The Hamilton Journals II
                                                     Hamilton’s Balloon

Clandestine ethnic cleansing is taking place in the Western Sudan region,
known as Darfur. As always greed for the natural resources of oil is behind
this atrocity and behind the scenes, cosmetic government aid is doing
nothing. By the hundreds of thousands, black Sudanese flee to the adjacent
country (Chad) while tens of thousand are being murdered by the
D’Janjaweed, an Arab militia, strongly supported by the government of the
Sudan, who flatly rejects accusations of involvement in the killings and denies
the accusations of participation in the theft of oil. GTN (Global Television
Network) decides a fact finding mission is called for and calls upon the
services of top war correspondent, Amanda Appleton.. As no other
cameraman is available at the time, the management dispatches Steven Bent,
a man more accustomed fashion shows and high society events, much to the
displeasure of both parties.

For the purpose of flying secretly into the Darfur region, GTN has chartered a
plane belonging to Hamilton’s Air Service, owned by Sir Thomas Hamilton, a
notorious adventurer who has no inhibitions about flying into the African
killing fields. Horatio Alexander Parker, ex UK MI6 and longtime friend od
Hamilton provides him with the additional incentive of discovering the
whereabouts of the daughter (Porn Wong) of a dear friend who is on a United
Nations voluntary education scheme in Darfur and who has not been heard of
for months..

Within a short time of entering the regions’ airspace they encounter a
D’Janjaweed force attacking a helpless village. Despite warnings of the
consequences of rash interference, Appleton orders Sir Thomas to land and
investigate. Watching from a, distance, Sir Thomas witnesses the inevitable.
Appleton is killed and Bent shot in the leg, but, he does, at least, have the
presence of mind to continue filming the events whilst pretending to be dead
In an attempt to prevent further carnage, Hamilton enters the fray and in a
fierce firefight he manages to wipe out three jeeps but at the same time sees
his aircraft destroyed. He can only watch in dismay as the D’Janjaweed move
out of the village taking with them some sixty young children destined for
slavery in the markets of Khartoum.