Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [165]
“I hope you do, and I’d say Thurmond owes you one. Have a safe trip back, and I’ll call you on your way back if anything unexpected develops.”
Dhahran Air Base
2 April 2018
King Mustafa took his seat near the end of the runway to observe the low-level fighter-bomber demonstrations about to take place at the Dhahran Air Base. He had promised General Ali Jabar months ago he would visit the Royal Saudi Air Force Third and Eleventh Air Wings based in Dhahran and was making good on his promise. Though thrilled with the reverberating thunder of the low-flying jets, he still felt the presence of a bothersome pall in the air.
“What is the matter, General Jabar?” Mustafa had asked earlier this morning. “You look concerned.”
“I regret to tell you, King Mustafa, that I have lost one of my most talented generals.”
“Who might that be?” asked Mustafa, feigning sympathy.
“It was Major General Aabid ibn Al Mishari, my chief of intelligence and inspector general. You have met him at larger military gatherings,” answered Ali Jabar.
“Yes, of course,” Mustafa said. “What happened to him?”
“He was making a number of surprise air-base inspections to assess their levels of combat readiness. He left the Hafar Al-Batan Base for Dhahran on an indirect route taking him over the Persian Gulf. He did this, apparently, to maintain an element of surprise—something I’m told he did quite often.”
“Yes, General, please go on,” Mustafa requested, growing impatient with Jabar’s rambling.
“While over the Gulf, Al Mishari changed his heading to Dhahran and dropped down to a lower altitude. It was then that he reported flameouts in both engines and shortly after reported a fire in the cockpit. Seconds later, his radio went dead. Since then, we have picked up debris from his F-15 in the Persian Gulf and can only assume he died a horrible, fiery death in his cockpit before crashing. That is why I am saddened, King Mustafa, but I do hope you will allow our aerial demonstrations to go on today.”
“But of course, General. I would want it no other way. I’m sure he was a fine officer and warrior of the faith, and we will dedicate the demonstration today to him,” Mustafa replied, eager to get it all over with and to start the scheduled meeting he needed with his high command.
“Yes, King Mustafa, we will do as you say,” Ali Jabar said with what sounded like relief in his voice.
After a long and drawn-out demonstration of air power, Mustafa convened his band of brothers to get on with the business at hand.
“I am concerned, Prince Hahad,” Mustafa said to his security chief, “by reports from your secret police that underground opposition cells were discovered in Riyadh and Jeddah. Are they isolated, or is this a part of a broader network?” Mustafa was sure that Prince Khalid was in some way behind this.
“We have arrested a number of suspects in both cities but have not been able to establish any connections, even after using aggressive interrogation techniques. We are sensing a growing discontent among sectors of the population over economic conditions, and opposition activities seem more related to these areas.”
“I can add to that, King Mustafa,” said the king’s favorite, Mullah Mohammed al-Hazari.
“Yes, my brother, please go on,” Mustafa respectfully replied.
“The ulema and religious police are working overtime to enforce shari’a law. Something is happening. After our initial cleansing operation and crackdown on infidels and apostates, there was a period of calm and order. I’m not sure if it’s our rising unemployment levels or other economic hardships, but people seem to be acting out more disrespectfully than we have seen before. We are enforcing more punishments publically as a reminder of the consequences of practicing evil ways, but it’s getting worse, not better.”
Nodding, King Mustafa asked, “What about you, Prince Bawarzi, what are you seeing?”
“The morale of our troops remains high, King Mustafa,” he proudly replied. “There have been disruptions in military exercises due to shortages of parts and malfunctioning