- Oct 3, 2018
- 3,906
SECRET
The secure communications center sat one floor below the Prime Ministry.Three officers worked the consoles. Captain Elçin Sangu occupied the center position. A headset rested over her dark hair. One officer monitored the satellite link. The other watched the encryption terminal.
The clock on the wall reached the scheduled minute.
Sangu pressed her transmit key. "Washington Secure Communications. Ankara Government Communications. Authentication follows."
She read the authentication code from the card beside her console.
There was static, then an American voice. "Authentication matches. Stand by."
The satellite officer raised a hand without looking away from his display. "Link stable and encrypted"
Sangu nodded once. She changed her communication channel to the Prime Minister's office. "They're bringing them in."
Inside the adjoining office, the atmosphere was even quieter.
Prime Minister Ayşe Çiller stood beside her desk instead of sitting behind it. Several briefing folders lay open in front of her, covered in handwritten notes and highlighted passages. The first page summarized intelligence assessments regarding northern Iraq. Beneath it were diplomatic talking points prepared by the Foreign Ministry.
Sümeyye stood beside the desk, carefully reviewing the final briefing packet. "We've moved the proposals for the military bases here," she said softly. "If President LaFleur wants specifics, General Uzun can help guide you through them."
Çiller nodded absentmindedly. "I know."
She wasn't reading anymore. Her attention kept drifting toward the secure telephone resting on its cradle.
She had only spoken with an American president once before, but never one who had been in office only a matter of days. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the load she was dropping on the newly elected President. Surely trying to recover from a bitter election to have the Vice Presidency robbed.
Unfortunately, this introduction would not be accompanied by congratulations alone. Within minutes, she intended to inform the newly inaugurated President of the United States that Türkiye was preparing a major military operation into northern Iraq.
She exhaled slowly. "They're not going to like this."
"No," Sümeyye admitted. "But this is the type of thing that I am sure they would like to hear directly from you rather than on the news or some angry phone call from London or Ottawa.
Across the room, Chief of Staff Kaan Yaman sat on the leather couch against the wall, one ankle resting on the opposite knee. A notebook rested unopened in his lap as he read the intelligence bio on Lafleur.
General Nihat Uzun stood near one of the office windows with his hands clasped behind his back. He had just returned from the Southeast, overseeing the assembly of the joint task force.
The telephone remained on its cradle as it rang once. A light appeared beside the handset as Çiller picked it up.
Çiller picked up the receiver. "This is Prime Minister Çiller."
"One moment, Prime Minister." Captain Sangu said as she returned to the American circuit.
"Washington, Ankara is ready."
"Copy, Ankara." The American switch operator said as another brief pause followed.
Sangu listened as voices became faintly audible on the American end before disappearing again. "The President is ready."
Sangu pressed the transfer switch. "Prime Minister, you are connected."
A small green indicator illuminated beside the telephone. The room became perfectly still as Ayşe picked up the line.
Çiller tightened her grip on the receiver for only a moment before relaxing her hand.
"President Lafleur," she began, her voice warm despite the tension she felt inside, "Please allow me to congratulate you on your election. I appreciate your willingness to speak with me. I know you have many other things to address, many pressing."
