Sitting beside him was his Chief of Staff and closest friend, General Simon Fletcher. They had known each other for over 20 years. Fletch had served with him in Afghanistan and Iraq when the Americans went in to secure their oil early in the century, and through the Mineral Wars. If there was one man General Stephens could trust, it was Fletch. He had proven his worth on the battlefield more than once.
A car pulled up on the gravel driveway. ‘I think that’s Sarah now,’ said General Stephens, standing to look out the window. Sure enough, he recognised her trim figure striding towards the house, long dark-brown hair flying in the cool night air.
Sarah Dempsey opened the front door without knocking, followed by Colonel Main and Connor Adams.
‘Good evening. Thanks for coming at such short notice and at this hour,’ said Stephens, greeting his visitors.
‘Don’t mention it,’ said Colonel Main, shaking Stephens’ hand. ‘I assume it’s of the utmost urgency.’
‘It absolutely is,’ replied the general. ‘It’s good to see you, Connor,’ said Stephens as he reached for his hand. Having retired from politics a year ago, Connor Adams was enjoying life outside the machinations of parliament. He had been Minister of Defence for a number of years and understood military strategy, but also had a head for politics. His connections in Canberra were vast. There were few people in government circles who didn’t know of Connor Adams, and even fewer that Connor didn’t know of or have dirt on.
Once seated in the lounge, General Stephens began, ‘Gentlemen, you all know Lieutenant Sarah Dempsey’. He gestured to her, sitting in the corner of the room. ‘She is my aide and I trust her implicitly, so feel free to speak your minds. What is said in this room stays in this room. I have called you all here today because I trust you and I need your help.
‘At this very moment China is beginning the deployment of some 150,000 troops from a naval fleet positioned in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The prime minister has been in diplomatic discussions with Ambassador Xian, trying to work out a peaceful resolution, but it is clear China has no intention of compromising.’ General Stephens took a deep breath. ‘The Chinese have stated their intentions very clearly. They wish to take control of our mining infrastructure in South Australia to procure the natural resources that will feed their growing economy. They are not interested in our cities, culture, workforce or way of life. In fact, they are imploring Australians not to fight, but to remain in the cities and towns living their life like nothing was wrong.’
‘Jesus, who do they think they are? Or, more to the point, who do they think we are?’ interjected Fletch.
‘Indeed,’ said Adams, ‘but they’re smart the Chinese. They know that both America and the United Kingdom are embroiled in their own problems much closer to home that are sapping their military resources. They know that our military forces have been scaled back severely and are not optimised for defence, not of this size. We have automated most of the defence practices; unmanned drones patrolling the coast and fishing waters; satellite surveillance of our region, and now the defence force has nearly as many people in office buildings as there are in combat-ready bases. We thought we were being smart about defence. Turns out we were extremely naive.’ His face was ashen.
General Stephens caught and held his stare. ‘Adams, don’t for a minute think this is your fault. No one saw this coming and given the budget cuts back in the twenties, the protocols you developed are absolutely first-rate. You did the best you could with what you had.’
The look on Connor’s face said it all. ‘I should have pushed back harder. We made the wrong call on defence spending. Once we spent two per cent of GDP, then we dropped it to one per cent — when we should have been at five or six per cent.’
‘At the time it seemed like the right thing to do,’ said Stephens.
‘I knew in my gut that it wasn’t right, but how do you argue against better hospitals and schools in favour of submarines and planes?’
‘You don’t, and we didn’t. So here we are, and we need to do something,’ replied Stephens calmly.
‘So General, what’s Hudson’s plan to address the situation in the Gulf?’ asked Main, trying to move the conversation on for Adams’ sake.
‘Hudson, in all his wisdom, is planning to send the bulk of our military forces to the Gulf immediately,’ responded Stephens. ‘He and Draven have developed a plan to mobilise our naval, air and infantry forces in a combined attack on the Chinese in the Gulf. It’s my view that this is tantamount to military suicide.’ The general surveyed the room and continued. ‘He is planning to send our men and women into a battle they are not prepared for, either strategically, physically or psychologically. Our forces have never been trained for this sort of attack. The Chinese have obviously planned this for some time. They will massacre our forces. And for what? For a public display of defence by our nation’s esteemed leader. It’s criminal.’
‘More like a public display of stupidity,’ said Fletch.
‘This is beyond stupidity,’ said Adams. ‘He is sealing our fate. Once the initial defensive action is overcome, there will be nothing to stop the Chinese from marching down to South Australia and taking control of our mines. Once they have established themselves and their defensive lines, with our military destroyed, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible to get them back out.’
‘And this is precisely why I have asked you all here tonight,’ said General Stephens. ‘I cannot sit by and watch a mistake of these proportions be made. Hudson is simply not capable of leading Australia through this mess. I propose a coup. Oust Hudson — and I will take control of the country until we get the Chinese out.’
The words hung in the air as the others absorbed what he was suggesting. Fletch and Colonel Main both leaned back as if recoiling from what Stephens had just said. Adams was noticeably unsettled, putting his hand to his mouth. Everyone in the room stared at General Stephens.
‘I suggest you never repeat what you just said ever again, Martin,’ said Adams, staring directly into General Stephens’ eyes. ‘What you are suggesting is not only treasonable — it’s morally reprehensible. Furthermore, by telling us you have put us all in a highly compromised position. It is only that I am now retired that I’m not bound to report you to the federal police.’
Main spoke slowly. ‘You’re saying you want to usurp the prime minister? At a time when the nation is being invaded by an aggressive and mobile Chinese army?’
General Stephens was calm but certain of what needed to happen. It was as if hearing his own words out loud helped confirm his belief. ‘I’m saying we’re going to war being led by a prime minister who is not capable of making the decisions that will see this country guided to safety.’
‘I can see where you’re coming from Marty, but don’t you think it’s too soon to be considering this sort of action?’ said Fletch diplomatically, still trying to work through the implications of what Stephens had just suggested.
‘No, I don’t. Time is one commodity we don’t have in abundance. Once the Chinese destroy our army we won’t be able to do anything to expel them,’ replied General Stephens.
‘Yes, but perhaps Hudson’s defensive strategy will work and it will push the Chinese back out to sea,’ said Main somewhat desperately.
The five faces staring back in disbelief said everything.
‘Okay, I guess not then,’ said Main.
Connor stood, walking to the centre of the room. ‘Look Martin, I think we can all see that you have the nation’s best interests at heart, but now is not the time to be challenging leadership. The public won’t stand for it and neither will the government. The only way a coup can be successful is when the prime minister has lost the confidence of the public and of the government. He needs to be given the chance to defend the country, whether we believe in his capabilities or not. Let’s not talk of this again until the time is right — and let’s pray that time never comes.’