“Friendly forces: well, that’s us, of course. We’re taking two platoons: one to assault and one to secure the perimeter and provide backup.
“Execution: fly to the op area in C-130s and take pre-positioned transport to the mine. We’ll have two choppers in support for contingencies and med-evac. We plan to hit the place at dawn. You’ll get specific assignments the night before.
“Command and control: this is gonna be the kicker. Almost none of our clients speak English so there’s a premium on French and Arabic speakers. We’ll have a couple of translators from the embassy as backup.” He looked at Chris Nissen and J. J. Johnson. Nissen was in — he could use the combat bonus for his daughter’s college fund. Johnson still had not committed.
“We’ll have at least two common frequencies on radios. I’m told that our rotor heads also are getting UHF sets from the blue suits so the helos can talk to us on the ground.
“Security. Well, that’s the reason we’re doing this job. The locals would gladly sell any information to anybody, which is why SSI and our Co-In team has been tasked. We’re administratively and physically separate from the rest of the Chadian armed forces, and nobody’s left the training area for two days. Additionally we’re using our own transportation and USAF 130s. Now, I’m not saying there couldn’t be some word to the frogs, but it looks pretty tight.
“ROE: fire discipline is important here, more for our platoons than ourselves. Yeah, I know — a lot of the Chadians we’re training have been shot at before, but if somebody caps off a round by accident, you know damn well what’ll happen. Firing contagion. With all the civilians in the area, that could be really bad news. So we’re gonna stress that our troops don’t shoot at anybody who isn’t pointing a weapon at them.
“POWs, if that’s the term. We will have to disarm the Frenchies and put them under detention. Major Lee and I hope that a superior show of force will convince them to stand down. In that case, we’ll treat them well and hold them until the suits arrive. If not — well, it’s their funeral. So to speak.”
Foyte looked up. “Questions?”
Breezy stirred in his seat. “Gunny, wouldn’t it be better to go in before dawn? Take ‘em more by surprise?”
The Marine nodded. “Of course. But do you want to take the boys we’re training and have them running around in the dark with loaded weapons?” He did not await a response. “Next.”
Josh Wallender gave the high sign. “What’s the risk of radiation?”
Lee stood up again. “Very slight. You’re going to hear from an expert that the big problem with uranium ore is underground, where there’s poor ventilation. This mine is a big pit in the open. You’ll have respirators for the time you’re actually in the pit but avoid cuts and you’ll be okay. We’re not going to be there very long, anyway.”
Lee asked, “Anything else?” When no one responded, he gestured to a man in the back of the room.
“Gentlemen, this is Mr. Langevin. He’s with the IAEA and has been briefed on our mission. Now, before anybody gets excited, I can say that he’s on our side. He’s a former Air Force nuke who works in the arms control field. He will fill us in on uranium ore.”
Langevin had not reached the front of the room before Breezy leaned to Bosco and said in a loud whisper, “Funny. He doesn’t look like an Air Force puke.”
Boscombe took the hint. He swatted his partner, exclaiming, “You dummy. That’s
Langevin, a short, slightly built man with receding dark hair, turned to the Army men. “What’s the atomic number of uranium?”
Bosco and Breezy exchanged glances. “Uh, 235,” essayed Breezy.
While the grunts in the room tried to absorb the fact that a skinny techno-nerd could take their guff and toss it back, Langevin launched into his briefing.
“A bit of background, gentlemen. Uranium is a naturally occurring element found at low levels in nearly all rocks, soils, and water. It is considered more common than gold, silver, or tungsten, and nearly as much as arsenic or molybdenum. It is found in many minerals such as lignite, and monazite sands in uranium-rich ores. It is mined from those sources.
“Now, as you heard from Major Lee, uranium ore produces radon gas that needs ventilation unless it’s mined in an open pit. Fortunately, that’s the case where we’re concerned…”
Breezy interrupted. “Ah, we? As in, you’re going with us? Sir?”
“You got it, son. And I’m packing. If I have to double-tap somebody, I’ll do it, too.”
The former paratrooper raised an eyebrow and regarded the dweeb with new respect. “Ah, yessir.”
“Good.” Langevin shot a glance at Lee and winked. Then he continued.
“Now, it doesn’t really bear on our mission but you might benefit from some background. The U.S. hasn’t had to import uranium for many years, at least not for military purposes. Most people don’t realize that Australia has nearly thirty percent of the world’s known supply, but only exports it for nonmilitary use. However, Canada probably exports more total product though the worldwide demand has dropped. Uranium hit an all-time low of seven dollars a pound in 2001 but has bounced back to about thirty.”
Wallender interjected. “Sir, I don’t understand something. If uranium is widely available, why the concern about deposits in a remote place like Chad? I mean, it’s got to be harder and more expensive to get there than almost anywhere.”
“That’s a good question,” Langevin responded. “The reason is, Chad and much of Africa have ample supplies, but the mines and transportation systems are not monitored very well. Remember, Chad has been named one of the two most corrupt governments on earth. With enough money and minimal resources, almost anyone could obtain enough ore to produce yellow cake and ship it anywhere. Say, like North Korea. Or Iran.”
“Gulp.”
“You said it.”
Langevin began pacing, turning to keep his audience in view. “What we’re concerned with isn’t the ore, it’s uranic oxide, better known as yellow cake, that’s used for processing. It’s roughly seventy-five percent uranate, produced by milling uranium ore. It’s a radioactive powder with a high melting temperature — nearly three thousand degrees Centigrade. It’s insoluble in water.”
“How’s it produced?” asked Foyte.
“Well, the ore is crushed to produce what’s called pulp. That’s dipped in sulfuric acid to leach out the product. What’s left after drying and filtering is the yellow cake.”
“So we’re looking for, like, a yellow powder, right?”
“Well, no. The stuff is actually dark brown or even black. The yellow name is left over from early processes that weren’t as efficient as today.”
Johnson, still uncertain whether he would participate, was intrigued. “Sir, how much yellow cake is needed for a bomb?”
“Actually, none,” the scientist replied. “Yellow cake is unenriched uranium so it’s no use in a weapon. It’s mostly used to obtain purified uranium oxide in fuel rods. That in turn can be part of weapons grade production, especially plutonium.”
“Then, if I understand it right, producing yellow cake really isn’t very hard,” the former Legionnaire said.
“No, it’s a relatively straightforward process. But in most parts of the world the procedure is closely guarded through international accords. That’s where I come in, with IAEA. But in Chad and other places, that’s not always so. Consequently the extra cost of mining relatively small quantities is not a real concern. The people who want uranium without anybody knowing it are well funded, and to a large extent they don’t care what it costs.” He shrugged. “When you sell billions of barrels of oil a year, several million dollars for yellow cake is no big deal.”
“Like Iran?” Breezy suggested.
“Certainly. Iran consistently ranks in the top five oil exporters, between three and four million barrels a day.”
Langevin saw Bosco and Breezy exchange whispered comments. “Ah, something you want to discuss, gentlemen?”
