Dragon Fire

Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London

John Stopping, Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, was woken by the telephone ringing on his secure line. Only a handful of people in London knew the number, together with a small circle of colleagues in the international circles in which he mixed. Stopping’s career in the diplomatic and intelligence services had forged trust and friendships lasting many years. Often he suddenly found them adversaries amid unpredictable events of foreign policy.

Stopping automatically checked his watch and saw he had been dozing on the office couch for less than twenty minutes. He was surprised but delighted to hear the voice of Chandra Reddy on the other end.

‘John, I think we need to look ahead and perhaps we could do each other a favour.’

‘Only the greatest optimist would try to look beyond nuclear conflict,’ said Stopping. ‘Why is Hari Dixit not taking any calls?’

‘He is trying to stop a nuclear war, John. He can’t do that if he’s yacking on the bloody telephone to every head of government who wants to get involved. Don’t tell me that Margaret Thatcher chatted to Indira Gandhi during the Falklands conflict.’

‘Given that you’ve just been nuked, Reddy, you sound in remarkably good form.’

‘I need Britain’s help. No one else can do it.’

‘Go on.’

‘Can we agree that Pakistan would never have done this without China’s backing?’

‘Let’s say we do.’

‘And that China’s incursion into India was timed to coincide with the flare-up in Kashmir?’

‘Agreed.’

‘Then, until a shot is fired across China’s bows, the war in Asia cannot be stopped.’

‘This is a diplomatic, not a military issue.’

‘No, John. It is one for men like us.’

Stopping kept quiet, allowing Reddy to continue. ‘The Chinese have been building up the port facilities at the Burmese naval base in Hanggyi. In the past two months they have sent two warships there, the Kaifang, a 3,600 tonne destroyer, and the Anqing, a 2,500 tonne frigate. Both ships are expendable. They know we could blow both of them out of the water. They also have three or four Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines in the Andaman Sea. We spotted them going through the Malacca Straits, but now have no idea where they are. In a conflict like this, the presence of those ships is a clear incursion into our theatre of influence.’

‘But not illegal,’ said Stopping.

‘Kosovo changed the frontiers of international legality.’

‘I still don’t see how we can help.’

‘You have HMS Ocean coming down from Chittagong towards Hanggyi Island right now. On board is a unit from the Special Boat Squadron together with a VSV; length 53 feet, three crew plus room for eleven commandos, capable of 60 knots with two 750 b.h.p. diesel engines and stealth technology which enables it to avoid radar and infrared heat sensors and a range of 700 nautical miles. If they went in to destroy the Chinese ships and whatever else they find in Hanggyi, China would think twice about continuing to stir things up on the subcontinent.’

‘You’re out of your mind,’ said Stopping.

‘You know I’m not. I estimate that by late afternoon, our time, the Ocean will be within VSV range of Hanggyi. Send them in at nightfall. The war could be over by midnight.’