"Which is, Colonel, our mutual problem. Some of our major American cities, especially in the southern states, are already experiencing severe depletion problems. As are other cities around the world in the tropical regions."
"That is hardly
"No?" Madden said. "Major Jones."
"In the region surrounding Lake Balkhash in Kazakhskaya you've had to evacuate two million people," said Major Jones crisply. "In 1995 there were fifty thousand deaths attributed to atmospheric pollution. By 2002 an area of forty-six thousand square miles had been designated as unfit for human habitation and emergency plans were introduced for mass evacuation of the area."
Burdovsky's chins were quivering and the other Russians were sitting as if turned to salt.
"Contamination in the Nizmennost region due to the indiscriminate use of chemicals reached crisis point in 2005. Evacuation was carried out over a three-month period beginning in September of that year, and since then all freshwater lakes in the region have remained biologically dead. There has been total decimation of all flora and marine life.
The atmospheric oxygen count is four percent below normal and fall-
# _
ing.
"It's your problem too, Colonel," Madden said, studying his fingernails. "Even discounting these local and relatively minor effects, which in themselves are unimportant, we know that oxygen depletion in the equatorial belt is widening, spreading north and south. In ten years, fifteen at the most, both our countries will be largely inside the depletion belt."
Colonel Burdovsky sucked on his cigar and blew smoke down at the blotter. "This rests on the assumption that DELFI is correct, does it not?" He raised his eyes to catch Madden's nod. "So tell me, what precisely is our 'mutual' problem, Colonel Madden?"
"Too many people using up too much oxygen."
A vee of furrows appeared on Burdovsky's broad forehead. His consternation transformed itself into a smirk. "So what are you proposing?" he asked with droll humor. "That we exterminate half the world's population?"
"Not half," Madden softly corrected him. "Three quarters."
Burdovsky's hand twitched and a neat cylinder of gray ash fell to the table and disintegrated in a powdery explosion on the glass surface.
"Four and a half billion as a guesstimate," Madden went on, as if discussing a golf handicap. "We calculate that the biosphere can comfortably support about one and a half billion human beings. The combined populations of the USSR and the United States total three quarters of a billion--which leaves room for a further three-quarters-billion spread around the rest of the globe." As though stating a fact that was self-evident and hardly needed mentioning, he added, "Of course China will have to go. It already has a population of one and a quarter billion and they're breeding like lice. In ten years, at current rates of growth, China will constitute one third of the total world population."
Major Ivolgin was staring at Madden with bulging eyes. "Is this meant to be taken as a serious proposal by your government?" he asked.
"Serious, yes. But not from our government. The plan has been formulated by the Coordinated Executive of Advanced Strategic Projects, which is the military/scientific wing of the Pentagon and responsible solely and directly to the Joint Chiefs of Staff."
"The Joint Chiefs know of this proposal?" Burdovsky said incredulously.
"Yes."
"But not your government?"
"No."
Burdovsky placed his cigar carefully in an ashtray and looked at it for several moments. "How can you be sure your government will grant approval of such a scheme?" He raised his eyes. "Is it possible?"
"As of now--this minute--the answer is no. Which is why we need your cooperation." Madden held his left hand, palm uppermost, flat in front of him and pressed back the index finger. "The depletion problem is worsening year by year. Right now both our governments are unwilling to face up to the facts of the situation. But very soon they'll have no choice." He pressed back the middle finger. "When they have to face it they're going to want a solution pretty desperately. One that's quick and effective." He pressed back the ring finger. "That's the moment to put forward our proposal. Speaking for my government I know they'll react negatively to the idea--I can hear the bleats of the liberals and humanitarians already." He pressed back the little finger. "Then we play our trump card. We tell our government that the USSR is already in the process of implementing an identical scheme. You tell your government the same thing about us."
