Motor Rifle is standing-to. Our air-defense radars are all up and operating. We have interceptor aircraft flying combat air patrol within twenty kilometers of the border. The border defenses are on full alert, and the reserve formation—”
“Have a name for it yet?” the commanding general asked.
“BOYAR,” Colonel Aliyev answered. “We have three companies of motorized infantry deployed to evacuate the border troops if necessary, the rest are out of their depot and working up north of Never. They’ve done gunnery all day.”
“And?”
“And for reservists they did acceptably,” Aliyev answered. Bondarenko didn’t ask what that meant, partly because he was afraid to.
“Anything else we can do? I want ideas, comrades,” General Bondarenko said. But all he saw were headshakes. “Very well. I’m going to get some dinner. If anything happens, I want to know about it. Anything at all, comrades.” This generated nods, and he walked back to his quarters. There he got on the phone.
“Greetings, General,” Golovko said. It was still afternoon in Moscow. “How are things at your end?”
“Tense, Comrade Chairman. What can you tell me of this attempt on the president?”
“We arrested a chap named Suvorov earlier today. We’re interrogating him and one other right now. We believe that he was an agent of the Chinese Ministry of State Security, and we believe also that he was conspiring to kill Eduard Petrovich.”
“So, in addition to preparing an invasion, they also wish to cripple our political leadership?”
“So it would seem,” Golovko agreed gravely.
“Why weren’t we given fuller information?” Far East demanded.
“You weren’t?” The chairman sounded surprised.
“No!” Bondarenko nearly shouted.
“That was an error. I am sorry, Gennady losifovich. Now, you tell me: Are you ready?”
“All of our forces are at maximum alert, but the correlation of forces is adverse in the extreme.”
“Can you stop them?”
“If you give me more forces, probably yes. If you do not, probably no. What help can I expect?”
“We have three motor-rifle divisions on trains at this moment crossing the Urals. We have additional air power heading to you, and the Americans are beginning to arrive. What is your plan?”
“I will not try to stop them at the border. That would merely cost me all of my troops to little gain. I will let the Chinese in and let them march north. I will harass them as much as possible, and then when they are well within our borders, I will kill the body of the snake and watch the head die. If, that is, you give me the support I need.”
“We are working on it. The Americans are being very helpful. One of their tank divisions is now approaching Poland on trains. We’ll send them right through to where you are.”
“What units?”
“Their First Tank division, commanded by a Negro chap named Diggs.”
“Marion Diggs? I know him.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, he commanded their National Training Center and also commanded the force they deployed to the Saudi kingdom last year. He’s excellent. When will he arrive?”
“Five days, I should imagine. You’ll have three Russian divisions well before then. Will that be enough, Gennady?”
“I do not know,” Bondarenko replied. “We have not yet taken the measure of the Chinese. Their air power worries me most of all. If they attack our railhead at Chita, deploying our reinforcements could be very difficult.” Bondarenko paused. “We are well set up to move forces laterally, west to east, but to stop them we need to move them northeast from their drop-off points. It will be largely a race to see who can go north faster. The Chinese will also be using infantry to wall off the western flank of their advance. I’ve been training my men hard. They’re getting better, but I need more time and more men. Is there any way to slow them down politically?”
“All political approaches have been ignored. They pretend nothing untoward is happening. The Americans have approached them as well, in hope of discouraging them, but to no avail.”
“So, it comes to a test of arms?”
“Probably,” Golovko agreed. “You’re our best man, Gennady Iosifovich. We believe in you, and you will have all the support we can muster.”
“Very well,” the general replied, wondering if it would be enough. “I will let you know of any developments here.”
General Bondarenko knew that a proper general—the sort they had in movies, that is—would now eat the combat rations his men were having, but no, he’d eat the best food available because he needed his strength, and false modesty would not impress his men at all. He did refrain from alcohol, which was