Iain Banks - Canal Dreams

The talk turned from the riots in Hong Kong to the US peace mission to Ecuador.

'Perhaps, we are free to go, before long, said Endo, in carefully navigated English.

You be rucky , Hisako thought, toying with her heavy soup spoon.

'Well, yeah, Orrick said, looking up and down the table. 'Could be. You get these guys talking and they can fix this thing up. Hell, all they got to do is get the Panamanians to let the Marines back into the Zone and get them F17s flying point and the old venceristas 'll have to head back into the hills. Park a battleship or two off PC; that'll get to them; practically fire shells right over the goddamn country. He made a trajectoral motion over the white tablecloth with one broad, blond-haired hand.

'Our young friend is one of the old guard, Mr Mandamus said to those at the end of the table.

Orrick shook his head, 'The old National Guard ain't gonna get rid of the reds; only way we're gonna get the ships out of here is get the Marines and GIs out of that Southern Command base and back into the rest of the Zone with the hand-helds and the microbursts.

'Panamanians lose face to do that, Endo shook his head.

'I guess they might, sir, but they lost the canal right now; heck, they're losing the whole country, and they can't even guarantee the safety of American citizens in their major cities. How much longer are we supposed to wait? These guys have had their chance.

'Perhaps the congressmen will succeed in their mission, Hisako said. 'We'll just have to-

'Perhaps the reds'll see the light and join the Boy Scouts, Orrick said to her.

'Perhaps I have an idea, Mr Mandamus announced, holding up one finger. 'Why don't we open a book?

They looked at him in puzzlement. Hisako wondered what Mr Mandamus could be talking about, then if he was showing signs of converting to some religion; opening the Bible at random for inspiration and guidance was popular with certain Christians, she'd heard, and Muslims did the same thing with the Koran. The steward — an old man near retirement called Sawai — came in with a tray full of soup bowls and a basket of bread.

'Wager, Mr Mandamus explained. 'I shall be bookmaker; we can bet on what day the canal is finally reopened, or on what day the first ship completes its journey; whichever. What do you say?

Officer Hoashi asked Hisako what the man was talking about. She translated, and thanked Sawai as he placed a bowl in front of her

'I do not bet, Endo said. 'But… He spread his hands.

'I'll bet that when they open the canal it'll be Yankees doing the opening, Orrick said, and launched into his soup.

'I might be prepared to cover that wager, Mandamus said, unenthusiastically.

'What are we betting on? Broekman strode in and took his place at the table, nodding to Endo.

'When the ships are released. Mandamus told him.

'Which decade? Which year? Broekman snapped his napkin and twirled his spoon, waiting for Sawai to serve him. The engineer smelled of soap and cologne.

'A little sooner than that, we think, Mandamus said, laughing heartily.

'Do you? Well, I won't be betting.

'Mr Orrick want to send in Marines, Endo said, slurping daintily at his soup and making a game attempt at the American's name.

'Standard US behaviour, Broekman nodded.

'Yeah; it works.

'Not in Beirut it didn't, Broekman told the younger man. Orrick looked puzzled. Broekman waved one hand impatiently. 'Before your time, maybe.

' "Send a gunship!" Mandamus said loudly, as though quoting.

'Well anyway, this isn't Beirut, Orrick took a piece of bread from the basket, broke it in half and ate.

'Isn't Saigon, either, but so what? Broekman looked suddenly annoyed, and scowled at the bowl the old steward put in front of him. 'Ach; it isn't up to us. It'll sort itself out one way or the other. We aren't even pawns in this.

'The congressmen will see the ships though, Hisako said. 'And we were mentioned on the news again last night.

'Channel 8? Broekman said. 'That's because we're local for them. And a lot these congressmen will see from seven miles up, anyway… if it's a clear day.

Hisako looked down, sipped at her soup.

'We're a symbol, man, Orrick told Broekman. 'We matter. That's why the reds haven't attacked us or blown away the dams.

'They took out that lock at Gatún easily enough, Broekman said.

'Yeah, but just one, like to prove they could do it.

'And the tanker lying at the bottom of Limón Bay?

'It was US registered, like you keep telling me, Mr Broekman, Orrick said. 'And it hadn't gotten famous; it wasn't mentioned in the news till it was blown away. But the reds aren't gonna attack us. It's too public a situation; we mean something. That's why that plane's coming to look-see. We'll be centre-stage, numero uno.

'You reckon, Broekman said, dipping into his soup. 'Well who am I to argue?

'I will hazard, Mandamus said, with slow deliberation and narrowed eyes, 'that if negotiations go well, the ships will be released before the end of the month.

Broekman laughed, coughed into his soup, dabbed at his mouth with the napkin. Orrick nodded his young blond head slowly. 'Only if the guys come in. If the guys come in; then you'll see some action.

'In what guise, though? Mandamus said, as though to himself.

'Yeah; you wait, Orrick said, tearing another piece of bread apart. 'You'll see.

'Hello? Hello? Hisako? Ms Onoda?

'I am here.

'Ah! How are you?

'Well. Very well. And you?

'Hisako, what are you doing? Why are you still on that ship? I've put the dates starting in Den Haag back by exactly one month except for Bern. Not always the same venues, but we can sort that out later. But you have to get out of there!.. Are you listening? Hello?

'It's not easy to get out, Mr Moriya. Helicopters are shot down, small boats are attacked… sometimes near the coast of the lake; Panama airport is closed-

'They must have more than one!

'- and because the… no, the city only has one civilian airport. Colón is shut down for-

'I meant in the country!

'And the Pan American is mined.

'What? The airline? Mined?

'No, the highway. Also, the rebels have taken hostages in Panama and Colón.

'But you're Japanese, not American! I mean, why-

'They've kidnapped… they've kidnapped Japanese, Americans, Europeans, Brazilians… many different people. One of the captains of the ships was taken hostage in Cristóbal; Captain Herval… I might get through, but I might not. At least here we are fairly safe.

'Can't they get those ships out? Can't they move them?

'The rebels have missiles. Also, they could blow up the locks, or the Madden Dam, or the Mindi Dyke. The canal is… delicate, even though it is big.

'Hisako, are these real names? No; never mind. Isn't there some way out? Somehow? There's more interest than ever because it's been on the news you're there, but the Europeans won't wait for ever, and you aren't — forgive me — but you aren't getting any younger, Hisako. Oh, I'm sorry. Say you forgive me; I'm not sleeping well, and I'm on the phone to Europe half the night, and I'm snapping at people and… I'm sorry I said that. Do say I'm excused…

'That's all right. You are correct, of course. But I have talked to the consulate in Panama; they say it is safest to sit tight. They expect there will be peace soon, or that the Americans will take over the Zone again.

'But when ?

'Who knows? Watch the news.

'I watch the news! I can't take my eyes off the news! When I'm not running up a phone bill to Europe the size of the US national debt, I'm stuck to CNN Nippon! But watching the. news does not get you to Europe to play the cello!