CARRIER 8: ALPHA STRIKE By: Keith Douglass

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

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