| From: | Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Olympic Thunder |
| Date: | Sat, 2 Dec 2000 01:50:10 +0000 |
>>>>>[+++++begin encryption: Von_Stauffenberg.v2.02
Heh.
I think we got his attention.
+++++begin file: Minutes of the Intelligence Oversight Committee
E: BGen T Ernang
K: VAdm J Kowalski, Chairman
T: Senator Donald Trenton
S: Senator Samantha Strader
M: Representative Louis Menges
C: Representative Victor Crewell
K: General, thank you for your presence. I understand you suffered an
incident on your way in?
E: Nothing serious.
K: A terrorist attack with a possible explosive device, I believe-
E: My guard panicked and overrreacted. Someone dropped a soda can from
an overpass. That's all.
K: Not the Wildcats this time, then.
E: I beg the Admiral's pardon?
K: I mean, Ernang, that you took one Luis Carvallo of Seattle - at
least, he was in Seattle in 2058 when he was arrested and assigned a
temporary SIN under that name - who seems to be nothing more than a
bush-league hoodlum who recently got some major augmentations. Your
reasoning for announcing him to be a Sioux Wildcat?
E: It fits a known pattern.
K: And let me guess, we aren't cleared to know some special details that
would convince us if only we were allowed to see.
E: That's an oversimplification.
S: I wonder, General, what it is that we're not allowed to see.
E: Sensitive operational matters.
S: This Committee is cleared to the highest levels.
E: So was General Ernang. So was Director Bartlett. So was Doctor
Nar'moh'ach. You'll excuse me if I don't repose much faith in
clearances, or expose my men to hazard-
S: They all used that same excuse, General, and they all refused to
account for their actions. I feel a bout of suspicion coming on.
M: What I want to know is, General, how did you double your
establishment without additional funding?
E: I'm sorry?
M: You've got at least fifty confirmed casualties. The FRAG is funded to
one hundred and twelve effectives. Yet you say your losses are "not
significant". Either you think losing half your force is "not
significant" or you've done some covert empire building.
E: My apologies, Representative, I assumed I should maximise the value
from my funding rather than stick to bureaucratic allocations. By
using partnership-procurement initiatives and an innovative approach
to cost control I can support a force of over two hundred. While
losing a quarter of that is serious, in operational terms it does not
affect our ability to respond to crises yet. It _does_ degrade our
training cycle and cut down on leave, which has a morale impact-
T: General, you're saying you doubled your force without telling anyone?
E: One does not wish to brag, Senator.
S: When _were_ you planning to inform anyone of this?
E: My superiors are aware of the matter and-
K: General, who _is_ your superior officer?
E: I report directly to the Commander-in-Chief, as established under the
terms of my unit's creation.
K: When did you last meet face-to-face with your CO?
E: I've yet to have that honour. I have ensused my Commander is kept
fully informed as to my actions.
T: I'm sure.
E: I'm sorry?
T: Sorry, a slight cold. Chilly winter.
C: If my colleagues have finished with administrative trivia, General?
E: Ask them...
C: They seem willing to let me get to the point. What information do you
have on the Sioux build-up on our border?
E: Officially, two divisions of Sioux regulars deployed, plus two
divisions of reservised mobilised, and an armoured brigade forming up
near Aberdeen. Unofficially... the armoured brigade is more like a
full division with airmobile support, and the Wildcats are called up
and flooding across the border.
C: That's a little hard to believe.
E: I'm sure Admiral King found it hard to believe that Japanese bombers
were attacking Pearl Harbour, Representative, but that doesn't change
the facts.
T: The Japanese had a reason to attack, General. Why are the Sioux
preparing an assault?
E: I'm a soldier, not a politician or a diplomat. I don't know _why_
they are making these preparations, I only know what they are doing.
C: What response would you suggest?
E: Move the 25th Infantry to the border region and fully mobilise the
1st Cavalry. Remain in strong defensive positions, but be ready to
conduct a mobile defence, and to counterattack in force once
assaulted.
S: You're ruling out a pre-emptive strike?
E: Absolutely.
K: General, can I confirm that you do _not_ advocate any pre-emptive
action?
E: Admiral, we can contain and deflect and destroy anything the Sioux
can throw at us. Let them start the war, if they want one. We can
afford a snap readiness alert, it's good training. If they want a
fight... they can have it.
T: Then I don't think we have a problem. I don't think we need the Cav,
though.
S: Agreed. Armoured forces would be provocative. Raise their alert state
but keep them in barracks for now. Hold the line with infantry and
the armour we have already in-theatre.
E: Senator, I didn't know-
S: General, I'm anti-military as a rule, that behooves me to know what
I'm talking about and why I think as I do.
T: Defensive positions, bolstered by the 25th. No, not the 25th, they're
in the middle of a training cycle. The 101st. Motion proposed. Votes?
K: Approved.
S: Approved.
M: Approved.
C: Approved.
K: Christ on a Harley, the IOC voted unanimous. Sam, change your damn
vote.
S: No. We have a clear threat, we need to respond. _You_ change your
vote.
K: Nope. Tom's right on this one. I still want a proper examination of
his manpower and budget-
C: Not when we're in danger of foreign invasion!
E: With all due respect, Admiral, either sack me or let me do my job. I
would suggest that the 25th Infantry
K: Then do your job, General, with air-assault troops. You think leg
grunts are better for a mobile defence than heloborne?
E: Obviously, not, but-
K: Then smile, Tom, because we need someone as Theatre Commander and
you're best qualified. I don't like it but I can't think of anyone
with a better handle on the situation, so I'll suck it up and smile.
+++++end minutes
As if you didn't guess, our decision was to "give him enough rope to
make a noose with" because we have no legal sanction and, unlike you,
none of us admit to knowing any good assassins.
Officially, he's safe and secure and all is well.
Unofficially... well, the CO of the 25th Infantry was at West Point in
Ernang's class. The 101st, you know 'cause you and they have kicked each
others' butts enough times, we should be able to trust them to figure
out what's going on. He's being watched any time he does anything
official. Trouble is, he's got himself a _lot_ of unofficial wriggle
room. I gather he's got over five hundred troops now.
Hopefully you'll find him and stop him before he finishes this weird
ritual and Ernang tries to start his war. If not... get yourself to the
Sioux. They'll trust you more than anyone else.
We don't need a war, Jason, you know why not much better than I do.
If Ernang is dirty - and I think he is - stop him. That's an order. Do
what you have to do, to stop a UCAS-Sioux war that I believe he's trying
to start but I have no lawful means to stop.
At worst, we'll make a nice couple on the stand.
And get Lilith back alive. I like her. And you don't smile much, when
she's in trouble.
I thought you smiling was scary. I was wrong. You _not_ smiling is
_really_ scary.]<<<<<
-- Jane Kowalski <01:01:34/12-02-61>
*****PRIVATE: D J H Coppinger
>>>>>David,
I need your advice.
I'm turning Lynch loose on Ernang. Officially we're nodding and winking,
but muzzling him where we can (he wanted the 25th Infantry to reinforce
the border, we gave him the 101st Air Assault) Unofficially I'm telling
Jason "stop Ernang".
I'm just an overpromoted squid, am I doing this right?]<<<<<
-- Jane Kowalski <01:13:53/12-02-61>
*****PRIVATE: Jane Kowalski
>>>>>[I believe the description of what you've done is well summarised
by the Bard.
"Like Ate, hot from Hell
Cry 'Havoc'!
And let slip
The dogs of War."
I would say this. Support Lynch with every means at your disposal.
He will not ask for any official help, because there isn't much you can
do that you haven't already handled.
He probably expects to have to disappear into the shadows a wanted felon
after this. Make sure he is treated as a hero, not a criminal, when he
returns.
If he does not return... avenge him.
Ernang is tapping into a rich seam of resentment and rhetoric. If nobody
acts, he'll be well supported until his actions have a clear
identifiable cost, and by then we'll be at war. Use Lynch to stop
Ernang.
If Lynch fails... Turner's SEAL Team are in the Sioux Nation on a joint
exercise, and Mitchell has fifty excellent troops available at twelve
hours' notice in Seattle, and Rusanov can provide a full battalion of
capable mercenaries with heavy support.
Better civil war than foreign conflict, when we're led into it by self-
serving traitors.]<<<<<
-- D J H Coppinger <01:50:43/12-02-61>
