Chapter 9

This was the first visit since Trisha and Ian had married, most of the family was there and slowly became used to the many terms and languages Ian used. He also was getting used to the Corsican slang the rest of the family seemed understand. It was Marc and Pamela, now Lord and Lady Pietro who made Ian shake his head. Here was a mix or English, Corsica, French, German and Italian. All the years at school had taught both the best and the worst of many languages.

Trish was just getting used to South Africa. The ANC had changed the power structure of the country, but the rich lived one life and the poor another. It was just that now there were both black and white rich. The Zulu had their own culture and way of life. Even Afrikaans and Boer families remained distinct, even in the military there were rules one followed.

When the UN forces proved, once again, ineffective and genocide became widespread, the demand for professional protection trebled overnight. When Russian troops were no longer being targets of Afghan rebels, Ian and Trish were asked if Spetznaz forces and 200 Hind gunship were of any interest for use as private guards.

Once agreement was reached regarding the mix, languages and training they would need, the addition of 300 more Hinds and 200 sniper teams; 3 new long-term contracts from British, French and US sources soon outstripped the available supply. It seemed that the blending of Spetznaz forces actually increased the capabilities of most of the soldiers. Governments who had been in conflict with South Africa had approached them, even Angola saw value.

Russia had even offered, tanks, planes and 1,000 BMP carriers as a bonus to the high contract premiums if certain rebel and dissident forces could be eliminated. Russians were not welcome in Georgia. Details never were completed it seemed but several shipments of the promised goods as well as 12,000 AK-47 and 500 Dragonov sniper rifles with night scopes were delivered.

In a few short years this private army rivaled number 16 in terms of size and firepower. One area that had been avoided was the Arab-Israeli conflicts another the Iran-Iraq war. In doing so, the capabilities the Russians brought could easily be added. Although both Britain and America had offered huge rewards for private forces in the Middle East, they were refused, nearly 40% of their forces now were Russian and Africa and Somalia always had a conflict.

Sweden, Germany, France and Israel had offered to sell quite modern arms and equipment, but nowhere near the huge amounts the Russian's were willing to send. By 2002, SAM II and Satellite early warning radar was being made a part of coastal deployments and 12 Poteimken class submarines patrolled the coast.

It was a win-win for both, hard cash in exchange for men and materiel. 90 Mig-23 and 6 S-11 look-alikes to the American F-111-A fighter/bombers joined Trish's growing arsenal, along with pilots, ground crews with spare parts and training. The regular South African forces received 6 long-range bombers with very special payloads for evaluation, activation modules and go-codes still remained in a Russian bunker but nothing Ian and Trisha needed from the government would be denied. With these, South Africa would rank just below India and Israel as far as capability.

What was not known outside a very few, was that arming modules, fuses and lock keys were in the hands of Trisha. If and when codes and arming orders were to be given it would be to Trisha. Eight huge missile subs were ready to provide her support and already under the sea. Russia felt even more secure that with the 23,000 paratroop and 24 warships stationed near Africa, that attention to Japan and China could now be the Russian focus.

No one wanted a WW III but if the past was any indicator, Russia, its wealth and resources would always be a target. A meeting was asked for in a ship anchored of the coast of Monte Carlo. Nico, Paul. Marc, Trisha, Ian and even the never before important Pamela were aboard.

Pamela was the real surprise, who was she anyway, a rich little girl, some Russian generals argued. It was not by accident that Pamela had attended the most exclusive schools, traveled anywhere she wanted and was accepted in Society everywhere she went. The Carstair's had always been a family that England could count on to do their duty. When Pamela had been told to get to know Trisha, it was just another assignment; she had been given them most of her life. Meeting Marc and falling in love was never an assignment it just happened. Everything she would hear would pass on to the Brits.

Aboard the ship, a 210 Viking, 5 well-dressed men joined them. Young Slavic blond-haired girls, dressed in designer gowns, served them caviar, champagne and a variety of chilled fruits and wearing jewels befitting royalty. Several young men stood at a bar should their services be required.

One of the men said his name was Alex and he had a problem and asked for their help. Now this was not expected from a Russian, it was an obvious lie, but was so unlike the Russians that it had gotten everyone's attention. After a brief delay, Pamela asked, "What might we help with Alex?" There was no reaction from any. The servers were dismissed and doors sealed leaving them alone. As the representative of HRH, the Queen, Pamela was the ranking International diplomat, no surprise there. Even the Russian was there because he was the son of the head of the military machine.

"We find ourselves in hard times. We have few friends and even fewer that we trust. In the situation we find ourselves in we have only a few choices. As large and as powerful as we are so is America and, we presume China. The next war, we think will come from China, Japan may support us or join with China.

We have 30,000 tanks and 4 millions of our men ringing Germany and we do not feel an attack from them would occur. Turkey, Iran. Iraq and the Arab League would have their own problems to deal with. That leaves France, Italy, The Commonwealth and the United States un-accounted for. The US knows that any attack on us would result in a total but mutual destruction.