Wednesday afternoon, Major Khan stood with General Tehrani outside on the oil tanker as it sailed at full speed—sixteen knots an hour—for St. Petersburg. The general appeared about to puke as the tanker pitched and rolled in the sea. General Tehrani tightened his jacket to protect himself from the stinging cold as he spoke on his cell phone to his superior in Tehran. “I contacted the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation, but they won’t send anyone to meet us tomorrow in St. Petersburg—not one person. It’s an outrage, sir!”
General Tehrani listened. His face looked green, and he belched.
“I know we’ve had some tense times with Russia,” General Tehrani said, “but I looked the other way when they persecuted our brothers in Georgia. After the fall of the USSR, I established better relations with Russia—even purchased weapons from them. I agreed with their opposition to Turkey’s regional influence, and I sided with Russia and China to oppose U.S. influence in Central Asia. And this is how the communists repay me? America is the devil, not me!”
General Tehrani shook his head as he listened to his superior on the phone. He burped again and swallowed hard.
“I was hoping you might be more successful than me in reminding Russia that they owe me,” General Tehrani said.
General Tehrani listened, but something was wrong.
“Hello?” General Tehrani said. “Come in. Hello?!” He frantically fidgeted with his phone. “Damnit—I lost them! Damn!” He staggered to the side of the ship and vomited over the side.