"It's even worse at the captured British stations. The Argentines have brought practically nothing with them. They have garrisons of forty or fifty people drawing on supply bases meant to sustain six or seven."
"Are you sure about this, Doctor?"
"I'm positive. You don't become involved in Antarctic operations without becoming something of a fanatic about logistics. Antarctica is the only terrestrial environment where the human species cannot live off the land. You have to bring everything in with you, every gallon of fuel, every mouthful of food, every square foot of shelter. Even your drinking water if you factor in the extra fuel needed to melt ice. Some of my colleagues at NASA have said that it's simpler to maintain Space Station Alpha than it is Scott-Amundsen Base at the South Pole."
Van Lynden leaned forward intently. "What amount of supplies would be necessary to cover their shortfall?"
"Oh, a ballpark figure would be between eight and twelve tons per man."
"Let's round that out at ten tons per man. For a two-thousand-man garrison, you'd be looking at twenty thousand tons of supplies."
"Mm-hmm, and they're going to be needing more hard-sided housing down there as well. A lot of those new troops seem to be living in tent bivouacs at the moment. On the ice, you just don't winter over under canvas and come out of it in any kind of decent shape."
"I'm wondering why our intelligence analysts missed this huge shortfall," Rosario said.
"Probably overcompartmentalization," Van Lynden replied. "I gather that polar logistics is a rather specialized business, and I suspect someone forgot to invite in the appropriate specialist at the appropriate time. If it wasn't for Dr. Towers here, it might have slipped right past us."
The Secretary of State leaned back into the couch. "Twenty thousand tons," he said thoughtfully. "The Argentines don't have the airlift capacity to move that amount of materiel. It'll have to come in by sea."
"And soon," Towers added. "I'd say they have only two or three more weeks at most before the ice pack becomes impassable."
"What will happen if those supplies don't arrive?"
"The Argentines would have no choice. They'd have to withdraw their garrisons, or watch them freeze and starve in the dark during the polar night."
Van Lynden considered for a few moments more, then reached for the telephone and keyed for the Embassy communications center.
"This is the Secretary of State. I'm going to need a direct line to the President, please."
16
Antonio Sparza breakfasted alone in the small residential dining room of the Casa Rosada. Normally, this would be a sacrosanct time for the Argentine President, an hour to be shared with his wife and three children before taking up the duties of the day. However, prior to the beginning of the Conquistador South operation, he had sent his family out to their country home in his native Catamarca Province. It was an instinctive precaution given the traditional volatility of South American politics.
This morning, his only companions were the international fax editions of the Washington Post and the London Times. In addition, a small, portable television tuned to CNN's "America Sud" service played quietly in the corner, ignored except when key words such as "Argentina" or "Antarctica" were mentioned.
He had permitted himself a second cup of chocolate and was just lifting it to his lips when his Minister of State hesitantly appeared in the open archway that led into the room.
"Come in, Aldo," Sparza said amiably. "You appear not to be having a good morning."
"We may have a problem, Mr. President. The United States Embassy has contacted us. Their Secretary of State desires to see you at once."
"Our Norteamericano guests sound impatient. We'd best see about giving them an appointment this morning."
"You don't understand, sir. They did not ask for an appointment. Their Secretary of State has demanded to meet with you immediately. His motorcade has already left the U.S. Embassy."
A warning bell sounded in Sparza's mind. "Do we have anything else on this?"
"National Security reports that their sources within the North American media have been informed of a presidential press conference to be held at approximately ten-thirty this morning, Washington time. There is also to be a follow-up conference involving both State Department and Pentagon personnel."
Sparza nodded grimly and touched his mouth with his napkin.
"The Conquistador South supply convoy was scheduled to sail this morning. Contact the Naval Ministry and have them hold the departure until further orders. I think you are correct, Aldo. We may very well have a problem."
17
"Attention, all hands. This is the Captain. We have just received the following orders from the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet.
"'Effective as of 1200 hours, March 24, 2006. Naval forces of the United States and Great Britain will commence a total maritime blockade of all Argentine installations on the Antarctic continent. Until further notice, all Argentine-flag vessels, civil or military, or any foreign-flag vessels acting under Argentine charter or orders, endeavoring to cross the Antarctic Circle are to be intercepted and turned back. Blockading forces are hereby authorized to take whatever actions necessary to maintain this exclusion zone.'
"As most of you are probably aware, for the moment we're all the blockading forces there are. As a result, we're going to have a challenging time ahead of us. However, it's a challenge I believe the Duke can meet.
"As of 1200 hours, we'll be closing up to Condition Three, full wartime cruising mode, and we'll be staying there until we are relieved on station. Blue and Gold watches will be set in all divisions. If you have any odd jobs to take care of, do them now. If you need help, ask for it.
"Plan for the long haul, because it's going to be at least a week before the fleet can come up to support us. A special briefing package on the blockade will soon be available on your crew access terminals, and I advise you to acquaint yourselves with it.
"Technically, a blockade is an act of war. As yet, however, nobody has started to do any shooting. Hopefully, no one will. We are not going to take that for granted, though. Let's stay alert, people."
18
President Sparza maintained two offices within the Casa Rosada. One was the large and impressive reception office where foreign dignitaries, the press, and other such transients were greeted. The other, much smaller, and set well back within the residence, was where the real work of state was done and the decisions made.
Its furnishings were solid and comfortable and not excessively expensive. The bookcases that lined its walls were filled with a varied assortment of titles covering history, geography, current affairs, and the military sciences. There was also a scattering of personal mementos, a few family photographs, a sports trophy or two, and a delicate antique case clock, an heirloom of Sparza's grandmother.
At the moment, the presence of the President, the Minister of State, and the Chiefs of Staff of the three Argentine armed forces crowded it, overheating the little room. In the face of the warmth, however, the thoughts of the five men were on the cold.
"All of the reports from our Peninsula Met stations confirm that we have an early freeze coming in," General of the Army Juan Orchal stated. "The average daily wind velocities are increasing. We are seeing a steady drop of temperatures and the rapid development of sea ice off all coastal installations. The demand on our supply reserves is growing, and those field units that have only tent shelter are starting to have problems."