Red Tide, стр. 65
“And I am Kelsey Parker, Executive Vice President of Parker Shipping.”
Okada bowed. “Mr. Eguchi is expecting you. Please inform your bodyguard that her weapons are to remain holstered.”
“She knows,” Kelsey said. “Thank you.”
So, the front door was more than a door. A scanner was built into the frame. And it was Okada’s duty to inform Kelsey that the company’s security people were watching. Mr. Eguchi could have refused to see her of course … But nearly every executive Eguchi met with had at least one bodyguard. And no wonder given all of the potential threats.
An elevator whisked the party up to the fifth floor. Okada led his guests to a conference room, showed them inside, and gestured to a side table. It was loaded with western and eastern breakfast items. “Mr. Eguchi will be with you shortly. Please help yourselves.”
Kelsey poured a cup of coffee and took it over to a huge picture window. The Dyak docks were immediately below with the busy harbor beyond. The company’s boats were white over green. Good luck colors.
But very few of them were in port. Most of Dyak’s fleet was out fishing. And Chinese competition was fierce. Estimates put China’s pre-war fleet at more than twelve-thousand vessels, fishing in waters all around the world, even as far away as Argentina. And doing so with government subsidies that averaged three hundred and fifty-thousand dollars a year.
That put companies like Dyak at a tremendous disadvantage. And Kelsey couldn’t imagine how the war was making things any better. “Hello,” a male voice said. “Sorry I’m late.”
Kelsey turned to see a middle-aged Japanese businessman in a dark blue suit. They already knew each other, so there was no need to exchange cards.
“I was on the phone with my manager in the UAE,” Eguchi said, as he came forward to shake her hand. “Diesel fuel is in short supply as I’m sure you know.”
“We do,” Kelsey said. “That’s why we accept government cargoes at below market prices. The fuel allotments make up for the losses.”
“That’s clever,” Eguchi said. “Very clever. I wish we could do the same. Please, have a seat. I see you have coffee. Can I get you something else?”
“No, thank you,” Kelsey replied.
“Then we’ll get down to business,” Eguchi said. “What brings you to Balikpapan? It’s been a while.”
“I, which is to say the Alliance, need your help.”
“Japan is part of the Alliance, that’s true,” Eguchi said. “But this is my home. And Borneo is neutral.”
“No one is neutral,” Kelsey replied. “Every country has a preference, even if they pretend otherwise. And Borneo is no exception.”
Eguchi smiled. “It’s been twenty-five years since I went to school in Australia. As a result, I tend to forget how direct Aussies can be. There is something to what you say. So, what does the Alliance want from Dyak Fishing? More fish?”
Kelsey smiled. “No. What the Alliance wants is information. Specific information regarding the Chinese cruiser Sea Dragon.”
Eguchi’s expression darkened. “The ship that attacked Okinawa.”
“Yes.”
“What sort of information?”
“Information about her movements.”
“So, you can attack her.”
“Exactly. You have boats in the South China Sea. Hundreds of them. Each carrying three or four men. That’s a lot of eyeballs.”
Eguchi frowned. “Spying for the Alliance would be extremely dangerous. But I will say this … One of my relatives was killed during the attack on Okinawa. And I regard Japan as my second country. How would the reporting system work?”
“Let’s say a crew spots what might be the Sea Dragon,” Kelsey said. “They upload an encrypted photo if they can. And they send their position. Then, if the information results in a successful attack on the Sea Dragon, ten million U.S. will mysteriously appear in your bank account. Plus one million for the crew to split.”
Eguchi’s eyebrows rose. “I like that part. But it would be naïve to think that all of my crews are sympathetic to the Alliance. Plus, more likely than not, some of employees are parttime spies. Reporting everything they see to China.”
Kelsey nodded. “I hear you … Perhaps your security people can do some sorting.”
Eguchi nodded. “I think we can come to an arrangement. And—and here’s something to seal the deal. Some of my captains tell me that there are days when most of the Chinese fishing fleet remains in port. And those who are in the South China Sea suddenly return home. My people love that, needless to say. But the question is why?”
The answer was obvious. When the Sea Dragon was going to pass through a particular area the Chinese fishing boats were ordered to remain in port, or return home, lest someone photograph the ghost ship and post pictures online. That would happen eventually, of course. But it appeared that the Chinese government wanted to shroud the cruiser in mystery for as long as possible.
The so-what was that—if the Allies saw China’s fishing boats sitting in port, or all returning home at the same time—it might presage an impending cruise by the world’s most dangerous ship. And that could be helpful.
“Wow,” Kelsey said. “That’s interesting. Thank you. I’ll pass it along. Someone will contact you to work on logistics. He or she will identify themselves with the code name Kratos.”
“Meaning ‘strength?’”
“Yes. Because that’s what it will take to win.”
The meeting came to an end shortly thereafter and the team returned to the Seaplane Base where Howe was waiting for them. The plane was in the air forty-five minutes later, and westbound to Kelang, Malaysia where they stopped to refuel.
The final leg of the journey took them to Yangon, formerly the city of Rangoon, in Myanmar. It was dark by the time they arrived and checked in. Parker Shipping had an office there, but Kelsey didn’t want to advertise her presence, and was happy to order dinner from room service.
Work began shortly after Kelsey got up. Her goal was to find and make contact with a