by Leo Nix
Sue-Ellen bit her lip and shrugged back a tiny sob. “I know, Sundown. Pinkie and I have been talking - about you and us. She's an incredible woman that wife of yours. I don't know if you deserve her, but, I guess you do.” Now it was Sue-Ellen's turn to look away so Sundown wouldn't see the tears. “It was Pinkie who brought it up. I so wanted to talk to her about my feelings for you but I couldn't do it. I didn't want to hurt her, or you, I was frozen, frightened. I didn't want to admit to myself or anyone what I felt or feared. But she was nice, so bloody nice it made me hate myself for being such a coward.”
“Pinkie spoke to you about us?” Sundown now looked fully at her and his face went red then white and he didn't quite know what to say or do.
“She told me she was prepared to let you go if I really needed you that badly. She saw what was happening, she's no fool, but she also knew I had Pine Gap and its military resources. The two of us together, well, we could save the world. Pinkie knew that, she knew she couldn't give you the military and intelligence which I have at my finger tips. I guess she also thought that being younger I was more attractive, but she didn't go there, fortunately.”
He felt uncomfortable sitting with Sue-Ellen but Sundown was stupidly curious. His demon was just under the surface, listening, it didn't stir and he was grateful. “Sue-Ellen, I need Pinkie and I need you. But I wasn't able to make a choice. It was Shamus who told me the choice wasn't mine, it was for you and Pinkie to decide my fate.”
Sue-Ellen looked sideways at him. “Shamus is dead Sundown, how… no, it doesn't matter, this desert does strange things to people.” She tried to smile at him as she continued. “Well, we've made an executive decision, Pinkie and I. I'll be leaving for Pine Gap tomorrow with my boys.” Sundown baulked and was about to say something.
“No, be quiet, I'm not finished. I've had news there's activity down south. The Alpha army under General Himmler, are trying to impress the Priests who seem to have taken control over the southern armies. Our spies tell us that the Revelationist organisation is fracturing from within up north. The individual cells, armies, are gathering more recruits from their slave classes to protect themselves from each other. We want to help that happen. Tanner reported that Darwin is about to blow right open. I really need to get organised and I've put it off for too long.”
Sundown's strategic brain kicked into life, his eyes were bright and he once again felt life flowing, pushing away the depression he'd felt all day.
“You'll want the girls up and ready? Just give me a list of what, who and when and I'll get it done.” His boyish enthusiasm was palpable.
Sue-Ellen was smiling inside at Sundown's rapid change from depression to elation. It reminded her of why she was so attracted to him, he was so much like her Reece.
“I'll get Johnny to speed up the girls training. He's already had your boys working with the patrol teams in close quarter assaults with the paintball equipment. Johnny and Wiram want to train all the troops this way.” Sundown's face was so animated and alive that Sue-Ellen began to smile, she then broke into a light laugh. “What? What's so funny?” he asked, perplexed.
“You, you're so funny. One moment you're in the pits of depression and now you're planning the destruction of the enemy with paintballs.” She giggled and his heart fluttered all over again.
“Don't do that, Sue-Ellen. I won't let you leave if you keep on teasing me like that.” His face was different and he felt different as well. “Amazing, I've been miserable all day and five minutes with you and I'm my old, arrogant self.” He felt so alive right now, an enormous weight had lifted from his shoulders.
“Don't get carried away, Sundown.” She brought him back to earth. “I'm going home tomorrow with my boys. We've got a war to fight and I'll probably not see you again for some time. I'll miss you, you'll probably miss me too.”
“I already miss you, Sue-Ellen. But you're right, back to earth and back to planning. Will I see you tomorrow morning for a brief with our management team? I just want to run a few things past everyone before you go.” He paused before he stood up to get another drink from the beer table. “We're still friends?”
Sue-Ellen lifted her hand from his at last. “Yes, we're still friends but that's all. I love Pinkie, she's special, like you are. Friends help each other, they back each other and they don't betray each other. I'll not betray you or Pinkie.”
Sundown nodded, his face swept through several emotions before settling on a grin. “Pinkie spoke to you? Amazing.” He nodded absently. “Yes, friends to the end. We'll see this apocalypse through to the end, together.”
There was one person who's absence was noticed by several people, Cambra was one. Blondie had stayed inside the palace and didn't participate. She complained it was because of her shoulder but it wasn't that at all.
Her brother was not as attentive as he was when they lived in danger every day of their lives. He was always there for her in Darwin and Mount Isa, running errands for the Tajna Sluzba and the bikie gangs. When they did meet up it was usually on the roof top drinking where everyone wanted her brother's attention.
She was also depressed with her own existence. When Cambra made known his interest in her she had to confront herself, the brutal rapes and assaults through her childhood and the life she'd led since. Blondie survived because she didn't care. She'd become a chameleon, she changed herself to suit her environment and no longer knew which parts were hers or someone else's. She couldn't talk to anyone because no one would understand - but then Charlene entered her life.
It was quite extraordinary she thought. This young lady would just sit and listen and if Blondie wasn't in a mood to talk Charlene would wait. They went for walks and chatted about anything. Blondie admitted she was a hard case and Charlene simply didn't know any different than to listen anyway.
“Blondie, we've both gone to hell and back and the way I see it we need to support each other. Maybe that might be enough,” said recalled Charlene saying on their second or third meeting. “I'm not a therapist but I always wanted to be one. So here I am fulfilling my dream in the middle of the desert in the middle of the end of the world.” Even Blondie had to smile at that.
One day Charlene brought her Kimberly, the Power Rangers doll, to a session. That was the trigger which helped Blondie drop her barriers with Charlene. She stopped dancing around the gentle prodding and probing. Blondie saw Charlene's action figure as herself, a model of perfection in other people's eyes. Did Kimberly think she was powerful too? Did Kimberly want to be a Power Ranger, an action figure with a perfect body everyone wanted to touch, own and control?
“Charlene, isn't it amazing how you're beautiful but broken in body and I'm beautiful but broken in spirit. Is there any hope for us?” At first Charlene didn't know how to respond until Blondie smiled and then they both started to laugh. It was Blondie's first laugh since… it felt like her first real laugh since her father was alive.
“Charlene?” she asked on that change-day, “I think I want a Kimberly of my own. I need to ask Annie if she has a spare doll.”
“Let's go and do that now,” offered Charlene and together they went to find Annie.
That was the start of their friendship. But today was different. Blondie didn't know Shamus but she did know of him and his influence on Sundown and the commando. She also missed Pedro. Even though Blondie rarely showed emotion she had a soft spot for Pedro and in her own way, much like Fat Boy, she missed him. Pedro was just Pedro, he didn't want a part of anyone and Blondie respected that.
She was also confused about her feelings for Cambra and she realised that perhaps Charlene could help her. An action figure had put her in touch with her own isolation and she could now face her self-hatred. Perhaps Charlene could put her in touch with something more elusive than that - true love.
Epilogue
“General Himmler, we have our final report ready for you, sir,” said Major Daniels handing over a thick folder. Beside him stood Captain Burgess. Both were sweatin
g heavily in the general's office of Alpha Army headquarters, Adelaide.
Colonel Rommel stood up, he'd read the report and was already fuming. He pounded his fist on the table his face livid and the scar on his forehead stood out like a neon sign. “A damn case of whiskey? That's what this was all about? Alcohol?” he yelled.
“Twelve dead and twenty five wounded yet no one in your battalion put a bullet anywhere near the enemy? You are a disgrace!” screamed the general beside him. “It was your Stosstruppen, your watch, not the Deaths Heads at all. I've listened to you making pathetic excuses all blasted year. I want results not failure.”
Rommel walked up to Major Daniels and shoved his face into that of his junior officer. “You've had one miserable win against Sundown all year, that's all you've had. I've given you command of the two best trained and most respected battalions in Australia - and a truck full of drunks sends your entire command running into the bush! They were hiding from a bunch of drunks!”
The spittle from the colonel's lips dripped down Daniels' face and he fought the urge to wipe it off. He was a whisker away from being passed to the Priests as it was. Any sign of weakness and it would be a trip down 'torture ally' for him.
“And you, Captain Burgess, if you had been in Marree at the time I'd have you visiting our Priests for reprogramming right now.” Turning back to Daniels he continued. “I'm breaking you to captain and promoting Burgess to major as of now. If I hear one more failure from you Daniels, it will be the Priests. Do you understand that?”
At mention of the Priests, Daniels couldn't stop his body's sudden urge to pee and he felt a spreading warmth in his crotch. “I'll not fail you or our Revelationist Church again, sir.” He stood stiff then bent forward slightly. He hoped the wet patch at his crotch wouldn't show when he left the general's office.
General Himmler turned to address Major Burgess while dismissing Daniels with a flick of his hand. “Major Burgess, intelligence has brought us some interesting news from Alice Springs which I think we can exploit. You will take command of both the Deaths Head and Stosstruppen Battalions and initiate plans for operation Vorschlaghammer, immediately. I'm handing extra intelligence staff over to you. I want your proposals for this sledgehammer assault on the Pine Gap facility in my office within the week.”
Burgess smiled, his years of putting up with Daniels' pettiness was over and he planned to make his ex-boss' life hell every chance he got. For starters he would punish his disgusting perversions. If he acted fast he might catch Daniels in the act and have him passed to the Priests sooner than even he considered possible.
“Thank you, sir! I already have preliminary plans drawn up. I've had them for the past six months but that idiot Daniels withheld permission to pass them on to you.” He put the knife in and twisted it a little while he had the chance.
“Marvellous, Burgess, with that fool out of the way I think we may have a chance against the growing threat of this united Sundown's Commando. If you need extra staff just ask. This is top priority Burgess, this is from the top, Reverend Albert himself,” said the general puffing out his chest. “I saw him just last week, and I'll be visiting him again in Darwin in a few weeks time. I want those plans to take with me and I want them water tight.”
The administrative staff thought it curious how Captain Daniels left their office with a wet patch at his groin and a wry smile on his face. For Daniels this was just a hiccup in his path to the top. There remained a few annoying obstacles which would very shortly disappear.
'The fools think they know everything about warfare because they've taken those stupid Nazi names,' he thought to himself. 'The day is fast approaching when they'll plead to be programmed by their own Priests, and I'll be the one to hand them over.'
Exactly two weeks after the Shamus Day celebrations, General Himmler of the Revelationist Army Alpha, flew to meet with Reverend Albert in Darwin. He didn't know that Pine Gap intelligence had learned of this meeting some time earlier.
Bill, the commando's ace pilot, was helping the mechanics fit his Cessna 172 with twin machine guns and rockets when he heard that the Revelationist plane was seen flying north to Darwin – right on time. The thought of taking out the head of the terrorist's Army Alpha made his heart skip a beat. Now they needed to be ready for it's return flight south.
THE END
Glossary of Australian words
Australian Light Horse – name given to the Australia cavalry in the 1st World War
ASLAV – Australian Light Army Vehicle, armoured cavalry troop carrier with mounted 7.62 mm machine gun and 25 mm cannon.
Billabong – water hole, a lagoon or small lake, often filled with water lilies, fish, crustaceans
Billy – tin to put on the fire to boil water in, for tea making and heating water
Blimey – crikey, strewth, darn, damn
Bloke – man, male, fellow or fella
Bloody – damn or darn
Blowed – confused, no idea, can also mean exhausted (out of breath)
Boofhead – meat head or beef head
Brumbies – wild horses
Bullcrap – bullshit, not true
Bushmaster – six-wheeled cavalry armoured personnel carrier with 7.62 mm machine gun.
Cameleer – someone who rides and cares for camels
Comms – communications, radio operator
Crikey – strewth, blimey, darn, damn
Cut – a tracking term to find tracks by coming at them on an angle
Dab hands – experts, good at what they do
Dingo – Australian wild dog
Fellas – fellows, people
Flaming – bloody, damn, darn
Football – rugby, like gridiron without a helmet
Four wheel drive – SUV's designed for travel in the desert, all four wheels engage for better traction
Fussed – bothered, worried
Gangardi – fictitious tribal group
G'day – good day, hello
Goolies – crown jewels, what hangs between a man's legs
Hot chips – hot French-fries, potato fries
Mate – friend, buddy
Men of high degree – fully initiated aboriginal men with elevated status in their tribe – some would have nangarri, sorcerer or 'medicine men' abilities and training
Mikiri – a hole in the rocks filled with water often shaped by hand to allow entry to collect water
Mob – mobs, a lot of, usually associated with a group of people and of kangaroos
Nangarri – aboriginal medicine man or sorcerer – see also 'men of high degree'
Neddys – horse
On the back foot – uncertain
Outback – the desert country
Reefed – yanked, grabbed and pulled hard and firmly
Salt-pan – salt covered plain, flat as a saucepan, also called salt-flats because it's flat – the desert has many such salt covered plains
Smoked – aboriginal method sometimes used to enter an altered state of consciousness
Soak – a shallow water hole, a spring
Spec – spot, a tiny object
Spew, spewed – vomit, vomited
Stations – property or large farm in outback Australia, some larger than Texas
Steve Waugh – famous Australian cricketer
Stockmen – cattlemen
Stockyards – stock pen or yard where cattle, horses and other animals are collected or trained
Stosstruppen – German for 'storm trooper'
Strewth – damn, darn, crikey, blimey
Stuffed – exhausted
Swags – bed roll, blanket or sleeping bag wrapped in a waterproof canvas
Tajna Sluzba – Revelationist secret service, have a reputation as ruthless killers
Tanked – drunk, also 'half-tanked' nearly drunk
Unit – apartment, small one bedroom room in a motel or hotel, also called a 'flat'
Vorschlaghammer – German for 'sledge hammer'
Wale
rs – horses used in the 1st World War for their quiet, strong and courageous manner
Walkabout – aboriginals would 'go bush' to get back to their roots, sometimes it involved spiritual works as well as for a vacation
Wallaby – small kind of kangaroo
Whacked – hit, smacked
Willy-willy – dust devil, mini desert tornado, whirlwind
Worked a treat – worked well, great, terrific
Yabbies – fresh water crayfish
You've done for me – 'you've killed me' or 'you've got me'
Characters of Desert Strike
Revelationists – Reverends Albert, Mark, Thomas – Revelationist leaders in Darwin and regional Queensland
Revelationist Alpha Army – General Himmler, Colonel Rommel, Major Daniels, Captain Burgess
Stosstruppen Revelationists – Corporal Normy, Dory, Tim, Elias
Longreach Revelationists – Abbess Leonie, Nancy, the Prior, the Twelve Apostles,
Mount Isa Revelationists – Colonel Bartlett, Reverend Thomas
Warrior Sisterhood Battalion of the Longreach Crusaders of Light – Captain Martene, Denise, Minnie,
Pine Gap Intelligence Facility – Commander Sue-Ellen Cullen, Reece (her deceased husband), Tanner (their only son), Soldier of Fortune, Staff Sergeant Ben Kennedy (Obi-Wan), Murphy, Pipeline
Sundown's Commando – Nulla, Andrew (Andy), Pedro, Pellino, Halo, Matty McFly (Matjuri), Chan, Simon, Luke, Arthur (Arty), Assassin Creed (Assassin), Cambra, Wiram (Wirrie), Sundown, Beamy, Bongo, Jaina, Donna, Lucy, Heidi, Shadow, Blondie, Mel, Pinkie, Wilma, Jenny, Jeda, Charlene, Danni, Lulu, Fat Boy, Jason Little (Shrek)
Gangardi Aboriginals – Frank, Bidgera
Alice Springs Command – Major 'Louie' Lewis, Captain 'Johnny' Walker, Koala Bob, Sergeant Doff, Lance Corporal Poole, Slimmy, Kris, Sergeant Ahmet, Sergeant Tobi,
Bike boys – Arthur (Arty), Luke, Simon, Riley, Halo, Assassin Creed, Cambra, Halo, Nulla, Beamy and sometimes Chan