Executive Intent

“And I deeply regret the loss of Russian life, Mr. President,” Gardner said. “But we are still confused as to why you would grant permission for a simple patrol overflight of your fleet, and then attack it. Were you trying to instigate a response, or-”

“Do not change the subject, Mr. Gardner,” Truznyev said. “You promised the world you would not employ those space-attack weapons and you called for a ban of such weapons, then you proceed right along and use another to shoot down a Russian aircraft. You simply cannot be trusted any longer, sir. You are a liar. And if you seek to pretend that you did not give the order to employ those weapons, you are not only a liar but a coward.”

“There is no need for such language, sir,” Gardner said.

“This is Russia ’s demand to you, Mr. Gardner,” Truznyev said. “All patrols by aircraft within strike range of our task forces will cease immediately. We will consider any such aircraft hostile and engage it immediately and without warning. Do you agree, sir, yes or no?”

“We are allowed freedom to navigate the sky as well as the sea, sir. We will not-”

“I said, Mr. Gardner, do you agree?”

Gardner hesitated, but only for a few moments: “Agreed, Mr. President,” he said. “In the interest of mutual peace and trust, the United States will fly no patrol aircraft within one hundred miles of any Russian warship.” His national security advisers looked aghast as they listened in on the conversation; Phoenix still wore the same stony expression.

“And you must deactivate all of the Kingfisher interceptor satellites immediately,” Truznyev went on, “and they must be allowed to burn up in the atmosphere.”

“Excuse me, Mr. President?”

“ Russia has the capability to monitor signals between those weapon satellites, Earth satellite control centers, and your military space station,” Truznyev said. “Those signals must cease. With prior permission, you will be allowed to maneuver the weapon satellites to deconflict with other satellite traffic or pick a safe reentry crash area, and you will be allowed to approach the satellites to recover sensors or other valuable equipment, but otherwise you may not alter their orbital path or activate any systems on board. They will be allowed to crash in the atmosphere.”

“Mr. President, those satellites perform a function over and above attack,” Gardner said. He glanced at his advisers around him and their shocked expressions-all but Phoenix ’s. The president didn’t know enough about the Kingfisher satellites to defend them; no one at the table really did, except perhaps for Phoenix, and the president wasn’t about to ask him. “They are used for…for reconnaissance, uh, and communications…”

“Mr. Gardner, we both know that their primary function is to destroy satellites and attack targets on Earth, apparently now including aircraft,” Truznyev said. “You can prattle about this and that as you please, but we all know that they were designed to kill, and have now done so many times. They must be deactivated, immediately, or Russia has no choice but to respond in kind.”

“What do you mean, Mr. President?”

“The United States and China are deploying antisatellite weapons- Russia shall start deploying them as well, in great numbers,” Truznyev said. “ China is placing long-range hypersonic antiship missiles all over the world in strategic locations- Russia will do so, too. America depends on Russian cargo spacecraft to supply the International Space Station and to boost it in its proper orbit-perhaps Russia ’s resources can best be used to help another nation’s space program.”

“So you’re threatening to start a new arms race?”

“The race began when you began deploying these armed satellites in orbit two years ago,” the Russian president said, “as well as engaging in this rapid buildup of aircraft carriers. You seek to dominate space like you dominate the world’s oceans. This will not stand. You will agree to stand down your space weapons and leave our fleet in peace, or you will begin encountering more and more antiship and antisatellite weapons arrayed against you all across the planet.”

“ America is not Russia ’s enemy,” Gardner said, his undertone almost pleading. “What happened over the Gulf of Aden will not be repeated. We have no designs on your task force, and we agreed to let Russia secure Yemen against further terrorist acts.”

“Mr. Gardner, words mean very little right now as we pull bodies and wreckage out of the Gulf of Aden,” Truznyev said. “Actions show your true intent, not words. Prove to Russia that you want peace and freedom of the seas and skies: Remove your armed patrols so our ships can move without fear, and remove the satellites of war so we can look up into the night sky again without fear of an artificial meteor streaking down on our heads. Then we shall see who is the enemy and who is a friend. Until then, you will find no cooperation from Russia.” And the line went dead.