One Kingdom Under Heaven by Alastair Luft

Author:Alastair Luft [Luft, Alastair]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Published: 2021-06-17T04:00:00+00:00

. . . . .

Admiral Couzens let the ruckus continue for several minutes. At one point he caught Malcolm’s gaze and winked, and then he cleared his throat and held up his hands for order. “I appreciate the enthusiasm,” he said, “but why don’t we all breathe through the nose for a few minutes here.”

“What is there to discuss?” Alekseyev asked. “Why haven’t you already attacked?”

Couzens leaned over the table and clasped his hands together. “We’re not ready,” he said. “As Stu pointed out, many parts of the country are only now getting electricity back.”

“Bullshit,” the Australian general, Wilton, said. “Your submarine fleet has more missiles than China does in its entire inventory. We’re not talking invasion here.”

“A submarine fleet the Chinese might now be able to track,” Couzens said.

“How long?” Alekseyev asked. “Until you’re ready?”

“A year,” Couzens said. “Probably longer.”

Alekseyev pounded on the table. “And in the mean time, China gets stronger,” he said.

“You must have a plan,” Fletcher said.

“Of course,” Couzens said. “Officially, we’ll pursue reparations through the United Nations. At the same time, we put the screws to the Chinese wherever we can to keep them overwhelmed. That’ll buy us time to coordinate an attack on their quantum and second-strike capabilities either later this year or the next.”

“It will be difficult to conceal an operation so large,” Meirav said.

“What did you have in mind?” Ødegård asked.

“That’s where you all come in,” Couzens said and looked at Kobayashi. “We’d ask Japan to increase pressure around the Senkakus. Likewise, we’d ask Australia to step up your naval activity in the South China Sea and urge the Malaysians and Filipinos to do the same. We’d also like you to coordinate a multinational exercise for later this year.”

“Bloody hell,” Wilton said. “That’s a tall order.”

“I presume you wish to increase internal unrest in China as well,” Alekseyev said.

“Of course. We took the liberty of compiling a detailed list of actions each of your countries can take,” Couzens said and then fell silent as aides began to distribute folders around the table.

“What’s Project Broken Sword?” Wilton asked, his briefing binder open before him.

Couzens nodded at Malcolm. “That would be our Hail Mary,” he said.

Heads swiveled toward Malcolm.

Fletcher scowled. “I’m sorry, who is this?” he asked.

“Commander Malcolm Kwong,” Couzens said. “Navy SEAL.”

“Retired,” Malcolm said.

“Mal’s been out of circulation for a little while, but he’s lost none of his edge,” Couzens said. “Why don’t you walk us through your plan, Mal?”

“Yes, sir,” Malcolm said.

Malcolm touched his screen and the hologram in the middle of the table changed and then he began to speak. He spoke of the team he would put together and how they would get into China. He showed them the route across the Taklamakan and he spoke of Ismail Khoja and he finished by explaining how Khoja would help the team infiltrate Beijing and assassinate the Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

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