Part 10 (1/2)
”We will have taken adequate precautions even without your help. Why should you receive amnesty for revealing a plot you are responsible for hatching?”
”Because my part in the a.s.sa.s.sination attempt is just a small part of a much larger conspiracy,” explained Desert Claw. ”If the a.s.sa.s.sination attempt is successful, elements of your command and of the Legion are poised to unite in mutiny in hopes of forming a totally independent government on New Colorado. Surely that information is worth amnesty.”
”I will submit your amnesty request to the governor,” promised the spider commander. ”We shall see.”
After his conversation with the spider commander, Desert Claw called General Kalipetsis and gave him the same information about the Imperial a.s.sa.s.sination plot, and about the mutiny. Then he added a special twist to the story. ”Colonel Czerinski plans to lead the entire First Division in mutiny,” said Desert Claw. ”When Czerinski seizes command, one of his commandos, Private Laika Barker, will a.s.sa.s.sinate you with a sniper rifle outside your office in New Phoenix.”
”Why should I believe this outlandish tale of lies?” asked General Kalipetsis.
”I have no reason to lie,” answered Desert Claw. ”I want amnesty. I need to tell the truth to get my amnesty.”
”I do not believe a word of your rot,” scoffed General Kalipetsis. ”Give me proof of what you say!”
”Proof will become self-evident as the conspiracy unfolds,” said Desert Claw. ”I have already told the Arthropodan Supreme Commander about the missile attack. Contact the commander yourself. Better yet, arrest Laika Barker and make him talk.”
”As a show of good faith, you will come to my office and talk to me face to face,” suggested General Kalipetsis. ”I'll place you in protective custody until it becomes more clear how your tale is going to play itself out.”
”You think I am a fool?” asked Desert Claw. ”I do not want your protection. I want amnesty!”
Desert Claw hung up. He would call General Kalipetsis back after the general had a chance to verify the information given and contemplate more conspiracy theories.
General Kalipetsis called me on the phone for my monthly report. He seemed glad to talk. I immediately became suspicious.
”How are you, Colonel Czerinski?” asked General Kalipetsis. ”I was just thinking about the fine job you and Captain Lopez have been doing. I will be promoting Captain Lopez to Major.”
”That's nice,” I said. ”Captain Lopez is very competent and deserves promotion. I will give him the news personally. I'm sure he will be happy to know you think so well of him.”
”How is Private Laika Barker doing?” asked General Kalipetsis. ”I was very disappointed he did not work out as a newly minted second lieutenant.”
”Sergeant Green tells me Barker distinguished himself with a sniper's rifle at that Miranda homestead skirmish,” I said. ”But I am watching him closely.”
”You do that,” said General Kalipetsis, bitterly.
”I have another problem,” I said. ”The spider commander is complaining that the northern wheat crop is dying from blight. He thinks the Legion is responsible. Are we?”
”No, of course not,” replied General Kalipetsis. ”To even suggest such a thing is preposterous.”
”Sir, I am not so sure,” I said. ”Normally it is the spiders I have to warn about adventurism along the border. But if I cannot trust you to tell the truth and act responsibly, we have a serious problem.”
”Me?” asked General Kalipetsis, innocently. ”You are the one who can't be trusted! Why should I ever trust you?”
”What? After all we have been through? Have you ever caught me in a lie?”
”Yes, many times. You have consistently lied and covered up mistakes since the first day I talked you.”
”Maybe,” I conceded. ”But have I ever lied about anything serious?”
”You have exploded nukes and denied it! Is that serious enough for you?”
”Okay, I'll admit I lie once in a while,” I said. ”That doesn't mean my creditability is destroyed. I only hold back the truth in the line of duty, and to further the best interests of the Legion.”
”And to line your pockets with cash,” said General Kalipetsis. ”You have sticky fingers. You're almost as bad as Lopez!”
”Where is this conversation leading?” I asked. ”Are you questioning my loyalty?”
”You bet I am,” said General Kalipetsis. ”If you cross me, I'll squash you like a bug.”
”Sir, you had better tell me what this is all about,” I demanded. ”You can't expect me to tell you everything I do. But, you're my supreme commander. I rely on you to tell me the straight scoop. My life depends on that.”
”I give you the straight scoop,” said General Kalipetsis, ”and you dump on me in return!”
”I expect you to tell me what I need to know, so together we can make informed decisions. You lied to me about an incident that could lead to war. I can't tolerate that.”
”You had better be able to explain yourself, mister,” warned General Kalipetsis. ”I am about to bust you down to private for insubordination.”
”You killed my prized tropical office plants,” I said. ”Don't try to deny it. Now, it's not that big a deal. But, somehow you killed the spiders' wheat crop, too. That is is a big deal. Don't try to deny it, either. It was a poor decision. Fine. That part of it is behind us. We can work together like we always do to resolve this mess, or I can file a complaint against you for treason and malfeasance of office.” a big deal. Don't try to deny it, either. It was a poor decision. Fine. That part of it is behind us. We can work together like we always do to resolve this mess, or I can file a complaint against you for treason and malfeasance of office.”
”You would never be able to make those charges stick,” said General Kalipetsis. A long moment of silence pa.s.sed, after which General Kalipetsis revealed the accusations made by Desert Claw. General Kalipetsis also admitted to attacking the spiders' wheat without prior authorization from civilian authorities. And, he confessed to killing my office plants.
”When it comes to information provided by Desert Claw, consider the source,” I said. ”He is a narco-terrorist.”
”I agree,” said General Kalipetsis. ”I forgot you are my most competent and ruthless commander. And, you are my most loyal commander. How shall we proceed?”
”With caution,” I advised. ”Some of Desert Claw's plot might be true. We will deal with these issues one at a time. We will lie to the spiders, of course. Offer them partial compensation for the damage to their wheat crop, but still deny sabotage. Tell them we quarantined a wheat blight on our side of the DMZ, and burned the affected fields. Somehow the blight found its way north, anyway. Apologize for not informing them of the possible hazard to their wheat crop, but that we thought the blight was under control. Offer to sell them wheat at a reasonable price. Offer a kickback to the spider commander. As for Desert Claw, go ahead and give him amnesty. We will wait and see just what he is planning. When Desert Claw finally comes out of hiding and thinks he is safe, he will be that much easier to kill. I'll do it myself.”
”What's this business about Barker?” asked General Kalipetsis. ”Should we arrest Barker? Can Barker be trusted?”
”I don't know. I just want to keep Barker alive for another four months.”
”Why?” asked General Kalipetsis. ”I would think you would jump at the chance to arrest or kill him.”
”I have personal reasons for keeping Private Barker alive and well. Millions of personal reasons.”
Chapter 15.
A hundred farm tractors and wheat combines lined up at the New Gobi City MDL border crossing on the Arthropodan side. A thousand angry spider wheat farmers accompanied their farm equipment, carrying protest signs and yelling slogans saying, 'Legion go home,' and 'the Legion murdered our wheat.' A spokesman for the spider farmers greeted Corporals Tonelli and Valdez at the Legion checkpoint.
”What's this all about?” asked Guido. ”I thought you farmers were getting compensated for the blight that escaped our quarantine.”
”The pittance the Legion offered is not nearly enough,” announced the farmers' spokesman. ”The Legion deliberately destroyed the livelihood of thousands of families. We are here to present a full accounting of our losses to Legion Headquarters.”
”I'll take your pet.i.tion for damages and personally deliver it to Colonel Czerinski,” offered Guido. ”Okay?”