a world unto itself. Are you ready for that world. Miss Drake?” His
voice was low and caressing.
“Just get me in there, Aguillar,” she said softly. “Get me in there,
and I’ll show you how ready I am.”
“I will. But first, there is something you must do for me.”
Aguillar’s smile broadened into a grin.
1300 Local (+5 GMT) Commander, Southern Command, Miami “You’ll have to
talk to the media. Admiral. There’s simply no way to avoid it.” The
public affairs officer’s voice was urgent.
Rear Admiral Matthew “Tombstone” Magruder ran a hand through his unruly
dark hair. Even clipped short, it managed to look mussed. His dark
eyes were somber and unreadable. “Your job.”
“Admiral, I can handle all of the smaller affairs. And, after your
initial statement, I’ll handle the routine briefings as well. But this
is major newsit’s getting prime-time coverage on every channel and
station in the United States, as well as considerable overseas
interest. I can try. Admiral,” he added hastily, seeing the look of
displeasure on Tombstone’s face, “but they’re not going to be satisfied
with my statement. Especially not with Admiral Loggins spearheading
the debate over the Arsenal ships right now. You’ve heard what he’s
saying already.”
Tombstone leaned back in the chair and sighed. Why, oh why, had he
ever accepted this assignment? Ever since his last at-sea tour, life
had gone downhill. Aside from his marriage to Tomboy, there hadn’t
been a damned thing he’d liked about this tour. His thoughts drifted
back to Jefferson, one of the United States Navy’s most potent
supercarriers.
Commanding her battle group had been his first Rag tour, and the most
professionally challenging assignment he’d had since he was in command
of a squadron. And he’d done well at it, he thought no, he was
certain.
Somehow, he’d managed to keep the explosive tensions in the Spratly
Islands from escalating into a full-scale war the United States was not
prepared to face. With China trying to stake a claim to every inch of
the oil-rich seafloor in the South China Sea, only the USS Jefferson
and her cadre of escort ships had stood at the brink of war to prevent
a new China hegemony. And their last mission had been the most
challenging one of all.
“I’ve prepared some remarks for you. Admiral.” The PAO’s voice took
on a softer, almost wheedling, note. “At thirteen hundred, you read
them. Take a few softball questions, then I’ll hustle you out of
there. Really, sir, it won’t take long at all.”
Tombstone stood up abruptly, unfolding his long frame from the
comfortable chair. “All right.” He sighed. “I guess this is what
they pay me for. Five minutes of questions and that’s it, though.”
Tombstone walked to the door. If this was so routine, why did he feel
like he was walking to his own execution?
Sunday, 23 June 1000 Local (+5 GMT) United Nations Ambassador Sarah
Wexler studied the faces across the table from her. The Cuban delegate
to the United Nations had an explosive temper on the best of days, and
this was hardly that. For a moment, she thought almost longingly about
the cold, taciturn Asiatic delegates she’d so recently faced down in
the Spratly Islands. There’d been treachery there, certainly, but at
least it had been masked behind the careful facade of diplomacy.
Not so this time. She sighed, inwardly steeling herself for the
confrontation.
The Cuban question was never an easy one, and even less so in the last
two years. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, she had hoped that
the United States could take measures to bring its southern neighbor
back into the community of democratic nations, but the decades of
distrust had been impossible to overcome. Since then, other nations
had courted the tiny island for most-favored-nation status. The latest
intelligence reports indicated that military advisors from Libya
appeared to have taken up permanent residence in Cuba, no doubt
intending to take advantage of the political turmoil orchestrated by a
cadre of old Che Guevara supporters.
Behind her, a small bevy of aides and assistants murmured amongst
themselves. Finally, the Cuban delegate paused in his tirade. The