"OK," Moore said. "What are we looking for?"
"You tell me. You're the one always noticing things you shouldn't, like missionary ladies' legs."
"Ah, come on, Lieutenant!"
"I'll give you a hint," Hon said. "Numbers. Ratios. That's two hints."
"I don't know what you mean?"
"What do we have on Guadalcanal?"
"I don't know," Moore replied, then thought about it and came up with an answer: "Less than a division, since they didn't all get to land. Is that what you're driving at?"
"Plus the Raider Battalion, plus the Parachute Battalion, less the troops that didn't make it onto the beach. A Division, about. Ten, twelve thousand troops."
"OK."
"I personally thought the estimate of Japanese on Guadalcanal at the time of the invasion was high, but let's say it really was six thousand. For the sake of argument, let's say there are four thousand effectives-I don't think there are..."
"OK," Moore said, grasping Hon's line of thought.
"OK, what?"
"How many Japs in a brigade?"
"For the sake of argument, three thousand. It's like one of our regimental combat teams. Basically an infantry regiment that they've augmented with artillery, and maybe some tanks, and some service troops."
"Three thousand in the brigade in the Palau Islands, plus two thousand in the Ichiki Butai on Truk, plus what? Five, six hundred in the Rikusentai battalion? Five thousand five hundred people. Plus the four thousand you say may be left on Guadalcanal. Ninety-five hundred, ten thousand."
"At the most optimistic," Hon said, "they would have as many people there as we do. Much more likely, a couple of thousand less."
"And you can't push an Army back in the sea unless you outnumber them-what? Two to one?"
"Question," Hon said. "Are we missing intercepts that authorize more troops than these? Probable answer, probably not. We know about the two divisions they intend to stage through Rabaul to use in New Guinea. So again, probably not."
"Question," Moore picked up, "Do they not know how many men we have on Guadalcanal? Probable answer, they know damned well."
"So?"
"Question, do they really think they are so much better soldiers than we are that they can kick us off Guadalcanal with the troops they have and the ones they're sending? Answer: I don't know. They are not stupid, but when they get their pride going, all bets are off."
"How about this? Question, are they only sending five thousand troops because they don't have shipping to transport any more than that? Probable answer, I haven't the faintest idea. Maybe there are enough ships and they intend to use them to move those two divisions from Rabaul to New Guinea with them, leaving Guadalcanal until later."
"So what we're looking for is shipping information?" Moore asked.
"One other thing. I have seen nothing in any of these intercepts that suggests the Japs are worried about our getting that airfield up and running. Does that mean they don't think we can do it? Or they don't understand what it will mean?"
"How much more is there to go through?"
"I've got another thirty intercepts."
"I'll get on them," Moore said.
"The reason I was hoping you would bring the Deaconess with you was so that she could help. Why should we do all the work? She's making all the money."
"Lieutenant," Moore said, in mock shock and outrage, "that's very ungentlemanly of you."
"I haven't been admiring her legs. I don't have to be gentlemanly."
"I'll take the intercepts out to the cottage."
"I thought you said she was playing tennis?"
"You don't play tennis all afternoon."
"OK," Hon said. "Now listen to me, John. I'm not pulling your leg. I don't trust that woman. She looks to me like she has taken post graduate courses in how to take credit for what other people have done, while simultaneously keeping her own ass out of the line of fire."
"You better go deeper into that," Moore said.
"So far, she has not put her ass on the line with any analysis we've taken to the Emperor. Think about it. So far we have been right. She's getting credit for that, because they think she's in charge. But if we had been wrong, I think she would have said, 'Lieutenant Hon never discussed that with me.'"
"You really think she's that much of a bitch?"
"Yeah."
"Well, there's something damned cold about her, I'll admit that."
"I want to make sure she reads every goddamned thing that comes through here. I don't want her to be able to say she never saw something."
"What are you going to do about the Emperor?"
"I'm going to call Sid Huff and tell him I have some MAGIC. What you read. Before we offer an analysis, I want the Deaconess's two cents."
"I'm on my way," Moore said.
"Take a pistol and use the chain on the briefcase. Do it by the book, Sergeant."
"OK."
"Do I have to tell you that making a pass at the Deaconess would earn you a prize for Stupid Action of the Century?"
"Jesus Christ, that never entered my mind."
"Bullshit. That leg crack didn't just pop into your head."
"Believe what you want. But rest assured, the lady's virtue is in no danger from me."