Rogue Element

There it was, thought Niven: the motive. The Indonesian generals had murdered the passengers of QF-1 to keep their outrageous plan hidden.

‘Invading Australia would be good politically,’ Masri continued calmly.

‘Good politically?’ said the PM apoplectically, fighting a mixture of disbelief and outrage.

‘The army has become the people’s enemy. In some areas, the army has even become afraid of the people, because the people are no longer afraid of the army. Provinces in Indonesia are threatening secession. There is much killing and lawlessness.’

‘How could invading Australia possibly help your domestic problems?’ Griffin asked, horrified, but knowing at the same time that there was a mad logic to it.

‘The army must regain face within our own country. To achieve that, we need a focus outside Indonesia. You think you are part of Asia when it suits you to think that way. But you are full of yourselves. You patronise us. You act like moral policemen. Look at East Timor. Bali too. You didn’t even trust us to root out the criminals, even suggested using your troops to hunt terrorists in Java! You think you have the right to behave this way. Why? You think you are superior, because you are white!’ Masri almost spat that final word.

‘We aren’t bloody racists. Your inferiority complex is in your own bloody heads.’ Blight was working hard to keep his temper in check.

‘See? It is always our fault.’

‘But we’re not invading your country!’ said Blight, exasperated.

Niven fought back a wry smile. As they spoke, it was the Australian armed forces that were doing the invading, on the ground in Sulawesi.

‘Then what do you call sending troops to East Timor? It was part of my country, not yours,’ said Masri, face calm, belying the anger underlining his words. Niven thought he looked positively demonic with those deeply bloodshot eyes.

Blight breathed heavily, heart pumping like an old diesel motor.

‘If we launched an attack against Australia, our people would applaud it. They would once again be proud of Indonesia. And the military. And perhaps it might also teach a lesson to the provinces that want to secede. Such an action — bold and decisive — would establish a context for our return to political as well as military pre-eminence in Indonesia. Fear and respect would be restored. And the army would no longer need to suppress its own people.’

‘Yes, but at the bloody expense of killing ours,’ said the Prime Minister in dismay. The Indonesian soldier showed no reaction. This was a mad scheme cooked up by lunatics and criminals. Australia’s actions in East Timor could not be blamed for it. East Timor should never have been part of Indonesia’s empire and the Australian government of the day had merely righted an old wrong by supporting its desire for independence. And now East Timor had that — nationhood — those actions had been vindicated.

‘Are the plans for the invasion well advanced?’ asked Niven, getting back to military specifics.

‘Yes.’

‘Was there a firm date?’

‘No.’

‘You couldn’t take the whole country. What were the aims?’ continued the air vice marshal, morbidly fascinated.

‘It was to be a limited invasion. We planned an amphibious attack against Darwin and an airborne assault on Townsville. We would neutralise your military assets in both places, humble your arrogant Ready Reaction Force.’

Everyone witnessing this bizarre confession wanted to believe the general’s story was nothing more than that, a fantastic story, a fairy tale, but it was horrifyingly real, as the friends, family and relatives of the passengers of flight QF-1 would be able to attest.

‘Assuming the attacks were successful and you achieved these aims, what next?’ asked Griffin.

‘We would demand one thing, and one thing only, before a full withdrawal.’

‘And that would be…?’ The PM cocked his head. This would be interesting. He had to admit he was intrigued.

‘A guarantee that Australia will never again become involved in the internal politics of Indonesia.’

‘What…? Is… is that bloody all?’ asked the PM, stunned, as was everyone else in the room. When he saw on the face of the general that it was indeed ‘all’, a hot anger filled him. ‘You mean you’d invade our goddam country, kill I don’t know how many people, just to get a goddam bloody assurance we’d gladly give you anyway?’

‘Yes.’

‘That is absolutely fucking crazy. Why?’ continued the PM, experiencing a kind of sensory overload.

‘For the effect it would have on our own people. As I said, it would re-establish the military’s strength.’

The Australians sat back in their seats, their minds clouded with outrage. It was true — had to be true. Here was one of the conspirators laying it all out for them. Indonesia planned to invade Australia! That was bad enough, but the reason for it? Nothing more than a bit of a show for their countrymen. The irony was that, if not for the crashed Qantas plane and the deaths of all those innocent people, they never would have found out about it until it was too late.