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  "The President specifically didn't want you for the Iran op-

  eration," Samson said coldly, "because you have this knack

  for stepping on toes, for sticking your face in where it doesn't

  belong. Apparently, retirement hasn't mellowed you one bit.' 1

  He paused, then shook his head. "The President asked only

  for Jon and Patrick. Sorry, Brad-I'm not going to bring you

  into the meeting. I'll mention to General Freeman that you're

  on board-he can notify the President."

  "Sheesh, you make it sound like Jon hired Saddarn Hussein

  to fly for him," Elliott said sarcastically. "I'm not trying to

  take over this operation, Earthmover. I advise the kid here on

  how to design, build, and fly the Megafortress. That's all."

  Samson ignored Elliott again and said to Masters and

  McLanahan, "Jon, Patrick, he's your man, so you deal with

  him. I'll back you all the way, but it's still my opinion that

  Brad's presence in the White House or the Pentagon will only

  hurt your chances of getting this operation approved."

  "You still haven't told us what operation we're being con

  sidered for, General," Jon Masters said. "What is it?"

  "You'll be conducting a maritime reconnaissance operation

  in the Formosa Straits," Samson replied. "I'll run it down."

  "Shit, you don't mean we'll be working for Admiral 'Tight-

  Ass' Allen at Pacific Command?" Elliott-intedected wearily.

  "Man, I was glad to get out of the service ust so I didn't

  FATAL T ER RAI N 75

  have to listen to him bitch about the Philippines conflict. Now

  we've got to listen to him again? And with Balboa on as

  chairman of the Joint Chiefs, we'll spend half our time arguing

  over who's got the bigger cruise missiles."

  "You still get your orders from me," Samson said. "I re-

  port directly to Philip Freeman at the White House, who will

  report to the NCA."

  I 'You just make sure Allen or Balboa don't try to snatch

  this mission," Elliott said, admonishing Samson with that

  cocksure grin again. "If they get control, they'll screw it up

  for sure. We've got to have maximum autonomy out there,

  and you know the squids aren't going to allow us to have it."

  "I'll take your suggestion under advisement, Brad," Sam-

  son said, his lips taut. Dammit, the guy was a real pain, but

  he sure knew the score in Washington-Elliott had correctly

  guessed who would probably be in the real chain of command

  in this operation. "I signed for the Megafortresses when I took

  them out of mothballs to let you characters play with them,

  and I picked Eighth Air Force crews to fly them, so I think

  I'll keep operational command. But if you're harboring any

  thoughts about maybe making the EB-52 an operational

  weapon system, play nice with the rest of the kids in the pool.

  Follow me? Any problem with that, Brad? Is that enough full

  disclosure for you?"

  "No problem, Earthmover, none whatsoever," Elliott said.

  "Actually, I'm happy to have you in the loop--even though

  you are responsible for eliminating all the BUFFs from the

  Air Force inventory. One of the greatest aerial attack platforms

  ever devised, and you, of all people, allowed it to be retired

  our watch."

  "Let's not get into a discussion about who's responsible for

  any good-or any bad-stuff happening in the Air Force or

  the bomber world in recent history," Samson growled, trying

  hard to control the sudden flush of anger rising up from his

  chest. He knew his comment had hit Elliott, but the bastard

  did not show it. Samson knew that Elliott knew that the down-

  fall of HAWC had put air weapon research and development

  back several years and may have even ensured the downfall

  of the heavy bomber. So there was plenty of blame to go

  around.

  "The bottom line is, boys, you got your chance to show

  what a modified B-52 bomber can do," Samson said. "Let

  76 DALE BROWN

  me deal with Washington-I want you to loudly kick some

  ass out there, then bring yourselves home in one piece."

  THE WHITE HOUSE OVAL OFFICE,

  WASHINGTON, D.

  FRIDAY, 30 MAY 1997, 1827 HOURS ET

  "Mr. President, may I present Ambassador Kuo Han-min, the

  new representative of the independent Republic of China,"

  U. Secretary of State Jeffrey Hartman announced, as he was

  ushered into the Oval Office. Already in the room with the

  President of the United States, Kevin Martindale, were Vice

  President Ellen Christine Whiting, National Security Advisor

  Philip Freeman, Secretary of Defense Arthur Chastain, and

  White House Chief of Staff Jerrod Hale. "Ambassador Kuo,

  the President of the United States, Mr. Kevin Martindale."

  The two shook hands, Ambassador Kuo bowing deeply,

  then presenting his blue leather credentials folder directly to

  the President. Kuo appeared a bit older than the President, with

  thick dark hair, thick wire-rimmed glasses, and a thin frame.

  "This is an honor for my country and for myself, Mr. Presi-

  dent," he said.

  "Good to see you again, Ambassador," the President said,

  as he handed the folder to Hartman. The two had met'during

  a Republican Party fund-raiser in Washington a year earlier;

  Kuo Han-min had been a Taiwanese high-tech aerospace in-

  dustry trade lobbyist at the time, whose organization had made

  several very large contributions to the Party to help with Mar-

  tindale's election campaign. The President steered Kuo around,

  where several White House photographers recorded the his-

  toric handshake-the arrival of the first Taiwanese ambassador

  in Washington since the United States had broken diplomatic

  ties with the exiled Nationalist Chinese government on For-

  mosa in 1979 in favor of the Communist regime on the main-

  land.

  The President made introductions to his other advisors in

  the room as the photographers departed, then offered him a

  seat. "Unfortunately," the President began after everyone took

  seats, "our first meeting here has to be a working one. We

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  feel your country is in serious danger, and we'd like to fill you

  in as quickly as possible as to what we know, and discuss

  what we should do about it. Jeffrey, you spoke with China's

  foreign minister just a few moments ago. Bring us up to date."

  Hartman stood behind one of the sofas surrounding the cof-

  fee table and said, "Foreign Minister Qian of the PRC says

  that the movement of ships along the Chinese coast is normal,

  preplanned activity. As far as any threats towards Taiwan,

  Qian says, in effect, 'Mind your own business.' Any activities

  between the People's Republic and Chinese Taipei, as he con-

  tinues to refer to the ROC, is a quote-unquote 'internal mat-

  ter. ' "

  "You told them to keep their hands off the ROC until we

  can meet and talk about this?" the President asked. "We just

  recognized the Republic of China's independence, for Christ's

  sake! Attacking them now would be a slap in
the face towards

  @ I

  us.'

  "In no uncertain terms, sir," Hartman replied. "I sent him

  your letter, which he had received, and explained that the

  United States would consider any military action against Tai-

  wan as a seriously destabilizing and overtly hostile act, and

  would respond with any means at our disposal, including mil-

  itary means, to help bring stability back to the region. I plan

  on meeting with Foreign Minister Qian in Beijing in three

  days; hopefully I can get in to see President Jiang as well."

  "Good," the President said. He stayed at his desk, quietly

  contemplating something, then rose to his feet and started pac-

  ing the floor. "Ambassador Kuo, any thoughts?"

  "Sir, President Lee Teng-hui of the Republic of China be-

  lieves as you do-that an invasion of Quemoy, the Pescadores,

  Matsu, or even Formosa Tao is imminent," Ambassador Kuo

  said. "He has ordered the mobilization of reserves and arming

  the militia. He is standing firm-he is not withdrawing any

  troops from Quemoy or Matsu. In fact, he is increasing them-

  'he is flying in a thousand additional troops a day to both is-

  lands, and is shipping in additional air defense units. He has

  ordered the entire navy at sea to counter the Communist fleet's

  movements."

  "You're going to stand up to the Chinese army?" Secretary

  of Defense Chastain asked incredulously. "Even if the PRC

  doesn't invade, your army could suffer substantial losses."

  "We have made the decision to fight and die to the very

  78 DALE BROWN

  last man, woman, and child to maintain our independence,"

  Kuo said resolutely. "We must stand and fight, or die as a

  country. We have chosen our way." He paused for a moment,

  then looked the President square in the eyes and said, "Our

  concern is not with the Communists, but with the United

  States. You have declared your support for the Republic of

  China, but we understand that -there is much to be done before

  you may legally recognize my country."

  "That's being taken care of, Mr. Ambassador," the Presi-

  dent said. "The bill we sponsored repealing the 1979 Taiwan.

  Relations Act comes up for a vote next week, and we expect

  to be successful. Our support for the Republic of China is firm

  and unwavering."

  "Yet we understand that you risk much politically by such

  action," Kuo said. "Your country's trade with the mainland

  could be in jeopardy-if the Communists shut the United

  States out, it will cost you at least thirty billion dollars a year.

  But worse than a trade war is the prospect of military action,

  of a large Pacific conflict."

  "Ambassador, everyone wants trade with China, so they all

  look the other way when China does something to one of its

  neighbors," the President said angrily. "My father died fight-

  ing the Chinese in North Korea when I was a kid-everyone

  forgets that war and China's involvement. Everyone also for-

  gets that we almost went to war-nuclear war-with Red

  China in 1955 over their bombardment of Taiwan. I was a kid,

  just getting over the death of my father in North Korea, when

  mainland China started shelling Quemoy-Jesus, I thought

  World War Three was going to start any day, that the Com-

  munists were going to sweep across the planet just like we

  saw that red stain sweep across the globe in the propaganda

  films. Throughout the sixties, Red China was just as much a

  threat as the Soviet Union-I remember China supporting

  North Vietnam and China imprisoning American POWs. The

  Soviet Union and China were both our hated enemies.

  "The death of Stalin and Mao's break with the Soviets

  changed our strategy," the President went on. "In the rush to

  counterbalance the Soviet threat, we embraced the Chinese

  Communist government and turned our backs on democratic,

  capitalist governments like yours. No more. The United,States

  is not going to wait patiently a hundred years for mainland

  China to adopt a free-market society, and in the meantime sit

  FATAL TER RAI N 79

  idly by while they destroy the Republic of China, gobble up

  oil fields in the South China Sea, refuse to enforce interna-

  tional copyright laws, and threaten free trade with the rest of

  Asia. America can't put off the decision any longer: we're

  either for an independent, democratic Republic of China, or

  we're for the hope that mainland China will keep Taiwan cap-

  italist and free while they absorb you, like they're absorbing

  Hong Kong."

  "I thank you, Mr. President," Kuo said, bowing sincerely,

  "for your words and for sharing your thoughts with me. But

  I must still ask about the political realities of your decision; I

  apologize if I am too forward..."

  "Ask anything, Ambassador," the President urged.

  "Thank you, sir. My government is aware of the opposition

  party's inquiries as to your actions against the Islamic Republic

  of Iran, about the rumors that you sent a stealth bomber over

  China. Since that incident, you have withdrawn all of your

  carrier battle groups from Chinese waters, despite the threat of

  a Communist invasion of my country. Is there a threat of a

  no-confidence vote in your congress or of any legal action that

  might preclude you from helping in,the defense of my coun-

  try?, I

  "I appreciate your concern, Ambassador," the President re-

  plied, "but I think I can handle the opposition party. Fortu-

  nately, it takes a lot more than a no-confidence vote to get me

  out of office. Now I've got a couple blunt questions for you,

  Han-min."

  "Of course, sir," Kuo responded. "Please."

  "We are very concerned about the protests in your country

  over the Senkaku Islands," Secretary of State Hartman said.

  The Senkaku Islands were a series of small, uninhabited is-

  lands in the East China Sea between Okinawa and Taiwan,

  which were claimed by China, Japan, and Taiwan; Japan had

  taken the islands from China in 1894 and had not relinquished

  possession after World War 11, as it had with Formosa. Taiwan

  claimed the Senkakus as part of its archipelago. Diplomatic

  relations between the three countries had been strained for

  years because of overlapping fishing and oil-drilling rights in

  the area. "Japanese nationals have been attacked by protesters

  in Taipei, and no arrests have been made. It will be difficult

  to support the ROC if we get in the middle of a Japan-Taiwan

  conflict."

  80 DALE BROWN

  Ambassador Kuo thought for a moment; then: "Many in

  my country feel strongly that the Tiaoyutai, what Japan calls

  the Senkaku Islands, be returned to us, that they are spoils of

  war taken from us by imperial Japan."

  "We understand the source of the disagreement, Ambassa-

  dor, but a Japanese woman is dead and seven more are injured,

  in the middle of a riot with over a thousand protesters and two

  hundred police and army units, and no one saw anything? No

/>   evidence? No suspects?" Vice President Whiting interjected

  incredulously. "It looks like a huge cover-up, Mr. Ambassa-

  dor. The Japanese government is hopping mad, and they want

  us to set up an arms and technology embargo against your

  country. We need definitive action immediately, or our Asian

  coalition will be broken before it has a chance to solidify."

  "What do you suggest, Madame Vice President?" Kuo

  asked.

  "We suggest your government ask for assistance from the

  American Federal Bureau of Investigation," Whiting replied,

  I Iand I also strongly suggest that you-and this is totally off

  the record-round up some suspects and publicly arraign

  them, and fast. Let's not be losing friends over some small,

  uninhabited piles of rocks while you lose friendly neighbors

  and your home island is in danger of being overrun."

  Kuo lowered his eyes for a moment, then raised them and

  nodded. "We feel that the Tiaoyutai is much more than a 'pile

  of rocks,' Madame Vice President," Kuo said solemnly. "But

  you are correct-I understand that our inability to solve the

  murder appears as if we condone it. I shall recommend that

  my government request immediate assistance from your gov-

  ernment in the investigation, and I assure you that there will

  be swift action."

  "We also need a statement from you on exactly when your

  country will discontinue nuclear weapons development and be-

  gin dismantling your nuclear weapon stockpiles," Secretary of

  Defense Chastain cut in.

  Kuo swung toward Chastain, then to the President, with a

  look of horror in his face. "Nuclear weapons?" he sputtered.

  "Sir, the Republic of China possesses no nuclear weapons."

  "Our intelligence information tells us otherwise, Ambas-

  sador," National Security Advisor Philip Freeman said. "Ac-

  cording to our data, over the past fifteen years you have been

  involved in a nuclear weapons coproduction effort with the

  FATAL TE R RAI N SI

  Republic of South Africa, and our information suggests you

  may have developed a warhead small enough to be used on a

  gravity bomb or cruise missile."