Bennett walked up, drinks in hand. 'Hi, Ed. Can you join us for a minute?'
Lawrence shook his head. 'Naw, I just stopped by to let you know everything's set for the service.'
'You're leading the formation, right?'
'Yes, with one student from each class.'
Claudia asked, 'Are there funeral arrangements in the States?' The two aviators exchanged meaningful glances; neither wanted to speak. Claudia looked from one to the other. Finally Bennett put his hand on hers. 'Claudia, his plane exploded on impact.'
'Oh.' It was barely audible.
The memorial service was a short one. Most of the IPs plus many of the Saudi pilots and maintenance personnel attended. Flying had nearly shut down for the afternoon, and Bennett's brief remarks were uninterrupted. Standing in the shade of a hangar, the assembly bowed heads for a short prayer and sang the 'Navy Hymn' from photocopied pages. Most of the IPs knew the words by heart.
Claudia recognized the haunting tune and listened carefully to the words. She shivered involuntarily at the phrase 'Hear us when we lift our prayer for those in peril in the air.'
Seconds later four F-20s swept overhead, deployed in the World War II 'finger four' pattern. As the formation passed the runway intersection at 1,000 feet, the lead aircraft-second from the left-abruptly pulled up in afterburner. Ed Lawrence executed an immaculate series of vertical slow rolls as the three Saudis maintained level flight. There was a gap where Lawrence had been: the missing man formation.
Claudia tightened her grip on Bennett's arm.
The wake-Claudia didn't know what else to call it-was more lively than she expected. But she felt the need to talk quietly with Bennett, and they found a corner where their privacy was respected.
Bennett sensed Claudia's uneasiness. Holding her hands in his, he got her talking about what she knew best. 'Honey, I'd like to know what you think will happen in the region now.'
She thought for a moment. 'I can't speak officially, of course. But there's no doubt the radical Muslim states are preparing for something. My personal opinion is, it's probably too late to avert war. After all, that's why the king organized your Tiger Force. But what will make it especially hard on Israel is that the Arabs seem to understand diplomatic as well as military power now. They still remember the effect of the '73 oil embargo.'
Bennett squeezed her hands. ''There's no chance of negotiations?'
She shook her head decisively. 'No, I don't think so, John. Not as long as Israel occupies most of Jordan. Remember, King Hussein declared himself out of the West Bank issue before the occupation, leaving the PLO as the Palestinian voice. As long as that matter remains unsolved, there's not much chance for peace.'
Bennett softly pinched her arm. ''That's not a very optimistic statement from a nice Jewish girl.'
Deciding there had been enough shop talk, Bennett led Claudia to the small dance floor. Pressed close together halfway through the song, he whispered, 'Hey there, lady. Can I give you a lift to your hotel?'
She regarded him with a twinkle in her hazel eyes. 'Sure thing, sailor. If you're going my way.'
PART III
The beginning of all war may be discerned not only by the first act of hostility, but by the counsels and preparations foregoing.
Chapter 10
TEL AVIV, Aug. 1. (Special to Mideast News Service) — Despite a period of relative quiet in the Middle East over the past I2 months, various military authorities anticipate a continuing growth of tensions in months to come. Few serving officers or defense ministry spokesmen in the region were willing to speak for the record, but nearly all those queried believe that conflict between Israel and the Arab bloc may occur in the near future.
Israeli sources cite the continuing buildup of Soviet-supplied forces in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon as a matter of concern. In turn, Arab sources point to Israel's prolonged occupation of Jordan as reason for smoldering tensions.
Aside from sporadic incidents in Jordan, the largest military clash during the past year occurred last August. Responding to South Yemen intrusions into their airspace, Saudi F-20s intercepted a PDRY formation and reportedly shot down three fighter-bombers. Border incidents between Yemen and South Yemen have tapered off since then, with no further air combats in the region.
However, reports persist that a number of conferences have been held by Muslim military planners in the past several months. Details are not available, but informed speculation has it that Syria, Libya, Iraq and perhaps Iran are drafting contingencies for military action should negotiations fail to gain a settlement in Jordan. Most neutral observers feel that Tel Aviv would be hard-pressed to meet a combined Arab offensive with Israel's forces thinly spread throughout Jordan.
Diplomatic contacts agree that Saudi Arabia holds the swing vote among Muslim nations. Thus far Riyadh has steered a neutral course but hard-line Arab states have been lobbying the Saudis for a more active role in settling the Jordanian situation.
Thurman Wilson handed Avrim Ran a paper plate containing a hot dog, potato salad, and baked beans. The Secretary of State's elegant Georgetown residence, all brick and ivy, seemed an incongruous setting for an American-style picnic, but Wilson knew how to play to an audience. State's intel on the Israeli U.N. ambassador was quite thorough, and Wilson had noted the genuine grin on Ran's face despite the overcast sky.
Ran had learned to enjoy most aspects of life in America and traveled as widely as his duties in New York permitted. Outdoor barbeques, the Grand Canyon, and even horseback riding all appealed to him. Which was exactly the reason Thurmon Wilson had invited him to this 'informal' meeting of their two families. Ran chuckled inwardly. Who but Thurmon Wilson would wear a tie to a picnic? The man was absolutely transparent.
And, the Israeli discovered, his American colleague didn't have much patience today. After exactly thirty minutes of polite conversation Wilson maneuvered Ran into the kitchen, away from their wives and Ran's young children.
'Avrim, I needed this time alone so we can discuss the Middle East situation without interruption. It's going on three years since the occupation of Jordan'-Wilson was careful to phrase the accusation as passively as possible-'and there's no settlement in sight. The president is terribly concerned, and he'd have asked me to talk to Ambassador Palnet, but Shlomo of course is unavailable.' Ran nodded, recalling that Tel Aviv's ambassador to the United States remained hospitalized in Israel, recovering from a coronary. 'You're the senior Israeli diplomat in this country right now,' Wilson continued. 'I want to ask you to communicate this administration's deep concern- privately, of course.'
Ran blinked in surprise. This was old business to him. 'Of course, Thurmon. You may rely on it. But surely you know that little has changed. Our forces remain firmly in control, and the civil unrest has subsided tremendously.' He stopped to gather his thoughts. He did not want to promise what he could not deliver. 'And our third-party negotiations through U. N. relief agencies and the Saudis seem to be making headway.'
'That's just the point,' Wilson insisted. 'Israel isn't dealing directly with those who matter-the Jordanians. Their government in exile on Crete has been reduced to almost observer status in the back-channel
