Brown, Dale - Patrick McLanahan 09 (66 page)

 
          
“NATO?
Why bother with NATO?” Sivarek snorted, scowling at the lady test pilot. “NATO
has all but ignored
Turkey
ever since we were inducted into the organization.
Wc were allowed to be the only non-Christian members of your exclusive European
club only because you did not want us falling into the Russian sphere of
influence, perhaps even turning communist ourselves. My government appears to
have had enough of your weak leadership in NATO, first with your aimless and
politically motivated interventions in the Balkans, and now by your insistence
in not getting directly involved in affairs that concern your European allies.
Turkey
will take care of itself, with no help from
America
.”

 
          
“General,
I’m not going to say our relations with
Turkey
have been exemplary,”
Cheshire
said. “I’m not going to apologize or offer
any explanations. But I’m telling you now—we think we know who attacked your
F-16 tonight, and we think we have a way to help defend against future
attacks.”

 
          
“Who
was it?”

 
          
“We
believe it was a stealth fighter-bomber,” Smoliy said. “A Soviet
fighter-bomber, built years ago but only recently activated. It is a
combination fighter and bomber, with an equally effective air-to-air as well as
air-to-ground attack capability. Its stealth technology is second-generation at
best, but it is extremely effective against standard air defense
systems—including those deployed in my country, and yours.”

 
          
“How
could you know so much?”

 
          
“Because
I helped build it,” Smoliy said. “Years ago, in a Soviet research and
development facility in
Lithuania
.” And he quickly, breathlessly explained
everything. Sivarek’s eyes were soon wide in complete and utter shock. “We believe
this aircraft is responsible for the attacks against
Albania
, the downing of the NATO AWACS aircraft,
and your F-16. We can help you find him.”

 
          
“But
how? If it is a stealth aircraft, how can such a plane be found, unless you
simply stumble over it?”

 
          
“Because
we know everything involved in its design, construction, testing, and
capabilities,”
Cheshire
replied.

 
          
“The
general was just a test pilot—he said himself he did not even fly it. How could
he possibly know all these things?”

           
“Because we also have the
aircraft’s chief design engineer, sir,”
Cheshire
replied. “Colonel Luger.”

           
“Luger?
Luger is really a
Russian aerospace engineer? I always thought the man was odd.”

 
          
“Luger’s
an American who was ... involuntarily a guest of the
Soviet Union
,”
Cheshire
explained. “He was forced to apply his
knowledge and expertise into building Soviet warplanes, including the one we
believe is flying right now.”

           
“This ... this is extraordinary,”
Sivarek breathed. “All this, just so a money-hungry gangster can build a
pipeline
through the Balkans?”

 
          
"What
would you do for a hundred million dollars a day, sir?” Cheshire asked. “That’s
how much Kazakov can earn if he builds his pipeline But more important,
Russia
occupies the Balkans again.”

 
          
“And
if this plan works, what will stop
Russia
from moving against other countries so they
can build more pipelines and occupy more territory?” Smoliy asked. “You know as
well as I that there are two nations in the region that will certainly be prime
targets for both this stealth warplane and the Russian army....”

 
          
“
Turkey
and
Ukraine
,” Sivarek responded. “Neutralize both
nations, and the
Black
Sea
belongs to
Russia
, just as it did in the Soviet era.” Sivarek
grew silent, his mind racing.

 
          
"You
are thinking of your homeland. General, no?” Smoliy asked. “You are thinking,
who stands with
Turkey
? Believe me, sir, I have thought of little else regarding my homeland
as well. No one stands with
Ukraine
at all. We are already dependent on the
Russian Federation
for so much of our raw materials, trade,
foreign debt, and political influence. But if we opposed Russian interference
in the region, to whom can we turn? We have already been battered to near
obliteration by Russian bombs, and we are not yet full members of NATO.”

 
          
"Why
is your president doing this to us?” Sivarek snapped at
Cheshire
again, running his fingers through his hair
in confusion and frustration. “Why has
America
become so weak? Do you enjoy your
prosperity so much that you are willing to see madmen destroy the rest of the
world so you will have no more competition?”

 
          
“You
know that’s not the situation, sir,”
Cheshire
explained. “I believe our president wants
to show the world how strong our country is, not by stationing tens of
thousands of troops on foreign soil like the world’s only supreme superpower,
but by letting our friends, allies, and adversaries have their own identity,
free of American influence and interference.”

           
Sivarek snorted. “Pretty words ...
to describe isolationism. Or cowardice.”

 
          
“I
would call President Thom a lot of things, but not a coward,”
Cheshire
said. “He’s the first American president in
the last hundred years not to rely on American military power to back up our
foreign policy interests. Think about it. General— you’re arguing that America
is withdrawing back inside its own borders, while at the same time you’re
fearful that another country will march across yours. Do you want foreigners on
Turkish soil or not?”

 
          
“You
understand so little about life in my country, Major,” Sivarek said. “
Turkey
is surrounded by enemies. We chose to look
to the West for the strength to survive. Now we feel the West has turned its
back on us. It appears
Germany
has joined
Russia
in spreading its influence through
Europe
—who will join with the
Republic
of
Turkey
?”

 
          
“
Ukraine
will. General,” Smoliy said. “I think you
are wrong about Thorn. If he wants to bring his troops home, so be it—I would
not want Ukrainian troops stationed in any foreign country for any reason. But
if you want an ally to stand squarely against the
Russian Federation
in the
Black Sea
region,
Ukraine
will stand with you.”

 
          
Sivarek
looked at Smoliy with a shocked expression. “An alliance . . . between
Turkey
and
Ukraine
?” he asked. “Is it possible? Can we stand
against the might of the Russian army?”

 
          
“I
have served in the Soviet army and I have seen the Russian army at work, and
they are not as imposing as they seem,” Smoliy said confidently. “Do not pay
attention to all their propaganda. Besides, we do not think of it as having to
take on the entire Russian army—we just need to exert our own influence in the
Black Sea
region. This gangster Kazakov wants to ship
oil across the
Black
Sea
to fill his
trans-Balkan pipeline—he will have to do it with our blessing. Any problems
from
Russia
or from this stealth warplane, and those Metyor oil terminals in
Bulgaria
and
Georgia
are smoking holes in the ground!” “What
will keep
Russia
from decimating both our countries if we dare oppose them?”

 
          
“Let
Russia
worry about what they will do first,”
Smoliy said. “They are acting very bold and think they are clever because they
think no union of nations will oppose them. The only way we can hope to survive
a confrontation is to stay together. One nation, even one as large as
Ukraine
or
Turkey
, can be swept aside with ease by
Russia
. But two such nations-—that is an entirely
different situation.”

 
          
Sivarek
nodded, looking at Smoliy with a growing realization in his eyes. He suddenly
did not feel quite as alone as he had just moments before. He turned to
Cheshire
and asked, “And what of you. Major? What of
the
United States
?”

 
          
“I’m
not ready to completely count
America
out yet, sir,”
Nancy
replied. “President Thom is a man of deep
personal beliefs and convictions, he’s intelligent, and he has the power of law
on his side—he doesn’t play politics. But he’s a young president, too, and
perhaps he can be convinced that not all foreign alliances are bad for the
United States
. Plus, he’s a military man. He understands
military threats and military geopolitics.”

 
          
“Your
confidence and loyalty to your hippie president does not inspire me in the
least bit, young pilot,” Sivarek said, with a dark smile. “But he has left my
country with very few alternatives.” He turned to Smoliy, straightened his
shoulders, crisply bowed his head once, then extended a hand to the big
Ukrainian general. “I will be pleased to convey your thoughts and wishes to my
government. General. I pledge to you that I will do everything in my power to
sec to it that both our countries act in complete friendship and mutual
security interests. It would be my pleasure and honor to see an alliance
between our countries become a reality.”

 
          
Smoliy
took the Turkish general’s hand in his, then gave him a big bear hug and kissed
him on both cheeks. “Z
velikim zadovolennyam!
This gives me much hope and
pleasure, sir! And if we are both wiped off the face of the earth, it is good
to know we will bum together!” He turned to Nancy Cheshire. “I will notify the
base commander that my forces will be departing soon. But I have a few requests
of General Samson before we leave.”

 
          
“May
I make a suggestion, sir?”
Cheshire
asked. “Let me give General McLanahan a call first.”

           
“Oh? A little dissension in the
ranks, I see?” Smoliy chuckled. “Or is General McLanahan the real person in
charge?”

           
“No, General Samson is
definitely
the man in charge,”
Nancy
said. “But for what you two are cooking up right now, I think Patrick
will be the one to help you—as long as he survives his ordeal in
Washington
first.”