'I, too, ask your forgiveness for Gerard's injudicious response,' Moore said. 'But you must realize that many in Europe may see this the same way.' Moore was getting desperate. Poupardin had intentionally made the charge the way he did just so that Moore could call him down and then make essentially the same charge but seem entirely proper about it because the subject had already been broached. It was an effective ploy, and it was not the first time they had used it.
'Consider this,' Moore said. 'Within a week I could be Secretary-General and you could be the new Primary member representing Europe. While General Brooks' actions are reprehensible – if indeed he is guilty as you charge – his removal will have little immediate impact on the problem. You said yourself, it will take six to eight weeks to make all the changes you want to make. And, in truth, even if you make all of these changes, it will have only limited impact on the delivery of food to the starving, and that, after all, is what all of us really want. Now, if you will delay your action until after the vote, you have my word that I will apply the full influence and power of the position of Secretary-General both to speed the changes you feel are necessary for WPO, and to ensure that adequate distribution of food reaches those who need it.'
Christopher considered Moore's argument. It had merit. Finally he yielded.
'Excellent!' Moore said.
'But,' Christopher added, 'in exchange, I want your assurance that whatever the outcome of the vote on Monday, you will help get my request approved by the Security Council.'
'Of course,' Moore promised.
Poupardin apologized again for his comment and Christopher was soon on his way.
'That man could be dangerous,' Poupardin said as soon as Christopher was gone. 'What would you have done if he had refused to wait?'
'Gerard, it is my destiny to be Secretary-General. I would have done whatever was necessary.' Poupardin smiled to himself and walked around behind Moore's chair and began to massage his shoulders. 'It seems the price of Robert Milner's support for my election to the Security Council may be higher than we first anticipated,' Moore said. 'We will have to keep a very close eye on that young man.'
'Shall I call General Brooks?' Poupardin asked.
Moore took a deep breath and held it as he thought. 'Yes, I suppose we should,' he said as he exhaled. 'Tell him he had better get his house in order, and quickly, if he wants to keep his job. But don't take too long with Brooks; we've got other things to worry about; we have to get a commitment from Ambassador Gandhi and to try to soften up South America's support for Ambassador Clark. I think we have to assume that our friend Mr. Goodman will not wait, should another vote be required.'
Monday, August 19,2019
Conditions on the Indian-Pakistani border did not improve over the next four days: relief shipments were too few and too slow; the number of refugees attempting to cross the border continued to swell. To stem the tide, the Indian government increased their border guard sixfold. Reports spread of abusive treatment, torture, and summary execution of refugees who crossed into India. The government of Pakistan, in response to the Indian buildup, had significantly increased the number of its own troops along the border.
In New York this was the day the Security Council would again try to choose a new Secretary-General. It was also the end of the period which Christopher had promised to wait before requesting emergency authority over the World Peace Organization. In a corner of the anteroom outside the Security Council chamber, prior to the meeting, Christopher Goodman stood talking with Ambassador Gandhi about the situation in Pakistan. He had met with the Pakistani ambassador the previous evening, along with Saudi Ambassador Fahd, who was the Primary from the Middle East on the Security Council.
Inside the chamber, French Ambassador Albert Moore and his chief of staff, Gerard Poupardin, went over a few last-minute preparations. At the outset, four days had seemed like plenty of time to get India's vote in line. As it turned out, Ambassador Gandhi had held on for a number of specific guarantees before he agreed to support Moore.
'I just wish I felt better about Gandhi's vote,' commented Poupardin. 'I'm not sure we can trust him.'
'Oh, I wouldn't worry about the Indian,' Moore responded confidently. 'He knows he'll never get anyone else to agree to the kinds of guarantees I've made.'
'I just saw him talking to Ambassador Goodman outside the chamber on my way in.'
'Did you hear what they were talking about?'
'No, I didn't want to be too obvious.'
'Well, it was probably nothing.'
'Probably, but Goodman was also seen last night with Ambassador Fahd.'
A disquieted look flashed across Moore's face. 'Why was I not told of this before?' he asked.
'I only just heard of it myself.'
Moore's mood became more pensive than concerned. 'Why don't you go out there and see if you can hear what they're talking about. If you have to, just go up and join in. If they seem uncomfortable with you being there or if they change the subject, get back in here and let me know right away.' Poupardin got up to leave but it was too late: the Indian ambassador and Christopher were just entering the room to take their places for the meeting.
Ambassador Lee Yun-Mai of China called the meeting to order and soon the issue of the selection of the new Secretary-General was brought to the floor. As expected, the nominees were Ambassador Jackson Clark of the United States and Ambassador Albert Moore of France. The vote was taken in the customary manner by a show of hands. Ambassador Lee called first for those supporting the nomination of Ambassador Clark. Immediately the Canadian Ambassador, representing the North American region, and the Ecuadorian Ambassador, representing the South American region raised their hands. It was just as Moore had planned; he could almost taste the victory he longed for. Then slowly, without allowing his eyes to meet the stunned gape of Moore, the Saudi slipped his hand upward. From the comer of his eye, Moore's attention was drawn by his chief of staff, Gerard Poupardin. Even across the room the single word on his lips was as clear as a shout: 'Goodman,' he said, under his breath.
'That son of a bitch!' Moore said, though no sound left his lips.
From Moore's left, the door to the Security Council chamber flew open and a tall blonde woman in her early forties rushed in. Undistracted, Ambassador Lee noted the count of hands: three regions supported the ambassador from the United States. Without pause she called for those supporting Ambassador Moore. What Moore saw only intensified his despondence. Including his own, only five hands were raised: Ambassadors Kruszkegin of Northern Asia and Lee of China had chosen to abstain. Unlike Ambassador Fahd, Kruszkegin looked directly at Moore while Lee counted. Filled with rage, Moore turned to face Christopher, but Christopher was not there.
Quickly Moore's eyes scanned the room for Christopher but to no avail. Moore looked back at Poupardin, his eyes asking the question of Christopher's whereabouts. Poupardin pointed. In a corner of the great room, Christopher stood talking with Jackie Hansen, who had arrived during the vote with an urgent message. Moore's rage went unnoticed or at least unacknowledged by Christopher, who was listening to Jackie and quickly scanning the contents of the message she carried. Even as he read the dispatch, he began to move resolutely toward Ambassador Lee.
Contrary to Moore's assumption, the actual reason for the shift in votes was that Ambassadors Fahd, Kruszkegin, and Lee had learned of the promises Moore had made in order to get the vote of the Indian ambassador. They felt that it was not in their interest to have a Secretary-General who was under the obligations Moore had placed himself. Lee and Kruszkegin's response was to abstain; Fahd chose instead to support the American for whom he had voted earlier. None of this would ever be known by Moore. And what was about to unfold would make him absolutely certain that the whole situation had been Christopher's doing.
Christopher finished reading the note and proceeded directly across the room to Ambassador Lee. Handing her the dispatch, he whispered something and she began reading. As she did Christopher went back to his seat and stood in order to be formally recognized. All eyes watched as she read. When she finished she struck her gavel and declared that no consensus had yet been reached, and the selection of a new Secretary-General would be postponed for two weeks. She then turned her eyes toward Christopher and said, 'The chair recognizes the ambassador from Italy.'
