Chimera

“No, it is not,” Feng continued. “I have ordered tankers from Wugong airbase to meet up with the J-11s over Golmud to refuel them and keep them on station with the last remaining KJ-2000 AWACS until we can get reinforcements up there. We…” Feng rubbed his forehead, “… lost several special mission aircraft on the ground at Golmud along with a few fighters. That’s going to cost us in the long run. We don’t have enough airborne-radar aircraft now to maintain continuous presence. We could use the last remaining KJ-2000 from Korla for specific operations but not for continuous patrolling. What’s worse, we lost the 821 brigade detachment at Golmud as well.”

Chen frowned at that and rubbed his tired eyes with his fingers. The losses they had just incurred would be painful for operations and both men knew it. Several seconds later he walked over to the phone and picked it up.

“I think it’s better that Wencang hears this from me before Liu grabs him by the collar demanding an explanation!” Chen said and then waited on the line. A few seconds of silence later, Chen livened up:

“Chen here. You are not going to like this at all. I…” Chen was cut mid-sentence as Wencang took over the conversation. All Feng could hear was some distant voice on the phone as Chen raised his eyebrows in surprise. Chen got off the phone and looked at Feng.

“So it looks like Liu is already aware of the situation,” Chen said as he absorbed what all he had been told by Wencang. “He also told me that on Liu’s advice, Peng has ordered all C-M-C members to move to the national wartime operations center outside of Beijing. The 2ND Artillery boys are running the show now!”

DAY 12

CHINESE NATIONAL COMMAND CENTER

WEST OF BEIJING

DAY 12 + 0400 HRS

“I think I have heard just about enough of you! Colonel Dianrong, get the commanders from 818, 819 and 820 Brigades online right now!” Liu thundered and slammed the table. The force of it shook the civilian party leaders in the room.

But Liu’s opponent in the room was not intimidated that easily.

“Colonel! Stay that order!” Wencang shouted with a finger pointed at Colonel Dianrong who had the phone in his hand. The force of the order from Wencang caused him to pause mid-way.

“You are out of line, Wencang!” Liu’s voice was shaking with rage. He was not used to having his orders questioned, let alone dismissed.

“And you do not have the authority to make unilateral decisions on this matter!” Wencang shouted back and gestured at Chairman Peng, who was quite shaken by force of the argument between his senior military commanders. He knew that his authority within China was only enforced by the uniformed people in this room.

If that disappeared…?

“Are you insane, Wencang?” Liu shouted back. “We have already been attacked with ballistic-missiles! Would you rather we wait till our forces are completely wiped out? Just like Golmud? If we don’t strike now we will only embolden the Indians into striking deeper and harder! My men died under your command at Golmud. You may be fine losing your command and your air war, but I will turn the entire subcontinent into a pile of ash before I lose mine!”

Liu turned again to Dianrong, his aide-de-camp. The Colonel was currently stuck in a very nasty position.

“But I have had quite enough of this! Dianrong! I gave you a direct order! I want you to carry it out… right now!”

“Liu! Control yourself!” Wencang shouted.

With two of his senior commanders thundering at each other in the room and the shouts echoing around, Peng rubbed his forehead to lower the headache. They had been in here for hours now, and everybody’s tempers were flaring.

“That’s quite enough! Both of you!” Peng shouted at the top of his voice. He then turned to Colonel Dianrong:

“Colonel, put down that phone and step away!”

With both Liu and Wencang seething, Dianrong put down the phone and quietly backed away towards the walls and took his position. Peng got up from his seat and looked at Wencang.

“Is it true that you lost several special mission aircraft in the Indian missile attack on Golmud?”

“Yes, comrade chairman,” Wencang replied after controlling his anger.

“And we also lost the long-range cruise-missile launchers that General Liu had attached to the air-force. What is the status of that base?” Peng asked neutrally. Liu took his seat in the meantime.

“It is no longer operational,” Wencang went on, knowing fully well where this was going. “We will need all of today to repair the runway enough to allow fighters to land and refuel. But we have relocated several units to Korla, Wugong and…”

Wencang was stopped mid-sentence by Peng’s raised hand.

“I am not finished, General! Please answer my questions first and then say what it is you wish to say!”