The Timor Man (19 page)

Coleman played the game.

“I should apologize for the Ambassador. He is the epitome of the sort of racially bigoted Englishman even we Australians have come to despise.”

The Malaysian smiled and shook Coleman's hand warmly. He then turned to the Ambassador and announced, in precise English, “Actually, I purchased the jacket in London. If you wish, Mr Ambassador, I would be only too pleased to phone my wife in Kuala Lumpur and ask her to send the address to you.” Smiling broadly, he then excused himself winking to Coleman as he passed behind the embarrassed diplomat.

Brigadier General Seda had overheard the exchange and he too winked at Coleman. He approached the Australian and assisted his escape from the now visibly furious ambassador. They conversed in Indonesian. “
Mas Stephen, I have something I wish to discuss with you.
”

Cautiously blended with the correct tone of respect Coleman replied. “
Pak Jenderal how may I be of service to you?
”

“
I have observed you and am pleased that you show simpati towards my country. One day you may need friends who are able to assist you for it seems that you are a good man. It also appears that you are not so adept at making friends amongst your own?
”

It really was not a question that required an answer. The General continued.

“There are those in positions of strength who could be of assistance to you should the need arise. Everyone needs friends, some more than others.
”

“
Does the Jenderal include himself as one of those who may wish to assist if the need arises?
” Coleman was not sure which way this conversation was heading however he intended playing the game through.

“
Yes. In particular ...
.” the General hesitated, and then decided to change his approach. “
The request I have really is just an idea. You speak our language so well whilst we have great difficulty with the English speaking foreigners. Watching you tonight I though what an opportunity we have for you to assist us with our English speaking courses. What do you say, Mas, would you help with some of that spare time I hear you foreign visitors have so much of here in Jakarta?
”

Coleman was conscious that the request was not necessarily being made for the General. He decided to play along, accept the challenge as he could always drop out, if it became too involved.

“
Yes, of course, I would be pleased to participate in such a program. Why don't we discuss it formally, next week?
”

“
No. I don't think so. I would prefer an informal discussion to define the possible areas of cooperation before proceeding to an official level
.”

Coleman now knew he was entering dangerous ground. Informal discussions could easily be misconstrued.

“
Perhaps then, if you would provide me with the opportunity I could visit you in your office Pak Jenderal
”

“
Bagus
!” he replied. “
Let's leave it at that for the time being. I will arrange for a meeting next week.”

Satisfied that they had concluded their arrangements both men continued with small talk until eventually drifting into separate groups. Coleman felt uneasy with the General's oblique approach. He gave no more thought to the discussion and, considering the possibility of the protocol soldier's motives being not what they seemed, he decided as a precaution to report the incident directly to Canberra in his weekly report. He returned to the bar having strolled around the remaining guests looking for Louise. Where could she have gone?

Coleman was confused and angry that she had ignored him. He couldn't understand her attitude as he knew he'd done nothing to upset her! He remained at the bar, drinking heavily. He could vaguely remember one of the other guests suggesting he'd had enough. Each time the
tuan's
glass was empty the
jongus
refilled it quickly. Finally, somebody took him home but when he awoke in the early hours of the morning in the unfamiliar room he realized instantly the stupidity of his actions.

In the darkness the Ambassador's wife moaned and rolled towards him. Naked, her breath foul from the cigarettes and far too many Jack Daniels, Coleman's eyes opened wide with surprise as he saw the white mound edging towards him. Quietly, he crawled out of her bed, dressed quickly and searched for the security gate. The old man dressed in his white safari jacket, proudly displaying the gold buttons with the Australian crest, pretended not to notice as Coleman slipped past him into the night. He stood outside under the ageing elms, feeling foolish, dressed in his tuxedo at three o'clock in the morning on a deserted street.

Achmad, of course, was nowhere to be seen as the previous evening Stephen had had the benefit of theAmbassador's limousine. And, apparently, also his wife!

He walked to the corner and woke one of the sleeping
becak
drivers to take him home to his own bed. He needed more sleep. His body was already sending him alarm signals over the abuse he had heaped upon it. Still partially drunk, his anxious house-boy helped the swaying
tuan
into the bedroom. Exhausted, he kicked off his shoes, removed most of his clothes and dropped onto the bed.

 

He'd had difficulty at first, drifting off to sleep, the ceiling spinning slowly and even when he closed his eyes he still imagined the nauseating motion through his eyelids. When he finally succumbed Stephen dreamed he had been pushed into a
kali
by a beautiful naked blonde who laughed as he was slowly being sucked down in the stream's filthy quagmire.

The dream was confused with others also laughing as soldiers threw bodies of children into the canal while Albert stood high on the embankment sagely shaking his head at Coleman's futile efforts to retrieve the bodies and throw them back to safety. Occasionally he succeeded, only to have the children scream as they were again bundled back into the cesspool. A tall soldier, his uniform covered in blood stood yelling at Coleman to do his duty and teach the children the words in English so that the soldiers could understand that they really did not want to die thereby saving them from his stupidity.

As he groaned and cried out in his sleep the house-boy banged on his
tuan's
door. He feared that something dreadful had happened to his master. Coleman was partially conscious of the pounding on the door but believed it part of his nightmare until finally, he awoke, crying out, his body smothered in sweat in the cold air-conditioned bedroom.

Sukardi, the
jongus
, raced into the room to help the young
tuan
.

“
Tuan, tuan, ada apa? What is it tuan?
” screamed the house-boy now feeling the terror in the room.

Perhaps the
tuan
had been bitten by a
krait
! No! That is preposterous he admonished himself. How could a snake enter his master's bed when he himself just hours before had prepared the room?

“
Tuan, tuan, please tell me what it is that is wrong with you
,” he pleaded.

As his master's consciousness returned ‘Kardi put his arm around the younger man's shoulders assisting him out of bed.

“
Maaf tuan, maaf tuan
,” the servant apologized for placing his hands on the
tuan
. No sooner had Coleman regained consciousness than he doubled forward as the sharp stabbing pain ran down through his lower abdomen signalling the cause of both the nightmare and the screaming. Coleman had been initiated with his first attack of Soekarno's revenge.

As a result of this illness and its debilitating effect both physically and psychologically, the concerns he'd felt for General Seda's obvious attempt to recruit him and the guilt of spending part of the night in another man's bed diminished with the days, as he lay listlessly in bed recuperating from what he hoped would be his last encounter with the dreaded disease.

He had made a mental note to discuss his interpretation of the General's approach with one of the Military Attachés when the opportunity arose once back at his desk. His real concern was what his reception would be back in the Embassy considering his blatant indiscretion. And, of course, his career!

One very long week passed slowly and, lighter but now stronger, Stephen returned to work. He'd tried to contact Louise from his home to see if she would accept his call to discuss whatever it was she seemed to have on her mind, and obviously the cause for her behaviour towards him at the party.

The Embassy operator was impatient with his insistence that the call was extremely important. He insisted that she connect him to her extension. Finally, after numerous attempts, he was informed that Louise had been very specific in her request to the switchboard. They were not to accept any of his calls. That was it, then! He decided he couldn't understand her attitude — at least she could accept just one call to explain her position. He was deeply disappointed and became even more depressed.

Fortunately, the incident involving the Head of Mission's wife became more of a joke around the Chancery than an impediment to Stephen's career. Straight-laced Dicky had waddled past him during the early days when the rumour mill was in full swing, and merely ‘tch-tched' him indicating his disapproval of the indiscretion. He had no idea how the gossip managed to spread as quickly as it did but, by his second day back at work it was obvious that he'd become the centre of attention within the Embassy's community.

The clearest signal was when he entered the main office area and all conversation ceased, the men with knowing smirks while the women looked at Stephen, almost with admiration. He had stood in the centre of the office and with a sombre voice and hands up-raised had said, “Not guilty,” and left it at that. Unbeknown to the young attaché, the Ambassador's wife was responsible for the story travelling at such speed as she blatantly admitted having the romp with Stephen, during the weekly tea session all the Embassy wives attended.

Exaggerating the brief encounter, describing his sexual prowess directly from her vivid imagination some of the younger ladies had giggled nervously, one spilling her tea, while others laughed at her rendition of how eventually she had cried ‘enough, enough,' and dispatched him on his way before he completely wore her out!

Stephen would have been very uncomfortable had he known that many of the looks he now received from the opposite sex were, in fact, an appraisal of the good looking man and curiosity as to whether his ‘one-nighter' with madame was as sexually extravagant as she had insisted. He knew that if he could get through the following days without any clear indication that his career was to suffer then, by all accounts, he believed that the story had not and would not reach the Ambassador's ears and perhaps then his future would not be jeopardized by the foolish error in judgment.

 

Brigadier General Seda arrived home and elected to work in his study until his wife decided to sleep. She was heavily pregnant and the soldier found her condition sexually repugnant. As a Christian he had only one wife whilst his Moslem peers sported as many as four wives and numerous
cewek
on the side.

He had married a Javanese hoping his Timorese heritage could somehow be overlooked by his superiors. Divorcing her would be out of the question unless he could find a woman whose family could influence his career to his advantage. Perhaps he should be satisfied with an occasional visit away.

Bandung
— now there was the ideal opportunity for a man who had needs! The city boasted a major divisional headquarters and was literally over-run with poor young ladies financing themselves through school. He considered the options and decided he may invite the young Australian to accompany him on such a visit. He reflected on their casual but pointed conversation; however he remembered that, at the time, the Attache's attention had been somewhat distracted by the attractive American. He made a mental note to obtain further information on her, also. Seda was determined to move slowly with the embassy officer as he had detected the reluctance to meet privately when discussing the possible mutual advantages of cooperating together.

Control was important to the General. Although his salary was officially equivalent to only a few dollars each month, his position in the community provided access to the business sector which could not operate without the assistance of senior military personnel, such as he. The more important consideration was, however, to gain control over General Sudomo's slush funds, acquiring control of the clandestine operational accounts which, reportedly, ran into millions of dollars each month. He desperately needed access to these funds if he was to survive and grow. To build a clandestine power base required money, and he knew it was only a matter of being patient before he had the key.