MEEK

by Richard Johnson

  “What can I do to help?”

  “The PM needs strategic information. I want you to take a job as monitor of the consortium’s work and advisor directly to the PM. The consortium’s interests and ours are the same there are no security risks in this country anymore.”

  “Which reminds me, Baz; what happened to the three blokes I sent to Christmas Island?”

  “I notified Washington we were holding three of their citizens for interrogation. They said we were mistaken, we asked if they wanted to see them there and gave them free access. There was no reply so after two months we shot them and sent the Americans the photos and their confessions. They still made no comment. All embassies including the US who have been deemed non sympathetic have been removed and property confiscated. We have also made sure persons of interest never made it to the planes. The PM is no pushover Mark, he is in it to win it, you will love the guy when you meet him.”

  “When will that be?”

  “Well, that’s up to you, when do you want to start? I can have you on a plane in two days to the Mars launch site. It will then be a case of taking a preliminary report to the PM personally in two weeks after that.”

  “I’ll be ready to leave tomorrow.”

  “Excellent Mark, I really think you have made the right choice and, to be honest, we really do need you. A car will pick you up at midday.”

  The launch facility was a hive of industry. Hundreds of people obviously working to a very tight schedule, were hurrying from one job to the next. In the boardroom, Richard Hart was waiting for him together with a Japanese lady in white laboratory coat. She was tall, elegant and totally composed. She was in her early thirties and very attractive.

  “Mark? This is Kana Susuki. She is one of our technical advisors and is authorised by the Japanese government to represent them in this project. We feel it is necessary we put our cards on the table straight away. We know you will convey this information to the Prime Minister and it is good that you do so.” The three of them sat down.

  “In recent years scientific development has ground down to a snail’s pace in most of the world. In the Americas right-wing orthodoxy views science with suspicion. The US has suspended most of its research. The same applies in the countries controlled by Islam. China, Russia and south-east Asia has its hands full surviving against Islamic incursions and so does Australia. Even communications satellites that break down are not being replaced. We are heading for the new Dark Ages.”

  Kana took over at this point. “Professor, as you would be aware Japan has always been unsympathetic to Islamic beliefs and was aware of its real intentions. The Japanese government firmly believes it will come under attack eventually and the only hope for its survival will be technological superiority, which is why we are here supporting the Consortium. We also believe Australia is in the same position but, because of your blatant expulsion of Islam and your wealth in terms of natural resources, an attack is close at hand. Our two countries have a history of mutual co-operation since the Second World War. The Japanese government will do what it can to support Australia’s stand and I hope you will convey this to your Prime Minister. Over to you, Richard.”

  “What we are doing here isn’t just about putting a man on Mars but building a defence system in orbit to protect Australia.” Richard gave a significant pause.

  Mark looked at them both hard and long. “You have not got the permission of this nation to do that.”

  Kana replied. “No, things were moving so quickly and we had no feasibility studies, nothing to present, Professor. We wish you to inspect our progress and report to the PM in person. Our intentions are in the best interests of Australia I can assure you, Professor.”

  “So is the Mars landing just a cover?” asked Mark. Richard looked positively physically hurt.

  “Oh God, no! The defence system is the necessary side issue. The Mars launch will be back on schedule in a few days and before the end of next year, the first humans will set up camp on its surface.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  JUNE 2025 BEST LAID PLANS

  Paul Simpson looked out of his office window. Canberra never looked right to him. He was from tropical Queensland and the colours were all wrong, more grey than green. He was tall, slim, and very young with easy movements that showed immense self-confidence. He was also handsome and single, a fact that helped at the polls.

  “So they want to protect us, you say, but the system will not be ready for two years?”

  “Yes Prime Minister.” Barry had accompanied Mark to the meeting.

  “We certainly need all the help we can get. Tell them from me Professor, ASIO says the new coalition of Islamic forces to the north is planning to invade us. Their facility is in danger of being overwhelmed unless we get military aid from Japan. I am moving all troops north, we will have nothing left to defend subtropical Australia if we fail to stop them in the north. The army are not happy about this and many say we should let them take the far north, extending their supply lines and stop them at the old Brisbane Line. If I did that we can kiss Mars and the defence system for the future goodbye.”

  Paul turned away from the window and looked Barry straight in the eye.

  “What’s your opinion, Baz? Is it all or nothing?”

  “Yes, PM. It’s all or nothing, we have to hold them at our borders. Technology has to some extent eroded the tyranny of distance, but if we are forced back we can employ a scorched-earth policy and as they extend their supply lines they will be thinned out and open to guerrilla tactics.”

  “So Professor, you have heard the story. Tell them they will be responsible for the protection of the facility, we can give them nothing. Every man, woman and child will be armed in the north, there will be no withdrawal. They will have to nuke us and even then they will face guerrilla tactics for seven thousand kilometres.”

  Later in a pub, Mark said, “Where did he come from? I mean, he was nowhere, then he was the PM. Fuck, he is only about twenty-nine. I mean it Baz, who the hell is he?”

  “He was originally a figment of our imagination. We envisioned having an insurance policy for the future. Let’s face it, our politicians were looking like a bloody comedy team with no sign of anyone promising in the wings, so in 2012 we decided to make our own, just in case things got out of hand.”

  “We? And who is we, Baz?”

  “Myself and a few public servant mates and some people of influence. The capitalists of our nation demand democracy. Theocracy and socialism are their enemy and they wield the money and power. Some of them had been making money from appeasement and the dream of a cheap consumer-based workforce. Once they woke up to the fact Muslims are uncontrollable taxation parasites, they were quick to sign up for a quiet coup. We could do with you on our side, Mark. We need true believers.”

  “Oh shit Baz! You really have been treading a fine line, haven’t you? So he is a bloody puppet, is that what you are telling me? There to serve whom? Some shady public servants attached to international business?”

  “No, it’s not like that. We picked him, we educated him, we groomed him. We financed him and the Reformation Party. We had it all set up as insurance, we had been working on it since 2012 when Oz had already well and truly lost the plot. But to describe him as a puppet is not the case. He has been trained to be a leader. We have no control over him and he has our loyalty and respect.”

  Mark and Barry sat silently for a few minutes. Then Mark said quietly, his eyes focused on his beer, “Things have really gone to shit in my life, Baz. I lose my woman, my child and now I’m about to lose my country and my freedom. We can’t win this war against Islam, Baz, you know that don’t you?”

  Barry sighed deeply. “We will try our best Mark, where there’s life... eh?”

  “And democracy Baz? What happened to that?”

  “The people chose social security, self-interest, irresponsibility and a lack of self-discipline. They were happy to allow politicians, capitalists and priests with their own a
gendas take away their freedom and water down democracy, now they are going to end up with nothing. But we will eventually be able to give them back democracy, but there will be no security for many years to come. Paul Simpson is a patriot not a dictator, Mark, he is a hard nut and up for the job. The people will always choose him because he has strength and their survival instincts will kick in now that they are totally scared shitless.”

  Back at the launch site, the rocket stood against the clear blue sky and made Mark feel proud. “Humans can be so amazingly clever and so fucking stupid,” he thought to himself.

  He briefed Kana and Richard. They looked shocked, “We were hoping for another two years of research,” said Richard.

  “We are unprepared,” said Kana.

  “This facility is eighty kilometres from the northern coastline, it could come under attack in the first wave of an invasion. We need to prepare defences,” said Richard.

  “Is there any chance of military aid from Japan?” asked Mark. “Air defence preferably, some fighter planes?”

  “I will contact home immediately, if I have your permission?” replied Kana.

  “You have the permission and trust of the Australian Prime Minister,” replied Mark.

  Three weeks passed and violence along the border between Papua New Guinea and West Irian increased. East Timor requested Australian assistance to subdue Muslim rioters. West Irian freedom fighters, very long suffering and looking for payback, now had Australian weapons and intelligence. They were happy to show their oppressors some old Stone Age-style non-halal headhunting. Hindu and Buddhist Balinese became refugees fleeing firstly to Port Moresby, where camps were being set up to house them and train and arm them. They were then sent to the border conflict with West Irian. West Irian freedom fighters were well armed and they controlled the mountains. Islam was losing in West Irian daily. The Islamic coalition decided it was now or never to launch a full-on offensive. Darwin, Port Moresby and Dili were bombed out of existence. Australia declared a state of emergency, but not war. Australia’s more sophisticated weaponry took a huge toll on the combined Islamic forces, but sheer numbers were wining the day. Timor fell, West Irian was taken back and the Balinese population put down ruthlessly. Indonesian troops landed in Darwin and took the city and surrounds, street fighting went on for two weeks. New Guinea surrendered and Islamic forces began taking the Torres Strait islands one by one, heading towards the Australian coast and eventually securing a base in Weipa. The inhabitants retreated into the bush and received arms and supplies in air drops from the east coast. The Battle for the North was lost.

  In the launch site they were by this time very well prepared. The consortium mustered its able-bodied employees from around the globe. They were trained and equipped with the best money could buy. Mark, when asked, was told that ten thousand foreign personnel all heavily armed had been mustered, which did not include the permanent security force guarding the facility.

  “This is a waste of resources. We are sitting here waiting when we should be attacking,” complained Mark .

  “Our priority is to defend the facility,” said Richard.

  “OK, but the Australian citizens here should be allowed to fight. You need forward intelligence. Let me take fifty men to intercept the enemy before they get here. One good airstrike and we lose the rocket, we can’t let them get air superiority in this region.” Richard and Kana saw the sense in this, Kana was all for an attempt to take back Wiepa. She was receiving Japanese intelligence from neutral ships, who said it was possible .

  “The force in Weipa is very small, less than a thousand and they are being fired on by the residents who have fled into the bush but keep returning to attack them. If we attack now with everything we have, we can defeat them quickly before they can reinforce.”

  This plan was adopted swiftly. Leaving the launch site totally undefended the personnel headed by land towards Weipa only two and a half hours away. A helicopter was dispatched with rocket launchers and grenades to contact and organize the refugees. The Islamics were under the impression that the entire Australian defence force was fully engaged, which was basically correct. They had no knowledge of the consortium’s existence. They engaged the enemy in street fighting and for once the Islamics were heavily outnumbered and cut off from support. It was over in forty-five minutes and more than 200 prisoners were taken. Wiepa was destroyed but liberated. Unknown to Mark an entire Japanese parachute regiment had arrived at the launch site. The Australian army was concentrating all its efforts in retaking Darwin. Kana had left notifying Canberra until the last moment. They were happily surprised when the Japanese dropped out of the sky to assist. Realising they needed to preserve their force, the Islamics retreated after three days of fighting to consolidate their position on Papua New Guinea where they now held the entire island, including Timor. They hailed it as a great victory, but their casualties were four times greater than their opponents. It had been extremely costly.

  The Japanese left for home as quickly and as quietly as they had come. They were still members of the UN and would deny any involvement in the retaking of Darwin. They did leave a security force of six fighter planes and 500 soldiers to protect their investment and announced that they had done so at the UN, stating that they would protect their nation’s interests at home and abroad against all comers. The UN turned a blind eye to all events as usual. This encouraged Islam to rethink its attempt to invade Australia.

  This declaration by the Japanese and the failure of Islam to take Australia, was all that was needed for New Zealand to sign a military alliance with Australia. Chile, resentful of American economic control, decided it had nothing to lose by trading with and supporting Australia. All of South and Central America reviewed its position. Australia for its part stepped up efforts to free Timor and PNG.

  The important thing as far as Richard and Kana were concerned, was that they would be able to launch. Three months after the liberation of Darwin a wave of terrorist-style bomb attacks lasting twenty days left Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur in turmoil and nervous. Australia denied responsibility pointing the finger at American right-wing Christians. This was Mark’s idea, a bit of payback. The prisoners taken at Weipa were shot under direct orders from the PM. A very deliberate and unmistakable message was intended. The UN was horrified and condemned the action. At home the populace was silent, they had experienced war and food shortages and come through it. Paul Simpson was the main man now, no one wanted his job. In parliament, sensing his new power, his style became more dictatorial but behind the scenes he was still willing to take advice from those he trusted.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  SEPTEMBER 2026

  Mark and Barry were in the PM’s office again the day the bombings in KL and Jakarta finished.

  “Mark, you served your country well at Weipa. I still smile at the irony of the Japanese helping us to retake Darwin from the air. It didn’t happen of course officially but, shit, that was funny. Things are looking better for us now, some of the voters are upset about the bombings and my opponents suggest that I had something to do with it. After the last bomb goes off in, let’s see–” he looked at his watch “–in nine minutes’ time, they will get over it. I warned them if they set foot on our soil it would cost them a million and I don’t mean dollars. Now, and only now they will hesitate, uncertain, worried, and that’s all I need; time. People don’t realise the only reason they failed to take us was that they didn’t get enough troops on our soil quickly enough. It was their stupidity and some luck on our part. Now the terrorism card has come back and bitten them. Our borders, as huge as they are, are nonetheless pretty secure. Isolating us ended up working in our favour. Their countries on the other hand are wide open to us and now they know Paul Simpson is not a nice person.”

  “What if they offer a deal, PM?” asked Mark.

  Paul laughed cynically. “What can they offer that anyone would believe? They have proved themselves unreliable in every attempt at negotiation.”

>   “They will try again PM, and harder next time,” said Barry.

  Paul nodded . “I know, it’s going to be a bloody horror show next time. You know I just saw the statistics on all this madness. People are dying at a rate that will leave the planet underpopulated in another fifty years. In a hundred we will be trying to find somebody to hit with a rock. What’s your take on all this, Professor? It is after all your academic speciality.”