“A port visit to Jakarta might have served us a little better, Admiral. Showing the flag at the real seat of power, you understand. But I can’t blame you for wanting a shore leave on Bali,” Ambassador Goodyard added with a forced attempt at humor.
“I’m sure our port call here will prove to be very productive, Mr. Ambassador.” More so than this conversation, at any rate, MacIntyre added silently. “Following our layover here, we intend to conduct some further training in these waters. We’ll give the Indonesians a good look at us.”
He and the ambassador were sharing a table for the mandatory protocol drink. It had come late in the game. The reception was on its down slope, with the first guests taking their departure.
The task force’s officers were rapidly approaching their own extraction time. They had come, they had seen, and if they had yet to conquer, they had at least conducted a successful probe into enemy territory.
Christine Rendino had given him the high sign about the successful insertion of the invader program into the Makara net. Even now, the combat hackers at cyberwar should be ravaging their way through Harconan’s business files for useful and incriminating intelligence. What the end result would be, only time would tell.
Likewise with Amanda’s psywar assault on Harconan. Would their applied pressure flush him out of his successful businessman persona into a more overtly confrontational mode? Again, time would tell.
MacIntyre glanced across the dance floor again. Amanda was still seated at Harconan’s table. She’d spent a great deal of her time during the latter half of the reception there or on the dance floor with the man.
If they’d shaken him with their challenging arrival, he’d recovered well. The taipan had proven to be the most charming of hosts. Could this be an indication that the suave son of a bitch was rising to the dare? Or did it mean they’d missed the call and he wasn’t their pirate king after all?
The admiral tasted the ice-weakened rye whiskey in his glass and scowled to himself. No. As Christine would put it, there must be “bad vibes” radiating off Harconan at an instinctive level. Why else would it put his teeth so on edge to see Amanda close to the man?
“… Admiral?”
MacIntyre snapped back into himself. “Excuse me, Ambassador, I was distracted for a moment. What were you saying?”
“The Indonesian naval ministry is very interested in your, ah, Sea Fighter task force,” Goodyard repeated. “They seem to think there’s a good deal they could learn from your people in relation to — what do you call it? — littoral warfare. As an aspect of your goodwill cruise, they’ve formally requested a number of their naval officers be allowed to come aboard your vessels as observers during your stay in Indonesian waters. I thought I’d run the idea past you before kicking it upstairs. I think it’s an excellent notion myself, both for them and for us.”
MacIntyre set his glass on the tabletop. “I’m sorry, Mr. Ambassador, but we’ll have to say no. Here in port, we’ll be glad to have Indonesian military personnel tour our vessels and we’ll be glad to make briefing officers available to the Ankatan Laut to discuss littoral doctrine. However, taking foreign observers aboard the task force at this time will be quite impossible.”
The diplomat frowned, his voice growing pointed. “Admiral Lukisan at the naval ministry has indicated a strong interest in this particular matter. He seems to feel the observers would promote… positive relations between your services and our governments. I must agree. The admiral also informed me that one misunderstanding has already taken place between elements of the Indonesian navy and your ships. We don’t really need any more of them. Onboard liaison officers would help in ensuring we would have no further such incidents.”
MacIntyre nodded. “I agree, Mr. Ambassador, on that one point. We don’t need any further conflicts with the Indonesians. That’s why I would suggest you advise Admiral Lukisan to withdraw the warship of his command that has been shadowing my task force. Either that, or have him instruct his shadower’s commander to stand off at a prudent distance in the future.
“As for onboard observers, as I have stated, that’s impossible due to national security concerns involving certain systems and procedures being tested by the Sea Fighter task force at this time. The matter is closed. Please give my apologies to the naval ministry.”
Goodyard’s eyes narrowed and his lips pursed. Since his appointment to ambassadorship, he had grown unaccustomed to being spoken to with such decisiveness.
“Let’s put our cards on the table, Admiral,” he challenged. “Why are you really here? Is this, in fact, just a goodwill mission or is something else going on? Dammit, this is my territory! I have a right to know and I have a right to know the truth!”
MacIntyre suppressed a snort. By the great Lord Harry, this man was a tyro, and one who obviously hadn’t been listening during the lecture series on basic State Department security. The admiral didn’t care whose campaign this man had done favors for, he should have been left in the Midwest, kissing babies.
“Mr. Ambassador, I will be pleased to show you the orders, issued to NAVSPECFORCE by the chief of Naval Operations, instructing the deployment of the Sea Fighter task force to the Indonesian archipelago on a goodwill cruise in support of our relations with the Jakarta government. Beyond that, sir, I can only suggest that you refer to the CNO or the Secretary of State. They may have some information on this matter not available to this command.”
“As you say, Admiral.” Goodyard stood abruptly. “I may very well do just that, concerning both this matter and others. In the meantime, I do not want to hear of any further incidents or provocations taking place be tween your task force and the Indonesians while you are in my zone of responsibility.”
The corner of MacIntyre’s mouth quirked as he rose to bid Goodyard farewell. “Understood, Mr. Ambassador. I give you my personal assurance. You aren’t going to hear another word.”
Raider Two pulled away from the Makara Limited pier float. Lifting onto plane, it ran northward past the glittering lights of the resorts, bearing home the same party it had carried ashore hours before.
“As we had hoped, it was a most interesting evening,” Tran commented.
MacIntyre gave an acknowledging grunt over the rumble and hiss of the diesel propulsors.
“I’d say so,” Amanda commented, drawing herself in against the cooling slipstream that flowed around the cockpit control station. “I’d say very much so.”
“What do you mean, Boss Ma’am?” In the darkness of the cockpit, Amanda didn’t notice the intent way in which Christine stared at her.
“We don’t know what cyberwar may pick up from your probe yet, Chris. And we didn’t pick up on anything overt beyond Harconan having all of the appropriate connections and trappings of power. But I did learn something that convinces me that Inspector Tran, here, has us on the right track about Harconan.”
“Which is…?” MacIntyre murmured.
“The man is capable of doing what the inspector says he is. That’s not saying that he’s doing it, but he has the personal capability to be our pirate king.”
“Where do you get that assessment, Captain?” MacIntyre asked stiffly.
“A combination of gut instinct, intuition, and personal experience, sir. I’ve been in the service long enough to recognize a born leader, the genuine article, when I see one. Harconan has the charisma and dynamism — the mystique, if you will — to draw followers and control situations. He also has the intelligence to effectively use this potential as a tool. Obviously he has used this talent to become an effective force in the business world. Just as easily, he could use it to become a national leader or a military commander. Remember General Belewa, Chris? He had the same touch.”