asked.
“Very much so,” Guang Xi replied picking up on where Dr. Huang was going with the discussion. “The Cascadia Subduction Zone is physically almost identical to the Sumatra-Andaman Subduction Zone. The same depth under the water, the same distance from land, but it’s only about two thirds the length.”
Fong yanked his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed. He moved away from the small group and spoke quietly for a few minutes and then hung up. “The Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and tsunami triggered something in my memory. I’m having some research done. We should have results here momentarily.
“The northwest coast of America isn’t heavily populated like Sumatra and Indonesia, and the coastal configuration is different. The effect of the tsunami wouldn’t be as significant.”
“But it would still – ”
Fong’s cell phone rang. He answered and listened. “That’s what I thought. Thank you.” He put his phone back in his pocket.
“There’s something else you need to know,” Fong said. “The United States Secretary of Defense personally visited Sumatra and several other places where the earthquake and tsunami damage was at its maximum.”
“Okay,” Dr. Huang replied. “So he personally visited the site of the disaster, so what?”
“It was the only disaster site he personally visited.” Fong replied. “Ever.”
“It was a weapon test,” Dr. Huang said suddenly. “That’s why he went to the site – to see the effectiveness of the weapon.”
“You can’t be serious,” Dr. Zheng replied.
“They killed 230,000 people for a weapon test?” Guang Xi said.
Dr. Huang was visibly shaken. “So many people. So much death and destruction. Isn’t there some other way of doing this?”
Fong reached out and put his hand on Dr. Huang’s shoulder. “I know the doubts you have. I’ve had them too. I keep wondering if there is another way.”
“Yes,” Dr. Huang replied. “A diplomatic way – an agreement not to use a weapon like this against our people.”
“Unfortunately, there is an agreement already in place,” Fong replied. “And the Americans violate that agreement with impunity. Each year the coast of China is pummeled by typhoons, some of which we now know have been created and controlled by this military facility in Alaska – a facility that is under the complete control of the United States Government. The question I keep coming back to is what will it take to stop these attacks against us and our people? If we don’t reply in this harsh method, what motivation will the American government and military have to stop what they are doing?”
“If we do not draw American blood, they will continue to attack us secretly, won’t they?” Dr. Huang asked.
“I have come to no other conclusion,” Fong replied. “Neither has the Premier nor the General. What we propose to do here, is done out of necessity, not revenge.”
Dr. Huang went reluctantly to his computer and started typing. Within two minutes the printer began spitting out sheets of seismic recordings. “Here, look at this.” Dr. Huang placed the first set of seismic recordings in front of the group. “Guang Xi, what do you see?”
“It’s a typical subduction zone rupture pattern.”
“Yes, it is,” Dr. Huang replied. “This is the seismic recording that was released from various countries, specifically from America first. Then other countries released the same recording.” He placed another seismic recording on the table.
“This one’s different,” Guang Xi commented. “Look, there are two spikes that shouldn’t be there.”
“This recording is of the same event, but from our own equipment,” Dr. Huang replied. ”What does this recording tell you?”
Guang Xi looked up at Dr. Huang. “Those two spikes are high velocity explosive signatures.”
“Yes,” Dr. Huang confirmed.
“It was a weapon test,” Dr. Zheng said. “And by releasing the seismic recordings and pushing other
“Very much so,” Guang Xi replied picking up on where Dr. Huang was going with the discussion. “The Cascadia Subduction Zone is physically almost identical to the Sumatra-Andaman Subduction Zone. The same depth under the water, the same distance from land, but it’s only about two thirds the length.”
Fong yanked his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed. He moved away from the small group and spoke quietly for a few minutes and then hung up. “The Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and tsunami triggered something in my memory. I’m having some research done. We should have results here momentarily.
“The northwest coast of America isn’t heavily populated like Sumatra and Indonesia, and the coastal configuration is different. The effect of the tsunami wouldn’t be as significant.”
“But it would still – ”
Fong’s cell phone rang. He answered and listened. “That’s what I thought. Thank you.” He put his phone back in his pocket.
“There’s something else you need to know,” Fong said. “The United States Secretary of Defense personally visited Sumatra and several other places where the earthquake and tsunami damage was at its maximum.”
“Okay,” Dr. Huang replied. “So he personally visited the site of the disaster, so what?”
“It was the only disaster site he personally visited.” Fong replied. “Ever.”
“It was a weapon test,” Dr. Huang said suddenly. “That’s why he went to the site – to see the effectiveness of the weapon.”
“You can’t be serious,” Dr. Zheng replied.
“They killed 230,000 people for a weapon test?” Guang Xi said.
Dr. Huang was visibly shaken. “So many people. So much death and destruction. Isn’t there some other way of doing this?”
Fong reached out and put his hand on Dr. Huang’s shoulder. “I know the doubts you have. I’ve had them too. I keep wondering if there is another way.”
“Yes,” Dr. Huang replied. “A diplomatic way – an agreement not to use a weapon like this against our people.”
“Unfortunately, there is an agreement already in place,” Fong replied. “And the Americans violate that agreement with impunity. Each year the coast of China is pummeled by typhoons, some of which we now know have been created and controlled by this military facility in Alaska – a facility that is under the complete control of the United States Government. The question I keep coming back to is what will it take to stop these attacks against us and our people? If we don’t reply in this harsh method, what motivation will the American government and military have to stop what they are doing?”
“If we do not draw American blood, they will continue to attack us secretly, won’t they?” Dr. Huang asked.
“I have come to no other conclusion,” Fong replied. “Neither has the Premier nor the General. What we propose to do here, is done out of necessity, not revenge.”
Dr. Huang went reluctantly to his computer and started typing. Within two minutes the printer began spitting out sheets of seismic recordings. “Here, look at this.” Dr. Huang placed the first set of seismic recordings in front of the group. “Guang Xi, what do you see?”
“It’s a typical subduction zone rupture pattern.”
“Yes, it is,” Dr. Huang replied. “This is the seismic recording that was released from various countries, specifically from America first. Then other countries released the same recording.” He placed another seismic recording on the table.
“This one’s different,” Guang Xi commented. “Look, there are two spikes that shouldn’t be there.”
“This recording is of the same event, but from our own equipment,” Dr. Huang replied. ”What does this recording tell you?”
Guang Xi looked up at Dr. Huang. “Those two spikes are high velocity explosive signatures.”
“Yes,” Dr. Huang confirmed.
“It was a weapon test,” Dr. Zheng said. “And by releasing the seismic recordings and pushing other
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