X-15!"
"When!" the General groaned. Then he came back to the problem of intercepted ICBM missiles. Half seriously, half sarcastically, he asked:
"What does Eddie think we should do about those missiles?"
"Undoubtedly there are other guidance systems that can't be broken so easily ... meanwhile, Eddie suggests booby-trapping the missiles so they'll explode when tampered with."