Red Gold: The Australian Civil War

by Trent O'Donnell

  Clearly distressed by unfolding events, Garrett is about to unload on Nelson…

  “Let’s discuss your recent failures Commodore.” Says Garrett. “We’ve lost Trivett City, our Lev-Rail is disabled, our Air-Base is for the most part, completely destroyed, and how many troops did you say we’ve lost?”

  “Approximately 4,000 Prime Minister”

  “4,000!” Garrett replies. “And aircraft?”

  “28 Units Sir.”

  “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how disappointed I am with the situation?”

  “I understand Sir, but I’m confident we’ll have the matter in hand soon enough.”

  “Minister Slattery!” Says Garrett. “What do the poles report this morning?”

  “It appears the electorate is becoming extremely unsettled with our lack of progress. 70% want the war over as soon as possible, whether we win or lose.”

  “We’ll be lucky to see another term at this rate.” Says Garrett. “And what of this ‘Phoenix’ I keep hearing about Commodore?”

  “Our intelligence service has unlocked part of its flight plan. That aircraft will be destroyed within the next few hours.”

  “It had better be!” Says Garrett. “Or your career will be instead. That will be all gentlemen.”

  A short time later, tracking along the Queensland – New South Wales border, the Phoenix is on-route to execute her mission in Brisbane.

  Cory runs through the final preparations before they unleash on Amberley Air Base and destroy the missile silo…

  “Ben, weapons check?”

  “Brimstones locked and loaded. Two packages ready for delivery.”

  “Techy, anything out of the usual?”

  “All good here.”

  “Roger that.” Says Cory. “ETA to target 2 minutes. Descending to 5,000 feet.”

  “I did a pub crawl with Brian in Brisbane one weekend.” Says Techy. “One of the best weekends of my life.”

  “I’ve never heard of this before.” Replies Ben.

  “Well you have now.” Says Techy.

  “Guys!” Says Cory. “Let’s focus on the job at hand.”

  “Two km’s to target.” Says Ben.

  “What are the chances the ICBM will detonate?” Asks Cory.

  “It needs to arm itself according to Commander Carter.” Replies Ben. “Besides, we just need to disable the underground silo so they can’t launch.”

  “I’m planning on a rapid getaway anyway.” Says Cory.

  “Good idea.” Says Ben. “I got a lock on the target!”

  “When you’re ready mate.”

  “Firing.”

  Two Brimstone missiles are launched to destroy the silo. Five seconds later a huge red explosion can be seen enveloping the site from the cockpit window.

  “That’s a hit. Package has been delivered.” Says Ben. “Let’s haul arse out of here.”

  “Roger that.” Says Cory. “Next stop, Webb’s Ridge.”

  “So Techy.” Asks Ben. “When were you going to tell me about this pub crawl?”

  “I just did, didn’t I!”

  The four K-18s are deployed from Orion Air Force base to Canberra to destroy the Department of Defence building and the National Library Vault.

  At the same time, the Phoenix has departed Queensland State airspace and heads to Webb’s Ridge when suddenly they’re shot at from behind. Tracer rounds pass by the left window…

  “Where the fuck did those come from?” Asks Cory.

  “We got aircraft on our tail!” Replies Techy.

  “No shit!” Says Ben. “They can’t have scrambled aircraft that fast! Where did they come from?”

  “I got a really weak signal on the radar.” Says Techy. “VH… VH-403.”

  “That’s the Osprey!” Says Ben. “Fucking Carrera, I thought Brian took him out back at Alice Springs?”

  “Apparently not.” Says Cory as two plasma balls pass within meters of the cockpit. “Ben launch the shrapnel projectors!”

  “Canisters launched!” Says Ben as the Osprey dodges the deadly ordinance. “Negative impact!”

  “Get ready for evasive maneuvers!” Says Cory as more tracer rounds pass by even closer. “Ben on my mark, open the vertical thrust covers and give me full power.”

  “And then what?” Asks Ben.

  “I’m gonna pull the nose up hard and he’ll fly right past us.” Replies Cory. “Techy are those incendiary’s charged?”

  “Full charge in 20 seconds.” Techy replies.

  “Whenever you’re ready.” Says Ben.

  “On one!” Says Cory. “Three, two, one!”

  As Cory pulls up hard on the stick, Ben engages the thrust rotors, while the Osprey unwittingly passes by underneath the Phoenix.

  “Ben close the thrusters and give me full power!” Says Cory. “It’s time to finish this bastard off once and for all.”

  “Thrusters closed.” Says Ben. “Full power!”

  “Techy are those incendiary’s ready?” Asks Cory.

  “3 seconds.” Replies Techy.

  “I got this.” Says Ben as he opens fire on the Osprey.

  “Incendiaries ready!” Says Techy.

  “Ben, now’s the time.” Says Cory.

  “Firing!” Says Ben.

  Four balls of red plasma target the Osprey and make a direct hit on her rear.

  “She’s disabled.” Says Ben. “Firing Reapers!”

  Four missiles zone in on the Osprey obliterating it in a cloud of wreckage as the Phoenix flies over the debris cloud.

  “That’s a hit.” Says Ben. “That’s the last we’ll see of him.”

  “Not soon enough either!” Says Cory.

  “Thank fuck for that!” Says Techy.

  “Good work guys.” Says Cory. “Ben, give me an armaments count.”

  “We have two Brimstones and 20 Sky-Reapers, 480 rounds in the front guns and 240 in the rear.”

  “Roger that.” Says Cory. “Techy, how are we holding up?”

  “All systems functioning normally.”

  “Righto.” Says Cory. “Let’s hope there are no more surprises. Techy, is there anything else on our tail?”

  “Nothing on the radar.”

  “I’m not complaining.” Says Ben.

  “How the hell didn’t our radar pick him up Techy?” Asks Cory.

  “I have no idea. There was barely any warning at all. He must have had some type of scrambler.”

  “I think we need to pimp up the F.O.F. radar.” Says Ben.

  “Definitely.” Replies Cory.

  XXVIII

  In his office at the Department of Defence, Commodore Nelson has just received news of the attack on Amberley Air Force base, and a report that an aircraft was destroyed in New South Wales air-space.

  Though the attack was of major concern to him, of even greater importance to Nelson is confirmation from Carrera that the Phoenix has been destroyed.

  An Air Crash Investigation Unit has been sent to retrieve the wreckage and confirm the identity of the downed aircraft. A.C.I.U. team leader Mark Epsom calls Commodore Nelson…

  “What have you found?”

  “Not much I’m afraid.” Says Mark. “The wreckage is spread across and area approximately five kilometers long and two kilometers wide. It will take weeks to retrieve all of the pieces.”

  “I need confirmation that the Phoenix was shot down.”

  “We’ve been unable to recover anything that might even remotely give us any clues. If we had radar data, we would be able to piece together what happened, but we don’t even have that!”

  “So exactly what do you have?”

  “A few pieces of carbon paneling and… wait… we’ve retrieved a tail section with an ID tag. VH… that’s it!”

  “There must be more. Keep searching!”

  “We’re doing our best Commodore.”

  “I’m heading to Parliament House right now, and I better get an answer before I get there.”

  Meanwhile
, the K-18’s are about to cross the border into the Commonwealth. Commander Carter and Major Callan are over-seeing the deployment from the O.T.D.F…

  “This is Sierra one, approaching border.”

  “Roger that Sierra one.” Replies Major Callan. “We have you on screen.”

  “Control this is Sierra two. I seem to be having problems with the camouflage, over.”

  “Hang in there Sierra two. You’ll be past the turrets any minute.”

  “Command… I got a missile lock on me!”

  “Sierra two, you can out-run the missile!” Says Major Callan. “Just hang on!”

  Sierra two is targeted by the plasma cannon, frying its avionics.

  “Control I’ve been hit. My circuits have been fried. If you can hear me, I repeat, circuits fried.”

  Sierra two is shot down by a surface-to-air missile three km’s over the border.

  “Shit!” Yells Carter.

  “Command, this is Romeo One. Confirm we have lost Sierra One, over.”

  “Affirmative Romeo One.” Replies Major Callan. “Stay on course.”

  “Roger Wilco Command.”

  “This is not how I wanted it to play out.” Says Carter.

  “At least we got three birds over.” Replies Callan. “We still have a chance.”

  “They have 43 minutes to reach their targets.” Says Carter. “If they fail, we can only pray the Phoenix can finish the job.”

  “Command.” Cory calls in. “This is Phoenix, over.”

  “Go ahead Phoenix.” Replies Callan.

  “Command we are inbound to Webb’s Ridge. Request status update, over.”

  “Phoenix… three pax for extraction at this stage, over.”

  “Three?”

  “Roger that Phoenix.” Says Callan. “We just lost one bird crossing the border, over.”

  “Understood Command. ETA 52 minutes, over.”

  In the Phoenix cockpit, a somber atmosphere takes hold.

  “What if we can’t complete the mission?” Asks Techy.

  “Babe, stay positive.” Says Ben. “We can still have an impact, right Cory?”

  “As long as our guys can take out the targets as planned, we can do our part.”

  “Have you wondered why we’re doing this?” Asks Ben.

  “I’m a patriot just like you guys.” Cory says. “Our country has been attacked and right or wrong, we need to defend it, whatever it takes. Besides, we’re not the bad guys here, we just need to do our job.”

  “I’m with you Cory.” Says Techy. “And they killed my best friend.”

  “So am I.” Ben replies. “Besides, I can’t hardly argue with that speech.”

  Back in Canberra, the CEA has scrambled jets to intercept from Fairbairn Air base to the west of the city. Although they have no radar fix on the incoming aircraft, the pilots do their best to find and track the enemy visually, but to no avail.

  In the far distance the remaining three K-18’s cross over the ACT border and are about to hit their targets. Sierra one is lining up the D.O.D. building…

  “Sierra One and Two, be advised you have enemy aircraft in the area.”

  “Understood command.” Replies Sierra One. “How many units?”

  “We count six F-35’s over.”

  “I have them on radar now. They seem to be heading north.”

  “They can’t see us.” Says Romeo One.

  “That’s our assessment too. Stay on mission. Over.

  “Command, this is Sierra One. Target is in sight. Confirm engagement?”

  “Sierra One, you are clear to engage!”

  “Roger that Command, missiles away!”

  Two Brimstone missiles are released from Sierra one’s wings as she evades incoming fire from the D.O.D. defensive turrets. On target, the missiles destroy a large section of the building, while Romeo One and Two line up the Vault.

  “Command this is Romeo One. Target in sight. Confirm engagement?”

  “Romeo One you are clear to engage. Romeo Two you are clear to engage.”

  “Roger Command. Romeo One, missiles away!”

  “Romeo Two, missiles away!”

  Four Brimstones are launched from the remaining K-18’s obliterating the National Library Vault into a melting, smoking mess, but Romeo Two is targeted leaving the vicinity by turret fire from Parliament House.

  “Command I’m taking fire.”

  “Hang in there Romeo Two.” Says Callan. “Get your arse to the border Captain.”

  “My right wing has been hit. I don’t think I…”

  Romeo two is blown out of the sky.

  “Fuck it!” Shouts Carter.

  “Sierra One, Romeo One.” Says Major Callan. “Get to the extraction point! The Phoenix is on her way, over!”

  “Romeo One to Webb’s Ridge.”

  “Sierra One to Webb’s Ridge.”

  A few minutes later the two remaining pilots eject safely at the rendezvous point where the Phoenix is coming in for landing. Their abandoned jets explode on a hill in the distance.

  “Ben, initiate landing procedures.” Says Cory. “Techy get ready to lower the lift. Let’s make this snappy guys, I don’t want to be here any longer than necessary.”

  The two remaining pilots enter the Phoenix, much to their relief.

  “Man, are we glad to see you.”

  “Where is Romeo two?” Asks Techy.

  “He didn’t make it.” Says Romeo One. “He did his job though.”

  “Damn it!” Says Ben.

  “Strap in guys.” Says Cory. “This isn’t over yet.”

  “You guys have done our country proud.” Says Techy. “Just kick back and let us take care of things from here.”

  “Hey, by all means.” Says Sierra One. “Go nuts.”

  XXIX

  The Phoenix has breached ACT airspace and sits hovering above Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. Fully cloaked and heavily armed, the Phoenix lines up Parliament House where the final ultimatum for surrender is about to be delivered.

  Cory contacts the O.T.D.F. for clearance to end the mission, and maybe the war…

  “Command, this is Phoenix. We are in position and awaiting orders.”

  “Roger that Phoenix. Stand by.”

  “Understood Command. Standing by.”

  Over a video comm-link President Robert Pierce is about to offer his last chance of surrender to Prime Minister Garrett Cameron, with a nervous Commodore Nelson and Minister Slattery at his side.

  ACIU team leader Mark Epsom calls Nelson.

  “Commodore we’ve found another piece of ID tag. It looks like the bottom of the number ‘one’ Sir.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “Without a doubt Sir.”

  “Excellent.”

  Mark has mistakenly informed Nelson. The number is actually a ‘four’ from the tailfin of the Osprey. Relieved and renewed with confidence, nelson returns to the conversation.

  “You blew up my fucking vault!” Yells Garrett

  “Yes I did… and it was fun to watch!” Replies Robert. “You have been given more than adequate warning, and you are being targeted by the Phoenix as we speak! Either you surrender all claim to Uluru or you will be destroyed!”

  Commodore Nelson pulls PM Cameron aside.

  “Prime Minister, the Phoenix was destroyed leaving Queensland a short time ago. They’re bluffing.”

  “You better hope you’re right!”

  “Sir, I’m positive!”

  “President Pierce!” Says Garrett. “You destroy two of my Air-bases, invade one of our cities, and attack another. I have no intention of handing you that rock or surrendering!”

  “Prime Minister, if you hadn’t tried to cripple our water supply and destroy Orion we might not even be having this conversation.”

  “Water supply?” Asks Garrett. “What’s he talking about Nelson?”

  “I have no idea Sir.”

  “Your aircraft are destroyed and you have no long range missiles.” Sa
ys Garrett. “I fail to see how you intend to push a surrender. We’ll have the Lev-Rail operational within the hour and reclaim Trivett City and the Rock before nightfall!”

  “As you wish Prime Minister.” Says President Pierce. Don’t say you weren’t warned. General… give the order!”

  “Phoenix you are clear for phase one!”

  “Roger that Command.” Replies Ben. “How many Reapers Cory?”

  “All of them!”

  “Missiles away!”

  In full stealth mode, the Phoenix fires its remaining Sky-Reaper missiles at the main spire of the flag pole above Parliament House sending it spearing into the interior and through a weak spot in the bunker ceiling.

  “Holy shit!” Says Cory. “Were you expecting that?”

  “Hell no I wasn’t expecting that!” Replies Ben.

  Commodore Peter Nelson and Minister Martin Slattery are killed by the falling debris and rubble, while The Phoenix sits still armed with two Brimstone missiles and the incendiary launchers.

  “The Phoenix is still in position and the worse is yet to come!” Says Robert. “Surrender Prime minister… or they’ll be digging you out from under the rubble for months!”

  “Nelson you bastard!” Yells Garrett as he brushes debris from his face and jacket. “I told you we would burn one day!”

  PM Cameron accepts defeat and surrenders to the R.W.A. Uluru and all the Corbenthium distribution channels and royalties are now under complete control of the Republic and the war has finally ended.

  Three days later, Prime Minister Garret Cameron is thrown out of office for his part in the civil war. Despite his denial and prior knowledge of previous events, the CEA public is reluctant to offer his party another term and they elect a more conservative government by referendum.

  Demands are given by the Republic and new agreements are written up while Trivett City is returned to the Commonwealth.

  From his office in Perth, President Robert Pierce discusses terms with the new Prime Minister, Nicholas Marshall…

  “Prime Minister Marshall,” Says Robert. “I trust the actions of the past won’t be repeated under your leadership?”

  “Most definitely not President Pierce.” Says Nicholas. “Despite the mistakes of the previous government you have my full co-operation, however I would like clarification as to the amount to be payed for our current Corbenthium orders?”