Nobody cared too much about the famine, but the other points she had made most definitely struck a note with them. Suddenly, dealing with such barbarians didn't seem all that bad of a thing. But there were still a few problems.
"What will happen if we recognize Mars as an independent planet though?" asked Cassidy. "There is still that issue to think about. Recognizing them and openly engaging in trade with them, especially for hydrogen, is likely to prompt military action by WestHem."
"Yes," agreed Billings. "While this trade offer is intriguing to say the least, the risk of open warfare and even a nuclear exchange is considerable. I think we're going to have to try to persuade our Martian friends to accept trade without recognition. Again I point out that, Whiting's pretentiousness aside, it is we who are dealing from the position of strength."
"They said they would not consider a deal without recognition," the junior member interjected.
"She was posturing," said Cassidy. "They will lose their entire revolution if they don't secure a fuel supply. Do you really think that they're willing to risk that?"
"But are we willing to risk the loss of this once in a lifetime deal if it turns out that she is serious in her threats?" the junior member, more confidant now, demanded.
That silenced the table once more.
"Look," she said, "how serious is this threat of war that we're worrying about? Is it more serious than risking the loss of this unprecedented trade agreement?"
Billings considered that thought for a moment. He looked over at General Hans. "General," he said, "I believe that this question is within your area of expertise. Suppose we do recognize Mars as an independent planet and suppose we do engage in trade with them. Would WestHem attack our supply ships? Would they be able to defeat our navy out in open space? Would they engage in a nuclear attack upon our cities?"
Hans, who was more or less neutral in the debate on trade, did not take long to answer. "The loss of a third of their fleet to the Martians would seriously hamper their ability to fight a naval war with us," he said. "And in addition, the loss of their fast reaction division, all of the equipment for this division, and the commitment of so many of their other troops to the Martian theater would severely hamper their ability to make war upon us in a conventional fashion. On a strictly numerical basis, our fleet would have them outnumbered and outgunned quite easily. They will know this as well as we do."
"I see," Billings said thoughtfully. "And what of nuclear attack upon our cities?"
Hans gave a slight shrug at this question. "The use of nuclear weapons on a strategic basis is a political decision made by political leaders. Blowing up each other's cities and annihilating the population of this planet is a rather drastic step that I do not believe would be undertaken over so petty a matter as recognition of the Martians and engaging in trade with them. But, since I'm a simple military man I would defer an official opinion on that to you folks here at this table. I would however, think that the WestHem would be much more inclined to move in that direction if we were to aid the Martians militarily as well as in trade."
"So you're saying," Billings said, "that you don't think that they would attack us in any way for simply recognizing Mars and trading food for hydrogen, but that they might if we send troops to help fight the WestHems off?"
"That is my opinion, Chief Councilperson," he confirmed. "For what it is worth."
They ran the question by the National Security Adviser, who concurred with Hans in this assessment of the situation.
"So what do we wish to do here?" Billings asked his colleagues. "Do we bow to the Martian demands and risk war with WestHem, or do we attempt to negotiate further with the Martians and risk losing the lucrative trade arrangement they are offering us? Which of these risks is the greater one?"
"I believe that we should take the deal that they are offering, on their terms," said the junior member, who could almost feel her influence with the council growing by the minute. "We stipulate to the Martians that the trade agreement will cover food for hydrogen only and that under no circumstances will we ever provide weapons or military assistance to them."
Billings looked at her, knowing that what he said next would likely decide the matter. Sure, there would be a vote taken but generally his opinion was the one that swayed the momentum of the others. It really was an easy decision to make. If he somehow managed to fumble this opportunity, his sponsors would be very upset with him and would engineer his defeat in the next election. "I believe that the lady from Zimbabwe is correct," he told them. "This opportunity for trade is simply unprecedented. There is very much to gain from accepting it and very much to lose by attempting to alter it. As we've seen by the events of the past few days on Mars, our greenie friends are unpredictable and do not always follow the rules of political logic. Though there is a risk of war with WestHem, both conventional and nuclear, that risk would seem to be small as long as we stick to the tenants of the agreement and do not stray into other areas. I move that we should accept the deal with the Martians as it stands, with the aforementioned stipulation of no military involvement."
"Second the motion," the junior member immediately said.
The vote was taken on the motion. It was unanimous in favor of it.
"Let it be recorded then," Billings said. "We'll send a reply off to Whiting immediately and then get our staff to schedule a press conference for tomorrow evening in which we will announce recognition of Mars as an independent nation."
WestHem Capital Building, Denver
May 29, 2146
"... and so it is with great pleasure that we welcome the planet Mars and all of her people to the brotherhood of independent nations in the solar system," the image of Billings, EastHem Chief Councilperson, said on the view screen at the front of the room. "We will begin working immediately to set up a diplomatic exchange within each other's capitals and to open the door to trade."
"Those bastards," spat Loretta Williams, her face actually red with anger. True, they had all been expecting this move on EastHem's part but it was still infuriating to have to witness the reality of the situation.
"Now now," said the Chief Councilperson, "this is not the time for useless emotional displays. This is the time to figure out just how this will effect our upcoming operations and just what our response should be. General Wrath? Perhaps you could help enlighten us."
Wrath was dead tired. He had been working non-stop ever since the Martian revolt getting Operation Martian Hammer organized. There were large bags under both of his eyes and if not for the amphetamines that the medical staff had been plying him with, he would have collapsed days ago. Nor was he none-to-happy to have been called down from Armstrong to give this briefing to the Executive Council. Why in the hell had they insisted he come her in person when he could have given them the information they needed via videoconference? Still, he kept his poker face on and smiled at his bosses as he began to speak.
"This action by EastHem will make our job a little more difficult if the Martians decide to fight us," he said. "I don't know what kind of deal the Martians offered them but it was obviously enough to convince them to take it. So what we have now is the reality that the Martians will not be short on fuel for their tanks and APCs."
"Will that affect the course of the battle?" Williams asked him.