In Ko’s case he was wearing a ribbon that signified the Order of August the First. The highest military award a Chinese sailor or soldier could receive. A rare honor indeed.
But that wasn’t all. Ko was also wearing a ribbon representing the Medal of Heroic Exemplar. The second highest decoration awarded by the Chinese government.
Would Admiral Yong Chao be suitably impressed? He should be, Ko mused. Since he has neither one.
The thought produced a wave of guilt. “The superior man has a dignified ease without pride.” That was what Confucius said. And it was true.
You must humble yourself, Ko thought. And remember your many failings lest you repeat them.
Thus chastened, Ko made his way out into the Sea Dragon’s main passageway. It was two sailors wide and ran almost the full length of the semi-submersible’s 667-foot-long hull.
Sailors saluted as they passed Ko and the air was filled with the familiar odor of amine. A compound used to remove carbon dioxide from the air. A ladder led up to Conning Tower 2 which was unmanned while the cruiser was in port. A sentry was on duty at the foot of the metal gangway.
The cavernous sub pen was dark and gloomy in spite of the sunshine outside. Pools of light led to a bank of elevators, one of which whisked the officer to the surface.
A black Hongqi (Red Flag) H7 sedan was waiting for him along with a uniformed driver. The sailor snapped to attention, delivered a salute, and opened a door. The interior was on a par with anything that Mercedes or Audi offered, and the air was delightfully cool. The engine purred as the car followed the highway into the resort city of Sanya.
And it was there, in a high rise, with a sweeping view of the sea, that Admiral Chao and his staff were quartered. A bright-eyed ensign was waiting to receive Ko and escort him through a maze of corridors to a spacious office with a wall of windows. Unlike some senior officers, who liked to make subordinates wait, Chao was ready to receive his guest.
The officers had met on two previous occasions, both of which had been ceremonial. That meant they had no personal relationship to speak of.
But, as Chao came forward to shake Ko’s hand, the navy officer was impressed by the other man’s relative youth and vitality. “Captain Ko!” Chao said enthusiastically. “I’ve been looking forward to this meeting. I read your proposal, and I like it.”
Ko felt his spirits rise. So far so good, he thought. It sounds like he’s willing to approve the plan.
Chao led Ko into a conference room with a sweeping view of the South China Sea. A tea pot was waiting for them, along with cups, and a bowl of peanuts. Chao had a reputation as a Zhengzhi jia (politician) as well as a skilled administrator. Both talents were on display as the admiral poured tea and made small talk.
But once the social niceties were out of the way, Chao wasted no time getting down to business. “As I said, I like your proposal which—like the attack on Singapore—is very imaginative. Not to mention daring! Only thirty-six miles from Okinawa … That’s the part that worries me however. How will you reach the island of Tonaki without being detected? Forgive me Captain, but your proposal was a bit vague in that regard.”
It was the right question, and Ko’s respect for Chao went up a notch. “You have a keen eye, Admiral … That question lies at the very heart of the concept. And it was my hope that I would have a chance to provide an answer during a meeting like this one. Partly because the idea is somewhat unorthodox.”
“As is the Sea Dragon herself!” Chao said enthusiastically. “I’m ready to listen.”
“Well, as you know sir, the Sea Dragon is 667 feet long. And, as you also know, there are container ships longer than that. The idea is to find a neutral cargo vessel of the correct length, with a legitimate reason to stop in Japan, and convince the owner to let the Sea Dragon travel alongside for a while.”
Ko stopped at that point so Chao could extrapolate. And, when a big smile appeared on the other officer’s face, Ko knew he had scored. “The Americans will see one radar signature,” Chao said. “Then, at the right moment, the Dragon will slip away. And because of her low profile she’s likely to escape unnoticed.”
“Exactly,” Ko said. “But I need the cargo ship in order to make the plan work.”
“And you shall have it,” Chao said. “A great many countries owe China a great many favors. We will call on one of them.
“Now that I understand the magic involved, I would like to share an idea of my own, an embellishment if you will. Something that will set the Allies back on their heels.”
Ko felt the first stirrings of despair. Where Admiral Wen refused to accept the Sea Dragon as a useful weapon, Admiral Chao had embraced it, but was about to make an already difficult mission more so. Or was he wrong? Give Chao a chance, Ko thought. Don’t jump to conclusions. He forced a smile. “How interesting! Please tell me more.”
“Imagine this,” Chao said. “Once the Sea Dragon is in position, we will launch one hundred Dongfeng 26 missiles at Okinawa! The Gweilo (pejorative term for white people) will see them coming. And they’ll throw lots of defensive weapons into the sky, including missiles and decoys. As a result, most of our weapons won’t reach their targets.
“Meanwhile you will fire your railgun and missiles at carefully chosen command and control targets on Okinawa, causing tremendous damage. The Americans will use their satellites to backtrack your missiles to Tonaki Island.
“Their first reaction will be to assume some sort of technical glitch, or computer hack, because the launch site is only thirty-six miles away! But as you continue to fire, they will conclude that
