coup had the opportunity, using helicopters from the base at Sattahip,
but they certainly did not have the motive, at least, not one we
understand. The communist rebels have the motive–the anti-American
theme of the demonstrations is rather evident–but for the most part
they are peasants who wouldn’t be able to get access to RTAF helicopters
or Chinese J-7s, much less fly them. Finally we have the Burmese, who
might possibly acquire J-7s or have pilots who could fly RTAF helos, but
who have neither motive nor opportunity. The Thais blame the Burmese,
but Rangoon claims they do not want a war with Thailand and are moving
away from their Marxist past. They certainly don’t want a war with us!”
Neil closed his pointer with a snap. “Where this leaves us, gentlemen,
is adrift. Someone attacked us last night, but we don’t know who. There
appears to be no link between the various factions of the fighting in
Thailand, certainly nothing which would explain a rocket attack against
the Jefferson.”
No link, Tombstone thought … but there had to be one. He thought
about the firefight in the alley in Kiong Toey. Those had been That
soldiers joining Hsiao’s men, and Hsiao’s questions had been aimed at
finding a weakness in Jefferson’s defenses just hours before an attack
was launched against her. There had to be a link between Hsiao and the
coup!
Tombstone’s debriefing that morning had been cursory, even rushed. He’d
described to Neil and the other officers of the admiral’s intelligence
staff his capture and interrogation, with the emphasis on the man Hsiao
and his questions. Tombstone wasn’t sure that Neil even believed him,
and he had to admit that a lot of what he thought about the Chinese
officer was guesswork.
He only had Hsiao’s word, for example, that several of the other men at
the warehouse were Burmese. What if Hsiao had been trying to make it
look like the Burmese were involved, for reasons of his own?
“What about the reasoning behind the attack, Commander?” Dick Barnes
asked. “I mean, what was the point?”
Neil shook his head. “Unknown. There are possibilities. Someone might
be trying to get us involved in a war with Burma. That is the DIA’s
guess, based on the attack made by the MiGs. Their theory is that the
PRC is secretly ferrying J-7s to a remote base in Burma in order to
provoke border incidents … and war.”
“Maybe someone wants to frighten us off,” a voice said.
“Another possibility,” Neil agreed. “The ultimate in ‘Yankee go home’
signs. Point is, we don’t know. And while it’s damned tempting to see
some vast, international conspiracy behind everything that’s going on,
the real world doesn’t work that way.”
“And what is your recommendation, Commander?” Admiral Magruder asked.
“That we pull back and take a longer look, sir. We shouldn’t get
involved until we know what the real target is.”
“What about this … this Hsiao Kuoping?” Commander Dick Barnes, the
senior CIC officer, said. He was reading a pocket notebook he’d been
writing in earlier during Tombstone’s debriefing. He looked up. “Mr.
Magruder described him as Chinese … and definitely in control of
certain Burmese elements. That says conspiracy, doesn’t it?”
“With all due respect to Commander Magruder,” Neil said slowly, “we just
don’t have enough to go on. Certainly, there is nothing to link this
Hsiao character or his Burmese allies with the coup leaders. It is
possible, possible that Hsiao has something to do with the Chinese MiGs.
I’ve queried the DIA files in Washington, and they report that Hsiao is
indeed a high-ranking member of the PRC Intelligence community. A
general, in fact.”
“My God,” Captain Glover said softly. The ship’s Exec looked stricken.
“Chinese Intelligence? Are you saying the enemy is China?”
“Possible, but unlikely.” Neil did not sound sure of himself. “The DIA
and the CIA are looking into it, but this could well be an independent
operation. Hsiao setting up in business for himself.”
That possibility had not occurred to Tombstone, but it felt right. If
Hsiao was a high-ranking Chinese spy, what was he doing running things
personally in Bangkok?
“It is possible,” Neil continued, “again, only possible, that Hsiao was