Invasion: California

by Vaughn Heppner

  After the Alaskan War, the old Chairman had deteriorated. He’d summoned his nephew, a Vice-Admiral who had botched most of his tasks during the war. Nevertheless, trusting blood over ability, the Chairman had raised his nephew, granting him the post of commander of the Lion Guard and becoming the Chairman’s Representative on the Ruling Committee. The nephew, a lazy man with a strong streak of cruelty, had surprisingly risen to the task. The youngster—a man of forty-three—had begun intriguing immediately. He kept the Chairman secluded and soon began to shuffle his own people into higher and more important posts. The final straw had been when the nephew took the post of Minister of the Navy for himself. Out of fear, Jian and Deng had allied against him. During the height of the short Hawaiian Campaign, the Chairman’s nephew fatally crashed into the side of a mountain, everyone in his transport plane burning to death. Afterward, news leaked out that the Chairman had been dead in his underground bunker several months already.

  Nung used to wonder if that was true. If it was false, who would have dared to kill the Chairman? The answer to such a question could be found in who had benefited the most from the Chairman’s passing. Jian Hong, the Leader, would be that person. Perhaps that’s why Jian feared assassination so desperately. People often feared in others what they themselves would most likely attempt.

  The Leader now stood and put his manicured fingertips on the table. Their reflective quality matched the shiny tabletop, as if each tried to outdo the other.

  “I have summoned the Ruling Committee and Marshal Nung so we can decide today what to do with the Americans. By now, each of you has read the secret report from East Lightning. The Americans managed to infiltrate elite commandos behind our lines in Mexico. In some fashion, they learned about Blue Swan. A convoy transporting a Blue Swan missile was destroyed en route. Worse, pieces of the warhead were ferried back to America. My analysts inform me that we must presume the Americans have uncovered the missile’s purpose. If that is so, they can conceivably counter its action in the coming conflict.”

  The Leader glanced at the others, finally focusing on Deng. “Do you have a comment, Foreign Minister?”

  “May I ask about the nature of Blue Swan?”

  “Marshal Nung, would you explain the situation, the reason why we needed the missile?” the Leader asked.

  Nung folded his hands on the table, clearing his throat and leaning forward so he could look at Deng.

  “Sir, the Americans have heavily fortified the southern border, particularly the Californian-Mexican portion of it. There is no Rio Grande River Line there and California is a rich prize by any standard. In a starving world, its agricultural benefits—”

  “I am aware of California’s food value, General,” Deng said.

  Nung blinked, wanting to say, “It’s Marshal, sir,” but not daring to correct someone so powerful and vengeful. It was too soon to say that the Leader would outlast his most dangerous foe.

  “Please, stick to the issue of the military need for Blue Swan,” Deng said.

  Nung bowed his head, keeping his features placid. It was the Chinese way.

  Marshal Kao glanced at him, and the old man’s right eyebrow twitched the tiniest fraction.

  Nung recognized why. The others in the Army thought of him as the “Russian Bear,” easily angered and unable to respond in a civilized manner. By civilized they of course meant Chinese.

  “Many of the Americans have dubbed the California fortification as the ‘Maginot Line’,” Nung said. “The reference is to the pre-World War II French fortification. Everyone considered the Maginot Line impenetrable, even the Germans who eventually attacked around the defensive line and conquered France through blitzkrieg, which means ‘lightning war’.”

  “Your Front is stationed across from this ‘Maginot Line’?” Deng asked.

  “Yes, Foreign Minister.”

  “Are the American fortifications impenetrable?” Deng asked.

  “It is a matter of cost,” Nung said, “the price paid in flesh and blood to smash through an obstacle. No, the fortification cannot stop our attack in an absolute sense, but it will make such an assault incredibly costly.”

  “Blue Swan will negate these defenses?” Deng asked the Leader.

  “Marshal Kao?” the Leader asked.

  Nung sat back as the old marshal told the others that the scientists agreed the missiles would indeed negate the majority of the defenses.”

  “But not all?” asked Deng.

  “The missile will nullify the technological wonders emplaced by the Americans,” Kao said. “The missiles will not harm the machine gun nests or disintegrate the concrete pill boxes or embankments there.”

  “How does our wonder weapon achieve this miracle?” Deng asked.

  Kao glanced at the Leader.

  “Please, tell us, Marshal,” the Leader said.

  “The missiles will emit a heavy electro-magnetic pulse,” Kao said.

  Deng sat up sharply like an angry panda bear. His weak eye attempted to open, failing in that but making the lashes quiver. “We’re using tactical nuclear weapons?”

  “No!” the Leader said. “Greater China shall never use nuclear weapons without heavy provocation. Firstly, it is unethical. Secondly, we want to conquer America for its agricultural usage. How does it profit us to irradiate the wheat fields and poultry farms that we so desperately need?”

  “If I might digress for a moment…” Deng said.

  The Leader stared at the older man, finally nodding.

  “Why attack America at all?” Deng asked. “Meet with them. Exchange a lessening of our military forces in Mexico for reinstating their food tribute. It was a brilliant concept to put such a heavy concentration of troops into Mexico and prod the Americans to buying us off with grain. I happily concede that I was wrong in opposing the idea. I feared what is now occurring—that we would be fatally tempted into putting too many soldiers there and attacking America because our forces are so handily in position.”

  “It heartens me to hear you admit your error,” the Leader said. “You are a man of stature, Foreign Minister. By our Mexico occupation, we have pushed the Americans and found them to be a hollow people indeed.”

  “Not quite hollow,” Deng said. “Their ABM lasers destroyed many of our satellites. The Americans reacted more aggressively than we thought possible for them.”

  “A tiny victory that we allowed them,” the Leader said with a wave of his hand. “We all can note that Alaska nearly fell to us seven years ago. If not for the former Chairman’s nephew and his blunders, we would have added Prudhoe Bay and Anchorage to our conquests. Even with the man’s blunders, we successively smashed American carriers, reaping the reward in the Hawaiian Campaign by demolishing America’s surface fleet.

  “The Americans are clever, however. It makes sense, as they must have been clever to fool the world all these years. I believe the Americans play for time while they build up their land forces.”

  “I agree with you,” Deng said.

  The Leader blinked in astonishment. “That meant they gave us foodstuffs to purchase time. Then President Sims cut off the food shipments, leading me to believe he thinks America strong enough to defend itself.”

  “Again, I would agree with you,” Deng said. “My thought, however, is that instead of attempting a continental conquest we offer the Americans an alliance. Let us replace hostility with peace. The Europeans are investing heavily in several of the Saharan countries, thinking to turn deserts into paradises. If successful, I suspect they will attempt to increase their economic zone, possibly replacing it with an empire to challenge us, especially after we’ve weakened ourselves with a North American War. Consider. We’ve placed much more of our military into North America than they have in Cuba. The South American Federation holds no true love for the PAA. They are simply greedy vultures, eager to reap the rewards that others, namely ourselves, have worked to produce. Let us offer the Americans an alliance and gain the use of their relative ple
nty, making an end run around our so-called allies. Now is the perfect moment to achieve this.”

  “No,” the Leader said. “It is far too late for that. We attacked Alaska and took Hawaii from them. We destroyed their satellites, cyber-attacked their industries and helped terrorists set off a nuclear weapon on their soil. They hate us, Foreign Minister. The Americans thirst for vengeance. Their rearmament proves it.”

  “They fear us,” Deng said. “They are simply trying to defend themselves from three giant coalitions. There are eleven million soldiers in Mexico, if one counts the Mexican Home Army. That is reason for the Americans to fear.”

  “With such forces in place,” the Leader said, “now is the time to attack. We have kicked America when she was down. We must never let her get back up to gain vengeance against us.”

  “This is not the school yard,” Deng said, “but international politics.”

  The Leader shook his head, glancing at the others. “You must not forget that our analysts agree on the coming forecast. The glaciation will continue, likely worsening for many years to come. The world starves, Foreign Minister. In the end, farmland equals power. China has stepped onto the path of conquest, gathering the world’s best farmlands. One does not step off that path without serious repercussions. Now is the moment in time for us to build a peaceful world. We must break the Americans before they recover their power. We must add their lands to our Imperium.”

  “President Sims has given them hope again,” Deng said. “He is a strong man busy uniting his countrymen. I think we have given them too much time to strengthen their defenses to now want a continental war.”

  “It is the reason why we have powerful allies,” the Leader said. “The South American Federation adds millions of troops to our side. The Mexican Home Army adds another million. Once the German Dominion ferries greater numbers to Cuba, our combined might will dwarf the American defenses into insignificance.”

  “Am I the only one who thinks this continental war a grave risk?” Deng asked the others.

  “With your permission, Leader?” the Navy Minister asked Jian.

  “Speak,” the Leader said coldly.

  “Our merchant marine is finding it increasingly difficult to supply our Occupation Army in Mexico. A war would only increase the risk of stretching our naval supply line too thin. American submarines would likely operate against us, ensuring substantial losses.”

  “What about you, Agriculture Minister?” the Leader asked.

  The minister did not look up as he stared at the table. “We could use American farmland, Leader. This accursed glaciation freezes our rice fields while leaving the North Americans untouched. It is a travesty of nature.”

  “Permit me to disagree,” Deng said. He glanced sidelong at the Agriculture Minister, his usual ally in these debates. “Our masses are fed and relatively content. What we—”

  “We live on a razor’s edge of existence,” the Leader said. “The European and Russian heartlands have begun to freeze, due to the change of the warm Gulf Stream that once helped heat them. They along with the Americans once produced the masses of foodstuffs to an already hungry world. India no longer exports any foodstuff. Thailand used to export great quantities of rice. Now it can barely feed its people. The Germans hope to turn deserts into paradises, but it is a pricey gamble. We all harvest the sea more than ever. The problem is that China uses too much of its wealth buying up the meager resources of other lands. What happens when the greedy in those lands no longer wish to sell to us? No. We must conquer the American breadbasket. In this dark age of growing cold, it is the only answer to our food dilemma.”

  Deng bowed his head. “You paint a glum picture, Leader, and I suspect you may be right.”

  “Then do not fight against me, Foreign Minister.”

  Deng shook his head. “I ask your permission to disagree. I do not fight you, Leader. My blood simply runs cold when I think about a continental war in North America. You spoke of them being a hollow people. Their war record says differently. We learned that in Korea in the last century during the early 1950s.”

  “Bah,” the Leader said. “We used primitive weapons back then and nearly defeated the American alliance.”

  “Initially we drove them headlong in retreat from the Yalu River,” Deng said. “I have studied the records. Afterward, they slaughtered us in great numbers. It was a bloodbath.”

  “All the more reason to attack now that we have better weapons and more numerous allies,” the Leader said. “Let us remember Korea and gain our revenge on the bloody-handed Americans.”

  “But if we have lost the use of Blue Swan…” Deng said.

  The Leader stiffened, and he slapped the palm of his hand against the table so his ring clicked against the wood. “We have not lost it. We have only lost the surprise of it.”

  Marshal Nung cleared his throat. He had been waiting for them to get around to this.

  The Leader scowled, looking down the table, until he noticed who had made the noise. “You have a point to make, Marshal?”

  “Leader, Ministers,” Nung said. “We may have lost some of the surprise of Blue Swan, but not all of it.”

  Deng glanced at his computer scroll, reading something there before addressing Nung. “The East Lightning report clearly indicates the Americans escaped with most of the warhead. They will know what the missile does. Or do you disagree with me on that?”

  “No, Foreign Minister,” Nung said. “I agree with your assessment.” He had read the report many times. It was too bad Military Intelligence hadn’t interrogated the woman. Why had East Lightning murdered her to extract such valuable information?

  Deng appeared perplexed. “You just said the surprise won’t be lost. Or do you deny that?”

  “I was speaking in a strategical sense,” Nung said. “If commandos managed to take some of the warhead, it will still take time for American scientists to uncover the missile’s function.”

  “Or so you hope,” Deng said.

  “Even if the Americans know exactly what we’re going to do with the missile,” Nung said, “it won’t help them if we attack immediately.”

  Silence filled the chamber. Nung smiled inwardly, although outwardly he remained placid. A truism of war was to boldly attack and gain surprise. Surprise left people in shock, unable to react. Under those conditions even bolder attacks won a commander everything. He was beginning to suspect that this truism worked in other fields as well.

  “Attack immediately?” Deng asked softly.

  “Again, Foreign Minister, I am speaking strategically,” Nung said. “It would take another two weeks perhaps seventeen days to ready my Front’s assault troops and position reinforcements for a continuous attack.” He had been working out the parameters over the Pacific Ocean, realizing this was the opportunity of a lifetime. “During the final preparation week, even given the Americans knowing about Blue Swan, they will not be able to change their deployments significantly enough to change the outcome of a swift assault.”

  Marshal Kao had turned toward him. The old man opened his mouth, likely to blister the idea with a scathing rebuttal. Few in Chinese High Command cared for hasty perpetrations, preferring carefully calculated plans and setups. Kao particularly wanted every situation known to the smallest detail. It made for plodding, unimaginative strategies.

  “A moment, Marshal Kao,” the Leader said in a silky voice. “Let Marshal Nung continue.”

  “I have a hologram of the conceived assault,” Nung said. His Front had trained for such an attack. They were ready, well, almost ready. Something always needed greater priming. This was his moment, though. He could feel it.

  “Yes, by all means,” the Leader said, “show us your plan.”

  Nung took a computer stick from his pocket. His hand trembled, although probably only he noticed. He willed his hand still, inserting the stick into the scroll. He began tapping the screen. In thirty seconds, a holomap appeared above the center of the table.

&nb
sp; “Notice please,” Nung said, “the heavy enemy fortification along the border. There are massive concrete emplacements, minefields, artillery pits and SAM sites. Behind the initial fortification is a vast network of trenches, supply dumps and more troop concentrations. We will wash these fortifications with multiple electromagnetic pulses, nullifying the majority of their systems. Then we will send in waves of special infantry to fix them in place.”

  “A moment,” Deng said. “Fix them in place, not destroy them?”

  “Correct, Foreign Minister. Because of Blue Swan, we will break through their lines in hours rather than in days or weeks. This will occur in key areas. Afterward, we will sweep around them, trapping the bulk of their forces. Because we have fixed them in place, they will be unable to withdraw at the critical moment. That is important, for the Americans have made a fundamental error.”

  Nung studied the others. He saw it on their faces. They wanted to know what this error consisted of.

  “The Americans have put too many troops in their forward lines,” Nung said. “In California, that is well over six hundred thousand at our last estimate. Once those troops are trapped and nullified, the state will fall to us like a ripe fruit. Such a blow at such speed will critically weaken the rest of the country.”

  Deng recovered the quickest. He asked, “You will sweep aside the Americans as our troops swept the enemy from the Yalu River Line in 1950?”

  Before Nung could answer, Marshal Kao spoke up. “I am not convinced attacking fortified lines is wise. The Army will be trading blood for blood. Yes, we have more troops, but fortifications are a force multiplier. This sounds like a battle of attrition where you eventually hope the Americans to wilt in place so you may advance.”

  “I feel that I must agree,” Deng said. “I had expected brilliant maneuvers from you, Nung. You’re supposedly our best mobile fighter. This plan strikes me as two sumo wrestlers pushing and shoving against each other, trying to exhaust the other instead of using clever moves.”

  Nung had to glance down at his scroll, forcing away his scowl. Win them over by keeping your voice level and showing them what this attack brings. Nung looked up, his features nearly placid. “As Marshal Kao suggests, the Americans expect to slaughter our troops on their fortification. The Blue Swan pulses will change that. Even so, breaking through their line at speed may prove costly, but that will allow us to encircle them and turn it into a battle of annihilation. You must remember that they do not expect an attack there. The surprise of our assault might well unhinge their resolve.”