Lash-Up

by Larry Bond

  Shen replied, his tone light, almost casual. “Oh, they’re building this Defender, all right, but there will be very little to defend once it is operational, perhaps within a year. By that time, the new Tien Lung II projectile will also be ready. It has stealth features, a more energetic warhead, armor, and it’s semiautonomous.” Shen smiled. “We’ll use the Dragon’s Mother to keep them on the ground. We can destroy anything they launch.”

  “General Shen!” shouted Pan angrily. “I don’t think I need to remind everyone here that the Americans have an annoying habit of doing what people say is impossible!”

  Shen was taken aback by the president’s sharp remark. He had badly misjudged the president’s tolerance for risk; someone had gotten to him and fueled his doubts.

  “Comrade Generals, I keep hearing why you believe the Americans can’t do this. What I’m not hearing is what could happen to our plans if they surprise us and do the impossible.”

  There was an awkward silence as a number of the senior officers looked down at the table; Shen struggled to find a response.

  “Comrade President, if I may?” spoke up General Li, the Chief of the General Staff and Commander of the People’s Liberation Army.

  “Yes, General Li.”

  “Sir, I agree with General Shen’s overall technical assessment. If the Americans successfully build and launch the Defender vehicle, it will interfere with our attacks on their GPS satellites and they will be able to repair their constellation. Perhaps not to full capability, but enough to cause us considerable hardship with their stealth aircraft and precision-guided weapons.”

  Shen stared intently at the chief of staff. Where was the man going with this?

  “More importantly, if they can reduce the effectiveness of our antisatellite campaign, it will be a huge psychological boost to the Americans’ psyche; they will dig in their heels and fight. The impact on the Vietnam campaign would not be in our favor.”

  Shen saw the president, vice president, and minister of defense all nodding. A number of his senior officer colleagues also seemed to be weighing Li’s words carefully.

  “And your recommendation, General?” inquired Pan.

  “We give the Americans another shock, before they are even ready to attempt to counter General Shen’s excellent efforts. By striking them before they can react to our last move, we deal another blow to their psyche. At the very least, it will plunge them into confusion and doubt; at best, it may even break them.”

  “And how do you propose we deal this shocking blow, General?” Zheng asked.

  “By moving up our invasion of Vietnam.”

  The meeting broke into a chaotic rumble as the CMC members rapidly debated the idea with their neighbors. Pan had to shout to be heard above the noise.

  “Comrades! Silence, please!” Once the din had subsided, he looked toward General Li. “I appreciate the boldness of your suggestion, General, but are we ready to do that?”

  Li shrugged slightly. “There is some risk, of course, Comrade President, but I believe it is minimal. Four out of the five group armies are fully deployed and in position. The South Sea Fleet has the equipment for its marine division already loaded on their amphibious assault ships, and the air force and Second Artillery have the vast majority of their forces in place. The rest can be moved up in a matter of days, perhaps a week at most. We could launch the initial strikes as early as tomorrow.”

  “No!” shouted Shen, jumping to his feet. “The Americans still have nearly half the day with adequate 3D coverage. By attacking now, our losses will be increased! Everything is going according to plan. This response by the Americans isn’t sufficient justification to abandon it!”

  There were shocked expressions on many of the generals’ faces. Pan scowled with anger at Shen’s outburst. But it was the deadpanned Li who delivered the decisive blow. “I do not recall General Shen being a member of this commission.”

  Immediately, Shen knew he had been outmaneuvered by the army commander, the most powerful military member on the CMC. Quietly, Shen sat back down. Nothing he could say would make the situation any better.

  “Does any member have additional comments or questions?” asked Pan. No one spoke. Even the hesitant Jing remained silent. The die had been cast.

  “Very well. Generals, have your staffs issue the orders to begin the invasion of Vietnam at the earliest possible time. We need to move quickly if we are to succeed.”

  15

  Invasion

  National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Washington, D.C.

  November 6, 2017

  Harold Matheson watched with smug satisfaction C-SPAN’s coverage of the House of Representatives debate on the U.S. Space Force. Many of the representatives were visibly angry. Even the president’s allies were upset by his unilateral and secret establishment of a new branch of the armed forces. But by far and away the most vocal opponent of the president’s “unprecedented” move was Congressman Thomas Rutledge from Nebraska.

  “Mr. Speaker, while I’m sympathetic to the president’s desire to deal proactively with China’s unwarranted attack on our GPS satellites, this is by no means sufficient justification for his actions. The U.S. Space Force was established without consultation with my colleagues in either the House or Senate.

  “Furthermore, this new branch of the armed forces has been funded without the direct involvement of Congress, which is completely unconstitutional! The framers of the Constitution invested in the representatives of the people the ‘power of the purse,’ the power to tax and spend public money for the national government. The president and the executive agencies are only empowered to make suggestions or requests.” A sharp round of applause forced Rutledge to pause. He raised his hand, asking for silence.

  “The president may be entirely correct that the time has indeed come for a space force to defend our interests in the heavens, but the way in which he went about doing it is entirely incorrect. Now, I’ve heard excuses from the president’s supporters that speed and secrecy are absolutely critical in this case. Again, that may in fact be true; however, they do not excuse the absence of a proper discussion with the U.S. Congress. The ends do not justify the means!”

  Matheson clapped his hands along with many of the other representatives on the screen as Rutledge stepped down from the podium. The man has hit the nail squarely on the head, thought the NASA director. Maybe now the president will listen to reason and rein in Schultz and his fanatical minions.

  The buzzing of his phone interrupted Matheson’s quiet gloating. Irritated, he hastily grabbed the handset and said, “Helen, I specifically asked not to be…”

  “I’m sorry, Dr. Matheson,” said the secretary rapidly, cutting her boss off, “but the president is on the line for you.”

  Matheson was surprised. He expected a call from the White House, just not so soon. Had the president had a change of heart overnight? Did he see the handwriting on the wall and was now trying to shore up support?

  “Dr. Matheson, did you hear me? The president is on the line for you,” repeated the secretary.

  “Yes, Helen, I heard you. Please connect me. Thank you.”

  “Yes, sir, you’re now connected.”

  “Good morning, Mr. President,” greeted Matheson.

  “Is it, Doctor? I trust you’re watching the debate going on in the House of Representatives?”

  “Yes, Mr. President,” Matheson replied with fake sincerity, “a most unfortunate turn of events.”

  “Really?” Jackson answered sharply. “Then perhaps you should have thought of this ‘unfortunate turn of events’ before you leaked the Defender design document and the existence of the Space Force.”

  Matheson felt the cold chill of fear go up his back. “I … I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Mr. President.”

  “Well, then, let me jog your memory. We know the version of the design document posted on the Space News Web site was the same one you had in your posses
sion. We know the Starbucks you went to in an attempt to hide your activities. The IP address was tracked down by the NSA, and we have security-camera footage of you at that establishment at the proper time. This entire mess was due to your incredibly childish behavior.”

  The NASA director sat frozen, unable to speak.

  “I’m very busy, Dr. Matheson, so let me cut to the chase. Your services as the director of NASA are no longer required. Obviously, all of your security clearances have been revoked. Clean out your office of any personal items and turn in your badge immediately.

  “There are two FBI agents in your office foyer; they will escort you off the premises. The attorney general will be bringing formal charges against you in the near future, but since your actions were due to petty jealousy and not traitorous intentions, it will take a little time to accurately determine what goes into the indictment. Therefore, out of deference to your past service, for the moment you’ll be allowed to stay in your home rather than a jail cell.

  “You will be fitted with a tracking device to ensure you stay put, and a warrant has been obtained to monitor all your communications. Good day, Dr. Matheson.”

  The click over the phone signaled the end of the call, but Matheson continued to hold the handset against his ear, staring blankly at the wall. A moment later, the door to his office opened and a large man walked in.

  “Dr. Matheson, I’m Special Agent Romano. I’m here to assist you in moving your personal items out of this office. I have several boxes here, should you need them.”

  Kunming Air Base

  Sichuan Province, China

  November 7, 2017

  The Il-76 transport lumbered off the taxiway and stopped. A cluster of uniformed Chinese military personnel waited on the tarmac as the large aircraft’s engines whined to a stop. The instant the rear ramp touched the surface, a Russian army officer sauntered down and directed the Chinese to come aboard. A short few minutes later, the first huge BAZ missile transporter-erector-launcher rolled out of the aircraft’s cavernous bay.

  The forty-five-foot, six-wheeled truck inched out of the transport and down the ramp. Four canisters took up two-thirds’ the length of the vehicle, overhanging the end of the chassis.

  The command and radar vehicles were already on the ground and had moved off to a clear area to one side of the hangars. Technicians swarmed over the two vehicles, checking them quickly before letting them proceed. Railcars and loading equipment stood ready.

  An S-400 surface-to-air missile battery, consisting of the command and radar vehicle and four TELs, was already emplaced around the base. It would protect the airfield while the rest of the equipment arrived.

  National Military Command Center

  The Pentagon

  November 7, 2017

  “At least three batteries of S-400 SAMs have arrived so far. The first was used to cover the airfield, while the second was sent by rail to the Gongga Shan launch site. We believe the third will be used to cover the Xichang control center.”

  The news wasn’t pretty, but Admiral Overton had more to tell. He displayed a list of Russian military units, along with their strengths and their locations.

  “The Russians have also withdrawn some of their forces, including strike aircraft and ballistic missile units, from the Chinese border. They haven’t moved out of theater, but they’ve moved far enough away to send a clear message.

  “The reduced Russian offensive presence on the northern frontier will allow China to move PLA units south as necessary. While disturbing, the latest Russian action is consistent with the growing diplomatic ties between the two countries. Russian official statements have supported the Chinese in the Vietnam crisis, and they’ve been quiet about Chinese attacks on our GPS satellites. These movements indicate that they’ve decided to take sides, but in a subtle fashion. The Russians won’t become directly involved militarily, but they’ll support China’s campaign by supplying arms and easing the border situation.”

  Overton saw their reaction and mentally threw the rest of his presentation over his shoulder, just summarizing the key points. “North Korean air assets have been placed on high alert, and some MiG-29s have dispersed to staging fields near the DMZ. While North Korean army units are mobilizing, we haven’t seen any significant movement south.”

  He put a new list on the display. “Taiwan has put her military on full-scale alert, for obvious reasons. But India, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand armed forces have also begun mobilizing. Our suspicion is that they fear China won’t stop with Vietnam and will keep on going.”

  “We’ve only seen the early signs of mobilization in these countries, but if they continue, other powers like Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and Malaysia will be compelled to follow suit. With tensions running high and virtually every country in East Asia going to high alert, the chances of something going horribly wrong is getting higher with each passing day. In short, no good will come of this.”

  General Kastner looked thinner after almost two months of crisis. He listened to Overton’s brief quietly, then asked, “And the Chinese are still completely ready?”

  “All the deployed units are still in place, sir, and they’ve begun mobilizing reserve units throughout the country. Half their fleet is at sea or ready for immediate steaming. Stockpiles at staging areas near the Vietnamese border have actually increased, and thanks to the Russians, the Chinese will probably be able to protect them better. Given their current posture, China could attack the Vietnamese with less than twenty-four hours warning.”

  “They certainly know about the congressional resolution,” fumed Kastner. Opposition congressmen from the House had started a resolution calling for the cutting of funding for troops in Japan and South Korea. “With Russia and North Korea watching her flanks, China may now feel free to act.”

  Kastner looked at the assembled service chiefs. Everyone looked tired and discouraged. “Are there any other comments?” Only the Marine commandant spoke. “The Chinese believe they have a free hand against Vietnam, and perhaps even Taiwan. It’s possible they may decide to resolve all their territorial issues in one swift campaign. As long as we’re perceived as having one hand tied behind our back, we don’t represent much of a deterrent.”

  The chairman sighed with frustration; the situation was crumbling around them, and there seemed to be precious little they could do about it. Picking up a copy of Schultz’s request, he waved it about as he spoke. “Gentlemen, we have another difficult issue to address. We all know about the status of Defender, and their request for more time. Do we recommend for or against the replacement satellite launch? General Warner?”

  The air force chief of staff controlled the GPS constellation, although it was used by all the services. “We knew we’d come to this point, sir, and while I’d hate to waste another satellite, I really don’t see us having a lot of other options. We’ve contracted for new birds, but it will be a while before they’re ready. My preference would be to hold out as long as possible and launch when we have a better picture of China’s intentions.”

  “China could go to war tomorrow, Mike. You heard Frank’s assessment. By the time you get your ‘better picture,’ it may be too late. This will be a ‘come as you are’ conflict, and we’ll need whatever GPS capability we can get, for as long as we can get it.” General Forest, the Army’s Chief of Staff, wasn’t shy. “Even if we can’t get full coverage, more partial 3D coverage is better than less partial 3D coverage.”

  “Trust me, Ted, I’m well aware of the problem,” snapped Warner. “My guys and the navy need the 3D coverage more than the army. But we only have a few spare birds,” the air force general reminded him. “Once we lose those satellites, we’re back to pre–Desert Storm dumb bombs.”

  “The Chinese will shoot down one GPS satellite a week whether we launch a replacement bird or not, Mike,” Kastner injected. “This buys us some time. Putting it in my terms: We’re fighting a rearguard action, trading casualties for time.” The soldier looked g
rim but determined.

  Warner nodded his head in defeat. He really didn’t want to say what he was about to say. “If that’s the consensus of the joint staff, then I propose we launch two satellites, not just one. I have one bird each at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg that could be ready to go within three days. It will buy us a little more time and, hopefully, give the Chinese a bit of a shock, maybe enough to throw them off a little. We need to seize the initiative, and this is one way, albeit an expensive one, for us to do so. But this leaves us with only one, maybe two, satellites left in the barn. After that, we’re done.”

  “Then we have to hope the cavalry arrives as promised,” Kastner concluded. “I’ll make the recommendation to the SECDEF.”

  CNN News

  November 8, 2017

  “With the crisis in East Asia at a boiling point and China on the verge of invading Vietnam, the world waits for China’s next move. Will it be just another strike against the U.S. GPS satellite this coming Friday? Or something larger and more menacing?” inquired the CNN anchor. “And yet there have been unsubstantiated rumors of intense activity at the U.S. Vandenberg Air Force Base. Our Mark Markin has traveled to the remote California facility to investigate these rumors. Mark, tell us what you’ve found so far.”

  The screen transitioned to Markin standing in front of a beige granite wall, on which the words VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE were displayed in bold letters.

  “Robert, I’m standing at the main gate of Vandenberg Air Force Base in Southern California, where the rumors of an impending launch are running rampant. Vandenberg is the air force’s Pacific space-launch facility and is the installation of choice when classified payloads are put into orbit. According to anonymous sources, a Delta II rocket with an undisclosed payload has been moved to Space Launch Complex 2 and is being prepared for immediate launch. SLC-2 is one of six active launch facilities at Vandenberg and has two launchpads.”

  “Mark, do you have any leads on what the payload is?” The screen was now split, with both Markin and the news anchor shown side by side.