Dragon Fire

Prime Minister’s Office, Wellington, New Zealand

Harriet Sheehan, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, looked at the photographs on her desk and felt the pressure of the people at the meeting for a decision. It showed the bruised face of Michael Hall, the SBS New Zealand commando sniper, who stayed behind on the Cocos Islands so his colleagues could escape. He had been shot in the leg and captured. The picture had been taken from a video, first released through the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok to the television news agencies and then broadcast around the world. The video showed Hall being jeered at by local citizens, and protected by Burmese troops. Then he was sitting at a table eating with the troops. The audio was clear and the Burmese conversation had already been translated. Sheehan felt that odd twinge of national pride when it became clear that Hall was living through his capture with true grit. The enemy had no idea of Hall’s identity or his nationality. He could have been a Serb mercenary for all they knew, and despite clear signs of torture, Hall had not spoken once.

The New Zealand Defence Minister, Benjamin Leigh, broke the silence. ‘The dead frogman was a Malay with no identification. I suggest, Prime Minister, that we say nothing whatsoever.’

‘What about Hall’s family?’

‘They are in Palmerston North,’ said Leigh. ‘They are on side. Hall is dedicated to his work, so we don’t expect problems from friends. If there are, we will cross that bridge when it happens.’

‘And the British are taking the flak?’ said Sheehan.

‘Correct. Given our sensitive relationship with South-East Asia, if we can keep this quiet, so much the better.’

‘We have one dead and one captured from the operation,’ said Sheehan.

‘I think it proves that this country can play with the biggest when the chips are down.’