User Guide

in sight. Richards, even more so than his
tight-lipped teammates, has been reluc-
tant to reveal any personal information
about himself. I decide to sit with him,
and attempt to penetrate the man’s
silence. Since he brushes off personal
inquiries, I ask him instead about Stern.
“I understand that your commander
has had a very difficult career.” Lyle
grunts noncommittally, scanning the
crowd. “For instance, the loss of the
Shiloh. That must have been a difficult
blow after such a distinguished career.”
Lyle looks at me sharply. “What do you
know about it?”
“What everyone knows,” I answer, I
must confess, a bit uneasily. His direct
gaze is oddly unsettling. “During the
PetroWar of 2001, Stern launched an
aerial attack from the Shiloh just off the
coast of Alaska. The carrier was to serve
point in a two-front aerial and
amphibious assault against the Alaskan
secessionist army. When the Shiloh went
down with all hands, it essentially
doomed any chance the U.S. had of
keeping Alaska in the Union. That
disaster ended Stern’s Navy career.”
“Wrong,” Richards says quietly. “Stern
ended Stern’s career. He retired from the
Navy. Maybe you ought to do a little more
research.”
“Sure, he resigned, but what choice did
he have? He lost a nuclear carrier in a
crucial tactical operation, and the U.S.
war effort collapsed because of it.”
Richards spins on me, taking his eyes
off Stern for the first time since I sat
down. “Get this straight: Stern warned
those fools in Washington that the
operation was doomed from the start.
There were four other carriers at the
strike point, Canadians, Russians, OPEC
— they all wanted a piece of the action,
bargaining with Alaska for drilling rights
in exchange for protection. Those
Pentagon idiots missed their opportunity
six months earlier, before the Alaskans
wised up and requested outside
intervention. By May it was just too damn
late. Alaska was gone.”
Richards glances back at Stern.
“Besides, some Americans don’t like
killing other Americans just because they
want to be free. The Shiloh turned Alaska
into a flaming hell before she finally went
down —”
“With only two survivors.”
“Yes.” Richards looks down. “Only
two.”
We hear a violent crash from Stern’s
direction. Richards is immediately
standing, the pistol in his hand seeming
to materialize from thin air. He aims,
every muscle tense. High-pitched scream-
ing echoes off the hard walls. I turn in my
chair to see what has happened.
A waiter is on the floor, hands over his
head, crouched in a puddle of water beside
a broken pitcher, yelling frantically.
“Please, don’t shoot! Accident, don’t
shoot! don’t shoot —”
From various strategic points in the
cafe, ten armed men gradually relax,
lowering their guns. Stern gives Richards
a nod. Richards takes his seat, slowly
replacing his pistol in his leather jacket.
Noting the look on my face, Richards
grins. “That’s why everyone orders finger
food. You don’t want to drop a fork in
here.”
“I can see that.”
“Clumsy moron,” he says, the smile
fading. “He gets no tip.”
Richards lapses into stony silence,
ignoring any of my further attempts at
conversation.
16
July 2011 • SUDDEN DEATH
Janet Page and “Tex” Travis off-duty at Selim’s