Executive Intent

“Sir, you have no reconnaissance reports from the area because all of the patrol planes were grounded due to radio interference and poor datalink,” Kai explained. “The only other CTF vessels out there are Chinese, and they’re reporting ops-normal-because they are engineering this whole diversion.”

“What diversion?”

“Whatever the Chinese are up to, sir, they’ve managed to blank out all reconnaissance in the area, turn the convoy west, and are closing on Mogadishu,” Kai said.

“If there’s this big blackout like you said, how can you see it?”

“We used a small tactical satellite launched just days ago, which operates differently from other reconnaissance assets,” Kai said. “I think the Chinese didn’t know about it, or couldn’t do anything about it if they did. We just spotted the convoy minutes ago.”

“I want to see those pictures, now!”

“I’m going to have to route them to you through Space Command, since you’re not on our network. That’ll take a bit-”

“‘Not on your network’? What in hell does that mean?”

“It means my higher headquarters has to give you the pictures-I can’t do it directly,” Kai said. “But until then, may I suggest you get some eyes up there to verify this sighting, sir. If the Chinese are still jamming all transmissions in the area, they may have to-”

“I don’t need your suggestions, Raydon!” Greene shouted. “I want those pictures, and I want them now! And don’t be blabbing about this contact to anyone except your bosses until I get it confirmed! That’s an order!” And the connection went dead.

OFFICE OF THE PREMIER, BEIJING, CHINA

THAT SAME TIME

“You asked me to notify you when China is about to act,” Premier Zhou Qiang spoke.

“This Operation Lightning you messaged us about earlier?” asked Russia president Igor Truznyev, speaking on the secure direct “hotline” between each president’s office.

“Yes. It is under way. We have another mission under way as well. A clever officer in our Strategic Defense Forces corps calls it Operation Zu-qiu-Operation Soccer, what the Americans call ‘football.’”

“May I inquire as to what you intend to do with this Operation Soccer?”

“You will learn more soon, Mr. President,” Zhou said. “But I will tell you this: We shall see how the Americans take a kick.”

“Very clever.”

“We anticipate that Operation Lightning will be on station for seven days,” Zhou said, “after which time they will cycle in to Aden for refueling and replenishment.”

“We will be ready.”

“Very well. It is nice to be working with Russia again, Mr. President.”

“I would feel better about our new relationship if you would give me more details about this Operation Soccer,” Truznyev said.

“It is merely another attempt to dissuade President Gardner from expanding this space-weapon constellation,” Zhou said. “You will detect more shortly. Oh, and Mr. President?”

“Yes?”

“Please disregard any launch warnings coming from central Myanmar. Classify it as a petroleum plant explosion and fire.” He terminated the connection, then dialed another number on a different secure phone. “Minister Zung, you may give the order to proceed with Operation Zu-qiu.”

FIVE

Your dream is not big enough if it doesn’t scare you.

– MATTHIAS SCHMELZ

11 TH STRATEGIC DEFENSE F ORCES O ERATIONS CENTER, HAINAN ISLAND, CHINA

A SHORT TIME LATER

General Hua Zhilun picked up the phone himself. “Operations.”

“Are your forces ready, General?” Minister of National Defense Zung asked.

“Yes, sir, we are ready.”

“Status of the target?”

“The launch window is open for another eighty-seven minutes, sir,” Hua replied. “No change in orbital path.”

“Operation Shan-dian is under way,” Zung said. “Based on radio traffic, we believe the convoy has been discovered, but the attacks are already under way. You are authorized to proceed with Operation Zu-qiu. Good hunting, General.”

“Yes, sir, thank you,” Hua responded. He hung up the phone, then put on a headset and keyed a button at his console: “All stations, this is Yi, authorization received, operation will commence immediately, repeat, authorization received, commence operation.”

Eight hundred miles west of Hainan Island in the nation of Myanmar, also known as Burma, a petroleum-gas storage tank located outside a refinery near the city of Taunggyi suddenly exploded, creating a massive fireball that ignited several other tanks and pipes and eventually became so hot that some trees in the nearby hardwood forest began to sway from waves of heat washing across them. Pipes containing pressurized petroleum gas with open check valves continued to feed fuel to the inferno.