Part 11 (1/2)
”We can't do that,” insisted Rottemeyer's Secretary of State. ”The world is in very delicate condition right now and if we were seen to be pulling out...” He let the words trail off.
”Worse than that, Willi,” chimed in her bald-headed political advisor, John Carroll, speaking in a thick Southern drawl. ”A hefty chunk of your support comes from people who want us involved in solving the world's problems. You abandon them; they might abandon you. I can name at least five senators that could turn if you were to pull out of Somalia and Rwanda alone. Then there're the ones who like having an American battalion between Egypt and Israel. Then, too, you've already lost a couple of people over that d.a.m.ned broadcast that idiot Ted let go out.”
CIA interrupted. ”It's still going out. I was waiting for the right time to mention it.”
”What? How?” Rottemeyer demanded. ”If that f.u.c.king Turn...” How?” Rottemeyer demanded. ”If that f.u.c.king Turn...”
”No, Willi. Internet,” CIA interrupted. ”Austin is about third in the country for software and computer design. They have their own node right there. They're making available continuous...well, call it what it is...propaganda to every home and business computer in America.”
”G.o.ddammit this has got to stop!”
CIA shrugged. ”We can can stop it. Interfere with it anyway. All we have to do is cut off telephone service to and from Texas. FCC could do it by tomorrow; next day at the latest.” stop it. Interfere with it anyway. All we have to do is cut off telephone service to and from Texas. FCC could do it by tomorrow; next day at the latest.”
”Do it,” commanded the President.
Somewhat curiously, though, at least three members of Rottemeyer's Cabinet had marched in protest over Richard Nixon's having bugged George McGovern's campaign headquarters in 1972, had marched in protest over domestic surveillance being conducted by the CIA, not one thought it remotely inappropriate for CIA to be monitoring internal affairs any longer. They were the personification of perceived morality being a function of whose ox was being gored. Nor did any raise a voice in protest over the President's order to cut communications with a large and populous state.
”Wait,” insisted McCreavy. ”Can you stop telephone service within Texas? Given the number of cell phones in this country? No? I thought not. Willi, if you cut off external service-land lines and cellular both-we won't have a clue as to what's going on there, we'll lose control of the people we have there, but they'll they'll still be able to plot and plan together. I think you ought to think about this very carefully.” still be able to plot and plan together. I think you ought to think about this very carefully.”
Austin, Texas
The conference room was crowded and smoky; the governor was of the opinion that a man-or woman-ought to be allowed his vices if it helped him work better. She herself didn't smoke. She could easily tolerate those, like her husband, who did.
Schmidt smoked. Under circ.u.mstances like these he smoked continuously, big nasty fifty-ring-gauge Churchills. ”Well, Governor, militarily I can't promise you much hope. They can't take us quickly, no. But, ultimately, if we're left on our own, they can can take us. Then we're stuck with guerilla war; always hard on the people. And no guarantee we could win that, if it came to it.” take us. Then we're stuck with guerilla war; always hard on the people. And no guarantee we could win that, if it came to it.”
Juanita could tolerate the smoke billowing from Jack's nasty Churchill. She didn't have to like it. And she could see some of her other advisors beginning to turn a pale green. ”Could you at least hit the d.a.m.ned filter and the fans I had installed so you could indulge your nasty vice?”
”Huh? Oh sure, Juani,” said Schmidt, pus.h.i.+ng a b.u.t.ton on a rather expensive air filter, turning on a window fan and opening another window a crack for good measure. ”Happy now?”
”I'm a long way from happy...but it will do. Now what about Fort Hood?” asked the governor.
”I spoke to General Bennigsen, the Third Corps commander. He has heard the tapes of the conversation between Friedberg and the guns.h.i.+ps. He's also seen what we pulled out of that storm cellar. He told me he would not obey any orders to use his corps as a police force. But, he also said, if we started shooting he wouldn't have any choice. He will will defend his post, he says.” Schmidt sounded as if he had a great deal of sympathy for Bennigsen, and the rather miserable set of choices he faced. More than sympathy, there was a tone of admiration and respect for the way he was making those choices. defend his post, he says.” Schmidt sounded as if he had a great deal of sympathy for Bennigsen, and the rather miserable set of choices he faced. More than sympathy, there was a tone of admiration and respect for the way he was making those choices.
”So, you are telling me that we don't have much of a military option but neither does Was.h.i.+ngton?”
”That's about it, Juani. For now. In six months? They could roll right over us. Maybe six weeks if they're willing to disengage from the rest of the world.”
Juanita turned to her attorney general, raising one quizzical eyebrow.
The attorney general, David Rothman, was heavyset, dark complexioned, and nattily dressed; a Mormon convert from Judaism. Politically, he was considered to be just a few feet to the right of Attila the Hun, though this was a slight exaggeration. Indeed, his conversion to Mormonism had as much to do with rejection of liberalism as it did with acceptance of Christ.
”We've got two issues, Governor. One is the continuing imprisonment and future trial of Friedberg and her crew. That's the least pressing, though I am sure you can expect the White House to press. The other is...well, I think we need to inundate the federal courts with every kind of lawsuit we can imagine; criminal indictments, as well. We need to paralyze them legally, as best we can.”
Schmidt snorted loudly; he had little use for lawsuits.
”Quiet, Jack,” Juanita waved a hand. ”Let him finish. What kind of lawsuits, Dave?”
”Governor, my staff has just begun begun studying that question. Some preliminary answers, though, include indictments against everyone in the White House, FBI, BATF, EPA and the Surgeon General's office who had anything in the slightest to do with what happened at your brother's mission. Hit them at the same time, personally, with wrongful death suits. Then there's the environmental damage done as a result of the smoke. That's another suit. Your brother's mission was an historic site, too; did you know that? There's another.” studying that question. Some preliminary answers, though, include indictments against everyone in the White House, FBI, BATF, EPA and the Surgeon General's office who had anything in the slightest to do with what happened at your brother's mission. Hit them at the same time, personally, with wrongful death suits. Then there's the environmental damage done as a result of the smoke. That's another suit. Your brother's mission was an historic site, too; did you know that? There's another.”
”And how many of those suits and indictments will survive the once-over-lightly at the Supreme Court.”
”I can't answer that yet, Governor.”
Juanita's lieutenant governor interjected a question, ”Would it make any difference, really?”
”Would what?” asked Rothman.
”Even if we won all the suits in the world, what makes you think Rottemeyer will pay the slightest attention?”
Rothman didn't need to think about that for long. ”Ultimately, she won't, not her. But...before she has actually lost them she'll fight them every step of the way. It's just in her nature, I think. She used to be a pretty fair lawyer herself once upon a time. Hated to lose anything, I've heard. And that distraction might help. Will probably help.”
The lieutenant governor let his skepticism show plainly. White-haired and bent-shouldered, Dr. Ralph Minden held a Ph.D. in economics. He had been recruited for Juanita's gubernatorial ticket, despite being a Republican, precisely because he was an economist of national standing.
Minden announced, ”Won't matter a hill of beans. She's going to cut off funding. She's going to keep taxing. Six months of that and she won't need to invade us, won't need to jail us. There are enough people here dependent on federal handouts that they'll lynch us in the streets long before it comes to that.”
”Any way around that?” asked Schmidt. He had always respected the lieutenant governor's opinions.
”Maybe two. One is...well...why don't we make it illegal for federal income and social security taxes to be withheld in Texas? Won't stop companies whose checks are cut outside of Texas from withholding, mind you. But we are a net profit maker to the federal government in total. Losing revenues on payroll checks cut in Texas will hurt them...some anyway.”
”What's the other way?” asked Schmidt.
”The Mint?”
”Huh?”
”There are two Federal Mints-divisions of the Bureau of Engraving. One's in DC. The other one? The Western Western Currency Facility. That's in Fort Worth, just up the road.” Currency Facility. That's in Fort Worth, just up the road.”