'You fool!' Thomas Machita shouted across the desk. 'You bloody fool!'
Colonel Randolph Jumana sat and regarded Machita's outburst with controlled indulgence. 'I had the very best of reasons for issuing those orders.'
'Who gave you the authority to attack that village and slaughter fellow blacks?'
'You overlook basic facts, Major.' Jumana removed a pair of horn-rimmed reading glasses and stroked one side of his flattened nose. 'During General Lusana's absence I am in command of the AAR. I am simply carrying out his directives.'
'By switching attacks from military targets to civilian villages?' Machita snapped angrily. 'By terrorizing our brothers and sisters whose only crime is working as underpaid civil servants for the South Africans?'
'The strategy, Major, is to drive a wedge between the whites and the blacks. Any of our people who hire out to the government must be labeled as traitors.'
'Black members of the Defence Forces, yes,' Machita argued. 'But you can't gain support by indiscriminately murdering schoolteachers, mailmen, and road laborers.'
Jumana's face went cold and impersonal. 'If killing a hundred children would advance our ultimate victory over the whites by one hour, I would not hesitate to give the order for execution.'
Machita was swept by a wave of abhorrence. 'You're talking butchery!'
'There is an old Western World saying,' Jumana said flatly. 'The end justifies the means.'
Machita stared at the obese colonel and his flesh crawled. 'When General Lusana hears of this, he will expel you from the AAR.'
Jumana smiled. 'Too late. My campaign to spread fear and havoc throughout South Africa is irreversible.' Jumana managed to look even more sinister. 'General Lusana is an outsider. He will never be fully accepted by the tribes of the interior, nor by the black leaders of the cities., as one of their own. I guarantee he will never sit in the Prime Minister's office in Cape Town.'
'You're talking treason.'
'On the other hand,' Jumana continued, 'you were born in Liberia before your parents immigrated to the United States. Your skin is as black as mine. Your blood has not been fouled by mixed sexual intercourse with whites, as has most American blacks'. It might not be a bad idea, Machita, for you to consider a change of allegiance.'
Machita replied coldly. 'You swore the same oath as I when we enlisted in the AAR, to uphold the principles set down by Hiram Lusana. What you're proposing sickens me. I want no part of it. Rest assured, Colonel, your treachery will be exposed to General Lusana within the hour.'
Without another word, Machita turned and stormed from Jumana's office, slamming the door with a loud crack.
Seconds later, Jumana's aide knocked and entered. 'The major seems upset.'
'A small difference of opinion,' said Jumana without emotion. 'A shame his motives are misdirected.' He motioned outside. 'Quickly, take two of my bodyguards and go to the communications wing. You should find Major Machita about to transmit a message to the general, in Washington. Stop the transmission and arrest him.'
'Arrest the major?' The aide was astonished. 'On what charge?'
Jumana thought a moment. 'Passing secrets to the enemy. That should be sufficient to lock him in a basement cell until he can be tried and shot.'
Hiram Lusana stood in the entrance to the House of Representatives library and searched until he spied Frederick Daggat. The congressman was sitting at a long mahogany table, taking notes from a large leatherbound book.
'I hope I'm not interrupting,' said Lusana. 'But your message sounded urgent and your secretary said I might find you here.'
'Sit down,' Daggat said with no sign of friendliness.
Lusana pulled up a chair and waited.
'Have you read the late-edition morning paper?' asked Daggat, again looking at the book.
'No, I've been lobbying with Senator Moors, of Ohio. He seemed most receptive to our cause after I explained the aims of the AAR.'
'Apparently the senator missed the news, too.'
'What are you talking about?'
Daggat reached into his breast pocket and handed a folded news clipping to Lusana. 'Here, my friend. Read it and weep.'
TAZAREEN, South Africa (UPI) — At least 165 black inhabitants of the village of Tazareen in the province of Transvaal were killed in a seemingly senseless slaughter by African Army of Revolution insurgents in a dawn raid, South African Defence officials report.
An army officer at the scene said the raid was carried out by an estimated 200 AAR guerrillas who swept into the village shooting anything moving and chopping and hacking with bush knives.
'Forty-six women and children were murdered, some children still in their beds clutching dolls,' one stunned investigator said as he pointed to the burned remains of the once prosperous village. 'Militarily, it was terrible waste, an act of pure animalistic savagery.'
One girl about four years of age was found with her throat slit. Pregnant women were found with large bruises on their abdomens, indicating they had been stomped to death.
Defence Ministry officials were hard pressed to speculate on what provoked the attack. All the victims were civilians. The nearest military installation is 12 miles away.
Until now, the African Army of Revolution, led by American expatriate Hiram Jones, who now calls himself Hiram Lusana, has fought a strict military war, attacking only South African Defence Forces and facilities.
Barbaric assaults by other insurgent groups have been commonplace along South Africa's northern borders. Defence leaders find this new pattern most puzzling.
The only previous type of massacre involving the AAR occurred during the Fawkes farm raid in Umkano, Natal, in which 32 were killed.
It is known that Hiram Jones-Lusana is currently in Washington soliciting support for the AAR.
Lusana could not accept the article's impact until he had read it through four times. Finally he looked up, shaken, and opened his palms in a gesture of amazement.
'This is not my doing,' he said.
Daggat looked up from the book. 'I believe you, Hiram. I am quite aware that gross stupidity is not one of your virtues. However, as commanding officer, you are responsible for the conduct of your troops.' 'Jumana!' Lusana blurted as full realization dawned on him. 'You're mistaken, Congressman, I am stupid. Tom Machita tried to warn me of Jumana's renegade leanings, but I refused to listen.'
'The heavyset colonel weighted down with medals,' said Daggat. 'I remember him from your cocktail party. A leader of a prominent tribe, I believe you said.'
Lusana nodded. 'A 'favorite son' of the Srona tribe. He spent over eight years in South African prisons before I arranged his escape. He has strong support throughout Transvaal province. Politically, I thought it an expedient move to name him my second-in-command.'
'As with too many Africans who are suddenly thrust into a position of power, he apparently conjured up fantasies of grandeur.'
Lusana stood and leaned wearily against a shelf of books. 'The idiot,' he muttered, almost to himself. 'Can't he understand that he's destroying the very cause he's fighting for?'
Daggat rose and put his hand on Lusana's shoulder. 'I suggest you catch the fast flight back to Mozambique, Hiram, and regain control of your movement. Issue news releases denying the AAR's involvement in the massacre. Blame it on the other insurgent groups, if you have to, but get out from under and put your house in order. I'll do what I can to soften adverse reaction at this end. '
Lusana extended his hand. 'Thank you, Congressman. I'm grateful for all you've done.'
Daggat shook his hand warmly.
'And your subcommittee. How will they vote now?' Lusana said.
