CHAPTER 21

1045 hours, 20 January
CVIC, U.S.S. Thomas Jefferson

"Gentlemen," Admiral Magruder said. "I'm treating this as an act of war.

Forces unknown, but possibly operating together with the communist insurrection in Thailand, have attacked this command."

It was silent within the Carrier Intelligence Center, save for the isolated creaks of men moving in the metal folding chairs which had been set up in rows. The chairs gave the large room the feel of an elementary school auditorium. Tension was high, an almost electric sharpness in the air. Every department head, squadron CO, and senior staff officer on the carrier was present. Admiral Magruder leaned against the podium, a large-scale color map of Thailand at his back. There were no TV cameras, but a VCR camcorder was being used to tape the meeting, for the record.

Tombstone leaned back in his chair and considered his uncle. The man had aged. Perhaps he was feeling the strain of his responsibilities, strains that had been on his shoulders since Wonsan. Then and now, it was largely his decisions which would determine peace or war, life or death for the men under his command.

The commanding admiral of CBG-14 surveyed the officers in front of him before speaking again. "The Captain, the Exec, CAG, and the Damage Control Officer gave me their assessment a few minutes ago. In brief, damage to the flight deck is minimal." He pulled a small notebook from his jacket pocket and consulted it. "Repairs to the arresting-gear mechanism are being completed now. Full flight-deck operations should be possible within two hours. El Three will probably be out of service until we can return to port, but we can maintain full service on the remaining three elevators.

"Our total losses during the attack and fire amounted to three aircraft destroyed, plus a further five aircraft down-checked by the plane captains for repairs. The most serious losses were two of our KA-6D tankers, one destroyed, one damaged. This leaves us with only two tankers functional for air-to-air refueling ops should we need them.

"Casualties, thank God, were light. Six known dead, four more missing and presumed lost overboard. Eighteen men are in sick bay, most from smoke inhalation."

He closed the notebook and looked up. "This is not a formal briefing, gentlemen. It's a brainstorming session. We've been hit. Hard. I want ideas, recommendations about what we should do about it. All of you feel free to chip in. We'll kick this off with a rundown on the situation from Commander Neil."

Commander Richard Patrick Neil was an Irish Bostonian, the Carrier Group Intelligence Officer for Magruder's staff. He stood and walked to the front of the room, where he took the admiral's place behind the podium. "Thank you, Admiral, gentlemen. Well, to start with, our options appear to be strictly limited." Neil's New England twang was sharply evident in the way he said "appeah." He looked ill at ease. "After all that has happened, we still don't know who the enemy really is. We have a communist insurgency in the north with possible Burmese involvement, student demonstrators and rioters in Bangkok, and a military coup breaking out all over the country. It is tempting to see these separate incidents as somehow linked, but we cannot yet prove that. As yet, we do not know who attacked the Jefferson last night."

"Shit," someone in the audience muttered. "I thought that was obvious.

We know it was the gook rebels who piloted those helos-"

"No," Neil countered. "We don't. They were RTAF machines and they were based at Sattahip. They may have been piloted by dissident officers, but that doesn't square with what we know about the coup so far."

"What do we know about it?" Admiral Magruder asked.

"That its leaders appear to be That army and air force officers who feel that Bangkok is dealing too softly with the communist insurrection. And that is what makes it unlikely that the attack on Jefferson was ordered by coup leaders."

He took a step back and unfolded a telescoping metal pointer to indicate areas on the map. "Up here on the That-Burmese border, we have a major rebel insurrection… probably led by the Communist Party of Thailand." The pointer slid along the border. "We have two separate incidents in this area, encounters with unidentified MiGs, Chinese J-7s, actually. In one of these incidents, one of our aircraft is shot down. Burmese involvement is suspected… but the present Political situation does not support that theory. Burma had its first democratic elections in thirty years not long ago and is now making the transition from a military dictatorship to a Western-style democracy. There are certainly dissident elements within the Burmese military, but Rangoon denies involvement, and Washington accepts that statement at face value."

The pointer moved again. "Here is U Feng, a That military base captured three days ago by forces unknown. The Thais suspect the Burmese, working together with CPT rebels. Again, Rangoon denies involvement. Most of you know by now that two of our people are eyewitnesses to what's going on up there. According to Lieutenant Commander Wayne's debriefing report, there are a number of Shenyang J-7s currently based at U Feng. This solidly links the forces at U Feng with whoever is flying J-7s across the Burmese border but doesn't tell us anything more about who is responsible.

"Down here in Bangkok, and outside the base at Sattahip, we've had demonstrations, even riots, going on now for several weeks. That Central Intelligence believes these have been instigated by the CPT. That links them with the rebellion up north, of course… but not with the MiGs and the capture of U Feng.

"Finally, we have the military coup. It began at approximately 2100 hours on the 18th. It purportedly involves a number of high-ranking dissident officers who feel the government has been mismanaging the entire campaign against the rebellion in the north. The word is also out that U Feng would never have fallen if Bangkok had taken a stronger line against Burmese involvement in the north. Apparently, the coup leaders insist that the CPT rebellion is being sponsored by the Burmese… once again, something Rangoon categorically denies.

"So far, the coup has achieved limited success and appears now to be on the defensive. Apparently, only a few units have mutinied, and most army and air force regiments have remained loyal. According to reports, a large percentage of the Royal That Air Force has been crippled by sabotage on the ground, but fighting is light and somewhat sporadic. For the coup to be successful, it would have to win the approval of the King and his ministers.

This is a basic factor of That politics, and so far that approval seems most unlikely.

"The That government has asked for our support through their embassy in Washington. We ourselves have heard very little from the government directly, and we seem to be getting mixed signals here… help us on one hand, get out and leave us alone on the other. Part of this may be due to people high in the government who are actually in sympathy with the mutiny and are deliberately confusing things. I should point out, though, that the coup leaders should be trying to cultivate American support, not attacking us. The That government has maintained close relations with the United States for many years and is our strongest ally in the region. Washington feels it is unlikely that coup leaders would order an attack on the Jefferson, since that would alienate us and isolate them politically.

"So, gentlemen, when it comes to the question of who attacked us last night, we are faced with a contradiction. The leaders of the military coup had the opportunity, using helicopters from the base at Sattahip, but they certainly did not have the motive, at least, not one we understand. The communist rebels have the motive ― the anti-American theme of the demonstrations is rather evident ― but for the most part they are peasants who wouldn't be able to get access to RTAF helicopters or Chinese J-7s, much less fly them. Finally we have the Burmese, who might possibly acquire J-7s or have pilots who could fly RTAF helos, but who have neither motive nor opportunity. The Thais blame the Burmese, but Rangoon claims they do not want a war with Thailand and are moving away from their Marxist past. They certainly don't want a war with us!"

Neil closed his pointer with a snap. "Where this leaves us, gentlemen, is adrift. Someone attacked us last night, but we don't know who. There appears to be no link between the various factions of the fighting in Thailand, certainly nothing which would explain a rocket attack against the Jefferson."

No link, Tombstone thought… but there had to be one. He thought about the firefight in the alley in Kiong Toey. Those had been That soldiers joining Hsiao's men, and Hsiao's questions had been aimed at finding a weakness in Jefferson's defenses just hours before an attack was launched against her. There had to be a link between Hsiao and the coup!

Tombstone's debriefing that morning had been cursory, even rushed. He'd described to Neil and the other officers of the admiral's intelligence staff his capture and interrogation, with the emphasis on the man Hsiao and his questions. Tombstone wasn't sure that Neil even believed him, and he had to admit that a lot of what he thought about the Chinese officer was guesswork.

He only had Hsiao's word, for example, that several of the other men at the warehouse were Burmese. What if Hsiao had been trying to make it look like the Burmese were involved, for reasons of his own?

"What about the reasoning behind the attack, Commander?" Dick Barnes asked. "I mean, what was the point?"

Neil shook his head. "Unknown. There are possibilities. Someone might be trying to get us involved in a war with Burma. That is the DIA's guess, based on the attack made by the MiGs. Their theory is that the PRC is secretly ferrying J-7s to a remote base in Burma in order to provoke border incidents… and war."

"Maybe someone wants to frighten us off," a voice said.

"Another possibility," Neil agreed. "The ultimate in 'Yankee go home' signs. Point is, we don't know. And while it's damned tempting to see some vast, international conspiracy behind everything that's going on, the real world doesn't work that way."

"And what is your recommendation, Commander?" Admiral Magruder asked.

"That we pull back and take a longer look, sir. We shouldn't get involved until we know what the real target is."

"What about this… this Hsiao Kuoping?" Commander Dick Barnes, the senior CIC officer, said. He was reading a pocket notebook he'd been writing in earlier during Tombstone's debriefing. He looked up. "Mr. Magruder described him as Chinese… and definitely in control of certain Burmese elements. That says conspiracy, doesn't it?"

"With all due respect to Commander Magruder," Neil said slowly, "we just don't have enough to go on. Certainly, there is nothing to link this Hsiao character or his Burmese allies with the coup leaders. It is possible, possible that Hsiao has something to do with the Chinese MiGs. I've queried the DIA files in Washington, and they report that Hsiao is indeed a high-ranking member of the PRC Intelligence community. A general, in fact."

"My God," Captain Glover said softly. The ship's Exec looked stricken.

"Chinese Intelligence? Are you saying the enemy is China?"

"Possible, but unlikely." Neil did not sound sure of himself. "The DIA and the CIA are looking into it, but this could well be an independent operation. Hsiao setting up in business for himself."

That possibility had not occurred to Tombstone, but it felt right. If Hsiao was a high-ranking Chinese spy, what was he doing running things personally in Bangkok?

"It is possible," Neil continued, "again, only possible, that Hsiao was somehow connected with the attack on Jefferson last night. The questions he asked of our people point to that, certainly. But we cannot link Hsiao to the coup, except circumstantially."

Tombstone thought about that. He was certain that Hsiao was tied to the coup somehow because of the That soldiers he'd seen. There was a common factor, and it tied Hsiao in with both the communist rebellion and the That military coup. Some factor, some person…

Tombstone's eyes opened wide. The connection had been staring him in the face all along, and he'd not seen it. Neither had anyone else.

Tombstone raised his hand. Neil nodded toward him. "Commander?"

"This is a little embarrassing, sir," Tombstone said. "But I think I know what the link might be. Who the link might be."

There was a buzz of murmured conversation around the room. Tombstone waited for it to die down. He should have seen the link earlier, should have been able to pass it on to Neil and his people that morning. It was obvious, now that he thought about it.

"What do you mean, Tombstone?" Neil asked.

"Bayerly and I were captured and interrogated by this Hsiao character.

It only just now occurred to me… how did he know where to find me?"

Neil frowned. "You told us during your debriefing that you were with the news correspondent, Pamela Drake. In her hotel room…"

"And the only other person who knew I was there was Colonel Kriangsak, our liaison with the That military command."

There was stunned silence in the room for several seconds.

"You're sure of this, Tombstone?" Admiral Magruder asked. He was standing to one side of the room, his arms folded across his chest. "I think we've been assuming you were picked up at random. Anybody at that hotel could have been an agent for Hsiao."

"Positive, sir. Kriangsak called me, after I'd been getting a bureaucratic run-around from his office all day. He had me meet him at the Americana." Tombstone felt embarrassment coloring his face, not so much from the admission of where he'd spent the night, but from the realization of how easily he'd been trapped. He'd been as trusting as a sailor on first-time liberty getting rolled for the change in his pocket. "I told him I would be at the Dusit Thani, but I didn't tell anyone else. Later I called him to cancel a car he was sending for me."

Tombstone shook his head. "Now that I think about it, he could have picked up Commander Bayerly at the same time. Some of his people helped the commander out of the Americana. And Colonel Kriangsak was the only person who knew where I was… who knew I was staying at the Dusit Thani in… a certain hotel room." He glanced at Neil. "Sorry, Commander. It just now came together for me ― But the pieces fit. It's too much of a coincidence that both Commander Bayerly and I were grabbed at random."

Neil appeared to be digesting the information. "If that's true, Hsiao is playing both sides of the game, helping the rebels and organizing the coup.

He's also behind the attack on Jefferson, since he could have put that together through Kriangsak, who in turn could have been in on the coup."

"What's the point of organizing both a communist rebellion and a coup which wants to take more effective measures against that rebellion?" Admiral Magruder asked.

"Confusion," Master Chief Buckley volunteered. "Maybe they figure the United States won't intervene if we don't know what's going on."

"That never stopped us before," someone else added, and there was a round of subdued chuckles. The tension in the room seemed to have been broken.

Neil looked hard at Tombstone. "My guess would be that the Burmese incidents, the communist insurrection, the attack at U Feng, all of those were engineered by General Hsiao to create the proper conditions for a military coup. Kriangsak and any other traitors Hsiao was able to recruit with promises of money or power were brought in to organize the coup, to get it rolling. If he could start a war with Burma too, that would just add to Thailand's instability. Now, if Hsiao is behind Kriangsak, it could mean he's planning on toppling the present That government and replacing it with one of his own.

"Of course, U.S. intervention would be a problem. Hsiao couldn't afford to have us get involved too deeply helping the legitimate government. By attacking Jefferson, he either leaves us in doubt about who the enemy is ― and therefore out of the game ― or he convinces us that our carrier is vulnerable and forces us to back off. Same result. By God, it fits!"

"Okay," Admiral Magruder said. He stepped to the front of the room and took Neil's place. "Thank you, Commander." He waited while Neil took his seat, then addressed the entire group. "Very well, gentlemen. The question is, what can we do about it? Intelligence sharing ought to be our first step.

Tell the legitimate rulers what we know… help them clean house themselves.

We'll need to establish communication directly with the That military, bypassing Kriangsak. My impression was that Duong was honest, even if his chief aide wasn't. Commander Neil, check into that, please."

"Aye, sir.

"What else?"

CAG Marusko spoke up. "Admiral, it seems to me if our orders are to support the legitimate That government, we could help a lot by flying close support with them. Commander Neil said the Thais had lost a lot of their air force already."

"Close support against what target?" Barnes asked.

"U Feng, for one," CAG replied. "We know it's held by rebel forces. The Thais are going to want to take it back, if only to prove they're strong enough to do so. We could fly close air for them, keep those J-7s grounded while they send in their ground forces."

"We certainly have to provide air support against hostile aircraft," Admiral Magruder said thoughtfully. "At least until we know how many MiGs there are at U Feng. I'm concerned, though, that Hsiao might be working for the Chinese. Washington is going to take a dim view of us starting a war with the PRC, especially these days, with all the friendly overtures toward Beijing. Dick? Any suggestions?"

Neil smiled. "Considering that the Chinese aren't even supposed to be in Thailand or Burma, I'd say we can take any action we feel is justified. If Beijing is in on this mess, they can't very well admit it, can they?"

"Agreed," the admiral said. "We'll wait for a definite word on that from Washington, but I tend to believe they'll go along with it. Anything else?"

"We've got the Marines coming in," Brad Gilmore, Magruder's chief of staff, pointed out. "We'll rendezvous with MEU-6 later today. They can beef up our position at the American embassy and be on hand to protect Americans in the city."

"Yeah. They'd be able to help if it turned out we had to evacuate American nationals," the Exec added.

"Right," CAG said. "And if they're having trouble with air, our helicopter assets aboard Chosin and Little Rock could help stretch things, at least until we got the word to move our people. If they need airmobile transport into Bangkok, say, the grunts could provide it."

Magruder pulled out his notebook again and wrote something in it. "Good point." He looked up. "Anyone else?"

The room was silent. "Very well. My recommendations to Washington will be as follows." He looked down at his notebook. "First, we share intelligence with the That Military staff. In particular, we tell them about Hsiao and Kriangsak and what we've uncovered or guessed about the coup.

"Second, we offer close air support to the Thais, filling in for the losses they've suffered to their air force." He looked up. "CAG, start putting together an operational plan for a full alpha strike against U Feng.

Catch those MiGs on the ground and leave nothing but debris for the That army to mop up. Commander Neil will be able to fill you in on what Lieutenant Wayne saw in the way of defenses up there." Several heads nodded, and there was a scratching of pens on paper as the COs of the carrier's attack squadrons made notes. "We will also look for ways we can help the Thais against rebel forces in Bangkok and Sattahip.

"Third, we'll coordinate with Admiral Simpson when Chosin and her consorts join us later today. We will recommend landing Marines in Bangkok to provide security for American citizens ashore. We will suggest providing helo transport for loyal That forces." He looked around the room. "Does that cover it all?" He waited for a response. There was none. "Very well. It is now 1110 hours. I want preliminary operational plans on my desk for approval by 1700 hours. That's when I'll pass all of this on to Washington.

Department heads, begin working with your people on the assumption that we'll get a go for an alpha strike… let's have it ready for 0500 tomorrow. I want all available planes armed and ready for launch at that time. I know this means working around the clock, but tell your crews that this is going to be our chance to fight back!" He searched the faces in front of him.

"Where's Commander Murcheson?"

"Here, sir!" A hand went up in the back of the room. Steve Murcheson was the CO for VA-84, the Blue Rangers, one of Jefferson's two A-6 squadrons.

"See me before you start your op plans. I want to talk to you about the mission parameters for a Skipper II strike." There was a surprised silence.

Then, "Aye, sir."

"That's all I have to say. Dismissed."

Tombstone rose and started for the door. He wanted to find Batman before half the air wing got the same idea.

An alpha strike against U Feng! And a Skipper drop as well. This was going to be one hell of an operation.

1430 hours, 20 January
U Feng

It was mid-afternoon when Pamela and Bayerly arrived at U Feng. They were herded off the truck and led to a small shed not far from the fuel storage tanks which were located near the eastern perimeter fence. Lunch was a bowl of rice and assorted bits of meat for them both, more than they'd had to eat in over thirty-six hours.

Pamela noticed that the entire base seemed to be on alert. There were many more soldiers here than there'd been at the rebel camp, and these troops seemed excited, animated, as they talked to one another with gestures and laughter. Through the shed's single small window, she could see the aircraft arrayed underneath the layers of camouflage netting, though she didn't now what kind of planes they were. She also saw something else, a large tracked vehicle of some kind, mounting three large missiles.

She didn't know where they were, couldn't even be sure they were still in Thailand, but the purposeful activity told her this was the heart of Hsiao's plan. So much activity would be impossible to hide from the United States, though. Reconnaissance satellites could be taking pictures of that missile launcher right now.

She wondered what Washington was planning on doing about it.

And in the jungle beyond the U Feng fence, other eyes were noting the activity too, as well as the presence of two white-skinned Westerners.

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