'Soldiers?'
'Maybe ex-soldiers… mercenaries, perhaps.'
'Why wasn't I told? Are they planning a coup?'
'Told what, sir? They haven't done anything. And Major Fernandez has reported them to be harmless, on extended vacation, actually.'
'Wonderful! Fernandez! Do you think for a moment that Fernandez is anything but an outright enemy of this government? Never mind answering.'
What's that bastard Parilla's plan? A new Balboan Defense Corps? A new Guardia Nacional? He half won the plebiscite seven years ago, so we were never able totally to get rid of the armed forces. On the other hand… hmmm. Maybe this might be a way to get them out of the way for a while. But they'll be back. Eventually, they'll be back. They always are. So, no, unless I can figure out a way to make sure they never come back, I've got to fight this.
'Get me Ford Williams on the phone. Now!' The aide quickly dialed the number of the country's second vice- president.
The National Assembly,
Ciudad Balboa, 3/10/459 AC
It had cost Parilla no money but much political capital to arrange this meeting with Guillermo Rocaberti and his Cabinet. This was to the good as, with the cost of the extensive advertising for which he and Carrera had personally paid, immediate funds were beginning to run low. He had no choice but to get the government to agree to send a military formation to the war. Pending funding from Carrera's uncle's estate, neither he nor those who supported him could afford to do this again if the propaganda campaign didn't work. In the president's conference room, richly paneled and decorated, Parilla was being grilled by a very suspicious group of politicians.
'General Parilla, what difference does it make if the Federated States wins this coming war with us or without us?'
Parilla turned his attention to the Minister of Police. ' Senor, it could make all the difference in the world. If we help with the upcoming war, to the extent of our abilities, we will have a claim on the Federated States. We can expect further aid, possibly money to improve the Transitway, jobs… a greater prosperity.
'Leaving all that aside, however, the major reason to help them is that we have been fucking attacked. Our people have been murdered. The blood of our innocents has run in our streets.'
Parilla pointed to Carrera while addressing the group. 'My friend here believes that the FSC is likely to be generous under the circumstances.'
The minister of police looked dismally at Carrera. 'No blood would have spilled, most likely, had this man not killed six Salafis.'
No more than had Jimenez did Parilla want Carrera to say a word about that. He just might tell the truth; that he had been angry and half mad with grief and so had baited the Salafis into attacking him. Not that Carrera had ever admitted it. Indeed, everyone close to him avoided asking precisely because they were sure he would admit it. That particular truth must not get out.
Parilla merely answered, 'That was self-defense… so said the investigating officer. So said that officer's commander, Xavier Jimenez.'
The policeman lifted a scornful and skeptical eyebrow.
Greasy looking, though said to be an honest man, Balboa's minister of justice, Ruben Arias, turned to Carrera. 'You are from the FS, so no doubt you have a claim to understanding them greater than ours. But tell me this; we have a long and unfortunate history of military rule. If we let you and General Parilla bring about this force you have spoken of, what is to keep them from restoring military rule once again?'
Carrera stroked his own face lightly while formulating his answer. 'You ask a good question, Senor Arias. I have thought upon it much before coming here today. I think, in the first place, that the lesson of the invasion twelve years ago-that the FSC will not tolerate military rule in this continent-will not soon be forgotten by the soldiers.
'Nor are we speaking of keeping a large standing force. This will be a one time only event. When the war is over you could disband the force or reduce it down to a manageable size, fold it back into the Civil Force or even turn it into a reserve formation.' Carrera brought his hands together to illustrate. Of course, since the war is going to last at least a century, reduction in force is a most unlikely possibility. Besides, You'll get rid of my army over my dead body.
Arias continued on that point. 'That is very easy to say, senor. But what if they won't lay down their arms afterward?' He folded his arms, looking triumphant.
Parilla took up the challenge. 'Who controls the spending in the country? Surely, Senor Arias, you do not think that the men who volunteer for this expeditionary force are going to want to continue in arms if they are not paid?'
Arias saw an opening. 'And that is another thing. How are we to pay for this? We are financially… well, if not prostrate, then by no means in good shape.'
Without elaborating on Carrera's part in the planning, Parilla answered, 'My people have estimated the cost of this operation at just over four hundred million drachma a year over and above the aid we can expect from the FSC. That is, it should be about that if we scrimp a little. Before the invasion Pina was taking almost three hundred million per year in illegal taxes from the Cristobal Free Trade Zone alone. You gentlemen can make that illegal tax a legal one… and a larger one, too. That alone would pay for the operation. But it is still very unlikely that we will have to pay for the whole thing ourselves. The Federated States can be expected to provide support if we ask.'
Back and forth the argument went. For each objection raised by the Cabinet, Parilla and Carrera had an explanation of a benefit to be derived. As the opportunity arose Parilla dropped narrow hints of the personal gains that might accrue to the men present if they were to approve. 'Just think of the benefits to our economy, gentlemen. We'll take several thousand young, aggressive and unemployed-hence dangerous-men out of circulation for a while. They will earn money that they will spend freely, being young men. Soldiers eat a lot! This can only help our many farmers.' Parilla knew that many in the room had significant agricultural interests. 'Farmers-and they make up much of the country, you recall-will buy more. New shops will be opened and old ones thrive. And gentlemen, one way or another foreigners will pay for it all. Even if we get not one centavo in aid, these are solid gold to us. My own financial interests will advance as will those of everyone here.'
Parilla thought, And if I didn't act as if I were in this for my own financial benefit you would all be certain I was planning a coup, wouldn't you? Then you would fight us even harder. Well, believe the worst of me; it's no more than I know is true of you. To most of you bastards there's no good reason to do anything except for a personal or family profit. So if you want to think Patricio and I are in it for the money so much the better. You probably don't know that Patricio himself is on the verge of enough wealth that any petty graft available in Balboa shrinks to insignificance by comparison.
Still, despite best efforts, Parilla and Carrera could see the politicians weren't buying. Parilla turned to Carrera and said in a whisper, 'I told you they wouldn't be reasonable. Fortunately we've planned for such a contingency.'
Before going in to confront the president and Cabinet, Parilla had insisted on preparing another means of persuasion. As he had told Carrera, 'Patricio, you know how to raise, train, and use military forces for military objectives. Trust me when I say that I know how to use them for other objectives. I've had practice. And I've understudied some of the best.'
Parilla gave a signal to Jimenez, who had accompanied them to the meeting. Jimenez slipped out quietly to make a brief telephone call. Within twenty minutes the men in the meeting room could hear the sound of singing, the measured tread of booted feet. Marching men approached.
Outside of the National Assembly Building two thousand former members of the Balboan Defense Corps, most of them also current members of the Civil Force that had replaced the BDC, marched in formation to positions surrounding the building. They were all uniformed and armed.
At Parilla's orders, Jimenez and Fernandez between them had done all the necessary coordination to bring every conveniently located unit-police and paramilitary, both-into position to threaten the government ministers. To any within sight of the demonstration it looked exactly like an impending coup d'etat.
