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ions。
The general scowled in the confines of his staff car。 It was what he got for being smart and energetic。 A properly prepared and trained military district didn't need a man like him； did it？ No； his talents were needed by a shithole like this one。 Just once； he thought； might a good officer get a reward for good performance instead of another 〃challenge；〃 as they called it？ He grunted。 Not in this lifetime。 The dunces and dolts drew the fortable districts with no threats and lots of equipment to deal with them。
His worst worry was the air situation。 Of all the Russian military arms； the air forces had suffered the most from the fall of the Soviet Union。 Once Far East had had its own fleets of tactical fighters； poised to deal with a threat from American aircraft based in Japan or on aircraft carriers of their Pacific Fleet； that plus what was needed to face off the Chinese。 No more。 Now he had perhaps fifty usable aircraft in theater； and the pilots for those got perhaps seventy flight hours per year； barely enough to make sure they could take off and land safely。 Fifty modern fighter…class aircraft； mainly for air…to…air bat； not air…to…ground。 There were several hundred more； rotting at their bases； mainly in hardened shelters to keep them dry； their tires dry…rotted and internal seals cracked from lack of use because of the spare…parts shortage that grounded nearly the entire Russian air force。
〃You know； Andrey； I can remember when the world shook with fear of our country's army。 Now； they shake with laughter； those who bother to take note of us。〃 Bondarenko took a sip of vodka from a flask。 It had been a long time since he'd drunk alcohol on duty； but it was cold…the heater in the car was broken…and he needed the solace。
〃Gennady Iosifovich； it is not as bad as it appears…〃
〃I agree！ It is worse！〃 CINC…FAR EAST growled。 〃If the Chinks e north； I shall learn to eat with chopsticks。 I've always wondered how they do that；〃 he added with a wry smile。 Bondarenko was always one to see the humor in a situation。
〃But to others we appear strong。 We have thousands of tanks； rade General。〃
Which was true。 They'd spent the morning inspecting monstrous sheds containing of all things T…34/85 tanks manufactured at Chelyabinsk in 1946。 Some had virgin guns； never fired。 The Germans had shaken in their jackboots to see these tanks storm over the horizon； but that's what they were； World War II tanks； over nine hundred of them； three plete division sets。 And there were even troops to maintain them！ The engines still turned over； serviced as they were by the grandchildren of the men who'd used them in bat operations against the fascisti。 And in the same sheds were shells； some made as recently as 1986； for the 85…mm guns。 The world was mad； and surely the Soviet Union had been mad； first to store such antiques； then to spend money and effort maintaining them。 And even now； more than ten years after the demise of that nation…state； the sheer force of bureaucratic inertia still sent conscripts into the sheds to maintain the antique collection。 For what purpose？ No one knew。 It would take an archivist to find the documents； and while that might be of interest to some historian of a humorous bent； Bondarenko had better things to do。
〃Andrey； I appreciate your willingness to see the lighter side of every situation； but we do face a practical reality here。〃
〃rade General； it will take months to get permission to terminate this operation。〃
〃That is probably true； Andruska； but I remember a story about Napoleon。 He wished to plant trees by the side of the French roads to shade his marching troops。 A staff officer said； but； Marshal； it will take twenty years for the trees to grow enough to acplish that。 And Napoleon said； yes； indeed； so we must start at once！ And so； Colonel； we will start with that at once。〃
〃As you say； rade General。〃 Colonel Aliyev knew that it was a worthwhile idea。 He only wondered if he would have enough time to pursue all of the ideas that needed acplishing。 Besides； the troops at the tank sheds seemed happy enough。 Some even took the tanks out into the open to play with them； drive them about the nearby test range； and even shoot the guns occasionally。 One young sergeant had mented to him that it was good to use them； because it made the war movies he'd seen as a child seem even more real。 Now that； Colonel Aliyev thought； was something to hear from a soldier。 It made the movies better。 Damn。
Who does that slant…eyed motherfucker think he is？〃 Gant demanded out in the garden。
〃Mark； we laid a rather firm note on them this morning； and they're just reacting to it。〃
〃Cliff； explain to me why it's okay for other people to talk like that to us； but it's not okay for us to talk that way to them； will you？〃
〃It's called diplomacy；〃 Rutledge explained。
〃It's called horseshit； Cliff；〃 Gant hissed back。 〃Where I e from； if somebody disses you like that； you punch him right in the face。〃
〃But we don't do that。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because we're above it； Mark；〃 Rutledge tried to explain。 〃It's the little dogs that yap at you。 The big powerful dogs don't bother。 They know they can rip your head off。 And we know we can handle these people if we have to。〃
〃Somebody needs to tell them that； Cliffy；〃 Gant observed。 〃Because I don't think they got the word yet。 They're talking like they own the world； and they think they can play tough…guy with us； Cliff； and until they find out they can't； we're going to have a lot more of their shit to deal with。〃
〃Mark； this is how it's done； that's all。 It's just how the game is played at this level。〃
〃Oh； yeah？〃 Gant countered。 〃Cliff； it's not a game to them。 I see that； but you don't。 After this break； we're going back in there； and they're going to threaten us。 What do we do then？〃
〃We brush it off。 How can they threaten us？〃
〃The Boeing order。〃
〃Well； Boeing will have to sell its airplanes to somebody else this year；〃 Rutledge said。
〃Really？ What about the interests of all those workers we're supposed to represent？〃
〃Mark； at this level； we deal with the big picture； not the little one； okay？〃 Rutledge was actually getting angry with this stock TRADER。
〃Cliffy； the big picture is made up of a lot of little ones。 You ought to go back in there and ask if they like selling things to us。 Because if they do； then they have to play ball。 Because they need us a fucking lots more than we need them。〃
〃You don't talk that way to a great power。〃
〃Are we a great power？〃
〃The biggest；〃 Rutledge confirmed。
〃Then how e they talk that way to us？〃
〃Mark； this is my job。 You're here to advise me； but this is your first time to this sort of ball game； okay？ I know how to play the game。 It's my job。〃
〃Fine。〃 Gant let out a long breath。 〃But when we play by the rules and they don't； the game gets a little tedious。〃 Gant wandered off on his own for a moment。 The garden was pretty enough。 He hadn't done this sort of thing enough to know that there was usually a garden of some sort for diplomats to wander in after two or three hours of talking at each other in a conference room； but he had learned that the garden was where