At
Sandia, EVERYONE was required to qualify for a Q, or atomic weapon
clearance of one grade or another. Due to certain of my
qualifications, I was slated for Group 320, better known as the
“spook group.” Out of 8,000 cleared employees, there were only
around 135 of us assigned to 320. This made for a rather thorough
investigation of my background which wasn't too worrisome as I had
carried Secret and Top Secret clearances in the past and hadn't sold
the Russians any secrets recently. However, with a divorce in the
making, mine was going to be especially tardy.
To
enter Sandia, one has to enter the Kirkland Air Force Base compound
which has guard posts on all entrances that required a decal or a
permit to enter. One can also expect random vehicle inspections as
well both coming in and going out.
After
that, one is on base where parking is allowed prior to entering the
tall, barbed top, chain link fence surrounding Sandia Base through
security checkpoints. These checkpoints are quite thorough and “your
papers must be in order!”
Sorry
'bout that, couldn't help myself!
In
between the two fences is where the big alternate energy projects
such as the Solar Power Tower & the sun tracking mirrors, the
Savonius vertical windmills, and my favorite, the Particle Beam
Fusion Accelerator (PBFA) are located. When that thing discharged, it
could be felt for over a mile. By the way, when a test was imminent,
we left the building!
Other
items located in the limbo zone were the electronics warehouse,
surplus items to be auctioned, and the Leper Colony. That was where
those who were waiting for their clearances to come through toughed
it out doing many of the unclassified projects. We were considered
“unclean” and were cast out of the city gates!
Nearly
every occupation was represented and all variety of work was
undertaken. With 8,000 employees, Sandia represented a town of 24,000
high technology types – shear heaven for a electron bender like
myself!
Christina
Hwong was a gal about my age awaiting her clearance. With her mother
being a Brit in Hong Kong and her father a Chinese businessman in
Singapore, her Q would be a long time coming. Most new-hires were in
their early 20's and hadn't had time like certain politicians,
Christina, and myself to sell classified documents yet!
Christina
was hired for her mathematical skill which was outstanding. Her grasp
of the truly abstract was better than any I had ever seen and having
her around gave me the opportunity to get some fantastic tutoring in
a tough nut for me, vector calculus. She was a good teacher and
rarely had my eyes glaze over!
There
were about 20 folk at any one time in the colony with most folk
receiving their clearances in six months or less. 8 AM was the
official start of the work day, however Christina and myself showed
up at 7. Math lessons, sure. Actually it was due to the coffee. We
had one of those multi-pot Bunn industrial brewers to get going
before Scott came in at 7:30. You see, Scott was a Scotsman, played a
nearly professional game of golf each evening with the Air Force
brass, (we had an excellent course on the reservation) and he, plus
the AF brass retired to the Officers Club after for a wee nip of the
Romulan ale. Normally, he felt poorly in the morning. If he made the
coffee, spoons would stand up in the cups. One ate Scott's coffee.
Toxic.
Christina
also had a very nice home right outside of the base she shared with
her mate. About once a month she gave a get-together for all the
new-hires plus a few old hands. Mid-westerners, New Englanders,
southern Californians, you pick it, they were there and a good time
was had by all! She could make a rather alien place in the high
desert where Mexican was the predominate language much more
welcoming.
She
also had a fair-sized two story “cabin” in the Manzano mountains
she would host get-togethers at in fair weather. We did everything
from hiking to football, lots of good eats, just really nice for the
kids so far from home.
As
far as work, we both wound up doing the unclassified work on the Vela
satellite system that insured compliance with the nuclear test ban
treaties. I had additional duties designing the video processing
system for LAZAP, part of the SDI.
One
morning Christina didn't show up. This was not particularly strange,
often we were brought in the main compound for a bit of a briefing.
Not this time. Christina was dead. Something gave way in her
magnificent mind and she killed herself. The way she did it was so
very strange; multiple stab wounds that she definitely inflicted
herself.
About
a year later, I had received my clearance and went to work with the
320 Group. Nina and I had begun living together with neither wanting
to get married. We were extremely burned out by the Hell we went
through with our divorces and getting too old for kids even if it was
a good idea. Seems Sandia didn't feel exactly the same way.
Admittedly, my job was one of the most classified around, however I
thought it strange her and I married made me/us a lesser risk. Then
they did something I thought was a bit demented: they gave me access
to the computerized FBI files on damn-near everybody. These are the
same type of files as the 900 found in Hillary's bedroom. One can
blackmail the shit out of many folk (and ALL politicians); I was
expected to look up Nina's past. Obviously they (management) didn't
know me/us. Her and I were totally honest with each other and knew
the painful parts of each that should be left alone. Scab-picking is
a bad idea.
However,
there were some scabs worthy of picking. Management for one.
Politicians of course! It may be 1986 but it's still J. Edgar's FBI!
For enlightenment, I looked up Christina. A sweet,
normal woman with a I.Q. of 187.
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