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d if that es to pass； but overconfidence can be any man's undoing。〃
〃And overestimating one's enemy ensures that you will never do anything；〃 Zhang Han San countered。 〃Did we get to where we are； did our country get to where we are； by timidity？ The Long March was not made by cowards。〃 He looked around the table； and no one summoned the character to argue with him。
〃So； things go well in Russia？〃 Xu asked the Defense Minister。
〃Better than the plan；〃 Luo assured them all。
〃Then we proceed；〃 the Premier decided for them all； once others had made the real decisions。 The meeting soon adjourned； and the ministers went their separate ways。
〃Fang？〃
The junior Minister…Without…Portfolio turned to see Qian Kun ing after him in the corridor。 〃Yes； my friend？〃
〃The reason the Americans have not taken firmer action is that they act at the end of a single railroad to move them and their supplies。 This takes time。 They have not dropped bombs on us； probably； because they don't have any。 And where does Zhang get this rubbish about American ideology？〃
〃He is wise in the ways of international affairs；〃 Fang replied。
〃Is he？ Is he really？ Is he not the one who tricked the Japanese into mencing a war with America？ And why…so that we and they could seize Siberia。 And then did he not quietly support Iran and their attempt to seize the Saudi kingdom？ And why？ So that we could then use the Muslims as a hammer to beat Russia into submission…so that we could seize Siberia。 Fang； all he thinks about is Siberia。 He wishes to see it under our flag before he dies。 Perhaps he wishes to have his ashes buried in a golden urn； like the emperors；〃 Qian hissed。 〃He's an adventurer； and those men e to bad ends。〃
〃Except those who succeed；〃 Fang suggested。
〃How many of them succeed； and how many die before a stone wall？〃 Qian shot back。 〃I say the Americans will strike us； and strike us hard once their forces are assembled。 Zhang follows his own political vision； not facts； not reality。 He may lead our country to its doom。〃
〃Are the Americans so formidable as that？〃
〃If they are not； Fang； why does Tan spend so much of his time trying to steal their inventions？ Don't you remember what America did to Japan and Iran？ They are like the wizards of legend。 Luo tells us that they've savaged our air force。 How often has he told us how formidable our fighters are？ All the money we spent on those wonderful aircraft； and the Americans slaughter them like hogs fattened for market！ Luo claims we've gotten twenty…five of theirs。 He claims only twenty…five。 More likely we've gotten one or two！ Against over a hundred losses； but Zhang tells us the Americans don't want to challenge us。 Oh； really？ What held them back from smashing Japan's military； and then annihilating Iran's？〃
Qian paused for breath。 〃I fear this； Fang。 I fear what Zhang and Luo have gotten us into。〃
〃Even if you are right； what can we do to stop it？〃 the minister asked。
〃Nothing；〃 Qian admitted。 〃But someone must speak the truth。 Someone must warn of the danger that lies before us； if we are to have a country left at the end of this misbegotten adventurism。〃
〃Perhaps so。 Qian； you are as ever a voice of reason and prudence。 We will speak more；〃 Fang promised； wondering how much of the man's words was alarmism； and how much was good sense。 He'd been a brilliant administrator of the state railroads； and therefore was a man with a firm grasp on reality。
Fang had known Zhang for most of his adult life。 He was a highly skilled player on the political stage； and a brilliantly gifted manipulator of people。 But Qian was asking if those talents translated into a correct perception of reality； and did he really understand America and Americans…and most of all； this Ryan fellow？ Or was he just forcing oddly…shaped pegs into the slots he'd engraved in his own mind？ Fang admitted that he didn't know； and more to the point； didn't know the answers to the implicit questions。 He did not know himself whether Zhang was right or not。 And he really should。 But who might？ Tan of the Ministry of State Security？ Shen of the Foreign Ministry？ Who else？ Certainly not Premier Xu。 All he did was to confirm the consensus achieved by others； or to repeat the words spoken into his ear by Zhang。
Fang walked to his office thinking about all these things； trying to organize his thoughts。 Fortunately； he had a system for achieving that。
It started in Memphis； the headquarters of Federal Express。 Faxes and telexes arrived simultaneously； telling the pany that its wide…body cargo jets were being taken into federal service under the terms of a Phase I call…up of the Civilian Reserve Air Fleet。 That meant that all freight…capable aircraft that the federal government had helped to finance （that was nearly all of them； because no mercial bank could pete with Washington when it came to financing things） were now being taken； along with their crews； under the control of the Air Mobility mand。 The notice wasn't wele； but neither was it much of a surprise。 Ten minutes later came follow…up messages telling the aircraft where to go； and soon thereafter they started rolling。 The flight crews； the majority of them military…trained； wondered where their ultimate destinations were； sure that they'd be surprising ones。 The pilots would not be disappointed in this。
FedEx would have to make do with its older narrow…body aircraft； like the venerable Boeing 727s with which the pany had gotten started two decades earlier。 That； the dispatchers knew； would be a stretch； but they had assistance agreements with the airlines； which they would now activate in order to try to keep up with the continuing shipment of legal documents and live lobsters all over America。
Just how inefficient is it？〃 Ryan asked。 〃Well； we can deliver one day's worth of bombs in three days' worth of flying…maybe two if we stretch things a little； but that's as good as it's going to get；〃 Moore told him。 〃Bombs are heavy things； and getting them around uses up a lot of jet fuel。 General Wallace has a nice list of targets to service； but to do that he needs bombs。〃
〃Where are the bombs going to e from？〃
〃Andersen Air Force Base on Guam has a nice pile；〃 Moore said。 〃Ditto Elmendorf in Alaska； and Mountain Home in Idaho。 Various other places。 It's not so much a question of time and distance as of weight。 Hell； the Russian base he's using at Suntar is plenty big for his purposes。 We just have to get the bombs to him； and I've just shunted a lot of Air Force lifters to Germany to start loading First Armored's aviation assets to where Diggs is。 That's going to take four days of nonstop flying。〃
〃What about crew rest？〃 Jackson asked。
〃What？〃 Ryan looked up。
〃It's a Navy thing； Jack。 The Air Force has union rules on how much they can fly。 Never had those rules out on the boats；〃 Robby explained。 〃The C…5 has a bunk area for people to sleep。 I was just being facetious。〃 He didn't apologize。 It was late…actually 〃early〃 was the correct adjective…and nobody in the White House was getting much sleep。
For his part； Ryan wanted a cigarette to help him deal with the stress； but Ellen Sumter was home and in bed； and no on