“We must act prudently and conservatively,” General Ouyang said. “With our systems handicapped and an insurgency on our soil, and the strong suspicion that the Americans are behind it, we cannot afford the added risk that the American naval presence represents. They must understand this. I recommend we contact the American fleet elements directly via ship-to-ship communication and inform them that they are ordered to leave our waters in the South and East China Seas.”

Bo Jintao nodded. “And if they don’t? If they insist those are international waters?”

“Warning shots,” Ouyang said. “We demonstrate that we’re serious. A shore-launched ballistic projectile off the bow of one of their uncrewed ships. No risk of lives lost, no damage, but a clear message.”

Bo Jintao looked around. He saw faces that were frightened. He saw uncertainty. He saw Wang Wei nodding eagerly – anger, needing a target. That was more dangerous than anything.

Bao Zhuang had an eyebrow raised. “An unscrewed ship is good. A warning shot is good.”

Bo Jintao took a breath, turned back to Ouyang. “Do it,” he said.

“Now, as for the protests,” Bo Jintao carefully didn’t look at Bao Zhuang this time. “It’s time to clear them out. Send soldiers to the companies that they’re using to share their videos and pictures and messages. Shut those services down. Turn off the power if necessary.”

“Premier,” Fu Ping started.

Bo Jintao rolled over him, directed his eyes and words at General Ouyang . “And then move in on the protesters themselves. With force. Make it clear that any who resist are traitors or American stooges. Force them from the squares.”

“They have satellite phones,” Fu Ping said. “Laser uplinks. Shutting down the Chinese services won’t stop them from getting news out. Whatever we do will be seen!”

“I recommend – strongly - against live ammunition,” General Ouyang said. “My forces are not the police. To use soldiers against our own people… That is a line, seldom crossed, painful every time. We should do this with sub-lethal force.”

“These are traitors!” Wang Wei cut in, ever the hardliner. “We should use whatever force is necessary.”

“General Ouyang is wise,” Bao Zhuang said, slowly, as if Wang Wei hadn’t spoken. “History is not kind to armies who fire on their own citizens, or to those who give the orders.”

Bo Jintao compressed his lips. It was wise. Death was to be avoided. One had to sap energy from protests and the movements that fueled them, not feed energy into them. “I agree with General Ouyang and the President,” he said. “Sub-lethal force. We don’t want to create martyrs. But find those phones and uplinks. And destroy them.”

“What we’re looking at is a major crisis in China,” Secretary of State Pamela Abrams said. “It’s unprecedented in the last seventy years. Larger than the Tiananmen protests of 1989. The next few days could either see the fall of the government or an incredible bloodbath.”