Meredov’s face turned red. “This is outrageous! Your nation has not been harmed and yet you’d attack our innocent cities? Call off this deranged order!”
“America not harmed? Not harmed with no thanks to you and your treacherous government. Challenger’s tactical nuclear strike will not be called off unless we find satisfaction. Her cruise missiles will surely reach most of their targets, given the confused state of your nationwide command and control.”
“But if you nuke this base while you’re here you’ll be killed!”
Jeffrey forced a nasty smile. “You said I was a trip wire. I am, in fact, much more than that. Think of me as a walking dead-man’s switch. No good news by midnight, which gives you less than twenty-four hours by the way, then the strike occurs regardless of my personal situation, what I say, and whether or not my government is even in contact with me.”
Meredov jumped up from his chair. “Such a strategy by Washington is utterly reckless! It’s madness!”
Jeffrey stayed seated, feigning calm. “You also said I’d come to test your good faith.”
Meredov hesitated. “Yes?”
“I am here, given my value to my country and my experience, to demonstrate my government’s resolve. I come in hopes of helping achieve a positive resolution to the murderous actions attempted but thwarted at Srednekolymsk. In order to avoid a full-scale nuclear exchange between our countries, if need be I’m prepared to give my life. Aren’t you, Admiral?”
“I’ve always been prepared to give my life for the Motherland.”
Jeffrey stared at Meredov. “Do we understand each other?” He glanced at the clock on a wall. “You have until midnight.”
Meredov sat down and let out a long breath. “Yes. We understand each other.”
“So who launched those missiles and why?” Jeffrey banged the table with a clenched fist. The translator was startled. Meredov looked pained.
“We do not yet know. It might have been rogues or invaders. I’m told this is being actively investigated.”
“As far as my country is aware, and as far as my president sees it, Russia attempted a first strike against America. Your country, with the authorization of your commander in chief, and the rest is all lies!”
“But—”
“Verbal excuses will carry no weight! How can you possibly explain this?” Jeffrey reached into his bag and pulled out the transcript of the Hot Line call, before the SS-27s lifted off.
Since it was in English, Meredov gave it to the translator. “Read it aloud in Russian,” he ordered, pointing at the conference phone.
Meredov’s face turned crimson as he started to understand what the transcript said. “I myself am puzzled. I do not think my commander in chief would mislead yours intentionally, on topics of such importance, when the likelihood of deception being found out was so great. Perhaps he was misled by intermediate-level commanders, who were confused or who sought to protect themselves.”
“Between nations, Admiral, the whole is held responsible for the actions of its parts.”
Meredov nodded reluctantly.
Jeffrey leaned forward. “Listen carefully, you and those in Vladivostok, and in Moscow when they hear this as a recording…. If extremists launched those missiles, in some analogy to the attempted provocation by the Golf-class sub in nineteen-sixty-eight, and other suspect events since then, the Kremlin is answerable. Answerable for failing to adequately safeguard its own thermonuclear missiles during a time of terrible international strife. And answerable for failing to maintain adequate internal security as to conspiracies and splinter groups within the Kremlin’s own power structure. If we did not have our stealth space-based missile shield in place, tragedy would have occurred. Instead of us sitting here talking, our two countries would be busy fighting a strategic nuclear war! Do you grasp how serious things are?”
“What is this missile shield? I thought Russian rogues created the electromagnetic pulses over Moscow on purpose, or the missiles were aimed at America but detonated early due to some error in fusing inputs or a hardware or software fault.”
This is the critical moment. To make it real, I need to keep it tight, almost as an afterthought, and sound blasé. Overexplaining or going verbose would only cast doubt.
The Hot Line would be used to convey its technical details — that part of the script wasn’t Jeffrey’s job, unless pressed.
“The shield’s very existence is classified. I was informed by radio only because I had a need to know, as part of my tasking to meet with you. It has the capability to make enabled, unlocked hydrogen bombs on ballistic missiles launched against America detonate prematurely in the vacuum of space, after their boost phase is complete, to inflict punishment on the aggressor and discourage further provocation or escalation.”
Meredov was astonished. “The nuclear explosions were caused by your missile shield?”
“The punishment inflicted is proportional, discriminate, appropriate, nonlethal, and nonescalatory. My government views this retaliation as entirely justified under international law.”
“Such points, I am not qualified to debate. But why has such an amazing capability been kept secret?”
“I suppose to not tempt an adversary into striking before it was ready…. Don’t evade me, Admiral. I repeat my question. Who was responsible for launching those missiles? And I don’t mean who turned the keys. I mean who made the decision, issued the authorization? If you don’t come up with some good answers soon, my commander in chief will feel righteously entitled to inflict more such pulses on Russia, beyond the tactical nuclear strike launched from Challenger, using American ICBMs. We will be protected by our special shield, while we send your whole country back to the age of the telegraph and the hot air balloon!”
Meredov’s face turned white this time. “Captain, please. There may very well have been no authorization. The missile complex is a crime scene, a battlefield, and a toxic hot spot all in one. Vladivostok told me an investigation is under way. Such things always take time.”
“Speaking of which, where’s our patch into the Hot Line? The clock is ticking, and Challenger is lurking where you’ll never find her soon enough.”
Meredov turned to the doorway. “Irina!”
She appeared in a moment. “Yes, Admiral?”
“Call Vladivostok on another line and see what’s causing the delay with us hearing from Moscow and Washington.”
“At once, sir. And I didn’t want to interrupt, but Rear Admiral Balakirev phoned you twice.”
“What did he want?”
“He wants to know if he can fly here to meet Captain Fuller, and how is the computer analysis coming since it’s been a while.”
What computer analysis?
“Tell him the analysis is on hold due to more important problems, and whether he is invited to meet with our guest is up to his superiors, not me.”