cc.goldenbuddha-第57节

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at　flew　through　the　air。　
　At　last　he　collapsed　in　a　heap　on　the　floor　and　his　helpers　removed　the　headpiece　and　robes。　
　The　Dalai　Lama　picked　up　a　wooden　bowl　filled　with　water；　dampened　a　sheep's　skin；　then　stepped　over；　bent　down；　and　began　to　wash　the　sweat　from　the　aging　man。　
　〃You　did　well；〃　he　said　in　a　soothing　voice。　〃There　is　much　information　written　on　the　sheets。〃　
　The　oracle　allowed　the　Dalai　Lama　to　drip　some　water　into　his　mouth。　He　swished　it　around　and　spit　it　to　the　side。　〃I　saw　bloodshed　and　fighting；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Much　bloodshed。〃　
　〃Let　us　pray　not；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said。　
　〃But　there　was　a　second　way；〃　the　oracle　said。　〃I　think　that　is　what　I　wrote。〃　
　〃Bring　some　tea　and　tsampa；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　ordered　an　aide；　who　rushed　out　of　the　room。　
　Twelve　minutes　later；　the　oracle　and　the　Dalai　Lama　were　sitting　around　a　table　in　the　great　room。　The　Tibetan　tea；　flavored　with　salt　and　butter；　as　well　as　the　tsampa；　roasted　barley　flour　usually　mixed　with　milk　or　yogurt；　had　brought　the　color　back　to　the　oracle's　cheeks。　Where　only　moments　before　he　had　seemed　aged　and　weak；　he　now　appeared　animated　and　in　control。　
　〃Your　Holiness；〃　he　said　eagerly；　〃shall　we　see　what　I　received？〃　｛　
　〃Please；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said。　
　The　oracle　stared　at　the　sheets　of　rice　paper。　The　letters　were　in　an　ancient　script　only　he　and　a　few　others　could　read。　He　read　them　through　twice；　then　smiled　at　the　Dalai　Lama。　
　〃Is　someone　from　the　west　ing　to　see　you？〃　the　oracle　asked。　
　〃Yes；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃later　this　evening。〃　
　〃Here　is　what　you　tell　him；〃　the　oracle　said。　
　Thirty　minutes　later；　the　Dalai　Lama　nodded　and　smiled　at　the　oracle。　
　〃I　will　have　my　aides　prepare　notes　to　buttress　our　argument；〃　he　said；　〃and　thank　you。〃　
　Rising　from　the　chair；　the　oracle　walked　unsteadily　from　the　room。　
　
　LANGSTON　OVERHOLT　WAS　using　a　borrowed　office　in　a　far　corner　of　the　pound　at　Little　Lhasa。　He　was　speaking　on　a　secure　line　to　the　director　of　Central　Intelligence　in　hushed　tones。　
　〃I　didn't　order　that；〃　he　said。　〃I　simply　don't　have　the　apparatus　in　China　to　pull　it　off。〃　
　〃The　estimates　from　our　people　on　the　ground　place　the　number　at　five　hundred　and　growing；〃　the　DCI　noted。　
　〃I'll　ask　the　contractor；〃　Overholt　said；　〃but　it　may　just　be　a　lucky　break。〃　
　〃Whatever　the　case；〃　the　DCI　said；　〃reports　say　the　Chinese　are　paying　close　attention　to　the　protests。〃　
　〃What　about　the　Mongolians？〃　Overholt　asked。　
　〃I　had　a　secret　meeting　with　their　ambassador；〃　the　DCI　said。　〃They'll　play　it　either　way。〃　
　〃What　did　that　cost？〃　Overholt　asked。　
　〃Don't　ask；〃　the　DCI　said；　〃but　suffice　it　to　say　the　United　States'　strategic　reserves　of　tungsten　and　molybdenum　won't　need　replenishing　for　some　time。〃　
　〃That　gives　us　choices　for　the　contractor　to　offer　to　the　Russians；〃　Overholt　said。　
　〃As　soon　as　he　meets　with　them；　I　need　to　know　what　they　have　decided；〃　the　DCI　told　him。　
　〃No　matter　what　the　time；〃　Overholt　said。　
　〃Day　or　night；〃　the　DCI　said　before　disconnecting。　
　
　
　UNDERSON　COULD　NOT　believe　the　lift　the　pair　of　wings　gave　the　Antonov。　Though　he　and　the　others　had　been　flying　the　plane　for　nearly　eight　hours；　this　was　the　first　time　he　had　needed　to　land。　Lining　up　to　land；　he　floated　the　Antonov　down　to　the　runway　like　a　feather　fluttering　to　the　floor。　Halfway　down　the　length　of　the　runway；　Gunderson　realized　he'd　need　to　force　the　plane　to　the　ground。　Moving　the　yoke　forward；　he　felt　the　wheels　finally　touch。　
　〃Sorry　about　that；　boss；〃　he　said；　pointing　out　the　window　at　the　Gulf　stream　on　the　far　end　of　the　runway。　〃She　floats　like　a　butterfly。　I'll　taxi　us　back　over　to　the　Gulfstream。〃　
　Cabrillo　nodded　and　unsnapped　the　seat　belt。　Walking　into　the　cargo　area；　he　began　to　collect　his　things。　Lifting　the　stack　of　bearer　bonds；　he　placed　them　all　in　his　bag；　then　thought　better　of　that。　He　j　turned　his　head　toward　the　cockpit。　
　〃Do　you　have　to　take　the　plane　back　south　again？〃　he　asked　Gunderson。　
　〃No；　sir；〃　Gunderson　said；　slowing　as　he　approached　the　Gulf…stream。　〃Gannon　worked　it　outthe　pany　will　pick　it　up　here。　The　ladies　are　boarding　the　Oregon；　and　I'm　flying　north　on　the　C…130　as　soon　as　it　arrives。〃　
　Cabrillo　began　to　count　the　pile。　When　he　finished；　he　spoke　again。　
　〃I'm　leaving　you　a　pile；〃　he　said　to　everyone。　〃Give　them　to　Hanley　when　he　arrives。　Tell　him　I　took　the　rest　northI　may　need　them　to　grease　some　wheels。〃　
　Gunderson　stopped　the　Antonov；　then　reached　for　the　checklist　for　postflight。　〃Okay；　boss；〃　he　said　as　he　started　through　the　steps　to　shut　down　the　engine。　Michaels　was　unlatching　the　door　while　Pilston　stood　off　to　the　side。　
　〃You　have　some　time　to　kill　until　the　Oregon　arrives；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃You'll　have　guards　from　the　Vietnamese　air　force；　but　I'd　stay　close。　Hanley　will　make　payment　to　their　general　when　he　arrives；　so　you　shouldn't　have　to　deal　with　much。〃　
　〃Will　they　take　us　to　a　bathroom？〃　Michaels　asked。　
　〃I'm　sure　they　will；〃　Cabrillo　said　as　he　walked　for　the　door；　〃but　one　at　a　time；　please。　And　whatever　you　do；　don't　let　anyone　know　you　have　that　stack　of　bonds。〃　
　〃You　got　it；　boss；〃　Gunderson　said。　
　Cabrillo　stopped　at　the　door　for　a　second。　〃Ladies；　Tiny；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃I'll　see　you　soon。〃　
　Then　he　stepped　off　the　Antonov　and　began　walking　to　the　Gulf…stream。　The　pilot　and　copilot　were　standing　next　to　the　open　door。　The　pilot　smiled　at　Cabrillo　and　motioned　for　the　step。　
　〃We're　ready　for　you；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃Wele　aboard。〃　
　〃There's　a　box　on　the　biplane；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Get　some　help　and　haul　it　aboard。〃　
　Cabrillo　walked　up　the　ramp；　made　his　way　to　a　seat；　and　then　waited　while　the　pilots　got　the　crate　loaded　inside；　shut　the　door；　and　started　the　engines。　Two　minutes　later；　they　were　airborne。　The　Gulf…stream　was　still　climbing　to　cruising　altitude　when　they　crossed　over　the　mountains　of　Laos。　
　
　IN　NOVOSIBIRSK；　RUSSIA；　General　Alexander　Kernetsikov　was　staring　at　a　large　chalkboard　inside　a　hangar　at　the　airport。　Troops　and　material　continued　to　pour　into　the　area　at　a　rate　of　deployment　seldom　seen　in　times　of　peace。　There　were　thousands　of　details　to　attend　to；　but　there　was　one　that　bothered　Kernetsikov　the　most。　
　〃Have　we　received　an　answer　yet？〃　he　said　to　his　aide。　〃If　this　is　a　go；　I　need　to　know　which　fork　to　take　at　Barnaul。　We　either　violate　Kazakhstan　and　enter　China　near　Tacheng；　or　we　need　to　move　the　troops　into　Mongolia；　take　the　road　toward　Altaj　and　cross　over　the　mountains　there；　then　sweep　quickly　across　the　plains　and　pass　Lop　Nur。〃　
　The　aide　stared　at　the　general。　Lop　Nur　was　the　home　of　the　Chinese　nuclear　test　base　and　he　imagined　it　would　be　heavily　defended。　The　other　route　featured　mountains　that　were　still　covered　in　snow。　It　was　like　choosing　between　a　root　canal　and　ripping　off　a　toenail。　
　〃There's　been　no　munication；　General；〃　the　aide　said；　〃including　whether　this　is　not　merely　an　exercise　in　fast　deployment　and　war　planning。〃　
　〃It's　just　a　feeling；〃　the　general　said　quietly；　〃but　I　think　that　before　〃：　this　is　over；　we'll　be　crossing　the　mountains　like　Hannibal。〃　
　The　aide　nodded。　Every　good　officer　under　whom　he　had　served　had　　a　strong　sense　of　history。　He　just　hoped　the　general　was　wrongfacing　off　with　the　Chinese；　even　with　the　firepower　they　had　amassed；　was　not　a　wele　thought。　
　
　IN　BEIJING；　GENERAL　Tudeng　Quing　was　offering　President　Jintao　a　possible　solution。　
　〃If　we　pull　all　but　two　thousand　troops　out　of　Tibet；　concentrating　those　left　only　in　Lhasa；　we　could　divert　the　rest　to　Urumqi　in　the　Xinjiang　Province。　They　could　be　in　place　starting　tomorrow。〃　
　〃How　many？〃　Jintao　asked。　
　〃Say　a　thousand　by　plane　in　the　next　few　hours；〃　Quing　said。　〃The　tanks　and　armored　carriers　have　a　nine…hundred…mile　journey。　Running　them　full　out　at　forty　miles　an　hour　with　refueling　and　such；　they　could　be　in　place　tomorrow　this　time。〃　
　〃We　don't　have　any　troops　closer？〃　Jintao　asked。　
　〃Airborne；　we　can　bring　them　in　from　anywhere；〃　Quing　noted。　〃It's　the　armor　we　needother　than　Tibet；　the　closest　armored　division　we　require　is　almost　twice　that　distance　away；　and　the　trip　is　over　rougher　terrain。　My　aides　have　calculated　three　or　four　days　minimum。〃　
　Jintao　sat　back　in　his　chair　and　stared　at　the　ceiling。　Then　he　turned　to　Legchog　Raidi　Zhuren；　the　chairman　of　the　Tibet　Autonomous　Region；　who　had　so　far　remained　quiet。　
　〃Will　two　thousand　troops　give　you　a　sufficient　level　of　security　until　we　can　replace　your　armor　in　four　or　five　days？〃　Jintao　asked。　
　〃Mr。　President；〃　Zhuren　said。　〃Tibet　has　been　quiet　for　yearsI　don't　see　that　changing　any　time　soon。　Now；　if　I　may　be　excused；　I　should　be　leaving　for　my　return　to　Tibet。〃　
　Jintao　turned　to　General　Quing。　〃Order　it　done。〃　
　Next；　Jintao　turned　to　the　Chinese　ambassador　to　Russia。　
　〃You；〃　he　said　loudly；　〃figure　out　what　the　Russians　have　planned。　If　they　are　planning　to　annex　Mongolia；　let　them　know　we　won't　stand　for　that。　The　Mongols　conquered　us　onceI'm　not　going　to　give　them　a　chance　to　try　it　again。〃　
　Within　two　hours　of　the　meeting；　the　first　Chinese　transport　planes　began　to　land　at　Lhasa　Airport　and　began　ferrying　tro