debris crashing through it to the water.
1248 local (Zulu -7)
Spook Two
“Shit!” Batman yelled, instinctively putting the Tomcat into a sharp
climb. “What the hell was that?”
Tomboy craned her head around and looked back at the surface of the
ocean. Thick black smoke flecked with flames covered the surface of the
ocean, obscuring Spratly Three.
“I don’t know, Batman,” she said finally. “But it looks like whatever
happened to the other camp just happened again.”
“Where’re those goddamn Flankers!” he demanded. Over tactical, the other
three Tomcats were buzzing about the explosion, each RIO denying that they’d
seen anything out of the ordinary, and double-checking each other visually to
ensure that all the weapons they’d left with were still on the rails.
“Fifty miles to the west.” She gave him a bearing to fly, then added,
“Thor’s on his now, and I still don’t know if the other three were ghosts or
real contacts. The one Thor intercepted didn’t have anything on his rails,
and there was no indication of any communications downlink. Whatever happened
to that camp, I don’t think Thor’s Flanker had anything to do with it.”
“It’s a damned strange coincidence that he just happened to be out here,
don’t you think?” he asked sarcastically. “I mean, a nasty, suspicious mind
might just be tempted to think that there’s some connection between a Chinese
Flanker cruising toward an American battle group and a Chinese outpost
smearing itself across five square miles of ocean.”
“Don’t have to tell me that,” she answered. “But you have any idea about
what could have done it? It wasn’t us, and it wasn’t them. So who?”
“I don’t know, Tomboy. But if I had to bet between us being responsible
and the Chinese, I know where my money’d be.”
“You and me both. Wait, Homeplate’s talking.”
“Flankers have turned and are headed back toward Vietnam,” she heard the
Jefferson TAO say. The TAO then reeled off orders and directions recalling
the five Tomcats and the Marine Hornet to the boat.
“And that ought to clinch it,” Tomboy said. “Soon as he saw the
explosion, he turned and ran for home base.”
“Not exactly. He ran for Vietnam. And for a Chinese Flanker, that’s a
little bit different than home,” Batman said.
1300 local (Zulu -8)
Operations Center
Hanoi, Vietnam
“At some time,” Mein Low said, “we will have another conversation on this
matter. You must know that we have only the best intentions for our southern
brothers. In the interest of regional security, we must stand united. Would
you have either of our countries become slaves to the American culture, as the
Japanese have become? I think not. For too many years, we have both fought
to avoid that.”
Bien nodded politely. “Naturally, the differences in culture are too
extreme to permit that to happen. The Chinese have always been supportive of
our independence.” While they have simultaneously fought to prevent us from
assuming control of our own destiny. Throughout the Vietnam wars, first with
the French and then with the Americans, you have sought to control events in
our country.
“Our joint operations have been the beginning of even more cooperation,”
the Chinese Commander continued. “You are wise to understand that we must
present a united front to the world on this issue.”
“My pilots have gained a great deal of useful experience operating with
your forces,” Bien added politely. Experience in being the victims of your
aggression! In every exercise, we are forced to play the hapless victims
patrolling the skies, while your Flankers pounce on them. It is just good
joss, as you would say, that no one has been killed thus far.”
The Chinese Commander permitted himself a small smile. “We have tried to
share our experience with you,” he agreed. “Your forces have shown much
progress. Together, I believe we can repel this American battle group. With
one stunning sweep, we will ensure that they will never meddle in our affairs
again!”
“Our wish as well,” Bien murmured. At least that much was true. Vietnam
needed neither Chinese hegemony nor American imperialism any longer.
“Then we are of one mind. As I said, we will talk more about these