by Leo Nix
Now that the excitement was over, Commander Sue-Ellen Cullen stood beside the two operators. “Nice detective work, Tammy. And Craig, another eye-opening display and commentary, well done to the both of you and your staff.”
Before she left the big board room Sue-Ellen called Danielle to her. She had been too busy to pass this on to her new special operative staffer, but now was a good time.
“Danielle, I've some good news for you,” she said coyly, knowing this might cheer her up after listening to the horror of the morning's prisoner rescue.
Danielle looked up from her work. “What is it, Commander?” she asked politely.
“You have a brother I believe, a sergeant in the armoured cavalry, based in Darwin?” Sue-Ellen could barely keep the smile from her face.
“Yes, Sergeant Inmar Ahmet, he's in charge of a Bushmaster, why?” Danielle had stopped breathing. She waited, hoping against all hope that her brother was still alive.
“He's doing fine and stationed at Alice Springs Command. He's been there since just after the apocalypse. He's a very popular and highly respected NCO too, I believe,” continued Sue-Ellen. Danielle let out a squeal of relief that startled the staff, she then threw herself into her commander's embrace and bust into fresh tears of joy.
“I can't believe it! I've been so lucky today! Thank you, Commander, I needed a lift after this morning,” she sobbed and laughed at the same time.
“I can't let you two meet, not just yet, but you will, in due course. There's a fair bit I need to work through before I make contact with the Alice Springs Command. But don't worry, I won't keep you separated for too long.” Sue-Ellen, now straightened her shirt front and kissed her staffer on the cheek, then quickly raced back to her room for a shower.
Looking presentable and professional sometimes had to take a back seat to her staff's needs.
Obi-Wan and his team were licking their wounds after the prisoner rescue. At their debrief they decided that Hooky would act as logistics and support with Danielle - much to his delight. During the rescue he was knocked to the ground by one of the enemy and his shoulder dislocated again. Hooky wasn't happy, he'd let his team down and his shoulder was back to it's dull, numbing ache. The injury was examined by the base doctor who recommended Hooky be grounded for twelve months, allowing his shoulder to heal properly. They had a base therapist who would oversee his rehabilitation.
“We did well and Patrick's loss is something we grieve. It reminds us that every action is dangerous. Gary Fortune and I have examined the assault and we're satisfied that Patrick performed his duty honourably and professionally. The rest of his team did their utmost to prevent casualties, no one is responsible for his death, people die when there's bullets flying around.” Obi-Wan paused to give everyone time to settle and process what he'd said.
“Hooky, you're now our man on the ground. We'll be passing a lot of work your way for planning and preparing future raids from here on. You and Danielle will cover our backs here at the base. Anyone who needs anything, and I mean that, anything, first see Hooky or Danielle.” Obi-Wan looked across at the couple sitting among them.
He then patched through to Bluey and put the video on the large monitor for all to see. As the special ops team watched a small black cat walked stately in front of the camera. It appeared to know it was on show and strutted like a model showing off her fashion-wear on the catwalk.
“Bluey, we've got you and Piggy on our monitor, can you see us?” asked Obi-Wan amid the chuckles in the room. There came muttered curses as Bluey gently guided his cat across and away from his keyboard with his arm.
“I'm right now,” he said in relief when Piggy decided she'd had enough of stardom. “I've got you on my screen, Star Wars man, nice work. I watched it via satellite, they don't have cable where I live.” Some of the men smiled, they were getting used to Bluey by now.
“The warlord's men are out in the scrub as we speak, they've formed into three gangs and fighting over everything you left behind. I expect they'll perish before they get to civilisation. Congratulations boys, for a job well done.” Those who had met Bluey were impressed at how professional he sounded when he put on his communications expert hat.
“Thanks, Bluey, keep us informed if anything develops. I've got a few things to talk to you about too. I'll contact you this evening, out.” Obi-Wan shut down the monitor and closed his connection.
“Some of you may have heard that we have friendly neighbours. They've shot up the Deaths Head battalion at Marree and we have news that they'd had another battle at Birdsville. Commander Cullen is investigating if they are suitable allies or just rogues. We don't know much about them as yet.” Obi-Wan paused to gather his thoughts before continuing.
“General Hughes of Alice Springs Command, head of the Australian Third Army, will remain in Alice Springs. Commander Cullen and our senior staff agree that General Hughes will not play a role in our organisation, nor in any of our actions. At this time they are a rag-tag bunch, they'll need some time to settle into a fighting force that we can count on. Until then we'll keep sending their visitors away empty-handed.”
Commander Cullen now stood to address her special operatives. “Thank you all for your work in rescuing the prisoners. I'm sorry we lost Patrick, he will be missed, every loss we have is one less to protect us all. We are one big family pitted against a world gone mad.” She picked at her fingernails, an old habit she had when she was nervous, she wished she could stop it.
“We have further information from Bluey. His archives contain material on a civilian commando in Birdsville. From all the reports we have coming in from Bluey, Craig and Tammy's excellent research and monitoring, we now know they have a dozen or so soldiers and a community of women and children. They're calling themselves Sundown's Commando. I like that name for some reason, sort of reflects the end of the world a bit doesn't it.” She paused again to keep the excitement from overtaking her. “We'll keep an eye on them for now. We know that Alice Springs Command wants to contact them and form an alliance, but we'll just sit back and let things develop before we move.” Sue-Ellen sat back down.
Corporal Gary Fortune now stood. “We still have a lot of work to do, training, recon, monitoring and we'll continue to harass and sabotage the enemy every chance we get. The rescue was just a trial against amateurs, from what we have seen and know the Revelationist terrorists are quite different. Over the coming months we'll be selecting targets to hit and each member here will be assigned a role to play in our team.” Fortune looked at Obi-Wan then went on. “I'll be taking over as team leader, Obi-Wan will remain as special ops commander. Murphy and Pipeline will lead the recon and assault teams with myself. As you guys gain experience you'll be given your own responsibilities.”
Obi-Wan now stood as Fortune sat down. “We all have our jobs to do. Commander Cullen and I will now leave you with Corporal Fortune, Danielle and Hooky to sort out your rosters. Well done and I'll catch you all at dinner tonight.”
As Obi-Wan walked Sue-Ellen back to her office a line from an old movie, one of his favourites, entered his head.
He turned to his commander. “Sue-Ellen, do you remember that movie starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore and Kevin Bacon?” He paused for a moment, “it was set in South Korea and…”
He didn't get any further, she was a walking movie encyclopedia. “It's called, 'A Few Good Men', it's from a book by Aaron Sorkin. Why?” she asked.
“I've got that line Jack Nicholson says stuck in my head… it sort of describes us both,” he said.
“I know what line it is too. The one that goes, 'I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it.' ” Sue-Ellen giggled lightly and turned to her friend.
“Well, am I right?”
“As always,” he said with a wry smile.
THE END
Glossary of Australian
words
Australian Light Horse – name given to the Australia cavalry in the 1st World War
AFP - Australian Federal Police
ASLAV – Australian Light Army Vehicle, armoured cavalry troop carrier with mounted 7.62 mm machine gun and 25 mm cannon.
Bearcat - Lenco Bearcat, armoured command vehicle used by police and military services
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
Lowed – confused, no idea, can also mean exhausted (out of breath)
Blow-hards – full of 'piss 'n wind', noisy complaining types
Bogans - unsophisticated, lazy-assed people
Boofhead – meat head or beef head
Brumbies – wild horses
Bull-crap – 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
'Cooee'- a long-drawn aboriginal call of welcome, similar to an alpine yodel
Crikey – strewth, blimey, darn, damn
Cuffs - flexi-cuffs - nylon handcuffs used by police
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
Flexi-cuffs - nylon handcuffs used by police
Football – also used to describe soccer, Aussie Rules, rugby league and rugby union
Footy-field - where football is played
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
Jam - jelly - Aussies call a sweet spread on bread or toast 'jam', like apricot jam, plum jam, etc.
Kip - nap, a short sleep, a power nap
Marmalade - a jam (jelly) made from whole pieces of lemon and orange rind, it has a bitter-sweet taste
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
Rollie - self-rolled cigarette from loose tobacco and rice paper
Roo - short for 'kangaroo'
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
Shemagh - scarf worn by middle easterners and desert warfare soldiers to keep dust and wind out of their faces
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, cowboy
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
Tactical Response Group - specialist Australian anti-terrorist police, like a SWAT team
Tajna Sluzba – Revelationist secret service, have a reputation as ruthless killers
Tanked – drunk, also 'half-tanked' nearly drunk
Tomato sauce – ketchup
Tyres – tires, as in car tires
Unit – apartment, small one bedroom room in a motel or hotel, also called a 'flat'
“viens et rencontrer ta mort!” - French, “come and meet your death!”
Vegemite - a bitter tasting spread for toast and bread made from yeast, popular Aussie spread
Vorschlaghammer – German for 'sledge hammer'
Walers – 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
WAPOL - Western Australian Police
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 Sundown Apocalypse 5: Special Ops
WA Tactical Response Group - Police
Senior Sergeant Wayne Dyson - ex Aussie Infantry captain
Senior Constable Kerrie Black
Constable Russell Efferent
Sergeant Guy 'Lover' Luvini
Senior Constable Nancy Haurenier - Bearcat
Constable Titch 'Twitch' Frances
Constable Lana Wosniac
Senior Constable Paul 'Hooky' Pan - ex-SAS corporal
AFP - Geraldton
Senior Sergeant Bill 'Frenchy' Wahib - ex French Foreign Legion
Sergeant Ogden 'Oddie' Danse - ex Aussie commando
Constable Ray Bidder
Senior Constable Phillip Knox
Constable Lucy Taunton
WAPOL - WA police
Senior Sergeant Brad Hopkins
Constable Chad Chopah
Senior Constable William Franklin
Constable Danielle Ahmet
Constable Cindy Briggs
Special Ops - Pine Gap staff
Ranger Staff Sergeant Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kennedy
Delta Corporal Gary 'Soldier of Fortune' Fortune
SEAL Petty Officer Second Class Matthew Murphy
SEAL Petty Officer Third Class Peter 'Pipeline' Liner
SAS Corporal Ollie 'Skip' Stone
Ranger Corporal Laurence Burger
Girls from Geraldton
Emily, Julie, Trisha, Gracie
Fortune's new special ops team
Andy AFP, Patrick, Constable Neil Conner AFP, Bannerman ex-infantry, Maine
Meekatharra
Joey call sign 'Tonto', Gina, Walt, Maisie, Bob + Denny ex Vietnam veterans, Bluey call sign 'Goldmine'
International Space Station
Dr Tantoni, call-sign 'Asimov'
Desert warlords
Khan, Spiro, Chucko
Jake - escapee - bus driver
Desert Farmers - on the way to West Lyons River
Becky and Adam
Pine Gap - call sign 'Downtown'
Commander Sue-Ellen Cullen - call sign 'QE3'
Major Will Binks - ASIO - call sign 'beeprep',
Big Board - Tammy, Craig
Revelationists - WA - Perth Hades Battalion - 'Flaming Damnation' + Tartarus Battalion - “Be Damned”
Genera
l Ethan Lawson
Tartarus Battalion “Be Damned” - senior commander of the Geraldton operation, Lt. Colonel Brandon Newport
Head Priestess 'The Black Widow' - Lauren McIntosh - mother to David McIntosh AFP and Colonel Harry McIntosh
Colonel - Harry McIntosh - head military Perth Revelationist church battalions
Sergeant David McIntosh - AFP, Revelationist spy - wife Debra, daughters Nina and Gina
Captain Landan - Intelligence
Captain Lim - infantry
Lieutenants - Norton, Serri
Sergeants - Bobbi Francis
Corporals - Maitland, Zee, Mandy
Privates - Sammy, Ivan, Tiny,
Darwin
Tanner - US Navy Intelligence
Barry - Australian intelligence spy
Laddie - Australian intelligence spy
Dale - terrorist security guard
MH-X Stealth Black Hawk - call sign 'Maverick'
Major Sam Samuels - pilot
Captain 'Curly' Moe - copilot
Chief Brian 'BB' Bingley
Sergeant Lance Trudeau
90 MHR-Taipan - utility helicopter - call sign 'Wagontrain'
Lieutenant Panela
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