Dragon Fire

Cabinet Room, Downing Street, London

‘They want us to blow up Chinese ships in a Burmese naval base,’ said Anthony Pincher.

‘It is one of the most preposterous ideas in the history of modern conflict,’ said Christopher Baker, looking at his Permanent Under-Secretary, Sir Malcolm Parton, for support.

‘If the Chinese found out it was us,’ said Sir Malcolm, ‘our relationship would be set back generations. They would never forget it.’

‘Does that matter?’ said Pincher. ‘My gut political instinct is to back India. This is the sort of action which would let us do it in a distinctive way, not as a lapdog to the Americans.’