Silence. For a long time. Then, “Roger, Stella two-niner. You are cleared for Kadena, altitude your choice.…Ah, please report at intervals.”
“Rog, Control.” Kathy clicked off her mike.
“Ho, ho, ho,” came Eddie, dryly.
“No problem. If you didn’t want excitement in your life, you should have joined the Navy.”
“Very funny. Just keep us out of the water.”
A half hour later they glided safely onto Kadena.
Vice President Adleman pressed his lips together. He bowed slightly at the waist and nodded to the Japanese trade minister, who was still across the room.
He really shouldn’t feel slighted — having the trade minister receive him was very well within the protocol demanded by a Vice-Head of State, especially with the dominance of the Japanese economy and the overwhelming debt that the United States seemed to be unable to shake.
But Vice President Adleman still felt slighted. He had always admired the Japanese culture and felt no animosity over its aggressive fiscal behavior — he only wished the U.S. had the foresight to put some of the practices in use for itself. But Adleman knew that the U.S. could never shake the “Harvard MBA bottom line”: throwing out long-term investments for short-term profits.
The minister’s entourage surrounded the vice president, smiling, bowing and nodding.
A “garden” just outside the receiving room was made up of thousands of rocks, all groomed and set in flowing designs. A slight smell of incense burned in the background; Adleman was impressed by the facilities, especially considering the fact that it was on an American Air Force base.
He accepted a warm cup of sake and put it to his lips.
“Mr. Vice President?” The trade minister steered him away from the crowd without touching his arm. They were left alone.
“Mr. Ieyasu, it is very kind of you to receive me.”
Ieyasu bowed slightly at the waist, but kept eye contact with Adleman; the vice president followed the minister’s lead.
“Mr. Vice President, I am sorry that we do not have very much time together. There are certain, uh, obligations, that I must fulfill before the day is out.”
Adleman raised his cup of sake. “I understand, Mr. Minister. My agenda is quite full, I assure you. In the next two days I am scheduled to participate in more functions that I normally do in a week in the United States.”
“It is not often that we are graced with such a distinguished presence.”
“This visit is distinguished only by my hosts.”
Ieyasu bowed slightly. “If I may speak frankly?”
“By all means.”
“Mr. Vice President, it is no secret that this visit is not the most important aspect of your trip.”
So, he’s interested in the Philippine agreement, thought Adleman. But I’ll play this out, to make sure I understand what he really wants. “An astute observation, Mr. Minister.” Nice, neutral response. Your turn.
“The question of the Philippine lease is a touchy one, and I want to assure you that our country will stand by any decision reached by your country.” He leaned forward and seemed to listen intently.
“I appreciate your concern,” said Adleman. “And I also appreciate your support — I will elicit your advice if there ever should be any to give. The United States has learned, sometimes the hard way, that we do not have a corner on common sense. Or making the right decisions.” Adleman smiled and drank the rest of his sake.
Ieyasu’s eyes widened. “And I, too, appreciate your candor. It is a true mark of maturity, intelligence; and I must compliment you.” He nodded to the rock gardener, tending to the trove of stones. “That seasoned old gardener loves his job so much that he would gladly accept a word of advice on how to improve his art, the way his rocks pour out their message. I am happy to hear that you, too, will not be offended.”
“Not at all. So if I may beg your opinion…?” Adleman left the question hanging, placing the ball in Ieyasu’s court. The man would now not be offended by his request for help.
A change seemed to come over the minister. He spoke in a low voice. “The Philippines represent more of an economic power to us than a military buffer, Mr. Vice President. With the changing winds of politics blowing across Asia, the loss of American bases does not concern us for the old reasons — there are plenty of other areas that you may stage your defensive forces from.”
“We are aware of that. It is the sunk costs that concern us. There is a lot of money wrapped up in the Filipino infrastructure.”
“Sunk costs should never be considered when making an economic decision, Mr. Vice President.” The trade minister smiled up at him. “Demming, one of your management specialists, made that axiom very clear to us.”
Adleman forced a smile. “Please continue.”
Ieyasu half bowed. “I repeat, it is not the military implications that disturb us. It is the economic impact that would send shock waves out from Manila. Today, the Philippine economy is kept at bay, supplying the needs of your military bases, ministering to the need of their own poor countrymen. We are concerned that without an American presence, the Philippines might go the way of an unbridled Korea — a mass dumping of cheap labor onto the world economy. The profits that would be obtained by even a modest effort could only free up more labor.
“This would be disastrous. It would be disastrous for those Filipinos who would not benefit from this unbridled growth, and it would undercut the economy of the Pacific Basin.”
Adleman played with his sake glass. “It is very generous of you to take such interest in another country’s economic welfare, Mr. Minister.”
Ieyasu bowed stiffly, not missing the jab at Japan’s cool concern over the U.S. economy. “It is in our interest, Mr. Vice President. Both your country and mine.”
“Then I do appreciate your advice.”
Ieyasu nodded and bowed deeply. “And I thank you for your time. Please, the next time you come to Tokyo, we must plan some time together.”
“I look forward to it.”
An aide appeared at the trade minister’s elbow. Seconds later, after much bowing and nodding, Adleman was once again surrounded by his own staff.
Even though Adleman had been met “only” by the trade minister, he suddenly realized the soaring importance of the event. Adleman might be tapped as President at any moment, depending on what happened to Longmire, and the man responsible for the economic condition of what was now the fourth wealthiest nation on earth had recognized this, as well as the far-reaching implications of his trip.
The gardener looked much more important now than he had an hour earlier.
Chapter 11
The row of MH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters looked out of place across the ramp from the row of F-15E fighters. The Air Force had acquired the long, low, and sleek Army Black Hawk helicopters after urgings from a particularly cognizant colonel who had come up through the ranks flying choppers — a feat unusual in itself. The HH-3E Jolly Green Giants, the Air Force’s aging but prime rescue helicopters — were growing old and falling apart. The new procurement for the ATH — the Advanced Technology Helicopter — was still years behind schedule.
The MH-60s had only been meant as stopgap, a bridge to the ATH, but as so often happens, they had become the mainstay of the 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on Clark.
The sky showed the typical June on-off, on-off rain pattern that characterized the island during the monsoon season. As the crew bus approached the flight line, pungent smells of JP-4, the highly flammable jet fuel, washed into the bus. Captain Richard Head grumbled to his copilot, Captain Bob Gould, about the weather as they stepped from the crew bus.