Lethal Trajectories by Michael Conley Read Free Book Online Page A

embarrassment. “I just spilled a hot a cup of coffee on my lap as we were talking,” he added, hoping the chairman believed his little white lie.
    “I would like to suggest, Mr. President, that we consider installing a hotline between our two offices. It would logistically and symbolically solidify the dialogue that may be required between our countries as we work through the Chunxiao problem.”
    “Yes, that makes perfect sense to me. I’ll authorize it on this end. And I’d like to ask, Mr. Chairman, what does China intend to do now with respect to Japan?”
    “Unless provoked, we will avoid taking any military action. We will expel their ambassador and freeze all assets until we are compensated by Japan, but we hope to take our requests to the United Nations for resolution.”
    “Thank you, Chairman Lin,” Burkmeister responded with relief, “that sounds like a reasoned approach we can certainly agree with. I’ll be meeting with my people shortly, and I would hope to get back to you within twenty-four hours with anything we might suggest.”
    The two world leaders closed their conversation on a pleasant note. President Burkmeister left for the Situation Room with thoughts of how easy it had been to deal with Lin as compared to the aggressive and demanding Sato.

    The president was pleased to see the full NSC assembled and waiting for him as he walked into the Situation Room at eight o’clock sharp. The question on everyone’s mind was what had been said to the leaders of Japan and China. He kept them waiting while he went around the room for updates from each team member. Secretary of State Cartright’s report on Prime Minister Sato’s inflammatory speech to the Japanese nation was of particular interest.
    “The Prime Minister called it a matter of ‘grave concern,’” Cartright said. “His official story is that a Japanese destroyer inadvertently strayed into Chinese waters and was fired upon and sunk, along with two oil platforms, a drilling ship, and one other naval vessel. He said the Japanese destroyer heroically returned fire on China’s platform and sank it, but at considerable loss of Japanese lives. The Chinese reacted, he said, with disproportionate and excessiv force, and their actions have caused Japan to go to the highest military alert, including calling up reserves. Japan will freeze all Chinese assets, expel China’s ambassador, and petition the United Nations for condemnation of and full restitution from China.”
    “Thank you, Elizabeth,” Burkmeister said. “Let me pick up the story from there,”
    “I received the expected phone call from Prime Minster Sato at eleven o’clock last night, and I just talked to Chairman Lin Cheng a few minutes ago. I was taken aback by the content and tone of both conversations—a flip-flop of the positions I had expected each to take.
    “Prime Minister Sato began with a tirade on China. His story was pretty much along the lines of what Elizabeth reported, but I refrained from telling him that our intelligence confirmed the Harakaze intrusion as deliberate. He invoked the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation between our two countries and requested—almost demanded—our assistance in dealing with China. I asked him what he meant by ‘assistance,’ and he said it should include diplomatic and financial sanctions, naval support from the Seventh Fleet, and support for their case in the United Nations.” He checked his notes before continuing.
    “I reminded him that the 1960 treaty had been more or less abrogated by Japan over the past fifteen years, starting with our expulsion from Okinawa. We were told in no uncertain terms by Japan then that they had a navy and armed forces and no longer wanted or needed American support. At that point, he suggested the United States sell Japan the amount of oil lost from their sunken platforms—as though we have an abundance of oil to export.” Burkmeister felt his temper rising as he recalled this part of