Ancients

17

The general in charge of the three-pronged attack raised his radio.

"For the honor of the People, I give the long-awaited order: Commence the artillery barrage of Seoul!"

From behind the DMZ, five thousand artillery batteries opened fire, sending rounds into the American line of defense.

As the president watched the large viewing screen, the numbers and field units of the North Koreans started changing rapidly. Icons symbolizing artillery were flashing red; the ones indicating the three-pronged spearhead started moving also, along with thirty-five divisions north of the border.

"They're on the move," said General Caulfield.

Niles Compton watched the president, who sat with his eyes closed.

"We have major air assets lifting off from all the eastern Chinese air bases. It looks like over five hundred aircraft of every variety. Should I order our fighters in from Japan and notify our carrier-based planes, Mr. President? They're loitering a hundred miles off, over the Sea of Japan,"

The president stood and put his large hands into his pockets. He glanced at Niles for a moment and then looked at the monitor. The red icons of the North were moving very rapidly.

"Take note: the North Koreans have crossed the thirty-eighth parallel in force and are now, and have been for hours, in noncompliance of the treaty of July twenty-seventh, 1950. The Second ID and the air forces of the United States are hereby ordered to defend South Korea from the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea. If the People's Republic of China crosses into South Korea, American aircraft are to attack them."

The twelve F-22A Raptors had been based in Japan for the past eleven months and were now grouped with thirty-five F-15 Strike Eagles, thirty-five Eagle air-superiority fighters, and twenty-five F-16 Fighting Falcons of the Japanese defense force. As the fighters cruised at twenty thousand feet just east of Korean territorial waters, they received the order that shook every man in the flight. The lieutenant colonel flying as the lead asked for confirmation twice to make sure he had heard right. "Attack all North Korean forces south of the thirty-eighth parallel. Attack any air assault by any foreign government. Commence unrestricted warfare against all ground units south of the border."

As the colonel looked at his scope, he counted fifty-plus Chinese MIG 31s and an equal number of North Korean aircraft ready to cross into South Korea.

"This is going to be messy," he said to himself.

The spearhead and lead armored element of the People's Army opened fire from a ridge overlooking Qua Shan village. There were no reports of enemy emplacements, but the overzealous general left in charge was taking no chances. He thought that he might as well level the village while he had the chance, with their air power soon to arrive.

"We have incoming aircraft from the west, General; they are squawking People's Republic Air Force."

The general looked down from his armored personnel carrier and nodded at his courier.

"Good. Have ground control direct them to the first American defense line. Inform them I will lay green smoke."

"Yes, sir."

It happened so suddenly that the American colonel thought that his air-search radar was not operating properly. The entire Chinese force turned away and started flying northward, away from South Korea. He watched to make sure it was not a trick. When he saw the MIGs continue northward, he smiled.

He was further shocked when his radio came to life on the frequency that was supposed to be secure: "American flight commander to the south, the People's Republic of China apologizes for the closeness our training flight came to South Korean airspace. We are returning to base at this time."

"All elements of Crusader are to attack. I repeat, attack!"

The first thirty-five F-15 Strike Eagles banked hard and dived for the earth.

The North Korean general turned in his turret and smiled. Now the Americans would feel the full force of the Great Leader's might. He looked through his glasses and froze. American F-15s were screaming toward his positions unopposed.

"General, the Chinese have left the area and our own air support has been ordered to stand down. The Americans are attacking up and down the line. U.S. carrier aircraft are hitting our artillery positions on our side of the border. Pyongyang is ordering a general retreat!"

To augment the disastrous report, five T-80 tanks exploded only a thousand yards in front of his command vehicle. As he ducked, he saw the American fighters pull up after their attack. There were more explosions as more tanks met the same fate. The Americans had acted swiftly and caught them off guard.

"This is madness," he screamed as he saw antipersonnel cluster munitions fly into the back of his lines where his infantry had been mobilizing for the assault.

As the general watched, the spearhead that had been rolling through unblemished just five minutes before lay in a smoking ruin all around him.

Things were moving too fast for Niles to keep up. One by one, the icons marking the forward advance of the North Korean assault slowly started to disappear from the map.

"Mr. President, it's been confirmed: the Chinese have exited north of the thirty-eighth parallel. They are returning to Chinese airspace!"

"I guess they decided we weren't lying after all!"

Compton heard the relief in the president's voice, and he himself felt like jumping up and whooping, as many of the generals and admirals were doing.

"American and Japanese air strikes are heavily damaging all forward units in the south. The Second ID is moving unopposed into the DMZ. It has been confirmed that Kim Jong Il ordered his troops north of the thirty-eighth parallel."

"Sir, we have a message from the Russian president; he's asking if they could render assistance to our marine force on Crete," the national security Adviser read from a note. "Also, the Chinese ambassador just issued a statement saying that the People's Republic has no intention of aiding this lawless act of aggression by Kim Jong Il and the People's Army, and is insisting that his army stand down in this time of world crisis."

The president sat hard into his chair and looked at Niles. "It seems your words meant something to them, Niles."

"No, Mr. President, the images of kids dying on Crete did the convincing. The Russians and the Chinese do not like to see civilians dying."

"Still, old boy, you may have saved our collective asses."

Niles stood and walked over to the president's side of the conference table and knelt beside his chair.

"Mr. President, this is just a stay, not a pardon. If we don't stop the Coalition from using the Wave against these people, they're not going to give a damn who's guilty or innocent. They now know their main enemy is on Crete and they will destroy it with nuclear weapons if they have to. We would do the same if we were losing cities. Our people beneath Crete still have to stop the Coalition from attacking their countries."

"But now that the Coalition knows they are found out, why would they continue?"

"The Coalition has survived through worse many times. They will attack and then disappear, only to resurface with new identities and the same hidden wealth, and they will still win by offering financial assistance to the countries that are devastated. They have been planning this thing since the end of World War Two."

The president stood among the gathered men and women of the Security Council, who were still smiling from ear to ear. Then he looked at the threat board; down at the bottom sat the small island of Crete.

"Niles, I've heard about his prowess in the field, but tell me again how good your Colonel Collins really is."