by Leo Nix
“Madam Commander, thank you. We all try to pull our weight in any way we can. I'm too small to carry an assault rifle so I have to rely on my body and my pistol.” She tapped the M1911 at her hip. “But your boys did the hard work holding the centre and then finishing the job.”
Sue-Ellen nodded as she brushed several stray blond hairs from her face. “If you're going to be liaison officer to the Crusaders battalion with Pedro and your husband, I'm comforted to know you can handle yourself against all comers.” She stopped as she considered just how much she enjoyed being with the commando. They just weren't what she expected either. Like a school girl she'd fallen in love with Sundown and now she was gaining enormous respect for them all.
“You will look after my daughter and nieces won't you?” Martene spoke filling the silence, “and return them to us when they're well?”
Sundown saw Pedro squeeze her hand and noted that she squeezed back. “Captain Martene, we are at peace now. Our shared blood in battle is our bond. If Bongo, Roo and Riley say you lot are all right, then I'll not say otherwise. You'll have them as soon as they can travel. Or,” he paused for effect, “or Bongo marries Denise.”
“Only if he comes to Longreach with her,” said Martene chuckling lightly. “I didn't go through nine months of pregnancy and thirty hours of delivery to hand her over just like that. Tell that hero of yours he can have her hand but only if he escorts her home for the ceremony.”
Sue-Ellen grinned as she brought the conversation back on track. “Pedro, do you or Shadow have anything to bring to our negotiations at this stage?”
“Yes, I do,” said Pedro with one of his ever present grins. “I might take a holiday in Longreach when I gets there. I'm not sixty five years old any more and I think I might like to spend time with an old but rekindled flame.” He turned to look at Martene by his side.
“Pedro, you deserve a break, go for it… that is with Captain Martene's permission?” said Sundown.
Martene patted Pedro's hand. “That's a 'yes' Colonel Sundown. We now have a pact with the famous Sundown's Commando and it might come as a surprise to some but for the rest of my people you'll be welcomed as our saviours. We're out numbered and out gunned by the Mount Isa battalions, that's no secret. By the time I get back home, Abbess Leonie would have armed the populace, all six thousand men, women and children in the region. It would be an ugly thing if the Raven's Claw Battalion tried to cleanse us like they did to the Mount Isa townsfolk on Apocalypse Day.” Martene looked up as she recalled something she'd forgotten to mention earlier. “Oh yes, I forgot to tell you last night. Our long range radio is usually down but we'll try to get a signal to you on a regular basis. Otherwise we'll meet here in two weeks and continue discussions of our various joint operations.”
Sundown stood up and stretched but soon sat back down feeling dizzy from the exertion. “That's a done deal Martene. Shadow, as soon as we find McFly we'll send him to Longreach to be with you.” To the three going to Longreach he said, “You'll all be travelling in the spare four wheel drive. Murphy and Pipeline are working on it now. Shadow, will you be fine by yourself while Pedro is honeymooning?”
“Yes, I'm your liaison officer and it's my duty to go, even if it is without my husband. I'll be fine but please be quick and find Matty,” replied Shadow.
Pedro man-handled his wheel chair to lean across to his old flame Martene. “I'm seeing Lorraine for a stump-rub and then another soak in the spring, care to join me young lady?” Turning to Shadow he said, “And Shadow, we'll be heading off this evening, me lassie.” The young woman nodded as the group broke up, except Sue-Ellen, Pinkie and Sundown.
“I'm getting a cup of tea. Sue-Ellen, would you prefer coffee or tea?” asked Pinkie, mindful of the tension between the two leaders. She was savvy enough to let them fight it out now before it festered. There was something else between them, beside the obvious power play. She couldn't put her finger on it and refused to consider other possibilities. As far as she was concerned, if Sundown wanted another woman, he was welcome to leave. Pinkie had left one relationship because of the other woman and she wasn't going to hang around, even for Sundown. If he wanted to play around, that was betrayal and betrayal meant goodbye.
While Pinkie was getting their tea and coffee the two commanders watched the teenagers walk hand-in-hand towards the hot spring. To Sue-Ellen that image seemed right, teenagers in love. What an environment to forge their identity, she thought - surrounded by friendship and death. She noticed how the two aboriginal girl's heads were rested on their boyfriends shoulders.
The moment wasn't lost on the two older members of the commando. As one they turned to look at each other self consciously, then at Pinkie as she walked towards them with a tray of food and drinks.
'What the hell am I going to do about you, Sue-Ellen?' Sundown thought as Pinkie smiled at him over her cup of tea. It was eerie, as though she could read his thoughts. 'I can't dump her, I can't have her. My demon wants her but I need Pinkie. I think I am just well and truly screwed.'
“Sundown?” called Sue-Ellen breaking the silence. “What would you want my boys to do when we get back to the palace?”
Sundown hadn't thought too much about that, he wasn't really sure they were his to direct anyway even if they were joint commanders. He didn't expect Sue-Ellen to interfere with his work and he had no desire to step on her toes.
“I'm not sure, Sue-Ellen. I was kind of thinking you would want them with you. There's still the Darwin job and you've got the Pine Gap facility to protect. What would you like to do with them?” he asked.
Sue-Ellen had Sundown on the back foot again. She liked games on her terms but she really didn't want to play games with her Sundown. 'My Sundown?' She remembered how she felt watching the boys entertainment a few nights ago, that was when a deep longing had erupted inside her. Sue-Ellen quickly stopped herself going down that path.
“I was thinking I might loan them to you until we return to Pine Gap. These boys are specialists and I know you don't have any like them. Captain Walker said he'd take them to help with the officer and NCO program which Pedro started. They can also help train your hit and run patrols. I spoke to Sergeant Ahmet and he was keen to have them on board too,” she said thickly.
“I think they're both great ideas. In fact, they might want to help bring our Girl Guards up to speed before you head to Darwin?” suggested Sundown.
Pinkie was listening and added, “Blondie has a wound and won't be going anywhere till its healed Sundown. That sort of puts the Darwin thing on hold doesn't it?”
“Yes, that's right.” Sue-Ellen paused, “I'm very sorry, Sundown, but I forgot to tell you. I spoke to my intelligence before we lost our radio. Tanner has reported back in. They had to go underground for a while. There was a hit on their headquarters. One of the other leaders tried to assassinate Reverend Albert and they all went into hiding. It's settled down for now but the tension is mounting and Tanner said Albert is frightened. He's organising hit squads for the other two leaders and when that happens it'll be open warfare.” Sue-Ellen had one of Pedro's cigarettes in her hand and blew smoke up in the air. Sundown watched, he couldn't take his eyes off her at that moment, it wasn't lost on Pinkie.
“So what do you plan on doing?” he asked politely making an effort to break the spell she had over him.
“I'm going to wait until my pins are all lined up, then I'll move,” she said and stood up. “Well I'm going for a dip in the pool before it gets too late. We'll talk some more tonight over dinner.”
Chapter 18 - Snakes, Sand Dunes and Salt Bush
McFly struggled to control his camel as it suddenly bucked under him. The next thing he knew he felt himself flying through the air only to land flat on his face.
“Son of a bitch!” he yelled, spitting out sand and saltbush leaves. “What happened?” He turned to look at his camel, Matilda, what he saw terrified him. She was flinging her head about, spittle flew from her frothing mouth. Matilda collapsed
to her knees and sat down, her head dropped to the sand.
“Don't move McFly, there's a snake right near you,” yelled Wiram.
McFly felt his anal sphincter tighten as he slowly turned to see a massive Death Adder slithering towards him. It's body was easily as thick as his arm. There came a loud crack of a rifle and the snake flew into the air to land between his legs. McFly squealed and leaped high as though he himself was shot.
“Bloody thing must have bitten my camel, Wirrie. Matilda and I were just getting use to each other too.” He kicked at the snake carcass and it flew into the bushes. It continued to contort as though it was still alive. “Damn snakes, I hate them.” He reached down to pat his camel's head and affectionately buried his face in her soft hair.
Wiram 'kooshed' his skittish camel, Hiram, to sit and climbed off. He rubbed its neck and crooned softly to calm the young male. Wiram had put weeks of hard work to win the trust of this beautiful beast. He named him after a cousin back home. Hiram gurgled in his throat, pleased to be rubbed so fondly and closed his eyes in ecstasy.
Wiram walked over to Matilda and placed his hand on its shoulder. “Poor old girl, she stepped right on that snake. I didn't have time to warn you, it was over in a moment. Sorry Matty, I'm really sorry. Matilda was such a placid camel too. She was a rare one, gentle and affectionate.” McFly saw something he'd not seen before, Wiram wiped tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Copying Wiram he wiped at his own eyes.
“Why does life have to dish out a shit sandwich like this when all we ever wanted was a piece of cake?” asked McFly.
“Mate, life is damn shit sometimes isn't it. Come on, you'd better get your gear off and we'll pack it onto Hiram here. He's strong and can carry us both if we swap around and walk with him,” said Wiram as he began to untie the straps around the dead camel's rib cage.
“Sh! Wiram! There's people!” McFly waved his hand at Wiram and they both crouched, listening. The sounds of movement and the rattle of metal on metal from the other side of the sand dune came to their ears. “It sounds like someone heard that rifle shot.”
Wiram flicked into warrior mode as soon as he recognised the sounds. He reached and pulled his weapons from their camel-mounted leather pouches, grabbed his spare cartridge belt and slipped his sniper rifle over his broad shoulders. His hands were now free to use the AK as it was designed, for an assault. He saw McFly copy and nodded for him to follow. The men left the two camels where they were.
Crouching down in the low desert scrub they slowly made their way towards a slight dip in the sane dune above them. There came voices, raised voices, right where they'd been standing not a minute earlier. They were found out but not discovered.
Wiram had yet to determine enemy numbers, that they were enemy was no question. The cat calls and abuse coming from where the camels sat was evidence enough. He knew if he, and McFly, could ambush them they would take them out but if the numbers were too high, they really had no option but to run. They each had a single water bottle at their hips and their weapons but nothing else. Everything they needed to survive in the desert was securely strapped to their camel's backs.
The sounds of Hiram struggling and grunting came to their ears and Wiram tensed. Next there was a rifle shot and the grunting ceased abruptly.
“You stinking, rotten bastards!” Wiram said under his breath. He sucked air deep into his lungs to stop himself leaping up to kill every last terrorist on the planet. His head roared with rage but he fought it down… down. The sound of what was probably half a dozen vehicles brought him back to the moment.
“McFly?” He tapped McFly on the shoulder to get his attention. “Follow me. Be quiet and stay alert.”
Leaving everything they needed for survival behind, the two quietly crept along the edge of the sand dune. They then crept down onto the flat plain leading nearly a kilometre to the next one. Wiram determined that there were probably thirty or more enemy, a full platoon strength patrol, opposing them. There was no way they could take on that many, so they ran.
He continued to whisper even though they were perhaps two hundred metres from the terrorists position to the other side of the sand dune. “We'll try to get to the top of the next dune but the ground's soft and I'm afraid they'll track us. We need speed and strategy. If they catch us out here in the open desert, we'll die.”
It was nearing midday before McFly heard Wiram tell him to sit down and rest. The past hour was a mess of crawling, lying and waiting for vehicles to pass. The thorns of the desert dug into the palms of his hands, his elbows and his knees. He felt hot, sore, miserable and frightened.
The whine of an engine came to their ears again but it was some distance away. Wiram pulled out his water bottle and tipped it up to drink some of the precious liquid. McFly did the same.
“Wiram, I've got a tribal connection out here you know.” He was a little light headed and spoke to calm his fear.
“Yeah, the boys told me you went off and met some desert warriors who came to bury Billy.”
“They smoked me they said. We sat around their camp fire and they made smoke. They said I'd be back to the desert, I guess that's now.”
Wiram was thinking, he nodded for McFly to lie back and pull his hat over his eyes. The flies weren't too bad this time of year and he was soon asleep. While his mate slept, Wiram dreamed. He deliberately put his mind out like a blanket searching the area around them. His dream body, like Roo's, rose above the sand dune and he saw the desert going on and on in all directions. There was one section of desert that remained brighter than the others. He was drawn to it.
He saw a rocky outcrop where he knew they would find water but he also felt a spirit presence there. He asked the spirits for permission to drink their water and received confirmation, yes, it was permitted. He wasn't of these people, the Gangardi. Wiram only knew a few of the local aborigines in the regions around the mines and Marree. Even when he was boxing in the red centre he generally stayed away from them. They were a wild mob and he'd had a gut-full of fighting by then.
Willing his breath to slow down to one breath every thirty seconds, he gained a depth and clarity taught only to the nangarri. He slowed his breath further and stepped across the divide. He saw the spirit father of this country and gave the secret sign, it was returned. He saw his uncles, his beloved mentors who also nodded approvingly. Together they showed him the mikiri where he could find water and then he saw the cave hidden in a split between the rocks. The climb would be difficult but McFly could do it, he was young.
The aboriginal warrior felt danger approach so eased back to consciousness. There were sticks breaking and two voices floated towards them. He prodded McFly who groaned softly.
“Quiet, enemy, close,” he whispered and drew his knife. Wiram's eyes pointed McFly towards the sounds and he lifted his knife for him to see. McFly drew his own knife and followed Wiram in taking off his weapon belt and webbing. They quickly removed anything that might tangle them in a fight. The sounds indicated the enemy were coming straight towards them.
Wiram raised two fingers, two men. His first finger he pointed to himself, his second finger he pointed at McFly. McFly understood and nodded. The noises increased as two armed teenage boys appeared right in front of them as they climbed to the top of the sand dune. McFly saw they had a red shirt pocket insignia sewn on. These were the dreaded Talons of Mount Isa.
The first didn't see the giant aboriginal leap from the low salt bush at his feet. Wiram's knife entered under his jaw and into his skull, he was dead before he hit the ground. McFly was hesitant, he'd not killed like this before and he was frightened. Frightened he'd stuff it up and make a sound bringing the entire Talon army down on them.
He leaped to his feet and thrust his knife at his enemy's throat just as Wiram had done. The teenager caught sight a fraction of a second before the knife flashed towards him. He caught McFly's knife arm in his and spun McFly around and off his feet to crash onto the ground. The young fighter had his pist
ol in his hand and was about to flick the safety when Wiram's knife went in one ear and almost out the other. The youth froze for what appeared to be several seconds while McFly, mesmerised by the grim picture, looked up from the ground watching him topple forward.
“We're lucky he didn't call out,” Wiram panted in the heat. “Quick, strip their bodies, we take what we can.”
Each Talon carried an AK47, full cartridge belt and a backpack with two full bottles of water; some food, mostly bread and dried meat, and the Talon signature knife; a large folding knife in a pouch at their belt. The two put everything they could fit into the Talon's packs and crept further from their enemy, towards the rocky hillock, still many kilometres away.
The scouts heard the sound of a vehicle tooting its horn and loud whistles. It seemed the terrorists were packing up to leave. Wiram carefully wove a branch from a desert bush into his felt hat. He was indistinguishable from the bushes on the side of the sand dune as he looked around.
“It looks like they're going back to the camels.” He kept the camouflage in his hat and made a hand gesture for McFly to follow him. They crept parallel to the top of the sand dune, not wanting to go over the top and break the skyline until they were well out of sight.
They travelled like this for another thirty minutes before Wiram decided it was safe to climb to the top of the dune. Looking around he noticed smoke coming from the region where their camels lay. The sun was now dipping towards the western horizon. The rocky outcrop was illuminated by the sun and he decided it was time to head in that direction.
“McFly, we're going to have a break. Drink some more of that water, eat some of the bread and meat and close your eyes. I'll watch for twenty minutes then we swap.” He sat down and opened his pack to pull out some of the food and began to eat. McFly copied him. Neither spoke as they watched the smoke column wondering what their enemy was up to.