Free The Fifth Season by Kerry B. Collison

overjoyed to be posted to this Kopassus unit. Just two years later, his team was flown to Bangkok when an Indonesian domestic flight had been hijacked from Sumatra, and flown to Thailand. In the resulting confrontation, they killed all but one of the hijackers, several of the airline crew, and left a trail of blood across the international airport’s tarmac that still sent chills through officialdom, whenever the mission was mentioned.
    Praboyo was most proud of his achievements during the East Timor campaign. When the former Portuguese colony was invaded on 7th December, 1975, the Special Forces were the first troops to enter Dili where they systematically annihilated most forms of resistance. Throughout the following two years, his teams were sent also into North Sumatra in operations against the Aceh Liberation Movement, utilizing the very tactics rehearsed under the watchful eyes of their American instructors during their training programs in the United States. General Praboyo appreciated the significance of that training, and the necessity for the alliance.
    Ambitious to the core, he used the capture of the East Timorese Resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao, to further ingratiate himself with the Palace. Praboyo clearly understood the power he had acquired as Commander, Special Forces, and the assumption that his star would continue its accelerated ascent due to his father-in-law’s sponsorship. Although his status within military circles still necessitated frequent displays of humility, he had little doubt that his future included the strong possibility that he just might succeed the President, once he had been appointed Chief of the Armed Forces.
    Even a near miss with a speeding cement truck failed to ruffle the young general on this day. Foremost on his mind was not the imminent meeting with the American officer, but the success his assassination teams had recently achieved in East Java; missions he had personally planned and directed. Praboyo cared not that responsibility for the destruction of these churches would be laid at the feet of Moslem extremists. That was part of his strategy. Now, he believed, it was time to cease the attacks and demonstrate once again how effectively he could control such outbreaks of violence and insurrection in the provinces.
    He would be applauded by all. His allegiance with the powerful Mufti Muharam would be strengthened by preventing these baffling attacks, which had so inflamed anti-Moslem sentiment, and the Chinese would admire him, for having interceded on their behalf. He could not lose.
    The general recognized the familiar sign as they turned onto the Cili-tan-Bogor arterial road. He examined his beret as they continued down through the Pasar Rebo intersection and turned right, arriving at the Special Forces Command Headquarters only minutes before his first visitor was expected. Praboyo barely had time to be briefed by his adjutant when the American Attaché’s arrival was announced. Colonel Carruthers was immediately ushered into Praboyo’s office.
    â€˜General,’ the American saluted, then extended his hand. The Kopassus commander returned the salute, almost idly, then accepted Carruthers’ firm handshake as he examined the foreigner’s four rows of campaign ribbons, arranged in orderly rows above the man’s left breast pocket. Praboyo knew from earlier conversations that his visitor had served two tours in Vietnam, and wondered if this soldier had actually killed any enemy in combat, as he had during anti-guerrilla sweeps.
    â€˜Jean sends her regards, and this small gift for Tuti.’ Carruthers spoke in Bahasa Indonesia , placing the delicately wrapped box of mints on the teak table. His secretary had organized the present as his wife Jean despised everything about this country, and would never have considered sending a gift to one of the Indonesian wives whom she found distasteful at the best of times, or at least stated so, in