No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making some other poor dumb bastard die for his country - General George S. Patton Jr.

This chapter officially kick-started the Iranian campaign, But soldiers need relaxations, so this will also be an R & R time as well!

---

It's R & R time.

According to regulations; the entire squadron is to go in groups; except for married officers which had their own arrangement with their spouses. Major Ahmad, for example, is going to be with his family in Bunaken, an island 8 km from Manado for some splash. Another example is Capt. Ouddy which is going to Seoul. I know he is quite into Korean culture with his personal stash of K-Pop songs and K-Dramas on his phone and laptop, and a few of us had watched some of it together, even if I am not really into such thing in the first place. Also his wife is going to meet him there, in Incheon then head straight to Seoul.

"We're going to have some appreciation of beauties in the Sub-Continent, Major" said Pandu as we are talking about the arrangement for the trip while we are eating together.

"Agreed, I've talked the MWR folks about Tokyo, which I'm always want to go to since my childhood, which unfortunately to us, the slot are only available three weeks later. That's why I am about to say, let's have some fun in India instead."

The unmarried females sitting near us; Evy, Olivia, and Andrea also agreed.

Eligible overseas destination for PPDU and NATO servicemember's R & R in Asia-Pacific were cities such as Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, Hawaii, Tahiti, Sydney, Tokyo, Kyoto, Sapporo, Seoul, Pyongyang, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Saigon, Hong Kong, Manila, and various Indonesian and Indian destinations.

"I suggested Ooty, in Tamil Nadu. Its slot is available for most of us here. A lot of botanical gardens up there, as it's situated in the area of Nilgiri biosphere reserve" said Evy. "And I like roses"

"So sweet" whistled Andik.

"I like to ride on its mountain railway" added Nana.

"So be it" It's Major Rita who speaks. "Anyway, people, a little message from the finance folks; don't forget to check and top-up your Garuda Cash (1) app before you withdraw your rupiahs and exchanged it to rupees. And we need to book in advance for the tours there."

"Affirmative," we answered the Operations Officer in unison.

And that's where we are going. Ooty. I, Evy, Rita, Olivia, Andrea, Bachtiar, Nana, Andik, and Pandu.

An uneventful L-133 Hercules flight to Delhi from still-recovering Karachi with a heavy escort, then an Air India flight to Delhi. There, we cleared customs then boarded another Air India flight bound for Coimbatore International Airport, followed by a PPDU chartered bus into the Allied United Joint Service Organization building, a joint Allied R & R mustering center in the downtown Coimbatore.

On our way there, I opened my phone for the latest news.

"Two marshals get arrested for selling secret to the UCC? Thank God.." I exclaimed while reading the headline on the Tri Dharma military online daily magazine.

"Not just those generals; up to thirty-five junior and field grade officers across all branches had got into trouble for the same reason," Bachtiar told me.

"Those people might be the reason why they got more drones; and better in quality, too," Evy replied. "I think they mostly did it for money, through. But I believe one or two were doing it because of their sympathy to those camels. Because the main technique of the UCC to get its support here in Indonesia is about Palestine. Old belief that is hard to root even with the National Great Reset also known as the Civil War."

"Fakestinians" I muttered, then Evy held my right hand.

After all the errands were done, it's time to start the tour with a train to Ooty at Mettupalayam, the starting station of the scenic Nilgiri Mountain Railway. The only rack railway in the country, akin to the one we have in a town called Ambarawa, Central Java Province. We intermingled with civilian tourists, greatly reduced in number thanks to the war, and other PPDU soldiers in their own R & R; in fact, I sat with a Korean in front of me in which he is also a pilot.

"Capt. Seo-Kim Jeong, nice to meet you."

"Maj. Paulus Hutapea, Indonesian Air Force. No need to salute here, by the way."

We talked a lot about each other's combat experiences before the train departed which made him and I had many things in common about being in a war; he piloted a KF-25. Evy, sat with me in the other, single row one seat away, also then have a good time with him and two other Koreans from Seo's squadron, the 33rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, raised as a South Korean unit prior to the Reunification War, in which he also fought within the squadron.

Behind me, Nana and Andik, sat together, decided to make the atmosphere more lively by singing a 1998 song titled Chaiyya Chaiyya. The rest of us then pulled out our phones, looked for the lyric, and followed them singing.

"For the gods' sake, I'm glad to saw our allies appreciate such song." said an Indian Army officer which also on board the train beside my row.

"Well, sir, the song was a viral sensation back in Indonesia way back in 2011 when a cop lipsync-ed it," explained me to the officer as we are enjoying the view.

Time flew fast, and upon arrival, we're going to our first destination in Ooty; Government Rose Garden.

While I'm enjoying a good time with Evy with us taking pictures, a concern arise when I saw Pandu was attempting to have close contact with a group of local Indian women inside the park. Luckily, Rita's ever-watchful gaze was enough for him to back off.

Inside our hotel that night after a good time playing snooker with a couple of Indian Army and paramilitary officers I opened my laptop and saw Yoel called me via Skype.

"How's Ooty?" He asked me. He and some of his squadronmates have their own R & R in Bangalore, the Indian Silicon Valley.

"Even with the war going on this place are gorgeous. Sure Evy is definitely more gorgeous than even the roses that we see today..."

"Ouch! What are you thinking?" I moaned as she slapped my hand in front of the screen.

On the opposite side of the screen, I see Yoel chuckled, holding his laugh.

He then proceeded to tell me and Evy on his tour around the city; in particular, he and his squadronmates visited the HAL Aerospace Museum along with Karnataka Folk Museum and Cubbon Park.

"Don't forget the Church" he told me and Evy afterward. Especially as he, being a Catholic had visited and attended Mass on the city's largest church, St. Mary's Basilica.

"Thanks for the heads up. Got yourself a nice sleep as always!"

"Indeed, Paul. You're just like Gloria sometimes.." he complained.

After some more chatting with Yoel, I turned off the laptop. Somehow my courage went up and I lunged into Evy and said.

"I'm willing to eject many times just for you to be safe and able to fight another day," I whispered softly as we sat on my bed.

"Don't ever say that, honey. You must be safe too. You can't just crash or bail out..."

The next thing I know. I kissed Evelyn Hardikusumo full in the mouth. I ran my hand through her soft hair, savoring its silky sensation while my hand rubbed her back in circles. Not entirely sure about myself, I began to slip my tongue into her mouth in order to connect mine with hers.

She caressed my graying hair as she pulled her body even closer to me until hers touched mine. At that moment, I feel that I really understand that she's accepting who I am.

After what felt like days, but in reality, four minutes, we broke apart. She had her head straight in my chest while one arm of mine is around her, the other still stroking her hair.

Just for a moment, we're content with the world. At least until we're back in the cockpit.

We Indonesians are conservative in lovemaking despite the change of times that we live, but I really need to show it to her. People may call me special needs, which I'm technically is, but joy always inside me despite the horrors of war. Second, she definitely loves being kissed!

---

We're back to the firing line and things were generally stabilized at the front line with most of our time was spent for CAP against raids especially from drones.

Yesterday Colonel Medi called me to his office just after PT along with several other Majors; Pongoh, Rita, Ahmad, Diana, Evy, and recently-promoted Hendrikus.

"I got something important for you, everyone," he said to us as we sat in his office, once a ticketing booth for the airport.

"What is it, Colonel?"

"Wing HQ had hinted for my promotion to full Colonel, which means that my office is going to be vacant. And furthermore, this squadron had also been mentioned as those which will be withdrawn for a while."

"Withdrawn? With our job aren't finished yet, sir?"

"I'm not yet finished, Major Hutapea. Listen, the rotation is for this squadron's own good, but the exact time will be announced. And, it's better to know this in advance; Some of you here will be attending the Air Force Command and Staff College, in Lembang. The exact order is still being deliberated, but I have the authorization to let this squadron know in advance."

"I got it," said Ahmad. I know that being older than mine he definitely wants to be there to be eligible for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and lead his own squadron. On the other hand, I also have such a wish too. Especially with Evy is on the same rank as me and might then reassigned to other units that needs her skill.

I am a soldier first, so I must be able to be without her for some time for sake of my duty for this Republic. On the other hand, it's good to finally at home for a while. Suddenly I remembered my days in the academy, the day in which one of my instructors had openly said to me that despite his appreciation for my flying and academic skill, I have low social confidence to command.

The said instructor's, a full colonel, word pumped me up instead, and with a copious amount of tears in the effort, I am here now, ready to lead as an officer. Furthermore, along with the staff college, I'm also in the spot to attend the Air Weapon School. My parents are definitely will be impressed. My siblings will be more proud than before!

---

Colonel Medi once again briefed us today for tomorrow's strategic offensive into Iran, as the rain raged outside.

All of us know what to do. And being a coward in face of death is not an option. If we don't kill as many of those sand-monkeys as possible they will do it for us.

A week ago we received news that back in the homeland allied top brass and civilian leaders had just completed the Bandung conference. One of the more secret contents is one of the things we're waiting for; an offensive into Iran!

Speaking of Iran, thanks to differing interests the PPDU and NATO had decided to unanimously demand their force to reach Tehran before the Pact, especially with the Caspian Sea and Pact forces in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Armenia are ready to strike just like us. Honestly, it seems impossible. But orders are orders.

The reason is that the increasing perception inside the Alliance that the Russians and the Chinese were aiding Khomeinist Shiite-dominated militia forces who fought both pro-Shah ILF, and the Sunni Caliphate, the Revolutionary Army of Iran (RAI).

I personally called them "Second Hezbollah" thanks to their ideology and also the strong link of its military force and its political wing the Guardian Party, which was banned by the monarchy prior to the war. Reports from the ILF that the said militia had somehow managed to have at least a platoon worth of advanced T-14B3 Armata tank along with latest Russian anti-armor and anti-aircraft systems, the former only operated by Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Turkmenistan, had further increase suspicion of some, as photos showed in briefings that those tanks had serial numbers traceable to the Russian Ground Forces. On the more positive side, those tanks probably were captured from the UCC which in return captured it from the Russian military.

On the other hand, some pencil-pushing civvies at home believe that the Russians and the Chinese deserved an equal opportunity to help determine the future of the Middle East. Multipolar world, they said.

Such term, had long been popular and promoted by pro-Russian/Chinese/Islamic Iranian sources in the 2010s, helped by fact that I am interested in geopolitics since the tender age of twelve, had also referred more often these days by the Prime Minister himself here in the Motherland in which he often called for a better understanding between East and West and the maintenance of Detente between both sides that had been surprisingly effective to reduce tensions, especially in light of two civil wars, in Europe and Indonesia, the annexation of North Korea by the South, Russian withdrawal from Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine (the latter partially) in return of US withdrawal from Korea, successful democracy movements in Cuba, Venezuela, and Vietnam, and the culmination of Sunni-Shiite conflict in the Middle East that resulted in a limited nuclear exchange between Iran and former Saudi Arabia.

For a while, my question about this matter is why on earth nobody aimed attack satellites into whatever the Caliph resides? After some pondering by myself during routine CAP, PT, and other activities inside the base. I realized that the answer had actually been there, by our commander in chief.

He had laid the ultimate objective to the Indonesian people when we are first deployed in his address; a complete debellatio. A total institutional along with military destruction of a state, and ultimately, total dissolution. Decapitating their leadership too early could cause a civil war inside the country, which will prolong the war.

NATO, in particular, had said that "this will not be another Libya and Syria."

The offensive is planned to occur in the dead of night, and as we're waiting for dinner, I found myself with Evy and just talking with each other like we're not soldiers. The base had ordered all of us to relax in order to conserve energy prior to the attack. Of course with readiness for a scramble and handguns loaded, lest we got attacked again by those fanatics.

I once told Evy that most of us were lucky to not had been wounded to the level that he or she no longer fit for flying, or to those who had ejection in their records, be able to return to the cockpit.

Well, speaking of those Fedayeens the 42nd had finally tasted one of their favorite game in the base, attacking aircraft on the ground, aided with mortars, rockets, and suicide bombers, and even the pilots and maintainers are fighting them like infantry. I'm really grateful for all the infantry training we receive back in the Tidar Valley.

As I am heading for the hangar for just another check on my plane, the dreaded intruder alarm rang along the entire base. I remembered our training for a such scenario of attack from the ground.

"This is not a drill, this is not a drill, we have confirmed hostiles inside the base area, repeat, fedayeens in the area. Man your station!"

"To the armory!"

We already know where we should head first in this case. All personnel is to wear body armor complete with IFS personal comm device and get their rifles and other light weapons to repel the ground attack.

Soon after we kitted up, I have a call from Colonel Medi that all 42nd flight and it's attached support personnel are ordered to head to our assigned hangars. Our planes, our weapon, is a prime target, so we are to be the last line of defense before they could blow up the birds.

Gunfire echoed from the horizon as Komodo LTVs arrived to pick us up straight into the hangars. Inside the Colonel and his support staff awaited us, already armed and ready for battle.

In the hangar, I looked at the faces of the night crew as they gathered, to hear what the Colonel had to say. They looked tense and drawn-afraid, even. Like us, which normally dealing with flying department, these guys normally wielded wrenches, diagnostic tools, and equipment manifests along with every ordnance a Sukhoi carried. But a basic tenet of every service branch in the Indonesian Armed Forces is that every soldier, sailor, airmen, and marine is a rifleman, and every one of these men had been trained in marksmanship and basic infantry tactics. They were ready to be led into battle.

"Here's the situation" he projected the base's map into the nearby wall from his wrist-mounted tablet; then explains the situation to the now assembled, the entire complement of the 42nd Squadron pilots and supporting personnel; maintainers, ordnance technicians, provosts (regimental/squadron police), etc. "Paskhas, MP, and local police are stretched, as they were engaged in multiple directions. Drones had been put on their possible entry routes directly into this very place and helicopters had also taken off. The Indians had also dispatched a platoon worth of their IAF Regiment (2), while the Americans had also sent Marines, but they need time before they reached this base.

Medi swept his gaze over the crew in front of him. "So, all of you are to form into 7-member squads, as we are to take the fight to these guys," he told us.

Multiple ad-hoc rifle squads were formed and spread out, with higher-ranked pilot officers mostly lead it. Including me, with SS4 carbine in my hands. Two of my wingman, Pandu, and Melissa, also had SS4 rifles, with Pandu's one has an underslung SPG-4 grenade launcher. An enlisted ordnance handler, SSgt. Kurniadi handled a heavier SM6 light machine gun, a heavy-barrel version of the SS4. Three more enlisted personnel with rifles, Pvt. Meliana Setiawan, PFC. Richard Dickinson (a New Zealander with Indonesian citizenship), and PFC. Malik Fajar completed my squad. Helped by mobile self-propelled ballistic shield we decrease the enemy's moving space.

However things went FUBAR when we are ambushed, and several patrolling armed UGVs come to our help were quickly disabled by the Fedayeens who were wearing a mix of Indian, Indonesian, and even US military uniforms, but not before they killed a good number of the insurgents. Soon another group of Fedayeens had taken cover between one of the think concrete walls and subjected us to machine gun fire.

"I don't know how long this shield would last!" shouted Richard. Sure enough, everyone duck when one insurgent fired an RPG directly into the ballistic shield, destroying it.

"We need a new plan!" said Pandu, as he threw a frag into the Fedayeen gunner, hoping to take it out.

Then we saw the rebels went down one by one, crumpled in the tarmac. Those bastards were outflanked. We did it.

'Emerald 301 this is Emerald 201 we're in your position and engaging the enemy. Keep focusing on them so we could finish them off..." I heard the call from Major Ahmad leading the second squad.