“Sounds like the best way to avoid more incidents is to pack up and go home,” Tombstone said wearily. “That’s not an option, by the way.”
“But there’s more to this problem, Admiral. Remember, we’re just up to the second step — the timing. The next factor to consider is the attacking platform.”
“I thought we’d agreed that it was long-range cruise missiles,” Batman said. “That’s the pretext I used for getting the JAST birds out here, anyway.”
“That’s one possibility. Remember, there’s nothing that says all three attacks were done by the same means. Additionally, you know how unpredictable atmospheric conditions are out here. Could be we just thought we saw low-fliers, just like the E-2 picked up those ghosts the other day. Some unexplained circumstances, a few radar ghosts — hell, we’re letting the fog of war do all the Chinese’s work for them, inventing explanations and causes.”
“I personally think it’s possible that the Chinese have developed their own version of the Tomahawk,” Lab Rat continued. “Except, perhaps, in one instance.”
“Which one?” Batman asked.
“The attack on Mischief Reef. That was too short notice. Building a Tomahawk package takes time.”
“Could have done it with something like a Harpoon and fly-to points,” Kos said reflectively.
“Of course. But now we’re back to a mobile platform. Except for the submarine, no evidence that a platform that could carry something like a Harpoon was even around.”
“Okay, so what do you think it was?” Batman asked, exasperated.
“If I can, Captain, I’d like to hold that thought for just one more moment. I think you’ll see why shortly,” Lab Rat said boldly.
Tombstone waved at Lab Rat to continue with the briefing.
“Finally, the last attack on the Mischief Reef base camp,” Lab Rat continued. “Again, executed just as our aircraft were overhead. No indications of anything inbound, no surface platforms in the area, and a massive detonation. One survivor, who reports that he’d seen our aircraft executing a fly-over. Surely he wasn’t the only one to see it. Picture the sequence, gentlemen. An aircraft flies over, ten seconds later the camp explodes.” Lab Rat fell silent and watched their faces.
“Oh, my god,” Tombstone said softly. “They did it them selves, didn’t they?”
Lab Rat nodded. “I think so.”
“The Chinese blew up their own bases to make us look bad?” Batman asked. “What’s so radical about that — I thought that’s just what we’ve been discussing.”
“It’s more than that, Batman,” Tombstone said, his voice taking on a grim note. “More than just intentionally attacking your own people. Think about the timing. There was nothing in the area and no sign of a submarine-launched weapon. I think La-the commander has the right idea.”
“Deception is the key to all Asian warfare planning,” Lab Rat said. “It’s fundamental to the way they make war, and they plan for it in ways that we can’t even begin to imagine. There’s only one way for that base camp to have been destroyed so quickly. It was command-destructed. Somewhere ashore — or maybe on the sub, I don’t know for sure — someone has a transmitter that can send a signal to each Spratly Island. Somewhere in the foundation for the larger camps is a self-destruct package. It’s not under the on-scene commander’s control — he may not even know it’s there. But when the mainland gets word from the base camp that American fighters are overhead, there’s a way to make it look like we’re the cause of the destruction.”
“Assuming that’s how they’re doing it, how do we use the information?” Tombstone asked, looking at the intelligence officer with new respect. He would make it a point, he thought, to make sure that the man got a better call sign. Whatever the reason for earning the name Lab Rat, he’d just outgrown it.
“That part’s a little tricky,” Lab Rat admitted. “The first option is trying to expose what China’s done. Unfortunately, we’re lacking a little technicality called proof.”
“Sure would be nice, though. At least the other nations would start listening to some sense instead of blindly following China’s lead,” CAG said.
“Not necessarily,” Lab Rat disagreed. “The concept of losing face is of enormous importance here. The other nations probably already know that China’s behind this. They may not know the details, but they’ll suspect something. If we simply call China’s bluff, we put them in a difficult position. Remember, after we leave the South China Sea, they’re still going to have to deal with the giant to their north. And an unhappy, embarrassed China is going to be a more difficult neighbor. Second, we’ll lose face with the smaller nations — not for having been tricked initially, but for not arriving at a solution that turns the situation to our advantage and allows China to save some degree of face.”
“Who the hell cares whether China’s embarrassed!” Batman exploded.
“We have to,” Tombstone said grimly. “Different answers to problems at this level, Batman. Things were a lot simpler when it was simply a matter of ordnance on target and time on top. You’ll see, the first time you’re sitting in this chair instead of behind a desk.”
“Understood, Admiral,” Batman said formally.
“As the commander has explained, we lose face if we can’t play by the rules of this game. So what we need to do is turn this situation to our own advantage, without getting our people killed and without forcing the issues. That about it, Commander?”
“Yes, Admiral, I’d say that’s an accurate summation.”
“How?” Tombstone said simply.
Lab Rat smiled a little. “I was hoping you might ask that.”
“This better work,” COS said grimly. He stared at the TFCC big-screen display, watching the small symbol representing the Aegis track to the west. “Otherwise, we’re in serious trouble if China decides to launch an alpha strike against us.”
“Vincennes is fifteen miles off the coast of Vietnam, sir,” the TAO reported. “Sufficient to be outside of territorial waters.”
“She was supposed to move further north,” Tombstone said, eyeballing the distances. “He can probably surveil the northern approach from where he is, but I’d like to give her the additional sensitivity that being closer will give her. I need those famous Aegis eyes and spies giving me more warning. Flankers coming off the coast of Vietnam aren’t the only threat we have to worry about out here — not if Commander Busby’s intelligence estimate is correct.”
“I suggested that, Admiral, but her CO mentioned that he’d prefer the additional reaction time to the additional coverage,” the TAO answered.
Tombstone sighed. “Get him on the horn for me. Private circuit, encrypted — and piped to my cabin alone.”
“Aye, aye, Admiral,” the TAO said, suppressing a grin. He picked up the carrier telephone line to call the communications officer and arrange the patch-through. For just a second, he was tempted to ask for the circuit to be patched to his dialer as well, and then he thought better of it. Aegis had been a pain in the ass all day, ever since the new OP-ORD had gone into effect. Judging from the admiral’s expression, a full two-way duplex circuit wasn’t going to be necessary. This was one conversation that looked like it was going to be strictly one-way.
Within five minutes, the private circuit was patched through to Tombstone’s cabin. The Communications Officer, or COMMO, had gotten quite adept at arranging that particular configuration, since Tombstone found reason to have to speak privately with the Aegis CO on a regular basis.
Tombstone held the receiver to his ear and listened to the hum of encrypted static as he waited for the Aegis TAO to locate his commanding officer. A few moments later, he heard Captain Killington’s distinctive voice.