Blood at Yellow Water (11 page)

“So here’s what I would do if it was up to
me.” Jake then spent the next thirty minutes explaining his
views.

The P.M.s listened attentively, asked a few
more questions, then both stood up and thanked Jake for his input.
Jake walked out, buoyed by the honour of being invited to give his
views but also relieved to be out of there.

Jake walked out of the room only to be
confronted by the beefy figure of Ambassador Connell, miffed that
Jake had been asked to give his views and not himself.

“What went on in there Stafford, what were
you saying to them?” demanded Connell.

“Oh we were just talking about our game of
golf yesterday. Koshi wants to go back and look for his golf club
in the lagoon,” Jake said smiling at the Ambassador as he walked
back to the main conference room.

One hour later the P.M.s walked back into
the conference room and addressed the delegates. Murray spoke
first.

“Prime Minister Koshi and I have agreed on a
seven-point plan as the foundation of an historic treaty between
the two nations; these are as follows;

1. Japan and Australia will enter into a new
defence alliance which will help to enhance security cooperation in
the Pacific region.

2. Japan will phase out within twelve months
all tariffs and quotas on imports into Japan of Australian food and
agricultural products.

3. Australia will remove immediately all
tariffs on imports of Japanese vehicles and auto parts into
Australia.

4. Australia will remove all restrictions on
Japanese ownership of Australian resources and land.

5. Australia and Japan will each provide
safeguards on investments from the other country including a
dispute settlement mechanism.

6. Both countries agree to remove
impediments to the provision of services by the other in their
respective countries.

7. Australia and Japan will enter into a
joint venture to manufacture twelve submarines, the vessels to be
built in Australian shipyards with the design and technology to be
provided by Japan.”

Koshi repeated the words in Japanese for the
benefit of his delegation.

The P.M.s concluded by saying that all
impediments had now been removed and that the drafting of the
treaty would be completed that afternoon. They thanked all the
delegates for their hard work and advised that there would be the
formal signing of the agreement at a press conference at 5 p.m.
that afternoon.

There was a stunned silence around the table
at this announcement. Then a rumble of applause started and
continued until it became a crescendo. Even the normally sedate
Japanese were laughing and high-fiving. Jake almost whooped for
joy. This was an historic breakthrough in bilateral agreements
especially with so many complicated issues to resolve.

Drinks were promptly brought into the
reception area outside the conference room. Anna Sentoro and Jenny
Antrim thanked Jake for his contribution and then departed to draft
the final agreement. Jake went over to Saito and they toasted each
other with flutes of champagne.

The press conference was held in a roped off
area of the resort’s foyer. Jake was surprised at the number of
media in attendance. All the major Australian newspapers were
represented as well as the national broadcaster and two of the
commercial television stations. There were also representatives
from the major news networks in Japan. Photographers and television
cameramen were setting up their equipment.

Promptly at 5 p.m., the two Prime Ministers
walked to the dais both beaming for the cameras. P.M. Koshi spoke
first, stressing the importance of the treaty to Japan and thanking
the Australian Prime Minister and his delegation in gracious terms
for their part in completing the negotiations successfully.

Murray was ebullient, lauding the benefits
of defence and economic cooperation between the two countries. He
explained that Japan was Australia’s second largest trading partner
with two-way trade exceeding $70 billion and this would now rapidly
escalate thanks to the free trade benefits of the treaty creating
new employment opportunities for Australians. The two countries had
complementary economies and a similar objective of a secure Asia
Pacific region, they were close friends and the treaty would bring
them even closer together.

Two originals of the Agreement, each bound
in a leather folder, were presented to the P.M.s for signature.
They posed for the cameras while signing the Treaty.

The media were then invited to ask questions
which lasted for another thirty minutes. Finally, both P.M.s gave
radio and television interviews. Murray made the most of his role
in the negotiations indicating he had made a number of personal
interventions on critical issues to secure the Treaty. He would
make this a key factor in his re-election strategy. He then invited
the press to attend the opening of the Jabiru mine the following
morning.

By 6.30 p.m. the formalities were all over
and Jake heaved a huge sigh of relief. He could have a few drinks
and a relaxing meal tonight to celebrate. There was to be a
celebration party at 8.30 p.m. in the resort’s ballroom for all the
delegates, which he intended to attend briefly. He would prefer to
be celebrating with Shoni, his father and Lizzie. He just had to
attend the opening of the mine tomorrow morning before he was free
to take some time off. It was an exhilarating thought.

He went back to his room, ripped his tie off
and lay flat on the bed, the exhaustion of the last few days
creeping over his body. He picked up his mobile and keyed in
Shoni’s number but there was no response and the call went to her
message bank. After leaving a brief message he rang Bill and told
him the conference was over and that he hoped to visit him again in
the next few days. Bill was delighted at the news. Jake asked about
Shoni’s whereabouts but Bill replied he had not seen her for a
couple of days.

Jake decided to have a relaxing swim in the
resort’s pool, undressed, put on a pair of bathers and thongs,
grabbed a towel and wandered down to the pool. The pool was
turtle-shaped and surrounded by palms and various types of tropical
bushes with their bright flowers. He had the pool to himself as he
stepped in and started swimming using long easy strokes. The water
was warm and he felt energised as he carved through the water doing
lap after lap of the pool. He increased his speed feeling at peace
as he became totally absorbed in the swimming. He did thirty laps
before hauling himself out of the pool feeling weary but relaxed in
mind and body.

On the way back to his room he saw the
Foreign Affairs Minister Sentoro coming towards him. Casting an
appreciative eye over Jake’s lean dripping body, she said “Cooling
off after a long day Jake? I thought you’d be celebrating in the
bar with rest of the team?”

“I’m not really the social type Minister,”
Jake responded.

“Well you made a big input today. I need
people like you in my office. Make sure you come to the party
tonight,” she commanded with a sparkle in her eye.

“Will do Minister,” replied Jake as he
headed back to his room.

Back in is room, Jake changed into a sports
shirt and cotton slacks and went down to the main restaurant and
filled up a plate from the buffet. He saw Ambassador Connell in
earnest discussion with the Minister for Defence Crichton and
Defence Attaché Williams but managed to avoid them and sauntered
out on the terrace where he found an unoccupied table and sat down.
He enjoyed the noises of the tropical night, the bird calls, the
chirping of cicadas and crickets, the gurgling of frogs and the
strident calls of the geckos. He thought how pleasant it would be
to live in a tropical hideaway and once again contemplated his
future.

He returned to his room, sat on the bed,
opened a can of beer and watched the news channel on television.
Before long up came vision of Prime Ministers Koshi and Murray
signing the treaty followed by an interview with an impassioned
Murray who extolled the virtues for Australia of the free trade
provisions and the submarine contract. He even recounted the
incident at the golf course, implying that he personally had saved
Koshi from the clutches of a crocodile.

Around 9 p.m. Jake walked into the Tropical
Ballroom, the venue for the party for the participants in the
negotiations. The party was in full swing, loud music coming from a
four-piece band playing pop music. People were on the dance floor
swaying to the music while others were standing on the terrace with
drinks in hand. Jake pushed his way through the crowd to the bar,
ordered a beer, and looked around the room. He spotted Saito in a
small group of Japanese officials, who saw him and waved him over.
He shook hands vigorously with Jake and introduced him to his
colleagues. Jake knew most of them and bowed to each one before
joining in the conversation. Saito was beaming as he explained to
the group Jake’s role in the negotiations. They were all excited
over the success of the talks and pleaded with Jake to tell the
story of the golf match. After much prodding from Saito, Jake
started to recount the incident with the crocodile but his account
was interrupted by the sound of applause as P.M. Koshi, accompanied
by two bodyguards, entered the room smiling and bowing.

As he walked across the room, Koshi spotted
Jake and Saito and came over to them greeting Jake like an old
friend. Jake offered his congratulations to Koshi on completing the
Treaty who reciprocated by thanking Jake for his important
contribution. He then chatted to the rest of the group. Saito asked
Koshi whether he enjoyed his game of golf. Koshi beamed and
recounted the golf match with great gusto and humour, relating in
detail his encounter with the crocodile, including Jake ‘s efforts
to rescue him, and finished off the story with a description of his
spectacular chip shot out of the bunker to win the last hole and
square the match. The group all laughed uproariously at his account
and Jake knew from experience that the Japanese men would be
celebrating hard well into the night. To Jake’s annoyance
Ambassador Connell came over to congratulate Koshi which
immediately caused the group to break up.

Jake pulled Saito aside and asked him
whether the Japanese delegation had received any security alerts
about the opening of the mining plant the next day. Saito responded
in the negative but indicated Koshi and his team were well guarded
and that the whole mine site had been fully secured.

The band played the latest pop number and
soon the dance floor was crowded with people swaying to the music.
A woman’s voice said in his ear “Come on Jake, let’s see if you can
dance as well as you speak Japanese.”

Jake looked around to see the petite figure
of Anna Sentoro standing in front of him smiling, with her hand
extended. She pulled him into the flowing mass on the dance floor
and immediately started writhing in time with the music. She looked
striking with her dark hair flowing and wearing a long
rainbow-coloured dress with a side split and a plunging neckline.
Jake struggled to keep up with her but got into the rhythm when the
band switched to a fast salsa which, fortunately for Jake, was one
of the few dances he knew. She laughed as he shimmied, dipped and
twirled her around the dance floor as they both enjoyed the tempo
of the dance. The band moved into a slower ballad and Anna held him
close as they moved across the dance floor. Jake could feel her
soft body pressed against him and breathed in her heady scent. He
was aware of other dancers watching them.

“You dance well Jake,” she murmured in his
ear. “Do you do everything so well?”

“Not really, you’ll remember how bad I was
at our golf match, Minister.”

“Please call me Anna. Well you and Koshi
came from behind to draw the match. And you probably saved Koshi’s
life by pulling him away from that crocodile. You’ve made a friend
for life with Koshi.” She snuggled closer to him.

Jake was prevented from answering as the
band quickened its momentum and played an old time rock and roll
number which had them jiving around the dance floor.

Jake couldn’t help but notice how attractive
she was as she swayed to the music and was starting to enjoy
himself when the band abruptly finished its bracket. Anna grabbed
both his hands and whispered seductively in his ear “We’re having a
party in my suite at midnight if you would like to come- Suite
202.” Jake was saved from answering when applause broke out from
the crowd as P.M. Murray entered the room with his entourage,
smiling broadly as he waved to the audience. He made his way to
Koshi and there was much bowing and shaking of hands all round.
Anna said “I’d better go and join his lordship,” blew Jake a kiss
and joined Murray and Koshi.

The band started up again as Jake joined a
group of Australian officials at the bar. The mood was festive as
everyone celebrated the signing of such an historic treaty. After
several drinks Jake could feel a wave of tiredness overcome him,
excused himself from the group he was with and walked back to his
room. He lay on the bed thinking about Shoni and closed his eyes.
Some time later he was awoken from a deep sleep by the insistent
ringing of the phone on his bedside table. He picked the handset up
and a familiar voice purred into the phone “Hey Jake, it’s Anna,
the party’s in full swing in my suite. Aren’t you coming up?”

Jake sat up on bed, shaking himself awake.
“I’m afraid I dozed off Minister, er sorry Anna, It’s been a long
week.”

“Oh come on Jake, get yourself up here and
celebrate. You can sleep in tomorrow. And I’ve got something to
tell you.”

Jake thought for a second, he really needed
to sleep but he didn’t want to refuse the Minister. “O.K. Anna,
I’ll be there in ten minutes.”