In his hand were two cigarette ends. “If you look more closely you will see the same Chinese symbol on these that was on the outside of the packets of cigarettes we found in that Somali’s vehicle.”
“Good work,” said Odika. “Let me have those and I will make sure they get added to the evidence that is being put together. It’s small stuff but it all helps. I suggest you head back to camp now. There is nothing more you can do here. We will take some photos and write up an account of what happened. That will end up back in Nairobi HQ with the tusks. We should be in this area again soon but we have an operation in Tsavo National Park, starting in two days. Keep us posted with any news.”
After brief handshakes and goodbyes they left the rangers with Mike who would drive them down to the airstrip later in the morning. Men as skilled as Odika and his team were highly valued.
There wasn’t much appetite for breakfast but the delicious crispy bacon and perfectly fried eggs soon disappeared from their plates.
Aziz, who had joined them half way through the meal, announced that the repeater radio masts were arriving on the same plane that was picking up the rangers.
“You youngsters are more technical than the rest of us about these sorts of things. Why don’t you experiment with finding the best positions for them this morning.” suggested Jim.
“Oh, I’m not sure they know enough,” scowled Aziz.
“We know a lot more than you think, about all kinds of stuff,” replied Harry.
“Just what is that supposed to mean?” said Aziz, his hands clasped fist-like again.
“That’s enough bickering!” Jim tried hard to mask his irritation. “We’re here for the animals and Uwingoni; there is no place for personal squabbles. Harry and Ana are more than capable.”
Aziz shrugged, “I’ve got important things to be getting on with. I’ll be in the stores if anyone needs me.”
“Take Bethwell and one of the mechanics with you. Let’s hope these masts are as good as you suggest. That will be the best way to keep Aziz quiet.”
Ana and Harry made their way down to the garage area to find Bethwell.
Kamau, one of the most experienced mechanics appeared from under Bluebird which was jacked up at the back. “You did well to break a pipe like that,” he laughed. “Anyway I have taken a replacement from that old Land Rover wreck we use for spares. It is almost a perfect fit but still leaks a little brake fluid. However, I’ve got just the thing to fix that.”
They both watched as Kamau pulled a large thread out of the collar of his somewhat frayed shirt. He coiled it tightly around the little aluminium nipple at the end of the break pipe. “This should make the perfect seal,” he smiled. He disappeared under the back wheel again.
“Now try that brake pedal Harry. Pump it a couple of times and hold your foot down until I tell you. Now let it up slowly.”
He reappeared from under the wheel clapping his hands with delight. “Perfect. They don’t teach you that in mechanics school,” he grinned, “but that won’t be leaking in a hurry!”
They were all laughing as Bethwell came round the side of the garage. “Kamau been teaching you some tricks of the trade?”
“You could say that,” beamed Harry. “Now we’re off with you to work out where to site these masts.”
“Mike has just returned from the airstrip. They are in the back of the Land Cruiser already. Let’s see what a little new technology can do for Uwingoni.”
“I thought it made sense to start on the eastern end,” suggested Harry. The ground rises when we drive along the escarpment but then drops away quite suddenly. I am sure a well-placed mast somewhere there would make a real difference.”
“Are you thinking of having someone on the far boundary with a radio and Bethwell and one of us with the vehicle and the mast trying different positions?” asked Ana.
“That is pretty much it. It isn’t some complicated experiment, just a lot of trial and error till we have got the best signal and coverage possible.”
“Sounds good to me. If we take the placing of the masts in turn it should help keep us focused. It’s going to be a long day!”
Ana’s prediction was more accurate than any of them had imagined. As the sun rose higher they experimented with locations, trying where possible for the higher ground where there was fairly clear access below so that the signal could be repeated as easily as possible without being interrupted.
So unblemished was the sky that the sun acted as a clock even more than usual. By mid-afternoon they had two of the three really well positioned and it was exciting to be in touch with base from what had previously been dead areas.
The third was taking longer than expected but for the best of reasons. In an area where they wouldn’t have expected them they came across the small herd of elephants that they had come to know so well and there right in the centre as if protected by the others was Meru. Through the binoculars they could make out his little face as he sheltered from the direct rays of the sun under Mara’s tummy. He was trying to feed from her milk every so often.
“Look at that,” whispered Harry as he handed the binoculars to Ana.
She watched closely as Meru raised his tiny trunk, not to get the milk but up on her side behind her front, left leg to keep it out of the way. He was then able to drink his mother’s milk directly with his mouth.
“Oh, that’s amazing,” she said, “for some reason I had thought he would use his trunk. I don’t know why, probably because it’s what I most associate with elephants.”
“I had thought that too but I feel when you are that small a trunk takes a bit of getting used to. I have certainly heard of very young calves actually tripping over theirs. One of the loveliest things that I have seen a few times is that they actually suck them just as we used to suck our thumbs when we were young.”
“Speak for yourself!” she laughed. “We could easily be here for the rest of the day but we must get this last mast sorted.”
They retraced their steps to the area above where they had the break failure only the day before and after several attempts found an ideal spot just before a large rocky outcrop. When they experimented by moving down near the stream they still had a strong enough signal to reach back to camp.
“Well,” said Bethwell, “I can’t remember moving the Land Cruiser back and forwards as much as I have done today but it looks like you have done a great job.”
“We have all done a great job,” interrupted Harry. “Without your incredible knowledge of Uwingoni and your endless patience and skill we would never have achieved so much today.”
“I think we should head back now. See what cook has got for us, that bacon and eggs seems a lifetime ago. I don’t know about you but all I need to do now is eat and sleep.”
That seemed to get everyone’s vote and they headed back to camp, little knowing how important their day’s work was to prove in the near future.
After supper the conversation turned to the events of the day.
“Well, Harry and Ana,” said Jim, “we all owe you a huge vote of thanks for the faith you had in your portable repeater masts. I really find it hard to believe we have got such great coverage almost everywhere in Uwingoni now. This is going to make such a huge difference to us all.”
“Thanks Jim,” smiled Harry. “I just want to leave you with one more thought before we all hit the sack.”
“What’s that?” joked Mike. “Our own helicopter I suppose?”
“Well you’re not so far off but you can’t buy one of those for under £3000!”
“I don’t understand,” Mike, suddenly looked serious.
“What I am talking about,” said Harry, “is a drone.”
Jim frowned, “Those are just playthings; I have read about them in the papers.”
“What you need is to read up the details properly online Jim. I know you don’t use the computer in your office that much but I am going to give you a website to look at. Just promise me you will keep an open min
d.”
“I always try to do that,” came the slightly gruff response.
“Oh, I know you do. That’s why we have great radio reception now,” said Harry in his most flattering voice. “They are using them in some game parks in South Africa in anti-poaching exercises. They have cameras on board and are amazing. Anyway, enough from me. Please check it out and let’s discuss it when you have time.”
Surprisingly Jim smiled. “Well, you were right about the masts so I should learn to trust your ideas a little more.”
“Thank you.”
As Harry and Ana headed back towards their tents, their heads were buzzing with ideas about how they could use their knowledge and skills to protect their beloved elephants.
“I shall never forget how I felt when I saw the poachers work for the first time this morning. You know Harry, as a journalist, you do your best through words and images to convey to people the reality of situations but in the end little comes close to what you witness first hand.”
“I have read some great pieces on poaching but do wonder how much difference that actually makes to reducing the horror of what is going on.”
“That’s just the point Harry. Much of it is read by people who would agree with you anyway, so how do we really make our writing count? Well, I have the germ of an idea that still needs working on.”
“I don’t want to sound rude but could we talk about it in the morning? I can just about drag one foot in front of the other and the moment I collapse on that bed I will be out like a light.”
Of course,” she smiled. “See you tomorrow.”
Chapter Seven
Ana followed her usual routine once in bed, something she had learnt way back in her teenage years.
She called it mind ordering. Everything that was important at the time had to be placed in a particular compartment in her thoughts and as each little door closed the activity became less and she slowly relaxed. At last the final major thought was put to rest, usually with a plan of action for the following day.
The activity in her head was the busiest it had been since leaving Syria yet somehow she felt at peace with herself. Importantly she had found a new purpose and she was always happiest when she had a cause to follow.
With her mind made up, she gratefully embraced the release and comfort of sleep.
She woke early. It was that half-light between the night and the new day. Outside seemed unusually peaceful as she searched for flaws in the plan she had hatched the night before.
She knew there would be risks, but that was always the trade off when you want something. Risks, yes but not danger; that was something different.
She threw on some fresh clothes and splashed her face with the delightful coolness of the stream water. No makeup, she had dispensed with that some time ago, perhaps a little something round her eyes when she was back in a city but that was about it.
She wanted to share her thoughts with Harry but had to control her impatience. Switching on the solar light, she sat at the rickety veranda table and wrote up her journal.
As she slipped it back in the bottom of her case she wondered with a smile what those who had been helping her with PTSD would make of her current ideas.
Arriving outside Harry’s tent she considered how best to announce her arrival with no door to knock on.
She called his name quietly a couple of times without luck. Stooping down she unzipped the front of the tent and peered into the gloom. Harry was sprawled out on the bed. He had managed to kick his shoes off but had obviously been too tired even to get under the blanket.
She gently shook his shoulder and something like a groan escaped from his lips. With a second shake he opened his eyes.
“Good morning Harry,” she chirped brightly. “Looks like you might need one of those nice cold showers to bring you into the land of the living today.”
“Look at the state of me,” he groaned.
“Oh you’ll be fine. I’m going to get some coffee on the go. I’ll see you up in the main camp in about ten minutes or so.”
“What’s the rush?”
“No rush, but I have had a great idea and I think you are probably the only one I can share it with.”
“OK, OK. You are too full of life this early in the morning. What time is it anyway?”
“Almost 5.45.”
“What?” He tried to put the pillow over his head. “Nobody else is likely to be awake.”
“So much the better. Do you want a biscuit with your coffee?”
Ana was gone before Harry could even answer, a lightly swaying tent flap the only visible sign she had even been there.
She was right, the shower washed away any sleep in an instant. He threw on something cleanish and marched off, marvelling at how a few simple things can transform you in a matter of minutes. Coffee was the final part of the morning jigsaw.
The pot was bubbling away and the smell was just perfect. The coffee he had become used to since being away from the UK was coarser yet more natural, grown and roasted on farms not a hundred miles from where they stood and he loved it.
“Sit down Harry and promise you won’t interrupt until I have given you an outline of this idea that has been screaming to get out of my head for almost twenty-four hours.”
“Of course, as long as you don’t go on for too long,” he joked.
“Well, in view of what Odika was telling us yesterday, I feel we should pay a visit to the Chinese dam project and see what we can find out.”
Harry had already put his coffee back on the table and resisted the urge to break his promise after just a single sentence.
“Before you say it, I know we cannot just walk in there, we need to have a reason and this is what I thought. I am still an accredited journalist and my experience is that people love to talk about themselves and their work. It is simply a side of human nature. If you are ever stuck for a conversation at a party just ask the person you want to speak to what they do. It is the one subject everyone is an expert on.”
“I propose that we contact Ching Pang, the company building the dam, and tell them we are interested in an interview about the fantastic progress the dam will bring to the area. I know there are those who will think it is the worst idea possible, but if we promise to tell the company’s story they might just go for it.”
Harry pondered the idea. “And then what?”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, you gain your interview, we have a brief tour of the areas they want us to see and write your piece on. Where does that get us?”
Ana could feel her impatience rise. “Harry I don’t have a clue. Obviously they aren’t going to ask us whether we want to see their collection of elephant tusks but who knows what we might see or hear. It’s a start. Ching Pang appear to be involved but because they aren’t Kenyan nobody seems to know how to deal with them.”
“You’re so right, too much politics of course. Actually Ana, if you can get through the front gate, I think it’s a great idea.”
Her face split into a large smile, “Why thanks Harry.”
“There is a but. We have to get the all clear from Jim. If anything goes wrong he could be in a very difficult position. We’re just passing through but Uwingoni is his life’s work. If he doesn’t want us to go then that’s it.”
“That’s a fair point Harry. Let’s see how persuasive I really am.”
When everyone else had eaten and headed off for the morning they tracked Jim down to his rather pokey little office and Ana put forward her idea. His response was certainly not what either of them had expected.
“I certainly think it has merit and as long as you are cautious and perhaps more importantly respectful, as that is such an important part of Chinese culture, I am happy for you to go ahead. In fact you might be surprised to know that I can probably gain you an invitation,” he grinned.
“You’re a man of many parts,” said Ana, “but this was certainly something I hadn’t expected to be within your powers.�
�
Jim seemed pleased with himself. “Well, Mr Pang, one of the owners of the company, actually spent a few days on safari here about eighteen months ago.”
“How did that come about?” asked Harry. “It is not every day you have a Chinese millionaire wanting to spend time in Uwingoni.”
“Strangely it was through Mike. He had gone on one of his rare trips to Nairobi and during his last night there had decided to risk a little of his hard-earned cash at one of the big casinos, up by the museum of Kenya I think. I’m not sure; it is not really my scene.”
They were all ears, quiet, conservative Mike in some plush casino. “I didn’t know he even possessed long trousers and shoes other than his old desert boots,” grinned Harry.
“Well, he has always liked a little bet ever since I have known him. Nothing big of course and more often than not he loses! But on this night he was playing roulette and doing very nicely for a change and Mr Pang just happened to be playing at the same table. They got chatting over a beer and discovered how close his dam was to us, Mike told him he must pop by sometime.”
“And?” prompted Ana.
“His secretary contacted me the following week and asked whether he could come on a short safari before heading back to China. Mike said he hadn’t really meant the invite that seriously but I could hardly say no, could I?”
“And what was Mr Pang like?” asked Harry, a little surprised that nobody had even mentioned his visit before.
“Not what I expected at all, although I haven’t really met any Chinese, apart from the wonderful people who run the Tin Tin restaurant in Nairobi. Hardly in the same league! Actually he was a pleasure, interested in all we did, polite and charming with a very beautiful wife.” Jim suddenly seemed a little flustered. He rarely spoke with such enthusiasm about people.
“The point is, we got on and I am pretty sure if we contact the company they will let you up onto the dam site to meet the chief engineer and write your article. The one thing I am sure about is that if there is any poaching link with the Chinese then Mr Pang will know nothing about it.”
Tusker Page 8