by Leo Nix
The four men gathered leaves and barks and built up the fire, it smoked horribly. To McFly they appeared to go into a trance. It was uncomfortable to be the centre of attention, especially when he had no idea what they were doing. He felt dizzy and fell into a mild trance as well. After only a few minutes the men came back to consciousness. One by one they opened their eyes and stared at him.
“McFly, we're warriors of our tribe, we're also initiates of our spirit totems. You might say we're 'men of high degree'. Billie was one of our elders, he was one of the highest initiates of us all. We're trained to step out of this world to walk in the other. Ours is a small tribe and we've managed to hold onto our traditions. Now that the world has stepped around us, and let us be, we're going back to our traditional ways.” Frank paused and at a nod from the older man continued.
“We just smoked you and know you're one of us. Not today, not tomorrow but soon you'll join us. Our spirit ancestors told you to keep going and not look back, well if you did look back they would have killed you for failing the test. You didn't look back, you showed respect. Billie knew what he was doing, he introduced you to the land and we welcome you back.”
The four men spoke in their tribal tongue again. When they stopped talking they got up and began walking towards Sundown's encampment. The older man stayed behind with McFly for a moment.
“Brother, one day we'll come for you, the land will call to claim you. You'll know when and what to do when it happens. In the meantime brother, don't forget to duck.” He laughed loudly as he walked off to follow his tribal mates to collect their elder for burial.
McFly stayed there on the sand dune feeding small sticks to the fire while he tried to work out what it all meant. When eventually he headed back to the convoy his mind was strangely calm.
They arrived at the Christian Palace to find everyone in a grand mood, Lorraine said it looked like everyone was on drugs. Sundown called a meeting of the committee and promised everyone they would hold a full commando meeting later in the day. Right now he needed to speak with his administration team and get a picture in his head of what needed doing.
“Major, your boys can have the sheds for the machines and things and there's sleep-outs and cabins behind them. The officers and NCO's can have the rest of the staff quarters that face the sheds,” said Tricia, trying to get her head around the extra numbers and how to feed and accommodate them all.
Andy was in a fit, he'd forgotten to include the figures for the extra mouths. Now he needed to send a team to Birdsville to pull down some of the irrigation equipment and rebuild it at the palace. Or should they just go back to Birdsville and re-establish themselves there?
He decided to talk with Sundown but he couldn't get near him, everyone wanted his time and Andy was too polite to step in and demand he listen. Instead, he spoke to Pinkie and Major Lewis, who were sitting in one of the enormous pergolas having lunch.
“Hi, Pinkie. Hi, Major Lewis, and congratulations on your promotion too.” He paused then went straight for it. “Major, I need your help and I need it now. We have an extra hundred mouths to feed and I've only got enough food for the commando itself. At this rate we'll be out of food in a week.” He saw them nod their heads and he was encouraged to continue.
“I need some of your men, major, to come with me to bring back produce and supplies from Birdsville. We'll bring in some gear and materials to build another set of irrigated vegetable gardens, like we have at home - but it needs to be ten times bigger.”
“Whoa, slow down there, Andy,” said the major, “ten times bigger? We helped you set up the big pump for the sewer line, and I still remember what a job that was. We don't know what we're doing yet, can it wait until the meeting?”
“Major, I know what Andy's all fluffed up about. We lived on tinned and dried food for months before we had the gardens producing enough food to add to our diet. Andy, how many men, and what gear do we need?” she asked turning back to the aged administrator.
“Well, a hundred blokes with ten trucks, plus earth moving equipment, tractors, back-hoes, pipes and tubing, a heap of solar cells and wiring, batteries…” he rubbed his temples and thought for a moment. “If I had your boys for a week we'd have this place running ten times more efficiently than Birdsville.” He finished with a hopeful smile.
“Blimey. Andy, we have the enemy at our gates, and I'm sure Sundown has other ideas.” But when he saw the pained look on Andy's face, and as he turned he saw Pinkie mirror it, he softened. “Yeah, OK, I see, food's pretty important isn't it. We brought enough to last us a while but the sooner we get the gardens going the better I guess. OK, I'll back you at the meeting.”
The meeting went smoothly, it was decided to set up a listening post towards the Cooper Creek crossing and this time to heavily mine the road and approaches and continue with the hit-and-run bike patrols. The commando would do the same with the road north and east. Sundown explained the situation as best he could.
“Birdsville is over-crowded with prisoners. Sergeant Ahmet and his crew, with the new people that Sergeant Nulla brought with him, have them working in the gardens and general maintenance. But it's tight and we have to process all of them and decide what to do with them.”
He paused, not wanting to continue with this part of the speech.
“After a fierce battle, we lost Sergeant Doff's Bushmaster and some of his men to the new Revelationist battalion at Marree, the Stosstruppen. But we've also held the Birdsville track and taken enemy prisoners.
“Bravo team, our bike patrol, are back and stationed at Birdsville in support of Sergeant Ahmet. They took a beating at Mungerannie too and sadly we've lost another of our friends. Beamy has been injured, again, and Gail is looking after him and the other wounded.”
Lorraine was doing her best to remain calm and positive but being reminded of her boyfriend's wounds upset her. Wilma placed her arm around her shoulders to comfort her.
“I'm sorry for the bad news, Lorraine. I know you'll want to go with us when we head out with the relief convoy tomorrow. Beamy said he's looking forward to seeing you,” said Sundown, feeling like the harbinger of bad news.
To the soldiers of Third Army he said, “Boys, we have a lot of work to do. Firstly we're making this our new home base. I like it here and apparently so does everyone else.” There were smiles all round at that news. “We have security to run, patrols to organise and we have Birdsville and the prisoners to sort out. Major Lewis will arrange who goes where. As for the prisoners, we'll keep them in Birdsville until we know what to do with them. In the meantime we patrol and strengthen our position here, and the approaches to Birdsville.”
Before he could continue, Andy coughed. Sundown looked and then remembered his conversation with Major Lewis only a few minutes earlier.
“Oh yes, we'll also be building an extensive garden system here at the palace, that'll make our Birdsville gardens look like flower pots.”
Sundown asked that Polly and Granny be present when he announced Billie had passed away on the trek back home. Billies young relatives, Lulu and Danni, already knew but they cried all the same with the two oldies when Sundown announced the sad news. He told them they would be holding a wake for their lost friends, soldiers, commandos and family, that night.
Everyone was relieved to be staying at the Christian Palace, it was Sundown's easiest decision of the day. It meant that Birdsville would now become an outpost and they would rotate personnel between outposts, the 'palace' and Alice Springs.
The hard work over, Sundown left it to Andy to organise personnel with Major Lewis. Harry organised equipment and logistics with his wife Jenny. Thank goodness there were big sisters, mothers, aunts and grandmothers to help look after the kids.
Sundown called the Girl Guards together and invited Shadow and McFly. Just to make it official, he asked the major to send his second in command, Captain Walker.
Captain 'Johnny' Walker was an interesting character. He was regular army for most of his
life, retired at forty then came back as a reservist just before the apocalypse.
It fell on his shoulders, as the highest ranking survivor, to collect what was left of the Darwin military, a motley band of soldiers and many civilians. He led a fighting retreat to Alice Springs bringing most of the armoured cavalry with him. It was still spoken of in the mess a year later when Sundown's group were in Alice Springs. Captain Walker was a well respected officer, and a welcome addition to the commando.
“Sir!” snapped the captain when he was called over to Sundown's table. “You sent for me.” He saluted and waited to be invited to sit.
“Captain Walker, please, and for God's sake cut the saluting, my damn arm hasn't stopped quivering since I met you,” said Sundown. “Mate, do you think you can take over guard duty rosters for the palace?” he asked. “This is Lucy, Heidi, Lulu and Danni. They're our very best,” he added as he introduced them.
The girls were smitten by Captain Walker's charming manners. The middle-aged soldier was tall, dark and ruggedly handsome.
“Sir, it would be my pleasure.” He sat without being asked this time because Sundown refused to tell him one more time to 'cut it out with this bloody army shit'.
Captain Walker smiled for the girls. “I heard we had some rather attractive girls they call the Girl Guards, and I was hoping I'd get to meet them. I can see that I wasn't ill advised.”
Pedro was watching and in his usual mild mannered way he couldn't but help commenting. “Captain Walker, they say you can leap tall buildings with a single bound, is that correct?” One eyebrow lifted and he waited to see if the captain would step up to his challenge.
“Pedro, not only can I leap tall buildings but I can run faster than a speeding bullet and snatch it out of the air with my teeth.” He smiled, they'd had this same conversation several times over the past week as they recrossed the Simpson Desert.
“Well guess what, boofhead,” he laughed, “you've only just met our girls. They'll eat you for dinner matey, like you were a piece of licorice!” he laughed wickedly.
Captain Walker was quite prepared to meet any challenge, but he wasn't ready for the onslaught to begin quite so fast.
“Mr Walker, the Girl Guards, that's us, there's four of us and, well, we've already arranged our roster, but you might want to have a look and check to see if it's all OK.” Heidi held a sheaf of papers covered in lists. Of course, Heidi had an agenda, she always did. She puffed out her bosom and leaned across the table, showing off her straining cleavage, as she presented her list.
“Hmm, ahh, nice work, thank you. I see you've split the duties into, ah, two well defined, um, sections. Yes, I see, we can certainly work with this.” Captain Walker placed the sheets of paper down on the table and reached for some food to gain some time to compose himself. He needed to prepare for battle, to battle the exuberant 'Girl Guards'.
“Captain Walker, if you don't mind, can you teach us what to expect while on guard duty? I mean, I've never done this sort of thing before, and your tuition will be, ah, really useful.” Lucy was making sure she got her bid in as well. Although not as young as Heidi, Lucy had 'I'm available and more experienced than her' written all over her face.
Sundown and Pinkie watched the performances in fascination. Major Lewis completely ignored it, he'd seen it so many times before.
“Yes, umm, Lucy isn't it? Of course I can take you on your rounds with your partner.” Captain Walker saw he had to take the initiative now, before these damn girls swamped him.
“In fact I've decide that we'll all be doing guard duty training, starting this afternoon, if Sundown is fine with that.” He twitched the corner of his eye at Sundown and without the girls noticing he rolled his eyes and made a face. Sundown fought not to laugh but Pinkie couldn't help but let out a tiny giggle.
“Girls, it's time to gather your gear together,” he said using his officer's voice. “I want all four of you back here in ten minutes. I want you each fully prepared to undertake an armed guard patrol of the property. See Harry for equipment if you aren't already kitted out. I want full kit, webbing, backpack, weapon, spare ammunition, boots and caps.”
He noticed Black Dog and Blue Dog wandering among the tables eating the scraps. He decided on the spur of the moment to make things even more interesting for the girls.
“And I want those dogs on a leash because you'll be responsible for training them as guard dogs. They'll come with us today. You have ten minutes, now move!”
Sundown was amazed to see the four girls leap from their seats and race off to do their hero's bidding.
“Wow, Captain Walker, what is it about you, matey? We nearly had to pull them girlies off you,” Pedro chuckled delightedly.
Sundown added, “They never did that when I asked them to do a job.” His face was slightly crestfallen.
“Guys, I don't even like girls. I mean, I like girls but sexually, nah, they do nothing for me.” He too had a grin on his face. To Captain Walker, the hero of the Darwin, Alice Springs and Stuart Highway retreat, the silliness of sex appeal was real, he put up with it every day.
“OK, I'd better grab some gear too. I'm going to work those girls so hard they'll come back begging to be taken off my team.” He smiled brightly, but Pedro and Sundown knew he just might have met his match.
Dog and Red Dog were now exhausted after their romantic encounter. It helped when Jenny poured water over them and chased them with a stick. Lucy called the children together and explained they needed to round up the dogs to go on patrol with them. Annie and Danielle caught Black Dog and Lenny brought over Blue Dog. The dogs panted in joy, they just loved the attention.
“Mummy,” said Annie, “Lenny said we better leave Roo's Dog and Red Dog alone for now. He said they'd be too tired to do any work today. Is that all right for the captain?”
“Darling, anything's all right for the captain. Tie the dogs to Sundown's table and wait for me, I won't be long. And if you see Captain Walker, make sure you tell him who you are, that you're my daughter, and be on your best behaviour.” Lucy quickly had a splash-bath and freshened up, she was a girl on a mission.
The commando were given the rest of the day to sort themselves out because tomorrow they were heading out to relieve their comrades at Birdsville, and to start preparing Andy's gardens.
Wiram was readying the hotel to receive them. Assassin, Sergeant Doff and the Bravo bike team were still recovering from their ambush and desert trek, Beamy was back in recovery with his nasty wounds. Gail was kept busy tending Beamy and the One One Charlie wounded. Sundown also wanted to speak to every member of the commando, to thank them all personally.
Then there was Blondie and her gang of misfit intelligence staff, Jaina and Jason Little. Sundown asked if she would remain with the Birdsville commando's and help debrief the men and the prisoners. Wiram, Nulla and Blondie had done one set of interviews and they now waited for Sundown to come down to do a follow up. They still hadn't decided what to do with them.
All through their desert crossing Wiram kept Sundown up to date of events. Sundown felt just as upset as Wirrie with the loss of John and the One One Charlie soldiers. At the same time he was elated that Blondie had rescued the two Patrol One boys and captured the two intelligence operators.
It was a day of mixed feelings and he knew that tomorrow would bring sadness as well as happiness and unity. While he was gone he felt guilty, but right now he was back home with his commando family, and that was how things should be.
After Captain Walker took the Girl Guards on their training run, and Major Lewis took over the organisation of the patrols, Pinkie grabbed Sundown by the hand and they went exploring the Christian Palace. They were both amazed at the expensive artwork and sculptures, the sheer magnitude of wealth filled them with disgust. The palace was built from the hard-earned money this particular church leader had fleeced from his flock.
Fat Boy took on the task of showing them around. But he really wanted to show Sundown the underground
network of rooms and tunnels. The commando's new 'head chef' wanted to look inside those locked rooms, but Sundown told him to wait till he got back from Birdsville, he didn't want to miss it. Besides, he explained, they had too much to do without creating more work for themselves right then.
By the end of the day everyone who didn't have a job, took their drinks to the roof top and watched the sunset. It hadn't rained for a while and the clouds were gone.
“You know what, Sundown,” said Pinkie, “I think we've found our little slice of heaven at last.”
Sundown looked into her eyes and saw she was as tired of the fighting as he was. “Love, tomorrow we'll have most of our commando back together. We've still got to sort out the prisoner problem and it worries me that we've had serious losses. But you know what, we have the most incredible friends we could ever ask for, right here with us tonight.”
Little did they know that something nasty was brewing in Birdsville.
Chapter 25 - Epilogue
Lieutenant Donata felt strangely complete, working in the gardens and helping the commandos manage the prisoners, his men, it just felt right. There were some elements in his platoon he didn't trust, and some he thought were fine, God-fearing individuals.
Donata had strong morals, he loved to lead but he strove to be a good leader, someone the men and women in his platoon respected for doing the right and honourable thing. Sadly there were some who didn't share his aspirations.
For five nights they sat around discussing what they would do. Despite the soldiers watching them day and night the Stosstruppen were now ready to make a move. Corporal Normy was a born leader, some would say he was just a conman. He knew how easy it was to mould the minds of his fellow worshippers to his will. His group sat apart from the lieutenant and his supporters.