Sykes's Ultimatum

"I want to review the full communications data from the Archangel's passage through the desert war zone, hour by hour."

That same afternoon, an official aircraft bearing Atlantic Federation diplomatic insignia landed at East Asia Capital Airport.

May 1, C.E. 71, 4:17 p.m.

Sykes had not notified East Asia's diplomatic authorities in advance.

East Asia had received only a diplomatic note sent four hours earlier, worded so briefly it barely resembled a diplomatic document: Atlantic Federation Minister of Defense William Sykes would visit the East Asian capital today for urgent consultations regarding recent border security incidents.

"Urgent consultations." When Sheng Lan handed the note to Lin Yuan in the car, there was a thin chill in her voice. "The last time he came to East Asia, he called it a friendly visit."

"Last time, he hadn't lost two Short Swords."

The meeting was held in a secure room on the third floor of the East Asia Ministry of Foreign Affairs building.

Six chairs stood on each side of the long table. Five people sat on Sykes's side. He sat in the center, with a colonel from the United Army Technical Intelligence Division on his left. To his right were two advisers from the Federation's legal team. At the far end sat a silent officer whose shoulder insignia belonged to the United Army Inspectorate General.

Only three sat on Lin Yuan's side. He was in the center, Sheng Lan on his left, and on his right was a liaison officer from the East Asia Ministry of Foreign Affairs Security Department—a young man under thirty, called in at the last minute to fill out the room. He gripped his pen so tightly that his knuckles had turned an unnatural pink.

Sykes pushed a document into the middle of the table.

"Director Lin, let me state the facts first. On April 2, six United Army MS units conducting routine anti-piracy patrols near the East Asia Air Defense Identification Zone came under attack from unidentified armed forces. Two MS units were destroyed, while four pilots were confirmed to have returned safely. The United Army General Staff has completed its internal investigation and determined that this was a serious incident of misjudgment and excessive response."

His finger tapped lightly against the document cover.

"We demand that East Asia return the wreckage of the two destroyed MS units, including all onboard equipment and communications modules. At the same time, we require East Asia to explain what weapons system was used and clarify the model and origin of the unidentified units deployed that day."

Lin Yuan did not touch the document.

"Minister Sykes, are you finished?"

"One more matter." Sykes leaned forward by two centimeters. "Article Twelve of the United Army Technical Cooperation Framework clearly stipulates that member states may not independently develop MS weapons systems without assessment by the Technical Committee. East Asia's current actions are suspected of violating this provision. The United Army reserves the right to take further measures in response to this breach."

The diplomatic liaison officer's pen halted over the paper, but he did not dare write.

Sheng Lan took another set of documents from her folder and placed it before Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan opened it.

"Minister Sykes, I'll state the facts first as well."

He turned the first page toward Sykes.

"At 2:17 a.m. on April 2, six United Army Short Sword-type MS units entered the East Asia Air Defense Identification Zone at Mach 1.2, carrying live-ammunition pods and Light Beam Rifles. They failed to respond to East Asia's identification queries."

The second page.

"The active identification beacons of all six Short Swords had been manually disabled. The timestamp for the shutdown command was four minutes earlier than their takeoff time. Entering that command required captain-level authorization."

Sykes withdrew his hand from the document and placed it on the armrest.

"I've heard your questions clearly. Now it's my turn." Lin Yuan pushed the documents into the middle of the table, placing them beside Sykes's. "First: six armed MS units shut off their identification beacons and entered another country's air defense identification zone. Was that a routine patrol or armed reconnaissance?"

The colonel from the United Army Technical Intelligence Division opened his mouth, but Sykes silenced him with a glance.

"Second, disabling the beacons required captain-level authorization. Who authorized it? Did the captain of the Drake-class Frigate act on his own, or was it an order from the detachment command?"

"Third." Lin Yuan did not raise his voice, and the spacing between every word was even. "The flight path of those six Short Swords pointed toward East Asia's Industrial Zone Nine, where East Asian military facilities are located nearby. Does the Atlantic Federation admit that this operation included close-range reconnaissance of East Asian military targets?"

Sykes's fingers curled slightly around the armrest.

"Director Lin, regarding the beacons, the conclusion of the United Army's internal investigation was equipment malfunction."

"All six malfunctioned at once?"

"Probability assessments of equipment failures are not the subject of diplomatic negotiations." Sykes spoke half a beat faster. "I came here today to resolve the return of the wreckage and the explanation of the weapons system. The Short Swords are registered United Army assets. As a United Army member state, East Asia has no right to detain them."

"The wreckage is in the dismantling laboratory of the 811 Institute." Lin Yuan rested his hand on the table. "As unidentified objects that crashed within East Asian airspace, we have the right to conduct a security assessment. Once the assessment is complete, the wreckage can be transferred."

"When will the assessment be completed?"

"That depends on when the Atlantic Federation provides formal written answers to the three questions above."

Sykes's lips compressed into a line.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze resting on Lin Yuan's face for two seconds. Then he spoke again, his voice lower but heavier.

"Director Lin, the United Army Technical Cooperation Framework is not a recommendation. It is a treaty obligation. If East Asia insists on refusing cooperation, the United Army Technical Committee will consider reducing East Asia's technical sharing quota at next month's regular meeting. This includes maintenance data for naval propulsion systems and satellite communications frequency allocations."

Sheng Lan's pen paused over her notes for an instant.

Lin Yuan pulled both documents back in front of himself and stacked them together.

"Minister Sykes, East Asia pays 730 million credit points in member-state contributions to the United Army every year. Forty percent of that sum is designated for the technical sharing fund. If the Atlantic Federation unilaterally reduces the sharing quota, East Asia will reassess the reasonableness of its contribution obligations."

He stood.

"By the way, my legal team has reviewed the full text of Article Twelve word for word. The provision restricts weapons systems deployed within the United Army's joint operational framework. It does not include independent national defense research by member states. East Asia's development projects do not fall under its jurisdiction."

Sykes stood as well.

"Director Lin, you're gambling that the United Army won't pursue this seriously."

"I'm gambling that the Atlantic Federation won't dare to."

The two men's gazes locked over the long table for three seconds.

Sykes looked away, put his document into his briefcase, and turned toward the door. After three steps, he looked back.

"Director Lin, once some lines are crossed, there's no way back."

"The same goes for you, Minister Sykes."

After the door closed, the diplomatic liaison officer's pen fell onto the table.

Sheng Lan closed her notebook, lowering her voice.

"Director, Sykes applied more pressure today than expected. The United Army Technical Committee's review still has to follow procedure, but the fact that he leaked word in advance is itself a signal."

"A signal for whom?"

Sheng Lan did not answer immediately.

Lin Yuan pulled out his chair and sat back down.

"For those within East Asia who still think following the United Army is the safest option."

"Director, the lead Ye Qingluan reported this morning is also connected to this. Someone in the National Defense Committee Secretariat has been asking about the follow-up documents for Luo Qiming's case. They specifically asked whether Luo Qiming's administrative appeal channel remains open."

Lin Yuan tapped the edge of the table with one finger.

"Who's asking?"

"A clerk from Section Three of the Secretariat. We haven't identified the person behind him yet. But the timing is worth noting—it was exactly four hours after Sykes's diplomatic note was sent."

Lin Yuan pushed the two documents aside, revealing the item beneath them that had not been brought out until now.

Ma Chongshan's requisition form.

Eight Black Iron units, for formal service-entry evaluation by the ground forces.

"Sheng Lan, compile Sykes's exact words today into a verbatim record and send it to Ma Chongshan."

Sheng Lan's pen touched the paper again.

"What does the Director want Ma Chongshan to see?"

"Let him see how the Atlantic Federation treats its own member states. Then ask him whether eight units are enough."