 
#  Copyright © 2016 EA Harwik

# Pages

##### (Book 1)

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  
With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or part by any means without the written permission of EA Harwik.

Published by EA Harwik

ISBN Number: 978-0-9806776-2-1

Smashwords Edition, September 2016.

All detail contained within this publication is fictional. Characters and happenings exist purely within the author's imagination. Any semblance of persons, living or deceased, is coincidental. All reference or likeness to factual matters, events or localities has been used in a fictional context.

#  Pages

##### (Book 1)

## by EA Harwik

##  Chapter 01

Deep within the Kurram agency of northwest Pakistan three bodies lay motionless in the rocky crags of a rugged ridgeline. Their appearance rag-tag, a hodgepodge mix of worn, filthy pseudo military apparel able to combat the wretched climate and unforgiving poverty that infects most people who call this region of our planet home.

The ridge the men occupied was just shy of a mile from an al-Qaeda training and staging camp code-named Lima-three-six by western intelligence. It was no accident glare from the setting sun rendered visual detection all but impossible while affording the men a commanding view over the camp.

Each man quietly studied figures, faces and head wear through a telescopic lens attached to an over-sized rifle and regularly clicked the aperture of a digital camera set to create images on the same lens. The men were collecting intelligence while waiting for the appropriate time to execute their primary orders.

With the last rays of sunshine set to disappear the camp occupants gathered to receive orders from the camp commandant before evening prayers. At that moment the men on the ridge open fire with synchronised precision. Three merged muffled acoustic pops repeated ten times at precise intervals. The men reloaded, fired a further ten rounds, rendered the weapons safe and again reloaded with a fresh magazine. They exchanged quick silent nods, gathered the spent cartridges and methodically moved back from the ridgeline taking care to correct any disturbance of nature their presence might have caused. This deception was maintained for some distance until reaching a clump of trees where ready-to-ride horses were tethered in a currently vacant yet obviously frequented campsite.

Still silent the men slung a nondescript bolt-action rifle across their back and packed the menacingly conspicuous oversized long-range military weapons out of sight on their horse. Trained eyes scanned the surrounding geography until satisfied nothing was identifiably theirs. Again they exchanged nods before mounting a horse, taking a packhorse in tow and riding north on a poorly recognisable trail leading through the White Mountains towards the equally isolated and inhospitable Tora Bora region of Eastern Afghanistan.

When dusk faded into night the men set the harness of an image intensifier monocular in place and kept riding. Several times in the darkness they silently skirted round groups camping by the trail.

It was imperative no reports would materialise of having seen or heard the men pass. Occasionally they rested the saddle horses by jogging beside them, not once did they stop moving north. The men knew only when they reached the Afghan side of the mountains where the trails divide and merge regularly could they avoid suspicion.

In the early hours of the morning they struggled through a pass with high peaks on both sides and a treacherous ice impregnated wind in their face. The temperature was well below freezing and plummeting yet still they pushed on. Stupid perhaps but the harsh life-threatening environment was a friend. All knew it was foolhardy to stop or camp high in the mountains and only crazy people would dare travel the rugged trail by night. Their high tech night vision equipment gave them an edge. The men knew they were alone and safe from detection until dawn.

With the worst of the mountains and wind behind them a thick layer of powered snow covered the ground making forward progress arduous. And yet for the first time since setting out one man spoke. The shortest of the three a fit solid built man with dark wavy hair and answering to the nickname Muscat said, "We've got to be back in Afghanistan by now. Do you think we should call it in?"

The tallest of the three a quietly spoken slim man with the nickname Clancy replied, "Yep just consulted the GPS. We're a couple of miles inside Afghanistan. As soon as my hands thaw a little I'll make the call."

"So it is freezing? I thought it might have been the chill of drenching despair within my love deprived heart." Muscat gave a small chuckle. "I'm relieved."

A chuckle emitted from all three men before the slimmer and fairest, known as Chiko answered, "No it's warm out tonight almost tropical. I'm toying with dumping the coat." Chiko paused a moment before adding, "Your conscience has finally spoken." There was another delay before he added, "Muscat my son you must dwell on this and seek the new self. Listen to the voice within; learn, become enlightened only then will you find true inner warmth."

Clancy pulled out a satellite phone and hit speed-dial, as he did the others fell silent. The phone rang once before a voice at the other end of the call said, "Authenticate white powder."

Clancy punched his voice into the phone, "I authenticate golden rain." He paused a second and added, "Lima-three-six is touch. Blue heaven. Out."

The voice on the other end of the phone replied, "I confirm. Lima-three-six is touch. Blue heaven, out. Good hunting." And discontinued the call.

Clancy placed the phone in a pouch on his saddle and said to the others in his quiet voice, "Wasn't at all sure we'd be alive to make that call?"

Muscat replied, "I knew we'd pull it off. Too much planned. My inner voice is calling at me. Saying Italy, only ten more days. Chiko if you don't need your coat pass it over here. Won't be wasted."

Chiko replied, "Yes. Italy. This is like a romance novel pulling upon my inner core. Tell me more about these Italian women?

"Italian women have curves on curves. They're built for speed, endurance and style." Muscat's voice sounded distant, "They're descendant of Roman gods. Come equipped with special glands not present in other women."

"Oh man." Chiko answered, "Ten days. I'm counting."

"Of course there is a small problem," Muscat's voice cackled with quiet laughter. Eventually he was able to emit, "People around Alezio are all relatives and you're not going anywhere near my cousins."

"Mate, we're brothers... we live together. We trust. We share."

"No. Relatives are off limits. I can't afford the risk."

"Risk. What risk?"

"The risk of you marrying a cousin. You're not getting a permanent seat at Mother's Sunday lunch. I can see you winding her up with a never-ending list of ultimatums to impose on me. Not going to happen." Muscat was using a tone he reserved for banter with Chiko.

"Okay. I can take the hint. I was just starting to like you. Was thinking, this Muscat fellow is not a bad stick for a stuck-up rich kid." Chiko gave another chuckle. "Clancy old buddy. Are we doing anything special for our recreation leave?"

Mostly Clancy listened to the endless flow of senseless humour. He enjoyed a sober disposition and rarely joined the conversation. When he did speak it was always presented more softly, "I'm staying here."

"Here in this hell hole? You'll freeze." Chiko's tone emitted fake alarm.

Clancy pointed at the ground below him in the shadowy darkness, "Not here, here. In Afghanistan." A swing of his arm indicated everywhere around them.

"That's crazy. You'll die of despair. Rest and relaxation is supposed to be a holiday. All the experts say step out of the office during a break. Or was that don't mess your own nest. Never was any good at all my ex-friends psychology rubbish." Chiko looked to make sure Muscat was watching before adding, "Why don't you come to Italy with us?"

Muscat re-entered the conversation, "Clancy. You can't stay here. Christ." He shook his head in disbelief. "Come to Italy. Chiko's not getting within a mile of my cousins. But you... We'll be staying with my mother's sister. It's not going to cost you a thing. Heck my relatives will think more of me just knowing a clean-cut macho farm boy like you. Think of the buzz your family will get receiving postcards from Italy. Be a right treat for everyone."

"Thanks Muscat. It's a nice offer. I'm tempted, but there's something needs doing here."

"Something needs doing? Like what? Nothing can help this place. They need to concrete everything, turn it into a giant car park would make the place more useful." Muscat took a moment to think before adding, "It'd even look prettier."

"True." Clancy nodded his head in approval and took longer than his normal thinking time, though the others knew him well and waited in silence.

"Kaiser asked me to contact his sister and niece... wants me to see if I can escort them out." Again he waited before adding, "Don't say anything back at base. We're having trouble convincing the brass it's doable."

It was Muscat who replied first, "Really? Are the women in danger?"

"Not exactly danger. No more than anyone else in Afghanistan. Not people danger anyway. But they are in women danger. They're alone without male relatives anymore. Kaiser has approval to sponsor them at home... when they arrive. Foreign affairs have no idea how things work over here. No one will sanction picking them up. They seem to think it might be construed as kidnapping." Chiko and Muscat patiently waited for Clancy to collect his thoughts, "Both Kaiser and I have tried to explain women need to be escorted; even if they have money." Clancy threw an arm in the air and took on a frustrated expression, "It's like talking to the wall. They think you catch a bus to town and book a flight." He stopped speaking for another short break. "Kaiser applied for leave to come over here and bring them out himself. The brass won't hear of that." Again all waited in silence. "I'm going to give it a shot, with or without approval. I'll escort Kaiser's relatives to Kandahar airport and convince the crew of a homebound transport flight to let them sit up the back on an empty crate. I know it doesn't sound like much of a plan but once they're made the journey Kaiser will be holding all the cards. He'll be able to support them in safety."

"Arrrr." Chiko let go the reins and put both hands to his temples, "I was so looking forward to Italy, story of my life. Count me in Clancy."

"Me too. Italy can wait." Muscat emitted a quick chuckle, "I was so looking forward to watching cousin Modesta hogtie Chiko."

"What. Cousin Modesta? I knew you couldn't neglect a mate. She's got big jugs hasn't she?"

Muscat laughed openly, "Flat chest, buck teeth, thick glasses and saving herself for marriage. She's into salvation, all that." Muscat's audible chuckle grew into a muffled laugh, "Your kind of girl Chiko. She'll sit you through endless hours of wedding talk; dresses, bride's maids, flowers and house hunting. There'll be none of the messy carnal stuff. She might let you hold her hand once or twice." Muscat sounded pleased with himself.

"Thanks guys." Clancy completely ignored Chiko's quietly spoken outrageous outburst. Clancy's voice was sober and serious. "But we won't have a chance in hell of all disappearing together. Probably better if we talk up the detail of heading off to Italy together. It'll give me a better chance of slipping away unnoticed. If we can pull it off I'll have a week to get the job done. I'm still going to have to cadge a chopper ride with someone to make the distance to Kandahar airport in time."

"No way. A job like this needs backup." Chiko's revelation was immediate and forceful. "Besides Italy just got pretty tame. And I owe Kaiser five bucks." He chuckled, "If a guy helps rescue someone's family even Kaiser would set the payment aside."

Muscat took his time, "You know we're out here free as birds until we report in. What's to stop us picking up a few stragglers somehow? These things happen. Where might we stumble upon Kaiser's relatives if we didn't pay too much attention to where we were going?"

Clancy looked thoughtfully towards Muscat for a full minute before saying, "Smart idea." In silence he slowly tapped a clinched fist to his mouth before speaking. "They're just outside a small hamlet a few miles across the canyon from Tagab. A place called Chinagae, isolated area in a tight valley only fifty clicks north-west of Kabul. I've gone over the detail a hundred times. Don't have any satellite images with me but every inch of the place is committed to memory. Which house, where to avoid... the works. There's a nice little trail leads across from the next valley, drops straight down onto the back of the farm where the women reside. I've even caught them working in their vegetable garden on a couple of satellite images, just the two of them... less than a week ago." Clancy took another break to look around, "Not too far out of our way if we become a little distracted." He took another thoughtful interlude. When he continued there was a change in his voice. He sounded soldierly, in command. "That's the good news. The bad news is the valley is controlled by a small group of old-school whack-jobs. They're not particularly motivated by religion, more like thieves who invented a flavour of Sharia law to suit their greed. If those guys get wind of us snooping about it'll make for an interesting and very messy exit. Particularly so if we have to ride the two hundred miles down to Kandahar airport with a gaggle of clowns following along trying to plink us." Clancy again looked around and added, "It's only twenty miles from Chinagae to Bagram but we'd probably get ourselves arrested or worse if we waltz up to the gate unannounced trying to talk our way in there. Better to move away apiece and call in a chopper extraction; surprise everyone with extra passengers. We'll have to think up an good excuse to have them drop us at Kandahar airport before we head for Tarin Cot to complete this journey."

The three men rode in silence for a few minutes before Clancy again spoke, "Apparently the sister's husband got himself killed soon after Kaiser vanished. They were doing fine until some capital-A opportunist convinced the village headman the sister needed to marry him." Clancy scanned the stars above before adding, "Would you believe the wedding took place without the sister being invited. Simply involved handing over possession of Kaiser's family farm to the new husband. Now the new husband has vanished and the mother-in-law from hell has taken over. She's invited her extended family in and moved Kaiser's sister and neice into an old run down stone hut out the back of the property, while their future is determined..."

Muscat's voice interrupted, "Well everything is settled. We turn left at the next intersection and head west as planned, but drift too far north until we re-establish our bearings... and the jobs done. Could even have a problem with the satellite tracker before we make it too far north, kind-of disappear? See whether anyone is really worrying about us? How are we expected to notice if the satellite tracker turns itself off?" Muscat glanced at Clancy, "I'm positive the brass won't come out here to check on us--- to dirty and besides we don't have a whiteboard or comfy chair. They'd have nothing to do." Muscat allowed himself a quick moment for his own amusement. "With luck we'll pull Kaiser's girls out, get them settled in a plane and still make Italy on time. Too easy." Muscat found the banter in his tone reserved for Chiko before continuing, "Cousin Modesta is waiting peasant boy." He gave Chiko a good long grin, "Besides now Clancy can come to Italy. Let me think?" He rubbed his beard in fake thought, "Oh; oh yes." And punched the air, "Yes I'm too clever by half. Aunty Concetta." He looked across at the others and said. "Widow; was only married three weeks. Husband died on the job in bed. Healthy young buck. Her appetite killed him. Huge smile was still on his face when they closed the coffin. Yep. Aunty Concetta is perfect. A big bosomed Italian Mama with a craving for cowboys. She'll give Clancy something to think about other than cows and horses." Muscat chuckled in Chiko's direction, "Something for him to get his teeth around."

Chiko quickly piped in with, "What? Did you say big bosoms? I'm in love. Clancy. Old buddy. Friend. We can do a deal, a swap perhaps? I'll give you everything in my mothers next treat parcel."

"You pair are seriously bent. Twisted. I'm sure the both of you were raised too close to farm animals." Clancy glanced behind on both sides before adding, "How much colder do you think it can get before the sun comes up?"

*****

High above Afghanistan seated behind the senior controller's console in an E3 Sentry, air force colonel Wendy Maiden smiled with amusement as she shamelessly eavesdropped on the conversation below.

Wendy had been working while circling over Afghanistan in the heavily modified, Boeing 707, _Airborne Warning and Control_ System (AWACS) for almost five years. As a controller she'd seen a lot, witnessed the very best and worst of human endeavour many times over. Supervising warfare wasn't something Wendy was particularly comfortable with but she was good at her job. And the job needed doing well. The welfare of many depended upon the outcome of accurate intelligence gather and timely decisions. There had been failures though they were greatly outnumbered by success. Many a soldier made it home safely without even knowing how close he or she had came to disaster. The war owed a lot to Wendy's team and the AWACS with its all seeing all listening electronic eyes and ears.

At thirty-four years of age Wendy was proud to have once been the youngest full Colonel in the Air Force. Though being decorated with an Air Force Cross harboured mixed emotions. To have ones professionalism acknowledged was one thing but to display on her uniform a ribbon earned by the brave in combat was a private embarrassment. She worked in air-conditioned comfort high above the action and well outside enemy range. There were thousands down below who deserved the recognition more than she.

When the notion to hold all drone strikes on Lima-three-six was first raised Wendy vocally voiced her opposition. It was crazy to allow an enemy cell to nurture with impunity. And the idea of a small team entering Pakistan on horseback was ludicrous. The riders being foreign seemed to sway her colleagues to sanction the mission but it mattered to Wendy. Even with their obvious training and skill such a mission was little short of a death sentence. How could anyone reasonable expect western soldiers to remain undetected and make their own way out after executing such a brazened attack? It had been doubtful to Wendy they could even safely accomplish the journey in.

She was following the mission closely however her orders were clear. Remain detached unless a specific request for support or intervention is received. Yet if push came to shove Wendy wasn't sure she wouldn't bend the rules. If her superior eyes and ears came across something to hinder or harm the men below she might just intervene early. She knew only too well what the process of command via International bureaucracy was capable of, even between allies on the same theatre of battle.

In spite of Wendy's misgivings the mission produced the predicted outcome. The long-range specific and selective attack had bewildered the enemy. Wendy was recording a total loss of discipline within Lima-three-six. The tenuous thread binding the most extreme members of fiercely independent tribal groups had completely unravelled. The camps occupants were still as violent and resourceful as ever but were now fighting each other. All seemed convinced other tribe members within the camp had initiated the attack. The resulting violence was shockingly gruesome. Yet Wendy was able to draw relief knowing there would be little chance of cooperation between the warring groups for a long, long time and thus coordinated attacks targeting resources in Afghanistan were unlikely in the foreseeable future.

The horror below at Lima-three-six was further softened for Wendy knowing the three soldiers who set the chaos in motion had affected a clean break. They were currently many miles further north and not being followed or intersected.

She was relieved the soldiers felt safe enough to chat. She'd grown to enjoy the craziness of their banter as much as she admired their professionalism, how they'd managed to hide in plain sight. Purchasing goods in markets, deliberately chatting with locals about trivia, exchanging news over a shared meal, seeking weather information and the condition of the trail ahead. They listened to freely offered travel advice with what Wendy suspected was faked interest. They never followed trails for which they sought information and it was obvious the men had an intimate understanding of the geography surrounding the route they followed.

They reminded Wendy of her husband in rest stops, during family driving trips stateside, relaxing from the pressures of the road by reading unspoken words on new faces. Sharpening warrior-skills he called it. A game all men seem to enjoy, which never involves talking about what is actually being discussed. _Men are strange creatures. A shell of weird desires woven from primitive, tangled and mysterious thread._ Wendy caught a distant smile of her own reflection on the computer screens and closed her eyes taking a long slow breath with an image of her husband's smile on her mind.

Back to work.

The soldiers were buying legitimacy, making them selves invisible via the unnoticed familiarity that established trust buys within the Pakistan culture. Something these soldiers knew well. They were confident, skilful operators. Secretly Wendy was rooting for the soldiers much, much more than she normally would, or should.

When the planned R&R holiday came into the conversation Wendy smiled. She loved Italy. When Alezio was mentioned her fingers stepped away from her busy mind. The town's attractions displayed to her screen and made an immediate impact. She read with longing and promised to talk with her family about a few days away as soon as all could co-ordinate time from work and school together. She'd show her husband, Jason, and encourage the children, Kelly and Trent, to become involved. She'd set them an assignment to research if Alezio, Italy would suit the family for a holiday. She loved how her children were rapidly becoming mature enough to share ideas and reason with. She loved her family.

She had already established a name, rank and serial number for each of the three soldiers who rather cleverly masked everything military behind operational nicknames. Identifying them was a practical consideration. Westerners with the ability to understand languages, local customs and establish themself as belonging in this part of the world were very rare. They were worthy of admiration and might prove useful to borrow for intelligence purposes in the future.

On a whim Wendy found herself searching through her considerable resources for the identity of Muscat's Italian family. She even found herself wanted to see if there were file photos of cousin Modesta. Wendy knew enough already to know there was a hidden joke in Muscat's tone. She had no idea why she found the appallingly sexist banter between the two men so harmless and amusing. In reality she's run a mile to stop any of her friends dating either.

The screen overflowed with information about Muscat's mother, leaving Wendy staring with an open mouth. She rechecked her search criteria. What she retrieved was unbelievable and couldn't be true. Yet the information proved correct. She was overcome with an immediate desire to tell someone about her discovery... anyone. Yet she also knew her job. She couldn't tell a soul, not even her own family. She helped overcome her itch by playing with her fingernails, tapping and scratching the desk.

There was no cousin Modesta living in Alezio or anywhere else. In fact scanning the available photographs quickly established females with flat chests were a genuine rarity in Muscat's extended family. Wendy smiled and even wondered who or what Muscat had planned to entertain Chiko. In spite of their constant macho banter they were obviously very close and both had a proven track record of not being bashful or possessive where ladies were concerned. She was still amused yet chastised herself again for being so.

Committed to her folly she searched for the Aunty and immediately burst out laughing. She made enough noise to have her humour starved airborne colleagues inquire about the joke. Wendy wasn't quick enough clearing the screen and yet it seemed a little cruel, even silly, to hear her colleagues laughing at the u-tube clip of a buxom Italian female lorry driver in a short skirt riding a mechanical bull in a nightclub. Her colleagues, including the two women, wanted to see the video clip again. She chased them back to work with a stiff rebuke yet the image of Muscat's Aunty Concetta kept her well amused for several hours.

She knew engaging with the soldiers wasn't wise. Yet she scanned the family background of Chiko and Clancy. She found nothing outstanding other than being impressed with the interesting mix of skills each brought to the small efficient team. She thought Muscat's Aunty a great companion match for either of the soldiers below. Though she couldn't help thinking Chiko was more suitable. What was she thinking like this for? _It isn't funny._

Interesting, for the first time since the soldiers slipped off Chapman air force base, in the dead of night six days prior, she was finally in possession of information to indicate where they planned to travel next.

Kaiser proved difficult to uncover. He existed but the records seemed to tangle through a deliberate riddle of confusion. She pulled up all there was to be had on Tagab and was actually able to get a fix with some certainty on a likely candidate for the sister who had a twelve-year old child, the niece. This allowed her to back track though records to locate a brother and move forward with a personal trace. Even though she already had a fair idea where Kaiser was and what he was doing the trace of his identity quickly vanished into a muddled sea of digital slush.

Wendy tried something different. She pulled up the three known soldiers and ran their profile through facial recognition software before setting the computers lose searching satellite image archives for hits containing at least two of the soldiers in close company of other people. Armed with these results she asked the computer to catalogue and count the images where unknown faces were in possession of identical military equipment, especially the same kind of rifle as carried by the known faces. The list of images compressed into a tidy group and eventually narrowed down to the constant re-appearance of eight people. She asked the computer to pull the most detailed image available for each of the eight faces and place them on her screen along with an identification tag and detailed background check.

One glance at the images told Wendy she was on the money. They were all clearly colleagues. Disturbingly, three had been killed in action and a further two were sidelined with serious battle injuries. Wendy couldn't help noticing they'd lost two in Iraq and one in Somalia. The two wounded soldier incidents had occurred relatively recent in Afghanistan.

The last of the three remaining images bought a smile to her face. She couldn't help emitting and audible "Gotcha" while pointing an index finger at the screen. The guy sported a large up curling handlebar moustache and had his hair tightly brushed back. Clearly Kaiser was on her screen. Digging further she even found several images of the men at play with Kaiser wearing a pickelhaube.

From here everything quickly fell into place. Kaiser had been born in Afghanistan but now had dual citizenship along with a new identity and family name. Considerable effort had been put into preventing anyone following his journey forward but the path backwards with the help of a dozen huge computer databases proved much easier.

As a precaution Wendy initiated 24-hour satellite surveillance for the Tagab, Afghanistan region. She requested spot detail of all comings, goings and unusual activity. She also put through a priority intense surveillance gather alert, for activity, ordinance and a complete identification run down on all personnel at or visiting the location of the building where the sister and niece lived. She wasn't sure what would come of the information. But for now it was enough to clear the planned path of any unpredictable surprises that might interfere with the soldiers.

Wendy stretched and studied both watches she wore on her right arm, before leaning across her desk to gaze from the small window she used her rank to covet so dearly. It was light outside. Below her she could see the dark night shadow sliding westward, dragging a new day in its wake. She was pleased the sun would soon warm the soldiers.

She hobbled to the rear of the aircraft and fetched a coffee. Shared the hot liquid with a few moments of private thought. Her children would be sleeping soundly at home, in Brunssum, The Netherlands. And according to the op-stat display her husband would be awake preparing for work. It hurt to think the children went to bed with only her phone call goodnight kiss. Being away from home every other week wasn't easy. Wendy wanted to be a good mother and wife. She hoped the children understood where their parents were and why they couldn't be home for them every night like other parents. Balancing love of family, career and a selfish desire to fly wasn't an easy choice.

*****

"Get Up!"

Kelly Cassidy's sleep abruptly disintegrated.

The aggressive voice was accompanied by several sharp jabs to her ribs. However the blinding flash light beam greeting her opening eyes was more disturbing. Kelly raised both hands to shade her eyes and received a blow across the knuckles as if to reinforce where she was.

"Go away." Kelly pleaded her voice exaggerated and drowsy. "Do you have to be such an asshole?"

"Charming. How lady-like." The silent pause was ill timed. "Every morning's the same with you Cassidy. Get Up! I have better things to do with my time than stand around sweet-talking some female excuse for a soldier. My job isn't easy you know."

This isn't a nightmare. It's real. No, this is a nightmare... it's unreal.

"You're an ignorant pig! If you need appreciation why not try a subtle rattle of the tray and leave a cappuccino with the morning newspaper?" A fire of rage was present in Kelly's retort.

"Touché! Save the fantasy for your dreams; Princess!"

Fully awake and suitably irritated Kelly lunged an arm toward the bedside table, which had been an ammunition crate in a previous life. She grabbed her flashlight and fired a beam at head height hoping to bedazzle and inflict... return some pain. "We're not animals." Kelly snapped.

An audible promise to return shortly offering a vehicle ride to the washroom was overheard as the beam illuminated the rear of a rapidly disappearing uniform. The obvious amusement in the speaker's tone was infuriating.

Kelly mumbled and cursed sitting in her bunk surrounded by blankets using a flashlight to locate her kit. The water in her enamel mug was frozen solid. Nothing elegant or dainty survived Afghanistan.

A large sloppy Joe went over her tracksuit 'pyjamas'. Oversized, battered sneakers, without laces could accommodate the two pair of thick woollen 'bed' socks worn on her feet. She dragged the palms of both hands over her face and scratched her hair with forked fingers.

She was ready to go.

Kelly sat crossed legged on her cot waiting for the duty officer to return. She had a blanket gathered over her head to combat the relentless Afghan cold and imagined Gandhi might have sat the same. Though it would be unlikely Gandhi had his arms wrapped around a kit bag full of military paraphernalia.

She pointed the flash light beam towards the centre table where one of her tent-buddies neatly packed kit sat with all the carry straps pre-aligned for a quick exit. Jo's tour was complete. She was booked on the eight o'clock flight home. Kelly felt glad for Jo but cursed the thought of her own plight. She located a notepad and scribbled, "Happy travels Jo. See you state side. Eventually. Give my love to your kiddos. Best wishes Kelly XXX."

Kelly extinguished the flashlight and occupied her mind trying to imagine something pleasant. A tiny smile played with her lips as she imagined her mother's response to all her Afghan acquired swearing. She wondered if Mother could maintain feminine elegance living like this. On reflection she suspected mother could. Yes, everyone would curse Mother for being so bubbly positive. Mother would feel compelled to share where the sense was in what they were all doing here. As if anyone would care.

The sound of an approaching vehicle brought Kelly to her feet. She threaded Joanne's note through a kit bag handle and cursed her way into the back of the vehicle.

Forty minutes later Kelly returned several nods walking into the briefing room. She selected a seat to reinforce a desire to become invisible and extracted a tattered novel from a top pocket to place in front of her eyes while all around the noisy, backslapping, repetitive bravado, confident aggressive males find irresistible, intensified.

Being the only female pilot in a combat squadron required considerable resolve to endure the _natural_ time-honoured male rivalry. Confrontation not involving enemy targets weren't a rarity for Kelly. Still, being the lone female pilot was a source of great personal and family pride. Even Mother silently accepted the praise in public. Only at home, alone with the family, did she constantly remind everyone that flying an air force combat aircraft wasn't a acceptable pursuit for her daughter. Kelly and her mother had agreed to disagree about most things attracting Mother's lady-like prompts.

The morning brief consisted of the usual administrative announcements, allocation of the day's flights and any technical information needed to complete the tasks. Today there were five missions. Kelly was to be one of a group of three planes on the southern run. They would fly a large counter clock-wise route, south past Kabul to Gardez, then east to loiter in the Khowst valley for most of the day supporting friendly troops. They would refuel at Chapman AFB, near Khowst or from a tanker if Chapman proved too hot for a landing. The return journey would be to the northeast snaking their way through the rugged valleys adjacent to the Pakistan border until parallel with Barikot where they would turn westward for the quick return dash to Bagram.

The mission was simple enough, one that Kelly had flown many times. The Khowst valley is a wild and lawless piece of country with ambushes a frequent occurrence along the road from Gardez to Khowst.

Firebases Orgun-E and Shkin lie to the south of Khowst and both regularly come under enemy attack. Firebase Shkin, in particular, is situated very close to the Pakistan border and is the _hottest_ posting in Afghanistan. Shkin is an impressive compact tall mud brick structure known universally by the guys who serve there as the Alamo.

Kelly had become something of a pin-up girl at Shkin. It wasn't the kind of place where females could expect to be sent. She was one of the few females to regularly visit. Her presence with weapon-laden wings was good for moral. A straight shooter with a feminine voice and lots of firepower who was prepared to take the risks needed to help defend them was the ticket with the Alamo boys. They'd line the wall, camera in hand, waiting for a victory role whenever it was safe to come out from behind cover.

Pin-up girl didn't sit well with her personality but Kelly had enormous respect for the guys stationed at places like Shkin. To her every one of them deserved respect and being an unseen pin-up girl was a small price to pay in their honour. Besides she knew it was the laser guidance system, the mavericks, cluster bombs, and avenger cannon behind the female voice that were the real pin-ups at the Alamo. None of the guys knew her name or what she looked like. She was just a fantasy at the controls a highly manoeuvrable, low flying ground attack, A10 'Warthog', with EL207 painted on the tail and answering to call sign Cowboy.

Kelly suspected the guys at the Alamo would be disappointed to know she was only five foot four inches tall and struggled to fill a size four dress.

With the briefing formalities over all eighteen pilots filed onto the bus for transportation to the flight line. While climbing the steps Kelly felt the unmistakable sensation of being groped from behind. Swinging around and finding a new pilot, Lieutenant Bertram, call sign Kermit offering a smug grin to the guy behind him. Kelly yelled in his face.

"Keep your greasy hand to yourself you slimy pig," while shoving him in the chest with enough enthusiasm to disrupt the queue.

Bertram, along with the poor guy behind were toppled off their feet. The grin evaporated as he grabbed for railings that didn't exist. He landed shocked and aggrieved, sprawled on the ground with shattered ego and _why me_ innocence plastered on his face.

Kelly opened her mouth intending to reinforce her action though before she could speak a loud voice from the rear greeted everyone.

"Lieutenant Cassidy, a word!" The noise came from Colonel Elfin the squadron's commanding officer and senior pilot, call sign Wisdom.

Stepping from the bus she placed a foot in the middle of Bertram's chest then walked to the rear of the queue and followed Colonel Elfin ten or so further paces. There was no doubt in her mind she would receive another brief lecture about the need to be a team player and the bounds of a reasonable response.

This time was different, she was told. "I want you to keep an eye on Bertram during the fight today." Wisdom stopped to screw his face into a puzzle before adding, "He's green. This is his first combat flight and he doesn't even seem have many hours in the plane." Wisdom smiled to look more sinister than his position ought allow. "We've just witnessed how poor his judgement is. It's the reason I have him flying behind me and in front of you today." Wisdom stopped to shake his head and throw an arm with stretched fingers to the sky. "I just gave the fool a dressing down. He wanted me to reconsider the safety aspect of flying with an unsupervised _hoe_ behind us. He didn't appear to listen to my response, went straight up behind you and grabbed... well we know where that got him." Wisdom looked at the ground and shook his head a moment longer. "Go back to the bus before he gets to his feet. Make sure you walk on him again. Ignore my shouting."

Kelly promptly obliged. The burning sensation from many following sets of eyes accompanied her brisk journey toward the bus. She erased the childishly smiling face that obviously expected an apology and help to his feet by again using his chest as a leg up to enter the bus.

Knowing better than to brashly glance about Kelly selected the first vacant seat and sat, trying hard to appear ladylike. She could hear some clapping and a small cheer coming from the gallery, under the loud, "That's enough Cassidy! All of you get on the bus!"

It was still dark when Josie, a senior maintenance technician greeted Kelly with the usual exchange about having warmed the seat plus a cautionary chat to identify a few operational anomalies.

Kelly climbed the ladder to the cockpit and was followed by Josie who hung over the side to assist with pre-flight activities. Kelly donned the bulky flight helmet before attaching herself to numerous hoses, cables and straps in the confined space.

Josie clipped the flight notes and maps to Kelly's left leg and did the same to her right leg with 'play lunch,' a sandwich and chocolate bars, which Josie always provided; probably at her own expense.

Without speaking Josie commenced to remove red-tagged pins attached to the safety harness while Kelly busied herself working switches and paddling flight controls. Dials and gauges commenced to glow as parts of the aircraft rattled, buzzed, whirled or clicked. With an expanding whistle the engines commenced to breathe and rapidly journeyed towards life. A rumble, some shaking, a roar and the squeak of brakes completed the metamorphism of silent metal into a living, fire breathing US Air Force mobile aerial weapon platform.

Josie removed the last of the pins from the ACES II ejection seat. She raised a thumb saying, "Go get 'em Cowboy." And through a charming smirk added, "And look after my aircraft." Within an instant she was on the ground, stowing the access ladder before scampering around the aircraft removing covers and red-tagged pins from the ordinance slung under each wing. In no more than twenty seconds Josie stood forward of the left wing with wheel chocks hanging over her shoulder and one arm raised above her head, thumb extended, eyes watching and waiting.

Kelly occupied herself looking around checking, while a growing line of aircraft found their slot on the taxiway to participate in a graceful single file snaking towards the runway. Watching Wisdom then Kermit roll forward was her signal to breathe in and zip her flight vest tightly over her chest.

A push to both rubber pedals caused a minor tingle in her toes. An audible hiss pre-empted by a jump in the forward oleo strut signalled escape.

A nod of Josie's head from behind her raised thumb was accepted and returned across an expanding wing. The descending canopy wedged all aside releasing Kelly into the glorious isolation of personal space. Her chest rose and receded as oxygen from her mask filled waiting lungs. The tension of outside life evaporated. She was free.

Slotting behind Kermit she joined a snaking procession of aircraft. Her eyes flicked about auditing the rows of visual indicators to her front. Her feet dragged the brakes maintaining a constant distance from Kermit's tail. A hand screwed the steering wheel to keep the nose wheel glued to a yellow line. Her free hand raced around the cockpit setting and checking dials, switches and levers. Her ears tuned to the radio and bathed her mind in a stream of cryptic chatter.

Kelly warmed to the message clearing their wave for take-off. A lamp in her expression came on as she savoured another long deep private breath of personal air. She steered to the right edge of the runway and rolled forward to form a line abreast of Wisdom and Kermit.

Nose-wheel locked; brakes on. Flaps set. She raised her thumb and nodded through the coloured flashing reflections on Wisdom's canopy.

Filled with anticipation her small chamois gloved fingers stretched around and played with the two condition levers. Sensations of strength intensified as she gripped and slowly rolled the levers forward. Her chest was first to respond as power traversed her arm sweeping over her entire body. Even her toes filled with an electrical charge of anticipation before her hand made contact with the maximum forward limit. The plane hunched forward, head bowed ready to charge.

Synchronised with Wisdom's desire Kelly rolled her feet to release the brakes. The two General Electric TF-34 turbofans screamed and rumbled as they thrust the aircraft forward. She heard Wisdom offer, "Rolling," through the radio and surveyed her console where many gauges offered advice to match the sensation of acceleration trying to leave her body behind. She predicting the precise instant Wisdoms, "Committed" came from the radio. As her nose wheel lifted skyward she spoke aloud, "Hey Mum look at me. I'm flying," and immediately giggled. It was a stupid ritual but it reminded Kelly of the challenges she'd overcome to make it so.

The moment her plane stabilised in full flight Kelly retracted her wheels and moved over to sit neatly behind yet sightly above Kermit's forward path. She commenced to retract her flaps and watched somewhat impatiently as Kermit attempted the same manoeuvre behind Wisdom. He failed to sit cleanly above Wisdom's track and wandered into the turbulence created by the lead aircraft. It caused his plane to yaw violently until it was flung unceremoniously into clear air.

She spoke to Kermit offering polite advice on how he might stay above the wash created from the lead aircraft. Eventually Kermit figured it out and the three aircraft began to move along in a smooth professional line.

They tracked southward passing to the west of Kabul and heading towards Gardez. With Gardez contacted visually they circled south of the town and turned east to follow the winding road visually etched upon the mountains heading toward Khowst. There were a few military convoys travelling the road, plus the usual walking and horse drawn traffic, nothing suspicious. Five times they flew the route with Wisdom regularly explaining, for Kermit's benefit, how boring these patrols can become. Yet he always reinforced his speech with the need to stay alert for trouble.

After four hours of wandering the sky without apparent purpose they called up Chapman for a situation report and a request to land for fuel. Approval was immediately granted. Kelly landed while Wisdom and Kermit went for yet another few laps of the Khowst valley.

It was wonderful to stand, stretch and freshen up. Kelly bartered a swap of her.... Josie's mars bars for an apple and a banana with the ground crew refuelling the aircraft. Everyone thought they'd made the deal of the century. The fruit went down well.

She stretched out under the wing and before she knew it her mind could picture a man on a silver horse cantering towards her waving an outstretched arm. He stands in the stirrups and speaks, his voice soft barely audible. He calls to her and uses her name.

"Miss, miss. Are you okay? Oh. Sorry Lieutenant. I hate waking people up. Got to take sleep when we can get it in this place. The way you were thrashing around I thought you were having some kind of fit. Sorry."

Kelly shook her head and wiped her hands down her face. "Sorry Corporal must have dosed off. Keep having the exact same dream. It's driving me crazy. I'm becoming scared of closing my eyes."

"If my Grandma was here she'd tell you what it means." The Corporal grinned. "I wouldn't have a clue." He raised an arm pointing at the access ladder. "If you'd like to step this way you're good to go."

In a little over half an hour Kelly was back in the air, taking her turn flying to Gardez alone, while Wisdom and Kermit landed for fuel.

Kelly gazed through the head up display yet nothing conscious reached her brain. She was flying from memory, on autopilot. Her thoughts occupied elsewhere, focused on the Afghan countryside deep within a steep valley east of Aryob Zazi, searching for clues... a reason.

Why a trivial incident of almost a month ago remained within her psychic was a nagging mystery. She was positive her re-occurring _rider on the silver horse_ dream was somehow directly linked. Somewhere hidden in her recollection of the events was the answer to everything.

Nothing was making sense---

Kelly was returning from a mission when she received a radio message from a nearby stranger. A pilot identified by friendly tag WR491, answering to call sign Weasel, made contact.

Weasel requested assistance neutralising a group of Afghan fighters. His aircraft weapon control system had been rendered inoperable by ground fire. Much to Weasels annoyance Kelly refused to blindly attack.

Something didn't add up.

"Wait up here. I'm going down for a closer look. They don't seem hostile to me." Kelly offered before diving towards the valley floor levelling out only feet from the ground. Manoeuvring towards the fighters she approached in a continual arc to maintain uninterrupted visual observation.

There were three men on horseback. They turned to face her, defiantly holding their ground. Kelly slowed her approach and raised the aircraft nose to keep the avenger cannon pointing skyward in an effort not to display hostile intent. Two of the horsemen had packhorses in tow, rifles slung across their back. The third sat astride a lighter coloured steed. A rifle stock rested on his thigh, barrel pointing skyward, fingers wrapped around the grip. All three wore traditional Afghan, pseudo military clothing and sported large beards under pakol headdress.

She was taken by their bravery. They faced her in a display of absolute arrogance. The arsenal of weaponry slung under her wings, on full display, having no noticeable effect at unsettling them.

With the distance between them no more than forty yards the rifle holder could be seen to say something and all three raised an arm gesticulating a middle finger. They followed through with a synchronised _beat-it_ finger-pointing motion and clearly mouthed bold advice about where she should take the aircraft, while each flicked their head in sync.

She laughed openly and calling out, "Who are you guys?" Knowing full well no one would hear but chattering aloud was normal for Kelly while aloft. The horsemen would have caught her quick wave before she powered past.

Retracting her flaps she scheduled full power and placed the aircraft in a vertical climb spiralling her way higher. Using the radio she called up Weasel offering.

"They're friendlies," Drawing along side in time to have Weasel respond, "Negative Killer. I have orders to attack any hostile armed target in this valley."

"Well they don't look like a target or hostile to me. They've got Uncle Sam written all over them: Hold."

She turned her attention to the radio selecting channels and opened communication with Airborne Command. She'd been under their control following instruction, further north, less than thirty minutes earlier.

"Sentry this is Cowboy on board EL207. Please respond."

"This is Widow, Cowboy. I thought you'd be home by now. What can we do for you?"

She turned her laser targeting system onto the location of the three horsemen, "I require verification of friendlies."

"Cowboy we have no reports of friendlies in your current area."

"They have the appearance of Afghan fighters but I'm sure they're friendly. I'm prepared to bet money a colleague has accidentally stumbled upon some of Uncle Sam's finest."

"Hold, I'll do some checking. What makes you so sure about them?"

"Several things; they know a lot about the capabilities of these aircraft. They've destroyed the pave penny guidance system on my colleague's aircraft with rifle fire. They're well versed in stateside customs, using appropriate sign language to express displeasure of our presence. I could clearly hear them mouthing a two-word instruction telling me where to go. --- They're standing their ground like they own the place."

"Cowboy, no one seems to own them. Make another reconnaissance run. I'll schedule a satellite to search for identification and role back our tapes to identify the rifle fire. Turn your laser off. We don't need another unserviceable aircraft."

Kelly removed the laser trace and pointed the aircraft towards the valley floor. On the way down she offered, "Widow, just a thought. Their horses weren't distracted by the close proximity of my aircraft."

"Abort! Wait!... Okay Cowboy, good call. I've authenticated their identity. You're right... but you're wrong. They're friendly, although Uncle Sam doesn't own them."

"Who are they?"

"Can't say... wait... They're chicken stranglers."

"Who?"

"Do some research? Complete your pass. You might like to apologise in the traditional manner. Leave a raised thumb from me; they've earned it. I've tagged them so we can keep an eye out for them in future. Hurry, you've got fifteen seconds. I'm going to formally pull you guys out. A friendly fire incident in the logs is what we need to keep those guys safe."

Kelly pushed the conditions levers forward powering over the horsemen while executing a victory roll. Slowing she guided the aircraft through several twisting turns scrubbing speed to dramatically reducing altitude. While extending the flaps and lowering the undercarriage she steered forward of the horsemen and flipping the aircraft to approach inverted. A short distance forwards of their location she returned the aircraft upright and carefully allowed it to sink until the rear wheels touched, skimming the ground enough to throw up Afghan dust.

She offered a wave before scheduling power to lift the aircraft skyward. Chancing a quick glance she observed the men clapping and sporting large grins.

Over a raised thump she yelling, "Good luck guys."

Then Widow's voice came through the radio, "WR491 and EL207 you are directed to disengage. Return to base immediately."

It was an enigma.

She had gone over the incident a thousand times. Couldn't determine what was causing the haunting reoccurring _silver horseman_ message to stir inside her brain whenever her eyes were closed. The image first appeared the evening of her encounter with the three horse riders and wouldn't leave her alone.

##  Chapter 02

"I know when I'm not appreciated. Doesn't matter. I can find my own company in Italy. How difficult can it be? Undo two shirt buttons. Probably need to wear a gold neck chain and wave my arms to speak. I'll blend in. They'll come running, you'll see. Given a choice no one is going to prefer some hairy, itchy short guy when I'm available."

Chiko had been rabbiting on about perceived injustice for almost five hours. Muscat and Clancy were ignoring him.

The sun was shining and the mountains lay behind them. At the junction where the trail split they phoned in again, army style. Clancy made the call. He dialled and was challenged with, "Confirm blue sapphire?" He replied, "I confirm grey pinto." and added, "Red dog. Moving now." The reply was, "I confirm, red dog. Out." Clancy hung up and placed the phone in the pouch on the saddlebag where it was out of sight but still receiving a strong signal.

For several hours the men travelled west on a traditional route carved out by Persian trader's travelling to and from China over many hundreds of years. These days the old trails were lightly travelled, used mostly by locals, the narrow tracks being only suitable for pedestrian and small quantities of livestock. Most freight or people on longer trips prefer to follow the paved highway through Jalalabad, some thirty miles further north.

The old silk-road, which was in reality a web of close trails, was a perfect environment for the three soldiers. Allowed them to maintain a low profile more in tune with local people and customs. They could avoid most of the well-equipped fighters who preferred to prey on the highway traffic where the pickings were richer and victims numerous. Though to travel the old trails required local knowledge. On occasions groups of fighters might appear but they would be lightly armed in transit, moving fast and just as keen not to draw attention to their activity as the soldiers.

They'd come across several eastbound family groups. Courteous greetings are always exchanged between travellers, with discussion relating the trail ahead always a priority. They were told a family was ahead of them. A man and child with meagre possessions were dragging a frail woman in a faulty cart. The messengers said nothing directly but clearly thought the people needed help.

When the soldiers came upon the pitiful group discussion wasn't necessary, instinctively all knew helping was the right thing to do.

The rules have been the same in this part of the world for centuries. Even the starving and exhausted are too proud to accept charity. To offer help without negotiating something in return was to belittle, an offence upon family honour.

Clancy did most of the talking. He discussed the trail ahead expressing concern about various aspects of their route. The group was invited to share tea, which grew into a meal. Discussion was mostly about where each group had come from, where they were heading and the purpose of the journey.

Clancy had his story ready. They were heading to Sheberghan in Jowzjan province. Their laden packhorses added a convincing argument to the story. Sheberghan people are known traders plus it was far enough away to explain why they were sometimes seen but not related to any local families. The lie would also help account for any slip to local custom the men might make. Clancy openly told how they were returning from Peshawar, Pakistan where the markets had treated them kindly with handsome profits on fine cotton lengths from Turkmenistan and gold finished goods from Uzbekistan. He boasted about the rich folk with money to buy goods in Pakistan, knowing a little bragging would draw the others into talking more freely. Sharing pride in the success of ones own family is a local pastime.

The other group of travellers story was all too common. Though their pride altered the detail somewhat the facts were there if one watched and listened carefully, filling in a few gaps with local understanding. The woman was a widow left to survive without the benefit of extended family support. Prolonged malnutrition had gradually stolen her health and taken the life of her two youngest children, a boy and girl. The child with her was obviously a young girl the women's only surviving child. This journey was a desperate undertaking to reach the security of her birth village where a brother was now the patriarch of her family. She was relying on him to secure a future for herself and her child.

The child was dressed as a boy to create a male escort, a common deception on the trails where fanatics may be chanced upon.

The man was an impostor, a sympathetic stranger helping the women achieve their journey to safety. He was pretending to be a cousin. It was a fair bet he was a Tali-ban deserter. One of many poor children purchased into soldiering who had grown old enough to have the fight in his spirit die. He was prepared to risk certain death seeking to rekindle the quiet peaceful security of a subsistence existence with his family. He was now old enough to exercise the strength needed to be more productive on the family farm.

If Clancy's hunch was correct being with the women helped the man survive. He had an excuse to slip unnoticed past any Tali-ban raiding groups happened upon. Alone he would be looked upon with suspicion, in danger of being conscripted yet again or identified and killed on the spot.

The man was obviously just as poor and ill equipped to travel as his companions. They had no food, shelter, blankets or even warm clothes. They'd come fifty miles in three days with the woman growing weaker each step. The crude cart carrying their few possessions had broken beyond repair the day before while trying unsuccessfully to support the woman's weight. The last day had seen them cover only six miles. With another twenty-five miles to the woman's planned destination it was unlikely they would make it alone.

Clancy invited the people to travel with them. In return for sharing food and shelter the woman would speak to her relatives and have them provide a few days rest for the horses on the family farm. All were happy and agreed to the terms over more tea. With warmth in her belly the woman could be seen to grow stronger by the minute.

The lady was invited to ride. Their few possessions were shared across the two remaining saddle horses. This meant the man and child were free to walk without burden, an easy task in Afghanistan. The soldiers each lead two horses and accepted their progress would now be slower. It was out of the question to expect the man and child to jog as they themselves usually did when leading the horses.

After four hours and twelve miles they rested over a meal. The woman seemed stronger as did the two others. All would easily make their destination today and were in high spirits. Keeping them chewing on fried fruit maintained a positive impact on their energy levels. Indeed their faces were much brighter. Hope could be seen glowing from their eyes.

More important to the soldiers, they'd crossed several north-south trails and would shortly cross another. It was now anyone's guess where they had come from, plus they had multiple options to avoid undesirable encounters.

Energy wise they were well past half way to the woman's destination because the trail was becoming more hospitable and would soon open up to travel along a river valley for the rest of the journey. The down side, they had two villages to negotiate and would encounter more people, which always required caution while judging motives. Hopefully the woman would soon be recognised by locals, always a good sign.

Several family groups had passed them and once three men on horseback had overtaken them. All seemed genuine. Established greeting and discussion was adhered to before moving on as quickly as courtesy permitted.

It was good to witness the travelling companions chatting during the meal. Meant they had energy to spare and hope in their hearts. When they resumed the journey the woman wanted to walk a little. She lasted a mile before needing to ride the horse. Food and purpose would soon see her strong again.

Luck favoured them. They topped a small ridge where the trail ahead was mostly in view travelling down into the valley. The group of horse riders they'd spoken with earlier could be seen in the distance and were now travelling fast, too fast to sustain on a long journey. Some distance ahead of them an approaching group could be seen, too large for a family. Clancy studied the new group through his binoculars. There were eight men on horseback and five walkers. The walkers all appeared to be poverty stricken children. Seven of the horse riders were armed and had the look of a Tali-ban raiding party; hard nuts and best avoided when fostering a low profile. Though these guys seemed in no hurry. They were keeping company with some kind of cleric, the eighth horse rider, who was travelling at the front with all the grace of someone fancying their own importance. The raiders, if that's what they were, were obviously travelling slowly to accommodate the five walkers.

Seemed like a strange arrangement. Clancy handed the binoculars to Muscat who had a good long look before handing the binoculars to Chiko.

Muscat rubbed his beard. "Tali-ban. I'll put my money on a raiding cell in company with some religious freak acquiring kids, probably suicide bomb recruits."

Clancy glanced at Chiko silently asking for his input.

Chiko studied Muscat then Clancy. "He might be right. We probably ought to avoid them, find some cover off the trail and have another quiet break. It's the second safest option, probably the most sensible."

"Your first option?" Clancy watched, waiting for the answer even though he knew what it was.

"Hold up here for twenty minutes until they're within range then plink the horse riders and let the kids go home." He smiled. "Ride home in style with a horse for the family."

"You that sure they're trouble?"

"Don't look like they're selling Avon products. What's your take on the three guys hurrying toward them."

Clancy gave the riders another look through the binoculars and followed along the trail between the two groups. "They're planning to use the Chaprahar trail and want to make it to the junction before the other group."

Muscat who had been silently listening put his hand out for the binoculars and took another look. He nodded without speaking before saying. "What do we do?"

"We wait, see what unfolds. We're too far away to get involved. If the other group are hostile raiders collecting horses and equipment they'll follow the three guys." He frowned. "I don't think they'll catch them. Either way it will let us slip past without a fight and if we're lucky, without being observed here." Clancy rolled his eyes. "If they ignore the three and come this way they'll probably ignore us. Either way we'll go sit somewhere quiet while they pass. Lose half an hour tops and save us cleaning our rifles again."

Ten minutes of observation saw the three men change direction, heading north. Five minutes later the larger approaching group stopped at the trail junction. A discussion took place for several minutes before the group also went north. The cleric and the boys maintained a walking pace while the mounted seven rode forward at a canter prompting Chiko to say.

"Hope those three guys notice and get a wriggle on. We can't help, couldn't catch up if we had to. Works out convenient for us though."

They nodded agreement and commenced to move without uttering a word.

Took twenty-five minutes to reach the trail junction. As they approached so did dust and people from the north, the larger group returning. There'd been no shooting so it was a fair bet the three men made a clean escape. The raiders must have given up the pursuit. However it was now too late to avoid them.

No discussion took place as the men organised for confrontation. They kept moving at the same pace knowing they'd pass the junction before the raiders, who would almost certainly come after them. Chiko moved to the front taking the three travel companions, placing them slightly ahead of him, got them all to cover or shade their face to look as nondescript as possible. He gave two horses to the man to lead, which included the horse the woman was on. The child was also given a horse to lead. Left the three soldiers one horse each, their saddle horse. The Soldiers positioned themselves with Clancy and Muscat in the rear wide apart on each side of the trail. Chiko was ahead of them and in between. They checked their fields of fire established overlap zones and walked on, waiting.

To their credit the three civilians maintained their focus forward, didn't fidget or look around displaying fear. Not surprising really, Afghan people have learned to accept what happens. They've had an eternity of powerless submission imposed by dangerous uneducated opportunists.

Predictably the raiders stopped at the intersection for a minute or so, which allowed the Cleric and boys to catch up. They then all followed after Clancy's group at a hurried walk. Seemed strange but then everything about being a raiding party was strange.

Clancy judged and matched their speed to make contact toward the top of a small rise with the trail direction affording them favourable light, plus a restriction on both sides to prevent the followers easily getting past to surround them or find adequate cover.

They waited until the followers were committed to the geography and with the distance between them less than eighty yards all stopped together and turned prepared for confrontation.

Clancy, Chiko and Muscat positioned their rifle upon their hip held in one hand, which curiously also held the horse reins and was the hand away from the horse. Would seem to make them vulnerable to anyone with a mind to attack or dominate. The only aspect that might give their intention away to a trained observant eye, Clancy and Muscat stood the same though a mirror image. The horse was on the outside close to the edge of the trail and the rifles were together nearest the middle, affording them a full clear overlapping field of fire to the front.

They stood quietly waiting for the pursuers to arrive, maintaining relative position perfectly still. The only sound was Chiko's voice quietly reassuring the travelling companions, who were all now to one side of Chiko out of any direct line of fire. He encouraged them to stay still, be quiet and do nothing no matter what was said or happened.

With the distance between the two groups twenty feet Muscat quietly said. "We know that wind bag. That's al-Qaeda George the recruiter. Shame we can't go freelance for an hour to collect rewards. Guess it's too late to ring this in. I'd hate him to slip away."

Clancy and Chiko both muttered. "Yep." Clancy added. "This could get interesting."

Curiously the approaching group stopped to chat. The men were expected them to approach quite close, aim their weapons and commence to blaze away. If permitted to do so. In this encounter the closer the visitors approached the more the odds moved toward the soldiers.

The horse riders stopped like a rabble, favouring Clancy's side. One guy was less than ten feet to the front. The Cleric, who they'd identified, an American, number five on the FBI most wanted list was beside the front raider more in the middle of the trail. The remaining horseman all found a spot behind the two leaders where they could clearly see all three rifles facing them. _They always do it, makes shooting back at them very convenient._ The five boys were in a line, one behind the other along Muscat's side of the trail, poorly dressed, half starved, unarmed and seemingly confused. Clearly they were there as told and not a threat to anyone. The seven raiders were armed with bolt-action rifles like those held by the soldiers. Two had the rifle across the saddle in front of them. The other five rifles pointing in the air off the hip, same as the soldiers. They looked as though superior number, elevation on horseback and ease of aiming favoured them. Confidence was displaying on every face. The cleric wore a revolver on his right hip, like a cowboy. Though his hand didn't seem ready to use the gun, nor did his mind.

The man at the front beside the Cleric had broken teeth, looked wiry tough, unreasonable and spoke in Pashtun, the local dialect. "I will take the horses, your weapons and the boy. You are free to continue your journey." He grinned daring anyone to defy him.

Clancy took his time; he waved his free hand in the air as if summoning the elements. He deliberately spoke in Khowar, the language of the traveller. And smiled as if he'd heard a joke. "You are free to turn around and go about your business. Allow yourself to grow old. See your children's children grow before dying in bed an old man."

The speaker snorted and looked around seeking reassurance from what were obviously his men.

The Cleric seemed to lose colour, his voice sounded urgent. Saying in Urdu, the language of Pakistan. "I am a holly man. You cannot defy the will of Allah."

Clancy answered in English knowing there was a fair bet no one else would understand. "You're an American." He spat on the ground. "And you're full of American..." He spat again. "Compost. When you get these people killed you'll collect another reward from your American," Again he spat on the ground. "Lakies."

"Who are you?" The Cleric's face carried shock. He spoke in English, an upper mid-western dialect. Clearly he wasn't a fighter when the odds were even. Nor did he expect to be identified or spoken to in English.

Clancy raised his eyebrows and smiled menacingly for the Cleric. Took a chance, spoke loudly with determination, in Pashtun while pointing a finger at the Cleric.

"This man is a charlatan. He doesn't follow the teachings of Allah. He's an American...." He stopped speaking to spit on the ground then continued. "Lakie. He plays you. When you die, as you all will before this night is through. He will sneak back to his American..." Again he stopped to spit. "Bankers and collect a reward for your blood."

There was a moment of silence, a good sign. Clancy didn't dare smile but noticed two raiders looking where he spat with fear in their eyes. They were distracted, easy pickings. The scared always delay and fumble. A scan of the other five revealed two with crazy eyes. They attack first without thought or knowing their target and usually fumble. Indirectly they're the greatest danger, the untrained will be distracted by them, choose them first and get killed because the other three had cold calculating eyes. They know what they're doing, will do it well and together. They are the dangerous ones. There is no time to waste with them. They must die first. The others can be killed later. It's always this way, the only way.

Clancy picked one with cold eyes to shoot first knowing instinctively Chiko and Muscat had chosen the other two. Each had chosen the one most central to their zone. There was never room for error in this job. Cold first, crazy second then scared and never stop no matter what. They all die or all live. That's how it is in this line of work and this location.

Clancy liked the odds. With luck and the right move they could pull this off without a scratch.

The spokesman smiled and looked around a moment. It was the signal to be ready. "Big words my friend. Again, you may go but you leave the horses, the supplies and the boy. And you must go now. Time is not with you."

As he spoke the cleric commenced to move slowly sideways toward Muscat's side of the trail. He was edging away so as not to become tangled in the ensuing altercation. The two scared guys watched him, disdain on each face. When the cleric reached the point where his face began to relax he obviously didn't realise he had reached the action point within Muscat's zone. Any further and a fourth operative would be required to maintain target supremacy.

They needed to act now or lose the advantage.

In the blink of an eye each soldier pulled a long barrel forty-four-calibre revolver from under the saddle flap on the horse they held. They acted as one, so quickly there was no reaction in front of them. One moment they were talking the next each was staring down at three lethal, multi-shot pistol barrels with hammers cocked ready to fire.

Clancy and Chiko's weapon was pointing at their primary target, though not their eyes. Their eyes were focused on nothing, watching everything.

Before anyone had time to react Clancy spoke in Pashtun with chill and venom in his tone. "Anyone moves you all die."

Muscat chose to aim at the Cleric with no intention of shouting him first. The Cleric was crazy about being scared, a third shot target. His value at the moment was a good kick off point. Besides without the gun on him he'd probably move and get them all killed.

All the fighters read the situation correctly and froze.

The Cleric was used of using his voice to bluff his way around. "I am a holly man."

Muscat replied with irritating charm painting his face. Spoke in Pashtun so everyone would clearly hear. "You move a muscle, George and everyone of you will become real holly men." He smiled, display perfect white teeth and added. "Bang, bang, bang. Holes everywhere. You'll all leak rivers of blood to invigorate the Afghan soil."

The leader offered through a broken tooth grin and a forced smile. "You can't kill us all."

Clancy was quick to reply, offered a casual gesture with his gun hand, a roll of the barrel. "I believe we can." He delayed, watching for any reaction. "If you don't believe me you're free make a play for your weapon." He waited a full minute before adding. "Okay this is how it's going to be. When I tell you, you may turn and move away. That way." He gestured the direction they'd come from, with the barrel. "You get one free passage out of gunshot range. Only one. After you leave; my friends..." He smiled with a large grin. "We'll kill you the moment we can. Two of you will leave your horse behind as payment from all of you for still being alive. Try to attack us. You die." He gestured a compliant frown.

The leader still found a smirk. He was a hard nut but not crazy. "You can't take our horses."

Clancy snorted with faked amusement. "You have no choice. Try to stop us. We get eight horses. I'm being generous." He turned his face and voice to steel. "The price just went up. You leave three horses here."

The Cleric began to rant. "It is written in the Quran..."

Muscat's voice boomed over the top of him. "Four horses. You leave four horses here." He looked at the leader without shifting his primary focus. "When you're out of range if you slit his throat..." He motioned his head at the Cleric. "We will release one horse. Send it to you. A reward for killing an American." He spat on the ground, didn't seem to drag the impact of Clancy's performance.

The leader's grin intensified. This offer amused him. He gestured compliance with a move of his hand, didn't dare speak.

Clancy took over again. "Get off your horse American." He spat on the ground, caused everyone in the gang in front to look down to the spot.

The Cleric turned ghostly white, looked at the leader who gestured compliance without speaking. Slowly the Cleric climbed out of the saddle.

"Hit the horse to send it through and start walking." The horse moved past Muscat on the other side of his horse. By design, didn't interrupt the view of his zone.

Clancy pointed at the leader without moving the barrel. Told him without speaking to move across to where the Cleric had been, dismount, push the horse forward and start walking.

The leader did as they asked with a face clearly displaying his intention. This wasn't over. He would follow them to the end of the earth to have his revenge.

One by one two of the cold dangerous ones dismounted and moved back before Clancy allowed the remainders to sweat a minute. He let them turn together and ride away. He said nothing to the five boys. They seemed uncertain but turned around and followed the riders still walking in a line.

As soon as the retreating group were out of earshot Chiko said. "You know they're going to follow us don't you? We'll need to keep lookout and be on our toes, probably have to kill them anyway."

Clancy nodded, without looking around. "Of course. We want them to follow. We need to keep tabs on our Cleric until we can call it in and give the cogs time to turn enough to select a bait to reel the recruiter in. We've slowed them down. My bet is they'll split with the Cleric. Both will follow on parallel trails as soon as they work out where we're heading." He delayed a moment and added. "Which we will make hard for them to work out but not impossible. Either way we'll be in control of where they go and how fast they move."

Chiko seemed satisfied. He changed topics. "I take it you noticed one has a telescopic site. He'll fire on us as soon as he believes we're out of range."

"Of course. Two can play that game." Clancy was silent a few seconds. "Give them some more distance, pull your Barrett out and drop on the ground behind me. When he makes his play, fire through my legs and do the job properly. Do the same to anyone who points a weapon our way and shoot any hand that touches the telescopic weapon on the ground. That will slow them up a tad more and make them all reluctant to carry that weapon or come close to us." Clancy didn't turn around but spoke a little louder, in Pashtun, to the three travellers. "You did well my friends. Take the horses, including the four extras, move over the hill out of sight and start riding at a walk. We'll catch up in a few minutes and protect you."

Chiko said to Muscat. "What distance will he make his play?"

Muscat thought a moment. "Four hundred yards."

"Bet you five dollars it's four-fifty. What do you think will worry the survivors more, through the eye so the other one stares at them or a good throat shot with that gurgling sound the already dead omit?"

"Throat. I like the throat. Bet he fancies himself and stands to fire."

"No. I've got another five bucks says he'll go to ground."

"Your on. And I'll give you five bucks back if you can miss something and accidentally shoot our Cleric in the genitals."

Clancy shook his head. "All right you two. Have some respect. Poor guy might have a family."

"Can't think like that, drive yourself crazy. Best to remember statistically there should be one paedophile and three wife bashers down there. So it follows, speaking statistically, we have a sixty percent chance of cleansing the world of another undesirable. It's a good feeling knowing we're creating a better humanity."

Neither, Clancy nor Muscat looked round while listening to Chiko collect his rifle and set up on the ground.

"Okay. Move to the right half a pace. Good. Spread 'em a little more. Good. I'm ranged on four hundred yards and will move out with him. Could use the bolt action rifle at this range but... I know; this one makes more mess. Help them ponder the future. You know trying to make sense of intelligent life out here is pointless. There isn't any. Okay. We're ready. The time and place of your departure is of your own making Sunny Jim. You recon they'll fight over the horses before or after they try to shoot us."

"Don't know, probably shoot first argue second. Makes more sense. Why fight if you think the horses will soon be coming back. But as you said, sense and logic is in short supply out here."

Muscat joined the conversation. "I keep looking at that million dollar man down there. What a worthless dipstick. Being company employees makes us ineligible to share the reward but Kaiser's sister should get something. After all, the directions she left have guided us straight to him. We have to call this in as soon as we can. We can't let that animal keep leaving death everywhere he disappears from." He lifted his tempo. "Anyway where did you learn spit like that? It's disgusting. If my sweet Italian Aunty sees you do that she'll grow horns, throw us out on the street and tell my mother. Be like Wyoming all over again."

All three had a quick chuckle before returning to silence.

Eventually Chiko spoke his voice muffled and paced, he was obviously concentrating on the lay of the rifle. "What happened in Wyoming?"

"Nothing, forget I said anything."

"Okay.... okay, that's my man have another good long look over your shoulder. Go on be a hero, take the shot. Um where was I... Yes Wyoming. This has to be discussed." There was a delay before Chiko spoke like a soldier. "Okay. We're on. We'll have silence in the gallery please and don't move."

They didn't speak another word. At four hundred and fifty yards the shooter dropped to the ground. Chiko watched, could clearly see his face carrying an expression soaked in evil confidence. He died the moment he reached to cock the weapon. His face didn't change, didn't know what happened. Another raider lost fingers, probably initiated a slow painful death sentence, in medical deprived Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan where arsenic rich dust and soil helps fuel lethal infection.

As the raiders in front of them argued and panicked the three soldiers turned and led their horse over the ridge, mounted then rode to catch the three civilians knowing full well the remaining members of the group they'd encountered would already be following, seeking an opportunity to extract revenge. Which is the way of the fighter in Afghanistan. Nothing has changed in a thousand years.

Before reaching the others Clancy took advantage of their privacy, pulled out the satellite phone and made a call to report the location of American born terrorist George Clement Saunders, aka Usuff Akmar.

*****

Wendy puffed out a breath and shook her head, _witnessing that was intense_. She sat staring at nothing a few seconds before checking the electro optional traces set to follow Saunders and the lead raider were active. Saunders was now on foot like the boys and already falling behind the six remaining riders who were now sharing four horses.

She tapped the desk for a few minutes, looked at the clocks then picked up the phone.

"Like to be put through to General Mortimer please. It's Colonel Maiden. We need to talk."

"Thank you Cheryl."

She tapped the desk further, waiting.

"General. Colonel Maiden. A situation has arisen, which should be brought to your immediate attention."

She waited a brief moment. "Yes, I'm at work. We've hit a patch pay dirt, a firm fix on the recruiter, al-Qaeda George; our very own home grown terrorist, George Clement Saunders. I take it you'd prefer see him state side still breathing to have his day in court if we can arrange it."

She listened again. "Well nothing is ever certain. It could be someone else though in this case I doubt it. We have a computer image match. Plus I've sent a streaming satellite save with a synchronised sound track, which the marine lurking inside you should find educational and entertaining. I've had our computers add subtitles for the different languages used. The actual identification challenge takes place in English, Saunders even replies. The file should be in your computer Intel-Tray, labelled GJM-CWM-PD3. The last few seconds is a recording of the friendlies reporting the contact, happened a few minutes ago. I'd like to hit that report on the head with a direct approach before any of this leaves the original receivers. The last thing we need is information leakage as it grinds through the diplomatic quagmire. Not because of Saunders, he's being traced. We'll know where he and his friends go from now on. The happy band of three you'll hear in the video is the Lima-three-six crew making their exit. They're travelling with three locales for the day, smart move. The last thing we need is to compromise the operation or the identity of the operatives." She took a sip of coffee then continued. "If we send a squad in after Saunders now the opposition is sure to get wind of the details of what just happened, put two-and-two together and use it to pull the tribes back together, make peace and go after us with more vigour. We can't have that happen."

Wendy took a breath and smelt her coffee while listening to the General.

"Okay. Thanks General. I'll intercept the report, tell them we're got the information and want to keep it under wraps. I'll say we're preparing a strike, but want everyone to think Saunders is still out there for a while." Wendy thought a moment wondering whether the time was correct and decided to speak anyway. "After you've watched the video, tell me what you think of the proposition put forward relating to collecting the Saunders reward? I can verify what was said is totally correct. I'll explain who the woman is another time. Probably best you make the merit judgement without knowing. I'll leave it with you General. I need to contact those people before they move the report up the chain. Oh. Before I go, I've been warned off any direct contact with those three guys without gaining international approval first. Will you counter that order. I know they can look after themselves but they're now being tailed and targeted. I wouldn't like to see them outflanked without adequate warning. I know their phone number."

Again she waited, listening. "Good. Thank you General. It will be as a last resort and only if lives are clearly at stake."

Wendy hung up the phone and dialled the same number Clancy had reported the recruiter to. She obviously spoke to the same person, explained who she was and that she'd heard the previous phone call. Wendy asked the signaller to enter the report as a duplicate sighting in her log, with no further action required. Said they were on the case and didn't wish to compromise any action with political posturing as the report made it's way up, across and down the international diplomacy rumour mill.

*****

Three hours of continuous riding saw the soldiers enter the second village. It was a friendly place. The woman travelling with them was home. She was greeted with excitement by relatives, which was everyone in the village. The daughter and travelling companion were made welcome, as also were the soldiers. It was clear the brother would accept them.

Clancy declined their hospitality other than to quickly explain about the raiders several miles behind. The village elders understood the problem only too well. They immediately hid the three new arrivals plus all suitable children and horses so they wouldn't be stolen. The elders allocated three young riders to continue the journey with the soldiers to fool the raiders into believing the same six people continued further along the trail. The plan was to ride several hours to the next north-south intersecting trails and split up. The soldiers would head south, the substitute travellers north. Then after a time the substitutes would double back to the village overland using a route they wouldn't be seen on or easily followed.

The theory being it didn't matter which path the raiders followed they would eventually be forced to follow the soldiers and hopefully lose time in the confusion.

It was a good theory. At the intersection the raiders squabbled for some time before following the civilians north, probably wanting the easier activity of retrieving their horses from a softer target before turning south after the soldiers. The raiders would know the route south headed back into the mountains towards Azrow. There were few alternative destinations so a fast, forced ride would certainly catch up and sometime tomorrow they would extract their revenge.

*****

By the time Kelly, Wisdom and Kermit linked up five and a half hours had elapsed since leaving Bagram. Yet it was still only ten thirty in the morning. Some activity to break the boredom would be welcome. The prospect of a further eight hours without falling asleep had Kelly privately wondering if she was up to the task.

Wisdom commenced to play I spy over the radio. Sounds childish but a game such as this hones piloting skills. Pilots live by their ability to locate cryptic and emotionally described targets. They filled in another hour before Wisdom broke the formation up. He and Kelly took turns taking Kermit on low runs along the valley floor, demonstrated how to roll the aircraft and fly upside down. It's a rather unnatural activity and can cause an inexperienced pilot to become dangerously confused. However when mastered, inverted manoeuvring makes flying much safer, achieving improved visibility and it impresses the heck out of friendlies.

They made another run to Gardez. On the return trip they played hide and seek, a colloquial term for honing dog fighting skills as it applies to slow moving aircraft like an A10. Wisdom flew off alone and tried to creep up on the hapless Kermit while Kelly sat quietly behind him. After Wisdom's third successful plunder Kelly began to help predict and detect Wisdom's eminent presence by identifying terrain and situations able to limit the effectiveness of the locating radar. All this made an impression with Kermit. He was able to realise just how much danger he would be in if flying without the benefit of their experience to protect him.

The inevitable male, little boy, response followed, an airborne version of crying in his beer to a buddy. Kelly quietly rolled her eyes and listened as Kermit told his life story. She learned all about the struggle growing up a wealthy male in Indiana without being understood. There was the girl friend that would never cheat while he was in Afghanistan. She loved and missed him dearly. His dog also missed him terribly. He was staying with mother. A car that was so special. He loved his car.

Kelly got the works. It was all she could do to stay silent. Keeping a straight face wasn't necessary sitting behind his plane where he couldn't see her face. A good laugh was had. Kelly could imagine how much Wisdom was enjoying the self-exposure. His brain would be jumping to be back at Bagram where he could uncover all of Kermit's weaknesses.

Kelly chose not to caution Kermit or explain he had just told the 'real enemy' how to sneak up on him and do immeasurable harm to his feelings. Not to mention half the world could be listening in. She wondered if Wendy, call sign Widow Maker, her roommate at officer school was sitting quietly at her command desk in the large E3 Sentry, AWACS. Kelly knew at least one of them was circling high above eavesdropping, monitoring and detecting everything. And Kelly knew Widow; she would be laughing her head off with the loud speaker on sharing the entertainment with her colleagues.

Perhaps it was Wendy's week off. She might be sitting by a river in Holland having some quality time with her husband, Jason and their two gorgeous children, Kelly and Trent, not caring at all she was missing out on the current entertainment.

Kermit's confession worked a treat. They were all wide-awake. Although Kermit for a different reason to Wisdom and Kelly.

Men, Kelly thought with a shake of her head. Still, she figured Kermit was just removing the weight of her foot from his chest. He didn't know yet how quickly he was going to grow up or break down now he had identified himself as a target of opportunity.

There was no lesson to help Kermit recover from this. He was flying solo.

With the clock nudging three thirty and the sun decidedly westward it was time to re-fuel for the return journey to Bagram. Kelly and Kermit went through the necessaries for another landing at Chapman while Wisdom undertook a few solo passes.

Another opportunity to stretch and freshen up was welcomed. Kelly ate Josie's jelly sandwich, ignoring many envious eyes prepared to pay handsomely for such a luxury consumable.

Sometime into the break with both aircraft silent receiving fuel and a quick check over one of the ground crew referred Kelly to a vehicle radio. The control tower was in a huff trying to relay a message from airborne command. Kelly was to get herself airborne with a priority. The place had turned hostile with multiple requests for urgent intervention.

Kermit's aircraft was further advanced in the re-fuelling process so they swapped planes. Kelly prepared for take-off immediately while Kermit waited until her plane was fully re-fuelled before joining them.

The moment Kelly's wheels lifted-off the runway she was contacted by airborne command, her ex-room-mate was on deck. Widow quickly offered a situation report and allocating three priority targets. Two were uncomplicated, located southeast of Orgun-E, mortar sites firing at the base. Easy picking with surprise on her side. The third could be more complex as it involved a friendly patrol pinned down by small arms fire some distance out from Shkin. The complication being responding to only hostile fire sources while ensuring no friendlies find themselves hurt with her formidable responses. These situations always occur in a surprisingly confined space, friendlies usually pinned down in various locations interspersed with hostiles.

Wisdom was busy to the west on the Gardez road with two conveys under simultaneous attack, another situation always difficult to find and identify only bad guys.

Kelly's priority was to defend the troops at Shkin. However the Orgun-E targets were on the way and the effectiveness of a successful response there was surprise. Artillery offenders are masters at disappearing before bigger guns have the opportunity to target them. Kelly decided to unload a MK82 five hundred pound bomb at each site on the way to the third target. It meant making a sharp turn on her route to Shkin, which would take no more then a few seconds. Offering complete surprise to the hostiles would almost guarantee to very effectively neutralise them forever.

Kelly requested both mortar targets be eliminated with an electro-optical trace by airborne command. She had Widow pass the data straight onto her head up display, where she immediately allocated the weapons and targeted each site such that they were waiting for her to place the aircraft in the correct location to be dispatched. Both targets were in narrow gullies below the level of the surrounding ground not far out from the base where a direct line of sight couldn't be made, thus limiting the ability of the base to respond without aerial support.

Kelly planned her route to be as rapid as possible, while insuring she chose the most effective approach to offer maximum surprise and impact. She took the aircraft down low, hogging the ground, while increasing her speed to four hundred and thirty knots. Her flight time to the first target was four minutes, a further twenty five seconds to hit the second and another three minutes before she would arrive at the Shkin target.

Two minutes out from the first target Kelly called up Orgun-E requesting they cease firing on the first target in one minute forty-five seconds and the second target, fifteen seconds later. With just over two miles and fifteen seconds remaining to the first target she entered the open end of the narrow long dry gully where the target was hiding. She manoeuvred along its twists and turns maintaining her track to a non-existent centre line.

She took a moment to remind her mother to close her eyes, an acknowledgement she was going to work. What was coming wasn't one bit ladylike but it was the business end of the job. The unanswered will I won't I question had been silenced the day she graduated. She'd sworn an oath. There were good men depending on her. She loved flying. This was how she repaid her country. This was flying with no equal. She switched off her personal emotions. Raw skill and training without thought or question was required. Flying at the sharp end in defence of her countrymen had no equal.

Kelly Ignored the adrenaline motivated shiver of joy that travelled her body as the walls and floor of the gully rapidly swept by. She watched the distance to target count down on her display. Her stomach felt warn, heart pounded with increased awareness. Her chest firmed expanding with an anticipation of explosive joy. She reached her thumb forward on the flight control and pressed a button to arm the first Mk-82 and felt a soft electrical charge of powerful delight warm across her thighs.

Following the gully to the right she made visual contact with the target. She counted six hostiles crowded around a mortar tube. They were busy loading. She watched them all pull back as a round popped skyward and immediately turn preparing another round. Adjusting her controls she manoeuvred the aircraft to accommodate a flight path for the soon to be detached five hundred pound bomb. With less then a second remaining several hostiles turned pointing up toward her. She was close enough to witness the despair in their eyes as the bomb released before she powered over them with the weapon trailing closely in descending pursuit.

She pulling the plane skyward banking right to clear the gully and immediately made visual contact with Orgun-E. Her displays signalled a successfully located explosion behind her. Normally she would turn back on the target to survey the result and if necessary offer more ordinance. Today she held her course flying low directly towards the fort across a short featureless plain.

Two hundred yards short of the outer fortification she banked the plane right to sit sideways in the air a moment before pulling her flight controls back to commence a sharp three hundred and forty degree turn.

Forces increased.

Kelly felt her G-suit activate. Pressure travelled up her legs squeezing tightly around her hips, clamping her pelvis. Holding her lower body tight and firm. Her heart pumped vigorously to maintain circulation. The increasing forces pressed downward pushing her hard into the seat. The rigours of centripetal acceleration expanded her breasts dramatically. A hormone induced trail of joy danced around her nervous system. Her upper body tingled warmth as additional blood swamped her chest.

She knew the guys in the fort would be beside themselves witnessing the vortices flowing from the numerous weapons slung in free airflow along the underside of her wings.

Her breathing became difficult, limited to quick short pumping grabs at the oxygen being forced into her mask. Her brain was saturated with the satisfying stimulation of bondage. The kind she could only ever expect to experience as she rolled and twisted through the sky in combat.

She set off on her new course and screamed loudly with joy as the forces suddenly released. Her whole body floated, a wonderful sensation of instant and complete weightless relaxation. She reached her thumb forward arming another Mk-82 and banked slightly right again descended below ground level into another gully to immediately make visual contact with her target. The hostiles were packing up preparing to decamp. The confusion of battle made them totally unaware of her noisy approach. She dispatched her weapon and without delay pulled back on the flight controls, commencing to climb.

While gaining the altitude needed for the next exchange she witnessed the successful destruction signal and banked left to align her heading to the guidance marker illuminated in front of her eyes. Pushing the condition levers fully forward, Kelly increasing her rate of climb for some eight seconds before pulling back the power to eighty percent as she levelled out nine hundred feet above the ground. Her displays were issuing warnings, a medivac helicopter ahead of her using a lower altitude, which she needed to quickly overtake to clear the area of hostility and allow the injured to be efficiently ferried out.

As preparation for the unknown she switched her infrared flare and electronic chaff countermeasure systems to an active state and allocated two AGM-65 maverick missiles and another Mk-82 bomb without targeting them. She called Shkin for a situation report. As they exchanged information she heard their public address system play some 'John Wayne' bugle music over spoken in the background with, "Here come d' Cavalry." Shkin completed their quick update and passed communication directly to the guys pinned down on the ground.

Kelly listened in silence as the guys described enemy strengths and locations in emotionally charged, colourful and urgent language. She offered encouragement when the speaker was momentarily distracted to forcefully motivate a badly injured colleague to stay conscious, and alive. Hearing the speaker refer to the injured college as Kentucky even caused Kelly to quickly banter about sending her kid sister around to care for the injured soldier the moment he's safely state side. The words worked, a groan was heard followed by a few more encouraging macho words of support before the speaker returned to the urgency of the enemy's current status.

Meanwhile at her desk high overhead, Wendy silently listened to the conversation with ice-like discipline. She ignored the words of encouragement and support. Her focus was on angles, distance, friendly troop location, enemy strength, firepower descriptions and distribution of troops. Each detail she computed into definable map co-ordinates before layering them to a digitally enhanced satellite generated, computer hologram of the battlefield below. Quickly the detail stacked up forming a definable 3D digital display.

The AWACS's radar initiated computer identified acoustic weapon fingerprints along with all communication from the area overlayed the hologram to verify the detail with remarkable accuracy, even dividing the arena into friend and foe areas, creating fire locks around friendly forces along with identified hotspot targets.

With her technical puzzle complete Wendy registered her work and transmitted the detail straight into the targeting computers in Kelly's plane so her GPS now displayed a wealth of new information. An identifiable protective firelock shrouded friendly troops, while a series of hostile targets beaconed the familiar signature her laser guided weapons longed to chase.

Kelly contacted the medivac chopper pilots as she streaked past, making sure they were aware of clearance altitude and location barriers needed to prevent the two aircraft from colliding in the wild manoeuvres to come.

When the target area came into view Kelly quickly assessed the topography, verbally qualifying several locations with the commander on the ground to verify her digital displays were on the money.

She allocated a maverick missile manually onto a hostile machine gun. It was the major source of concern. She felt an increased awareness all over her body as she reached her thumb forward to arm the maverick. As the missile guidance tone increased in frequency Kelly shivered. It was as if the tune was sliding a velvet glove along her spine. She tensed with the latch and immediately released the missile. Her aircraft was engulfed in spirals of white smoke as it followed the maverick towards the pre-determined destiny.

Sliding her thumb forward she switched the avenger cannon active and used the now visible gun site to align her aircraft to strafe the length of the first hostile position.

Her body quivered with delight seeing the missile explode.

Goose bumps engulfed her as she activated a quick burst of the avenger cannon. She was prevented from being thrown forward by the six-point harness firmly securing her to the seat when the plane instantly scrubbed speed, compensation for the inertia generated by the substantial forward thrust of the many heavy uranium tipped projectiles pelting forward. They splattered the ground into an exploding progression of boiling dust. Kelly grinned with delight and screamed loudly as she manoeuvred the plane into a twisting loop affording her the distance to align the gun on a second hostile position. She fired another quick burst and received the same personal response within her honed senses.

Again she exchanged detail with the guys on the ground and covered them as they mopped up to take complete control of the area. In no time they called in the chopper thus allowing the injured to be stabilised and evacuated.

All offered each other well wishes before Kelly turned back to check on the Orgun-E targets. She called up Wisdom offering support. None was needed. He had cleaned up his end and left a frantic Kermit to show the flag while he went for fuel.

Kelly flew across the two bombed mortar sites, checking, before de-allocating her ordinance and flying over to join Kermit. They undertook a few more trips along the mountain road while waiting for Wisdom.

Kelly felt all the aftermath of personal exhilaration as her heart rate slowed to lower than normal. Her whole body felt relaxed and relieved, her skin warm and supple. Built up tensions that hadn't been a conscious part of her make-up were now gone. She marvelled at how she felt warm and glowingly, comfortable at home in her cockpit. She'd sleep well tonight.

Eventually all three aircraft linked up.

With the place still silent and the sun sinking fast Wisdom decided to call it a day. They debated waiting for Kelly to land and take on more fuel for the homeward journey. Wisdom decided to give the idea a pass, authorising Kelly to peel off and fly directly to Bagram when adjacent to Ali Kheyl. He and Kermit would continue further northeast along the allocated and much longer route.

It seemed like a fair deal. Kelly warmed to the idea at being first to debrief and hit the hot water. Besides it would be as cold as heck on the ground at Chapman by now. Modern flight suits aren't exactly noted for their warmth on a shaded windy tarmac.

The trio set off, again playing follow the leader. After only fifteen minutes Kelly exchanged niceties while watching Wisdom and Kermit turn right preparing to snake their way along the mountain valley towards the famous Khyber Pass. Offering more power Kelly commenced to climb gaining the altitude needed to cut directly across the rugged peaks of the Hindu Kush Mountains, which she could see rapidly growing in her path.

With just on thirty minutes flight time remaining Kelly allowed her thoughts to drift, plan her evening. The idea of a long hot shower brought a smile to her face. She wondered what kind of plain and ordinary meal would be served up for supper and worked though a mental note of tasks she should address before putting her head down. There was the letter she should finish to her parents. Guilt always accompanied correspondence timing where her parents were concerned. She knew they waited by the mailbox every day wanting news. It was hard to find something suitable to say to her mother. Hi Mother, today I cursed this horrible place many times before going out to shoot up some poor miserable people never sounded suitable. But nothing else happened.

Suddenly her eyes were drawn to the starboard engine turbine outlet temperature gauge climbing through the roof. Audible warning alarms sounded. Her console became dotted with flashing red. Kelly immediately cursed, then cursed again. Before she could assess the situation the engine exploded loosing all power. Frantically she isolated the starboard engine, released a fire retardant cylinder into it. Then commenced restart procedures on the port engine. At the same time she issued a pan-pan through her emergency channel.

Slowly, the port engine stabilised and commenced producing power. It was running rough, too rough. Must have taken debris from the explosion. The plane stabilised and began to hold its altitude. The controls were becoming heavy, too heavy. Obviously she was loosing hydraulic pressure. Kelly could still fly the plane manually but it would be hard work. Fingertip control would be out the window replaced with shear brawn, a real gym session. She could expect to be counting blisters tomorrow morning.

Bagram tower responded to the pan-pan. They went through their checklist to identify the nature of the problem. They showed concern for any needs she might have to affect a safe landing. The last thing they wanted was some damaged aircraft blocking Bagram runway.

Kelly estimated she needed to climb another two thousand feet to clear the highest mountain ridge. She applied more power to the struggling engine. It was rumbling away causing a woeful vibration to travel through the whole aircraft. Allowing the luxury of a light moment she wondered how much worse the vibration would need to become before she dislodged the fillings in her teeth; it was better on her mind than imagining rivets popping along the wings, which was a distinct possibility. She read off her altitude. An extra three hundred feet was fine but not enough She needed more distance to clear the mountains and commenced a steady left turn thus allowing the plane to climb while making large circles in the sky.

Kelly called up airborne command requesting approval to lighten the load by dumping her remaining ordinance. Widow accommodated, offering a safe trace for her laser-guided weapons to chase. Two AGM-65 mavericks and an AIM-9M sidewinder were armed and dispatched towards the phantom target. Kelly watching each missile stream off into the darkening haze before exploding below and to the west.

Projecting an impact zone for her two remaining MK-82 five hundred pounders and a Mark 20 Rockeye cluster bomb she had Widow scan the area for activity before they too were released, finding their own way to an explosive end. She activated the Avenger Cannon and allowed the targeting system to find it's own range to the ground. Again Widow scanned the area for activity before Kelly offering two long bursts of fire to empty the magazine and expel six ton of ammunition from the struggling aircraft.

By now the light was fading rapidly and the vibration was causing an increasing number of instruments to fail. Kelly calculated she needed three circuits to gain the altitude necessary to clear the mountains, after which she could set a direct course for Bagram.

Halfway through the second circuit the plane commenced to vibrate more vigorously and lost a portion of the limited thrust being offered. She pushed the condition lever fully forward, her last option. Another five hundred feet and she would be in clear air. Slowly the plane inched higher. With the third circuit under her belt and another four hundred feet of altitude on the gauges she decided to make her run for home. The remaining altitude she should be able find on the approach to the highest ridge.

Kelly breathed more easily as she watched the snow capped mountain ridge slip under her wing. She throttled back to ninety percent, removing strain from the struggling engine, allowing the plane to slowly lose altitude over the lesser ridges on the downhill run towards Bagram. Breathing easier Kelly afforded herself the luxury of returning to planning her evening. Mentally she scratched a line through the gymnasium as she felt the tinge in her arms from yet another heavy course correction.

Any relaxation was premature. The port engine commenced to sputter, then quickly lost power before cutting out all together.

She commenced a restart without success. No longer able clear the next ridge she turned north to glide blindly into the steep sided valley and tried again to cycle life into the engine, without a positive result. With no further options available she issued a mayday call explaining to anyone listening.

She was going down.

##  Chapter 03

Kelly's immediate and only response was from Widow who quickly explained the detail of her current glide path giving her forty-five seconds to impact.

She used the time to attempt two further engine restarts without success.

Her mind slipped into overdrive swamped by hidden hurtful thoughts, history she'd tried to erase but obviously failed to do. She recalled her wedding day almost seven years ago. She could see herself standing next to Trent. Wendy and her choice of lifetime partner, Jason standing beside them as they doubled up for their weddings. Jason and Trent, like Wendy and herself were roommates at officer school.

She recalled a day six weeks after the weddings when Trent and Wendy set out in an F15E Eagle on a training flight over Nevada. Trent was piloting the plane with Wendy filling the back seat as a Weapon Systems Officer.

Wendy never could cut it as a pilot. Horses for courses she always answered when they teased her.

Remembering how they also lost power. She now wondered whether Trent had tried to restart the engines as they descended towards earth like a brick. She had never asked Wendy that. Somehow something went wrong as they ejected. They seemed to collide or perhaps they hit the canopy. No one really knows. They were told at training it could never happen. Trent was killed instantly. Wendy smashed her left side so permanently she now walks stiff legged with the aid of a cane. Working in the AWACS is her only option to fill her flying dream-career with the air force.

"... me Cowboy! Stay with me." Kelly snapped her mind to the task at hand as Wendy recaptured her consciousness, "Stay with me! You're in luck. We have operatives in the area. You'll be picked up within the hour. Stay with me. I'll count you out. Make you easier to locate on the ground."

Kelly's stomach turned, tangling into knots. All her energy drained. She struggled to concentrate. In a moment of lost professionalism she said out loud, "Wendy, I'm frightened."

A sternness accompanied Widow's quick reply, "Nothing to it Lieutenant. When I give the order you will pull that handle." Her voice mellowed to normal, "Stay with me... It's like riding a bucking bronc, a real buzz. --- Ten seconds... ailerons neutral... elevators one degree on. Check wheels.... stay with me..."

Kelly regained her composure even found time to raise a smile. She remembered thinking how long ten seconds can be. Must be forever and 'murder' for Wendy. She felt loved knowing full well all the instruction on offer was irrelevant. Wendy was playing for time. Keeping idle hands busy. Occupying an active mind by placing a lid on emotion that have no place in the cockpit.

"Stay with me... five... four... three... love you... kisses: Punch out now!"

Kelly thanked Wendy the only way she knew how. She screamed, "Yee-haw," into the radio while diving her right hand down to grab and pull vigorously to activate the ejection seat. She released her grip on the flight controls and brought both arms up to rest tightly against her chest.

A deafening explosion engulfed her world as the bolts either side of her head disintegrated, releasing the canopy. She tensed, squeezed her eyes, and waited.

The seat fired.

There was a downward thrust like nothing she had ever experienced. Felt her legs flinging under her body. The upward motion took her breath. Her world began to spin. The ability to think clearly was lost.

Through the mist and tumble she saw the horseman galloping forward, a stretched arm reaching, fingers set to grab. She heard him say, "Come to me Kelly. Don't be frightened. I'm here, I'll catch you." his voice urgent but soft and reassuring. He was close enough to touch and seemed real, and knew her name. For a heart beat Kelly felt warm, safe all over.

Then he was gone...

She vaguely felt the drag chute open, being drawn backwards, decelerating several hundred knots to nothing in a few feet. The altitude-activated screen in the seat tightened throwing her forward into free air. Released to the elements, a feeling of comfort as the parachute canopy popped breaking her fall. It was quiet almost peaceful.

There was time to look around. Her head was still light, every muscle and joint in her body commenced to ache from the jar of her exit. She could see a fire from what must have been the excess fuel burning at the plane wreck. It seemed very, very close and already above her. It must have crashed into a mountainside. There was nothing else to see. It was so dark.

The ground smashed into her, laying her flat. Her whole body became wet.

What the...

It took a few seconds to realise she'd landed in a stream, a freezing stream. She struggled to her feet trying to make sense of her surrounds in the pitch dark. Her chute filled with water and commenced to flow, pulling her down. She was dragged for some distance across all manner of hard unyielding mysterious object before having the presence of mind to release her harness, allow the chute to continue along without her.

Picking her self up yet again. She fumbled around trying to find the bank. Eventually firm ground found her feet. She fell forward to lie motionless, catching her breath and catch her mind.

*****

"What's that?" The words were spoken in response to a sound passing overhead. The noise was a strange buzzing whistle not unlike an amplification of someone humming while shuffling paper. Chiko asked the question. He interrupted sipping tea to look skyward searching for a sign that might pinpoint whatever was passing over them.

Musket stretched an arm out for the mug of tea they were sharing, while answering, "You keep asking me these questions---" he stopped speaking as a flash materialised from the direction where the sound had travelled. "Jesus! I think someone just fired a missile." He leaned into the darkness focusing past Chiko saying, "Clancy I thought you said we'd be alone tonight."

Clancy replied, "I may have lied. I hope that wasn't what I think---." He stopped speaking as a flash from a large explosion lit the sky. "Shit! I'll bet money that was a drone after something. Hope we're not supposed to be the target."

Musket offered, "Jesus! Someone just copped it." He was speaking over the sound of a small explosion that might well have been a rocket-propelled grenade. When the larger explosion rumbled around them he added, "That's not far away either. I reckon two clicks. What did you get?"

Clancy offered, "Counted seven clear. So it was about two and a half kilometres."

Chiko offered, "They wouldn't miss us by that much would they? Musket, don't let the tea go cold. Pass it over here." His outstretched hand reached for the mug and continued speaking, "Wonder whether those clowns following us were getting close and our American friends did a number on them. Anyway I don't think this is very funny. Rich folk wouldn't tolerate some idiot firing missiles around them while they were seated for dinner. What happened to the classless society everyone talks about?" he turned his head to Clancy before adding, "Do you think we should pack-up and get out of here while we can?"

Clancy responded with, "Lets wait and see. If it happens again we might do that." As he finished speaking a buzz causing him to say, "Now what?" Clancy reached for the saddle he was leaning against. Pulled the satellite phone out and put it too his ear saying, "Authenticate blue smoke."

The voice on the phone said, "This is call sign Widow Maker on-board Sentry. I have a priority task for you."

Clancy replied. "Yes and I'm the Queen of Sheba." He hung up.

Chiko offered, "Let me guess that was someone checking if we're still alive."

"I think we're being targeted. Pack-up. Lets get out of here. I'm guessing our American cousins have their wires crossed and think this phone was rented to Osama bin Laden." All three men immediately became energetically occupied gathering, saddling horses and loading gear.

The phone rang again, Clancy answered, "Authenticate blue smoke."

The same voice came through the phone, "Don't hang up... hear me out for a second. I've been in contact with your command. They don't know your code of the day. This call can't wait! I'll authenticate with alternative information." There was a brief silence, "You're operator Clancy. You have operators Musket and Chiko sitting beside you. You're sharing tea and Musket was last to hold the mug before he tipped it out a few moments ago. Your home address is Pituri Downs, Boulia, zip code four eight two nine. Your mother's name is Marge your father is deceased. If you're not convinced I'm on the level hang up and dial your mother's phone number at home. I'll intercept the call. Do I have your attention?"

"You're doing well so far. I hope it's not you who is targeting us. What do you want?"

"No one is targeting your area. What you heard was a crippled A10 crashing. We need you to secure the area and rescue the pilot."

"There would be no point it went in with a quite a bang."

"Negative the pilot definitely ejected just before impact."

"Actually... I think we can confirm that. There was a minor flash and explosion before the main impact."

"That's correct. This mission is critical. The pilot is female. I'm sure you're aware there's a reward of fifty million Afghanis on offer to anyone who can hand over a US female pilot. It's critical that you find her first. I should also warn you the people you encountered today, who are following you are camping a few miles north of the crash site. It would be a better outcome if you found the pilot first."

"Okay! We'll be ready to move in three minutes. It'll take us forty-five minutes to reach her location. Finding her might prove difficult if she digs in. Can you contact her? She's sure to identify us as bad guys and want to shoot it out." Clancy offered a small snigger of a chuckle down the phone, "I take it we're not eligible to collect the reward from you are we?"

"Finding her will be no problem. I can guide you to her. She may be injured. She moved at first but has been lying still for some time now. We can't contact her directly. It's quite possible she may be alarmed by your presence. However I'm sure you guys can handle that. I could help with a distraction to assist you approach her."

"Where are you?"

"I thought we'd already talked about that. I'm call sign Widow Maker on-board Sentry."

"How about saying that again for simple folk, in plain English."

"I'm a controller with airborne command, above you, in an AWACS. If you need to communicate with me call your mother. Any calls from your phone to your mother at home are being diverted up here. I'll ring you when you're closer and guide you to our pilot. I take it you remember your mother's phone number?"

"Yes I know the number. A question! What does Musket's father do for a living?"

"Wait... He's a tailor. Has a business at Chapel Street, South Yarra."

"Hold... Musket is your old man a tailor and does he work in South Yarra?"

Musket looked perplexed, "Yep he does. Who the hell's on the phone?"

Clancy raised a hand to signal ' _not now'_ while saying, "You passed. We'll find your pilot and do our best to get her out of here in one piece."

"I'll be in touch. Good hunting. Widow out."

Clancy looked at the phone for a few seconds before sliding it into the saddlebag as Chiko asked, "Who the heck was that?"

Clancy returned his focus to the others offering a shrug of his hand saying, "Would you believe some yank, looking down at us. Sitting up there in an AWACS." Clancy pointed a hand skyward, "That explosion was an A10 coming down. They want us to find the pilot. If it were up to me I'd make all A10 pilots walk home in bare feet? But the brass have other ideas."

"Why didn't you ask him what he had for dinner? Do you think they ate dog biscuits and shared tea from the same mug? Bet it's warmer up there too."

"Ask her what she had for dinner."

"What?"

"The person on the phone was a woman. Lets move out." Clancy spoke as all three attached an Aries Defender night vision scope to their weapon and set the harness of an image intensifier monocular in place.

Without speaking they mounted up and commenced riding towards the distant burning glow, already scanning the surrounds for trouble.

With the passage of time cold commenced to crawl through Kelly's body. She struggled to her feet and stumbled around in the dark feeling for somewhere warm to shelter. Her search was an emotionally draining fruitless exercise leading to her falling on her knees sobbing. The realisation of her plight clear; she was alone without friends, shelter or hope.

The movement helped fire circulation increasing blood flow to saturated limbs in need of warmth. It didn't relieve the coldness in her mind. Despair crawled inside chewing at bones. Sapping energy, holding her prisoner to an onset of doom. The night was as black as pitch, yet there were shadows. She could hear noises, alarm coming from the silence surrounding her. Every distraction going straight to a mind bubbling with heightened awareness of threats and isolation.

She heard something...

Clancy picked up the satellite phone in response to the buzzing. Not waiting for an introduction he whispered. "We have her in sight. She's spooked and rather disoriented. We'll try grabbing her before she starts shooting shadows. There's another problem. We have company moving in from the north. We've been playing cat and mouse with this group all day. They must be after your pilot. Sane people don't wander around this place at night."

"You guys are pretty sharp. I confirm six hostiles. Do you require target illumination? "

"Confirm six? We have identified five. We're trying to locate a sixth. Don't do anything that might warn them of our presence."

"I confirm six hostiles. We can identify each to you without alerting them. Would you like us to do this?"

"We do need to find the sixth target; on my call yes. I need to warn my men just in case." He stopped speaking to make several clicks with his thumb and finger. On receiving a reply from both Musket and Chiko. He whispered into the phone, "Identify targets now."

Suddenly six hostiles commenced to display brightly into the night viewing equipment. The illuminated infrared glow followed them as they cautiously fumbled their way through the darkness. None offered any movement to indicate an awareness of the eminent danger of their predicament.

Clancy offered, "Brilliant. I confirm six hostiles. Why don't you call more often? I'd love your number in my speed dial. Two minutes and we'll have this washed up. I'll call back when we have your pilot subdued. Out." Clancy hung up the phone and immediately clicked his fingers. Sending an alert to prepare his colleagues for action.

Kelly heard a sound.

This time it was real, a click, then another and several more. There was something, someone out there, in front... behind her. She listened for more... another. She could feel it. Her heart pounded, each beat crashing against her ribs. Her lungs bellowed as air rushed in then out. She tried not to breath. Wished her heart would stop pounding. It was so loud, must have been audible from three hundred feet.

Two clicks together. And another. It was definitely behind her. She looked around like a startled animal. There was nothing to see. Just a web of black etched with grey shades of her tangled crumbling world. She wanted to speak and even opened her mouth but closed it again, unsure whether her words froze or common sense... fear reminded her to stay silent.

She saw a flash, an explosion of gunfire not far to her front. Then another rifle shot lit the night. Two more shots rang-out from further away and another closer as before.

Things were happening too fast. She remembered her pistol and reached to her side. Something stopped her. A clamp around her arm had her trapped. She felt a presence along the length of her spine. Her heart raced, head pulled to the side, chin clamped and mouth smothering. Another flash of gunfire reflected along the blade of a knife being held in front of her face.

A voice at her ear in soft drawn American said, "Don't move! Don't say a word! We're the good guys here to help you."

Kelly's whole body fell limp. Her lights went out.

*****

The pre-dawn fire of morning was lighting the eastern sky when Kelly opened her eyes. She was warm and comfortable. Fully relaxed from what must have been a substantial sleep. She couldn't see anything. She remembered the knife and assumed the inevitable. Her brain raced, awash with strobing images of cutting, the sound of severed nerves, crunch of bone and falling head; her head. Silence, darkness and a tapestry of blue sliding into orange, awareness and yet all the horror was remote, distant, beyond control. She felt resolved, curious and wondered about feeling anything of the after world.

That she was dead didn't register anymore than being alive. She just was. The relaxation of her dilemma was curious, new, quite unexpected and calm. She could feel damp warmth on her cheek. A gentle breeze of someone's breath was tingling across her lips. Her mind could recall words, "Sleep soundly beautiful lady from the sky," As she felt lips to her cheek embossing comfort and strength, a kiss on her person.

When her brain slowed down and the reality of the night before in all its detail caught up with her she rolled her eyes through their sockets cautiously looking around and not knowing what to expect. Apprehension soaked through her veins about actually finding out.

It was all too real.

She found herself lying on the ground snugly wrapped in a foil blanket within a makeshift bed of rugs and whatnot with just a portion of her face peeping out. Every muscle ached, feeling as though she'd ejected from an aircraft.

Stupid really, but tender and stiff all over was quite comforting. She knew for sure she was still alive and nothing further or worse had happened during the night. Besides, she thought with a quick half-hearted grin. Wendy said it would be like riding a bucking bronc. She was on the mark again.

Kelly was situated beside a stream with mountains all around. The topology was unmistakably Afghanistan. The red glow of morning extenuated the rustic landscape, quite peaceful really.

Reality pressed hard against her stomach muscles creating butterflies. Her heart sunk as she observed an Afghan fighter just feet from her. He was sitting on the ground, legs crossed, hands resting on his knees. His eyes were closed as if in prayer. In his left hand he held the reins of several horses, which stood motionless behind him. They too had their head leaned forward as if praying with him.

Kelly slowly moved a hand under the covers towards her hip searching for her pistol. She was mortified. Not because the pistol was gone. She was naked. Moving her hands and legs to feel what she could find under the covers found nothing. Everything she touched left the unmistakable sensation of bare skin.

"You're awake than Missus? I'll tell you what you know how to sleep. You haven't moved for eleven hours. How ya' feelin'?" Came from the mouth of the now open eyed fighter. He hadn't moved other than to rotate his eyes toward her. It didn't register but she must have been relieved to hear an American voice, even if he spoke with a slow drawn foreign accent.

"Where are my clothes? And who are you?" There was passion in her voice, which even surprised herself.

The man smiled and glanced skyward for a moment before saying, "All these questions. I'm just a misguided ringer from the back of beyond who had a rather unfortunate outcome in a recruiting office. I've never been any good answering the questions of naked ladies." His face was aglow wearing a large smile under bright brown teasing eyes.

He wore a thick dusty, greenish high collared coat, similar coloured trousers and heavy brown boots. A bolt-action rifle was slung over one shoulder such that it lay across his back. A pakol covered his head. A generous crop of wily head and face hair seemed to grow out from under his unusual headwear. Scruffy was the word to describe him. From head to toe he looked scruffy. Yet there was a no nonsense toughness about him; the smile was charming. His voice was soft with a rare tactful politeness of tone not common amongst men. There was a time when she might have had a mind to privately wonder if he was taken or available.

She tensed, quickly took a bite of reality. He could afford to be charming. Whoever he was she was his quarry. She was obviously still alive but only because he wanted her that way, for now.

He looked down on her. Through the rough hairy features of his face there was something about him. His eyes were kind and his mouth exhibited a wide almost cheeky grin. For a moment Kelly was back in college. All the boys her mother liked wore that grin. Perhaps she was safer than she felt. Although on reflection the boys who played up to her mother always had active and confident hands away from Mother's protective gaze.

He spoke further in the same drawn accent. It seemed calm, to quiet to be the voice of a trained soldier. Besides, what soldier would have longer hair than hers? "Hope you were warm enough last night? We removed your clothes because they were wet. You weren't far off freezing when we found you. You were in a pretty tight spot and running low on options. It's just as well we caught up with you when we did." He paused a moment to glance aloft then continued; "Don't go worrying yourself about what may have gone down while you were out to it. We're professionals. We spent half the night rubbing circulation back into your limbs. You may still feel grubby and perhaps even touched. But you're still Daddy's little girl in all those important departments."

He smiled for a moment. It was a kind, reassuring smile. Before painting seriousness on his face and continued, "Could you keep your voice down? Sound travels for miles around here. We have some clothes for you to wear. Not very pretty I'm afraid. We don't have much available to choose from out here."

"Oh, you might want these." He jumped to he feet and reached into a saddlebag on the nearest horse. The horse was small yet impressive, a silver dapple buckskin, which he spoke to in his familiar calm voice. He asked the horse to be still, calling her Taffy in a manner that left her believing they'd been together for some time. There was a rustic ease to his speak chatting with the horse not present talking with her.

He held out a pair of practical yet elegantly lacy panties on the end of his finger. They were the pair she was wearing yesterday. "Pretty fancy for Afghanistan," spoken while flashing a rather evil yet harmless grin.

Kelly's blood boiled with embarrassment. She snatched her panties from his hand and wanted to scream at him. Though she realised he'd already shifted attention from her and was calming the horse as he buckled the saddlebag. She stared at him consumed by powerlessness, not knowing what to think.

He turned his focus toward her, "Missus, don't just lay there gawking. Get yourself up and into those clothes. We need to put some distance in quick time or we'll finish up swinging by our thumbs for sure."

Kelly sat up holding the bedding tightly around her neck. A rage of frustration present in a charged outburst, "Who are you? How do I know I can trust you? And where are my clothes? I don't know where you grew up but where I come from ladies wear at least two pieces of underwear. What have you done with my clothes?"

"Keep your voice down and get yourself ready to move," he firmly replied turning his full attention back towards her.

He pulled the horses around and stood almost on top of her. "We're going to pass you off as a boy to get you out of here. There is no way we can expect you to grow a beard. And wearing a US pilot's outfit is out of the question." Again he searched the sky finding words, "Elegantly sticking out in the chest department has to be a big no-no. The remainder of you we can pass off as a boy... when we scruff you up some. We don't have any woman's clothing for you to wear and being with women out here is very complex for moving fast. I'm sorry if this is all a bit of a shock. But out here the rules are different, lots of people live and breathe violence. You're going to have to bear with us." He stopped talking to glance around. Incredibly he actually seemed to be checking if the horse supported what he was saying.

His voice softened as he turned back towards her and continued. There was a kind of apology present on his face. "I'll give you any details you want... need when we're under way. Now pull yourself together and get into those clothes as quickly as you can. We have to work together out here or we all finish up dead. We're the good guys, here to help you." His voice was stern and carried the mark of authority and yet he still spoke soft and quietly. It was quite eerie.

Kelly didn't feel afraid, indeed she felt rather warm, comfortable being near him. She submitted to his demand and quickly pulled on yesterday's still damp underwear, the heavy trousers he provided, plus the socks and boots. She knew none of the clothes were clean. Yet she was starting to see the truth of things, was moving towards his wavelength. She knew better than ask where the clothes had come from. She had an idea and didn't want to know for sure.

He was correct though. She needed him to survive. She also knew he would look after her. She didn't know why or how she knew. She still didn't know who he was. She could just feel to follow along with him was the safest option, her only option. The last statement he made was ringing through her head, ' _We're the good guys, here to help you.'_ She now knew without doubt it was he who'd held a knife at her face last night. _So who was doing the shooting?_ She did have some questions for him.

"Don't we have a belt? Only vagrants who sleep in cardboard boxes tie their trousers with a rope." Kelly spoke with genuine disgust.

"A few days out here and you'll fight over a good cardboard box. Just tie your trousers! And get yourself out of my swag so I can pack it away. Taffy's smart, she knows we need to be moving. And didn't I tell you to keep your voice down."

Kelly ignored him as long as she could. She was still sitting with the bedding pulled around her neck. Knowing she needed to stand to complete the dressing process, "Oh yuck!"

He looked round wondering what was wrong. She glanced up at him saying, "It's nothing... I'm okay. Turn around and keep looking that way for a moment. I'd like a little privacy please."

He turned away immediately. Allowing her to spring to her feet, position and button the shirt and coat, which she'd placed her arms through. She tried her best to ignore the small tear and the brownish stain on both, in the centre of her chest. She knew it was blood. She knew the tear was from a gunshot. She also knew if she thought about it any more she'd throw up.

"You can turn around now and help please. How does this go?" She was holding what she was sure was a brown Afghan pakol hat but it seemed to have surplus material woven inside.

"Let me show you," he walked round from behind the horses took the pakol, folded and rolled it like an expert and placing it on her head. Before running the back of his fingers the full length of her cheeks and tenderly tapped the end of her nose with his left index finger. And with a succulent smile said, "You look very smart, Daq."

She heard him but the sound didn't register. Her heart was pounding with delight; emotion floated though her whole being. Already rosy cheeks felt the warmth of his knuckles, causing a sensation. She flushed and her knees seemed to be effected.

By the time she recovered full control he'd picked up the bedding and rolled it into a neat bundle somehow. He was securing it behind Taffy's saddle while talking to the horse.

Kelly listened to the quietly spoken man as he used his charming mannerism explaining to the horse they needed to take Daq through the mountains so she could be rescued safely. He was expecting big things from Taffy. She would be playing the donkey in a nativity scene. Daq was to be Mary and he would be Joseph.

He turned to her saying, "Okay Daq. It's time to have you airborne again." He clamped his hands on her hips, hoisting her onto Taffy's back before she knew what had happened. "I guess being up there will be something new for you."

He kicked up some dust where the swag had flattened the ground and without speaking further turned west leading her and Taffy with the other horses in tow beside them.

She could still feel his grip around her pelvis. He was so strong. She'd been lifted like a sketch on a piece of paper. In her mind his fingers were still clamped to her hips. Her heart was hoping the feeling would never fade. Without removing his hands, her mind became conscious of her parted legs straddling the saddle with her body now in autopilot offering a slow gyrating motion in synchronous with Taffy's walk.

Today would be interesting.

"You said you'd explain all when we got under way. I'll go first! You don't need to lead me along like this. I've been riding horses since I was three years old. I was raised on my parent's thoroughbred stud in Kentucky. I rode with the strappers every morning before college from thirteen onwards. Why don't you hand me the reins and hop up in the saddle yourself. We'll make better time." She enjoyed her little speech. It was the truth, yet she found pleasure attempting to tease the man.

"You know Daq, this mightn't turn out as ugly as I first thought." He handed the reins over Taffy's head saying, "You look after her. Give her a loose rein and treat her with respect. She's a truly clever little darling. And don't go teaching her any of your twangy American talk either."

Still grinning he threw himself upon the other saddle horse and moved up to walk it along side her. He tipped his pakol with a show of teeth and a display of mesmerising charm from his eyes. He passed the reins of the two packhorses over his own head to his other hand, moving them out from in between them. "Okay, now we do have time to answer your question. Fire away?"

Kelly was still catching up with her feelings after grazing his hand when she took the reins. She had no idea what was happening to her emotions. She should've been anxious, scared and yet all she could do was look into the distance. So she wouldn't stare into the soft brown eyes controlling a calm voice.

" _Cassidy pull your self together! This is no time to turn into a ninth grade love struck teenager."_ She desperately looked round toward him; horrified she may have just spoken out loud. He was occupied on the path ahead. Her emotional secrets remained secure for now. It must have been the crash affecting her balance or perhaps a blow to the head. _This strangeness will pass._ She told herself and repeated it with every glance she steered his way. "First question! Where's the ladies power room?"

"Oh crap! Here I was thinking I'd thought of everything to make you comfortable. Sorry Daq. Out here we have to bury everything. We try not to make it easy for the bad guys to keep tabs on us." He threw his leg over the front of the saddle and dropped to the ground before walking to the second packhorse, removing a small shovel and a roll of paper. He handed her the reins of all three horses and started digging a small hole a few feet away.

"Sorry about the lack of privacy. We don't go trying to hide behind vegetation or rocks out here. We need to stay out in the open for everything. We'll look away to give you privacy. This place has all manner of nasty things, usually in the scrub and around rocky outcrops. I'm talking about many deadly snakes, scorpions and there are even dangerous fleas. Plus several variety of crazy, crazy Afghan fighters." He walked over to lift her down.

She handed him the reins and dismounted herself. Before taking his shovel and gesturing with a rotation of her finger to have him turn away.

Walking back to the horses she handed him the shovel and paper saying, "I guess washing our hands would be western decadence out here." She read his screwed up facial gesture. "Thought so." Returning the look with several hand wiping movements up and down her coat.

She adjusted the stirrup straps on her saddle, moving them up a good eight inches before they both re-mounted and resumed the procession towards a side valley leading into the mountains. He came along side and opened her saddlebag, handing over the rather neat chamois flying gloves she was wearing when she ejected saying, "These might be better on your hands. Seeing as you're at the controls again." He pulled one of the pack horses forward and removed another rifle like the one he was carrying and helped her place it over her head resting it across her back. Saying, "There, now you do look like the rest of us. I assume you know how to use a rifle if push comes to shove."

She smiled at his kind eyes, while desperately trying to hide the shivering sensation of having had his hand rub around her neck and across her back. "Where did the Daq come from? I was about to scream at you earlier, calling me missus. Then you invented this, Daq."

"Daq is Khowar for boy. Khowar is the most used dialect on the trails around here. I thought if we call you Boy... Daq all the time, anyone listening won't be bothered. People speak all different languages here. It's not even particularly dangerous to speak English in front of them. Everyone communicates with strangers using gestures and a few basic words to get their message across. Most people we meet are rather genuine and surprisingly kind. The remainder are absolutely disgraceful and vicious beyond belief. It doesn't pay us to get to know too much about each other in case things go wrong. We never use our real names or rank or anything to indicate who we are."

"You keep saying we. How many of you are there? And where are the others? I know there were several firing at something last night, while you had me pinned down. Why were they shooting?"

"There are three of us, four now. I'm Clancy. Musket and Chiko have moved further up the valley keeping an eye out for anyone who has a mind to jump us. We think there may be some Afghan fighters behind us. You might well get to do some shooting before today is through. It's also safer for you if we appear to be just two people. Out here groups of men on horseback are either fighters or bandits. We can run rings around the local hostiles if we maintain some distance from them. Most people travel these trails in small family groups or just a few men together, usually walking or on horseback. Last night a band of fighters were moving in on you. We had to dispatch them before we could pick you up. We're on a reconnaissance sweep through here. We try to keep a low profile and travel the trails as the locals do. Our job is to report what resources would be needed to sustain troops out here. And if we can get ourselves known to the locals it helps them make up their mind whether we're trustworthy. Out here people tend to keep to themselves, friendships are made from gut instincts and last a lifetime." He placed a hand in a coat pocket before reaching over to share a variety of dried fruits with her saying, "We'd better have some breakfast. It's good for the constitution."

She took the fruit and commenced to chew, discovering from the experience how hungry she was. She looked across at him... at Clancy, nodding with approval and couldn't help staring. She had no idea what he actually looked like, his face being mostly hair and pakol. His smile was tucked away behind marked lips in need of moisturiser. The soft brown eyes were busy scanning the landscape, searching for some unseen detail, while many wrinkles led out from them fanning across his tanned temples and cheeks as he squinted to make sense through of the sharp morning light.

He must have been over six foot tall and without the thick coat would be of slim build. It was his riding that held her capture. They were only walking along but his posture had the mark of a seasoned horseman. His legs were forward and surprisingly straight relying on the stirrups for balance. An upright back, both arms were resting on the front of his hips, elbows turned forward somehow. The reins of his horse were in his left hand, the hold of which seemed to have little interest in horse control. From his right hand he led the two packhorses with the same relaxed though reversed hold.

"Where are we going and how was it that you found me last night?"

"The Controller on your AWACS phoned us directly on our satellite phone, which is a first for us. We thought it was some crank caller who'd dialled the wrong number. She knew exactly where we were and guided us to you. They must have been taking an interest in our movements because they knew a lot about us. She also said for us to tell you not to worry. She will keep your folks informed. After we secured the area and contacted you she phoned again. We told her you were freezing but otherwise fine and we could warm you up okay. She said to take you with us until we find somewhere safe for a 'cold' chopper extraction. By late afternoon we should be out of this valley if we keep moving. That will give us more options. There is only one track through here, would be rather easy to trap us."

She didn't hear most of what he said, she was stuck on; I guess they've been taking an interest in our movements, because they knew a lot about us.

Looking round she searched his face. She'd forgotten about her reoccurring dream. Was he the one? He said there were three of them. Playing her fingers in Taffy's mane she thought about the three riders. Wendy intended to track them. The shooter rode a small light coloured horse.

"Taffy, are you involved with some chicken stranglers?" She watched closely waiting for his reaction.

He didn't say anything, but what she'd said obviously made sense. He grinned, both curiosity and understanding returned in his expression. He tipped his pakol to answer.

She knew they'd met before, all-be-it not so closely. No wonder his presence is so confronting. He's the man in the dream. Fate has been dealing from a stacked deck. We've been thrown together out here; again.

She felt warmth engulf her. Knew she was safe. He'd told her not to worry, that he'd be there to catch her. She stared at him until embarrassment overtook them both. She needed to look away.

After a period of silence she offered a smile and asked, "I've told you where I learned to ride. Where did you?"

"I was raised around horses. My family own a cattle property in far west Queensland. I guess you and I are the same, riding is in our blood."

"So how come you joined the army?"

"All these questions." He stopped a moment, looked skyward then flashed a glance to connect with her eyes quickly before turning back to the trail, "Okay I'll tell you the story of my life. It's sure to silence you for a while." There was a pause while he thought then a quick glance as he spoke, "A little over six years ago we were in trouble keeping the property. It's a bit small to be profitable out there. When the bank threatened to foreclose. My father walked out the back of the house and shot himself." He didn't stop as she imagined he should. Kept talking as if nothing he said was a shock, "He must have figured the insurance money would help us keep the place... for what remained of the family. My mother sold off all the stock and machinery and got the place debt free.

I ran off and joined the army so I could help by sending money home. The army was our income to get back on our feet. And it helps afford my brother and sister a good education at boarding school."

It worked. She reached over and touched his arm with a small fist movement but didn't say a thing. She felt the touch of him travel along her arm right to the centre of her heart, warmth hung to her for longer than the crisp morning temperature should have allowed. Tears gripped the corner of her eyes, which she held tightly in place while busying herself squinting at the surrounding mountains.

"Cat got your tongue, fly-girl... sorry Daq. I might as well ask. How did you become mixed up in this crazy war? What made you join up?" He offered with a quick show of his signature smile.

"Can't match you. Although? When I was at university my roommate's parents got downsized and she couldn't afford the tuition fees. She was too proud to allow my parents to give her any money. Eventually, I convinced her to join up for the scholarship so she could finish university. She wouldn't do it on her own so I joined too. The air force was first to put a hand in their pocket. And here I am riding along with my wings clipped."

"Some friend, landing you out here!"

"She is actually. And she did. You spoke to her last night." She offered a glance with a smile, "You know the stupid thing is. She loves the air force. She convinced me to join up permanent after university. Loves her job, a fly-girl true and through she is."

"And you're not?"

"No, I'm not! I'm actually only a reserve pilot. This is just a hobby to me. I love flying but air force life really sucks, I hate it. I guess I'm a warm bed and soft fabric kind of girl. They can keep their tents, mess halls and dust on everything. And freezing mornings."

"Do you what know the difference is between the army and a circus?"

"You're not going to tell me the army has bigger clowns and a lot more tents, are you? I thought that was the air force reserve."

He smiled and nodded.

"Fancy that, our Daq is a weekend warrior. Who'd have guessed? I'm starting to take a liking to you. You've got potential." He looked away and glanced back quickly, "I dislike the army with a passion. It's been good to my family but I'm counting the days until my time is up. Although being out here like this would be bearable if we could throw the rifles away and leave all this violence behind. What does Daq do in real life? Are you still a strapper on the family ranch? Taffy seems to think you might be."

"No! I still live on the ranch and I love to ride when I have time. I'm a Doctor. I work in town as a GP."

He looked at her, his smile still showing but holding back, replaced with a puzzled, almost hurt expression. He stared for an uncomfortable few seconds before saying,

"You're joking aren't you? Are you telling me you fix peoples' illnesses all week and for relaxation on weekends you practice napalming villages. Why is the word hypocrite stuck on my lip?" He didn't stop for and answer, "I've never met one of you A10 Cowboy... girls before. I've always assumed if you had a second job it would be swinging a tomahawk in an abattoirs. You have no idea how many times one of your guys has lined us up, just for being down here. We've always thought we had luck riding with us when they've pulled away. I guess, I'm starting to understand why your friend knew where we were, and who we are. Maybe it's her we should be really fond of Taffy." He offered looking forward of her towards the horse.

"I've never thought of it in those terms. I just like flying and when it comes to shooting I only ever pick on bad guys. Though I'll confess when we first met today. I was sure you looked bad all the way through. I'm having second thoughts now. My thinking now is, if we could shave and groom all that hair, place a Stetson up top and cover most of the rest in practical denim. All that would be left up there on the horse would be an impressive looking brown-eyed ringer. After all a guy who picks a silver dapple, buckskin like Taffy to be his best friend can't be all bad guy. Can he Taffy?" She offered, with a flirting wide-eyed grinning glance toward him, before leaning forward in the saddle to give Taffy several softly placed pats on her neck, finishing off with a long rub from her crest all the way along her mane. Then asked, "What breed of horse is she? She has the lines of a slim, long necked, long legged Icelandic pony, like a miniature quarter horse." And turning back to Taffy said, "Sorry Taffy I'm sure you're not made from bits and pieces."

"She's a perfectly proportioned Waler, an Australian war horse. They were originally selected from brumbies for the army, way back. Now days they're used as stock horses all over Australia. Taffy and her friends got back in uniform with us. They can do a five gait tölt like an Icelandic pony and Taffy can even manage a skëio, but these others can't."

Without speaking he picked up the pace with a small jump forward in the saddle. Moving his three horses to a canter, then slowed them, such that the horse he was riding went into a tölt, in only a few steps. And calling over his shoulder, "Try it. She knows what to do." Within seconds she was back beside him also moving forward with Taffy travelling in the same five-gate 'walk.' They looked across at each other, exchanging delightful enthusiasm through child like smiles. Before he said, "Now encourage her to pick the pace up and she'll move into a full skëio, her legs will move like a pacer while still walking."

She did as he explained and sure enough Taffy picked up speed with her legs, while maintaining the smoothness of a walk through her body. He took his horse into a canter to stay along side. After a few hundred yards he pulled them all up with an audible, "woo," which to her surprise also immediately drew Taffy back into a walk without her input. "Better not tire them out unnecessarily. It's hard on them out here in this damn unforgiving country. Besides pretty soon we have to negotiate a narrow mountain trail in single file. It's best we don't fill their head with grand ideas about racing each other. They're all nineteen hand, first past the post, thoroughbreds when dreaming at night."

She looked across at him with her face lit, carrying a full smile, "Thank you. That was a first for me. Now I have something special to take home from this awful country. It's locked in my heart." She looked away embarrassed then turned back to try talking again, "My father would fly all the way out here just to do that. He loves working with horses." She gently placed a prolonged kiss on the tip of her index finger and pressed it to his arm dragging it slowly to his elbow before learning forward in the saddle and whispering out loud, "I think we both have a soft spot for this ringer from out there in the back of beyond. Don't we Taffy?"

They travelled a further hour in relative silence with the valley becoming canyon like, a narrow floor within steep walls towering up on both sides. She spent most of her time looking around sight seeing, making the odd comment and occasionally asking questions.

"This is really pretty. Not sure I'd like to live here mind. Seems biblical." She spared him a glance. He was scanning but caught her stare and held eye contact.

"Biblical is an apt term to describe this place. We're on the old silk-road. Traders have moved their goods through here for thousands of years and attracted soldiers to control who does what, plus collect taxes. Which is a polite way of saying take everything without earning it."

"Pretty cynical. Are you serious? Is this really the silk-road to China?"

"Very serious. Marco Polo came through this canyon as did Genghis Khan's army and Alexandra the Great, to name a few. They all left their mark in some way. Foreign troops aren't new around here. The locals have learnt to wait patiently for the occupier to get bored and go home."

"Is that what they're doing with us?"

He nodded.

She read his face and talked through the cynicism. "Wow. Mother will be impressed. Shame I don't have a camera. You are telling me the truth aren't you?"

"It's the truth. We come through here because it's seldom used these days. You'll see why when we reach the top of this current rise. Hope you're not scared of heights." He grinned. "If it's important I do have a camera. You can use it if you promise not to take close ups of us, our gear or of the horses. We're camera shy. Photos have a habit of turning up where they're not appreciated."

"I'd love to take a few photos if you can spare a role of film? I'm okay with heights to a point. Don't think I'd like to be a high-rise window cleaner. Being in a plane isn't quite like standing outside on the wing. What's up ahead?"

Clancy pointed at the southern cliff face towering close beside them. "We have to climb that. It's a digital camera. We have a spare memory card."

She inspected the cliff. When she looked back she noticed he was holding his hands less than two foot apart.

"You're kidding me."

"Nope. There's just enough room for the horses. Once they start the climb they can't turn around. It's about a mile walk up the side of the cliff." Clancy's stare was kind-of fierce. "If you think you can't handle it I'll knock you out and carry you."

Kelly fixed her eyes on him. "You're serious?"

"Yes I am. We need to keep going. It's not safe to go back. You'll get to see what's required. We'll be leap frogging up the pass."

"What does that mean?"

"We'll cover Chiko and Muscat while they make their way up. Then they'll cover us, like they've been doing all morning."

Clancy started adjusting his saddle on the side away from her. Eventually he came up with a camera and a telescopic sight. Changed the memory card in the camera and handed it over. "Don't photograph us. If you want to zoom in on something you can use this," He handed her the scope. "Be careful with it. We may need to use it on another application." He smiled with his eyes. "When we arrive at the top of this hill we'll rest for a bit. It's a great spot for taking photos."

At the top of the rise the valley opened up. The trail ahead dropped down a little and spread out revealing acres of fields sown with a variety of crops, mostly vegetable and cereal. A waterfall tumbled over the escarpment feeding a stream passing through the cultivated area. Small irrigation channels separated the different fields. The escarpment to the left wrapped slowly around in a semi-circle while the right side cliff face changed direction to the north and vanished behind the mountain leaving the valley open, until it dropped away to the north where a further fertile area lay below this one. The area in front was like a large cultivated terrace halfway down a mountainside.

She put the camera to her face and commenced to take photos. "This is beautiful. Does it have a name?"

"Down the bottom is the village of Janda. Up here is just the Ghilzai plateau." He pointed to the building; a strange sprawling medieval looking mud brick structure with a tower in the centre located in the shadow of the escarpment. "That's the Ghilzai residence. They can trace their family history on this land for several thousand years. They're the gatekeepers. In the old days they charged a toll to use the pass. Their ancestors carved the trail out of the cliff face." He pointed to the scare up the southern escarpment and placed his hand on the scope, suggesting she use it.

She stared through the scope at the narrow path travelling up the sheer cliff. Her eyes followed the trail first to the right then came back as the trail had a switchback before finishing at the top above where it started. Her eyes came straight down following a series of ladders dropping over the cliff. At the bottom was the house. Three men were seated and involved in animated discussion. Occasionally all three would stop speaking to sip liquid.

"Wow." She looked at him. "Amazing. Thank you. How do I attach the camera?"

He took the scope and camera, joined them together then demonstrated how to focus and take photos, without speaking. He was clever with his silent instructions, very descriptive and clear.

She put her head to one side and marvelled at him a moment before turning to click away with a sequence of photos down the trail and across the paddocks, the town below, the house, the men, the sheer cliff, the waterfall, the trail and the rope ladder up the cliff.

He pointed and guided her eyes along the valley floor below the trail to a patch of white surrounding a white bolder. As she looked he said, "It's an elephant skull from when the Macedonian army came through here in the third century BC. Poor thing fell, been there ever since. Bones don't decay quickly in this dry climate." He grinned. "So make up your mind whether you can manage the climb before you start."

She took several photos of the skull through the scope. It was obvious what the skull was after being told. "Who uses the ladder?"

"Normally we would. We pay the kids to take the horses up the trail. They use the ladder to come down when they're finished. That's how it was done in the old days. We respect their traditions so they respect us."

"Why can't I be respectful? The ladder sounds like fun."

When she looked he was staring. "You need upper body strength on the ladder. I'm sure I don't need to explain what happens if you get tired and let go."

"I keep fit. I'll make the grade. I'd prefer to climb up the ladder than walk along the edge for a mile."

He nodded before he spoke. "Okay, if you're sure? You look pretty fit and there isn't a lot of you to lift. You'll see Chiko and Muscat go up shortly and the boys take the horses. It'll help you make up your mind."

She nodded like he did. "How often do you come through here?"

"Often enough. It's convenient." He was silent for a moment then said. "Okay it's time to move. We'll go over there a bit." He pointed to the right. You can do some spotting with me. Or have a nap."

He didn't speak, moved off the trail a way. She followed, watched him pull out a rifle; was more like a cannon. He took back the scope and handed her spotter's binoculars. They were huge, impressive for sight seeing. She took his lead and lay on the ground beside him, watched him use the binoculars to take a good long view along the escarpment top then scan the plateau before clearing the rifle and aiming at the house. He turned on the laser and used his fingers to interrupt the beam.

"What are you doing?"

His talk was fragmented. Words flowed between brain thoughts. "Sending a message. Telling our esteemed colleagues we're in place and waiting."

She watched through the binoculars, could see the beam at the feet of the three men. Watched them discuss the message, obviously they knew Morse code. Both men smiled while making what she thought might be rude gestures with their fingers.

The third man called into the house. Boys took the horses and set off up the trail. Both men symbolically checked their wallet, watch, spectacles and testicles; clearly for Clancy's benefit.

He apologised quietly while she smiled.

They farewelled the man slung a rifle across there back and started the climb.

"How high is it?"

"About nine hundred feet. Still think you can make it?"

"Yep. Looks like fun. Shame I can't take photos."

He took the camera, set it up on the rifle, showed how to aim and use it before rendering the rifle safe and swapping places. She took photos of the men on the ladder, the boys and horses going up the path while he religiously scanned the area through the binoculars.

She looked at him each time the climbers stepped sideways to change ladders. "Hope my little legs can reach across."

"You'll do okay if you remember to hang on and not panic."

Took the climbers almost fifteen minutes to reach the top.

"Okay. We'll wait here until the boys have come down. They'll be another few minutes. Notice they run all the way up. Keeps them fit. You might want to snap them coming down. They slide half the time. You'd get arrested if you let your children play on that ladder at home." He looked at her fondly. "There's more reality and accountability over here. Everyone has a role. They work together as one."

##  Chapter 04

The man at the house greeted Clancy like an old friend. They stood apart eyeing and nodded, eventually smiling with further nods before taking a seat side-by-side on a stone bench set against the house where Chiko and Muscat had sat less than half an hour earlier.

Kelly had no idea what they talked about. They didn't look at each other; communicated mostly with their arms, a few slowly spoken frowning words and many thoughtful nods. He left her holding the horses. Didn't introduce her. Didn't seem like Clancy, though she figured he was doing what was done so she stood silently trying to make what she could of the talk. They must have been discussing news or something current.

It was obvious when the topic changed to talk about the crops. Their hands wandered the fields interspersed with questions, answers and nods. At one stage they both stood up, stared with a clenched fist bumping on their mouth before nodding and resuming their seat without uttering a word. Clancy nodded some more and got up to unload a sack marked, sorghum seed, off one of the packhorses. The man nodded and called a boy who carried the sack inside while they resumed their seat and continued their unusual conversation technique.

A woman appeared with beverages, looked like tea or coffee, perhaps it was treacle. She served both men then obviously made inquiries about Kelly. Kept glancing at her as she spoke to the man who in turn spoke to Clancy. Both men nodded and frowned before an animated discussion took place, the man grinning, Clancy denying something and the lady smiling mischievously. A boy was called to hold the horses, Kelly was offered a seat on the other side of the door with the woman, who called a girl and obviously ordered refreshment.

While she and the woman waited Clancy went to the pack horse unloaded three sacks of floor, two of dried fruits and one each of sugar, coffee and salt. He placed them on the ground near the door, a discussion point. All the sacks were clearly marked, US Aid, Pakistan. He also unloaded another rifle and two boxes of ammunition, which he handed to the man. Boys were called to take the food aid inside. The man inspected the weapon in great detail, nodded regularly even exchanged an occasional glance with Clancy, obviously pleased. Eventually he leaned the rifle on the wall beside him as Clancy had done when he first sat. To end off the supply of what seemed like gift central Clancy gestured to the last horse and exchanged eye contact with the man who seemed to voice reluctance to accept. Clancy explained something and exchanged nods until the man seemed to offer humbled thanks before calling for yet another boy to take the horse to a livestock enclosure.

Both the man and the woman became animated with happiness and seemed to tease Clancy who silently denied whatever was being said with raised hands and an embarrassed expression. Eventually he spoke. Two words were clearly heard in the jumble of meaningless sound, _American_ and _aviator_. Clancy raised his arms and soared through a few turns. The man and woman both looked unbelieving and checked Kelly from top to bottom before looking to Clancy to express an exaggerated, "Nooaww." With animated disbelief flowing from the accompanying hand gestures.

The woman clearly eyed and measured Kelly while the man shook his head and made a universal, uniquely male, gesture with his hand in front of his crutch. Clancy watched them both then gave Kelly a charming look. His beautiful brown eyes sparkled amusement.

Finally he spoke to Kelly in English. "At first she thought you were a girl but soon figured you're a grown woman. She thought you were my new wife." He shrugged. "I've told them we met last night and you're an American pilot. She thinks you're too petite and delicate to fly a military aeroplane. He doesn't believe me either. Apparently you don't look like a complete wanker." He raised his eyebrows. "How are you going to prove who you are?"

"Does it matter? Where did you get the US food aid?"

He frowned and rolled his head from side to side, "Yes it does matter. Entertain them. They can tell their children's children about the American lady aviator who came through here. Sat on that seat." He looked at her seriously. "Everyone sells food aid in the markets. And I know you're going to say it's not for sale but you haven't lived here. Everything tangible can be purchased or sold here, even people."

"Would the lady like the material in my parachute? I know you have it on the horse." Kelly thought a moment. "Perhaps one of the boys might like my vest. Or would wearing US military clothing attract trouble." She shrugged. "My overalls might be handy for someone small."

Clancy looked thoughtfully and nodded. "We'll see." He walked to the packhorses and returned with a hessian sack, placed the contents in front of the lady. She looked puzzled so Kelly picked up the parachute pulling a panel flat and made scissors cutting gestures before wrapping a piece around her arm. The lady's eyes lit up, a hand going straight to the material to feel it. She rubbed it on her face and smiled offering Kelly thanking eyes.

When Kelly started spreading the whole thing out the man inspected the cord and pulled a knife out of his pocket but was quickly shooed away with a single flick of the ladies wrist. She looked in amazement at the bulk of material and called several girls, who gathered round and joined a one sided conversation inspecting the material.

They listened to Clancy explain what it was, mostly he used his hands floating downwards. He looked at Kelly smiling. "Don't suppose you feel like doing a base jump off the cliff to show them how it works." He pulled a frown and added, "Better not probably get one of the kids killed."

After the parachute had gone inside and the tea arrived for Kelly and the lady, Kelly asked Clancy. "Why does he think so poorly of pilots?"

Clancy rolled his eyes and gave her a prolonged blank stare. "Take a number. Its not just him." He played with his chin thinking then pointed at the creek. "Almost twenty-five years ago Russian pilots bombed the village at the bottom of the escarpment." He pointed in the correct direction. "Then turned their attention on the passes up the cliffs. They closed the lower pass permanently; now it's a fifteen-mile journey to go from here to the village. Their missiles closed this pass too. The family struggled for several years to reopen the trail and rebuild the ladders." He expanded his eyes a moment. "Which is why we need to change ladders a few times going up." He took a breath. "What they can't fix is that big boulder." Clancy pointed again. "It fell from the cliff during the attack and landed in the stream blocking the irrigation channels to several of their best fields. They keep digging around the rock but the water flow deepens the creek and the rock eventually rolls into the new water path to interrupt the irrigation flow again." He gestured exasperation with his hands. "We've helped him dig around it several times. We're even set charges under one side of the rock. We can move it but can't cadge enough C4 to lift it out of the creek. He blames the pilots. All of them." He shrugged with both hands. "I'm sympathetic."

Kelly looked at the huge boulder, could have been a giant marble, so round and smooth. "I could blow that out of the creek. Would he think better of me and my colleagues if I do?" She twinkled her eyes. "Would you?"

"How?"

"Position a precision delay-fuse weapon under it, slightly to one side and lift it right out of the stream."

"I assume you mean from an aeroplane." He offered a cheeky smile. "You don't have one any more. Or did you forget. You don't have any bombs with you either."

Kelly wrinkled her nose and poked out her tongue, "Has to be done now does it?"

"Now would be good. If you leave without doing something he'll know you're just another mouthy blow-through. Do something while you're here you make a friend for life." He glanced at her, seemed uncertain then added. "Walk away without delivering I'll log you as just another mouthy American as well."

She stared back in silence for a few seconds. Then eventually said, "He doesn't care where the boulder finishes up as long as it's out of the creek?"

Clancy spoke to the man who offered surprise and made gestures that seem to indicate the rock would be fine anywhere as long as it cleared the forward slope of creek bank."

"Can you contact Wendy? You said you're in the PR business. This is good PR."

"Who?"

Kelly pointed into the sky. "Widow Maker on-board Sentry."

"Wondered whether she had a name? Thought she might have been some kind of bionic cyborg." He walked to Taffy, pulled out the satellite phone and dialled home.

On the first ring Wendy said. "I've been listening Underling. I'm already running tests to determine the weight of the rock."

"You think this is doable?"

"Oh I promise you, it's doable. I'm seeking engineering advice to control how far it goes and shrattinal spread. Check with the man to make sure he doesn't mind if we leave a swimming hole where the rock was. Won't alter the creek bank height just move everything back a touch including the bottom. I'm talking about soil compression from the explosion. I take it you studied science at ringer school, Earthling"

"I'll check with my host but I can assure you it's always too cold for recreation activities in that water."

Clancy asked the man who frowned and nodded. Thought it would be good to have a deeper waterhole, for washing and bathing.

Wendy listened then said. "Put the petite and delicate pilot on the phone. We might as well make it look as though she's brokering this deal. We'll convince them there's at least one responsible pilot out there. Tell him we agree, Russian pilots are all a bunch of wankers."

Clancy chuckled and handed the phone to Kelly who answered some technical pilot sounding questions and a few personal things before hanging up.

"She'll phone back when everything is in place. Shouldn't take too long." Kelly picked up her glass, took another swig of beverage and gritted her teeth.

Clancy explained to the man and woman what was going to happen. They called the children out, ten of them, organised a gender-separated semi-circle, all sat with crossed legs ready to watch and had Clancy explain everything again.

Kelly produced her vest. The lady studied and considered, folded and put it aside. On a whim she turned to Clancy. "Where's my bra?" She shook her head at his surprised expression. "For one of them." Pointed at the girls.

The ladies eyes lit up with surprise, studied the man and boys, nodded a rather formal thank you to Kelly and quickly placed the garment in the vest. Allocation would obviously occur in feminine privacy.

Time seemed to drag. Two of the girls were sent to produce more beverages. Discussion commenced within groups. Kelly noted how the boys all pushed and shoved each other. Wasn't so different to growing up in Kentucky.

While they waited Kelly asked Clancy. "What is the tower for?"

He smiled, talked to the man and nodded to the woman. He picked up the phone and the scope with the camera attached and silently beckoned Kelly to follow him inside.

They climbed a tall flimsy ladder and finished up on a platform surrounded by mud brick battlements and a central wooden frame resembling a folding portable cross. He pointed along the escarpment where, in the distance another tower was visible on top of the cliff. He turned and pointed to the northeast to another distance tower. "It's a signal station. They run... ran from Europe through Persia all the way to Mongolia and lots of other places to the north and south of the main link. Been here for nine hundred years. Was still in operating when the Russians decided to isolate everyone by banning communication, with bombs." Clancy looked at her, a cheeky expression on his face. "And you were taught someone civilised invented the telephone network a few years ago."

"God. No wonder they don't like pilots." Kelly took the camera, photographed the two distant towers and the view. Spoke while aiming the scope. "So all Marco Polo did was follow the towers and use them to book forward accommodation in advance. Wasn't taught that in school."

She finished taking photos and looked at him, her eyes portraying her interest. "Thank you. This place is full of surprises. As are you."

He wasn't looking. He was staring at her breasts with eyes wide open. He looked over his shoulder and shook his head then pointed at her chest and moved his finger sideways to the battlement wall. Only then did she realise he was telling his colleagues to move the laser beam off her breast.

He nodded several times took the scope from her hand and looked out to the west along the trail they'd travelled earlier. He nodded again and raised a thumb above his head without looking. After a moment he shook his thumb as if saying thank you.

"Time to go down. We have company. This could get interesting."

He slid down the ladder like the boys, leaving her to find her own way rung by rung. When she made it outside he was lying on the ground behind his barrett rifle, using his fingers to communicate with Muscat and Chiko and trying to talk on the phone.

Kelly knelt beside him prepared to wait but he handed her the phone without speaking. When she put it to her ear she heard Wendy say. "Sorry Clancy. My fault. I lost sight of the ball. We'll pick him up ETA twenty minutes. Try and keep him alive until we..."

"Widow its Cowboy. Clancy is busy on another call. What do we need to do?"

"Okay Cowboy. Obviously the rock has slipped down the priority list. Clancy has everything under control. Make sure he heard my last. The Delta team has been scrambled ETA twenty minutes. And tell him I know that's a long time on the ground. Clancy has first call, but if he can subdue the situation and keep the recruiter alive until Delta arrives it would be appreciated. We always need good press. Make sure Clancy is aware the recruiter is probably armed. He has acquired a saddle horse and two pack horses plus another recruit, making seven bodies in total. I'm pretty sure Clancy will guess what is on the packhorses. The recruiter was welcomed into a house north of Janda last night and appears to have been equipped. We'll be targeting the house he stayed in as soon as things settle down at your location. Won't waste any more of his battery power. He knows how to contact me. Good hunting and good luck. Widow out."

Kelly bit her bottom lip and pressed the phone to standby mode.

Clancy glanced at her. "Get them all inside, to the rear of the house. Window shutters and doors all fully open, people sitting on the floor back against an internal wall. The man will stay on his seat to keep things looking normal." He stopped talking to read the red spot in front of him, nodded to himself then said. "Get them to bring the horse we gave them back out the front. Put it with our horses so it can clearly be seen."

Kelly rolled her eyes and thought then started using her hands to encourage the people into the house. The man took over and commenced to talk for her. She pointed at the horses then toward the livestock yard and moved her arms and fingers back toward them like calling something to come. The man looked puzzled then lit up. Called an older boy and issued instructions. The boy ran to the stables was back with the horse within a minute.

Clancy approached, began to talk. The man listened and nodded his face expressing disgust, shook his head in frustration then disappeared into the house. Kelly could hear him issuing instructions, moving everyone to the rear of the house following Clancy's advice.

By the time she turned her attention to Clancy he'd been to the horses, was carrying several magazines and boxes of ammunition in one hand and a long barrel forty-four-revolver in the other. The revolver sat very comfortably in his hand. Didn't look anything like a PR prop. _The guy is a bigger liar than my brother... perhaps not bigger but Clancy is definitely a better liar._

The revolver he placed on the ground by the seat where it wouldn't easily be seen. The barrett he placed on the ground to the left of the house also out of site yet in clear view. He gave the man two already loaded magazines for his new rifle and pointed to the right of the house. Obviously the plan was to pull fire away from the building, split the concentration of incoming fire and return fire from multiple locations _. Skills he no doubt acquired at PR school._

"I want you to hold the horses. Look obedient, subservient and attractively male. If they fire or I flick my fingers," He demonstrated, the same sound she'd heard last night. "Drop the reins and hop it into the house like a jack rabbit on heat. Right through to the back. Join the family, keep them calm, make ready to shout anyone who enters the house and stop any of them coming out to look."

Kelly nodded. "What about the horses? They might run away."

"That's the idea. No point in the horses being shot at. Ours are trained. They'll run off and come back. No matter what happens don't put yourself between the lone tree on the escarpment..." He pointed. "And any of the bad guys. That's where our primary concentrated of fire will come from."

Kelly looked. Seemed a long way.

He read her face. "Don't make that mistake. They know their job. They'll hit anything not standing behind you... us." He looked her over, hesitated then said. "This is all prep. I don't expect we'll need to fire a shot but if we do, don't get emotional or selective. Aim at the centre of the seen mass and shout it. Above all remember we don't shoot them they get themselves shot. Only way to sleep at night." He nodded and winked, looked gorgeous in the instant before turning to talk with the man.

She saw the laser on the ground and heard him say "Places. We're on."

She felt her rifle on her back, held the horses and looked. The man and Clancy were on the seat, chatting. They really were chatting, nodding and gesturing as before. _Amazing._

The moment the approaching group appeared on the ridgeline, several hundred yards away, the woman stepped through the door and served tea. Took her time, fussed over her men before offering a knowing smile toward Kelly and stepped back inside.

Clancy and the man sipped, talked, gesticulated. She realised, after some thought, chatting so enabled them to scan and watch whatever they wished without becoming the focus of suspicion. _Smooth._

She commenced to pay attention; where they looked she looked. When they smiled she smiled. Made the conversation interesting. She found time to pet the horse, ask Taffy what she thought.

Taffy didn't answer but she was clearly paying attention.

The group on the ridge sat watching for few minutes. Then commenced to move forward. Kelly observed what Wendy had pre-empted. One person in front rode a horse, followed by two walkers each leading a packhorse. To the side of the rider four people walked in a line one behind the other. All the walkers were small, probably children.

"They look like children. Who are they?" She spoke as casually as she could muster.

Clancy kept walking with the man but spoke in English. "They're boys. The guy on the horse calls himself, Usuff Akmar. He's an American citizen and terrorist named George Clement Saunders. Uses the boys as suicide bombers. He's bad news. If he lives another fifteen minutes he'll spend his retirement in the states, harmless." Clancy made eye contact, his face quite neutral. "We had a run in with him yesterday. Not sure what he'll do when he realises who I am. Shouldn't have to wait long the horse you're holding was his. We relieved him of it. Don't think he's heroic enough to attempt to recover his property. We'll see. Besides he has another horse already." Clancy spoke to the man a moment before continuing. "We'll know when he makes us. My money is on him hiding behind the boys. He's that kind of guy. Be interesting to see whether he tries to run away or sneak past."

Saunders and his followers continued to move slowly forward. At forty yards Saunders displayed alarm and stopped. He quickly dismounted and hid behind the horse. The boys also stopped but not as one. Clearly stopping wasn't part of the original plan. Saunders organised all six boys to stand shoulder to shoulder in front of him and the horses. For several minutes not much could be seen behind the boys other than the horses. Saunders must have been crouching in behind them all. Clancy and the man kept talking as if there was no one there.

"Okay stay calm. Be ready to move. That pig has taken a boy in behind the others, probably putting him in a suicide vest. We'll find out soon enough. Less then ten minutes till Saunders's ride out of here arrives." Clancy sounded matter-of-fact and immediately commenced to speak with the man who was now nodding without speaking. _They were ready to act._

The group began to move forward, still in a huddle with five boys across the front and three horses behind them. Neither Saunders nor the last boy could be seen. Obviously both were keen to stay out of sight.

At forty feet they stopped. The line of boys separated leaving a gap through the middle. Between the horses a young boy stood in full view his demeanour a picture of frozen fear.

"Okay. We're on." Clancy spoke softly though his voice was firmly in control. "For what it's worth it's a small bomb. Saunders thinks he's safe at that distance. We won't get hurt while the boy stays closer to him."

Clancy scooped up the revolver, stood and moved forward at a fast walk. As he passed Kelly he said, "If the man moves. Hop it inside."

He held the revolver in his left hand by his side pointing at the ground. His right arm he lifted high and straight, hand extended, index finger pointing at Saunders, thumb up, cocked like a child with an improvised gun. His voice boomed loud sounding like a crazy evangelist in a shopping centre car park. He spoke in English.

"American. You must atone. It is written that God will punish the unrighteous and misguided sinner. I call upon the prophet to guide the way and strike you down as he has already done to those who shared your company yesterday." As Clancy spoke his pointing right hand commenced to shake as if driven by uncontrolled rage.

Saunders came into view between the horses, looked ruffled. He shoved the boy forward toward the gap. The boy stumbled found his feet and hesitated, his eyes fixed on Clancy. He had bulk under his old coat. Saunders pushed him again.

Clancy again commenced to rave. "On your knees American. You must atone. Accept God's wroth with dignified honour. On your knees."

Clancy changed languages, was clearly now speaking for the benefit of the boys. The tone of his words sounding similar to the English he'd just spoken.

He repeated himself louder, shaking, waving his right hand aggressively at each boy in turn. His index finger still pointing with his thumb cocked skyward.

The boy in the vest sank to his knees. He was now inline with the other five boys, who were glancing at each other with fear and uncertainty displaying on every face. Four boys lowered onto their knees the last one didn't. He stepped back disappearing behind the horses.

Saunders spoke with urgency in his tone, obviously demanding the boy in the suicide vest get up and move toward the house. When nothing happened he drew his revolver and spoke threateningly loud. The boy in the vest hunched forward, eyes squeezed, his young face hauntingly preparing to be shot from behind.

With the situation seemingly unresolvable and noise of the approaching helicopter resonating from somewhere close. Clancy silently rotated his right hand until his thumb clearly pointed down. At the same time Saunders fell backwards, vanished from view and commenced to scream uncontrollably.

Again Clancy spoke in the foreign tongue but this time his voice was calm and reassuring. The boy in the vest stood, walked away from the others and the house until told to stop where upon he sat. He was some fifty feet from everyone and didn't move, seemed calmer. The other boys stayed where they were, still on their knees and still exhibiting fear though also displaying hope. It was as if the screaming behind them was their salvation.

Then over the screams came another sound. The boy who had moved back was pointing a gun, seemed to demand attention. The other boy's faces could be seen to drain; rekindle the fear and uncertainty of the dispossessed.

Clancy's voice boomed through the confusion. The gun in his left hand now raised and pointing at the boy, finger on the trigger. For an uncomfortable instant the clock froze. The boy defiantly waved his gun, demanding.

Clancy's punishing voice countering. The helicopter making still more noise, hovering, guns manned and aimed. Clancy's right hand, rose without looking toward the helicopter gesturing to wait.

Clancy's voice intensified, seemed to be counting. Finally the boy wavered, yet as he slowly lowered the gun he suddenly raised and turned the gun toward Clancy. Yet before it stopped moving the gun flew backwards and the boy grabbed at an already red hand where the gun had been.

Clancy sprinted forward, gun still pointed. His right hand held high, now showing a raised thumb to the helicopter. Again without looking he pointed at the boy sitting alone and waved the helicopter away from that location. He grabbed the boy who was obviously in pain still holding his hand. Clancy dragged him forcefully forward of the other boys, pushed him to the ground face down and jammed a foot in his back. He quickly positioned and securing the boy's wrists then ankles with the cable ties that came out of a pocket.

There's always one hothead in every group.

Clancy calmly spoke to the kneeling boys who all nodded, their faces clearly lightened. He replied with a nod and moved toward Saunders, checked his pockets, lifted a small black box with an antenna over his head and raised a thumb for the helicopter crew to see.

Immediately ropes dropped from the chopper and combat ready soldiers abseiled down and fanned out defensively. The second drop of men moved forward to Clancy's position, assessed the situation and took control of Saunders. A third drop from the chopper included medics who rushed forward while the chopper pulled away to stand off until the prisoner was made ready to depart.

The phone rang.

Kelly picked it up, didn't speak. Wendy did. "Wow. You okay?"

"Sure. It's quite an education being down here." She stopped talking to take another photo. "May I make a request?"

"What would that be?"

"Two requests. Can I stay down here a little longer? And..." She took a breath. "As well as the boulder problem in the creek could you arrange a drop of food and clothing here? Practical stuff, sacks of flour, sugar, dried fruit, tea, coffee; international food aid sacks would be perfect. For clothing; a range of practical heavy wearing children, teenager, through to adult in both boy and girl. Make a point of including a range of women's underwear. Doesn't even need to be new. A few lengths of soft material would be helpful. And fuel. A pallet or two of those bio fuel briquettes would be perfect. Would you have it all dropped by parachute?"

"What? You don't want much do you?"

"I want to repay their hospitality. I'm only asking for supplies these people can put to good use. I've given them my parachute, which they are eager to cut and sew into underwear. They have no idea what a parachute is or how it works. I thought a demonstration might entertain them." She shrugged. "Its good PR; a few hundred dollars worth. What harm can it do? I'll arrange the underwear with the girls back at Bagram if we can't do better in a Walmart somewhere."

"Okay leave it with me. Delaying your ride out is easy. You need to wait anyway. There's only one vacancy on the chopper. Saunders has first call. I wanted to talk to Clancy about the children. I've no idea what we can do with them. I'm hoping it's safe to just send them home. Can you put him on the phone."

"I'll try. He might not be very receptive. They're preparing to disarm a bomb strapped around one of the boys."

"Okay. Try to get his attention. Don't you go anywhere near the boy until it's safe."

"Wait." Kelly had a thought, "While I'm walking. Do we how far those guys are shouting from?"

"Yes I do. Was rather curious about that myself."

"Are we going to share what we know?"

"No I'm not."

"Wait." Kelly spoke away from the phone without covering it. "Clancy. The supreme commander would like a word."

Clancy spared her a glance. "Can't it wait?"

"She thinks not. It's about these boys and me."

Clancy took the phone. "Speak to me."

"Clancy. Widow here. We can only take Saunders on the helicopter so your pilot will need to stay with you a little longer. And is it practical to release those boys and have them find their own way home. I know they're clearly our responsibility but I don't know what to do with them."

"The pilot matter is fine, if she agrees. The boys will be fine, most of them anyway. Please don't ask what that means. You can't hear the full details. None of them can go home, not for a few years. That's how things are done here. They can stay here at this location. We may need to provide food and perhaps clothing. A few farm implements would help them be more productive. Gardening tools, everything is done manually, shovels, forks, hoes, rakes, etc. Bags of seed stock would be good and hay, quite a lot of hay. They just scored four horses to feed."

"Are you informing me those boys will be staying at your current location and you'd like us to supplement the people to help with the cost of caring for them?"

"That's correct. Most of the boys are happy to work the farm. The farmer and his wife will take responsibility for them. In fact most of the children here have come to them like this. It would help them believe in us if we stock the storeroom to kick things off."

"Okay your request is doable. I'll make the arrangements. Could they use extra fuel for the fire to help get through the winter? We could drop a few pallets of bio fuel briquettes and fire starters."

"Yes! That's the best idea I've heard in years. I'm impressed. When should their supplies arrive?

"Tomorrow, mid afternoon. I'll have a transport drop everything by parachute. I presume they can use the parachutes for something. Okay we're all done. I owe you for this. I'll be in touch the moment the helicopter clears the area to shift the rock. Regarding the pilot we'll leave her with you. When you're somewhere open without too many witnesses phone me and I'll have her picked up. Widow out."

Clancy looked at the phone then Kelly. "She doesn't waste words saying good bye. Does she?"

"She a busy person, as are you. Can I help with anything? Perhaps I should help the medics with Saunders. You do remember what I do for a living don't you."

"Saunders is medically stable. The medics are almost ready to move him to the chopper. There's very little blood loss though both his shoulder joints are completely destroyed. He won't be picking his nose any time soon." He shrugged. "Couldn't happen to a nicer person. Did you suggest supplying these people with fuel for the fire or is your friend super smart."

"I did suggest fuel. Saw what they're burning inside. But Wendy is supper smart anyway."

He smiled, rolled his head approvingly "That was smart... real smart. Will make a mile of difference to everyone here." He nodded. "Okay, better tackle releasing this boy from his explosive jacket. Might make sense for you to go back to the house and bond with Taffy for a few minutes; no point in us both sitting in the hot seat."

Kelly watched him work on the boy. Everything needed to be done methodically. Suicide vests are always made with the detonators on the inside and actuators where taking the vest off is likely to cause a trigger. Ten minutes saw the vest rendered stable and the boy free.

A further five minutes and all watched the chopper quickly load and fly away. Only then did the boys' faces begin to resemble happy children. At the house, introductions of the five new boys were quickly completed. First task was to help stable their four newly acquired horses, which involved stacking the explosives being carried on the new horses by the rock at the creek.

When Wendy phoned with progress on the boulder moving demonstration Clancy conveyed intelligence, provided by the boys about the house they'd stayed at the night before. The place where Saunders was equipped with horses and bombing material plus the sixth boy who was in-fact being mentored in the management of a group of suicide bombers.

The information Wendy accepted freely. It would help justify targeting the place and make the destruction process more clinical in terms of targeting specific building structures.

The family was again assembled in front of the house, now with fifteen children and this time all actually witnessed the precision weapon fly through the air and hit the target. Took a few seconds before the smoke and dust cleared to reveal the creek flowing freely with the large boulder deposited in two dome-like halves on unproductive ground some fifty feet from the creek bank.

The man praised Kelly with three nods, looked at his wife nodded twice and refocused on Kelly to nod again.

When it was approaching time for Clancy and Kelly to leave the man insisted on touring the cave at the base of the track up the escarpment. He proudly displayed a list of initials carved into the soft sandstone wall, and called out each mark by name. They were distinguished visitors to use the pass over the ages. Clancy interpreted as the man spoke. A broken bronze sword wrapped in an oilskin rag was collected from a secret location. With three nods and a reverent expression Kelly was invited to place her mark under the others.

She looked at Clancy feeling stunned, not knowing what to do. He shrugged. "Carve your mark. It's a great honour. You're the second traveller to be invited to mark the wall in four hundred years." He smiled. "While you're about it I'll take a photo for your mother. She may be interested to know that sword fragment was given to his ancestor by Alexandra the Great more than two thousand years ago. He's the first name." He nodded approval. "You're holding the same piece of metal which all of those men held to mark the wall. And you're the first woman invited to do so." Clancy smiled. "You moved the boulder. You'll be remembered by his family forever."

Kelly stood mouth open. "Are you telling me Marko Polo and all these other men held this very piece of metal in their own hand."

Clancy nodded.

"What will I sign?"

"Something to recognise you by."

Kelly carved EL-207 into the wall, below the KSMCC. She'd already been told who that mark represented. She knew three of them by name and one personally, _Kaiser, Squizzy, Muscat, Chiko and Clancy._

She had Clancy tell the man she'll visit again soon. And explained where her mark is displayed on the tail of the plane.

With her mind full of happiness Kelly watched the boys set off up the path behind the horses and commenced to climb the ladder. Clancy following so he could watch and provide encouragement as needed.

From the top of the cliff Kelly looked over the valley once more, took some more photos and filled her eyes with both happy and sad tears at the prospect of never seeing this magical valley from the ground again.

*****

"Is my survival kit easy to access."

"Yep, on the packhorse." He offered while pointing towards the horse.

"I've been trying to wait until we stop again. The survival kit will go everywhere when I open it. They pack so much in them. I don't think I can travel much further without using it."

"What do you need? If... If I'm allowed to ask."

"I need some kind of elastic-plaster or tape."

Would masking tape do? I have a roll of fifty millimetre... sorry... two inch tape I can grab from here."

"That will do the job fine, if you don't mind. I have a lady problem to deal with. This boy disguise is not fooling my body. It's been getting worse all morning and accelerated somewhat on the climb."

"Oh! Here," Spoken while holding out a roll of tape that somehow materialised from an encounter with the packhorse. "Do I need to dismount and dig?"

"No you silly, caring man. I'll be fine up here." Kelly replied before using her now well rehearsed and jointly understood twirling finger motion, always finishing with a turn away flick.

He immediately stopped, turned both horses and stared out into the distance at right angles to the travel direction. He waited for what seemed too long but said nothing and didn't glance around.

"Sorry Clancy. I need help. I'm tangled up and obviously I don't have enough hands. Would you take the tape please and tear me off a couple of square patches. Then help me cover myself. I'm sorry... gee! How embarrassing." She looked away and glanced back. Her face flushed, a picture of invitingly handsome modesty. "I've been rubbing on this shirt material all day. To say I'm becoming tender is quite an understatement," offering Clancy a charming smirk through her look of embarrassment. "I need medical help adjusting to the physical demands of boyhood."

Clancy turned his horses back toward her. Moving in close he took the tape in hand, trying to ignore the front of her shirt fully unbuttoned. He pulled out a length of tape and moved his fingers along seeking measurement advice. A nod was provided signalling him to tear.

With tape stretched between the fingers of both hands he reached toward her chest, ignoring the sight of two firm succulent breasts. She had her arms open holding her clothing, encouraging him to approach.

He stopped, freezing his position and saying, "Are you sure you want to do this? It'll have to be painful to remove. Perhaps you should put your underwear on." He turned his focus lower toward Taffy offering, "Sorry, not here any more is it. What about a field dressing around your chest?"

"Just get it over with, please." She let go the shirt and pushed both nipples flat with her index finger and rolled her eyes saying. "Sorry" And shook her head while fully opening her shirt again. "Make sure you cover the whole areola. We have to do this. When I get back they can scrap it off in the hospital with a scalpel for all I care right now."

She could see by the complex expression on his face he was guessing what an areola was. His placement was correct. He gently followed through, lightly stroked the tape out from the centre to ensure it adhered fully over the surrounding curves without any sticky dog ears to lift the tape again. He repeated the process on the other side.

She thought it prudent to keep private the problem wasn't totally caused by excessive movement on her modest and rather muscular feminine stature. Her hormones refusing to behave in his presence producing a small, firm, protruding contact area was equally to blame.

Soft and supple didn't seem possible ever again after Clancy's last offering. However she knew now the tape was restricting her womanly desires from exhibiting external signals and would stop the chaffing.

Somewhere in the circuitry of her mind Clancy's work-toughened hands were still sliding gently across her breasts. Thankfully Taffy was holding her weight. She knew knees could never have taken the strain of his prolonged touch. Her whole body continued to wildly pulsate from the fire of her own passionate imagination.

He put the tape away and avoided looking until he was sure her clothes were fully secured. Only then did he offer a harmless evil grin adding, "You're quite correct. We need to work on the boy disguise. It's not fooling me, been receiving lady signals all day."

He received another fisted touch to his arm and a large, although somewhat embarrassed, thanking smile.

"Thank you Clancy. I didn't expect to bump into a genuine gentleman out here in this awful yet fascinating country. Gentlemen are becoming rather rare where I'm from." She rubbed her fingers through Taffy's mane, "Or his beautiful filly."

The afternoon sun was warm and pleasant. Both had removed their coat and placed them across the saddle.

Since the cliff climb they had followed the trail along yet another valley and negotiated another narrow steep, sometimes treacherous mountain pass without incident. They were now tracking out onto a large flat plain, which was featureless save for a ring of mountain on the horizon. The ground was totally devoid of vegetation for as far as the eye could see. The surface comprising of millions of varying sized white and brown stones almost completely covering a loose dusty reddish soil.

With the exception of their stop at the farmhouse Kelly and Clancy had continued riding all day, eating on the move. Chatting away like old friends, stopping only once to rest and water the horses by a creek below a small waterfall.

"We don't have much further to go today. Several trails lead onto this plain. So we can relax. We have choices if we need to avoid anyone. There's a good campsite a few clicks ahead. It's sheltered from the weather yet open enough to offer security. There's a great stream to water and wash-up at. We should maintain our heading towards the saddle in the mountain straight ahead of us. This plain isn't as large as it appears. It's a plateau, drops away in every direction while creating the allusion of going on forever."

Clancy seemed full of chatter for some reason. He stopped for a moment as he scanned the horizon yet again and continued, "We'll be linking up with Chiko and Musket shortly. You can see for yourself no one can jump us out here." He stopped again and after a few long slow breaths continued. "It's probably time we arrange your chopper ride out of here. I imagine you're keen to be where ever you were heading last night."

"Where are they? I can't leave without meeting Chiko and Musket. How can they be close, it's so featureless on this plain? I've been wondering all day if they really exist." She rolled her eyes, "Could have been anyone climbing the cliff."

"You'd better stick to flying Daq. We overtook them back apiece. They're behind us, watching the top of the last pass we came up to checkout out who's following us. You may hear shooting rather soon."

"More people following us. Shouldn't we help them?"

"No! We want to keep you separate from any more activity." He made a quaint cackling sound. "You've used up your quota. Besides we need to know what the people following us do when they discover where you and I are heading." He grinned, there was confidence in his appearance, "Chiko and Musket won't need help. Chiko's incredible. He can drop a rabbit at six hundred metres with one of these rifles. He never misses." He rolled his eyes, "We debated calling him Dead-Eye-Dick but we all agreed it was too hard to say in a hurry. Muscat is like me, about five hundred metres for a reliable shot on a man-sized target is our limit. There would need to be fifty people back there to have a chance against the two of them. You don't find many people out here willing to take on crazy odds."

"I don't want to sound juvenile but may we wait until tomorrow to arrange my pick-up? Today has been wonderful for me. I'm filthy from head to toe. There's even dust on my teeth. I'd love to clean them. Every muscle and joint I own is aching and I have a number of sizable bruises, most from my entrance last night." She paused to glance at him, her head tilted. It wasn't just a matter-a-fact glance. There was longing... an emotion, something more on display. "I'm loving every minute of today. I promise not to be difficult getting dressed tomorrow. Just another night out here with you guys under the stars. Please? I'll go back to Bagram tomorrow. I promise. One more day out here with you and Taffy won't change the war any. Please?"

"Okay, I'm sure you outrank me. We may need to inform your friend up there about this." He quickly pointed to the sky, "You'd best invent an excuse to convince her. She'll ask." His eyes scanned her body and jumped quickly back to her face producing a smile, the meaning of which was quite flattering. "How long before your tour is over?"

"Twenty two more days, twenty one if I stay here with you until tomorrow."

"And how long have you been here?"

"I'm doing seventy days. So this is day number forty-eight. It's my third tour in four years. How about you?"

"We've been here thirteen months. We've got three more to go. It's my first foray in Afghanistan I'm hoping to never see the place again. Not like this anyway."

"What happens to Taffy when you pull out?"

"She stays here. The Army won't take her home. My replacement will take care of her and when we're all finished they'll probably give her to some local." He dropped his smile a moment and spoke softer, "I hope they don't make her pull a plough or mistreat her."

Kelly gave him another fisted touch to his arm without any expression, saying, "I hate everything about being at Bagram. I keep coming back for the flying. It's so liberating to fly over here. I love to fly."

Lowering her gaze a moment, before returning to stare into his beautiful eyes with moisture gathering in her own. "In less than four weeks I'll hop in my car, at precisely eight fifteen and drive out the front gate, along highway sixty-eight then thirty-six. I'll sit all day in my consulting room at the medical centre in Carlisle. I'll take temperatures, check blood pressures and write prescription to match people with coloured pills. Having been over here will be like some horror movie I skimmed over and can't remember the detail." She choked for a moment and found a gloved hand to wipe along the line of her eyes. "Except today with you and Taffy. That'll be real. I'll remember every detail. Today I've made memories. You've shown me something real. I've seen the sights. I've finally been touched by Afghanistan. I've smelt the air and... I think I'm going to sit in my surgery using every spare moment I have wondering what you'd look like if I shaved all that hair off your face."

Clancy glanced over toward her then looked away. He took his time, raised a hand and played in his beard. Before glancing back catching her eyes and saying, "I'll tell you something that makes me homesick," He showed his dimples before continuing, "Even more than your story just now. This plain we're crossing is absolutely identical to an area on our property." Clancy stopped, looked further into Kelly's eyes as if unsure whether to share what he had to say, "It's down on the southern boundary and pretty-well unusable. We have to drive across it to go into Boulia. Everyone calls it the Pituri Plain. It's the same size as here. The rocks, the stones, the soil and even the horizon's backdrop hills look identical. I feel like riding over there," He casually pointed. "Seven clicks to see our homestead, with the Georgina River out the front." He turned his gaze away from her looked across his right shoulder long enough to have Kelly glance as well.

He returned to Kelly's eyes with a hand pointing across in front of her, "I want to ride over that way three clicks to check the nine mile bore is pumping correctly. The depression where we'll camp tonight is the same too. Pituri Creek doesn't have as much water flowing in it but there's a gorgeous water hole in the same location. I've visited it many times and camped the night before riding home next morning." His eyes lost their sparkle as if he wasn't using them, "I'm sure this plain was put here as some cruel trick to play games in my head. It upsets me every time I come through here. Everything feels so right, so close, yet I know it's all an allusion. The real deal is another three months, and two days of flying away. It might as well be forever."

He was given another fisted touch to the arm distracting two glassy eyes to focus on her, "Come on Clancy don't spoil my day pass. I've only got twenty-four hours. You've been my rock. Without you I'd be back there crying or worse. I cried enough for the both of us last night. And found out I'm not very brave." She reluctantly dragged her hand back, away from the tantalising contact with his arm. Made a clenched fist and kissed her knuckles and was about to place it on his arm. But decided to break the solemn spell.

She lifted her head looking around and found a happy voice to throw at him, "So this is what the back of beyond looks like. It's different to Kentucky. Not much bluegrass out here. The thoroughbreds at home wouldn't like it at all. They're not as tough as Taffy. Are they Taffy?" Spoken while offering another rub along Taffy's mane, "If you ever make it to Kentucky be sure to drop into the surgery, show your face. If you prefer just turn up and I'll shave you myself. And... and I'll pick a bucket of bluegrass for you, Taffy, if you come with him. I know you'd like Kentucky, Taffy."

The nostalgia of what Kelly said caused her to tear up. Clancy offered a quick eye-to-eye glance, which she caught, captured and held. After a brief moment of eye talk he offered, "Will there be anyone standing there waiting for Daq when she steps off the plane in twenty two days time?"

"Only my mother and father, perhaps my older brother and his family, if my mother tells him I've been in a plane crash. I haven't been very successful finding boy friends or a husband. What about you? Who's waiting for you out there in the back of beyond?"

"Just my mother. My younger sister and brother will both be at boarding school. I'm betting mum will drive to Brisbane so we can call in and see them at Toowoomba on the way home. She misses them more then she'll say. I haven't found anyone who wants to live out there. All the girls I've met need electricity for their hair dryer and insist on air-conditioning."

"Don't you have electricity in Australia?"

"Not out there. We have batteries for the freezers and fridges. We turn the generator on for anything fancy like using the washing machine or a vacuum cleaner. We use a fuel stove for cooking and hot water."

"No wonder you call it the back of beyond."

"It's okay out there without electricity. The stars shine brighter at night. I don't meet many people who've heard the sound of pure silence. Besides you want to spend another day out here on this fake Pituri Plain. I suspect you'd fall head over heels in love with the real thing."

Clancy gestured his voice forward to Taffy before saying, "Just my luck finding a girl who loves Taffy and wants to stay out here. And tomorrow she has to fly off in some helicopter to god knows where."

He stopped scanning the horizon giving her another glance, caused the visual contact to lock. "Taffy loves to fly." He grinned at her puzzled face. "They've all been trained to travel by Chinook. Most need coaching on-board but Taffy walks in under the rotors and trots up the ramp. She doesn't care one bit about the wind, dust or noise. She even tries to stand near the gunner's window. She'll stick her head out to look around if they let her."

"Do you do that, Taffy? Do you love to fly? I'll take you flying if you want to come, you can have the window seat. There's a great view from my plane Taffy. It has a large window." She ran a finger through Taffy's mane, before passing a fist across to touch Clancy's arm. "This plain is large. How many acres is your property? Our ranch in Kentucky is nine hundred. I guess you guys have a larger spread than us."

"Four thousand eight hundred square miles. It's a small place for out our way. Bank managers seem to think everyone needs ten thousand square miles to be profitable these days. --- Woo! Look behind you Daq. We have company."

All the horses stopped with Kelly turning to see two riders cantering towards them from the rear. They waited a few minutes in silence before Clancy spoke with his arm pointing twice in true military fashion, "Daq meet Chiko and Musket. --- How'd you get on?"

Both men tipped their pakol, saying, "Hi Daq," in unison like old friends. They were as scruffy as Clancy. Chiko had fair reddish hair, blue eyes and a light complexion with freckles on what little of his face was visible. Musket was quite dark with black self-oiling hair. His beard looked quite groomed and had rather quaint waves through it. He had the darkest eyes she'd had ever seen. They sparkled like Kentucky coal. Both displayed a generous offering of teeth in the greeting. Cheeky little boys in fancy dress came to mind. Yet the same aura of toughness Clancy carried, oozed from their demeanour. Probably would take fifty men to catch them wanting.

Chiko spoke, "They're no problem Boss. They cut straight across towards the Ali Kheyl trail. None of them looked crazy enough to be fighters. Six young guys sharing four recycled horses, poorly equipped, probably out stealing to supplement village poverty. I don't think they even knew we were ahead of them.

Chiko stopped talking while he stood in the stirrups stretching, "My guess is we got the lot last night. I'd say those guys happened upon the area on foot, cleaning up the gear they found, including catching the horses. Looks like it's the tent and a fire tonight, perhaps even time for a little bible reading."

Clancy replied, "May be. We need to check out who's up around Bejah's campsite first. Want to take a look-see? Make yourself useful and put a brew on if it's quiet."

"Sure Boss. Nice meeting you Daq, we'll see ya' round... like a rissole." Chiko said while waving his hand with his index finger and thumb joined to make a circle.

She was confident there was some vulgar meaning hidden in the gesture.

Musket took the packhorse from Clancy and he and Chiko broke into a canter moving ahead to quickly display distance. She privately marvelled at how well they exhibited horsemanship. Noted how they, like Clancy, seemed to have little interest in holding the reins.

Alone again Kelly asked, "Who's BJ?"

"Who?"

"BJ? You said BJ's camp site."

"No I didn't. I said Bejah's camp site."

"Well who's Bejah than?"

"Bejah was an old man I knew as a boy. He lived alone on our property at the water hole on Pituri creek. The place where I said I've camped many times. My father would regularly send me to see Bejah. I was always given something to deliver, but I'm sure Dad was just sending me to check if Bejah needed anything. I always looked forward to my visits. Bejah was an Afghan, the last of the cameleers. Australia's outback was opened up by Afghan's shipping supplies by camel trains. I guess he must have been in his nineties when I knew him." Clancy looked across at her smiling openly, "He told me about this plain when I asked him why he stayed out by Pituri creek. I thought it was just a story to entertain me until I came through here and saw this place for myself."

"Does Bejah still live there."

"No... and yes. He died. He's buried there. It's what he wanted. He would walk to our place if he needed anything. Sometimes, on special occasions, Mother would send me over to invite him to lunch. I'd take a spare horse and we'd ride back together. We'd go home the next day. Bejah would tell me about people and places. He explained a lot about Afghanistan and the customs here. Comes in very handy these days. He was a genuinely rich old man... wise with rare insight." He stopped talking to laugh to himself before continuing, "The only time I've ever heard my parents argue was over Bejah." He laughed further before saying "Dad loaded a hundred and twenty head of cattle in the truck and drove off to the sales in Mount Isa, took Bejah with him. When they returned he'd spent all the money from the sale of our cattle to buy four camels for Bejah. A large bull named Goliath and three cows." Clancy again laughed openly shaking his head and glanced at Kelly before continuing, "Mum went ballistic but Dad wasn't repentant. He thought making Bejah happy was worth the expense. Dad said Bejah having camels would repay us ten times over some day." Clancy smiled across at her. He looked happy reliving his childhood, "Dad believed kindness was its own reward. Eventually Mum came round. When she saw Bejah and his camels. He took them everywhere, Boulia, Mount Isa even across the Simpson Desert to Dalhousie and Mount Sarah. He would go off and pick up our supplies. Bejah really knew his way around camels." He looked at her offering the best of his glorious eyes and said, "Bejah always called me Daq."

She smiled and after a short interlude studying his face asked, "What happened to the camels?"

"They're still there. Last count they numbered about sixty. They live on the Pituri Plain. Near the end, when Bejah was quite ill he asked me to remove their nose peg and bosal and turn them loose. He told me camels didn't need anyone. Said they'd survive fine running wild and free. They have. The last time I was out by Pituri Creek, Goliath was sitting next to Bejah's grave watching his herd graze nearby. They're all in excellent shape."

"His camels still watch over his grave. That's wonderful. How fitting for a cameleer."

"Bejah told me the true height of a man is measured by the loyalty his animals display when the gate is open and the water trough low."

"You're an amazing man. I'd like to have met Bejah. I'd like to have met your father too." She spoke through a contented smile with the hint of a tear developing in her eye. She touched his arm with her fist and held it there for a moment studying the depth of captivation in his eyes. Neither spoke.

Together they halted as the ground fell away in front of them revealing the campsite. Chiko and Musket were busy pitching a small lean-to tent some distance from a glowing campfire.

Clancy glanced across at Kelly with a beautiful expression that sent her pulse racing and causing her to check her breathing. For a moment he just starred at her eyes. But then he reached into his shirt retrieving a rather ornate golden locket with delicate 'embroidery' embossed into its worn smooth surface. It hung around his neck on a leather strap.

Taking the locket over his head he opened it and handed it to Kelly saying, "Look," while pointing towards the crumbled ruins of a modest stone dwelling set beside a small grove of olive trees interspersed with date palms and cycads, which were also positioned to overlook the camp site.

Kelly stared at a small old style photo of a lady in a long dress standing before the same trees with the intact building visible. She studied the image for some time, which included several breaks surveying the olive grove and ruins before asking, "Who is she?"

"I don't know. This was Bejah's locket. He left it to my mother. We always thought the photo was taken at Pituri Creek. There's an identical olive grove there with date palms and cycad's in the same location, but no sign of a building." He smiled again while recalling the past. "The ladies identity has teased mum for years. Everyone out our way knows who everybody else is... or was, or someone will know the family. Bejah had shown us the locket and referred to the lady as Kimeri. Mum has been on a quest for many years to find a relative of Kimeri." He stopped and smiled, "Kimeri is a Khumar word; it means woman."

Kelly stared further still changing her focus between the olive grove and the locket again before saying, "This is really beautiful but what does it mean?"

"I don't know. I assume this is where Bejah lived before travelling to Australia and the lady may be his mother, or someone he left behind. Or perhaps it's just the location that was special to him. We'll never know now."

He glanced about then back at Kelly, there was a distant sparkle in his expression. "Now I understand why Bejah lived out by Pituri Creek. And I know exactly how home sick he must have felt whenever he wandered onto the Pituri plain."

Kelly closed the locket and handed it back saying, "How come you have the locket? Didn't your mother want it?"

Clancy tilted his head eyeing her from under his eyebrows with his bottom lip caught in his teeth. He shook his head a little and closing his eyes to say, "Mum loves it. When it came time for us to board the plane for Afghanistan she was trying not to cry. She slipped the locket over my head saying, _Dave I want you to look after this for me. Make sure you return it without a scratch._ "

Kelly almost choked but pulled herself up by glancing around the skyline. As soon as she contained herself she glanced back and fisted his arm saying, "See that you do." And immediately leaned forward hugging Taffy around the neck saying, "Come on Taffy. This sentimental man will stay here all night if we let him. We have saddles to remove and chaff to eat, don't we?"

Within minutes all were dismounted. The horses unpacked, watered and undergoing pampering with a solid rub down.

##  Chapter 05

Kelly was fascinated with the efficiency of the guys. Everything happened without the need to debate or plan. They knew their job. They trusted and relied on each other. And yet Chiko and Muscat maintain a constant stream of seemingly meaningless banter that could easily lead a stranger to believe they were sworn enemies. To Kelly it was obvious they were closer than the best of friends. She wondered how they didn't drive quietly spoken Clancy crazy.

The cooking was different. Heating was accomplished by plunging a preheated poker into the food and stirring to transfer heat. The tea went down well, although it was like treacle and everyone drank the same consistency. They took turns to sip from a large kidney shaped mug that was passed back and forward. Ration pack food was taken straight from individual tins and eaten with the reverse end of the can opener. For afters they ate cooking chocolate, _dog_ biscuits, dried fruit and argued long and loud about the injustice of jam over several refills of tea.

Chiko appeared to be manipulating the rations packs so Muscat always ended up with marmalade jam. There may have been something to his complaint because everyone else got strawberry jam and this situation had apparently occurred for the last ten meals. According to Muscat strawberry jam on a weet-bix was the only meaningful luxury available to the modern soldier. If you can believe his argument it was even documented in the latest addition in Jane's fighting soldier. No one would swap. Clancy couldn't. He always fed his to Taffy and the horse didn't like marmalade. Kelly would have swapped but Chiko insisted swapping jam would upset the giant wombat that ruled over Afghanistan and would bring down bad karma on everyone for a thousand years. Taffy got hers. It was rewarding see how much the horse enjoyed her additional treat.

Most of the talk was initiated from Chiko who seemed to enjoy entertaining. Bible reading was story telling and poetry reciting. There was no book. Every word came from memory, all seemed to join in and enjoy. He kept asking Muscat to sing _the_ _frog song_ for Daq. Eventually Muscat relented and after a few security arrangements, which included unpacking and setting up a barrett rifle plus posting Taffy above the camp to keep lookout, he burst into song with the most gorgeous and powerful baritone voice she'd ever heard. _The frog song_ was Edith Piaf's _non je ne regrette rien._ Muscat sang in French. Clearly he had a command of the language and professional training as a singer, leaving Kelly to wonder how, or why, he became a soldier. She even started thinking she'd heard him sing before. But than it had been a long day with a lot of firsts.

During a quiet moment Kelly asked Chiko about their names. Anyone with half a brain could tell they were using nicknames to hide their identity. She was hoping to uncover more information about Clancy. He had already made his way into the place she reserved for private feeling. It was quite scary feeling this way. She'd opened the discussion by explaining her call sign was Cowboy though originally she was call sign Po, after the little telletubby. When she re-joined, as a reservist she was allocated Cowboy. It was a sexist tag, pronounced _Cow Boy_ and she hated it but eventually she earned her mettle in the sky and the Cowboy tag commenced to generate respect.

The guys were impressed but deep down she knew they were pretending to be surprised. She'd already worked out they knew who she was. Wendy probably told them.

Chiko confided how it was a long held dream to fly at supersonic speed once in his life. He explained how his mother always chastised him when he was young for approaching everything at a thousand miles an hour by saying, _Slowdown you're not a jet pilot. They're the only ones allowed to go so fast._ He added with a grin, Mum would be impressed if she knew I'd actually done it. Musket was just impressed at how crazy she was, while Clancy didn't show any emotion other than to quietly stare while giving nothing away. It felt as though her soul was on display.

She had to remind them about their nicknames. Chiko constantly dreamed of some snack from Australia called a chiko-roll. Before leaving Australia they had all visited a winery. Musket took a liking to musket liquor. Finished up unconscious in a wheelbarrow and quite ill from the encounter. Clancy wouldn't offer an explanation but Chiko did. Clancy was Clancy because no better horseman ever held the reins. He proceeded to reduce her to tears by reciting poems titled _Clancy of the Overflow and The man from Snowy River._ The poems were old and long. Obviously not written about _her_ Clancy but she felt they might well have been.

What Chiko said was interesting but she still had no hint as to what Clancy's real name might be. Clancy seemed embarrassed by all the attention and went for a walk, using the excuse he was checking on the horses.

She found him sitting by the stream softly talking to Taffy. As she approached she overheard him explaining how beautiful Daq was. It was her turn to feel embarrassed although she couldn't resist joining them.

They sat together for some time stroking Taffy's nose. Occasionally their hands would bump and produce a spark of arousal from the encounter. Talking wasn't necessary, just the odd word, usually to Taffy. She knew she should run away but couldn't. She felt strong, strong enough to overcome the looming disappointment. Being out here with the guys for a day was empowering.

It wasn't yet dark but the sun was disappearing rapidly. Taffy stomped her front foot while turning to face the southeast. Clancy clicked his fingers twice and received clicks in reply. He pulled her to the ground removed her rifle and handed it to her saying, "We have company. Stay down and stay here!"

To Kelly's complete surprise and fascination all the riding horses had dropped onto their side in response to Clancy's snapping fingers. She felt strong lying beside Taffy, looking up watching. She rubbed the horse's neck.

Many hand signals were exchanged as the men moved forward taking up a defensive line near the olive grove, which offered a commanding view over the camp area.

Three people entered the camp. They weren't bearing arms or displaying hostile intent. There was a hasty caution in the way they looked around. Rather unusually, a traditionally dressed woman was leading. A man, also in traditional dress followed, carrying a child on his back. There was something wrong with the scene. The child looked too large to need carrying. Her arms were draped around the man's neck. All three appeared exhausted.

The woman spoke; first in Khowar but on receiving no reply repeated herself in French. She must have heard Muscat singing. Then the woman fixed her gaze upon the rations spread around the fire and must have read the labels because she switched to English. Her accent was polished, her tone desperate. "Help! Can you help us please?"

Clancy walked forward while Chiko and Musket covered him. He approached in an arc giving Chiko and Muscat a clear view. Firstly he approached the man, exchanged a greeting courtesy before speaking briefly to the woman. He suddenly moved quickly, helped the man unload the child and carry her to the tent while calling. "The child is injured. Daq we need you."

Kelly rushed forward and immediately undertook an assessment of the injuries. To her horror the child's lower right leg was completely missing. Shattered pieces of her ankle and foot hung, supported only by long tangled fragments of skin. A makeshift tourniquet had been secured above the girl's knee to stop the bleeding. It had been in place too long but under these circumstances leaving it secure might well have saved the girls life.

Clancy talked to the woman, in English, allowing her to explain who they were and where they were from.

They were attempting to take the child ninety miles to a hospital in Kabul. Something had exploded near the child the previous evening. Several unexplained explosions had killed a number of their goats. Before anyone could stop her the child ran to aid the goats and was also injured. A cousin had provided a horse to carry the child. They'd walked through the night crossing two mountain trails without rest.

This evening six men setting up camp further along the trail, from which they sought help had taken their horse and stole all their food and money. The men then forced them to leave with no option but to carry the child.

As they spoke Chiko became noticeably enraged. He said nothing but his mannerism spoke loudly. He commenced to gather night fighting equipment, laying out saddles and combat gear for three, leaving no doubt what he was planning.

Musket, at Kelly's request found and opened her survival pack locating the first aid kit to add several desirable items to the field kit the guys had already produced. She gave the child several antibiotic and pain-killing injections. And cleaned the wound. While working she explained to the mother what she was doing and why. The mother was an educated woman. She understood every word and even assisted Kelly with timely unasked for support.

Clancy prepared and offered the exhausted man and his wife food and hot tea.

Eventually, Kelly was able to explain to the parents, although the father spoke no English and the mother kept trying to interpret until Clancy took over the interpreting allowing Kelly to explain, uninterrupted, that the leg was unrecoverable and the wound infected with wet gangrene. She wanted to amputate the damaged limb with a clean incision above the knee and expected the child to recover quite quickly if this was done immediately.

The health of the child otherwise was surprisingly good. How she had endured her ordeal without lapsing into shock was something Kelly struggled to understand. She went on to explain after a night of rest, which was needed by all three of them. They would arrange a helicopter to ferry them all to a hospital.

Chiko asked Clancy's approval to take Musket and the man to retrieve the horse and possessions. He wanted to restore the man's honour.

Clancy gave them the okay taking care to explain to all three, he didn't want a bloodbath. They should allow the thieves time to offer remorse in keeping with Afghan tradition and avoid bloodshed if at all possible.

It was decided all should wait a few hours before setting out. This would allow the man some much-needed rest. They all knew the bandits wouldn't move at night. The later hour and total darkness pushed the odds in their favour. The equipment they carried and their superior training would allow them to see, travel and fight with complete ease.

The only problem Kelly had was the need for a sterilising agent. Clancy provided a solution by insisting Musket hand over his _Little Big Horn_ emergency supply. Musket always carried a hip flask of whiskey, which was never used. It was something of a joke. The whiskey was to be opened when they needed extra courage to make a last stand like Custer. He handed the whisky over willingly though negotiated a promise to exchange the whisky for the fancy little dual-barrelled, chrome, shotgun/rifle he'd found in Kelly's survival kit.

The girl was displaying symptoms of mental exhaustion and couldn't stay awake. Kelly expected her to remain unconscious for some time and therefore wanted to operate immediately as they had no anaesthetic.

Chiko, Musket and the girl's father laid down to rest. The mother assisted with the operation. Clancy tended the fire, keeping hot water flowing and maintained a poker red hot to cauterise blood vessels. His large combat knife with the saw tooth edge along the back, that Kelly had first seen in front of her face less then a day before, was used as her first line cutting and sawing option. They had fishing line from the survival kit to stitch and tie off with.

She was confident the processes would result in a professional job. They could insure the child's stable health until reaching a hospital, where the makeshift work would be corrected.

Before beginning the operation Clancy again phoned his mother's number in Australia. The call was picked up on the first ring in the AWACS above them. He explained what the current situation was. Wendy undertook to provide a medivac for one and a pick-up for three at seven hundred hours the following morning.

Operating on a patient under flashlight in a trying, non-sterile environment proved laborious. The emotionally draining exercise progressed well and was a relief to all when completed successfully.

True to plan Chiko and Musket rode off to confront the horse thieves. They received sharp words from Kelly for creating dust too near the tent as they prepared their equipment and saddled the horses. The men didn't reply in words but carefully moved further away and down wind while sharing hand signals that included amusement in the form of placing the knuckle of one finger under their nose to offer a Nazi salute behind Kelly's back.

The girl's father went with Chiko and Muscat. He, like the child's mother, was relieved to witness an obvious improvement in the condition of their only child, which really meant she was receiving desperately needed professional care and attention.

The father willingly rode out to defend the wrong suffered by his family. Clancy was confident the father would not prove a burden or add unforeseen danger to the mission. Nothing needed to be spoken Chiko and Muscat were comfortable to have the father do his own bidding. He was a quiet man, yet displayed a suitable quantity of grit in his character and carried a sharp sense of awareness. A strong, yet thoughtful individual always creates the best team player. They all knew he would pull his weight and have the sense to act with caution or bravery to match the situation.

With the surgery complete the girl was carefully settled in the cleanest of their bedding. The mother was offered blankets in the tent to sleep beside her daughter. She expressed concern for her husband's safety. Yet showed noticeable relief from hearing Kelly's assurances and explanation. "Chiko and Muscat would do only what was right and no more. They had the equipment and training to meet trouble head-on, with the sense and skill to avoid it." Kelly further confided the men in her company had rescued her from similar circumstances only a day before. Within seconds of lying down the exhausted and relieved mother was sleeping soundly.

Kelly was both mentally drained and elated. To wind down she sat by the fire with Clancy. They shared a mug of tea and a few words interspersed with periods of meaningful silence.

What was it about this guy that could turn her heart to jelly and tangle her words into meaningless garble when she tried to speak? The day had been long. She should be tired but like a rock star after a concert her exhaustion was high on adrenaline. She felt worthy. She was proud of her contribution tonight. Clancy hadn't hesitated to call on her skill the moment he saw the girl. It felt good knowing she'd earned her place in Clancy's team. She had made the grade in skilled company, had paid her way.

Between sips of tea and embarrassing glances at Clancy she looked long and hard at the remaining whiskey in Muscat's flask. Should she up-end the bottle and get plastered? In her current state of sleep deprivation it wouldn't take much to slide all nagging thoughts from her mind down the neck of the whiskey flask. Yet to spend the rest of her life wondering, hiding and probably blaming herself for not being true didn't appeal either. She'd done enough hiding and denying for one life. They were alone. There was even a good chance no one was watched from afar at this moment. She glanced skyward wanting to ask Wendy what to do and witnessed a falling star.

As the star streaked down she heard Clancy, "If you make a wish it'll come true." She could feel he was sharing the heavens with her. How was it that a complete stranger could be so... _I don't even know his name. He's not like other males. I like him. I can trust him. Perhaps it's more than like._

"Clancy. Do you have an email address?" Kelly brought her knees to rest against her chest, wrapped them in her arms and began to study her toes until silence following her question got the better of her. She glanced sideways and made eye contact. His expression was a puzzle of melting charm. She felt compelled to lock eyes and break his concentration by looking at him cross-eyed.

It was Kelly who broke the stare, "I just thought we might..." her voice faded as she returned to study her feet. _This is crazy I feel like Jane in a Tarzan movie._

"My brother and sister send messages by email so I guess it'll be okay." He studied her face in silence before adding, "Not sure what we're going to write about?"

Kelly rolled her eyes, an attempt to hide hurt behind amusement, "I thought you were the snowy headed boy. Doesn't your mother email you?"

He touched her forearm. His touch was light and comforting. "Mum is a pen to paper person." His fingers were moving as if unsure of the next move, "I'm not trying to turn you down I'd love... love to stay in touch." His fingers managed to squeeze. A feather light, yet firm reassurance that was somehow pulling her toward him without movement. "What would we talk about? We couldn't discuss where we are or what we've been doing. I'm sure it's the same for you."

"Clancy. You're impossible." She threw a glance at him before re-focusing on her feet, "I want to tell you what colour I've painted my nails. How I'm feeling... What I dreamt about last night." She looked him in the eye, lifted her arms and pushed his chest to force him onto his back before rolling across him. Her lips lingered a breaths touch above his. "I want you to care... because I do. And... I think I need you to care back."

He didn't resist or protest. For six slow breaths Kelly remained motionless weighing embarrassment against her libido. He didn't move yet his eyes were upon hers. They were drawing her toward him, into a spell created by an inviting smile. He didn't kiss her, like Kelly hoped he would. Yet he closed his eyes and seemed to struggle with want.

She placing both hands over his cheeks and meticulously positioned his lips ready to claim. She lurked a moment longer staring into the memory of his eyes before whispering, "Neither of us has the certainty of tomorrow. Being here together now is the only guarantee we have."

Kelly placed her lips over his and offered several small pecks of affection. Waiting, hoping for a response, his lips remained still. She felt his hand touch, move down her back, find and hover on the seam of her underwear. His fingers signalled hesitation, wanting, needing more yet resisting, fighting within.

Kelly slid her hand forward over his ears down along his neck then back to his cheeks. Her thumbs followed the contour of his chin. Her lips hovered pecked and hovered again then smothered him to lightly caress. She felt his lips move, stop then move again.

His will to stay a gentleman, or whatever, had broken.

Her heart pounded with delight feeling him massage awareness, feeding, pulling her further into his spell. For an eternity she felt his moist lips playfully explore her own offering, taking and giving pleasure.

She felt his arm travel higher clamping her shoulders drawing them forward. The intensity of his lips increased and parted giving, searching, finding rampant passion to engulf Kelly's senses. The taste of honey lingered in her thoughts. Trembling arms began to wander finding hair, his neck, chest shoulders. A flying sensation saturated her emotions. There was no throttle to guide forward. No flight controls or canopy to hide behind. The attraction for Clancy was pulling at her uncontrollably. She was at his mercy. This was the real thing. There was no escape. She felt his mouth open, a tongue searching exploring, finding, taking and giving her meaning.

Gulping, struggling for air her chest heaved. Overwhelmed by the need to accommodate breathing. _Learn to breath again_ she told herself while braking away gasping, her cheeks flushed, heart molten with desire. Kelly sank onto his shoulder for a moment catching her breath. Her chest heaved, rising then falling pressing and squeezing into his side. The corner of her eyes offered a hint of moisture as she feasted on comfort, secured by the warm strength of his touch.

This was where she belonged, bliss.

She felt him kiss her forehead and ventured lower kissing, searching finding her lips. Meeting his advance she exploded with delight, melting in the joy of his touch.

Kelly felt him hesitate and softly whisper, "I'm supposed to be looking after you."

She kissed his lips and spoke softly though their embrace, "You're doing a wonderful job. I need lots more looking after."

"I'm supposed to protect you. If we keep going I can't. I didn't come prepared for this." He stopped speaking to offer more by way of his kiss. Before adding almost inaudibly, "Shame because..."

Kelly was puzzled at first but quickly caught on to where his mind was. "We don't have to worry. I can protect us both. I'm a Doctor remember. Please don't stop. I trust you Clancy."

Neither spoke again. There was no need. The bond they shared made perfect sense without words.

She rested on her side tucked in Clancy's arm, head on his chest. She could feel the movement of his breathing. Her arm draped across him. She could feel his pelvis in the palm of her hand. His fingers were at the base of her spine making gentle patterns that causing wicked sensations to travel the length of her back. The warmth of their closeness under brilliant stars absorbed them together as one. The quiet was total save for the vitals of life emanating within their linked bodies.

They could hear Chiko, Musket and the child's father approach for some time before Chiko whispered, "Boss looks comfortable. Guess I owe you five bucks."

Clancy clicked his fingers twice as Kelly choked on a splutter of amusement. The clicks were quickly reciprocated. Kelly and Clancy returned to the silence of their stars and the shine of each other, ignoring the muffled clutter of camp activity. Eventually silence again dominated the scene surrounding them.

Somewhere during the evening Kelly must have fallen asleep. Reality and dreams were merged, scrambled through time and place. She remembered seeing Taffy roll in the lush Kentucky grass and stand at a white fence with a foal at her side. And, she remembered the ecstasy of sharing herself with Clancy in the Afghan countryside. Nothing could steal the experience away. It was hers forever. Everything within her heart felt beautiful.

The morning sun was shining on her face when Kelly regained her place in reality. Clancy was gone from under her head, arm and leg. Yet she could still imagine his fingers twirling upon her lower back. His presence was warm, all over and within.

She had no comparisons to gauge how she felt. She imagined rolling to a stop after twisting her way through the sky all night. The image didn't measure up. Satisfaction had visited like never before, or could ever have been imagined. Everything was different. Clancy was part of her and she part of him. She... they deserved more than just one day and night together.

Eventually Kelly opened her eyes submitting the surroundings to her mind. She clamped the bedding around her neck and rolled on her tummy to look around. The camp site was a buzz with activity as swags were rolled and horses packed. The tent was gone. To her surprise Clancy was assisting a-wide-awake patient take sustenance from a can of army broth. The child was seated on a rug, her back resting against a saddle like a scene from a cowboy movie. The hem of her dress was gathered in her lap, obviously removing pressure from the stump of her missing right leg, which was elevated courtesy of another folded rug. The post-op injury must have been extremely tender thought the girl showed no sign this was the case. Kelly was relieved to observe the dressing exhibiting no seepage stains. The girl's colour and appearance were healthy. Almost unbelievable the girl's demeanour was openly relaxed. She and Clancy were engaged in an animated discussion. She waved her hands about to match quaint facial expressions in support of a flow of words as if she didn't have a worry in the world. Moisture gathering in Kelly's eyes that required wiping with the back of her hand.

The child's parents sat cross-legged nearby, they too chatted quietly together while feasting on army rations. The accepting appearance of the family found a pride of purpose within Kelly. She had finally achieved something of benefit to someone local, a first for her in Afghanistan. She couldn't help wondering about the plight of Afghan people. This family were facing a permanent and irreversible tragedy with strength of acceptance the like of which she'd never witnessed before.

She noticed her flight suit beside her. "Clancy are these my clothes for today?"

"Oh you're awake. Yes everyone knows who you are and how you came to be here, Daq. You won't find any hostility directed your way in this camp. Only gratitude. Besides it might help us bond with your friends when they see a friendly outfit. You have less than an hour before they take you from... before they drop you back into civilisation as it applies to you flying folk."

Kelly wobbled her way into the one-piece flight suit while still lying covered in the swag. She would have preferred the outfit with the rope belt and the oversized boots. She would have preferred to stay put, forever.

Clancy walked over, placed a kiss on his finger and dragged it slowly down her arm. Before saying, with the kissed finger pointed skyward, "Your friend above us knows who I am, where I come from and I'm sure she can find my email address. The moment you're safely home, contact her and send me everything there is to know about you. I need to know how to find you. I'll be out of this place in three months. I'll go crazy if I can't find you again."

"Clancy, thank you... for many things." Kelly shook her head and repeated, "Many, many things. I'm not scared of life any more. Three months will seem like forever. We can stay in touch via email and get to know each other better. My details will be in your mail box by the time you get to where you're going."

Kelly jumped to her feet and went straight over to view the girl's bandages. She cleaned herself up before removing the dressing to inspect the wound. Everything was beyond her expectation. The girl spoke no English so Kelly communicated in smiles, symbols or sign and yet the girl was able to win Kelly's heart. She pulled serious Doctor faces to match Kelly's expression. As Kelly applied another dressing explaining via the mother what would be happening and where it was planned they would shortly be taken.

The family were trusting people. Perhaps the situation was more complex. Perhaps they were thankful for any help or kindness. They asked no questions and expressed no fear. To Kelly their existence was disturbing, were it not for the girl's occasional silent flinch Kelly might have believed her incapable of displaying negative emotion or feeling pain.

Kelly didn't feel hungry yet she grabbed a few army 'dog' biscuits plus the mug of tea and strolled towards the stream where Taffy was standing. On the way two cheeky faces belonging to Chiko and Musket stared closely into her face studying the puzzled expression greeting them. Eventually Musket said, "Yep, she's beaming. You owe me five bucks."

Kelly bit her bottom lip, shook her head and couldn't help replying, "Will you crazy pair take care of Clancy for me? And thank you for being around when I needed friends." As she walked on she grinned a moment and called over her shoulder, "Pay the man his money Chiko."

Chiko pumped out a, "Yes." then added in a quieter voice, "You be gentle with him Ma'am. Don't be fooled by the macho army gab. He's a top guy. Doesn't really belong with the rest of us." He paused a moment causing Kelly to stop and turn waiting before adding, "He's got feelings."

"You needn't worry Chiko. I'm on that road too. I'm a recovering tragic. We probably need each other." Kelly gave them both a quick look and nodded adding, "I've also decided you two are both soft and fluffy inside. But don't worry, I'll keep my findings private."

Kelly stood for too long, stroking Taffy and sharing secrets. She ran her fingers over the large army number branded on Taffy's rump. She told the horse her air force number. Told her where she would soon go and why. She told her how she wanted to stay and why she couldn't. She cried a little when she repeated how much she wanted to stay here. She couldn't explain why.

Without thought she jumped on Taffy's back took the reins and galloped bareback several hundred yards out onto the plain before stopping.

From the top of her lungs she screamed, "I'm happy. It's me everyone. I'm over the moon to be here." She returned to the camp in a tölt, undergoing scrutiny by every mystified pair of eyes in the camp.

Clancy was first to break the silence. He walked over drawing close to say, "Would you and Taffy curb sharing equine moments and girlie secrets? Make yourself useful putting her saddle and swag in place. We need to be ready to move as soon as you guys make your grand exit... in fifteen minutes. And return those stirrup straps buckles to where you found them please." He kissed his finger. This time they touched fingers as both had the same idea. Clancy looked around a moment before adding, "Please don't share this." His eyes emphasised the words, "We have an appointment to keep; a covert appointment a day and a half ride due north of here. If you study a map and follow the trails leading from here to a point a little west of Tagab. It's just across the mountains from Bagram about twenty miles east and a touch south. We'll be using the trail from the A1 highway that journeys up the western side of the canyon." He looked into her eyes with melting affection. "It'll all make sense on a map. There is only one direct trail. Don't make it obvious but if you can manage to show your tail sign and waggle your wings I'd love to know you and your guests got out of here okay and the girl is doing fine; poor kid." His face turned stern, "Don't tell anyone and I mean anyone. And don't make a scene anywhere close to Tagab. That's the last thing we need." His face became a puzzle, "I have no idea why I just told you this. Stealth, surprise and unpredictability are our only protectors out here; I'm entrusting you with all our lives." He expanded his eyes a moment as he spoke the last words.

Kelly felt the meaning behind his words burn into her soul. She placed a clenched fist over her mouth a moment before gently punching his shoulder while nodding her head. "EL207. I'll try. Listen to your mother. And me. Take extra care of the locket around your neck." Witnessing his charming expression was a divine feeling. Her keepsake.

Before long the campsite had vanished, replaced by three loaded packhorses, four saddle horses and seven people. Six standing while the child sat on Taffy's back. All waited for an increasing thunder-like echo to produce helicopters.

A single, heavily armed MH-60L DAP black hawk escort was first to appear. It did a war dance through the sky, clearing the area a good distance in every direction. Unexpectedly the chopper came in close. It hovered forward of the group and slowly descended to earth with all it's weapons manned.

Clancy moved to Kelly's side using their closeness and the chopper noise as an excuse to squeeze her hand while asking what was going on. A mystified Kelly was puzzled no medivac chopper had materialised.

The chopper pilot made a hand movement beckoning someone to approach. Clancy moved forward and received a raised hand to stop him followed by a pointing finger directed at Kelly and the approach gesture. Clancy stopped and Kelly moved forward. A crewman jumped from the rear door and ran forward to meet her. He made her spread eagle and ran an explosives wand over her before gesturing to approach the chopper. She stood outside the pilot's closed door exchanging hand signals. She held up four fingers several times only to have the pilot's headshake while holding one finger aloft. Kelly shook her head and turned away moving back toward Clancy but the crewman grabbed her and pulled until she shoved him in the chest releasing his hold. As she walked out from under the rotors the crewman made a questioning gesture with his hands at the animated pilot before running after her and clouting Kelly over the head with the explosives wand. She dropped like a stone and was prevented from collapsing to the ground only by the crewman throwing her limp body over his shoulder. He quickly returned to the chopper and tossed her in the back as if she were a sack of chickpeas and scrambled on-board with the chopper already lifting to hover a few feet above the ground.

Clancy rapidly looked around saying, "Christ! Prepare for a few snap shots you guys. That clown is liable to fire on us. Don't point your rifle at them yet." Spoken as he pulled his rifle forward, cocking it and resting it on his hip pointing skyward. With his free hand he dialled his mother on the satellite phone getting Wendy on the first ring. He offered a quick summary of recent events in colourful language. In the background he could hear Wendy communicating with the chopper pilot, "Night Stalker one-six, on-board Raw Hide three you are advised to land and pick up three more passengers."

"Negative. We don't pick up Afghans... we are taking ground fire." The chopper immediately opened up with a quick burst of machine gun fire from both sides, aimed at nothing.

Clancy on the phone, "If that fool lines us up we will defend ourselves."

Wendy replied, "Negative! You will hold your fire."

"We are in defence of unarmed Afghan citizen. We will defend them. We will defend ourselves. It gets complex establishing who the enemy is down here."

Wendy again, "Negative! You will hold your fire." And in the background, "Night Stalker one-six we have our monitors all over you... you f--- They're friendly... friendly troops. They're on the pay role. If you fire on them and survive expect a long holiday in the slammer."

With the phone channel open Clancy offered, "Musket. If those guns turn towards us, drop the lead gunner. Chiko, you take the other gunner out. I'll drop one pilot. And... we'll let the other one limp home with their cargo intact---"

Wendy spoke over him, "You will hold your fire."

Clancy continued, "Use a head shot. They're all wearing vests. Make it a two shot follow through combo if you need to fire through the canopy."

And, again in the background from Wendy, "Night Stalker one-six, on-board Raw Hide three. You are directed to leave the area. Return to base immediately."

The chopper instantly turned and rapidly flew away.

Leaving an exasperated Clancy to say, "What charming people you work with. Do you have a plan B? They've decked your pilot and thrown her on-board. She's out cold." He took a breath, "And we still need our medivac."

Before receiving an answer Clancy heard, "Night Stalker one-six, if that pilot you picked up has as much as mosquito bite on her expect to here from me... you asshole!" Followed immediately by a new voice.

"What in God's name is going on up there?"

And Wendy, "Sir. We've just had a rogue pilot threaten friendlies."

Clancy's line went dead.

He dialled the number again and got a busy tone. Clancy shook his head and turning toward the Afghan family said to the mother, "It's just a small hiccup. Armies run on this kind of rubbish. We'll have you safely to a hospital in no time."

Luckily before he could think of anything reassuring to add the phone interrupted him. A renewed, calmly spoken Wendy was on the line. "Sorry about that. We have a Chinook fifty miles south of you on a routine 'milk' run. It's one of yours. I'm patching you through to the Tim Tam at Area Command. I'd like you to request your own evacuation. At least you'll be speaking the same language."

"Negative. We have a mission critical task to complete before we vacate this location. We need the medivac for three and someone sane to oversight the situation to ensure the people are treated correctly..." Clancy glanced at the perplexed family and closed his eyes with worry before adding, "And with respect."

Wendy kept her voice professional, "I'm aware of your current mission. Make the arrangements and go with the Afghan family. See them secure and settled. I will personally sponsor your Kaiser plan. I'll arrange transport for you and your men in both directions. And I'll arrange safe conduct for the additional two non-combatants all the way to Perth. There will be no need to involve your HQ at all. I'll make a request for you and your crew for a special for a few weeks, which will include the Kaiser plan. We'll get the job done and I'll throw in a few days for the three of you at Alezio with Muscat's Aunties, before I return you to your command. All expenses paid on Uncle Sam. Do we have a deal Soldier?"

Clancy was speechless. _How could this woman know about their plan? No one could possibly know about the plan._ Forcing his voice to find words. He shook his head and said, "I have no idea where you get your information from. We'll play along to a point but you have a further problem to consider. I'm quite sure the injuries to the girl down here are linked to your pilot. I'm positive unloading ordinance before she crashed is the cause of the girl's injuries. It all fits." Clancy turned to watch the mother's response as he spoke. "We need to send in a team to clear the fields of unexploded ordinance." The mother was displaying hurt and shock but nodded approval with closed hurting eyes. He nodded an acknowledgement to answer the mother and continued speaking, "It's the right thing to do... to earn local respect. When we take ownership of our mistake it helps to neutralise the wrong."

"Okay and Okay. I'm already aware of what you planned and you've just given me the perfect excuse to pull you guys back into the field fully equipped under my command for a few days. I'm going to request your team do a security sweep of the area before we send our clearance engineers in to effect the clean-up. You'll be back in the air before tonight. Afterwards we'll drop you wherever you want be, with whatever support you need." Wendy smiled but held her official voice and tone unchanged, "Cinagae near Tagab would be fine with us and may I suggest any people needing to transfer from that location to Perth might be best done via Bagram. Travel arrangements from Bagram are much easier and quicker for me, plus I can maintain the correct level of security and control."

Clancy was silent for a moment while he took in what he'd heard. He tried to sound unfazed but didn't quite manage it, "Good, thank you. You seem very well informed. Perhaps I was too quick and too shallow in judging you. I thought our plan had been kept confidential. I hope it still is and can remain so." He waited a while before asking, "Could you patch me through to Tim Tam now and stay on the line to offer co-ordinates and authority; please? I'll express concern about clearing the fields. Might give you an easy excuse to use us for recon."

Within seconds Clancy was offering an explanation of their needs, explaining details of the child's injury and the medical assistance already undertaken. Identifying the problem source as a jettisoned cluster bomb off a US air force plane. He requested a disposal team be dispatched to clear the field of any unexploded mines, with a priority. He also explained he was confident the local people were neutral; trying to avoid all involvement with anyone pursuing armed conflict. To clean up the fields would be a public relations, people winner and prevent the Tali-ban from moving in to harvest the explosives to use in IED production.

Eventually Wendy cut into the conversation offered the necessary co-ordinates for the medivac and took ownership of the field clean-up task. She requested and received formal immediate transfer of control of the current soldiers with open-end effect to use their superior local knowledge to get the job done as quickly as possible.

Fifteen minutes later the soldiers were on-board a chopper heading for Kandahar. The Afghan family and the horses were beside them. Clancy spent the trip supporting the Afghan girl, helping her to lean forward in the saddle on Taffy's back to avoid hitting her head on the chopper ceiling. Both the girl and horse stared from the gunners window while Clancy pointed out anything he could find to entertain the intelligent, curious girl to help her enjoy her first and probably last aeroplane ride.

With the family safely settled in the base hospital and the necessary debrief complete. Clancy phoned home wanting Wendy to re-assure him about Daq. He needed to know she made it back safely and the blow to the head he witnessed hadn't caused any injuries.

The phone rang several times before Clancy heard, "Marge Page speaking. This had better be good whoever you are. I'm in the middle of eating my dinner. If you're selling anything don't even speak. Just hang-up?"

"Sorry Mum. It's Dave."

Marge's tone turned consolatory, "David! Are you alright son?"

"I'm fine Mum. Sorry I caught you at a bad time. I seem to have dialled your number by mistake. Is everything going okay at home?"

"Bad time. Sorry again for that. We're getting telemarketing calls at dinnertime. I've had three this week. Everyone of them trying to sell electrical goods." Marge breathed slowly and switched to a calm voice, "Yes, Dave things are really picking up. We've had good soaking rain and both weirs are filling. It looks like we're in for a bumper season. We'll have great carrying capacity for the next few years if we're sensible. We'll need a few Jackeroos to help out. If the Army can spare you there's work here needs doing."

Clancy laughed but then squeezed the phone in frustration as the thought of being at home hit him, "Fat chance. You know I'd love the job. Won't be long now. We're almost down to one year to go."

I know son. Still, you joining the Army helped us. So we should all look upon your remaining time as paying them back. Give them your best. Stay busy and the time will fly. I thought we might be able to employ some active couples, people who are semi-retired that won't need supervision. They could live in the old house rent-free and pocket their wages. I can't help thinking a mature overseas couple with a spirit for adventure would be perfect. If only I knew how to advertise to find them. I'm sure there are people out there who long for a share of our peace and quiet."

Clancy relaxed his hand for his mother's sake. It was always good to be reminded of home, "That's great news about the rain and I noticed, in someone's old newspaper cattle prices setting record highs. Finding an active couple makes sense. I'll ask around. We meet a lot of foreign soldiers over here. Someone is sure to have parents with itchy feet. Lots of German students holiday in the outback. We may find someone with semi-retired parents who forgot to grow old. Mum I shouldn't talk too long. This is an official army phone. Let Jamie and Peta know I said hi. And tell Matthew I came across a huge Asian Cobra last week." He gave a small chuckle knowing his mother would be cringing. "No need to tell him I set a world record for running backwards." He took a breath. "Love you Mum. Eighty-nine days and I'll be home for a break. So dust off my work gear. I'll write soon. Love you. It's great to hear your voice, Mum; bye"

"Bye Dave. You take care son."

Clancy switched off the call and felt his jaw tense. Despair crawled toward his heart. He clenched his hand into a fist and wished for something to punch at. Daq had disappeared, slipped through his fingers. And may well be injured.

*****

The room was shaking, a hundred hooves pounded and the smell of kerosene filled Kelly's senses. A patient stared back, waiting. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"Wake up. Keep those eyes open. ETA, five minutes. You'll be fine."

"Does it hurt?" Kelly raised a hand to touch the patient's forehead. There was moisture; her fingers were covered in blood. "What happened?"

"You took a blow to the head. You're going to be fine."

"Are you a patient?"

The serious stare briefly smiled, "No. You're the pilot of a downed plane with concussion. I'm the Good Samaritan who happened to walk by. A gunner come medic. You'll be fine."

Kelly tried to look around but her head didn't move, her eyes couldn't focus past the guy's face.

"Lay still. You're going to be fine. You need to lay still. You're bleeding."

"Where are we?"

"ETA, four minutes. You're going to be fine. It's just a scratch. You're a good bleeder... Hey! Hey! Stay with me." Kelly felt a slap to the cheek and a hand on the pulse in her neck.

Through the confusion of thunder in her head came a familiar sound, "Bagram tower. This is Night Stalker one-six, on-board Raw Hide three. We need immediate clearance on H-Pad. We have a downed pilot on-board. ETA, three minutes."

"Night Stalker you have priority. Parallel runway three-six and come straight in. You are clear to land."

"Night Stalker this is Craig Joint one-five-nine emergency. We are standing by. Can you provide a patient status update at this time?"

"Craig Joint one five nine, this is Night Stalker Junior. We have a single head wound, a lot of blood. Don't think anything has actually penetrated her skull or... I'm applying a pressure dressing to the primary wound. Arr, top, front right. Um, I'm not very good at this. Right looking at the pilot... patient."

"Good job. Hang in there. Have you checked for other injuries?"

"That is an affirmative. We've given her a quick once over. Apart from a few scratches and some decent sized bruising everything seems fine. Accept? She has industrial tape covering both breasts. Must be from a previous injury or something. Everything looks fine to me. The patient is starting to regain consciousness but she's really groggy. She's talking to us as if she's the doctor."

"Her? Okay. I confirm preliminary examination revealing superficial head injury requiring stitches and possible prior chest complication." The sender breathed and took on a light tone. "And the patient is a female pilot with fine looking breasts. I think you may have found my roommate. Cover her up properly before she regains control or she'll go ballistic. Won't be pretty for you. And if she doesn't I will when you get here." The cool professionalism returned to the voice, "We are standing by."

The sounds were making sense. Kelly looked into the gunner's eyes. He was holding a dressing to her head while speaking into his comms. The voices were relaying through a loud speaker and the noise, the shaking. A helicopter? Save for the crew she was alone. "Where's the child?"

"Oh crap. Just following orders Ma'am." The gunner's voice sounded loud and urgent, "Skipper, she's awake. She's onto us. What do I do?"

"Can't talk. ETA, twenty seconds. Thump her again if you have to. Keep her quiet and still."

"Where's the child? And the parents."

Please Ma'am everything is going to be okay. We need to get you down. You need to remain calm." Frustration was showing on the gunner's face.

"Okay we can take over here. Good job." The voice was female, a tall slim nursing sister. Her sleeves were pulled back, wet and clinging to her arms. There were beads of sweat on her forehead.

"Arr Ma'am. Don't... don't stand on the rocket pads. Ma'am, don't touch the gun. And... Ma'am! Jesus! Don't stand in front of the rocket pods. Everything in here is live." There was urgency in the gunner's free hand and voice. "We don't normally accommodate passengers or visitors Ma'am."

"God. How are we going to get her out from in there." The sister turned to speak to her assistant, "Jock, dump the stretcher for now. Give me a hand." The Sister's eyes were bouncing around focused everywhere.

"She's light enough Ma'am I'll pass her out." The gunner smiled, "If you can catch I'll throw her. That's how we got her in." He turned to the other gunner to say, "Bud, I need some help here. Try to move with me and hold the dressing on her head." The gunner used both hands to support Kelly. "Can you stand up Ma'am? This is your stop. Careful. I've got you. You're going to be fine, just a few steps, Ma'am. Okay. Duck your head. Hold on I'll lift you." The gunner passed Kelly over the top of the weapons into the sister's arms.

"Okay we've got her." The nursing sister spoke as she steadied herself and turned so the orderly could take Kelly in his arms. The sister glanced toward the gunners saying, "Good work soldiers." Her focus immediately returned to Kelly who was trying to stand, "Kelly we need you on the stretcher. You have to lie down." The nursing sister shooed the chopper with a wave of her arm from behind her back without looking. "Get that thing out of here. We have three incoming all due now." She glanced to role her eyes for the gunners' benefit and flicked him a smile. "Busy day." Her smile vanished as she strode toward the break in the protective concrete anti-blast barrier insulating the hospital from IED explosions. She turned her head to cast an eye over Kelly and said, "Jock sweep her for explosives and put her straight to bay six."

Kelly sat on the side of a bed waving her bare feet back and forward, impatiently waiting to be released. It had been two hours since she woke lying in the hospital bed. She'd already confronted two hospital staff demanding to be given her clothes. She was tempted to discharge herself, which in the military means run for it. But there is no way on earth she was going to track across Bagram naked save for a hospital issue yowie suit with an inadequately secured slit all the way up the back of the garment.

"Are you causing trouble?" Her roommate, Nursing Sister, Captain Alicia Tremble walked to the bedside pulling the partition material closed as she approached where Kelly was sitting. She gave Kelly's head a quick inspection and shone a pencil flashlight in each eye before saying, "Get back into bed. And if you confront any more of my staff I'll have you sedated."

"And good morning to you too, Alicia. Thank you for arranging to have my head patched. I appreciate it. Now I need to go back to work. I want my clothes." Kelly twinkled her eyes like a cute blonde child, a private blonde joke they'd shared many times in the tent.

"Kelly you've taken a hit to the head you're not leaving here until the doctor is satisfied you don't have concussion. And if going back to work means flying an aeroplane you can forget that for at least a day, probably a few. Take up knitting if you're hypo. Even your thick skull can't take being bashed senseless without consequences."

"Why did you let the doctor use staples? Stitches are a better option for a working girl. Staples are going to cause chaos getting my flight helmet off and on, and give me a headache for sure."

"Have you listened to anything I've said?" Alicia shook her head in exasperation. "Around here you're a patient and if you keep up the know-it-all attitude you're sure to end up having regular temperature checks via the alternate location." Alicia waited a moment trying to look frightening then sat on the bed beside Kelly. Her voice quietened, "Kelly. Have you been raped?" She gave Kelly a soft, concerned and inquiring look and placed a hand over Kelly's before continuing, "You need to tell us so we can do all the tests and treat you. You know we don't have long to---"

Kelly's eyes widened before tightening into slits to look Alicia squarely in the face and pulled her hand free as if she'd been burnt. "Alicia I haven't been raped and I hope you haven't written anything to that effect on my medical chart?"

"Kelly?" Alicia face displayed exasperation, her head commenced to slowly shake again. "Really, Kelly. Give me some credit." Alicia looked away before returning to fix a stare at Kelly, "There are bumps and bruises all over you, including and especially on your inner thighs with evidence of increased vaginal discharge. Of course I haven't written anything on your record without talking to you first." Alicia looked away again briefly before re-focusing on Kelly's face. "You shouldn't protect these people and you're being irresponsible not to consider your own health. We can treat you. And what's more the doctor looked you over for a long time. He didn't say a word but I know how he thinks. And what's with the tape on your breasts? The doctor specifically asked me to leave it there until I talk to you."

Kelly pulled the neck of the gown forward to inspect her chest. "Oh hell. You should have pulled it off while I was out-to-it. Getting that off is going to hurt." Kelly took a long breath, "Alicia. I ejected from my aeroplane, landed in a rocky creek and was dragged down steam by the parachute. I fumbled around blindly in the dark until a rescue party found me. I slept two nights on the ground and rode a horse across mountain trails all day. Add to that some moron, a friendly, tried to decapitate me with the blunt end of his machete before throwing me into the weapon bay of a gunship. And you want to know where the bruises came from?"

"Vaginal fluid? Taped breasts? Did I leave out alcohol stains? You have whiskey traces all down your front? In fact it's all over you. I suppose you just rolled in whiskey for fun? And it's inside your clothing." Alicia's expression displayed frustration, both a question and a challenge.

"My, we have been thorough." Kelly inspected her fingernails and spoke without looking up. "I haven't been raped. Obviously you haven't ridden a horse lately. City girl? If you had you'd understand bruises and stains. My rescuers found some male clothes for me to wear. Local clothing made of something akin to sailcloth or starched calico. It was painful. I put the tape on my chest to protect me." Kelly gave Alicia a quick glance before returning to inspect her fingernails. "Did you know boys don't wear a bra, Sister?" She gave Alicia a probing stare. "I amputated a young Afghan girl's leg last night. She looked to be... I don't know... nine or ten years old. The poor kid stepped on an IED." Kelly gave Alicia another quickly focused probe before re-examining her fingernails. "We used whiskey to sterilise a huge bowie knife for cutting and sawing, plus there was a fire poker we heated in an open fire to cauterise the smaller blood vessels and fishing line to tie-off and stitch. We poured whiskey over the instruments... tools and my hands regularly." Kelly demonstrated how she held her hands out, giving Alicia another probing glance. "I wasn't even wearing gloves. That procedure is sure to become infected if the girl doesn't get follow-up treatment." Kelly lifted her head and stared straight into Alicia's eyes. "Now we both know why I need to get out of here. I need to find these people and call in a rescue so they... the girl can get proper treatment. The chopper that brought me here was supposed to bring us all. When I wouldn't leave without the girl someone assaulted and kidnapped me." Kelly focused on Alicia's eyes with burning intensity. She pointed to her head. "That's what this cut is. I don't truthfully have any idea what he hit me with. But it wasn't a feather bower. And I'm sure they didn't rape me while I was out cold. There is no way those people who rescued me can look after that girl for more then a few hours. They... she needs help."

Alicia turned toward the door saying, "Let me do some checking."

"How? The last thing I need is more bureaucratic delays. I need to get out of there, find them before they have time to move too far and initiate a medivac."

"God Kelly. You're not an island. And you're not the only person around here who cares. This is a hospital. We have computer records. We document all admissions, everywhere in the country is on the same system. Someone called you in. They'd have called in the others as well. That chopper you came here in didn't have room for anyone else. I'll check and find out where they took your patient. I'll be able to locate the girl from her injury sheet." Alicia rapidly walked from the cubical. As an afterthought she called over her shoulder. "Don't you dare go anywhere? I'll only be a few minutes. You stay put... look at girlie books like most of the men in here do if you have to. Or knit; I don't really care what you do but stay where you are. And be quiet. This is a hospital."

"Can you contact my unit? Get hold of the CO, Colonel Elfin. Plead with him. Tell him I need rescuing. Say it's urgent and important."

*****

"You three morons are in it up to your ears."

Clancy, Chiko and Muscat stood erect forming a line in front of the Kandahar Regional Support Commander's Adjutant's Adjutant. The office was small, windowless and cluttered with the trappings of poor taste. The stale smell of discarded cigarettes, instant coffee and body odour created a lasting impression.

He was an old school career administrator. A perfect example of a bar stool glory seeker. A poxy red nose sign posted longevity of worthless achievement in the service of mind numbing alcohol abuse.

Muscat had set off a string of inappropriate bad breath for deliberately switching the light off during an enforced salute. Insisting that three grown men standing shoulder to shoulder, while also touching both end walls, all salute together seemed to summarise the man's combat readiness and worth very well.

"Threatening to fire at a US medical helicopter. What were you thinking?" He didn't wait for or expect an answer. "Were you fools thinking at all?" The Adjutant's eyes lingered on Muscat for a micro second longer then the other two. "You three morons are going back in the field without so much as a how's your father. And this will continue until you get some brains or learn how to behave. Take all your kit to the Helipad. Now. There's a helicopter on the way from God knows where to take you three away. A US helicopter, ETA eleven hundred hours. And it's the American people who are pissed with you three. My guess is you'll be lucky to survive till nightfall. And no body around here cares what happens to you." His last statement impressed himself enough for it to show on his face. He looked at his watch. "You've got twenty minutes. Be there before it arrives. Now get out of my site."

Muscat fuelled another incomprehensible tirade by turning the light switch off again with a farewell salute and made sure he was still in earshot outside to share, "Personality plus. Wonder how often he gets laid?"

A chuckle came from Chiko before saying, "Not to often." and raised his voice to add, "Twenty minutes. Can you guys move the horses and stores without me? I got to find a latrine?" Chiko turned his head back towards the office and raised his voice to add, "Need to give birth to another big brave pen pusher."

"That's enough soldier." The Adjutant's snarl was flamed and loud, "You three are a hair width from an insubordination charge."

He hated their confidence. Hated the rumours of deeds at unpronounceable places; of bravery medals won but like their rank, never worn. Of media attention the army couldn't allow and wouldn't acknowledge. Photos taken that could never be published. He hated witnessing the reverence on the faces of the clerks in his own office building and everyone else watching them on base.

Going, doing and saying as they please. Undisciplined. That's what they are. Above all he hated their sealed records. Even from him, a senior officer undertaking an important job. They'd just been carpeted. A punishment issued, by me without even knowing their rank and name or even what they've done. He didn't believe they fired on a medivac helicopter. It was a smoke screen for security reasons. They probably already know where they're going. And he knew he couldn't charge them no matter what they say. They're untouchable. It's wrong. Operators Clancy, Chiko and Muscat. They're all too big for their boots. The army is going to the dogs. Another year of this fiasco and I'll have my pension, a veteran's pension with all the perks. To hell with those, glory seeking fools.

##  Chapter 06

Craig Joint theatre hospital,  
Bagram air force base, Afghanistan

A full half-hour elapsed before Alicia returned.

Kelly was set to scream. She'd taken to sitting on the floor in the corridor outside the ward and been there so long passing patients and staff no longer stopping to ask if she needed help.

She could see the nurses' station and knew what was going on, not much. She watched Alicia approach and witnessed her expression change the moment she latched eyes onto and identified the figure sitting on the floor. To her credit she didn't scream at Kelly from a distance. Alicia fixed a stern stare upon her and kept walking. Judging by her expression remaining silent must have been a struggle.

Wisdom was with her and still dressed in his flight suit. He must have just landed and came straight here.

"About time too." Kelly fixed a childish glare at Alicia.

"You must have been an odious child. Your poor mother." Alicia pulled a clipboard from under her arm and held it ready to read. "Do you want the good news or the bad?"

"I want my clothes and I want out of here." Kelly moved her focus to Wisdom, "Thanks for coming boss. You have to tell them I'm needed if only to save me from going crazy."

"Come to my office. I don't want a scene in the corridor." Alicia rolled her eyes for Kelly's benefit.

"My clothes?"

"Are already in my office. They always were." Alicia commenced to walk leaving Kelly to jump to her feet and hurry along behind, like an insecure pet.

"Cool it Cowboy." Wisdom walked beside her letting Alicia quickly pace ahead of them. "The military is in charge here. They own your ass." He looked squarely at Kelly's face ignoring her puzzled stare. "Your job is to say yes." He arched an eyebrow, "Then we work out what we do next. Nice outfit you're wearing."

By the time they both entered the office Alicia was already seated behind her desk. She pointed at the chair on the right, "Sit, shut up and listen." Her finger immediately moved to the other chair. Alicia gave a courteous nod with a polite grin. "Colonel."

Kelly obeyed though she screwed her face into a childish frown that was little short of poking out her tongue.

"This is your medical chart." Alicia bounced the clipboard on the desk and with the other hand pulled open a file cabinet beside her, "And this is your kit." She picked up a neatly folded pile of flight clothes and lobbed them in Kelly's general direction forcing her to quickly snatch the garments from mid-air to prevent everything separating.

Alicia's eyes focused on the clipboard while saying, "Already signed by doctor." She dictated as she wrote, "Reflex test positive. No outward display of concussion. However the risk of blood clotting and severe complication is a genuine concern. The patient requires observation and further specialist tests."

"What a load of crap. Alicia this is me you're talking to not some peanut who never went to school and just stepped out of the Everglades." Kelly voice and face were displaying tactless frustration. Her outstretched arm pointed to where she figured the Everglades were. "Sitting around here watching you people play doctor and nurse games is a form of purgatory."

"Didn't I tell you to keep your mouth shut? Do not speak unless you are specifically invited to do so. That's an order Lieutenant." As she pumped her words out Alicia stood and walked round the desk to stand in front of Kelly. She held her clipboard facing away from her body at waist height deliberately positioned in front of Kelly's eyes obviously inviting her to read from the page being displayed.

The note on display was written in Alicia's almost copperplate handwriting.

Afghan child admitted to Kandahar airfield hospital at nine hundred and thirty hours this morning. Arrival was via non-medical equipped Chinook. The helicopter conveying the child also carried the child's parents and number of special force combatants equipped with a lot of gear including horses. All exited at the hospital heliport. In-fact the child was conveyed into the hospital on the back of a horse. It is not known how the civilians got on the plane or where the group came from.

Patient is a pre-adolescent Afghan female with unrecoverable damage to her right leg and a few minor lacerations to the lower body. Initial injuries are consistent with an anti-personnel IED blast. The patient had access to medical care prior to arrival. Her leg had been surgically amputated above the knee in an improvised though professional operation before transportation was arranged. The original injury appears to have occurred several days ago.

Non-invasive surgery was required to replace the fishing line used to tie off and shape the stump. No other follow-up was necessary to correct previous care. An x-ray revealed good bone shape and further surgery is not considered necessary. There is no sign of infection though this is being monitored closely. Patient recovery is quite remarkable. She was both active and mentally aware on arrival and is already working with physio staff; has mastered crutches to some degree and is proving to be a perfect patient. Everyone has fallen in love with the child. The family are considered perfect candidates for advanced prosthetics. Arrangements are currently being negotiated to locate a suitable hospital overseas with somewhere accessible and suitable for the family to stay while the child recuperates.

Kelly bit her lip and squeezed her eyes closed to stop any further tears. She needed a few seconds before risking a peep at Alicia to mouth. _"Thank you."_ And, quickly began to study her feet trying to hide the emotion being displayed around her eyes.

She heard Alicia say, "Colonel. Why don't we step outside? The Lieutenant can use the privacy of my office to dress. She is being transferred to Germany today, seated. I'll release Lieutenant Cassidy into your supervision so she can wash, pack a few things for a several week stay and find something to eat. But if Lieutenant Cassidy is not sitting here in this office at thirteen hundred hours I will personally hunt her down and have her strapped to a stretcher in handcuffs for the trip to Germany." Alicia glared at Kelly to re-enforce her words, "And I can assure you a journey like that will be pure purgatory."

"What! This is crazy. There's nothing wrong with me internally. I have a scratch on my head. Why do I have to go to Germany?"

Alicia smiled, "I can answer that question. The trip to Germany has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me. I'm on the flight to Germany as well and without patients we don't get to go. I want you to know that later this evening I'm going to check-in to a hotel, run a tub full of bubbles and sip champagne while I soak Afghanistan out of my skin. Then I'll curl up alone in a queen size bed with soft clean sheets, in my own room and sleep in until at least ten tomorrow."

"It's about me feeling human wandering the streets shopping. Drinking coffee at sidewalk cafes in a dress, wearing heels and make-up. I might even have my hair and nails done. And it's all because the brass would prefer people believe you suffered an injury. But the truth is you're booked on a course or something. I don't know what or where but it's not at Ramstien, where I'm going. We've been told... ordered to put you on today's medivac flight to Germany. Upon arrival at Ramstien you'll be transferred to another plane, destination unknown. If you're going to the states I hate you."

Kelly's mouth was set to catch flies so Wisdom added, "Cowboy I tried to tell you earlier, the military is in charge here. They own you and everyone else. Your name floated to the top. I have no idea what's going on. I don't think it's a course because I objected; said you were needed here. Command laughed in my face. Told me it's a done deal, I wouldn't be seeing you for a month. You might as well pack some comfy clothes, use the bathroom, find something to eat and enjoy the trip. You're going. End of story."

*****

Clancy, Muscat, Chiko and a US Marine clearance specialist exited the Sikorsky CH-53, Super Stallion. They waited for the helicopter to take off and leave the immediate area, taking the escorting gun ships with it, before mounting the horses and riding across the featureless open ground toward the small village on a rise about a mile away. The isolated valley was steep-sided on three sides and appeared accessible only from the direction they travelled. It was a fertile area, as prosperous in appearance as anywhere the men had seen in Afghanistan. Though the winters in this valley would be long and cold. Clearly the people living here skilfully managed their affairs. A small crowd of curious onlookers assembled at the village to watch the unusual activity.

It was a good sign to see curious people gathered together with their children. Towns under the control of Tali-ban fighters rarely permitted occupants to even look toward helicopters and crowds of onlookers only assemble as an ambush shield. The people never appear as relaxed as this gathering.

Even though the place looked clear and peaceful the men went through a well-rehearsed routine. Chiko pulled the Engineer to the rear. They all spread out creating a casual look that in reality followed a precise pattern designed for maximised protection while affording the greatest ability to return fire with minimal warning.

The four exchanged brief almost cryptic words to check and establish fields of primary and secondary fire, and observation priorities. They discussed contact protocol, exit strategy and all likely initiating signals. Each man checked his gear taking particular care with rifle and pistol location for rapid access. They followed a well used path toward the village taking care not to avail of any obvious bottlenecks or unnaturally placed feature to mark a particular location; all standard procedure.

At the village a cautious greeting was exchanged with the headman. This quickly melted any tension. The curiosity of the children was clearly spontaneous and would not have occurred so if danger were lurking. The children were a well disciplined, well fed, happy, polite and positive lot. They were clearly not directly affected by the war.

Obvious they were in the correct village.

Clancy explained about his having met the family with the injured child saying how and where they were. He showed the headman photos in his digital camera as proof of his story. Clancy wanted to assure the head man the family was being cared for and treated correctly. Plus the girl was well and recovering.

The man called several people forward to view the photos. It was obvious they were concerned relatives. Witnessing the photos was a relief for most plus a source of technical curiosity for some of the men. Clancy found himself taking photos of villagers to show how the camera worked. Many lined up to see their image captured by the small box, a time consuming exercise measured in trust.

Clancy asked the headman if soldiers could be deployed, with special equipment, to clear the area of explosives to stop people and livestock being injured and allow the paddocks to be productive again. This caused a lengthy discussion involving several more men, the town elders.

The main problem for discussion was the impact of the presence of any foreign soldiers arousing unwanted attention. They clearly didn't want to attract Tali-ban fighters to the area. Concern about bringing the war to their valley was genuine. Worry that soldiers of either side might extract revenge on the village for becoming involved with the other was discussed and bantered about tirelessly.

The elders also explained in longwinded detail how several villagers were already worked to rid the field of the explosives. They had devised a method of moving the explosive devices to unproductive locations where stones could be thrown from a safe distance to cause the devices to explode. The elders acknowledged that locating all the explosives was proving very difficult and quite dangerous. Disruption in the valley was going to result in significant hardship if the explosives were not all cleaned up quickly. There was particular concern that when the snow falls people might not be able to venture into the paddocks at all.

Not once did the elders discuss or seek an explanation of what the explosives were, where they had come from or why they were placed in this particular valley. They seemed forgiving and appreciative of the outside offer of help.

The elder eventually agreed to allow the soldiers to help locate and destroy all the explosives quickly.

Clancy informed Wendy to get the clearance team moving before offering further conversation knowing from previous experience how long negotiations with village elders can take.

Eventually he was able to explain how the explosives came about and apologised. He allowed the elders to decide on appropriate compensation for the disruption to the village. Clancy knew this was the correct way to deal with the situation though the worry of what they might ask for had him on edge.

He was relieved when the elder's list was eventually furnished; gardening tools, bags of seed, food stores for the coming winter and two good young saddle horses. Plus they wanted all the village children to be treated to a ride in the helicopter. As if it were a major concession it was separately stipulated the girls were permitted to go. But it was clearly stated boys and girls were to travel separate and the boys must go first.

The elders asked Clancy how many children could be taken in the helicopter. They needed to know the level to mark a post, which would determine the cut-off height for children going on the flight.

This was an unusual request though, for Clancy, a delight to be in a town prosperous enough to treat their children. Plus being somewhere that considered girls feelings at all was something rather special. _Things really are changing for the better in Afghanistan. These village elders were wise leaders. Little wonder the valley is so prosperous in appearance._

*****

"This is a joke, right?" Wendy studied the flash she'd been handed. "They want gardening supplies, bags of seed, fodder and immediate shelter for two horses. Plus joy flights in a military helicopter. Two helicopters one for males and another for females."

"No joke Ma'am. Everything is on the level. I personally verified it." The Lieutenant smiled, "Thought it was a joke."

Wendy eyed him, "Is it doable?"

"Yes. Everything we need can be at Bagram by tomorrow morning ready for shipping." The Lieutenant made eye contact. "Needs your clout for the joy rides. They gave me the, _over my dead body,_ speech."

"Okay, prepare the requisition. I need to make phone calls.

She dialled Clancy's satellite phone and was greeted with, "Authenticate pea soup?"

She smiled, longed to say something rude. "I authenticate, rolling orchard. Scramble."

She heard Clancy hit the button to encrypt the phone call and did the same, "This is your friendly flight hostess. How's the activity at your location coming alone?"

"Head down tails up. Another eight hours and we'll be on the move again. Is it true your pilot needed to be evacuated home?"

"Work first soldier. Is this compensation request for the villagers wise?"

"Yep."

Wendy rolled her eyes, "Don't you have anything further to add?"

"Nope."

_God I need to rile this guy to get what I want,_ "Why? Why should we give them anything? They should be grateful to us. We don't need to help them."

"Yep. Sure. They should be full of gratitude. After all you gave them all those spare bombs to play with, free of charge. That kid didn't need a spare leg. One is enough. If the goats they lost cause anyone to starve come winter that will be their own fault. Why don't we build a fast food joint down here? They can live on burgers with pickles and an extra slice of cheese come winter; show them how to live properly." Clancy stopped to take two long slow breaths, "What is it with you people? They could have told us to drop dead, gone to the Tali-ban and shown them where to find IED material to send your bombs back with interest. Instead they asked for shovels, seed and a few tins of food to help get through winter, plus a couple of horses; you know transport that doesn't require petrol. Sorry gas." The gas was exaggerated to sound sarcastic, "And they want to treat their children. Perhaps we should build them a giant plastic Christmas tree with shiny Uncle Sam glittery bongle things all over it. We could provide stupid plastic reindeer antlers for everyone to put on their head. That would work. Be sure to keep everyone warm come winter." Clancy took another deep breath. "How much frigging money have you spent on fuel this week in that mobile office you're sitting in?"

Wendy listened to Clancy breathe into the phone for a few moments. She'd never heard anyone represent the local people with such passion. _He is correct. It is a good deal and the guy certainly knows how to get his point across to any rank._ She pulled the Lieutenant closer with her finger put her hand over the phone and said, "Add ten goats to the list and six pallets of bio fuel briquettes with enough fire starters to outlast the briquettes."

The Lieutenant's eyes expanded, "Ten goats. As in..." He made a running motion with his fingers. "Not ten Marines."

She nodded a yes at the Lieutenant and pushed him to his desk with a wave of her hand. "Okay Clancy. I'm sold. All the supplies will be on the flight tomorrow morning when the clearance team return. The joy flight choppers are a bit harder. You'll need to leave that with me. We'll aim for sometime after lunch and keep you informed. And this time I'm on the level. There will be no tricks or let downs." Wendy paused a moment to check her military tone. She wanted to sound friendly, more human. "Don't believe all the rumours you hear about pilots being injured. Sometimes a scratch can be conveniently made more serious to have people disappear in order to turn up where they're needed more."

She counted to five slowly. Clancy didn't speak so she changed topic and continued, "When you leave your current location tomorrow we intend to drop the three of you within easy walking distance of your intended destination. You are to travel light, secure the area, make contact with the two extras, brief them and wait for a raid by a group of our hotshots. You'll all be arrested at gunpoint so everything will look and sound grim to any observers who happen to be looking on. Make sure the two women have packed everything sentimental in a bag. I mean photos, etc, anything of emotional value. That's all they can take. Our hotshots will expect you to discreetly point the bag out so it can be secured such that the contents won't be damaged. There will be two simultaneous raids. Everyone on that property at both buildings is coming in for questioning.

At Bagram your party all five of you will to be taken away as if to be in line for the worst of bad treatment. The others will undergo quick interrogation and be released at the gate to walk home and face the local honchos. It won't be pretty for them. Rumours are being spread into the right ears. Please brief the two women well. They need to play this out, remain silent and not panic. We want the people we release to report that all of you have been shot. This is the safest option for everyone. The two women will be flown out within twenty-four hours. People who speak their language, dressed in civilian clothing will escort them. They will be cared for with dignity and have time and money to be taken on shopping excursions for clothes, etc, along the way. The escorts with them have an understanding of just how harrowing this journey is going to be for the women. We have already received appropriate paperwork approvals for the complete trip. Kaiser will be informed of all the details the moment they reach the safety of Bagram. If you wish you may speak with him yourself at that time. Kaiser will be waiting at the airport to meet the plane and will accompany the ladies to their final destination. Any questions?"

"A lot of things can go wrong with a stunt like this. I hope your hotheads are well briefed about who the two guests are and us too for that matter? And I hope they have some discipline and training about themselves."

"Don't tell me how to suck eggs soldier. I didn't ask you to make a statement. I asked if you have any question?" Wendy smiled at the silence on the phone before adding, "The men going in are the best. They're hotshots not hotheads. Numbers one, two and three through the door actually know the three of you personally; you've all met recently. The rest will follow orders. Do yourself a favour. Make things easy for them by unarming and dropping on your knees with hand in the air the moment our guys secure the area."

"Okay. Who'll be looking after our equipment and horses while we're practising the wedgie walk with a bag over our head? It wouldn't be a very good idea for our equipment, particularly the weapons to be left behind and fall into the wrong hands. And are your men aware one of my guys has an ongoing issues about being restrained by anyone, particularly Americans?"

"It's all taken care of. Two of the soldiers on tomorrow morning clean up detail are country boys with a flare for horse care. They will introduce themselves. You can let them know what you require and I suppose you'd better explain how you get those horses to go into a chopper so easily. They will be taking your horses and surplus equipment straight to Bragram and be answerable directly to me. I will personally guarantee the soldiers have access to what they need to take care of the horses on the flight and at Bagram. They will also secure your equipment, which will all be kept intact and out of sight. This whole exercise from go to debrief will be over in three hours. And I'm aware of your idiot friend's perceived phobia about American injustice. Tell him he'll reap no more or less than what he sows. But he will be restrained like everyone else. We do have a contingency to protect everyone if he chooses to carry on like a hypo fool. Anything else?"

"Would you convey a personal message to your pilot?"

"No. Anything else I can do for you?"

"We're sweet. I'll add a tentative thank you from Kaiser at this time. And perhaps from myself tomorrow evening. Thus far I'm impressed." Clancy chuckled but adding, "You still have an officer caveat line inked across my mind's eye image. Though it's faded somewhat in the last few days."

"Okay soldier. If you're not contacted directly by or about the pilot cowboy thing within five days try your mother's number again. Good luck tomorrow. Out."

Wendy hung up the phone and smiled. She enjoyed talking with the arrogant _horse_ guy. Before she knew what she was doing she'd drawn a heart with a jet stream arrow right through the middle and wrote 'Kelly' across the image on her desk blotter. She thumped her aching left thigh twice, trying to tenderise the immobile muscles before turning her attention to the current COMSWEEP report.

*****

There was a spring in Kelly's stride as she maintained step beside Colonel Elfin, moving toward his humvee. "I don't really want to go back to my billet. Not yet. I'd rather go for a quick flight." Was Kelly's quiet contribution to break the silence.

"Well be that as it may you are going back to your billet and you are going to get ready to catch the plane this afternoon. Anything else you want?"

She almost smiled before cranking her eyes to the extreme of their sockets to offer, "I'd like two things actually. Could you organise a flight in my plane, EL207? Someone sensible." She told Wisdom about the people in the valley, the wall in the cave she'd signed, the supply drop taking place later today and her promise to return soon. "Could you have someone escort the transport and show my tail sign to the onlookers? Please. It's important. I'll be eternally in your debt."

"That's doable." He smiled. "You being in my debt sounds like a nice gesture. I'll take the flight myself. What's the other thing?"

"On the way to my billet do you think we could drop in on a chopper crew? I want to have a chat with the pilot. I've got eight staples in my head and a bruise as big as Texas on my hip from being roughed up and thrown in his chopper."

"Sure. I don't mind a little fire works. But don't overdo it. You said chat, that means no one gets physically hurt."

As luck would have it Kelly and Wisdom arrived at the chopper tarmac in time to witness the chopper in question landing from a flight. The engines had been cut though the rotors were still winding down and both pilots were occupied going through their shut down checklists.

Kelly walked straight up to the chopper opened the pilot side front door, reached in releasing the seatbelt as she grabbed the pilot's collar and jerked him out the door. He fell to the ground rather heavily as soon as Kelly released her grip. The poor guy was hanging upside down rather unceremoniously, incapable of moving as his feet were above him still tangled in the helicopter's prominent flight controls.

She looked down into his confused eyes and nodded satisfaction briefly before lifting her leg and heeling him heavily in the groin. She maintained her glare long enough to ensure his pained expression and audible groan weren't artificial.

She smiled success before turning to point a loaded finger at the two discreetly amused crewmen standing either side of the machine gun in the nearest rear doorway. An approving grin covered most of the face of the crewman who had manhandled her into the chopper and also looked after her. In response to Kelly's stare he raised his hands in surrender saying. "Hey don't pick on me. I'm just the messenger."

Kelly offered, "Lucky. Very lucky." while shaking her head and producing a contented if not totally amused grin. She received a quick nod and a modest thumbs up from both crewmen and also the other pilot before turning to strut a direct course for Wisdom's humvee while trying to appear calm and casual.

Wisdom beamed to witness Kelly's behaviour. He knew the aircraft mishap meant nothing in her mind. His prized pilot still possessed the raw animal needed for motivation in combat.

Wisdom focused his attention toward the pilot who was muttering obscenities while nursing a clearly aching groin. "Consider your self told." He pointed to the Colonel insignia on his shoulder and added, "This makes the pair of you even." Wisdom sliced his hand through the air ending with a stab of his finger while saying, "It's over," and without so much as a parting smile turned to follow Kelly to the humvee.

Sixteen seated patients and twelve on litters were on-board the flight to Germany. Alicia, three nurses and two orderlies were there to oversight any care that may be needed during the seven-hour flight. Two of the litter patients were in a bad way so Kelly found herself helping out a few times during the flight. Though for the most part she read and even managed a power nap. It was beginning to darken when they taxied to a stop at Ramstien air force base.

Alicia who was already up and busy found time to whisper in Kelly's ear, "Stay seated. You'll be last off. I'll came and get you myself."

The noise intensified as orderlies and nurses streamed onto the plane intent on transferring everyone to a bus and waiting line of ambulances. More than once Kelly heard Alicia's voice instructing people, _leave that one_.

Kelly heard the noise of another aircraft land. Her trained ears knew it was a Boeing 707 and the aircraft was taxing along the same route they had used to arrive at this location. The 707 didn't turn into a parking bay but stopped behind the open rear door of C-17 Globemaster III Kelly was on. The noise was quite uncomfortable.

Kelly was interrupted from wondering about selfish pilots by a dig in the ribs, "Get up there's nothing wrong with you. You can carry your own kit bag from now on. Consider yourself discharged," Alicia's voice was obvious loud enough to be heard over the four howling engines outside. Alicia handed Kelly her kit bag and pointed out the back to add, "Your ride. Have a nice trip." She gave Kelly a quick hug with a kiss on the cheek and pushed her toward the rear ramp.

*****

Wendy watched the C-17 Globemaster III medivac fight take off from Bagram on her racon display. She'd already received confirmation Kelly was on-board. Within minutes she felt her own plane turn onto a course for Germany and she, along with everyone on-board busied passing current tasks and status activities to the replacement AWACS, which had arrived on-station ready to be elevated into command.

They were half way to Germany before Wendy finally freed herself. While her colleagues relaxed around her she pulled up the results of her mapping of the images search, intelligence gathering for Operation Wilhelm. At this stage the task was collecting comprehensive detail at a specific location west of Tagab.

The results were pleasing; everything thus far was satisfyingly predictable. To make sure of her facts she requested an intense concentration of fly-over activity by a Global Hawk drone. She wanted the area re-mapped the ground x-rayed and complete movement by day and infra red detection documented at night. She needed to be absolutely sure there would be no surprises before committing men on the ground.

She called up Delta command sharing her current findings including access to the new data being compiled. She placed the team planners on gather and prepare. She further requested all team leader operatives be fully briefed and set on twenty-four hour go readiness.

She looked up flights over Europe to find an F15E Eagle out of Lakenheath in the UK bound for Geilenkirchen NATO Base Germany and communicated a message to the pilot call sign Agro, her husband Jason, asking him to wait at the airport and give her a lift home while explaining she was less than an hour from landing.

The last thing she did before touchdown at Ramstein was phone home. She told Anke, the live-in nanny and substitute mother she and Jason would both be home in about an hour. Wendy asked Anke to prepare Trent and Kelly for bed as normal but let them stay up an extra few minutes. She was bringing a surprise home with her. Something the children would enjoy.

On the ground the E3 Sentry stopped on the tarmac throughway behind the recently arrived C-17 medivac plane from Bagram. Wendy's pilot was told to time their flight to pull up as soon as the Medivac flight completed transferring patients into ambulances for the trip to hospital. The pilot had done his job well.

She watched impatiently as stairs to her aircraft were manoeuvred in place and witnessed Kelly receive a quick farewell hug from the nursing sister and walk rather swiftly toward the AWACS stairs. Wendy smiled at the sight of her dearest friend's ungroomed apprehensive appearance. Knowing rank meant very little to Kelly when kept uninformed or riled she rolled her eyes in preparation for the spontaneous blast of words that were about to greet her.

*****

John Page carried his concerns on both shoulders as he dragged his five foot eleven inch frame from the stables. It had been a long day. The expensive new colt wasn't working out. Another employee had fallen heavily. Nothing broken thank God. But the poor chap won't feel unbroken for a day or two. It requires a lot of iron to get back in the same saddle after a big fall from a recalcitrant thoroughbred. The colt was a handful seemed unable to concentrate on track work. The solution was obvious and very costly. A successful career as a gelding could never justify the purchase price. He'd prefer wait but the last thing he wanted was someone truly hurt or killed trying to stay aboard the horse. A horse that throws its head about and baulks dramatically at a full gallop has no future on the track. They'd been lucky thus far. A solution had to be found and found quickly. He'd talk with the vet again after supper.

As he approached the house John's attention shifted to his wife, Marjorie. She was beside herself with worry had phoned him six times during the day to tell him their daughter's photo was on television again. It was cruel not to be able to convey what he knew. Yet he wasn't at all sure Marjorie would be any calmer knowing Kelly wasn't truthfully missing in Afghanistan. Wendy had phoned him to explain the situation. The Air Force was spinning the _missing_ story because a special force's team on a mission had picked Kelly up. It was an imperative the truth not get out because the troops couldn't afford any unnecessary attention. Kelly was in good health so it had been decided she should stay with the soldiers until it was completely safe to quietly extract her without drawing any attention.

Wendy's request not to share the detail with anyone including his wife was hard, disloyal even. Yet John would be first to agree Marjorie might find it difficult not to confide what she knew to her society friends and who knows whom they might tell.

John felt bad about the deception it wasn't the way he thought a married couple should behave. But thinking logically would Marjorie be any more comfortable knowing her daughter was involved in some hush-hush special operation foray in Afghanistan. Marjorie worried constantly about Kelly flying over the place let alone being on the ground involved in something, which must be very dangerous. Her mind would work overtime, inventing worry.

John found it hard not to show his own feelings. He had every confidence in his daughter's ability at the controls of a plane but this was a whole new ball game. Needing to match wits with the obstacles and obstructions presented to special forces was something else. Just the thought of what Kelly might be going through was enough to make him sick with fear. He even found himself praying regularly for Kelly and the soldiers protecting her. And he didn't normally give religion a second thought but what else could he do.

Either way he had to tell Marjorie Kelly wasn't missing and somehow convey the importance of keeping the information absolutely confidential. Perhaps he should surprise Marjorie take her away somewhere for a few days, somewhere with no television where she didn't know anyone. He smiled to himself thinking how absurd the idea was; Marjorie wouldn't go. She'd stay home waiting for a call from Kelly.

He entered the mudroom offloaded his coat and boots changed his outer clothes and washed. He could hear Marjorie talking to someone on the phone about not having heard from Kelly. It sounded as though she was talking to a reporter. Marjorie was offering up way too much detail about Kelly. He had his hand on the door leading to Marjorie's immaculately clean house when his own phone rang.

"Jim just the man I was thinking of... good to hear from you. I hope you've something good to tell me."

John heard the hesitation in his long-standing friend's voice, "John are you alone enough for me to talk freely?"

John knew Jim was asking whether Marjorie was somewhere near, "Yes I'm alone. You'd better spill it out. With that introduction you've got me worried."

"Okay. This is for your ears only. Kelly is fine. She was pulled out of the field eight hours ago. However we're going to let the press run with their missing pilot story for as long as we can. We want Kelly to disappear for a few days... few weeks if we can keep the lid on this and stay ahead of the press. We have a special that needs doing and Kelly's perfect for the job. We were planing to snatch her in a few days so the current drama has worked into our hands. And I should also explain if any journalists get ahead of us with the missing pilot story we have a plan B. So be warned, we've concocted a situation that points to Kelly having been injured and flown home for specialist treatment. We've already put the deception out there. It's waiting to be found."

"Okay. How long is this going to take. I don't suppose there is any point asking where Kelly is? And I do need to tell Marjorie something?

"John. We need Kelly under the radar for three or four weeks. I'll level with you though it goes without saying this is strictly confidential; mostly for Kelly's and her colleagues' benefit. Kelly is set to pilot a couple of imperative Wild Weasel flights in an unlikely location. We need a lot more speed than a prowler can manage and more range than a phantom. Modern hardware is out because we need something to leave a good radar footprint. We're preparing the hardware as we speak. We're not sure what we're up against at this stage. It looks like she may be clearing a path for a rather ambitious helicopter snatch and grab, which will directly benefit a lot of people. I can't tell you where or when but I promise you in a few weeks this whole affair will make prime time. You're a good guesser and I also know Kelly manages to tell you everything so you know she's done this kind of thing before. With luck on our side you'll be the only one outside the loop who knows the pilot's name when all this goes viral." There was a delay while Jim spoke to someone in the background.

John took the break as an opportunity to ask a question, "Jim so Kelly crashing and being picked up by spooks is just a cover?"

"No not at all. Everything Wendy said is on the level. Kelly blew an engine and dropped right into the middle of what Wendy described. We left Kelly where she was because her guides needed to maintain a low profile. They were on their way home from quite a job and riding horses. I knew Kelly could blend in perfectly with that scenario so we left her there. It was the safer option for everyone." John noticed the ease in Jim's voice; "Kelly was pulled out by chopper earlier today. There were a couple of minor complication for Kelly's group to deal yesterday and quite frankly having Kelly with them last night literally proved a lifesaver. Add to this a bit of a mix up and some drama boarding the chopper this morning. However the theatrics have knitted into our plans perfectly. So we decided to bring Kelly's involvement in a new mission forward. She'll have more time to prepare." John heard Jim take a deep breath. "We go back John. I know I can trust you. What I just said is for you and you alone." Jim took another deep breath. "Kelly flew from Bagram to Germany on a Medivac flight today. She did actually bang her head boarding the chopper. I won't even try to explain. Nothing serious; she needed a couple of stitches. It was a perfect opportunity to have her disappear from Afghanistan. Right now Kelly should be sleeping soundly in Wendy's spare bedroom. In the morning she'll be back in the air getting her eye in at the controls of a strike fighter. She'll do fine. There's no one more capable of pulling off our plan. She will literally be all over the world in the next few weeks, including here in the States. I've already cleared a visit by you and Marjorie though I should warn you the only one who doesn't know about the visit or any of the travel plans is Kelly." Jim took a another breath, "And what follows is for Marjorie and the press if they catch-up with Kelly's travels. I know I can't expect you a say nothing at all about Kelly for three weeks with her face being plastered on the television as missing. If the press jell Kelly isn't lost in Afghanistan expect them to start blasting the airways about her having been seriously injured and rushed to a secret location for medical treatment." Jim changed his tone, became more conciliatory, "Keep Marjorie awake tonight. In four or five hours when Kelly has had some breakfast Wendy is going to insist she phone you guys to sweet talk your mother to pre-empt any media attention about her being injured. That should work for Marjorie and keep you out of the dog house." John heard a clatter of animated talking in the background at the other end of the call. "Sorry John I have to go. I'll contact you... soon as I can." The phone line disconnected.

*****

The phone rang twice before Kelly heard her mother's voice answer the call and replied, "Hi Mum. It's me."

"Kelly. Is it really you? We've been worried sick. Your photo is on television saying you're missing. Please tell me it's not true. You know I don't approve of you flying. It isn't lady-like." Kelly pulled the phone away from her ear and frowned for Wendy's benefit while mouthing _told you_.

"I'm fine Mum. I've been given a few days to recover fully. I'm staying with Wendy. I'm not allowed to come home yet. You mustn't tell anyone where..."

"Why can't you come home? You haven't done anything wrong have you?"

Kelly's voice got a little louder, "No Mum. I haven't done anything wrong. I bumped my head and the doctor doesn't want me flying until I've had a few days rest."

"I could come over and visit. It can't be any fun being in a foreign hospital all alone. I can make sure they're looking after you correctly. Bring you fruit and change the flowers. Make you feel better. And when Doctor knows someone sensible is with you he'll let you come home straight away. But you'll have to promise not to fly those silly planes any more. It's not fair on us. Your father has been worried sick."

"Mum. I'm fine. I'm not in hospital. I'm staying with Wendy and as soon as the doctor is happy I'm going to catch a flight home. Mum don't tell anyone where I am please. I've been getting headaches. The press always shout and flash their cameras in my face. I don't feel up to talking to them. Please don't even tell your friends where I am. Pretend you don't know. I need to rest a few days. I'll be home soon. Better put Daddy on the phone so I can re-assure him not to worry. He'll feel better if I can tell him in person."

"He's here." Kelly breathed easier and giggled with a role of her eyes to hear mother instruct Daddy in the background. 'Your daughter wants to speak to you. Don't say anything to upset her. She's staying with Wendy wherever that might be. And she's feeling poorly. I think I'll fly over to make sure she's acting sensible. I can help build up her strength and comfort her during the long trip home.'

"How's my favourite daughter? You know you've been on Television?"

"Yes I saw for myself a few moments ago. Where do they find those shocking old photos? It's all rubbish Daddy. I was never lost. I knew exactly where I was the whole time. I even had time to go horse riding. It was fun. I managed to take some photos for mother. She's going to love them, something rather exotic to share with her friends. But not yet."

"Yes. I got a message about you going horse riding. Sounded interesting. Kelly when you come home we might find time for a few quiet days at uncle Jim's cabin. In fact he said the fish were running. He watched an old raven come out of hibernation and prepare for flight."

Kelly grinned and a flutter of excitement tingled deep in her chest. _Trust Daddy to know what was going on._ He was explaining she was being handed another opportunity to pilot an EF-111 raven. A highly modified F-111 aardvark specifically designed for electronic counter measures. A plane designed to neutralise radar and missile sites. They were known as a _spark vark_ by the crews who flew them. She'd had the honour of flying them into Libya, the Balkans, Iraq and even Pakistan. Though lately Kelly thought such flying out of reach, having made the decision to slow down. She had quit flying F16 Falcons in favour of the slower A10 Warthog. _Things are looking up_. "Thank you Daddy. I do love your fishing excursions. Those birds are such a joy. They can go anywhere. So fast and the way they hug the ground you never know where they'll pop up next. Do you?" Kelly taped her fingers on the table thinking. "Daddy I didn't know about your raven though just tonight I heard talk of a lone eagle preparing to migrate to Britain where it would have a lot of companions. They were saying it could fly this very morning. Didn't understand why it wanted to leave somewhere so quiet but it's starting to make sense now."

"All right you two that's enough. I should have known better?" Wendy voice came through the phone obviously she was on another handset. She quietened and politely said. "Mr Page you always seem to know how to get your hands upon superior fish bait. Kelly will phone from here every other day. Plan a free afternoon late next week. At this stage it looks like you could take Marjorie on nice scenic flight... probably south where all the simulators congregate. Make the trip a surprise. I'll be in touch with the exact detail and try to give you a few days notice. Now please put your wife back on the phone so Kelly can give her the last word and finish this call. I need to catch a glimpse of the migrating eagle before it leaves." Wendy rolled her eyes, "Now you have me doing it. Look after yourself and please keep the press guessing. Don't let Marjorie fly to Europe. There won't be anyone here. I'm migrating south again myself this morning."

Wendy handed the conversation back to Kelly and hung up when she heard Kelly's mother's voice, "Kelly what's the phone number there so I can call to let you know when my flight arrives?"

"No mum you mustn't come over here and you mustn't ring. It's too expensive and besides I need to rest for a few days. I have to visit the therapist and... I'll phone you Mum. Might not be until tomorrow but I'll try to phone every other day." Kelly rolled her eyes and pulled a telling face at Wendy, "Mum, I do need to go. Little Trent wants to show me his school. He's almost as tall as I am. If we don't leave now he'll be late for class. I Love you Mum. I'll talk soon."

Her mother's voice was still rattling on but Kelly hung up anyway.

Wendy and Jason walked hand in hand to the school door. Old married couples rarely displayed time for each other when work, children and a thousand other distractions are involved. But not Jason and Wendy. They grow closer with the years. Their walk was always close; swaying together with touching, rubbing hips. Wendy's stiff cane supported left legged shuffle didn't appear awkward with her free hand linking fingers in Jason's.

Trent rolled his eyes. His parents both wanted a farewell kiss in front of all his classmates, so uncool. Kelly watched from the car and felt teary for a moment. She wondered what kind of father Clancy would make. Though deep down she was sure no one could be as affectionate and proud of his family as Jason.

Until a few days ago she felt Wendy and her own mother were married to the only decent men on earth. Now she knew there was at least one more suitable man out there. Somewhere. And he wasn't attached to anyone. Or was he. How could someone with so much appeal not be involved? In any case she didn't know where he was. She didn't even know who he was and she didn't know where she would be for the next few weeks. _All this foolishness; thinking about Clancy is just that, foolishness. By the time we meet again... if we meet again someone will have stolen him for sure. He is too good a catch, a keeper. I'm going to get hurt thinking like this. It already hurts. So why am I doing it? Why am I thinking so? Why?_

"Sorry?" Kelly suddenly realised Wendy had been talking to her. Though she wasn't now. She was quietly staring with a smug grin on her face. "What?"

"I'm trying to explain for you to be careful but I know you're too pig headed to listen. Besides you seem distracted by something warm and fuzzy. Perhaps that should be someone who makes you feel warm and fuzzy." The silent grin Kelly watched wasn't a bit funny. Her friend was teasing. Wendy even winked and blew a small kiss before re-inventing the stern emotionless Officer buried within. "I'll say this another way. We all know you haven't flown a strike fighter in ages and it's almost six years since you were last at the controls of an Eagle. Yet everyone involved in this exercise knows quite well you'll take to the sky where you last left off. So we're overlooking the correct retraining protocols. By the end of today you'll have flown a few different aircraft. Take it steady until you're positive your judgement has caught up with the speed." Wendy looked at Kelly for a few seconds studying her expression. "You're to use call sign Po for now."

"That's ridiculous. You said I'm supposed to be hiding." Kelly didn't mean to sound sharp.

"That's how I thought at first before the reasons were explained fully. The best way to kill any rumours is to distract them. There are enough old timers still flying Eagles to identify you so let them play up your legion status. And you can take on as many young Turks as you like. But get your eye in first. Make sure you can hold up your end for both our sakes. All this will prove helpful in a few days. Do as many flights as you can manage. We'll make sure all the talk of you flying again stays in house. Work hard. You've got eighteen hours and you'll be off somewhere else in a newer machine. And also," Wendy was displaying that smug look again, "You won't be going off base anywhere without a chaperone." Wendy stuck her finger out and touched Kelly's chest between her small breasts, while added, "For the next three or four weeks you belong to me."

Wendy said her good bye to Kelly then Jason before climbing the stairs of her AWACS, which was ready for departure with all engines running.

A short drive and a walk across the tarmac saw Jason climb into the F-15 Eagle he used to commute to and from work in England daily. He insisted on sitting in the back seat. Kelly would be flying. The six years since she sat at the controls of an Eagle didn't exist. Everything was as fresh as yesterday. Planes and flying live in a special protected corner inside her brain. Flying is a part of her being. She sat a moment hands caressing the controls just to experience the feel of being fully alive. Her first love was flying. It was the only thing that mattered.

_I'm at the controls of a supersonic fighter._ Kelly breathed in and allowed the air to press gently against her heart. This whole business is a roller coaster ride, a wonderful, wonderful gift. The best. She didn't want anything else in her life. This was bliss.

*****

The moment her plane settled in level flight heading towards Afghanistan, Wendy picked up the phone and dialled the number she'd stored several days earlier. As the phone rang Wendy put a finger to her lips thinking. She had no idea how to handle this call or what to say. She took a deep breath trying to remember exactly why the call was a good idea.

Wendy was surprised at the politeness of tone presented by the person who answered. "Hello Marge Page speaking. How may I help you?"

"Mrs Page. This is Colonel Wendy Maiden of the United States air force. Your son recently indicated you were on the lookout for suitable employees to work on your farm. I think his exact description was an active couple seeking a working holiday adventure at an unusual and somewhat unique location." Wendy cleared her throat and hoped she didn't sound discussing, "I know of a family who may be suitable. But to be perfectly truthful David indicated you were looking for Jill and Jackeroos and I'm not sure what kind of work that entails. I've never heard either phrase before."

Marge was slow to reply. A nervous caution had crept into her voice, "Yes that's true. David did mention he'd pass the word around though I didn't expect he'd find anyone. Not so soon anyway. David seemed to think some of the German soldiers might have parents or active grandparents interested in spending a few months out here. German students have a curious obsession with wandering the outback so we thought there might be a few late bloomers with the same longing who would prefer a proper bed and postal address. You said you're American." There was a short delay, "But I... I don't suppose that matters." Another delay. "We are a long way from town. We need to find people who don't mind the isolation. Jackaroos and Jillaroos are local titles given to farmhands. Anyone healthy that isn't petrified of livestock, heavy work and getting dusty can do the job." Marge made a quaint amused sound in the throat, "A lot of the properties can attract young overseas backpackers, mostly German or English and almost always European to try their hand at farm work but we're too far off the beaten track for the younger travellers to find us."

"Yes well. I'm American though my current posting is an airbase in Germany. I may have some people who would welcome the opportunity you're offering." Wendy paused to think, "How should we go about this? Should I explain a little about the family? To be entirely truthfully I should explain I haven't actually talked to them about your offer but I'm sure they'll be interested. It seems like a very convenient situation all round. I intend to broach the idea with them later today. But I wanted to make sure you would be interested in having them try out first."

"If you don't mind talking about the people anything you can explain now would be fine. Then perhaps I could talk to the people directly if they're interested." There was another slight delay, "It just that..." Marge hesitated again her voice gave a slight stammer finding the words, "It's just... we are a long way from town and life here can be rather daunting to anyone who isn't suitably prepared. I'd hate for someone to travel such a long way only to be disappointed."

Wendy spoke with the confidence of her rank, "Mrs Page. We're looking to place an Afghan family, if they and you agree of course. I'm sure they won't be any trouble to you. They're suitably qualified and will be willing to work just for the privilege of living in peaceful stability. They're a family of three the husband and wife are both in good health and will be willing workers. They have both worked with livestock on farms. I'm not sure of there ages though I'm guessing they're in their mid forties. Things have been quite hard for them in recent years so they won't be expecting much. I know they'll appreciate the opportunity to live with peace and certainty. They'll be very grateful to you."

Marge's reply was exhibiting less nervousness. "That all sounds fine. I know I keep saying we're a long way from town but if the people are at all violent or prone to think in terms of the needing a defence from violence they won't be suitable. We have no access to police protection out here and the isolation can be very nerve-racking to the unprepared. We live in a place where people find out how debilitating monophobia and agoraphobia can be. We regularly discover just how many people suffer from both." Marge emitted a quaint giggle, "Hope I haven't scared you off. I am very interested in encouraging people to come, as long as they know what they're in for. You said there were three people in the family?"

"Yes. You've been upfront and honest with me. This is the part I'm dreading. They have a daughter who is around ten years old. She recently lost a leg in an explosion and quite frankly it was our fault. She is recovering well. We want to afford the family an opportunity to have the child fitted with a quality prosthetic limb, which is going to take time. The family need somewhere to stay while this happens and we also feel they would be better placed having something worthwhile to do in a location away from the public gaze." Wendy stopped speaking expecting a quick reply. As the silence ensued she added, "How am I doing?"

"Um. I wish I could help. I really do. This is a wonderful place for raising young children but we have no access to medical treatment at all. The nearest hospital is a very rough twelve-hour drive away. We don't even have basic services like an electricity supply." The disappointment was present in Marge's voice, "I know I must sound ungrateful but believe me if the family need access to modern services they might as well stay in Afghanistan as come here. We have no modern support services at all. There are times when we're cut off from accessing even basic food supplies for literally months."

Wendy was never one to be daunted. She was quite pleased to hear genuine concern for the family's welfare, which she had no doubt was how her son was raised. Time to play her trump card. "We can fix all that. With your permission we'll put the power on and upgrade your runway to enable us to provide transport to and from any medical services the child might need. We intend to pay all the medical costs anyway. The US government intends to pick up the cost. When we leave you get to keep it all."

"Why? Why would you go to so much trouble and expense? Wouldn't it be simpler to have the people stay in the city? Don't get me wrong I'd love electricity. And improved aircraft access has been our dream for ages. Would be wonderful but we always seem to have other priorities." Marge's tone carried an apology as if asking forgiveness for sounding greedy. "But in the long run this isn't about us. If the people you want to put here need medical services they should be where they can access them. Surely their needs must come first?"

Wendy had heard enough she wanted the family placed with Marge. The family needed compassion understanding and protection from the pressures of being dumped unprepared in a western environment. "Mrs Page. We believe the family will be better off living with you. And quite frankly the cost of looking after them in the city will be more expensive than upgrading your services and providing the transportation for the family. We won't have to provide protection for them with you. In the city we would. We know they'll be safe and happy at your place. This isn't just some bureaucratic fancy Mrs Page. It was your son who brought the families problems to my attention. Right at this moment David is taking care of some loose ends that need doing before the family can travel." Wendy lowered her tone to continue. "The US government has deep pockets. Our military update runways and produce off-grid power systems all the time. Your place is just another exercise in an on-going stream of exercises. Something for our soldiers and engineers to do and be proud of. They will be in and out in as little as a few days, weeks probably. You'll barely notice them there. Plus the soldiers will appreciate a break at an overseas destination where no one is shooting at them. And in that regard it will be the same for the Afghan family. Cities are big cold lonely places. This family need to be located somewhere secure, friendly and free of the hustle bustle pressures of western society." Wendy waited a moment to match Marge's style, "How am I doing Mrs Page? Would you still like to meet the family?"

"You're doing extremely well. Yes. I would like to meet them. If they're happy to come here we'd be very happy to have them. I could send photos of the place so they at least know what they're in for? Though if they know David I'm sure he'll show them pictures and explain how things are here. Do they speak English? I know a few basic Afghan words. But I'm sure I'm very rusty now."

"Okay. I'll explain about you and your property to the family and if they're comfortable with knowing more, I'll arrange for them to talk to you. Any concerns they have can be put directly to you. I'll phone back either way and keep you informed. I may even be able to arrange for David to speak also. The Mother speaks perfect English and several other languages. She's a university graduate and has actually worked and travelled overseas before she was married. The husband and daughter don't speak much English but they're both very keen to learn and smart. They'll learn quickly. Mrs Page I can't talk much longer right now but if you'd allow me I'd like to chat further. I'll be meeting with the family within the next few days and I'll phone you again when I do." Wendy paused not sure whether she should say this but thought why not, "Mrs Page when we have more time I'd love to ask you how it is your son David speaks Khowar and how he learnt so much about the customs, traditions and culture of the Afghan people? I've already asked him but he just shrugs and goes quiet. If I didn't know from experience how well he communicates with the locals here in Afghanistan I'd think he can't talk properly at all."

"That sounds like my son. Well it's not much of a mystery. I'd be happy to explain when you have the time. Thinking about it an Afghan family will fit in just fine here. What a shame you can't drop in for a few days yourself. It would make more sense to show you some places here and have a chat about how thing once were in our little corner of the world. Do you have a family Colonel? Out here is a gorgeous place for young children to grow up and learn. You'd be most welcome to bring your family for a holiday..." Marge chuckled quaintly, "If you run out of places more grand to visit."

"It's Wendy, Mrs Page and yes my husband and I juggle work commitments to look after our beautiful seven and five year old."

"Well it's settled than Colonel... Wendy. I'm Marge. Next time you find yourself flying across our area with your family in tow you must call in and stay a few days. I promise you there are many, many new and unusual activities here to occupy everyone. Out here there are no distractions to interrupt the quality of investing time together."

"I'd like that Mrs Page... Marge. I'd like that very much." Chatter in the background stole Wendy's attention for a second, "Um I'm sorry Marge I really do need to go; one of those distractions you talked about has just popped up. I'll phone you again later today with an update. It's been lovely chatting. Bye for now."

Wendy put the phone down and stared at it a moment. _What a fresh and charming lady._

Her moment spent Wendy turned to the source of the sound. "What?"

##  Chapter 07

Marge returned to her breakfast with a spring in her step. She couldn't remember the last time someone surprised her with such delightful news at five in the morning. Fancy someone phoning from an aeroplane. _An army Colonel phoning here. A Lady Colonel. What would John have to say about that_? Marge checked the mirror in the hallway wanting to see if her face reflected how she felt. _It did._

She practised a how-do-you-do greeting smile before returning to the kitchen table where her breakfast serial waited. She decided when the yard work was complete she'd check on the old house to make sure everything was clean and ship-shape-ready. She'd check the cupboards to ensure all the appliances were functional and modern enough for a family. Better check we have enough linen. She wanted everything comfortable for her visitors... if they come.

Marge crossed her fingers and dared to wish her dream of finding a family to live and work here might come true. She would inspect the bunkhouse as well. The rooms were basic but suitable for any servicemen accompanying the new arrivals. Oh how she hoped the family would come. Marge glanced at the calendar and wondered how long it might take the army to arrange such a trip. Thinking about what her son thought of the army's ability to organise things made her feel impatient. She imagined David's quaint laughing smile and was sure she heard him whisper _don't hold you breath._ She remembered asking him what the army was like and seeing him shake his head saying, _for a job that requires two they allocate ten and when it requires ten they'll send two. Everything is hurry up then wait._

She'd need to collect them from the city. The work trucks can't carry more than three in the front and she could hardly drive from the city with people sitting on the back like they sometimes do out here. She couldn't ask her new arrivals to sit on the back of a truck for twenty-four hours anyway. _What would they think?_ They'll need to stop and rest after a long flight. We'll need to hire a vehicle to pick them up. How many military people would be coming? We may need to hire a bus? _How on earth do I do that?_

Marge made a note to ask the Colonel so she could plan properly. Perhaps they might come via Alice Springs where American military planes regularly visit. _And the road is much worse._

Oh stop this insanity. There is work needs to be done.

*****

Clearing explosives and rendering fields safe was a two-day job. The clearance soldiers withdrew over-night while Clancy, Chiko and Muscat camped on the village outskirts. They entertained the locals tasting army ration pack food, Muscat's singing, Chiko spent his time teaching the children to play marbles and after dark viewing the village through night vision equipment.

The stores and horses plus an additional ten goats were crated in with the disposal team's return at first light on the second morning. The goats were offered to the village elders in partnership something that could provide an excuse to return in the future if it were deemed prudent or necessary. The headman sealed the deal and undertook to document the milk offsets with a fair distribution of future new kid ownership. The negotiating took a long time. The man knew how to strike a deal of mutual benefit with no loose ends that might lead to exploitation or conflict in the future.

It took several return calls from the AWACS seeking further information before approval was granted for the scenic fights. The usual metal detectors were waved over each person before boarding. The soldier's turned this into a game. The village children had already watched the clearance team use similar equipment in the fields.

It was decided the whole village, adults as well, could be taken for a bird's eye view over their valley. Men and boys travelled in one helicopter, which arrived and took off a few minutes before the second.

At Wendy's insistence the men were taken up in a noisy well used and in her mind unimpressive combat decked out Chinook. The girls however got to ride in the cleanest, best maintained super stallion in Afghanistan. It was even fitted with conventional airline quality seating though facing backwards.

The crew were under instruction to wait until the Chinook had taken off before landing and to treat the girl's and women well. Upon landing a Marine in full dress uniform exited the rear door to simulate the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue walk. He marched his way round to open the front door and allowed the waiting passengers to enter. The Marine saluted each as they boarded before closing the door and retracing his steps. The meaning was waisted on the passengers but the gesture was memorable and impressive.

The girls were taken further on their flight and treated to the same formal exit ritual in front of the men. Plus the stallion was packed with balloons, books, pencils, crayons, marbles in bags, sweets, joggers, t-shirts, woollen blankets and jumpers. All were packed in show bags for the woman and girls to take with them as keepsakes. It was arranged for enough gift bags to be available to share with the men and boys afterwards.

Wendy's heart needed the girls to reign supreme for a few moments without exposing them to risk.

Late on the second day the horse thieves, Chiko, Muscat and the injured girl's father had confronted turned up at the village. They had followed the instructions given them to the letter, travelling through the mountains to return the stolen horse and what remained of the supplies taken. They offered their other horses to the village leader as compensation to right the wrong selfishly imposed on the family.

The village elders' accepted the compensation and even invited the men to eat and rest before commencing the arduous journey back over the mountains to their own village.

As the soldiers prepared to leave the young thieves said nothing but the meaning behind the nods they received and exchanged with Chiko and Muscat were clearly a matter of importance. On each of their young faces a badge of honourable reconciliation could be seen. The acknowledgement freed the would-be thieves from the burden of family disgrace. They had earned a second chance, restored by a right of unspoken worthiness to carry back to their own village.

*****

Wendy studied her radar screens. She knew the two helicopters had finished the clearance job and pulled out before the message came through confirming the task complete. She monitored both choppers to confirm they were on a direct heading towards Bagram.

She waited eight minutes before picking up her blue phone and dialled from her computer before saying, "This is Window Maker on-board Sentry. Operation Wilhelm is stand to." She listened to the Delta team controller precisely parrot her words back and hung up without a further word.

She pulled up the latest satellite scans of the Tagab region and studied the Chinagae area in detail before picking up her security token and entering the displaying coded number into the waiting field on her computer screen. A window appeared and commenced to scroll displaying:-

Operation Wilhelm is set.

Operation Wilhelm Active: counting.

Operation Wilhelm count is H minus seventeen minutes.

Operation Wilhelm - Phase 1 is go.

She kept an eye on the radar screen to her right. On queue the two helicopters began to slowly reduce altitude and alter course to place them on a direct line towards a newly created small square displaying a theatre of operation tag line _OT - Wilhelm._

Her computer screen updated.

Operation Wilhelm - Phase 3 is active.

She studied the flight schedule screen above her head and identified five new friendly helicopter tags two Super Stallions in company with three Huey Cobra gunships out of Bagram. At the same time the computer window on her screen scrolled changing, Phase 3 is active; to, Phase 3 is go.

It took three minutes for the returning chopper images to pass through the small square on radar. As they approached the square at tree top altitude the infra red heat detectors monitoring a small single room hut in the square tagged _Target Alpha_ signalled a movement alert. Wendy observed two human heat sources come together and reduce their heat shadow, which implied they had taken shelter under something dense. The women had almost certainly crawled under a rug on the floor.

Neither chopper altered speed or direction but Wendy's visual image scanner caught the three parachutes canopies pop open behind one chopper. Out of habit she commenced counting while checking her computer screen to verify, Operation Wilhelm - Phase 2 is go, was on display.

On the count of twelve all three parachutes collapsed. Wendy didn't breath again until she witnessed the soldiers in typical movement, securing the area and gathering in canopies. They had landed several hundred feet from Target Alpha and as planned were now shielded from sight in a small area between two stone walls.

Wendy hit a function key on her keyboard and watched the screen displayed, Operation Wilhelm - Phase 2 confirm clean loc. achieved.

The soldiers disappeared from view as they approached the building though three heat glows were detected in infra red and could be seen to co-ordinate then burst through the door. The two heat sources inside, which were together noticeably become one image as they obviously drew each other closer still. The vision caused Wendy to pause. Without conscious thought her thumb lifted to her mouth. _Poor people. They must be terrified._

Within seconds the five heat plumes were in close proximity though separate. It took several minutes before any movement seemed to become purposeful and quickly afterwards two figures appeared on the open ground in front of the hut. Wendy could see one was Clancy and the other was obviously the woman. Her yellow phone rang. Before she could speak she heard Clancy say, "Small problem. Can you unlink this phone so I can try to get hold of Kaiser?"

Wendy scanned through pre-set numbers on her computer and dialled using her green phone while answering Clancy, "I'm dialling him now. Assuming he's at work."

"If he's not this is going to get ugly."

While talking Wendy switched her visual attention to a larger building complex half a mile away and out of sight on the far side of a hill. The area was tagged and labelled _target Bravo_. Eight heat sources were detectable within various buildings and four adult males were grouped together outside. Each was carrying a rifle and involved in animated discussion. The focus of their attention was being directed towards _target Alpha_. They were obviously drawn out by the noise of the helicopters. "What's the problem Clancy?"

"Everything is sweet. We can force the issue. But Anahita is nervous. She finds if hard to believe who we are and why we're here. She thinks it could be a set-up to have her and Maliha leave the property. When the Calvary arrive they're likely to fall apart and what follows won't be an act."

The phone rang twice before it was picked up, "Base admin. What do you want?"

Wendy ignored Clancy previous conversation but let him listen. "Hello. This is US air force Colonel Wendy Maiden. I need to speak to Sergeant Malem Voss. It's urgent."

The reply was unexpected, "Yes sure Colonel. Look you'll need to wait at the gate for a while. The birthday boy has stepped out and won't be available for another hour."

Wendy was taken aback. Before she tried again Clancy replied, "Jesus Stinky. Get your brain switched on. This is on the level and urgent. We need you to get Kaiser on the phone pronto."

"Who's this?" The voice now sounded confused.

"Clancy. Find Kaiser and..."

"Who?"

"Operator Clancy. Find Kaiser and get him on this phone. It's urgent."

"Clancy? Thought you were still in the sand pit." Stinky laughed a little, "Playing dodge the bullets."

"Christ Stinky. I am. Where's Kaiser? This can't wait."

"Sorry you're out of luck. You should have rung half an hour ago. He was standing right beside me. We tried to keep him here. It's his birthday and a stripper-gram is on the way. But you know what Kaiser's like. Said he was going for a haircut. What do you want him for?"

Wendy cut in the conversation quickly, "Clancy keep talking. I'll locate the base hair dresser?"

Stinky said, "Who's that with you. You're pulling my chain aren't you?" There was a chuckle, "Are you outside and part of the surprise? A Colonel sounds like a nice touch. Policewomen have been done to death..."

Another voice cut into the conversation, "Base Barber. We can fit you in but you'll have to get here within ten minutes?"

Wendy spoke, "Hello. This is US air force Colonel Wendy Maiden. I need to speak to Sergeant Malem Voss. It's urgent."

The voice on the phone answered, "And good morning to you too Ma'am Sir. We don't have a Sergeant, a wog or a wog Sergeant with long hair, short hair or half way in between. So you're out of luck." The caller hung up.

Wendy let out an audible sigh, "Stinky isn't it. Where in the name of hell is Kaiser having his hair cut?" Somehow her brain registered background noise in Clancy's phone. "Oh fu... Hold."

Wendy picked up her blue phone placed it over her other ear and made no attempt to shield her words from the other phone. "Delta Major on-board Freight Train Alpha. This is Widow Maker on-board Sentry. Operation Wilhelm, Phase 3 Bravo is go. Alpha is on short hold. I confirm Alpha is secure. Escort Hornet Alpha is free to roam. Support Bravo as needed. Over.

The messages came back in an efficient male voice exactly as conveyed. Wendy hung up the blue phone. "Now where were we? That's right. Stinky. You were about to tell us exactly where Kaiser is? Or I swear I'll have you kneecapped."

"This is on the level isn't it?" Stinky's voice suddenly flowed confidence, "Kaiser should be at Mussolini's."

Clancy spoke, "Stinky can you look up the number for us? We do need to talk to him."

Wendy held the phone with her neck to free her hands to type on her computer keyboard. She pulled up her call-forward spot locator search tool and typed ' _Mussolini haircuts.'_ And got no meaningful hits.

Before she could swear again Clancy spoke, "Widow you may be faster. Can you search for _Romano's barber and tobacco_ in Claremont?"

Within a two second they all heard an Italian accent on her green phone say, "Romano. You want the best tobacco or the haircut. You ring the right number. How may I help?"

Wendy replied, "Morning Romano. I believe Malem Voss is in your shop getting a haircut. I need to speak to him?"

Romano could be heard to say, "Hey Kaiser. Someone they want to speak to Malem Voss. Is that you?"

Wendy didn't hear the answer but she did here Romano's loud voice say, "You don't have the wife. It must be your mother. No one else could know this."

Wendy felt like kissing someone when she heard a polished baritone voice cautiously say, "Malem Voss speaking. Who is this?"

Wendy hung up on Stinky's line without a word, before saying, "This is US air force Colonel, Wendy Maiden. You're a difficult man to pin down Sergeant. I'm in contact with the two female occupants of a hut near Chinagae, Parvan Province, Afghanistan. Clancy, Muscat and Chiko are at the hut and have asked the ladies to leave so they might travel to your location. We don't think it's appropriate to make them travel against their will. I'm patching you though to the hut now. Pull this off and later today we'll be talking travel arrangement. If you wish to see the ladies in person be near the base video hook-up in a few hours." Wendy quietened her voice and said, "Clancy?"

Clancy spoke in a foreign language. However a new window commenced to scroll on Wendy's computer screen.

Translation Identified: Khowar.

Voice on file: Clancy - verified.

'Birthday boy, happy birthday, Maalik Tsrar; I have a present for you. Anahita and Maliha are safe. Tomorrow the journey begins.' The computer registered a delay. 'I need you to calm Anahita. Tell her to trust us and play along with our silly deceptions. They think we may be at one with the neighbours here and would prefer die quickly on their own land rather than be evicted to slowly suffer starvation.' There was another delay. 'We need them to prepare to exit the plane via the assisted wedgie walk. We intend to play the dead meat game. Witnesses will take the word back to Chinagae.' Another delay registered. 'All of us will play. So supervision won't be available for a few minutes at Bagram. It's safer for them to disappear completely. I'm putting Anahita on the phone.'

Wendy's curiosity was raised by the name, Maalik Tsrar. She knew it to be Kaiser's birth name but... _Of course Clancy used it for Anahita's benefit. Smart._

Kaiser's voice sounded a little choked. Her computer displayed.

Translation Identified: Khowar.

**Voice not on file:** Tagged as A960325-24848246954375.

Wendy typed Kaiser into the vacant voice identification field. The screen updated.

Voice identified: Kaiser

Database identity match: Kaiser source creditable – Saved

**Content:** 'Clancy. You climb even higher my friend. We shall talk more about this many times. Have your jailers link your wrists to my girls so they can feel the comfort of a friendly hand to help be less alone. Now let Anahita hear my voice.

Wendy watched the translation of Clancy speaking with his mouth obviously away from the phone. 'Anahita. Place it to your ear like this. Listen normally. And speak into here. It's a telephone. It will bring Maalik's voice to your ear and your voice will go to his ear as if you are both standing together. Come with us and you will soon see him with your own eyes. And in a few days you will be able to touch him. Maliha and you will live under Maalik's roof. He will protect you as a brother should. You will both be safe.'

As Wendy read the ensuing conversation on her screen tears of emotion built in her eyes, yet she still managed to speak into the blue phone with conviction, "Delta Major on-board Freight Train Alpha. This is Widow Maker. Operation Wilhelm Phase 3 Alpha is go. I confirm alpha is secure. I say again alpha is secure. We confirm there are no hostiles on site."

*****

"General. It's Colonel Maiden. You wanted my weapons systems officer recommendation for Operation Scorpion."

"Wendy how many times have I told you Jim is fine when we are one-to-one."

"Many times General. I can be over-heard by my colleagues up here."

"Okay Wendy. Carry on."

"I've got a short list... and a long list. There are more than a dozen good experienced Navy prowler weapon systems officers available..." Wendy rotated her pen through her fingers.

Jim heard the hesitation in Wendy's voice, "But?"

She put the pen down and puffed out a breath, "I'm not sure selecting an electronics whiz from a plane that uses three people to get the job done and never goes anywhere near harms way is right for us. It makes more sense if we go the other way. Bring an existing strike fighter weapons system officer up to speed on electronics warfare. There are even more who are perfect to make that transition. I've been going through the available people and I've found someone ready trained on aircraft type who's perfect. Two in fact. Well almost two."

"Okay. Who did we overlook?"

Wendy closed her eyes and counted. "Me. And before you state the obvious I was grounded because my leg won't bend if I need to eject. Everything else is fine. An F-111 has an escape capsule, which is perfectly safe for straight legs so I'm good to go."

"The obvious has nothing to do with your leg and everything to do with your brain. I'm not approving you flying this mission. It's too risky. You said there were two. Who's the second choice?"

"There is an Australian weapons systems officer, Flying Officer Billie Hope who seems to be the perfect match. She is currently active on F-111's and has just returned from combat training at Nellis. She was with a group of Australian F-111 aircrew cross-trained onto Super Hornets. Hope stood out enough to impress Gus Cody. Apparently she was consistently on target but their pilots kept pulling up short. Gus put her in the back seat with him and found her spot on. Even with him flying she couldn't be distracted. Gus approached me about her, said we should borrow her to ride back seat in our planes. Apparently she'd be keen to transfer. If I might quote her, _her squadron is stacked with misogynistic bigots."_ Wendy calmed, "I checked her out. Would you believe apart from the obligatory Bachelor of Science she has a Master in Avionics and a Doctorate with a major in electronic security and computer forensics. For her thesis she designed and built an improved aerial counter-measure systems. Her paper was the starting point for our counter measures overhaul. We used her principals almost without change in the growler design."

Jim gave a small chuckle. "She might be better than you?"

"Might be as good. She couldn't be as hungry. She regularly flies their RF-111. It's a baby EF-111."

"Okay you've sold me. Get hold of Billie Hope and put her down as number one. You can be her backup for the training. You can have a flight or two with your friend for old time sake. However if for whatever reason Billie Hope becomes a no show get back to me with a new primary. You are not to fly any of the operational flights. Did you here me? How is the pilot coming along?"

Wendy's voice dragged, "Yes General I heard. The pilot is doing fine. Like a happy little piggy playing in fresh muck would be a good description for Kelly at the moment. She's having a ball. The ego of half a dozen want-to-be top guns lie shattered at her feet already. I'm going to have her fly a few night sorties and pull the conversion to hornets on her at about mid night tonight."

"New topic. I studied the recording you pointed out and did more than listen and read. I sent it to the linguistic boffins at Langley and with the aid of their oversized computers they concluded both speakers authentic. Born and breed in Afghanistan with links to the Pakistan tribal regions. No pattern of western or foreign influence to their speech but several indications the speakers are plotting terrorist acts. There recommendation was to detain them as quickly as possible, which is something of a worry. You've already told me one voice belongs to the team leader on the Lima-three-six raid. Who's the other one?"

Wendy took her time responding, "Well that really is a worry because the other one is a colleague currently assigned as an instructor training their soldiers in effective Afghan warfare. The real worry being he's not training our soldiers. And... more importantly it would seem not training our so called intelligence experts."

Jim replied with conviction, "Wendy we don't want one of those guys we want them both. We need these people. We're in complete agreement on this. We won't be comfortable until people with their skills are seated on every AWACS flight. Whatever it takes Wendy. Make this happen."

Jim sounded like he was shuffling papers. "Wait a minute. Where is this Billie Hope stationed?"

"Amberley near Brisbane."

"I want you to go out there and personally arrange for Billie Hope's transfer. Bring her back with you. Stuff her in a laundry cart and steal her if need be. Get hold of this Kaiser guy and make sure you seal the deal to keep your fingernails firmly attached to Clancy before you leave?" Jim paused as if to collect his thoughts, "And I'll give you a tip for another person. There's a junior pilot named Elizabeth Ho at Amberley. Check her out and if that finally tuned woman-justice-meter of yours doesn't like what you discover bring her back on secondment as well." Jim chuckled. "I think you need more seats. The C-20H you requisitioned is on route so we'll use it as far as Germany. I'll have a C-40B waiting for the trip to Australia. You can get some work done on route. If you want take the kids with you. Who cares, take the neighbours if you want. I'll arrange for your hubby to fly that way for a few days." Jim chuckled again, "That takes care of the holiday leave you keep requesting."

"Gee thanks Sir. I will take the family. Trent and Kelly are always badgering us about visiting work so they can tell the other children at school. It's a great cover. Make sure Jason has plenty of time on the ground please. I'll pack him a bag. Who's Elizabeth Ho? And why the interested?"

"I attended a White House function recently to honour Woman Air Force Service Pilots. Got chatting to a lady who successfully delivered a swag of bombers across the Atlantic in World War Two. That's gutsy stuff. In those times and those planes they really were pushing the envelope to the limit. Anyway the lady is an American who married a British Lancaster pilot and eventually immigrating to Australia. She proudly shared with me her granddaughter, Elizabeth Ho, graduated as a pilot at the top of her class last year. Then she explained Elizabeth got first posting, chose bombers and has been serving drinks in the Officer's mess ever since."

"That can't be true. Not in this day and age. God if it is... They must be crazy. We can't find enough quality aircrew."

"Precisely. If the story is even partly true get her transferred to us and bring her back with you. I'll leave finding her a posting to you. If she's capable I want her flying with us."

Wendy held up her fingers to help her count, "Okay. To summarise I'm delivering the Afghan people to Australia personally. I'm to see them settled with everything they need. Then change hats and start rounding up people. And while all of this is going on I kick start Operation Scorpion. Finalise all the legwork and you don't care how I manage any of this?"

"Almost correct. Not quite. I care like heck if we upset anyone who matters. And I care like hell if the lid blows off Operation Scorpion. In-fact why don't you take crew, crew stations and several drones out there with you along with all the construction people you need? I've got a feeling Alice Springs isn't the location for a low profile. We need the resources of Pine Gap and we do need to get the training under way. But somewhere truly quiet yet close by might be more suitable if you get my drift."

"I do and I suspect you might be on the money. Another thought seeing as we're using a Boeing 737 platform could we get our hands on one of the Wedge Tail prototype test platforms from Boeing for the trip. The one I saw was fitted out with a crew rest facility in a separate cabin behind the work area that could easily accommodate our passengers."

Jim sounded puzzled, "You can. I have one undergoing retesting evaluation as we speak. We're finally producing results. In-fact I'm minutes away from signing off to send it back to the supplier. I'll hold off if you need it? What's on your mind?"

"It's the one aircraft we can park near Pine Gap, get the usual new aircraft media circus without the what-is-really-going-on conspiracy questions hanging around for days. Plus I really would be able to do some work while insisting it's undergoing testing in the hot desert temperatures near Pine Gap. Testing a Wedge Tail even explains the presence of drones being flown nearby."

"Good thinking. We'll send both aircraft. The media won't buy you having civilians on-board a Wedge Tail. You need to remember the very aircraft I'm sending is destine to become part of the Australian Air Force." Jim gave a small snort, "To them they're the big secret spy plane."

Wendy played her trump card. "I hadn't thought of that but I was thinking of a sound public relations opportunity. Remember our defence contact, Jacqueline Scheller. The politician lady you told me to stay in touch with a few years ago. She's just been appointed Minister of Defence. A Wedge Tail and the drones can provide her with some quality photo opportunities to help cement her feet in the job. Plus I can talk about Elizabeth Ho and quote her grandmother. You probably don't know but Jacqueline Scheller stayed at our place in Europe last year. She needed somewhere private where the press wouldn't find her to get married. I was her wife's matron of honour and Jason gave her away."

Jim's voice sounded surprised, "Wow. I didn't know nor did I notice. So Jacqueline Scheller is gay. She hides that well. I've got to ask my wife about this. She claims she can always tell. You know she told me our daughter was going to turn out gay long before Joanne would have known herself. She was still a toddler. I'll never know how my wife knew but I'm grateful she did. It prepared us both to make the changes at home to guide Joanne's upbringing and not cause any unnecessary stress." Jim stopped speaking for a moment and Wendy knew he was staring at photos on his desk, "Okay it's a done deal. Treat Jacqueline to the comfort of our C40B and take her... where ever. Play our cards well and we might make a sale or two. Procurements will love us. I'll tell you what..." Jim's voice bathed in new excitement, "Strike carrier group eight is on the way home from the gulf for a well earned break. They're in the Andaman Sea not too far from the Malacca Strait. I'll slow them down, re-route them through the Sunda strait and across the top of Australia. Find an excuse to invite Jacqueline to visit Ike with selected press. A photo opportunity test riding a Super Hornet off a carrier might be a reasonable inducement. What politician could refuse?" Jim let out an evil little laugh, "She's about to take possession of a few dozen super hornets. You can smuggle her wife out there too if you wish." More laughter, "This is all dropping together well. Hiding is easy when everyone is looking for something different. I'll have a few of Kelly's new toys find their way into Ike's hanger deck and make sure the Iwo Jima has some Ospreys on-board to ferry visitors. Ospreys need good press at the moment." Still more amusing noises came from Jim, "You know a good sales person would ferry the Minister and at least one photographer to the north of Australia on-board a brand new Wedge Tail then stuff them both in a smelly old hawk eye for the trip out to the carrier. That's sure to help them bring forward the Wedge Tail possession date.

"General. There's an evil devil personality visits the inside of your uniform." Wendy couldn't keep the amusement out of her voice, "And mine. I'd already thought of that. But I was thinking of dropping them on Ike's deck in a prowler. What's more her wife is a Newspaper Science and Technology reporter who does her own photography, which is probably part of the reason the public doesn't know they're married. I may even have Kelly drop the wife on-board in her new toy. They're for sale as well."

"Okay it's a done deal. You can commence your crew training and no one will see a thing. Pine Gap can still monitor everything plus we can now have you stay in control and check everything from the wedge tail. It's perfect. I'll make the arrangements. Have a nice trip." Jim hung up.

Wendy placed the phone down only to have it ring in her hand. She picked it up and heard Jim, "Sorry I forgot. The reward money you requested has been approved. As soon as those guys are on the ground have them sign a statement and it's a deal. The principal is to be held in trust until treasury is convinced the people won't be exploited. They will have access to the interest payments, which commenced three days ago. Wendy I've got to say I think this is the kindest, fairest and cleverest thing you've set up in a long, long time. Saves face and even saves money. Word the statements well. We don't want politically motivated corruption chatter. And we don't need any _signing false statement_ finger pointing. Good work, Marine."

Wendy unconsciously studied the now silent handset with warm thoughts engulfing her heart. General Jim Mortimer never uses the _good marine_ tag lightly. Should she dare presume? Maybe... just maybe one day it might be possible to make Brigadier General.

*****

"What is going on in here? Who screamed?" Nursing Sister Captain Alicia Tremble burst into the hospital change room on full song. Before anyone could answer she found Clancy and pointed a loaded finger at him, "Who are you? There's a ladies only sign on this door. Get out."

Clancy's voice was irritatingly calm. "Do you think perhaps you might consider lowering your voice and engage your brain before you open your mouth again. These ladies..." Clancy's finger waved rather quaintly toward Kaiser's sister and niece without pointing. "Are scared witless and another loud mouth in here emitting gibberish is the last thing they need."

Alicia stared through Clancy with squinting eyes. It was an effort but she spoke softly. "You've got two seconds. Who are you? And..." She stopped speaking, sloped her head and opened one eye exaggeratedly to ask the question again.

Clancy remained unaffected by Alicia's death stare, "Who I am isn't particularly important. I'm trying to ensure the welfare of these ladies. And until things settle down, which will be when they relax I'm not going anywhere without them. What else do you think you need to know?"

Alicia turned to the nurse standing in front of the two women and still holding a pair of scissors. "What's going on?"

The nurse spoke nervously, "Ma'am these ladies were brought here by delta force... the Commander and a few others. They want them cleaned up, checked to make sure they're fit to fly and healthy enough to enter the states. They need them held here overnight. They asked us to find them suitable clothing, feed them and have them bed down together in private. Apparently they're not dangerous. They left this guy with the women. He speaks their language and English. He filled out all their admission paperwork." The nurse handed a clipboard to Alicia, "I don't know anything else. He was outside but burst in just before you. The girl screamed when I tried to take a lock of hair for a DNA sample. The mother screamed with her and grabbed at the scissors. I got scared. I think I screamed as well. He..." The nurse gestured her head toward Clancy. "Was able to calm them... all of us." Her head dropped, "I'm sorry Ma'am."

Alicia seemed to calm, "Jenny. It's okay. These things happen." She turned toward Clancy, flared and pointed at the door. "Outside. I want a word with you."

Clancy smiled, "You don't listen very well. I'm not leaving these ladies alone in here. They're as frightened as hell. All this is too much for them."

Alicia showed her teeth and made a mock strangle gesture for Clancy benefit. "This is a hospital not a women's refuge. Now one more time, who are you and what the hell is going on?" Before Alicia finished speaking she was already reading the papers in her hand.

Clancy displayed no emotion. He spoke to Anahita in Khowar for some time before turning back to Alicia. "The lady's name is Anahita and the girl, Maliha, is Anahita's daughter. They'll be out of your hair first thing tomorrow. There's an aircraft coming to collect them and three other passengers currently located at Kandahar base hospital. When all five are together my job is done. I'm reliably informed one of the Kandahar people speaks Khowar and English and is familiar with both Afghan and western culture. She'll be able to re-assure the others, explain what they need to do and how things are done. Your job will be done when these ladies are clean, comfortable, fed, had a nights sleep, fed again and sitting on the aircraft." Clancy looked at the closed door a second. "And... I've just had another thought. Is there a high profile prisoner in this hospital with gunshot wounds to both shoulders? He would have been brought in four days ago. It's very important the prisoner doesn't see or hear anything of these women or me for that matter, though we've already met."

Alicia spoke calmly and softly without looking up from the paper work. "Okay now all this is making some sense. Firstly, the prisoner was here but he's now out of the picture. He was flown out yesterday morning. I suspect he went directly to the states. However if these ladies go through Germany you should check where the prisoner is. Secondly, would the three people in Kandahar happen to be an Afghan child, leg amputee patient and her parents? Because if they are I'd like to let a friend... pilot know where and how the child is. She desperately wants to know. And I'm thinking you might have had something to do with her rescue."

Clancy's eyes widened, "Is she here? Can we see her?"

"Thought so. I've just realised how well you fit Kelly's dreamy eyed description. She was flown to Germany three days ago. I went on the plane with her."

"How serious are her injuries?"

"She's fine. She's not in hospital. Though we did give her a few stitches where she scored a decent smack over the head. I don't know where she is. I watched her board an AWACS at Ramstein, which took off immediately. I'm guessing it took her to Geilenkirchen. Look I'm only telling you this because she was worried about the girl and you guys. She felt she'd let you down." Alicia glanced at the close door. "I received an email from her this morning. She wants me to pack some extra clothes and girl stuff in a box. I'm to mark it, Call sign Po with no address and leave it for the dispatchers by first light tomorrow. I'm going to slip a note in the box explaining how the girl is. I'll be phoning Kandahar later tonight for another update. I guess it's quite possible the box will end up on the same plane as the girl. If you know anything about where the family is being taken now would be the time to say? I can let Kelly know."

"I've an idea where these two will end up..." Clancy pointed at Anahita and Maliha. "But I've no idea about the other three. In fact I hadn't even thought about who the three were but what you said figures. The mother of that family has to be the multilingual, western educated person. That much is obvious." Clancy rubbed a finger along his beaded chin, "You must know the pilot well? Did you notice where the email came from?

"You don't know her name. Do you? It's Kelly... Kelly Cassidy, Lieutenant Kelly Cassidy. I can see you're as smitten... curious, or whatever, as she is, which might be a good thing for Kelly. It bothering Kelly also that she doesn't know your name." Alicia offered a questioning face but got no answer before continuing to speak, "We're room mates here and we have known each other quite a while. The email was strange a typical can't reply job. It was labelled as coming from CVN-73. I checked that it's the Navy, the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which is supposed to be somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. I can't imagine her actually being there. My best guess is somewhere in the states probably on the east coast. If you do need to send a message I can contact her. We've worked out a way to communicate short cryptic messages under the radar. Or you could simply write a note. I'll hide it in the box." Alicia gave Clancy a quick pleasant smile. "Anyway, hats on. What are we going to do about these ladies?"

"I know this is above and beyond but can I ask you to have someone show them how to use the toilet? And I do mean show them. There's no point to me demonstrating nothing works the same. It's been hours they must be busting."

"You're kidding. I'm sure they both know how to pee."

"Of course they know how to pee. But they've no idea how to use that toilet. They don't understand anything about the way we live. They need to be shown everything. They're bright people but they have no formal education. All this..." Clancy waved a hand around, "Is beyond their comprehension. Until they've been shown. In this country women support each other. They need to. Men. All... most men and some matriarchal women can't be trusted. They're callous and dangerous. The women are being shipped out to live with a brother. He's overseas. They've been told. We've even video linked Anahita with the brother but... they're beyond trusting anyone especially men. They've been treated harshly for ages, completely powerless. The only time anyone has ever helped Anahita wash and such was the day she was forced to marry someone. That's happened to her twice. Anahita is beyond caring about herself but she's scared for her daughter. She thinks we might be planning to marry them both this time. I know it sounds crazy. But it's the way women are treated here? They're bought and sold into slave labour and more. They're executed if the husband decides they've been unfaithful. Look I know all this is beyond reason to anyone who hasn't been out there..." Clancy's hand pointed somewhere further than the perimeter fence. "To experience this place with their own eyes."

"Oh hell. I didn't realise. The poor dears." Alicia moved a comforting hand toward Anahita only to witness a frightened withdrawal and the pulling of a lose veil tightly across her lower face. Alicia lifted her hand and made a kind stop sign to show she'd read Anahita's confusion. "Okay. Okay Mr Clancy man I'll do it myself. Nurse would you step outside a moment and don't you dare breathe a word about this to anyone." As the door closed Alicia added from behind her pointing finger, "You can stay. In case we need an interpreter. Get a chair from outside, face the door and sit on it. If you look around, say something inappropriate, grin or ever tell anyone about this. And that especially applies to Kelly Cassidy I'll see to it your nuts are removed and fashioned into earrings."

Clancy secured a chair and sat facing the corner without speaking. He waited as the obvious sound repeated three times without the need for words.

Several hours of bewilderment found two clean, well-fed women, lying between clean sheets and fast asleep. Alicia donated an unworn delicately frilly nightie adorned in pink lace, a gift from her mother to help feel ladylike as if that were possible in Afghanistan, for Anahita. She commandeered one of Kelly's t-shirt nighties for Maliha. The two women now each possessed a small carry on with a few things to call their own, underwear, casual dresses, jeans, shorts, shirts, scarfs, socks, sneakers and toiletries. Enough supplies to get them to their destination. Everything for Anahita was acquired from suitably sized hospital staff who gladly donated when they heard how overwhelmed both women were. The trunk under Kelly's bed was raided to fit out Maliha, no one else was small enough.

Alicia stood a moment in the doorway of the semi-darkened room surveying the scene. She checked the corridor before wiping her eyes. How anyone could appear comfortable with so few possessions and such an uncertain future tormented her. She wished she knew how to do more.

The image of Clancy sleeping seated on the floor with legs folded worried her even more. He looked exactly as Kelly had described. She would have liked to sneak a photo, print it and place it in Kelly's box. But deep down she knew he wasn't really asleep and would never allow the photo to be taken.

It was one in the morning and unusually quite when three armed marines burst into the hospital.

Alicia rolled her eyes at the sight of them walking three abreast in step toward the gathering of nurses and orderlies. She left the nurses station to confront the marines along the corridor to keep the noise down. "This is a hospital. Are those guns loaded?"

They didn't break their stride the one in the middle answered in an overly loud parade ground voice, "Always. We're marines. We're armed and dangerous. Stand aside little lady or you could end up bearing a child." He grinned at the man on his right and received a similar reply. "You have someone here called Clancy. Get him front and centre now."

"That's enough soldier. You will address me as Captain. Now turn around a get out of here right now."

The one on the left answered. It wasn't obvious from her clothing and demeanour but her voice was female. She put her hand in front of the centre marine as if to hold him back, "I'm sorry Ma'am. The Corporal didn't notice your rank. And we are... he's in something of a flap. There are two Afghan ladies bunking down here tonight. We need to find the guy left to oversight them. He's..."

The man in the centre threw the arm out from in front of him and cut in to dominate the one sided conversation again. "Shut it Private. We haven't got time for any pissy, sissy crap. Where is he? If need be we'll pull this place apart to find him? You'd be well advised to co-operate Ma'am Sir."

The last words were spat out reinforced with a head butt movement, which caused Alicia to momentarily pull back. As she moved she saw the speaker's face grin nastiness. Clearly he enjoyed intimidating people.

Before Alicia recovered her ground she heard a voice come from behind. She knew the speaker instantly. The tone was more powerful than she expected of Clancy, "You've found him loud mouth. What are your intentions now?"

Alicia turned her head and wheeled half around in time to witness Clancy jogging along the corridor. She saw his right hand powerfully gesture for the nurses to move in the nurses' station. Alicia watched the nurses instinctively move back out of the line of fire as Clancy passed them. Alicia felt a tinge of pride witnessing her staff exercise disciplined skill and judgement without the need to discuss matters.

His left hand supported an oversized revolver, which pointed away from his body toward the floor. The weapon was cocked and his index finger resting along the trigger guard. His eyes were focused on the soldiers and appeared as sharp as nails. This was the soldier Kelly described and he meant business.

Alicia knew what needed doing. She stepped back to the corridor wall giving Clancy an uninterrupted line of sight. And held her breath.

The centre man spoke with venom, "Who are you? You better show us some Id right now." His eyes were alive with craziness, "What's this Afghan doing here? Gun." The last word was loud and final. He reached a hand into his vest...

The woman on the left saw Clancy's finger move onto the trigger, she instantly grabbed the soldier's elbow and wrestled to hold the arm still. She loudly spoke, "No." And reinforced the words with a shaking head for Clancy benefit.

By the time the centre soldier stopped fighting with the woman and looked forward again he was viewing the hollow end of Clancy's revolver. The range now only ten feet and closing. The soldier's face instantly whitened. Lips so eager to talk were now silent, already tinged in blue and trembling. The desire to boldly conquer had drained leaving a stunned crust that swayed on the edge of collapse.

The gun stayed pointing where it was. His eyes didn't move but everyone present knew Clancy was now addressing the woman, "Private First Class Matterson? Second time tonight you've stood up to be counted. Who is he?" Clancy's gun motioned to indicate the centre man, "Is it safe to lower my weapon?"

Matterson smiled a comfortable smile, "Thank you Sir. He, both of them, flew in from the states tonight. Reservists. He decided to take charge of this... my assignment on the way up here. I've no idea if it's safe Sir. My gut is saying no. And I'm hoping like hell I don't get to go on his first patrol. No one could possibly make it back with everything still attached."

Clancy's eyes remained focused toward the centre man yet Matterson read the amused half-smile specifically for her. "It's not sir. We've talked about this before. So what's the buzz?"

"I know... Sir. I don't have anything better to call you. Orders. New arrangements have come through." Matterson pointed her finger aloft and listened to the sound of a helicopter running. "You. The three of you are to relocate all your gear to Kandahar and return with the other passengers. Tomorrows plane has been diverted in-flight to Kandahar first then here. Five minutes Sir on H-Pad. Muscat and Chiko have loaded all the gear and horses. They're flying across here as we speak."

"What about the women? I'm supposed to stay with them."

"Me Sir. I'm to take over and stay close. Plus the Sister is to stay on duty until the women have boarded the plane. We'll manage Sir. They know me already. They know you too Ma'am. Sir the order specifically say you're to go on the chopper." Matterson shrugged, "You should be back by the time they're awake anyway Sir. The plane is to load and come straight here tonight. The crew will be taking a break here. They're talking nine hundred hours take off out of here tomorrow." Matterson pointed at the soldier's beside her, "I'm a bit worried about this being near those women after you've gone Sir. I was on my own when the message came through. The dispatch was hand delivered. It came with these two. I was kind of out ranked."

"So these guys aren't with Delta?"

"No. Hell no. My gut is saying something clerical. I did ring the dispatcher. Apparently they were underfoot in the dispatch hut and offered to deliver the flash. This guy just took over. I didn't think I needed to drag the boss back in. We'd just been stood down. I figured you'd know how to defuse things. So here we are."

"So if Delta stood down why didn't you? Been a bad girl have we?" Clancy grinned.

"I was Sir. Stood down I mean." Matterson smiled, "I was waiting around to ring home from the wardroom. It's more private and warm. It's my oldest daughter's birthday. She'll be up getting ready for school in an hour. Thought I could surprise her before she catches the bus. Plus I was going to hit the shower at work while I was waiting. The work shower still has hot water this time of day and no loud drunks." Matterson glanced at the soldier beside her. "The phone rang about a dispatch being hand delivered said it involved me so I kitted up and here I am. My gut is saying this... clown thinks I've been assigned to a prisoner detail guarding two super dangerous whack-jobs. Figures on making hero first day here. Plus I've got a feeling they both think soldiering is man's work."

"How old is your daughter?"

The soldier in front of Clancy's gun grew brave, "This is crazy. I'm in charge here. Put that gun down before you find yourself in even more trouble... Ma'am." he looked at Alicia. "I need backup here."

The intensity of Clancy's expression from behind the gun was enough to command silence. He gestured the barrel skyward to remind both men where to keep their arms. "Where were we? How old?"

Matterson was enjoying Clancy's control of the situation, "She's ten Sir. Sorry eleven now. She'll soon be as tall as I am. I've got a photo." She removed her wallet from inside her vest and opened the flap holding up a family snap of her husband and self both wearing marine fatigues and two young girls.

Clancy took the wallet and studied the photo for several seconds, yet his gaze never moved from the men. "Gorgeous. You're a lucky woman Matterson. Who are they with while you're over here?" He handed the wallet back. "I guess not being there with them makes it hard."

"Michael my husband is with them." Matterson's face lowered, "It has been hard. He lost a leg over here eighteen months ago. He... We took it hard at first. But being with the kids... without me..." Matterson looked sideways a second holding back emotion. "Being there with the girls alone without me fussing has helped him get back on his feet..." she closed her eyes and took a breath. "Foot." And quickly recovered her steel, "He's taken up carpentry again making furniture and stuff. He's made a few sales... He's doing... we're doing okay."

"Tough break. Hope everything works out for the best. Wish your daughter the best from me. I'm sure Captain Tremble knows where to find a private place with an outside line here in an hour." Clancy motioned a glance Alicia's way. "Sister. It was Matterson that Anahita told you about letting... guiding Anahita's hand to her groin to prove she was female and understand females can dress, act and work like men without being persecuted or executed. It was the motivation we needed. A smart move, above and beyond. Huge breakthrough."

Clancy returned his attention toward Matterson, "The women asked to be shown how to wear trousers and selected jeans to wear on the plane tomorrow." Clancy looked the two soldiers up and down a moment. "So we need to be rid of this mess here to help you feel confident enough to do your job well." Clancy gave a lopsided half mouth expression. "You sure you can work without the benefit of their extensive expertise?"

Matterson pumped her eyebrows. "You got that in one. There is no way that..." Materson's thumb flicked toward the centre man. "Can stay anywhere near the women. Or me and this building for that matter."

"Okay." Clancy nodded, "Okay. Sorry about this... this mess in your corridor Sister. We made it. We'll clean it up." Clancy's gun remained pointing toward the soldier in the centre yet the hand holding the gun clearly waved in a gesture toward the man on the right. "Beat it. Start running right now. Run as if your life depends on getting away before I shoot you. Don't look back and don't come back here ever." Both men began to turn but Clancy blocked the centre man with a simple straightening of his weapon. "Not you hero. You need to get on your knees." The soldier's eyes expanded, air sucked into his lungs. His mouth fell open. "Down." Clancy gestured the gun toward the floor to lead the way. By the time the man's knees reached the floor he was noticeably perspiring. His face had turned whiter than foam. "You owe Captain Tremble an apology."

The man couldn't speak. It was as if he were taking his last breath. His eyes turned to water emitting a pitiful message of panic. His mouth remained open and silent with lips trembling.

Clancy slowly moved around the kneeling man, always remaining behind the gun. He stopped behind him where he couldn't be seen and waited in silence. The man's unseeing eyes travel back and forward in panic.

Eventually Clancy leaned forward put his head near the man's ear and changed sides several times. The frightened man's eye focus moved from side to side with Clancy. He was desperate to see or find comfort. Clancy reached into the man's vest and retrieved a folded dispatch plus a four barrel 357 derringer pistol and silently placed the weapon on the floor beside the man where it would be seen in the corner of his vision. Clancy removed the man's rifle and placed it beside the pistol and quietly, calmly and forcefully spoke into his ear, "You got any more weapons on you Hotshot?"

Private Matterson spoke, "Right boot Sir. Ruger six round LCP three eighty plus a switch blade."

Clancy removed the weapons shaking his head, "Gangster weapons." He placed them with the others and again spoke quietly this time in the man's other ear. "To speak to anyone like I heard you just now, particularly disrespecting our medical staff, our women and our junior ranks is unforgivable anywhere and you're in Afghanistan now." Clancy breathed a few times for effect and changed to the man's other ear. "Still you're lucky I came along. The Captain would have taken you to task and she's seen a lot of blood. She doesn't mind messy. No telling what she'd cut off or how many cuts the job would take. A lot of blood." Clancy changed sides to breathe near the man's other ear. "Lot of blood. Now me I'm a little squeamish. A quick sharp warrior death is all I can manage."

He placed his Colt 45 pistol on the ground beside the other weapons with exaggerated slowness. The man made no attempt to go for a weapon, even as Clancy drew his combat knife from the pouch on his lower leg there was no movement just the tightening knot of defeat. Clancy firmly placed a knee to the man's back, took a firm grip of his short but over length hair for a marine and pulled his head back sharply to expose his throat. He waited a silent military three beat count and loudly commenced reciting a religion sounding, chillingly fanatical chant in an Arabic sounding foreign language. At the same time his arm swept forward around the man's neck, his knife pointing back at a menacing, set to slice, angle. Every fibber of the man inner being tensed, froze and submitted. He gave up. There wasn't the slightest defensive motion. He didn't even lower his arms. Sobbing could clearly be heard.

Clancy held the knife still and stopped the chanting in mid phrase. In his normally quiet voice he calmly said, "Sister you should move further away. Blood is going to spurt all over your shoes. A beautiful gushing red fountain to symbolise an eternity of greatness and love."

Alicia's didn't speak her eyes closed as her stomach cramped tight. Both hands came up beside her face to complete a horrified expression of total disbelief.

Clancy felt limpness engulf the man. He was expecting this, hoping and waiting for it. Only the firm grip of hair prevented potential injury via a lifeless collapse to the floor. He felt for a pulse on the carotid artery to verify the man had collapsed from fright and not suffered a heart attack.

Confident there was no medical imperative Clancy lowered the unconscious man's body to the floor and released his grip. Without the slightest delay he replaced his knife, retrieved his weapon and turned to face a clearly amused Matterson. "Take charge of these weapons. When you're finished here hand them in to the Military Police as lost property. Say you found them lying unattended in the hospital corridor. It's not a lie. Not the derringer. Bring the derringer with us and give it to Muscat. It'll make his day. He collects these things." Clancy gave Matterson a quick grin before turning toward the nurses' station. The nurses stood stunned having came out to witness what transpired when the man was overpowered. "One of you call, or press, for security if you haven't already done so. Someone quickly find some alcohol and pure it all over this guys clothing. When security arrives say you heard a loud disturbance and this guy who smells like a drunk collapsed on the floor. Not a lie. We'll give him a chance to pick up a few demerits and recover. Who knows he may be able to make the cut with this experience behind him. If he insists on saying what really happened. He'll be digging his own grave. His career with the military will be history."

Alicia stood silently staring still with her back against the wall. Her mind saturated in the chill of what she thought she was witnessing. It took a moment to realise Clancy had spoken. When it registered her mind was in limbo she quickly took charge turned to her nurses and nodded a yes. Then faced Clancy, her expression a question.

Clancy's calm voice said, "Sorry about all the theatrics on your ward Sister. Won't happen again. Where's your helipad?" Clancy winked already turning away. "Matterson bring those weapons with you."

Alicia walked swiftly along the corridor toward the helipad entrance with Matterson and Clancy on either side matching her pace. As they approached the exit Clancy spoke, "Captain, Private Matterson has been on duty without a break for quite a while. You think someone could show her the tub and bubble stuff Anahita and Maliha used earlier? I'm sure she'd love to soak the dust off and play at being a lady of leisure for a few minutes while her charges sleep. She saved us both a lot of paperwork back there. Were it not for her quick thinking I would have shot that guy and we'll neither of us ever know if we would have even bothered to stop the bleeding. All of this is down to one good, quick thinking marine. She definitely earned a turn in the hot bath. If the phone near the tub is functional all the better." Clancy leaned in front of Alicia to make eye contact with Matterson. "You ride a horse?"

"Are you kidding Sir? I'm from Wyoming. Been riding since before I knew how to walk properly."

"Well we might be able to borrow you from time to time." Clancy looked around, "See you ladies around breakfast time. Keep an egg warn for me. I'd kill for a hard boiled egg. Come Matterson look sharp. You need to give Muscat his new toy and get yourself off the aircraft before we lift off."

##  Chapter 08

The small C-20H, a military version of a gulfstream four aircraft taxied to a stop on a quiet corner of the tarmac at Geilenkirchen airfield Germany.

The seven-hour daylight flight from Bagram had been pure fascination for the five Afghans on-board. Fariha sat with Anahita and chatted tirelessly about all manner of topic. The obvious education gap between the two women seemed quite irrelevant. They shared a common understanding like most kind-hearted Afghan females do. Afghanistan with all its faults brought women closer together. Most conversations eventually drifted back to Fariha assuring Anahita only good would come from this current transition.

Clancy and Basir chatted mostly about farming. Horses, horsemanship and the finer points of quality camels were clearly Basir's passion. Yet in recent years farming goats and cultivating vegetables on a small scale had been his lot. Clancy was comfortable to hear more of and contribute to the conversation. His heart's desire also belonged to low rainfall farming. Basir was typical of many Afghan men Clancy had met in his travels. Pride in family and comfort from having survived difficult times without recourse to extended family and acquaintances for assistance was paramount.

The two girls Maliha and Najwa were instant friends. The connection was made the moment each locked eyes. Like most girls in country areas of Afghanistan neither had attended school. They were skilled in tasks required for keeping family, which included cooking, cleaning beating rugs, washing, repairing clothes and hours of toil maintaining the vegetable garden. Both girls were in the rare position of not having looked after younger siblings. It was obvious Najwa had received formal schooling in secret from her mother. Unlike Maliha, Najwa could read and was knowledgeable of matters that existed away from their home village.

Maliha like her mother had no understanding of travel the like of which they were undertaking. The aircraft digital flight path and current location map display was meaningless until Najwa spend time explaining what it was. In order for Maliha to make sense of all this Najwa needed to explain everyone lived at a location on the surface of a large ball called the world.

The girls stared from the window pointing and excitedly sharing every detail of the amazing adventure. Climbing to altitude after take off and on landing approach they were mesmerised by the detail passing below. Both girls were taken by the greenness of the land around their destination and talked at length about how brown Afghanistan had been. High up at cruising altitude their attention turned to cloud shapes, sky colour, any movement of control surfaces on the wing and the odd ground feature large enough to be seen, like the Caspian and Black Seas and the snow covered ridges of the mountain ranges they crossed. Every new feature kept the girls searching for more.

Seated in the rear passenger seats Chiko and Muscat, dressed in jeans and tee shirt, and looking like two hippies caught in a nineteen sixties time void, continued to banter. They exchanged ridiculous conspiracy theories on any topic that came to mind and kept returning to two obvious sources of contention; the non-drinking policy on-board and the already broken promise they were being conveyed directly to Alezio Italy for a week of rest and recreation at Muscat's aunty's place. Speculation as to where they were really being taken and why, reached well into the sublime. It was a continuing source of renewed and detailed discussion that drove the poor stewardess working near them to distraction. Plus they persisted with ever changing attempts to chat her up. The stewardess ignored them other than to keep feeding them coffee and snacks. Clearly putting something in there mouth gave everyone a small respite.

There was no fanfare on arrival at Geilenkirchen not even customs formalities. The eight passengers were quickly transferred to a waiting mini-bus and ferried along a private military road that crossed the border into The Netherlands.

There destination, a large three-story mansion on the outskirts of Brunssum. They were escorted to elegantly furnished rooms on the top floor with a view across fields of an obviously prosperous dairy farm where contented cows fed in green pastures, yet another source of wonder to the girls.

Clancy offered to carry Najwa up the two flights of stairs but she was happy to slowly undertake the climb on crutches. It was nothing short of amazing to witness how quickly the girl had accepted the reality of her situation and set about mastering the difficulty of movement as she was now required to endure.

Muscat, Chiko and Clancy were placed together in a room with two, two up bunk beds. This triggered the discussion of up or down sleeping arrangement with many why theories. Even Feng Shui was entertained in relation to inappropriate location of the beds. Within five minutes of entering the room Clancy found an excuse to go stand by the large window at the end of corridor studying cows. It was preferred to listening to the unending verbal exchange his colleagues couldn't seem to resist. Besides he was deep in thought. He knew they were all here for a reason though he was yet to fathom what that might be. He liked to stay ahead of the planning, it being a proven survival technique.

Basir, Fariha and Najwa, and Anahita and Maliha were placed in adjoining rooms. Each room had two queen size beds and a private on-suite. Anahita's concern at being left alone was resolved when Fariha had the adjoining doors unlocked and opened to link the double suites. Within minutes the girls had gained approval to share one bed in Maliha's room.

For Anahita the house, rooms and overwhelming luxury was difficult to fathom. Even after Fariha explained the accommodation was typical of any quality western hotel, Anahita still found this difficult to take in.

Clancy had taken to sitting on the top step where he could still subconsciously view the world outside and chew over his thoughts in peace. After some time he became aware of being watched. A young boy was on the landing below peeping through the heavy polished wooden rungs of the banister. Assuming he was shy, like small children often are, Clancy spoke. "Hello. Did you want come past?"

The boy's expressive face glowed pleasure as he stepped into full view. "No. Aunty Anke said I'm not allowed to go up the stairs disturbing everyone. She said you're all tired and need to rest. Did you come from Afghanistan?"

"Yes. We flew from Afghanistan today."

"Aunty Anke said there is a girl with a hurt leg staying here. But I'm not to disturb her. I'm to wait and meet her at supper after Mummy is home. Is the girl pretty."

"Yes. There are two girls staying here. Their names are Najwa and Maliha. They're both very pretty. I think they maybe older than you."

"How old are they?"

"I don't know. Nine maybe ten..." Clancy shrugged, "I'm not good at guessing people's age. When you meet them at supper you might like to ask. I'm sure they won't mind."

"I'm five. My name is Trent."

"Hello Trent. I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Clancy."

"Aunty Anke said we're all going on holidays together." Trent quickly looked down the stairs checking the coast was clear before coming closer to say, "A boy at school told me Afghan people are all ugly and they smell. He said no one should go on aeroplanes with Afghans because they will get blown up. He said they kill people and eat babies. Do you think it's true?" Trent looked down the stairs before adding. "He's not a nice boy. I don't like him. He's always trying to hurt someone. Today he pushed Jouke over and Jouke got his knee cut. The boy told the teacher he didn't do it. But it was a lie because I saw everything."

"The boy at school is wrong. Afghan people are the same as people everywhere. Most are gentle and kind. There are Afghan people who aren't nice, like the boy at school. You'll like the people staying here. Najwa has her Mother and Father with her. And Maliha is with her mother. They're all nice people."

"Would the girls like to see the cows? If we take some bread they will come to the fence so we can pet them. They have big eyes with long lashes and if you hold your hand out they lick; it tickles."

Clancy liked Trent. He was gentle, intelligent and kind. "I think the girls would like to meet the cows. I would. Why don't we go up and see. I'll introduce you so you can ask them about the cows yourself?"

"I'm not allowed to go up the stairs. But if you get the girls to come down the stairs I could ask them without getting in trouble. The girls can meet my sister and cousin and Aunty will let them have some cake. She only pretends to be cranky. She makes nice cake."

"Okay you wait here. I'll ask the girls if they'd like to come down stairs to meet you."

The girls were busting with excitement to explore. Under Clancy's supervision both mother's agreed to allow the girls to venture downstairs to meet the boy.

When they returned to the stairs Trent had retreated to the bottom step where he sat waiting.

When he heard the girls coming he stood, turned around and watched them come down the stairs.

Clancy observed how Trent watched Najwa descend the stairs without actually staring. There is something more Trent wished to discuss about Najwa's injury or perhaps it was the use crutches. Time would tell.

Introductions and asking to see the cows was a little complicated with Clancy needing to interpret but the three children quickly caught on to the language problem and commenced to overcome the barrier with their own improvised method of gesticulation. Trent was smaller than both girls but he got in the middle and offered to take their hand to look after them. This meant Najwa and he linked little fingers so Najwa was free to use her crutches. They worked this out between themselves without the benefit of a common language and seemed very comfortable with the arrangement.

When they arrived at the kitchen Clancy who was following along behind was amazed to witness Trent introduce both girls. Not only had he remembered their names, he pronounced both perfectly and made up the right amount of believable story so as not to implicate himself in having breached the no stairs instruction. _Trent is a charismatic child wise beyond his age._

Aunty Anke was a kind looking lady with happy eyes that sparkled reassurance as she spoke. She was average height and noticeably shaped for a slim woman. She possessed gorgeous soft skin, a beautiful pale European completion and was clearly much younger than Clancy had assumed from Trent's description. Aunty Anke was miles too attractive to fit Clancy's mind's eye image of anyone's Aunty.

Trent was good to his word. Upon being introduced the Aunty set the table with five settings, a large slice of chocolate cake and a glass on milk. Trent was sent to fetch Kelly and Helga and the introductions began again. All five children were sent to wash their hands before sitting at the table. After the children left the room the Aunty laughed saying, "I'm sure they think I'm an old witch." She introduced herself as Anke, the nanny to Trent and Kelly, Wendy's children. Helga was Anke's own child.

Only after a few questions did Clancy realise the Wendy being referred to, was the Officer he'd talked to in the AWACS. The same Wendy, Kelly referred to as her best friend, aka Widow Maker. This was her house. He was interestingly excited to meet Wendy, who he discovered, was also making her way home from Afghanistan and would arrive in several hours.

The children returned each showing their hands while entering the room and quickly negotiating where to sit. Anke took over fact finding. Talking freely to the new children via Clancy's translation. She established for the benefit of everyone, Trent was five, Kelly six, Helga eight. Najwa twelve and Maliha didn't know her age.

Detecting the onset of Maliha's embarrassment Anke quickly pronounced her twelve as well. It seemed about right. Najwa and Maliha were both of similar stature.

_Anke was an intuitive and caring carer._ Warm coats, rubber boots, knitted beanies and mittens were located for the two guests before her charges, who also dressed sensibly were permitted to visit the cows. Anke had Kelly and Helga take four small flat pieces of timber with them. The girls all happily made a game of placing the wood on the ground and leap frogged them forward so Najwa had a firm base to support her crutches thus preventing them sinking in and becoming stuck in the soft always saturated Dutch soil.

By the end of their outing the children had all established trusting friendships. And while the children were busy with the cows Anke had Clancy escort her upstairs. Between them they coached the adults to the kitchen for cake and coffee, which to the delight of Fariha led to Anhita being shown how to mix and bake another chocolate cake in a modern western kitchen.

Clancy stood at the front window looking across the beautiful tree lined street, marvelling at a row of quaint houses with equally attractive gardens. Everything was so clearly fresh and green.

When a vehicle turned into the driveway his attention was drawn to the awkwardness of the lady who exited the front passenger seat. She seemed to almost stand inside the vehicle to get her legs out the door and slid forward until her feet touched the ground. She pulled at the car door to drag herself upright.

Clancy knew who she was, though she didn't look anything like his mind eye image of the tough talking intelligently efficient officer he'd already spoken to several times. This woman was gorgeously tall and slim. Her face didn't possess the harsh arrogant self-centred expression worn by most people in command and not in the field. Her hair was sleek, tightly brushed back and secured in a bun at the nape of her neck. It was fair and looked long, yet there was no way of knowing how long if she wore it over the shoulder. The hair was parted along one side of her head sending a message of class and fashion sense. Curious because she wore no make up and looked tired, yet her face displayed a mature inner beauty that signalled drive along with depth of character. _Her husband was a lucky man._

The driver was still wearing a g-suit over his flying overalls. He'd unzipped the gadget rich vest and obviously ditched the helmet somewhere. Major insignia could be seen on his shoulders. He was rather handsome and not quite as tall as the lady

She was also wearing a plain one-piece flight suit without the macho jet additions, just a few cloth badges on her chest and upper sleeve, plus cloth colonel insignias on each shoulder. As a fashion statement the outfit wasn't particularly flattering. Yet she was a picture of feminine elegance, the full package.

She stood holding the vehicle door a moment, surveying the house and her face seemed to soften. The tiredness all but vanished. Clearly she was home.

It was obvious they were happily married. The rapport was in the shared smile as both reached behind the seat to retrieve a briefcase. The lady also produced a walking stick and relied on it heavily as she moved toward the front door. Her left leg didn't bend at all and was noticeably shorter than the right leg. Her walk was cruel to watch. She raised her hip with the help of the walking stick and swung the left leg forward before dropping her hip again to produce a noticeable curvature of her whole body. She would then take a stride with her good leg not fully extended before repeating the process. Though not at all smooth she moved quite quickly. Clearly she had been walking this way for some considerable time.

The driver quickly caught up and entwined his fingers in hers. She immediately passed the walking stick to her other hand and commenced to walk without the need to lower her hip. The left leg remained off the ground. She used their combined arm strength and the walking stick for support as if walking with the aid of crutches. The way they moved together was romantic to watch, something this couple clearly practised often, a demonstration of teamwork and complete trust.

Wendy placed a document on the coffee table in front of the three soldiers. Saying, "I want you to read this and sign with your mark, not a readable signature. I'll answer any reasonable questions." Wendy looked searchingly at Muscat as she said reasonable.

Document II

Official Secrets Act – Registered Article 146375-432

All persons identified below, registered under this article of the Official Secrets Act shall not divulge, discuss or verify any information relating to the matters registered under Article 1463274-432 with any party not identified below.

Failure to comply with this article will result in prosecution. A term of incarceration of not more than 99 years applies.

Member A -

Member B -

Member C -

Authorising witness -

All had just partaken of a wonderful meal laced with lively conversation. There had been fourteen people seated at a large table in a rather formal dinning room on the second floor of Wendy's huge house. Over dinner it was revealed the US air force owned the house. They often used it to accommodate dignitaries visiting NATO.

Wendy and her family, which included Anke and Helga lived on the ground floor. The second floor was dedicated to catering and formal entertaining and the third floor sleeping accommodation for official visitors. Catering and cleaning, etc upstairs was all provided by the air force. The building might better have been described as a private hotel.

When it came time for coffee Anke took charge of the children to supervise their preparation for bed. The two Afghan girls wanted to be included and Anke willingly allowed them to join the nightly ritual. The new girls were getting along famously with the other children. Being much older seemed neutralised by their lack of opportunity. Both were eager students and had a lot of catching up to do. They were quickly learning the value of being happy children.

Wendy's husband Jason had flown home from work in England as he did most nights. He'd timed his arrival to meet her at the base and drove home together in time to host the dinning formalities.

The three Afghan adults were beginning to accept the new arrangements bestowed upon them without suspicion. Excitement for the future was beginning to evolve. They chatted with the others over dinner. Wendy and Jason had many questions, interpreted mostly via Clancy. Most questions were designed to stimulate growing confidence in people curious to learn and be productive.

Over dinner Trent in particular had been full of questions directed mostly to the girls about living in Afghanistan. He even asked several questions of Najwa about the injury to her leg, which Clancy now realised was probably motivated by his mother's mobility.

Most satisfying of all was the Afghans were all becoming curious about the others and felt confident enough to furnish their own questions.

Wendy had manipulated the seating to have Clancy, Muscat and Chiko to herself at one end of the large sitting room where coffee was being served for all the adults.

It was Chiko who spoke first, "How do we know what we're signing?"

Wendy replied with a well-practised shrug. The same question had been asked of her many times. "This is the official secrets document. You sign it then we get down to the details document and I know for a fact you three have done this many times before."

Clancy picked up the pen saying, "Sign the thing you guys. After all we won't be going to jail for talking about it when we don't know what it is."

Wendy gave Clancy a nod of approval, "Thank you. You know the drill. Pick a letter make your mark and place your initials beside your signature."

The other's signed begrudgingly.

Okay that was painless now we get to see the meat in the sandwich. Wendy placed a second document on the coffee table.

Document 1

This document is subject to the Official Secrets Act – Registered Article 146374-432.

Official witness statement of fact - Capture of the American born terrorist, George Clement Saunders, aka Usuff Akmar.

Operatives A, B and C (Names withheld under registered article 146375-432) were involved in an unspecified operation at an unspecified location. While travelling an unspecified route they made contact with two separate Afghan family groups who willingly imparted creditable information relating to several acts of terror. The information imparted included the identity and location of parties involved.

Acting from information received operatives A, B and C altered their route and were able to intersect with and affect the capture and subsequent arrest of the American born terrorist George Clement Saunders.

The facts have been independently verified. An American military Officer was present at the meeting with one of the family groups and witnessed the arrest of the terrorist George Clement Saunders. (Officer's name withheld under registered article 146377-432)

It is recommended the two Afghan families (names withheld under registered article 146376-432) equally share the reward of US$1,000,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of the American born terrorist George Clement Saunders, aka Usuff Akmar.

Muscat was first to twig. He pointed at the others in the room, "Are they the two Afghan families?"

Wendy was thankful for the question. "Yes they are. It will give them a start. If we applied for compensation for the girl, it could take years and she'd probably be lucky to see fifty thousand dollars with no medical help. This way she'll get the medical help and the money with no strings attached. It's been approved. You guys can't collect the money so they might as well."

Chiko said, "What about the small matter of a prison term for making false statements?"

Wendy smiled. She'd been expecting someone to say as much. "Let's play a question and answer game? Just answer yes or no. Were you involved in an unspecified operation at an unspecified location?"

"Yes. But..." Wendy raised a finger, which cut Chiko's answer off.

"During the course of this unspecified operation did you make contact with these people," Wendy pointed toward the two Afghan women seated in the room. "And did they willingly impart informed relating to acts of terror."

"Yes. But..." Wendy's pointing finger silenced Chiko again.

"Did you guys act on information received and alter your route?" Wendy gave them all a questioning stare, "And did you actively participate in the arrest of the American born terrorist known as Usuff Akmar.

"Yes." Chiko gave a funny defeated expression.

"Exactly. Now you tell me, where is the false statement?" Wendy didn't wait for an answer, "Do I also need to remind you under the official secrets act anyone not authorised getting hold of this information and talking about it will land in jail. You're not permitted to answer questions about this even in a court of law." Wendy raised her eyebrows. Plus you pair are not going to Italy until these documents have all been signed. So there." Wendy gave Chiko a reinforcing nod wearing a smug victory smile on her face.

Three arms reached out together to initial the bottom of the document. Wendy didn't even blink she signed the document making it lawful and immediately used her index finger to draw Fariha and Anahita to join the discussion.

Clancy explained what signing the official secret document meant. Fariha was unflushed by the mystery and guided Anihita to sign as well. Anihita, not being able to write at all, made a scribble mark, which Wendy initialled.

Document III

Official Secrets Act – Registered Article 146376-432.

All persons identified below, registered under this article of the Official Secrets Act shall not divulge, discuss or verify any information relating the matters registered under Article 146374-432 with any party not identified below.

Failure to comply with this article will result in prosecution. A term of incarceration of not more than 99 years applies.

Official representative, Family A -

Official representative, Family B -

Authorising witnessed -

Wendy also signed this document making it legal and produced the official witness statement of fact document allowing Fariha to read it. The last paragraph made her eyes expand. She set the documents down and lifted her hand placing them to her heart. "We can't accept this."

Wendy was firm, "You can and you will. We've already established there is nothing untruthful in these documents."

Fariha's face exhibited a pained expression, "But... we haven't. We didn't have anything to do..."

Wendy cut Farida voice off with a raised stopping hand. "Fariha we would like you to take the money. We, is not just present company. I'm representing the American government. They want to pay you this reward money. It's to compensate you for Najwa's injuries and the disruption the incident is having on your lives. It's the same for Anihita. I'll also add that indirectly and unbeknown to yourselves, you did play a part in the arrest of that man." Wendy didn't flinch. She would prefer they all believed her. "Also, the money is to be held in trust until the government is convinced you can manage your affairs free from exploitation. Farida you will know only too well how living in the west isn't always as simple as it can seem. However until the money is released you will have access to all interest earned. It will be payable into your bank account monthly. We will be setting up bank accounts for each of you directly. Now initial the document and guide Anihita to place her mark."

Wendy placed the endorsed documents back in her briefcase as the children returned clearly ready for bed and coming in to say good night, each child still full of chatter.

Wendy looked up and smiled at the sight of her children happily entertaining their guests. Her gaze stayed on Anke who was following the children into the room. "Anke, Jason and I can get all these guys settled in bed. I thought you might like to show our adult visitors the local café. I think its Karaoke night. Be something different for them to experience. Might be fun." Wendy pointed a finger at Muscat, "Get him to sing and make sure he picks the froggy song. You'll be suitably impressed."

Chiko turned to Muscat and raised an eyebrow, "Café? More coffee."

Muscat answered his question, "In The Netherlands a Café is a boozer you ignoramus. I'm up for it."

Wendy smiled. She wanted that answer too, "Well don't overdo it. You pair need to remember your flight to Italy is booked for eight hundred hours tomorrow morning. Plus this is our town. Philandering with any occupant of this town is forbidden. You can do what you like in Italy where your Aunty has to live. If you oversexed hooligans approach anyone with amorous intent, especially Anke, I'll cancel your flight tomorrow and send the both of you to Italy by bicycle."

Chiko and Muscat frowned at each other and spoke as one. "Loud and clear Ma'am. We've taken the pledge. We're saving ourself for the wedding night. Same goes for our adopted sister Anke."

Wendy shook her head and motioned to Clancy, "You need to stay here. There's another document to be signed before all this is finalised. The independent officer will be arriving shortly. Plus I wanted to run some ideas past you about a suitable location for Basir, Fariha and Najwa to stay while Najwa is receiving treatment and perhaps afterwards as well. I would also like to hear your input relating to conducting equipment tests under desert conditions."

"I gather the independent officer is your friend Kelly?" Clancy tried to hide his excitement.

"Yes it is Kelly. In fact, in fifteen minutes I'm driving to the airport to pick her up. You can come for the drive if you wish. She'll also be staying here tonight."

The lights from the sleek aircraft raced from the sky to touch down effortlessly before slowing and eventually taxied to a halt on the lit up tarmac area in front of where Clancy and Wendy stood.

Clancy watched in amazement as the ground crew swarmed to interact with Kelly to silence and tame the metallic monster.

The Kelly who stepped from the cockpit to the ladder seemed larger somehow. Clancy had seen her dressed in the pilot outfit before but on the ground unconscious she'd looked tiny and helpless. The person making her way down the ladder oozed confidence and belonged with the aeroplane. He felt his insides curl and tighten. Every moment of the last week she'd been in his mind. His wish had come true. She was here with him again. But...

Clancy witnessed happiness engulf Kelly's appearance as she spied a familiar face. She set off towards Wendy with a confident stride and as an afterthought shifted her gaze slightly, an inquiring who-is-this expression on her face. She caught her bottom lip as the question was answered. For a moment her expression may have vanished within, her head tilted to the side and her stride faulted for a step or two.

She kissed Wendy on the cheek with her eyes twisted to the extreme of their sockets looking toward Clancy as she said, "Honey. Thanks for coming to pick me up. I'm bushed."

Wendy held Kelly by the shoulders as their cheeks parted. "Long flight?" She didn't wait for an answer. "I believe you two have already met. So I guess it's time you were correctly introduced? Kelly Cassidy, meet David Page." The emphasis given to the Page clearly carried an unspoken message. "No family connection that I know of, but..."

Kelly gazed into Wendy's eyes a moment to qualify something and received the smallest confirmation before turning to Clancy.

Uncomfortable and shy they both held out a hand to shake and felt silly. With their hands still locked together Kelly reached on tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek saying. "David?" Her squeezing hand offered the cuddle her heart wanted wrapped around his torso.

Clancy didn't let go of her hand. He pulled her close and kissed her lightly on the forehead quietly saying, "I've missed you."

Wendy cleared her throat, "Why don't we find the vehicle and get out of the cold? You pair can sit in the back together and hold hands all you like once the doors are closed."

Wendy entered the lounge room first and quickly turned to Najwa saying, "Look who I found?"

The girl didn't understand the words but her eyes followed the noise in time to see Kelly walk though the door. Both Najwa and Kelly's mouth dropped open. Najwa reached for her crutches though Kelly quickly closed the distance before the girl could stand. She dropped to the floor on both knees to hug Najwa tightly and stayed that way until Kelly released an arm to clear away a few spent tears.

Kelly let go of Najwa only when Trent tapped her on the shoulder, he'd waited past bedtime to see her. So Kelly did the rounds, which included introductions to Maliha and Anihita.

By the time everyone had been hugged Jason marched the three youngest children off to bed and Kelly sat down with Wendy to sign her document.

Document IV

Official Secrets Act – Registered Article 146377-432.

All persons identified below, registered under this article of the Official Secrets Act shall not divulge, discuss or verify any information relating the matters registered under Article 146274-432 with any party not identified below.

Failure to comply with this article will result in prosecution. A term of incarceration of not more than 99 years applies.

American military Officer -

Authorising witnessed -

Kelly initialled the statement of facts before all the documents went back into Wendy's briefcase.

Thinking the formalities over Kelly asked Fariha where they'd be going and was rather shocked to discover they weren't sure. Fariha explained Anihita and Maliha were going to Perth Australia to live with Anihita's brother and she, Basir and Najwa were also going to Australia for a job interview, where it was hoped they could stay after Najwa's medical treatment was complete.

Wendy offered the room a smug grin and turned to Clancy. "This is your cue. I've arranged for Basir, Farida and Najwa to stay with your mother on Pituri Downs. So why don't you tell them what it's like there and when Basir gets home from the outing with Anke and the guys you can talk to him about the place. Your mother seems to think they might fit in well."

Clancy sat upright and studied the floor a long moment before lifting his head. "Do you know how far it is to a hospital from Pituri Downs?"

Wendy shrugged, "Yes I do. What is it with you people? Your mother said the same thing. So I convinced her it wouldn't matter because we're going to upgrade your runway and fly Najwa where ever she needs to go."

Clancy stared in silence eventually saying, "Well I hope you've got deep pockets because there isn't a runway. In an emergency aircraft land on the road near the house."

Wendy reached forward turned on her laptop and plugged in cables to spool the display onto the large flat screen TV on the opposite wall saying, "Perhaps it's time we gave these guys a sneak view of there new home."

She brought a map of Australia to the screen and drilled down the images in stages until she was displaying an aerial map of Pituri Downs. She pulled up a menu and scrolled though a collection of satellite images so detailed Clancy's mouth dropped open. Wendy handed him a laser pointer before rotating the image such that the buildings were being looked at from almost ground level. He pointed to the main homestead building yet before he spoke Wendy rotated the image to pan around the building so it could be viewed from each side.

Clancy stared at Wendy and shook his head, "I'm a little surprised by the detail of your images. Why have you bothered? You won't find anything there worth spying on."

"I beg to differ." Wendy spared him a glance and quickly returned her focus to the desktop while still speaking, "We would like to use your place to test equipment. Your mother tells me this is the house where Farida will live?" She had moved the screen image focus from the main homestead to another house a few hundred yards away. As she rotated the image down to ground level she deliberately showed the view along the river, which formed a large lake as the water was dammed by a weir. She caught Farida's eye and said. "You guys will wake up to that view every morning."

Wendy did her fly around the house listening to Farida talk to her daughter, which had Clancy also joining the conversation, in Khower, obviously clarifying a few details. Farida commenced to cry with tears of shear pleasure.

The tears prompted Wendy to say, "If you think that's impressive take a look at this." She pressed a few keys and the image of the house become transparent. She proceeded to wander the building's skeleton form displaying all the internal detail even furniture. She showed them the kitchen, what was in a few of the kitchen draws before saying, "Alright Clancy start describing. Tell the girls what's in each room."

Clancy voice sounded shocked, "The girls can see what's there. How the heck are you doing this?"

Wendy kept the image wandering from room to room. "We've had a Global Hawk making detailed maps of your property all week. We've been x-raying the ground measuring foundation depth requirements and locating quality base material to construct the runway. We're also checking the road to the property to make sure our initial equipment can arrive without drama." She looked up and smiled at Clancy, "I can't help myself. Love this technology stuff. I decided to look through the building, x-rayed detail and built three-d holograms to show these guys what they're in for." She shrugged, "Because I can." She turned to a teary eyed Farida asking, "Do you like it?"

Farida wiped her eyes to say, "It's beautiful. The house is a palace. The property is perfect for Basir. He'll love it there. Wish he were here to explore this with us."

Clancy answered, "He'll see with his own eyes in a few days." He looked back to Wendy, "When will they get there? While were about this can we pull back a little and I'll show some things that will mean little to you but a lot to Farida and Najwa."

She followed his instruction pulling the satellite image back toward the main homestead giving everyone a tour of the paddocks where the stud cattle were grazing. Surprisingly Farida asked many knowledgeable questions about the cattle stud line. Eventually Clancy had Wendy drill the image out until he could map out the property borders with his laser.

While doing this Wendy said, "We have to go through the states. We'll rest tomorrow and let these guys go shopping for clothes and a few personal items. Next day we'll fly to the states. I have some visits to make over there so you guys can play tourist. We'll be there two days before we go to Australia. It's Friday night now. We should touch down in Australia next Thursday."

Clancy looked surprised, "You're going with them?"

Wendy replied, "Yes. So are you and Kelly." Wendy gave a nod at a silent Kelly who had been watching the screen with interest. "While we're about this Kelly can take you as her back seat tomorrow." Wendy pointed her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of Clancy. "You can both fly to the states in the return plane. We'll meet up somewhere. I'll let you know before you're due to land. We should all arrive about the some time. How does take off at eight hundred hours tomorrow suit? That's when Chiko and Muscat are flying out so I can deliver you all in one trip. Anke and I will take these girls shopping while the children are at school. Clancy in an hour I'm going to phone your mother. You and Farida can chat to let her know what's going on. It'll be early morning for her. She said it's the best time to phone."

Clancy nodded and turned his focus back to the satellite map on the screen pointing the laser saying, "Zoom in there?" The detailed image displayed a small hut with a windmill, cattle yards and many cattle grazing nearby.

Clancy said to Farida, "That's our main beef herd. The hut is Matthew's donger. Matthew has worked on the property for years. He lives out with the cattle to look after them." Clancy laughed making a quaint sound, "A donger is a worker's hut in Australia; like that one."

He looked back to Wendy, "Now zoom out again." When the image detail got large enough Clancy placed the laser to the screen, "Zoom in there." The image came down onto another dammed body of water in a mostly dry watercourse. "That's our storage reservoir on pituri creek. Scan over here." He led the way with the laser and stopped to reveal a herd of camels on a small rise overlooking the water. There was an olive grove on the rise near to where a large camel regally sat overlooking the herd. The camel was sitting beside a grave.

Kelly made a surprised noise that sounded like a sob as she breathed in. Before saying, "That's Goliath beside Bejah's grave isn't it?" She immediately commenced to wipe moisture from her eyes before looking around and saying, "Sorry. I must be tired." Her remark was directed toward no one in particular.

Clancy answered, "Yes." He gave Kelly a gorgeous smile before looking at Farida to say, "Our camel herd is registered. They're Bejah-Goliath racing camels the strongest and fastest in Australia. They're valuable. We have a long waiting list of buyers. Even buyers in Saudi Arabia and Dubai are scrambling to purchase our bloodline. We need someone to manage the herd. It's becoming a full time job and with good management we could value-add considerably. Why don't we wait until we're there and all go for a ride together? Let Basir find them. Or more to the point let Goliath find Basir."

Farida stared at the screen shaking her head slowly from side to side with her bottom lip caught in her mouth, her face a curious picture of contentment. She gave Clancy a quick glance then turned to Najwa saying, "Don't tell Daddy about seeing the camels. We'll keep this our secret and surprise him." The girl nodded enthusiastically.

The night progressed with chatter and coffee, and seemed would never end. It was almost midnight when the conversation waning and everyone become conscious of the growing sound of raucous singing outside.

Most in the room seemed puzzled but Clancy grinned turning to face Wendy who suddenly jelled and said, "Oh no."

Clancy seemed even more amused, "Afraid so. Can you hear the female voice joining in?"

Wendy picked up her walking stick and moved toward the front window saying as she moved, "We have to live here."

She witnessed the three men with Anke in the middle. They were walking down the centre of the road arms linked over each other's shoulder singing at the top of their voice. Basir on one end made the racket worse as he was singing along with them in Khower. The tune was unintelligible other than to explain all were very happy and drunk.

As the foursome approached the house Anke could be heard over the others making very loud shhhh noises as she clumsily searched for keys. "Shhhh if we wake the sleeping dragon all the fires in hell will erupt and burn us to cinders." The giggly snorting laugh that followed was as loud as the singing had been.

In the hallway outside the lounge room Anke again Shhhh'd everyone several times and could be heard slurping a drunken kiss onto each man while still giggling. "Off to bed you big strong sexy heart breakers before we're smoked. Shhhh the dragon colonel lurks in there." The lounge room door was touched and quickly adsorbed in loud more snorting giggles. The giggling went one direction while singing could be heard climbing the stairs.

Wendy searched the amused faces around her before saying, "I should thank them. It has taken a long time for Anke to let go and completely relax." She raised her eyebrows and added, "Dragon indeed. We might serve lamb's fry with tripe for breakfast. She can cook it."

Clancy snuck down stairs wearing shorts a tee shirt and combat boots. He always exercised in boots. It was almost six in the morning and still not fully light. He knew he'd be first up and didn't have a key yet wanted to get in a good half-hour or so jogging. By the time he returned he figured someone would be up to let him back inside.

Passing though the kitchen he raided the fridge and drank from a half empty milk carton when he heard someone coming along the hall.

Kelly entered the room dressed in a tracksuit and joggers. Her hair pulled back and secured in a ponytail. It suited her.

"You going jogging too?"

Kelly jumped a hand going to her heart, "God. I was sure I'd be the only one up this early."

"Sorry didn't mean to frighten you. I thought I could get in some exercise before you guys wake up."

Kelly smiled at him, "It's fine. I was miles away. I had the same idea. I like to put in a few miles on my feet when I have to ferry a plane all day. It's boring. There's nothing to do but sit and follow the compass. You'll find out for yourself soon enough." Kelly smiled and twinkled her eyes. "I'm glad you're coming today. I've been thinking about our day out riding together. Keep having a notion of taking you flying to say thank you. It's a shame Taffy can't come. Where is she?"

Clancy looked at the floor a moment before capturing Kelly's eyes, "At Kandahar. She's being looked after."

Kelly understood his concern. She kept hold of his eyes, "We could run together if you don't mind? I'm fairly fit should be able to keep up if you don't stride out too fast." She looked Clancy up and down, "If I was your mother I'd make you put more clothes on. It's cold outside here."

Clancy gave her a charming smile. "My mother would mention that. She doesn't like the cold. I don't mind. If we keep moving I'll be okay." Clancy offered her the milk carton. She took it and drank the remainder as he did, without a glass.

Kelly asked, "How did you get on with your two room mates last night? I hate sharing a room when everyone else is drunk."

Clancy shook his head and laughed, "Three room mates. I'd just got into bed when Farida opened the door and literally threw Basir into the room with the message that we got him this way. He might as well sleep with us so we could hear him. She said she wanted him sober with the stinking cigarette smell gone from his hair before he came back near her." Clancy laughed again, "Basir is a happy drunk. I listened to the three of them discuss the situation for a while." Clancy stopped to laugh again. "His first night outside Afghanistan. Chiko and Muscat want him to come to Italy with them. Seems Basir likes the west. Apparently he asked Farida how the girls here keep their chest from dropping down like Afghan women. Plus he said how much he liked them kissing him on the cheek. Said it made him feel like making babies. That was just before she threw him out." Clancy again laughed, "He's puzzled. Doesn't know what he did to upset her. That's when I left. I knew they were ready for a long discussion. I slept on the floor in the corridor."

Kelly by now had the giggles. She put the milk carton on the bench and took his hand. "Come on lets run. Why haven't you asked where we're going in the plane?"

"Habit. I figured someone would tell me when the time is right." Clancy chuckled, "If not I'll find out when we get there. You'll tell me if I need a coat. Won't you?"

Clancy had been sitting in the back of the plane for four hours. It was peaceful and amazing. He'd watched in wonder as Kelly guided them though the sky. This was her office. She was in control up here. She pointed out a few things but Clancy already knew they were currently flying over Afghanistan. He'd expected them to reduce altitude and prepare to land but they kept moving forward. They'd refuelled once already, something new. He watched feeling pride as Kelly's gentle touch manoeuvred them so close to the large plane in complete safety.

He knew they were over Pakistan when Kelly spoke through the radio, "We have to slow down for a few hours. We can overfly India but only at subsonic speed. It's a pain." As she finished speaking the plane commenced to reduce speed and quickly re-stabilised, still seemed fast going.

He spent the time crossing India wondering whether Chiko and Muscat had arrived in Italy yet. He laughed to himself thinking about Farida dragging poor Basir back to their room when she heard them encouraging him to come to Italy with them. He wondered whether Wendy had made good her promise to fly them all to Paris for a day of shopping.

Eventually they crossed from the land to the ocean and true to her last message without a word Kelly increased speed again. Another hour passed before Kelly become busy sending and receiving a multitude of cryptic messages. A short time later the throttles reduced. The plane commenced to lose altitude while making a series of course changes.

Eventually Kelly said. "There she is." While thrusting her right gloved hand forward above her head, like an axe. She was indicating slightly to the right of her windscreen.

Clancy looked at the water. "I don't see a thing. Does this place have a name?"

Kelly said, "You'll see her shortly. Names Ike."

He sounded confused, "Ike?"

Kelly laughed, "Yep. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. She's twenty miles out there." Kelly again indicated the direction. "She's our destination. We're waiting for her to turn into the wind. I'm assuming this is your first carrier landing. I'll be rather busy on approach. While I'm on final please don't touch the controls or even speak until we're parked on deck." Kelly offered a few bars of her quaint laugh, "Check your seatbelt harness. Make sure all the straps are as tight as you can stand and don't loosen them until I've shut the engines down and opened the canopy. We'll probably be in the hanger below deck by then. Carriers are really tight. They can get rather hairy. If anything goes wrong, even after we've landed, our only way clear is to eject. Same rules apply as for the flight. I manage the exit strategy for both of us. Our approach will seem too fast. That's normal. As we cross over the deck I'll open the throttles, feels like I'm aborted the landing. Don't be fooled, we've missed if I hit the afterburners. When you hear the engines rev, centre your head and force it back against the headrest. Time your breathing, breath out as we touch and keep your mouth shut; stops you biting your tongue. We'll hit the deck and stop in a heartbeat. It's a real buzz." Kelly chuckled again, "If you don't like what you're seeing close your eyes. But whatever you do don't speak or grab."

Clancy shook his head. He didn't think she was joking, "Great. Remind me later what we're doing here."

*****

Marge Page's mind was in chaos. She'd just put down the phone from talking to Colonel Maiden. It was all too much. Only four days to prepare for their visit, five at the most. Twenty people. Where would she put them all? We need food. Blankets. Towels. Soap. Toilet paper. God where to begin? We'll need diesel for the generator. The poor milk cow will be busy.

She took a sip of tea closed her eyes and started counting to ten. Got to three and remembered her eggs were still on the stove, fried hard. Oh well. How can anyone think a runway can be built in three weeks? Perhaps this is all someone's idea of a joke. No. David wouldn't be involved, unless it were true. Marge steepled her hands and pressed them to her lips. David will be home in four days. Oh god. I forgot to ask where to pick them up. If they arrive in Brisbane We'll need to leave tomorrow evening. Twenty people. I'll need a bus to bring them here. Hell and damnation. I should go back to bed and pretend all this isn't happening. It's all right for the Colonel to say don't worry about a thing. She obviously can't imagine how isolated we are. How could she? Well her family are in for the same surprise she'll get. Thank goodness I've already cleaned and equipped the other house. I hope the new people can settle here and be happy. Farida speaks well, sounds quite educated and very enthusiastic about coming. I should contact the School of the Air to let them know we'll have a new student from next week. If the father and the girl can't speak English at all they'll need help too. I wonder whether Sister Veronica can visit at such short notice. Won't hurt to ask.

Marge picked up the phone and was dialling the Alice Springs School of the Air number before she realised it was five thirty in the morning. Five o'clock in Alice Springs. She put down the receiver feeling silly and remembered her husband John's favourite saying. One job at a time is the best anyone can do. Trying to do more is to achieve nothing but chaos. Marge took a deep breath pulled on her boots and said out loud, "Chooks then cattle."

She took her hat from the peg near the door and walked outside heading towards the feed shed. Not so bad. I'll have someone to talk to and something to talk about.

*****

"Look after the team the team looks after you. Your primary concern is preservation." Kaiser stood at the front of the class. Eight soldiers were seated in a semi-circle in front of him. When the door opened Kaiser raised a hand to stop Stinky speaking. "A child is walking straight toward you not looking around. You challenge him. He keeps walking. He's wearing loose fitting clothes. You can bet your life there's a fanatic with crazy eyes standing back with his hand on the bomb trigger. He'll be in sight. That's how they work. You find him. You take him out. The kid will stop. You save everyone. You're not out of the woods. You still have the bomb to deal with. But you've bought time to regroup." Kaiser looked along the soldiers. "Questions?" He waited a moment, "Take a break."

"Okay Sticky hit me with it."

Stinky was all smiles, "Who have you been sleeping with?"

Kaiser shock his head in surprise, "What?"

Stinky looked pleased with himself, "You're off to the states. She must have loved you? You're travelling first class."

Kaiser raised an eyebrow and almost closed the other eye, "Why?" He waited a moment and reconsidered, "When?"

Stinky raised his fingers, "Two hours and that includes getting to Perth airport. You need to get packing."

"Stinky. You're not making sense. This course has another eight days to run. Plus I need to hang around. My sister and niece will be turning up here in a few days."

"I told them that. I said they'd need to send me in your place." Stinky pulled a sad face, "Would you believe they told me I'm stupid. I'm telling you there's no justice."

"Anyway I tried to book four first class tickets. They tell me I only need three. So I book three. Then they ring back and tell me that's too slow. So I have to cancel the tickets because now there's a military plane coming to take the four of you to Darwin. So you can catch one of there's. You'll be in the states early tomorrow, which is a few hours ago today. Savvy?"

Kaiser put his hands over his head, "Jesus Stinky. Who are the four people? And while you're at it who are the people organising this fiasco? It's not going to happen."

Stinky stood up straighter and smiled, "Well actually it is. There's you, Squizzy Taylor's widow and her two kids."

"And who's behind this stupidity?"

"I'm getting to that. First it was some Brigadier telling me all about the importance of this mission. Didn't catch his name because he talked like he's spent most of his life with a broomstick up his backside. When he finished pontificating he handed the phone to Warrant Officer Pymble, Head Quarter Command, Canberra who made more sense. Gave me a PBU26B voucher number to requisition all the airline tickets. When I rang back with the flight details. Pymble was talking to that yank woman on another phone. She took over... she must be related to Hitler, said everything is taking too long; cancel all the tickets. She starts talking re-routing planes pulling facts and figures out of her... hope it was her head. Next thing I know Pymble is in on the act. Anyway there's a VIP plane on the way here to pick up someone who is going to be really disappointed, because their plane is taking you four to Darwin to catch another re-routed plane. Apparently that's the quickest way to get guys to the states."

Kaiser rubbed his chin, "I'll assume the yank woman is the Colonel we all spoke to a few days ago." Kaiser shook his head catching up with his thoughts. "Joanne works and she doesn't have a passport."

Sticky's face turned into puzzle. "Who's Joanne?"

"Squizzy Taylor's widow. Stinky, I though you just booked her a ticket. She's a nursing sister with a baby and a toddler. She can't drop everything and go globe trotting."

"Oh yeh. That's right. No. You're miles behind that yank woman. It's all been arranged. A passport will be waiting in Darwin with both her kids endorsed on it... What's her name, Joanne will be on full pay during the trip. Apparently she's been seconded from the health department like you from the army. They pulled her out of work in the middle of a shift. She's at home packing and will be driven here to pick you up. You're travelling to the airport together. The yank has even arranged for some people to be on the plane from Darwin to help Joanne with the kids on the flight to Dover. It's non-stop. Not Britain, apparently there's another Dover somewhere in the states." Stinky looked at his watch, "Now you've only got fifty minutes to pack. They said wear casual civilian clothes and you only need to pack casual civilian clothes but you're to take your dress uniform with you. I've got to break into Clancy's wardrobe and pack his dress uniform because you're to take it with you. Meet you outside the Admin building in fifty minutes. Don't be late or the brown stuff will hit the fan and cover the lot of us."

"Clancy? Is he over there as well?" Kaiser hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Duh. Don't answer. I got to run. Tell the guys on this course here to stay here and chat until someone finds them another instructor. I'm off. Thanks Stinky. Guess I'll see you when I see you." Kaiser set off at the double calling over his shoulder, "I'll be outside Admin in forty-five minutes."

##  Chapter 09

Clancy and Kelly stood in the wardroom drinking coffee. They'd parked the aircraft, debriefed, showered and eaten.

Neither wanted to sit. They'd been doing that all day and were now dressed to go again, waiting to be told where. One trip to the hanger deck preparing to board the new aircraft had already been cancelled. Change of orders, case of hurry-up and wait in the wardroom. Neither was keen on the coffee it was something to do with fidgety hands. Apparently another crew was preparing to fly. The four of them were to receive a flight briefing together.

Kelly was becoming concerned and had good reasons. The fleet was rapidly approaching the Malacca Straits where launching would cease. The sailors were all buzzing with excitement from the surprise news of a forty-eight hour stopover in Singapore. However the last thing Kelly wanted was to be stuck on-board for three days. She had no idea what was going on but knew Wendy wanted her back in the states quickly. She suspected Clancy was needed as well. They'd discussed what each was doing. She was rather sure Clancy had no idea why he was sent on the flight, which figured because she had no idea why the aircraft had been delivered to a carrier heading back to the states. And as for Clancy, he didn't even know what kind of aircraft they were flying. Seemed very strange. As strange as Clancy being kitted out in a US Marine flight suit with Captain Page embossed on it. Wendy was up to something, only time would reveal what.

Kelly suddenly realised they had company. Clancy was listening to the other super hornet crew. The heavies were doing the flying today. Both were pilots, a navy captain and a navy commander. Obviously they'd spoken to Clancy because he was sporting the senior rank and in any case a marine, to the navy, was superior to anything with an air force label on it. Kelly listened to the navy captain, "Forget the coffee. Wake your front seat up from her dream world and we'll launch. You two are required in Darwin. I'll be flying your plane back. Ike has slowed down to accommodate our return. We've got five hours tops to be back on deck or god knows where we'll spend the next three days. There's a C-5 an hour ahead of us we have to intercept and escort it into Darwin. A tanker has been sent ahead to wait for us so we can put the pedal down. Our orders are to get both planes back on deck within five hours. Your orders are to meet the C-5, on the ground in Darwin and take charge of what's in the cargo bay."

Clancy said, "Take charge of what?"

The Captain continued, "They didn't say what. I assumed you guys would know. The flash didn't actually say take charge; said you guys are to baby-sit what's in the cargo bay. Nor did it say whether you guys are going with the C-5 or the cargo is going with you. All seems a bit strange. Do you have some place you need to be?"

Kelly answered, "No we haven't. Well I think we do but they forgot to share the detail. We were told to deliver the plane, launch in a new one and head east. The destination was to be disclosed on route. I assumed we were heading across the pacific to the states." Kelly shrugged. "Darwin. Serves me right for assuming." She looked at Clancy. "Do you know anything about this Captain? I didn't even bring a toothbrush."

Clancy shook his head, "No idea. Didn't bring a thing. Haven't even got my wallet and watch."

The Captain said, "Well you'll find out what you're babysitting soon enough. End of story." The Captain grinned, "We're all on the same boat, following orders." The Captain smiled at Kelly. Seemed like the first time he'd noticed her. "Lieutenant we've allocated you the plane you arrived in for this flight. We were told not to touch it but this strategy gives me an excuse to fly the thing back. I hope you don't mind? Any quirks I should know about."

Kelly was amused she looked down then up at the Captain, "Fair enough. It's good, very stable. Pretty much the same as a super hornet to control though you can feel the drag from the pods underneath and the wing tips when it's thrown around. Plus it climbs noticeably slower with the extra weight and obviously the launch is slower as well. Keep the speed up on approach it stalls a good twenty knots higher than a super hornet without much warning. And it drops the nose." Kelly gave a cheeky smile. She couldn't resist taking a swipe. "Of course the biggest difference you'll notice is lavender. It doesn't smell like stale bilge water yet."

The Captain studied Kelly from head to toe but didn't speak. He pointed turned to follow his finger and walked.

All four were setting a brisk pace toward the hanger deck when the navy commander said to Clancy, "How the hell does a marine finish up being ferried around by a half grown air force want-to-be. You're lucky to be still alive."

Kelly's blood commenced to boil though thought it prudent not to speak. She smiled listening to Clancy's reply, "Don't knock the cherub. She might be small and may have questionable breeding but she's one hell of front seat. I'd back her against anyone, that includes the both of you." Clancy offered her a quick look with a private wink. She felt her heart flutter.

*****

The limousine drove onto the tarmac at Perth airport stopping by the open door of the royal Australian air force VIP bombardier challenger six zero four. The uniformed driver held the door open for Joanne and the children. Kaiser helped the driver put the cases on the tarmac near the plane's open luggage bay as the plane's crew had requested. Joanne held her two-year old daughter Georgie by the hand and carried seven-month old Michael up the aircraft stairs. It was a difficult climb with Georgie's eyes and mind wandering everywhere.

Joanne cautiously peeped her head inside only to be greeted by name, by the Defence Minister Jacqueline Scheller. "Welcome aboard Joanne. We'll be off as soon as your luggage is secure. I'm Jacqueline." Jacqueline put her hand out to shake with Joanne and did the same to Kaiser as he popped his head though the door, "Malem isn't it. I'm Jacqueline and this is journalist Sabrina Noble who I'm sure you've seen on television. We'll both be accompanying you to Darwin. We were on our way from Perth to Canberra when Wendy called in a favour. So we turned around to pick you up, a slower trip won't hurt us. Besides Sabina is very keen to crawl all over the C-5 in Darwin. I assume you both know she's into technology.

Kaiser cautiously answered, "Thank you Ma'am."

Jacqueline cut in to say, "Oh please don't Ma'am me with no one watching. Call me Jacq I'd like us to be as informal as possible if for no other reason I'd like to use this flight to pick your brains." Jacqueline made eye contact with Joanne before saying, "The both of you."

Kaiser nodded, "Okay Jacq." He raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Do you have any idea where we're going? Because I'm expecting..."

Jacqueline again cut in, "Did Wendy not speak to you?" She motioned to Joanne letting her know the question was for her as well and took the confused shaking heads as her answer. "Isn't that typical of military people." Jacqueline puffed out a breath in frustration, "Malem you needn't worry about your sister and niece they're currently in The Netherlands staying with Wendy. It's my understanding they went shopping in Paris today and will be leaving for America tomorrow morning. Their flight has been set to arrive at the same time as you so you'll meet up when you land. You're all set to have a few days in the states together and travel back to Australia on the same flight." Jacqueline again smiled at a mouth opened Joanne. "Joanne, Wendy invited you as she seems to believe you and Malem matter to each other and she'd like Malem's sister and niece to meet the both of you together."

Kaiser replied, "So, these darlings..." Kaiser motioned his head toward Georgie who he'd picked up when he entered the plane. The girl now had her arms wrapped around his neck. "Are being dragged all the way over there for no reason other than to meet Anahita and Maliha and fly back here again.

Jacqueline smiled. She looked gorgeously charismatic to match her convincingly effective speech, "Oh I wouldn't say just for that. Wendy wants to proposition you and your friend David. She's going to offer the both of you a job on secondment to the US military. You might as well know the decision to do the work is yours and yours alone. I've already sanctioned the transfer with immediate effect. But you will not be ordered to go. It's your decision as it will also be for David and two other air force people who I don't think you've met." Jacqueline positioned her focus towards Joanne, "It's my guess you've been invited because Wendy thinks you can help Malem make up his mind about the job." Jacqueline raised her eyebrows, "Wendy is a very persuasive operator. She's charming and smooth but locks onto her pet projects like a Pit Bull Terrier."

Joanne asked, "Who's Wendy?"

Kaiser quickly added, "I'm glad Jo asked that. It was my next question as well."

Jacqueline's eyes widened and grinned rather cutely with her bottom lip captured by her teeth. "Wendy assured me you've spoken several times Malem, though she may have introduced herself as US air force Colonel Wendy Maiden."

Kaiser looked embarrassed, "Oh. We have spoken." He gave everyone an apologetic grin, "Sorry. I'm not usually on first calling with the Officer Corp and when we spoke there was a lot going on, the clock was ticking."

Jacqueline again moved the conversation forward, "Well we're being observed from up the front we'd best sit down and belt up." She pointed to a double seat near the rear and watched lovingly as Kaiser seated Georgie, talking the girl through the seat belt arrangement before retrieving, seating and securing the girl's teddy bear, Edward in the seat beside her then strapping himself in the adjacent seat across from Georgie.

With her focus to Joanne, Jacqueline said, "Here let me take bubs from you. He's gorgeous. You have a long flight ahead of you so I'll nurse him to Darwin and give your arms a rest." She motioned Joanne to a seat where eye contact with Georgie could be maintained during the flight.

As they sat and prepared for take-off Joanne learned forward and quietly said to Jacqueline who was sitting across from her beside Sabrina. "Malem and I don't... We're not an item. He's a very dear friend but nothing more. He's been wonderful with the children. They're my late husband's. Malem and Michael were best friends and looked out for each other." Joanne studied the back of her hands and slowly shook her head, "I used to get jealous of Michael going out to hotels with Malem." Joanne wiggled her fingers to unsuccessfully distract her emotions from building tears. "Michael once told me he wouldn't stop seeing Malem, that I was being mean trying to stop him. He told me he couldn't invite Malem home to spend time with us all because the children would remind Malem of his family, which were still in Afghanistan. Michael said Malem was too proud to say how lonely he felt." Joanne found a tissue and wiped her eyes. "I wish I hadn't been so greedy. Without Malem's support... I'd never have coped."

Jacqueline placed her hand on Joanne's arm, "I know. I'm very sorry. You mustn't think like this. Losing a loving partner is cruel. But it won't do any good to dwell on what can't be changed. You're very brave and Malem... we all need true friends like Malem." Jacqueline quickly exchanged an understanding glance with Sabrina and lifted her tone, "I don't think we humans ever stop searching for love. We convince ourself what we have could be better if only... Though what's really better is to focus on the feeling we get the moment we entertain the possibility of what might come from who we're currently with." Jacqueline closed her eyes and breathed before looking past Joanne, "Try to remember and replay that feeling over and over again when you need strength." Jacqueline gave Joanne's arm a light squeeze, "Sabrina and I have both watched the way you and Malem support each other. You know he's going to need your support when he re-unites with his family. You make a good team."

It was mid afternoon when Kaiser and Joanne's plane landed at Darwin Airport. They taxied away from the passenger terminal to the adjoining military base on the opposite side of the runway. Sabrina exited the plane first almost running from her seat carrying two cameras and a large equipment bag. She set up a tripod in front of their aircraft, mounted a camera with a huge telephoto lens and scanned the flight path for several minutes before screaming. "Oh my god there's three. I've got them all in frame together." She studied the image clicking the camera regularly before adding, "A Growler."

Jacqueline placed her arms around Sabrina's waist and quickly remembered to remove them before asking, "What have you found?"

Sabrina raised a finger without looking away from the camera to explain she couldn't talk. Her hand worked the camera, which clicked several times in quick succession. Eventually she lifted her head to Jacqueline saying, "I just got several snaps of the a C-5 Galaxy with a Super Hornet and a Growler on landing approach together." She pointed a finger as the two smaller jets slowed on the runway before lifting the camera secured around her neck to her face snapping away when she witnessed both aircraft fold their wings as if landing on a carrier. Without looking she said, "You didn't tell me a Growler was coming." Sabrina continued clicking away at the huge Galaxy while all three aircraft negotiated the taxiway toward them. "Or a super hornet for that matter."

Jacqueline put her hand on Sabina's shoulder, "It was your surprise. Besides you got lucky I was informed the two passengers wouldn't be flying this leg of their trip in their growler. They delivered it to an aircraft carrier and were supposed to fly here in a super hornet. Which is which? I can't tell the difference. They both look expensive to me. However I've never seen anything as large as the transport plane."

"Jacqueline..." Sabina turned to face her and leaned her head down to give the hand on her shoulder a light kiss. "For a Defence Minister... The front one is the super hornet worth fifty million, second is the growler, seventy million. I do not believe you can't see the jamming pods on the Growler."

"What am I looking for?"

Sabrina eyed Jacqueline shaking her head then smiled, "Roundish things on the wing tips, under the belly and under the wings. Don't count the long-range fuel tanks. There are even little pods on both tail fins."

There was amusement in Jacqueline's voice, "You mean those hanging things aren't bombs." She laughed, "I'm on a steep learning curve aren't I?"

Sabina replied with a roll of her eyes, "Yes you are? Do I get to go for a ride?"

Jacqueline shook her head, "Not today. We'll be back next week and if you're a good girl you might get lucky. We both may." Jacqueline voice turned stern and louder, mostly to offset the noise of the approaching planes, which were set to park beside them. "Off you go and play. You're not to take any photos of either pilot in the Growler and don't take a photo of the plane that display the crew names written on the side."

Sabina quickly looked at Jacqueline, "You're no fun. Can I talk to them?"

"Yes. You can talk to anyone and photograph the pilots who will be taking both jets out of here. Not the two people who'll board the transport." Jacqueline gave Sabrina a quick look through squinting eyes. "I know you. You're going to recognise one of the pilots. I also know they won't say anything to you. But if you overhear anything said to or by them..." Jacqueline pointed at Joanne and Kaiser, "It will be off the record." Jacqueline extended her hand and placed her finger gently on the button of Sabrina's sleeve, to distract her raised journalistic curiosity, "Wait until next week, Cherry Plum. I can promise you a front page exclusive and a visit to the clouds in several very technologically advanced aeroplanes." Jacqueline rotated her finger as if massaging the blouse button, causing Sabrina to lower her gaze as Jacqueline added. "You're on a promise."

Sabina moved toward the planes, now being tended by the ground staff, her camera working overtime while Jacqueline resumed her conversation with Joanne and Kaiser. As they spoke a diplomatic limousine pulled onto the tarmac. A suit-clad man exited the vehicle and walked straight to Jacqueline. He introduced himself while handing her an envelope, which Jacqueline opened before thanking the man and passing the contents to Joanne saying, "You're as good as on your way." The man took Kaiser's passport and stamped it with a customs exit stamp before returning to the vehicle to disappear.

Joanne studied her new passport with both children listed and leaned forward to kiss Jacqueline before stepping back feeling embarrassed to say, "Oh. I'm sorry Minister. It's just I can't thank you enough. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before."

"You're welcome. And thank you for being candid about your experience of military life. I'm rarely afforded the opportunity to hear from people who actually live it every day. I promise I'll try to make a difference. Now lets see if we can get you all settled for the next leg of your adventure."

As the group walked in front of EA-18G Growler Clancy who was being helped untangle himself in preparation for the climb down noticed Kaiser. He stood on the front seat and spoke rather loudly, "Kaiser."

Kaiser looked up, knew the voice but wasn't expecting a pilot helmet obscuring the face. "Clancy?"

Clancy finally got the helmet off, "In the flesh. You're the last person I expecting to see here." Clancy studied the others. Jacqueline looked familiar but he couldn't place her. "Joanne?" Clancy pointed, "Is that Georgie? She'll be taller than you soon. What are you guys doing here?"

Kaiser answered, "I can see you up there dressed like a spaceman." Kaiser raised his hands in front of him, palms upward. "I don't see my sister with you?"

Clancy offered a smile, "Anahita and Maliha are fine. I slept with them last night..." Clancy closed his eyes and shook his head. The grin turned to embarrassment, "Better say that again. We all slept at the same location last night, or... the last time we slept. I've no idea what time it should be anymore. They're in Holland. Your girls were going shopping today and will fly to the states tomorrow. We plan to meet up with them over there. What are you guys doing in Darwin?"

Kaiser kept asking questions, "Are you flying that thing?"

Clancy again shook he head. His grin was growing larger. "No. God no." He pointed over his shoulder. The boss does all the flying. She made me sit in the front on this leg and was trying to teach me how to... drive. It's not easy." He waved his thumb over his shoulder again pointing towards Kelly. I have learnt pilots are actually a lot smarter than they look. I've no idea how they find their way and frankly it feels a lot safer sitting in the back where I can't see so well."

Kaiser said, "You're on the way to the states in that thing?"

The Navy Captain spoke from beside the plane. "No they're not." The Captain gave Kaiser a quick grin before raising his voice and speaking up toward the cockpit. "The clock is still ticking children. Get your feet off the seat and vacant my office."

Clancy looked down at the red faced Captain and stepped on the ladder at the same time as Kelly, "Sorry. Ladies first."

Kelly replied, "Nothing to do with ladies. Back seat first, front seat second." Upon reaching the ground Kelly spoke to the Captain, "All yours Captain. Have a nice one. If you fly from the back seat you can checkout the electronics. Very impressive."

The Captain was already climbing the ladder when he said, "I'm navy. We fly from the front. See you around Air Force." He nodded to Clancy while passing down the helmet left on the seat, "Marine."

The Captain sat already setting his cockpit for flight. Within two minutes both jets were moving toward the runway, their noise causing conversation on the ground to be curtailed.

Kaiser herded everyone towards the C-5 and pointed toward it at the same time eventually saying, "Joanne and I are off to the states to collect my sister and niece. We thought we'd run into you over there." He gave Clancy a quick stare. "You did say you'd look after my girls. Now it's your turn. What are you doing here?" Before anyone could answer Kaiser looked at Kelly, "You're the pilot they've been showing on TV as missing in Afghanistan." He raised his eyebrows and continued. "Wait a minute. Figuring this out is too easy." Kaiser focused on Clancy. "You were PR'ing. Pilot drops in. No one wants a fuss so pilot joins the merry caravan. You go fetch my sister to dust your tracks so no link to Lima three-six is..."

Clancy rapidly raised a hand causing Kaiser to stop in mid sentence. Clancy said nothing. He pointed a finger at Jacqueline.

Kaiser grinned saying, "Clancy you've been in the sandpit too long. Meet your new boss, Jacqueline Scheller the Minister of Defence. Jacqueline you're not so humble employee; Operator Clancy, SASR, Charlie Company."

Clancy's eyes grew wide, "Sorry Ma'am. You did... do actually look familiar. I'm honoured... and a little puzzled why you're hanging around with this... these guys?"

Jacqueline looked at and bounced Michael slightly before answering Clancy. "I happen to know the Colonel sent you two here to baby sit." Her face lit up with amusement as she handed Michael to Clancy, "I believe you already know your two charges, Michael and Georgie." Jacqueline gave Georgie a quick look, "Have a nice trip. Now Joanne can catch some sleep as well. You guys are all travelling to the states together." Jacqueline turned her focus up inside the aeroplane's large rear open door where a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and an Abrams tank were being introduced to Sabrina's camera. "In this monster." She pointed inside the C-5. "None of this is my doing. Wendy organised everything. I'm informed Malem and his sister will arrive at the same place in the states at the same time. My contribution was to fly from Perth to Canberra via Darwin to help Malem and Joanne get here. I was blackmailed to repay a favour." She took a breath and turned her attention to the Loadmaster looking down at them from the rear ramp, "May we come on-board. I'm not travelling today but I'd love to be shown around. I hope you have somewhere comfortable to accommodate these people?"

The Loadmaster jumped down, "Yes Ma'am. I'm here to help you settle in. There's been a delay. They don't seem to have an outside stairway tall enough to enter the passenger cabin. Plan two; a cherry picker is on the way. The catering staff won't use our internal ladder for some reason. I'll show you around while we wait. Um, the passenger cabin is up this ladder." The loadmaster smiled at the look of horror both Jacqueline and Joanne displayed. "It's not as flimsy as it looks but it is a long way up. I won't lie, the downward view from near the top is a long one." The loadmaster beckoned Georgie from Kaiser and took her into his arms. "What a sweetie. Would you like me to show you inside our plane?" Georgie didn't answer but the loadmaster assumed she did. He lifted his head and spoke to the others. "It's rather surreal and spooky in the rear cabin when you're on your own. It's called the cave. Perhaps you'd prefer travel up front in the crew quarters. The skipper has given the okay. We have accommodation for fifteen and there's only nine of us onboard." He shrugged, "Five of us are always in the cockpit so there's plenty of room." The loadmaster eyed Kelly and Clancy, "You two climbed out of that growler? A couple of the guys want to chat with you pair anyway."

Joanne asked, "How long is the flight? We'll need somewhere suitable for the children. Michael has a bassinet but Georgie will need somewhere safe to sleep." Joanne rolled her eyes, "Plus they'll need feeding and changing."

The loadmaster replied while offering his hand to Jacqueline then Joanne to steady them as they stepped up onto the ramp. "Normally, sixteen hours. However we're just been told to survey the viability of one of these things landing at a place called Boulia. Adds another hour to the flight and puts us on the back of a second tanker to make the distance. Looks like we'll make Dover in seventeen hours or perhaps a little more. Means we touch down about two hours ago local time." The Loadmaster looked kindly at Joanne. "You'll have no problems on this flight. We're family friendly, have everything you need. Five of us are female, four are mothers with young children at home. In fact this is the number two co-pilot's first flight back from maternity leave. She has a three-months old daughter at home with Grandma and is so uncomfortable she's expressing milk every few hours. She'll appreciate your company."

"Jacque, Jacque." Sabrina was almost running toward them. She held her arms in the air and wobbled along with a very girlie shuffling movement. "When this plane leaves here they're going to Boulia to do a touch and go. We have to get there first so I can set up in time to take photos."

Jacqueline stared at Sabina, "Sabina. We do have to get home sometime today."

Sabina replied, "Yes I know. But it's on the way and... we have to do this. Have you any idea what a sequence of photos from the end of the runway will look like? We have to Jacque. The pilot said they'll be taking off in about twenty minutes and we cruise at a slightly slower speed so we need to leave now. She'll wait around for five minutes while I set up, no more. Please Jacque. I'll make it up to you. I really will. I'll tidy my flat."

Jacqueline shook her head and whispered, "That will be something." Before saying, "You guys have a nice trip." And speaking primarily to Joanne added. "Let me know how you get on. You have my email address. Don't be a stranger."

Jacqueline kissed Joanne on the cheek, waved to everyone and symbolically pulled Sabina with her index finger while walking toward their plane."

*****

The excitement of travel displayed on every corner of Anke's face. She had spent the last four hours with the children overseeing their lists of homework to be completed while away from school. She encouraged the two Afghan girls to join in and found them enthusiastic to learn. Both were keen to attend school.

Farida expressed embarrassment at not having encouraged Najwa to speak any English thinking it may put her daughter's future in danger on many levels in today's Afghanistan.

With Farida's help, everyone including Anahita and Basir were happy to learn a few English words and more importantly write them down. Maliha, Anahita and Basir couldn't write at all but all happily tried. Wendy and Anke's children were excited with the new focus and were put to work trying to write letters from the middle Persian Dari alphabet. Even Wendy stopped working to listen when Farida explained the official language of Afghanistan is Dari but it is basically a language for government and business, which in Afghanistan is the same thing. Ordinary people speak local dialects, which are always a composite of need driven by village activity and the level of isolation. Village life had no need for reading or writing. Community trust and personal face are the tools of negotiation or conflict resolution. Ordinary people harbour genuine suspicion of government officialdom and the same is rapidly developing for so-called traditional religious preaching methods. Both are considered overbearing and exploitative by all reasonable people, a product of increasingly violent controls to enforce political adherence.

The language of the traveller is Khower, which originates with the cameleer traders out of Iran back when the region known today as Afghanistan was a wealthy trading hub and crossroad into different worlds. Khower is now considered a local language spoken in the tribal regions of Pakistan. Yet a Khower speaking stranger is still etched in local custom as someone of traditional values, a reliable trustworthy and tolerant, non-judgemental person who will neither rob or stand back quietly to witness a robbery.

With another three hours of flight time remaining before touchdown at Dover air force base everyone was resting. However, Anke and Wendy were thoughtfully distracted from sleep. They sat together quietly faking interest in the remainder of the airline food spread before them. Wendy was thinking about Farida's talk while Anke had her own concerns.

Anke broke the silence asking, "What do you eat while you're flying?"

Wendy escaped from within her own thought mumbling unintelligibly.

Anke continued, "I've never thought about it. Do you spend half your life eating airline food?"

Wendy still looked puzzled but said, "No its worse. We eat this stuff for two days then live on ration packs for the next five. It's not so bad. The guys on the ground do the same when they're in the field. At least we have that in common."

Anke said, "You think a lot about the boys in the field. Do you know Chiko and Muscat's real name?"

"Anke. If you're going to tell me you've fallen in love. God; I'll chain you in the basement and buy dogs to set on them if they start calling." Wendy didn't sound cranky though she always spoke with conviction.

"So I'm not forgiven at all." Anke gave Wendy a sideways glance, "No I'm not in love. I'm not even looking but I do think I could fall in love with either if I needed to. They seem, I don't know. Don't laugh. They're so manly. Where did you hear Muscat sing?"

"I heard you all singing coming down our road. What's on your mind Anke? If it's important to you, you can email either of them. I'll give you their address." Wendy put her hand on Anke's arm, "I do know their names and where they're from. Do you think you may need to fall in love?"

Anke put her free hand to her forehead and turned in the seat to face Wendy. "Wendy. I don't know. I can't remember anything. I remember thinking I can drink like they do and how much fun it was being there with them. They're outrageous." She shook her head. "I remember feeling... needing air. I went outside in the cool and was sick. I know they were there. They were kind. One held my hair out of the way. I can't remember another thing. They must have cleaned me up and I must have got back inside because you've told me when we got home, which took another two hours." Anke dropped her head on the armrest and raised it again, "Wendy when I woke this morning I was still fully dressed lying across the bed still in my coat and boots but I had no underwear on. I've looked everywhere. It doesn't feel as if anything happened but... I didn't look like I'd been sick either." Anke squeezed her eyes shut and breathed in. "I'm just going to have to wait a few weeks. God I hate the repercussions of being female."

Wendy rubbed Anke's arm. "I'll tell you something for nothing. I'm sure you don't need to worry. If they knew you were that drunk and it sounds like they did, they would not have touched you. They are shocking womanisers but they're not rapists. Plus I'm pretty sure they don't share the same woman. And I know for a fact they collect underwear. It's a big game to them. Why don't we repay them?"

"How can you be so sure?" Anke dropped her hand to her side, "Don't do anything to harm them. They were good to me and the missing underwear doesn't matter. Its... I can't do that take-a-bra-off-in-a-dress trick like other women do. My arms are different. Aside from pregnancy concerns I'm scared stiff I might have stripped in front of everyone at the cafe or even worse."

"You didn't. I ran into Mrs Van Zeezijde yesterday. She asked after you and your gentleman friends. She assured me you were all well behaved." Wendy smiled, "I'm sure she wants you and your singing friends to revisit again soon. She told me how good for business you all were. Apparently all the locals enjoyed your singing as well."

Wendy picked up her laptop and played around a minute. She then picked up a phone and dialled.

The phone rang several times before it was answered, "Parlare."

"I'm sorry but I can only speak English. May I speak to Concetta Gatto please?"

"This is Concetta. To whom am I speaking?"

Wendy couldn't hide her smile, "My name is Wendy Maiden. I know your nephew Gualti Gangitano and his friend.

We all slept together two nights ago and we need to get a message to the both of them quickly.

"Gualti is in Afghanistan."

"No he's on holidays in Alezio. They arrived yesterday morning. We stayed together the night before. They're staying with Aunty Chiaras.

"Gualti is in Alezio? This is wonderful news. I've been away. I'm almost home, another two hours. I will see him as soon as I get there. You can phone him at Chiaras directly. I'll give you the number."

"No we need to talk to you as well Concetta. We were worried because Gualti and his friend have a bet about how quickly the friend can sleep with you. We need to warn you the clinic rang. They need to see the both of them quickly. We had our first injection this morning and if Gualti and his friend don't contact the clinic today they're going to phone Gualti's home address. If his mother hears about this, things are sure to become serious... after what happened over the sheriff's daughter in Wyoming. She's still fuming. We thought it best to phone you because Chiaras tells her sister everything. Oh and my friend Anke seems to have lost some underwear. They must have put them in their bag by mistake. Could you ask them to return Anke's underwear? The clinic said they should wear gloves all the time particularly at the table or when touching anyone. They recommend surgical gloves but said it would be okay to wear garden gloves for a while. Please remember to ask about the underwear and wish them both a relaxing holiday. Give them our love. Ask them if they still have those cute bicycle clips. Oh tell Gualti the baby is due on September 8th. Thank you, Concetta. Ciao."

Wendy put down the phone and held her hand up to high five. Anke responded, "You're cruel. Poor guys." Wendy and Anke both took a sip of wine and laughed openly.

*****

The reunion was both joyous and tearful. Both planes were identified to Dover air traffic control at exactly mid-day local time. The larger plane on the longer trip was given priority and landed first. However the much smaller Boeing seven three seven from Europe was more nimble on the ground, which saw both planes sitting side-by-side running down their engines together.

Customs formalities were quickly completed and when free to do so both groups wandered out in front of their plane looking around in bewilderment, trying to orientate. The Afghans, who had been impressed with their own transport, were transfixed by the monstrosity sitting beside them. They were looking through the people until Najwa noticed Kelly and called out. She then became embarrassed and put her hand over her mouth but the noise caused both groups to focus on the other. Kaiser sprinted across the gap and lifted Anahita into the air before she fully realised who he was. Kelly and Clancy were left to introduce Joanne to everyone.

Najwa and Maliha were so captured with the size of the cargo plane Kelly took them both inside to look down the cargo bay where it's bulk truly came into focus. All the Afghans finished up inside, except Anahita who was still being held in the air and now sobbing uncontrollably. Everyone was suitably impressed with the Galaxy and stood staring but were quickly chased outside as the plane was ready to raise the nose and drop down on the ground to remove the two armoured vehicles. Even though the personal luggage on the Galaxy had been transferred to the other plane the Afghans wanted to watch the cargo being moved outside. They were even further captivated when Kelly explained the plane had brought the load from Bagram and would have done so non-stop if it hadn't stopped in Darwin for her to join the flight.

They wanted to wait to see the plane fully unload and reposition the nose correctly but Wendy stepped in herding everyone on-board the Military seven three seven for the twenty-minute flight to Andrews air force base where, as the group had now grown to sixteen people, a bus was needed to take them the fifteen mile drive to their accommodation at the Hay-Adams hotel Washington DC.

Wendy immediately changed into her uniform and headed off to the Pentagon. Before leaving she allocated Kelly the task of accompanying Najwa and her parents to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre where Najwa had an appointment for an initial evaluation consultation with a specialists investigating the fitting of an artificial limb.

Everyone had done enough sleeping on their flights so Anke and her three charges teamed up with Kaiser and his, now, five to explore the surrounds of the city sight seeing. Clancy decided to tag along rather than be left on his own.

The next morning Wendy again returned to the Pentagon taking both Kaiser and Clancy in uniform with her. Kelly on Wendy's instructions took everyone to the plane for an hour and half flight to Lexington Kentucky.

Kelly took Joanne's family and the five Afghans home to her parent's property, on the out shirts of Paris, for the day. Anke and her three charges went to Wendy's parents in neighbouring Georgetown.

The planned return trip to Washington that afternoon didn't take place. Kelly's mother conspired in a phone call with Wendy's mother to keep everyone in Kentucky for the night. This left Kelly to break the news to Wendy. Kelly sheepishly explained the mothers' were expecting Wendy to fly up and collect everyone the following morning thus allowing her parents to see their daughter for a few minutes at the airport.

However Wendy had other ideas. She, Kaiser and Clancy were required for another day with the plane. She wouldn't offer any details and Kelly knew better than to ask. Furthermore the specialist who had seen Najwa the day before had contacted Wendy. He had a vacancy the following day and wanted to operate on Najwa to insert a specialised titanium alloy rod deep into what remained of the girl's femur. The surgeon would save Najwa time and several visits to the US. In six weeks, after the implant welded to her existing femur Najwa would return to undergo a further minor procedure to attach a socket through the skin, which would allow her new personalised prosthesis to effectively attach onto her existing leg bone. The result would be the latest technology allowing Najwa to all but feel her new prosthesis and give her the best chance available to recover lost mobility.

The specialist particularly wanted Najwa for the new technology she was the perfect patient. He was confident she would be able to leave hospital the following day and be fit to travel. Something only the young and resilient would manage. Plus the plane they were using was perfect being spacious and luxurious. He was also aware Najwa would be travelling in the company of both a doctor and a nursing sister.

Farida and Basir quickly decided to go ahead. However the biggest problem for everyone was if Farida and Basir travelled to Washington with Najwa and Kelly, Anahita and Maliha would be alone with Kelly's parents without an interpreter.

It was decided Basir should stay with Anahita and Maliha even though he couldn't interpret he wasn't as nervous and could reassure the girls while Kelly's mother phoned Farida for translation help if the need arose. Kelly's mother also loaned Farida her cell phone. Besides Basir was over the moon being with the horses at Kelly's place and wanted to experience more.

Kelly, Farida and Najwa returned to Washington on the plane that same evening and went straight to the clinic where Najwa was admitted. Because of the unusual circumstances, Farida and Kelly were permitted to stay in an ajoining room at the hospital.

*****

Flying officer Billie Hope was seated beside the pilot in a royal Australian air force F-111C Aardvark. The plane carries a crew of two, a pilot and a weapons systems officer. Billie had been with the same F-111C squadron for eight years and still wasn't accepted by the senior pilots who clung to their idiom that flying jets was man's work. To add insult to injury Billie was the best at her job and had been from day one with the squadron. Everyone, even the old guard knew this, though would never admit it to anyone outside their circle.

There was trouble on the horizon. The Aardvarks were being replaced with F/A18F super hornets. Which meant the senior pilots were on a slippery slope. They were Aardvark men, never flown any other aircraft and like the planes had grown old. Soon they would be learning new skills and being judged in direct competition with the fit, keen and hungry young pilots who could easily be kept in check by seniority at the moment. To make matters worse for the old guard they would no longer be able to decide what constitutes an acceptable operating standard because the air force was awash with brash young fighter pilots who already flew the single seater F18 hornet aircraft. Each was already capable of superbly flying the new aircraft. Hence acceptable levels of operating skill to be met were already in place.

Billie and all her fellow weapon systems officer were looking forward to the modern upgrade, as also were all the young pilots. It was only the old guard who felt threatened and filled their egos with talk of leaving. Yet deep down everyone knows there is no civilian equivalent to flying a high-speed strike bomber. Crew maintain the physical and mental fitness to keep up or find oblivion with there next posting.

The Aardvark with Billie on-board was taxiing toward the runway on Amberley air force base. With all their flight checks complete they stopped waiting for clearance to turn onto the runway and hit the afterburners. The flight was a training run scheduled to take four hours, simulating a bombing run. The target was a bridge on the north island of New Zealand one thousand four hundred miles away.

The message from the control tower was not as expected, "Alpha Bravo one three seven your flight has been cancelled return to the tarmac for further instruction."

"You're got to be kidding me." Billie spoke to the pilot, "What's this about?"

The pilot didn't look happy. He replied, "No idea." He turned the plane and taxied toward their parking bay on the line.

Before they were parked Billie twigged the problem was something of an administrative nature involving her. The squadron commander was waiting for the plane to arrive. He appeared even sourer faced than normal. Plus there was another weapons system officer uncomfortably standing beside him. Clearly he was her replacement. Only one crew ladder was ready to position in place on her side of the aircraft.

Billie again spoke, "Looks ominous for me. I'm sure he doesn't like me much. Wonder what his problem is this time?"

The pilot responded, "I had noticed. Good luck." He spared Billie a quick kind glance, "You know... he doesn't really like anyone. It would do your career justice to submit to his rants and help him top up on self importance rather than stab his ego like you so effectively do."

Billie shrugged, "Yeah well it's hard to impress a misogynist bigot when you live in a female body. Besides if I can get him to feel uncomfortable throwing verbal crap my way it has to be good for his conscience."

The pilot shook his head, "Billie you're crazy."

The moment the canopy cracked open the Wing Commander yelled, "Hope. Get yourself out of there. You're off the flight. Get changed and report immediately to the Base Commander's office. You've got five minutes. This time you're gone way too far. You'll be lucky to ever see the inside of an aircraft again on this base."

Billie spoke to the pilot loud enough to be heard outside, "Do you think he's pissed off with me or is it actually the world he hates?"

The pilot didn't speak. He put both hands over his face trying to hide.

Billie walked into the Group Captain base commander's office saluted and remained erect while the man conducted a delaying theatre of self-adulation pretending to be busy with paperwork that was clearly upside down.

Eventually he threw a newspaper on the desk in front of Billie and forcefully said, "Would you care to explain the picture?"

Billie looked down and saw the most magnificent front-page image of a C-5 Galaxy moments after lifting off. The image was captured from behind the rising aircraft. The rear door was open and two airmen were sitting on the ramp with their boots dangling outside the plane. One man had an arm extended clearly blowing a kiss to the camera. Behind the men inside the aircraft a Bradley fighting vehicle could be seen with a larger Abrams tank further forward in the cargo bay. The image was pure beauty; so impressive it made the hairs on the back of Billie's neck stand up. She stared a moment lost in the visual story being told. The caption above the image said, Mega Lift.

"Well?" The Group Captain voice didn't sound impressed.

Billie said, "Wow that is super impressive. I wonder where the photo was taken?"

The Group Captain made a snarling sound before angrily saying. "Don't get smart with me Hope. Dumb insubordination will land you on a charge. We've all had a gut full of your antics. The picture on page four."

Billie rolled her eyes. Silence seemed wise with this level of burning liver agro. She stepped forward flattened and squared the newspaper to help him sweat and slowly opened two pages. _Oh poo._ There was a picture of two women straddling a silver Harley Davidson V Rod motorcycle. The rider was wearing a pair of skimpy leather legless shorts and a suspender belt to support fish net stockings that disappeared into a pair of knee high patent leather boots. She had a Lennon style cap on her head and wasn't wearing anything else. The passenger was decked out from head to toe in a traditional nun's habit and was clearly counting rosary beads while offering a blessing toward the camera.

Billie now knew what was going on. Her bike. She was the front seat rider. Perfectly normal to go topless when you've leading the dykes on bikes at the front of a Gay Mardi Gras parade. Last Saturday night had been a hoot. Why on earth would some journo choose this image to drop in the newspaper? God. With all the creative costumes and beautiful looking people to choose from...

"Well Hope. What have you got to say?"

Billie leaned forward, studied the image closer to add a little of her own theatre. It was an impressive photograph captured the festive mood perfectly.

What could she say? Nothing was going sound correct for this bigot. "Nice bike." Billie stepped back to avoid being spat on during the predictable tirade.

The Group Captain turned decidedly red, "This is no time to be flippant Hope. You're disgusting. Disgusting." He looked around fumbling for control and became even louder, "Disgusting. I want to know who that blasphemous creature with you is? If she's in uniform..." He stood, walked to a cabinet beside the window, retrieved a pill bottle and swallowed two tablets then drank some water, after first picking up a bottle of scotch and thinking better of that idea in front the current company.

The pills seemed to work. He sounded more in control, "Who is she? You people are filth. Bring disgrace upon decent family folk and disrespect to the service. If I had my way all your kind would be sent packing. Today. And by God..." He sat at his desk again and took two deep breaths. "Who Hope? I want a name?" His finger jabbed at the image in time with each spoken word. "If she's in uniform she can kiss her career good bye. Who is she?"

Billie tried to hide her amusement. She was almost glad he appeared inches from a stroke. Her voice couldn't fully mask her feelings. "She is in uniform. She's one of God's storm troopers. I thought you'd recognise this being as educated and worldly as you obviously think you are. She's a nun, a sister. They don't have names like you and I. Leaving their name behind is part of the humility by which they serve humanity." Billie stopped speaking and tilted her head trying to appear puzzled. As a distraction she said. "Didn't you get the memo?"

"What memo?"

The one saying we've got a lady boss. With a new broom to sweep away the old mindsets."

The Group Captain bashed his hand down on the desk and recommenced to bellow, "She can't do anything. We run this air force. This is my base and you'll do well to remember that. I do as I please. She'll be out on her ear like the rest of you..." He stopped speaking and banged his fist down again while turning a redder shade of red. His temples were pulsing, "You're grounded Hope. You can rot cleaning tables in the officer's mess, keeping your stuck up friend company. Now get out of here. You filthy..."

Billie saluted and walked out leaving the door wide open. Hoping he'd yell more obscenities; demand she return until dismissed. Put his draconian attitude on display for the office staff. As if they didn't already know. He didn't say a word but Billie could feel his eyes burning holes in her back for the entire length of the corridor. She kept her body tall, walked a straight line and limited her ankle movement to roll her curves from the hip. She loved being female and at this moment she'd use anything to keep that fools blood pressure operating beyond safe working limits.

Gee, that went well. What a dinosaur.

*****

Clancy sat at an oversized table in a generously proportioned conference room. He'd been listening to the to and fro of statement upon statement for three quarters of an hour and heard nothing worthy of being retained. These people never seem to ask question. Yet it was clear they needed to find answers.

He had no idea why he was here and even less why Wendy insisted he change into his Afghan field outfit before entering the meeting or was it a conference? It was something of a puzzle how Wendy actually got her hands on his clothes and made him wonder what else of his she might have. Even more puzzling was the bullet still in the top pocket of his coat. To get to this part of the building he'd walked through several metal detectors and been frisked down twice. He'd be interested to know how the clothes made it this far without detecting the bullet. Seemed there might be a security breach somewhere.

He was wondering what these desk soldiers would do if he retrieved the bullet and put it on the table when he heard the current talker say, "We're following a lead on two new al-Qaeda suspects. We're pretty sure they're top brass? We're almost certain about one. The other needs further investigation."

Jim, Lieutenant General Jim Mortimer, Wendy's boss was sitting across from Clancy. It was strange to be seated at the same table as a General, even stranger to be on first a name basis with one. In fact many strange things had happened in the last few days. Yesterday he and Kaiser were attached on secondment to the US fighting machine and both appointed marine captains for the duration of their stay. Though the duration length was yet to be discussed along with their actual duties. Jim had Wendy seated beside him on the other side Jim's secretary was taking notes, which seemed strange because seated away from the table was another lady recording the proceedings as if it were a court of law. Kaiser sat on Clancy's right wearing his one day old captain's uniform. He looked the part. Clancy's new uniform was next door hanging on two coat hangers. Strange?

At the end of the table sat three suited civilians with Central Intelligence written all over them. Each had referred to himself as an agent during introductions though none had actually offered an introduction to Clancy. They'd done the handshake thing with Kaiser. Each read Captain Voss from the name tag and made a note to that effect in identical little black books carried in their inside left coat pocket. Clancy noted with some interest all three opened the indexed book to M and wrote Captain Voss, Marine below the list of names headed by Lieutenant General Mortimer. As he watched Clancy felt Kaiser's knee hit his. Clancy knew Kaiser would be grinning noting this synchronised odyssey also. Clearly they all attended the same school.

The three suits all knew Jim and Wendy by sight and keenly acquainted themselves like colleagues while completely ignored the secretary. Clancy they also ignored other than to take a long judgemental look before glancing at the two, armed marine standing inside the closed conference room door. Their presence seemed enough to explain who Clancy was.

Clancy was full of admiration for the two marines; they looked splendid, their uniforms and deportment immaculate. He knew only too well how strenuous holding a rifle without moving was. He also knew enough about equipment to know both weapons were fully loaded making them twice as heavy. The marines remained detached yet it was also obvious to the trained eye these guys were listening, knew the bounds of their responsibility and were quite ready to act as needed. It wasn't Clancy who was their primary focus. Interesting situation.

Jim interrupted the speaker with a question though before speaking he made quick eye contact with Clancy and Kaiser imparting a stand-to message. "Could you be more specific about these new al-Qaeda suspects?"

The suit in focus seemed to stammer and confer visually with his colleagues who reinforced his answer, "We'd need clearance... highly classified situation?"

Jim continued, "I'd like to play you a recording that came across my desk a few days ago." Jim nodded to his secretary who placed a pocket recorder on the table and hit play.

The recording commenced with an Italian male voice.

"Romano. You want the best tobacco or the haircut. You ring the right number. How may I help?"

Then a woman spoke, "Morning Romano. I believe Malem Voss is in your shop getting a hair cut. I need to speak to him?"

The Italian man again spoke not into the phone, "Hey Kaiser. Someone they want to speak to Malem Voss. Is that you?"

Eventually they heard a new voice, "Malem Voss speaking. Who is this?"

The woman spoke again, "This is US air force Colonel, Wendy Maiden. You're a difficult man to pin down Sergeant. I'm in contact with the two female occupants of a hut near Chinagae, Parvan province, Afghanistan...

Jim raised a hand and the secretary stopped the recording before saying. "Have you people heard this recording before?"

The three suits silently conferred via surprised eyes and hesitated all looking down.

Jim raised his arm and pointed a hand horizontal and fully extended like a military drill Sergeant. A firm voice came from his mouth, "I want your specific answer. Have you men heard the recording of this conversation before?" His arm pointed at each man in turn. Each waved their head indicating a no.

Jim turned to the lady doing the recording saying, "Did you record a no against each person being questioned?" The lady returned a nod indicating yes.

The centre man stood up and said, "Now wait a minute. We're not here being questioned."

Jim's voice was loud and firm, "Sit down." And when the man hesitated Jim made eye contact with the closest Marine guarding the door who nodded before aggressively lifting his rifle higher on his chest and saying, "Sir sit."

The man sat, picked up his pen and began to fidget nervously.

"Do any of you need to hear more of this recording or are you satisfied you know where this conversation is heading. By that I mean you have guessed you're about to hear two men namely Kaiser and Clancy conduct a conversation in a foreign language. A conversation you three have decided is between two terrorists." Jim looked at the recorder lady, "Please note for the record. All three suspects have indicated they know where this recording will lead." Jim looked at Kaiser and added, "Which is very covenant because the next sentence on this recording will compromise more of your colleagues and place their lives in as much risk as you are."

Clancy and Kaiser looked at each other with raised eyebrows before inspecting the three man one by one. Just to make them squirm.

Jim allowed a heavy silence to saturate the room for some time before firmly yet quietly saying, "Gentleman. For the record you earlier referred to two new al-Qaeda suspects. You claim to have one identified as Maalik Tsrar, aka Kaiser and know the other only as Clancy? Is that correct?"

The three men looked at each other before returning their gaze toward Jim, each displaying a cold face and stone silence.

Jim allowed the silence to continue for an uncomfortable time before saying, "Gentlemen. If you each do not clearly answer into the microphone," He pointed to assist them. "You will be spending the next few nights in Fort Myer prison while we decide what to do with you."

All three men bowed their head. Eventually the one on the left slowly looked up and without conferring with his colleagues clearly said, "Yes."

Jim didn't wait for the others to say anything. He replied directly to the one who answered. "Thank you. If you'd like to ask any questions of your two new suspects you may do so now." Jim's military arm pointed at Kaiser. "Captain Voss, US Marines class of two thousand, covert operative code name Kaiser. At this point I should inform you that the name Maalik Tsrar does not exist. It is used during conversations in the field to convey a coded situation within a message." Jim's arm moved to Clancy, "Meet Clancy. I will not introduce him further other than to inform you if after this warning either of you two," Jim specifically pointed at the men on each end. "Dig further attempting to discover his real name and rank you will go to jail for a long, long time for breaching the official secrets act." Jim took a breath and eyed everyone in the room before turning to the two marines at the door to nod. He turned back to the three men at the end of the table pointing at the two on the ends. "You are free to go. Get in your vehicle and drive back to Langley without stopping. Report to your supervisor immediately upon arrival. He's waiting for you. Whether you keep your job is not up to me. Your colleague," Jim pointed at the man in the middle. "Will not be joining you any time soon." He pointed at the door, "Leave."

The men both looked quickly at the centre man and each other before standing and quickly exiting the room.

Wendy placed her briefcase on the desk opened it and handed Jim a single page.

Jim stood walked around behind the silent man and placed the document on the desk in front of him. The man's eyes expanded as he read. He threw both arms out with hands extended, pleading. "This means nothing."

Jim calmly said, "This means everything. Not only have you been communicating classified information to non-authorised personnel you've been trying to hide it. This message was sent from an email address owned by your wife to an email address owned by Patris Wahidi." Jim paused looked up at Kaiser then spoke from close behind the man's ear. "You're a fool, an incompetent fool. Your wife is being arrested as we speak. You will both be charged with embezzlement, while we clear a case of espionage and murder.

The man seemed startled, "Embezzlement? Murder? I've done nothing wrong. It's my job. This man is a valuable contact."

Jim answered quickly, "You don't think a man in your position accepting a bungalow on the shore of Lake Tahoe from Pashtun Sajadi five days after the state department paid him one million dollars for the capture of the terrorist Majeed Azizi is wrong. All done because of your recommendation; Sounds like a criminal act to me."

The man grew defensive, "It wasn't like that. His son is friendly with my wife. They were at university together."

Jim continued, "The pair of you can tell all that to the judge. My concern is First Lieutenant John Satler a good marine who died from a gun shot wound to the back of the head two days after you sent one of your grubby emails to Pashtun Sajadi explaining the independent witness who verifying the death of Majeed Azizi was First Lieutenant John Satler. You even received a reply saying, _not a problem Satler will be sent home within the week._ " Jim pushed the man's head forward with the palm of his hand, "He was... returned to his wife and son in a body bag."

The man's voice sounded desperate, "That was a accident and this report couldn't have been correct. We verified Majeed Azizi's identity from DNA when he arrived. It's him. DNA doesn't lie."

"DNA supplied by Pashtun Sajadi a few days before Azizi was handed over. They'd been holding the person they said was Azizi for six weeks while negotiating a reward with you."

Jim looked up to the Marines at the door. "I've heard enough. Take him away. Put him in shackles and go out the front door. Let the media see what a Marine killer looks like."

The man made one last pitch for his freedom, "If it's not Majeed Azizi at Guantanamo Bay who is it?"

Jim stood up straight, "Marines. Get this murdering scum out of my sight."

##  Chapter 10

Farida and Kelly sat quietly as Najwa slowly regained consciousness. The specialist was confident the operation had been a complete success. Though he warned the child would be in considerable pain for a day or two while her already tender injured leg healed yet again and this time any knock would literally go right to the bone. The specialist briefed Kelly on what was required to ensure the healing and recovery stages of Najwa's recuperation would progress without drama.

It was painful to witness the poor child in obvious discomfort even while still groggy. Farida tearfully held her daughter's hand, a thumb constantly rubbing along the back of Najwa's hand. At regular intervals she would raise the girl's hand to her cheek to feel closer to her child.

It took both Kelly and Farida some time to realise a phone was ringing. Kelly tried hers before indicating it was Farida's but before Farida could find the phone it stopped. They had time to smile before Kelly's phone rang and this time Kelly answered. It was Wendy. She quickly explained she needed to borrow Farida for a couple of hours. Kelly pointed out how poor Wendy's timing was; Najwa was coming out of the atheistic. Wendy merely apologised but insisted on speaking to Farida in person.

The conversation took several minutes and required Farida to speak very little so when she hung up and tearfully explained she needed to go out for a few hours Kelly's was astonished. Farida had just finished begging Kelly to look after Najwa and explain mummy would be back as soon as she could when a military driver walked into the room and quickly took Farida with him.

Wendy met Farida at the Pentagon checkpoint and assisted her through security before taking her to the conference room where Kaiser and Clancy were still seated. They were now in the company of half a dozen senior officer's plus three White House staff.

Quick introductions were exchanged before Wendy apologised for what she was about to show Farida. She then projected an image from her laptop to a large wall display. On the screen a man was captured using a pistol to shoot someone in the head. Several previous victim bodies lay in the background, having obviously suffered the same fate.

Wendy said, "I'm sorry Farida. Can you identify who that man doing the killing is?"

Farida closed her eyes a moment, took a long slow breath but opened both eyes and clearly said, "Yes. His name is or rather was Majeed Azizi."

Wendy looked around the room before saying, "Why did you say was?"

Farida didn't seem upset saying, "Because he was shot dead himself three days after he undertook the killing spree being displayed on the screen."

Wendy looked at the table a moment before returning her focus to Farida to ask, "I'm sorry to ask you this Farida but we do need to clear this up. Who are the people being killed on the screen."

Farida seemed distant and spoke as if her feelings weren't present, "My father and Uncle are already on the ground and the man falling is... was my other uncle." She stopped speaking to whimper and wipe a tear from her left eye before raising her head and continued as if speaking though a steel mask, "He was my last living relative. Azizi also bludgeoned my mother to death that day. Her body is lying slightly out of the image to the right."

Wendy's eyes were glassed in moisture. She looked down again before speaking, "Farida. I'm so sorry. We aren't trying to be cruel here. There is a rather important reason for the questions. Where was this image taken? The location. And when did all this transpire?

Farida stared straight forward as if seeing nothing. Her voice distant and insulated; she spoke clearly, "It happened at Tani a small town in Khost Province Afghanistan, the town where I was born. Where my whole family was born. The killings happened five years ago next week on March 12."

Wendy looked straight at Farida. "You said Majeed Azizi was killed three days after this day. So that would be on March 15th five year ago." Wendy changed the image on the screen. "Is that his body?"

Farida only glanced at the screen, "Yes."

Wendy pointed her laser onto the screen. "Who is that?"

Farida thoughtfully studied the screen. "He's an American serviceman. I don't know his name. He seemed in charge. Two vehicles full of soldiers drove up a few moments after Azizi was shot dead. Azizi was about to shoot my Daughter, my husband and me. I don't know who shot him. He just fell and the soldiers came around the corner. The soldiers took us with them to Khost airport. You call it Chapman air base. We later settled further north near Azrow. The soldiers saved our lives."

"Thank you Farida. You've been very brave." Wendy smiled at Farida before adding, "Only two more quick slides and a few questions and we'll rush you back to your daughter. Who are these men?" Wendy put a new slide to the screen.

Farida didn't hesitate, "The one on the left is Patris Wahidi. He was responsible for the death of our families. He wanted our land to grow more poppies. The other man is his son Pashtun Sajadi."

Wendy changed the slide. The new slide showed Pashtun Sajadi holding a gun above the body of the soldier shown earlier. Wendy saw the pain on Farida's face. "I'm sorry Farida. I need to ask you to verify that this is Pashtun Sajadi. The soldier's name was Lieutenant John Satler."

Farida's head was shaking. This photo was obviously a shock. "Yes. That's Pashtun Sajadi. I'm so sorry, so much killing. I hope Mr Satler's family know how grateful we are. He was such a brave man."

Wendy nodded and changed the screen again. "Do you know this man?"

Farida face showed surprised, "Yes. His name is Zahir Sahar. He is... was the Tani schoolteacher." She put her face in her hands a moment. Then raised her head, "Please. Not Zahir as well? Such a gentle man."

Wendy shook her a head. No. Zahir is alive. I needed you to identify him so these men have an independent witness of all the events we've covered." Wendy waved her hand toward the White House staff. "Thank you. Farida, You've been very generous with your time and I do appreciate how hard this must have been for you." Wendy nodded to the marine at the door saying. "We're finished. We'll have your driver take you back to Najwa immediately. Please accept my apologies for taking you away from her at this time. What you have done here is very important." She guided Farida toward the door speaking softly. "We'll talk tonight."

*****

The sound was loud and mysterious. You get used to the quiet on Pituri Downs.

Marge had risen two hours early at three thirty. Today the Americans arrive at first light. She wanted to be able to treat them correctly after a long overnight trip. She had offered to place a sign at the gate knowing they were travelling from Alice Springs and feared they might drive past in the early morning light. It's easily done. But the nice man... Captain who insisted on calling her Ma'am said they would have no trouble finding the place. He'd offered a small laugh, said it was there job to find new locations even in the dark.

Marge walked to the veranda. For some strange reason she mouthed, _is it a bird or a plane..._ her mouth dropped open? She wasn't sure what it was. A plane of course, of modest size for an airliner though Marge was stuck on the propellers; they were huge. The plane circled the house twice and seemed to slow more and more with each pass. It was painted grey with _Marines_ written along the side in barely visible paint. Her visitors had arrived; _so much for the overnight road journey theory. They travel in style._

The engines rotated upward allowing the plane to gently settle on the roadway only a few yards away and facing toward the house. Marge could see the two pilots doing pilot things as the plane, helicopter, or whatever, was silenced. She was impressed.

As least twenty people materialised from inside the silent aircraft. A handsome man who seemed in charge allocated tasks that sent people running in all directions. He then approached the house and introduced himself, _Captain Swift._

"Morning Ma'am. We'll try not to get under your feet too much. Nice spread you have here." He unrolled a map, held it flat against the wall and indicated several items while pointing them out on the ground. "With your approval we'll set up our campsite over there." The arm went out like an arrow. "We need to measure the road and establish there is enough clearance from all obstacles, do a few compaction tests and Bob's your uncle. It'll be safe for the main team to land. If the gods are kind probably happen by lunchtime. We will need to paint approach markers on the road for the pilots. Might look a bit tacky but the colour will soon blow away. We should have three C-17's parked here by this afternoon. They'll need to stay out here on the road at least until our heavy equipment is trucked in from Boulia. Should happen by tomorrow night. We can't get the heavy lift planes in here. They're due to land in Boulia first light tomorrow." The Captain smiled. He had a pleasant smile, "Give us three days Ma'am and you'll see some results."

Marge felt her head might be spinning. "I've made coffee and scones for you and your men. Thought you might be hungry after the long drive." Marge raised her eyebrows. "I guess I need to get with the times. Anyway there's a large pot of brewed milk coffee waiting. Should be enough for everyone."

Captain Swift expanded his eyes, "We shouldn't put you out. But I'd love a coffee. How about I test one. See if it's fit for the troops?"

He showed the charming grin again as Marge led the way into the Kitchen. She ladled a coffee into an enamel mug and served up two scones on an enamel plate. "Sorry about the crockery. I figured you guys would be more comfortable using the workers kit. Cream or butter and jam, help yourself?"

The Captain broke his scones open and spooned two dollops of cream in before taking a swig of coffee. He sucked air through his teeth before biting into a scone. "Jesus. Oh, sorry Ma'am. This is seriously good coffee and the scones... Do you mind if I allocate some bodies to help you while we're here? If you want to cook that's fine with me. You can use my soldiers to help do your chores while we're here disrupting you. They'll do whatever you want and you can teach them how to cook this stuff. We're on dry rations but if you want to offer the troops morning smoko it would be good for morale."

Marge shrugged, "Fine, if your men don't mind. We make everything. Milk the cows, separate the cream, churn the butter and if your people help with the chores we can get back in here quicker. If you want to use our bunk house..." Marge read the curious expression looking at her and added. "Worker huts. We have accommodation for twelve... in beds. It's basic but beats lying on the ground in this heat. If your people have sleeping bags you could fit probably thirty in. Plus there's a camp kitchen with a similar stove and set up to what we have here. You're welcome to use them. They're all vacant this time of year. When more of your people arrive they're welcome to use the out buildings and sheds. I'm sure we can place a roof over every head."

"Actually that's decent of you. We might go have a look-see. After I've arranged your help." The Captain grinned again, "Bit of luxury living never hurt anyone." He walked to the veranda and boomed, "Scholz, Rodriguez. Front and centre. On the double." Before returning to the kitchen to bite into his scone and drink more coffee.

When two young women materialised at the door the Captain said, "Boots off. Then you can come in here to sample the coffee and a scone. I've got a job for you two."

Marge looked at the two women removing their boots. They looked so young. She couldn't help looking down at the Captains boots still on his feet.

The Captain noticed and said, "Dust sticks to privates' boots. Officers repel the stuff." He waved a dismissive hand and offered another grin. "Besides you'll find there are a lot more of them to trump through your clean house. Might as well set some standards from the-go."

An inspection of the bunkhouse and sheds led the Captain to quickly re-allocate tasks and make a flurry of satellite phone calls. The plane, Marge discovered, was an Osprey off the aircraft carrier USS Iwo Jima currently visiting Darwin. It was sent back to Alice Springs to secure forty army issue double bunks, mattresses and linen along with a supply of equipment for the electricians to make a start on installing electricity to the buildings.

At one o'clock, while weighting the stud calves to record their weight gain, in a thunderclap the world around them stopped.

Marge appreciated the help of the two soldiers and their company. To Marge they were just girls carrying with them all the excitement of doing something and being somewhere new. Beverly was twenty-one and Susanna twenty-two. It was the first time either had travelled overseas. Both were keen to learn and smart. The Captain told them to make coffee and scones like Marge by tomorrow afternoon or he'd transfer them to digging latrines for the rest of their stay.

To Marge the Captain didn't seem that mean but both girls laughed and assured her he was. It wouldn't happen, both had mastered the stove and were keen to fire up the camp kitchen when the chores were complete. They were full of pride and adventure. Both wanted to support the team as much as the team wanted to support them.

Marge stared skyward as the aircraft circled the homestead and made a dummy approach along the road. She'd never seen anything so large. The Captain had said the heavy lift aircraft couldn't land here. Her mind overflowed with what was going to happen in Boulia tomorrow morning.

Susanna read Marge's stunned expression, "It's a globemaster three. There should be two more behind him. They're supposed to arrive together."

Marge shook her head, "That thing can't land here. It's huge."

"Oh you keep watching he'll land alright." Susanna pulled a camera from her pocket and pointed toward the road, "May we go over to the fence. The pilot will churn up your dust like crazy. Should make a great photo to send home for my mother.

Marge and the two girls hung over the fence with a perfect front seat view of the roadway. They watched the plane approach and noticed the other two aircraft further out also lined up like the rows of aircraft often seen approaching a busy city airport.

The first plane touched down and quickly disappeared in a plume of roaring dust for what seemed like an eternity. When the plane finally stopped it was right in front of them. The red cloud bubble continued moving forward to travel all the way across the lake. No sooner had the first aircraft stopped, the second touched down to repeat the performance. It stopped fifty yards behind the first and the third aircraft did the same.

Marge closed her eyes and caught her breath as she realised her world could never be the same again. Pituri Down, her tiny private oasis had been invaded by monsters. She wasn't yet sure how she felt though tears materialised and quickly evaporated leaving a salty trace down her cheeks like a symbolic scar of what once was.

*****

Clancy and Kaiser wouldn't be travelling on the plane with the others. Both fussed over Najwa. They carried her onto the aircraft and helped her settle. Both tried to lift her spirits while making her as comfortable as possible for the trip to Kentucky where they would pick up the others then travel to Las Vegas or more specifically Nellis air force base. The poor child was clearly in a lot of pain from the operation she'd undergone the day before. She was trying to be brave but opening up then resealing a previous wound yet to heal had taken its toll.

Farida who could be relied upon to remain calm was clearly worried and upset, even felt guilty. Kelly was in doctor mode and privately looking forward to reaching their destination where the child could rest in a proper bed. Wendy was already busy. She had a lot of work to catch up on.

As soon as the aircraft moved off Clancy and Kaiser boarded a smaller C-21 aircraft. Jim was already on-board along with the men from the White House who had attended the meeting the day before.

The trip to Guantanamo Bay naval base took a little over an hour. The fifteen-mile drive to the detention camp, which includes a ride the Leeward Ferry, took almost as long.

At the first security point the vehicles were scanned underneath and x-rayed while guards checked each identification pass offering a mechanical, "Thank you Sir."

The guard didn't look at Clancy but said to Kaiser who was seated beside him, "Thank you Sir. We'll take him from here."

Jim, who was in the front seat, beside the driver quickly said, "Don't assume Marine. Look at the pass. He's one of us."

The guard looked at the pass in Clancy's hand shook his head slightly and quickly said, "Sorry. Thank you Sir."

Clancy rolled his eyes and replied, "It's okay. Easy mistake. I didn't choose the outfit."

The Guard pulled a quick smile, mouthed, "Good luck." Before stepping back to salute and call, "Vehicle clear to proceed."

As the vehicle moved forward Clancy said, "Knew wearing this outfit here was a bad idea."

Jim replied, "Actually. We've already proved it's a damn good idea. Be interesting to see what happens next."

Out of the vehicles the guards in the guardhouse became more intense. A Sergeant with a particularly officious manner denied everyone access to the prison. Stating, "Orders Sir. No one shall be granted access without the express permission of Chief of Staff Whittling and prior arrangement with the Officer of the watch."

Jim pointed to the paper he'd just handed the Sergeant. "Don't give me a hard time Sergeant. That's Chief of Staff Whittling's signature at the bottom of the page as well you know."

The Sergeant replied, "I don't know that. Sir. This will need to be authenticated."

Jim appeared like he might burst, he spoke with venom. "Well authenticate away Sergeant." Jim turned and pointed. "That's Chief of Staff Whittling standing there."

The Sergeant again replied, "I don't know that either Sir. This is highly irregular. Everything will need to be authenticated."

Whittling spoke with frustration oozing from his voice, "We don't have all day Soldier."

The Sergeant replied, "It's Sergeant Sir. Sergeant Burford."

Kaiser quietly spoke to Jim. "Do you mind if I try?" As he spoke he stepped forward and upon receiving a nod from Jim spoke to the Sergeant using a bull of a voice, "Sergeant Burford your pistol pouch is unsecured as also is your bayonet scabbard. This represents a significant security risk. Fix your uniform. Now Sergeant."

The Sergeant replied, "Standing Orders Sir. We have a need for heightened security awareness here. Your orders don't apply to me."

Kaiser took another step forward to eyeball the Sergeant. "You defy me Sergeant and I promise you you'll end up handing out American flags in a kiosk outside a Shiite mosque in a Sunni region of Jalalabad."

Before the Sergeant could take in what had been said Kaiser lunged forward grabbing the Sergeant's throat in a claw grip.

With shock displaying on his face the Sergeant instinctively raised both hands to pull Kaiser's hands away.

The Sergeant wasn't the fighter his mind would like to have been. Kaiser easily removed his pistol from the holster with his free hand and also pulled his bayonet from the scabbard.

While resisting the Sergeant's attempt to free his grip. He handed the bayonet to Clancy and slowly raised the pistol in front of the desperate Sergeant's eyes. He didn't point the pistol or threaten the Sergeant with it but waved it from side to side supported between two fingers like a lucky charm. A moment later he released the Sergeant's throat.

Clancy eyed the two silent soldiers numbly standing either side of and slightly behind the Sergeant. Without speaking he conveyed calm telling them to remain still, which they did.

The Sergeant held onto his neck with expanded eyes, alarm etched in a fearful expression as he helplessly witnessed his weapon being waved in Kaiser's hand.

Kaiser's smug look must have been painful for the Sergeant to watch. "Standing Orders Sergeant. You will wear your weapon fully secured, as the uniform requires. The dress code exists to protect our troops. Your arrogant attitude is putting brother soldiers' lives at risk. You're letting the team down and that's unacceptable."

Kaiser nodded acceptance at the two other guards before holding the dangled weapon forward for the Sergeant to take back. As he reached for the weapon his eyes grew crazy with boldness.

Clancy firmly gripped the Sergeant's wrist and turned his hand away from Kaiser's face to take the pistol by the handle. Clancy steered the man's wrist so the pistol pointed away from everyone and guided the attached arm toward the holster waiting for the pistols return. The process was an arm wrestle. Fire and ego in the Sergeant's mind resisted Clancy's movement. With his free hand Clancy placed the bayonet back in the scabbard on the Sergeant's belt.

Before releasing his grip Clancy used his free hand to clip the securing strap across the weapons and quietly spoke into the Sergeant's ear. "I'm going to release you. You touch that weapon they'll plant you in Arlington next week. Your family may think you died a hero but we'll know different and you'll be dead. Now let go of the weapon and press your security breach alarm and leave it ringing until the officer of the watch is standing here, front and centre. You can tell him your story along with what we require. We don't have all day to stand here being jerked around by a petty aficionado. I want to be taken to meet the man being held here known as Majeed Azizi. These gentlemen, "Clancy gestured with a head movement toward Chief of Staff Whittling and his companions, "Have paperwork to deliver and a few administrative matters to review with your Commanding Officer."

The prisoner was dressed in orange and seated on a metal chair at a metal table. Both chair and table were permanently secured to the metal floor. The shackles on his wrists circled his waste preventing him from raising his arms. They were also threaded through a secure point on the table, which prevented him from resting on the chair back. His feet were in shackles and they too were threaded through a secure point on the floor.

The scuttlebutt had preceded Clancy's arrival. The guard stepped to attention and saluted while emitting a loud, "Sir!"

Clancy ignored the introduction he was busy studying the expressionless face on the man at the desk. His eyes had risen when he saw Clancy's appearance and dropped back to the table when the guard introduced another of his own kind.

The man at the table raised his head in shock when Clancy said, "Release this man's shackles."

The Guard again came to attention. "Orders Sir. The prisoner must remain..."

Clancy cut him off, "Release this man." And when he stood his ground Clancy put out his hand in front of the guard, "The keys to the shackles. Now. That's an order. Corporal."

The guard took a deep breath and with reluctance on his face removed the key from his pocket. He took a few moments to unhook the attached chain from his belt but handed them over.

Clancy looked the guard in the eye, "Thank you. Stand down and wait on this side of the room so you haven't disobeyed your standing orders. Under no circumstances are you to draw a weapon or use violence against this man. Is that clear?"

"Sir. Yes Sir." The guard stepped back several feet. "Sir these prisoners are dangerous."

"This man is not a prisoner." Clancy looked to the table, betting the man secured there had lifted his head and was now watching. He was. "He is not the prisoner Majeed Azizi. This man is Zahir Sahar a schoolteacher from Tani, Khost. His only crime was to teach girls how to read and as such has nothing to answer for here." Clancy looked Zahir straight in the face and continued, "But the men who sent him here do have things to atone for. By the end of this month they will be in this place or dead." Clancy nodded to the man. "That is my promise to you."

The guard said, "He understands English."

"Yes. He's educated, a man of peace and honour. If your interviewers had treated him so he would have told you this himself." Clancy moved toward the table and holding out the key said, "I'm sorry Zahir. I don't know how to undo these chains. I'll need your help."

Zahir nodded. He turned his left wrist revealing the lock, which Clancy undid. Zahir clenched his fist several times and rolled his wrist back and forward. He then turned the chain through the loop in the desk over with his free left hand. Clancy unlocked the latch as Zahir rolled his right wrist over to reveal that lock spoke in almost perfect English, "Thank you Sir. How did you know?"

Clancy unlocked Zahir's right hand while saying, "My name is Clancy. We found out by accident. A friend of mine... a work colleague actually shot Majeed Azizi dead almost five years ago. We recently met Basir and Fariha of Tani with the child Najwa all of whom you know. The colleague recognised them as the people Majeed Azizi was preparing to kill when Majeed Azizi was himself shot dead. Basir and Fariha were able to identify who you are. I do need to talk to you. But I want you to know you are a free man. We will leave here together today."

Zahir gestured holding both hands in front of him. "The lock for my waist chain is at the back and they undo my feet from each side while I'm seated here. I have to kneel anywhere else." He waited in silence until he was completely free. "May I stand?"

Clancy nodded a yes.

Zahir said "Thank you." As he stood and stretched, "It's the little things that become important in a place like this."

Zahir shook his head and looked at the floor then at Clancy, "Where am I to go? I can't ever go back to Tani. Not now."

Clancy spoke as he returned the guard's keys, "Convince me you don't hold a grudge? Assure me you don't intend to get even somehow for what's been done to you here?"

"What can I do?" Zahir looked at the guard. "They're not responsible for my being here. They've only done their job. I can't do anything about the Wahidi family in Tani." He stared into Clancy's soul, "I resent not being able to help the children and I do hope someone has taken over that role. But I can't help them anymore. That's how it is in Afghanistan. It's always been that way and I suspect always will be."

"I might be able to help." Clancy returned Zahir's inward stare. "You can stay at my house to recover from this. It will give you time to think, make plans and find purpose. We may even be able to find you work. There is a nearby school that always needs people to help the children learn." Clancy looked around summing up the harsh metallic environment. "Do you have anything in this place you want to take with you? If not we can leave now. Anything you need by way of clothes and personal items we can purchase once we're away from this place. My colleagues have a plane with a vacant seat waiting for you."

*****

Bluegrass Airport was as close to home as Kelly would come today. Her mother and father brought their guests to the airport and tried to have a quiet chat with their daughter over coffee in the airport lounge. It wasn't very successful and in a twisted kind-of way Kelly was rather pleased her mother couldn't fuss or lecture her too much.

Mother was still expressing disappointment about Kelly leaving so quickly two days earlier. The compensation, mother had fallen in love with Joanne and her children. Deep down Kelly knew mother longed to be introduced to grandchildren of her daughter's making. They both knew that wasn't likely to happen. It was a source for many levels of expressed disappointment in Kelly's lifestyle.

Marjorie had also taken to Maliha and Anahita. Not being able to converse well didn't seem to matter much with Kelly's mother when she made her mind up about someone. All her guests had been taken shopping and treated to an embarrassing level of attention. Shopping with friends gave Kelly's mother purpose.

Kelly's head came under her mother's scrutiny. She thoroughly checked the staples to satisfy herself recovery was on schedule. Kelly's request to have her mother pull the staples out with help from Joanne elicited the same response it had from the numerous other people who'd been asked, "The end staple is still pulling and needs more time." Which didn't help Kelly's discomfort at all. She could feel only too well the staples were being pulled every time she painfully manipulated her flight helmet on or off.

Wendy's brief meeting with her parents produced tears of joy then sorrow. She promised to return again soon for longer. But her parents' faces betrayed their optimism. They knew their daughter was a workaholic who remained glued to her responsibly and would send the fares over so they could travel to Europe and be together or have the children visit like she's done numerous times before.

The glow on Basir's face was enough to explain how much he enjoyed his brief time with the horses at the Page family thoroughbred stables. John and he were displaying an unspoken rapport that overcame language restrictions.

Basir didn't wait in the terminal he went straight to the aircraft to reunite with his family. Fariha remained on-board with Najwa. Moving the girl into the terminal to meet everyone again during the stopover seemed unnecessarily cruel. But in any case everyone not travelling visited Najwa to wish her well.

It was obvious to Kelly her mother would stay in touch with Najwa, Maliha and Joanne's family, something Kelly highly approved of and would actively encourage; if only to distract mother's focus away from herself.

All too quickly the goodbye well wishes and tears were shared. The aircraft quietly slipped away to climb back into the sky.

Excitement on-board was running high about visiting Las Vegas. For Kelly joy came from a different motivation. She knew this destination was obviously the last stop before the transit to Australia. She'd be leaving the group today. Finally she would meet her new aircraft and crewmember to share the flying. Nellis is fighter town USA where crews and missions are practised and perfected. The fun is about to begin.

Kelly looked suspiciously at Wendy soon after take-off. Unlike everyone else on-board she knew quite well they were heading southeast, not west.

Eventually Wendy hobbled along the cabin to where the others were seated to explain they were detouring to Shaw air force base in South Carolina to pick up Kaiser, Clancy and another man named Zahir. Wendy made a point of looking at Fariha as she said Zahir's name and received a smile of relief.

Wendy then looked at Joanne and said, "Joanne. Why don't you use your stopover in Las Vegas to get married?"

Joanne's eyes almost popped, "Married?" Joanne looked around her face saturated in both amusement and dismay. "You're not serious are you?"

Wendy nodded, "I'm very serious. I'll talk to you on your own if you like but I'd prefer pressure you in front of everyone to help you make up your mind." Wendy smiled casually, "Do I need to spell out who you could marry?"

"It hasn't been long enough. I can't." Joanne inspected her fingernails, "We've talked about this. We can't. I'm not sure we'll ever be able to."

Wendy took Michael from Joanne's arms and pulled at the happy babies cheek while saying, "I'll tell you why I think you should get married tomorrow. You know Kaiser is going to be working with me. His job will entail working every second week from Germany. If he wishes we'll fly him to and from Perth each week, which means he'll work for nine days and have five days in Perth. He could just as easily live in Europe like I do and have seven days off between flights." Wendy bobbed Michael a few times and smiled at this response. "If he's married the US military pay the accommodation costs for his family. He wouldn't be living in the barracks on a military base. You guys get along and support each other you're a good team. If Kaiser is happy on his days off he'll be a better worker and stay longer. I've already found you a job working in Europe if you want it."

Joanne seemed stunned her mouth frozen open.

Wendy added, "I'm not asking you to be intimate. That's your business as is the timing of such a step. But you can still be a family." Wendy touched Joanne's forearm. "Joanne. You are a family already. Where, how and who you sleep with is your own business."

"I'll have to talk with Granny Taylor." Joanne looked around the staring faces, "She's been so good. I know what she'll say. She'll want to come with us. She dreams about travelling to Europe every week watching the lottery draw. We're the only family she has now."

"Than I expect she'll come with you." Wendy again looked to Michael. "You'll need her to look after these two if you intend to keep working."

"Granny could come with us?" Joanne couldn't hide her excitement.

"Not only come. The military will pay her costs. She's a member of your family. You live together and depend on each other." Wendy smiled challengingly, "As long as you're married. I guess I should say. As long as Kaiser is married to you."

"What about Anahita and Maliha?"

Wendy shrugged, "They'd be your family, Kaiser's dependants. They're eligible to live with you also. You're going to need a large house." Wendy gave Joanne a penetrating look. "Won't you? But you do need to be married or all this is academic. I'll give you and Kaiser some space to talk as soon as he steps on the plane."

"Have you mentioned this to Malem?"

"No." Wendy shook her head. "No. That's your job." Wendy offered Joanne a playful smile. "Some suggestions. You could both get drunk tonight book into a honeymoon suite and carry on like rabbits without taking precautions. Then get married tomorrow out of guilt and fear." Wendy gave a frown seeing Joanne's shocked expression. "No? Well you could dress up and have a fun day playacting. Spend the day as a fancy lady. He could dress up as the Kaiser. I know he enjoys wearing a pickelhaube." Wendy waved her hand, "You can invite all these guys here to dress up and join in the fun. Stand together in front of Elvis." Wendy nodded at Joanne's amused yet accepting expression. "I know you can both do that. And when the fun is finished you can live exactly as now until time permits you to become closer or not. Neither of you will need to feel pressured or guilty. It can be a fun day out in Las Vegas, what people do. But most important you'll have a piece of paper to start an adventure together, which will help your careers." Wendy touched Joanne's arm again and offered her an approving nod. "Talk to Kaiser. Talk to him the moment he gets on this plane. Tell him what you've decided. You're stronger, wiser and more practical than he is. Make him see sense. Las Vegas is the place to marry without a fuss. If necessary the two of you can sneak off and use a drive though chapel and get it done in two minutes. But you don't want to do that. Think of your friends. Everyone loves a wedding. Tomorrow the girls can carry flowers. Tonight we women can have a hens' night in Las Vegas; the city of sin. While the men stay in the hotel looking after the children." Wendy emitted a wide grin. "Do it. Do it for Kelly. She's a crier. She bawled her eyes out at our wedding?"

The plane landed at Shaw turned onto the taxiway and headed back toward the staging area with the pilots preparing for take-off. Clancy, Kaiser and Zahir were sitting on a set of aircraft stairs several maintenance men had positioned in the staging area waiting the arrival of the Boeing 737. They intended to let the three join the aircraft with no more than a moments delay.

Wendy greeted the new passengers at the door and encouraged them to silently sit and belt up. Within a minute the plane was back in the air heading west. Next stop Nellis air force base Nevada.

A snap of Wendy's fingers had one of the plane's stewards climbing down into the luggage compartment searching for Clancy and Kaiser's luggage so the men might find a change of clothes. It was especially important for Zahir to borrow something so he might change. An orange jump suit with prisoner across the back was too much even in Las Vegas.

The moment the three men had changed into jeans, tee shirt and casual footwear Wendy nobbled Clancy and Zahir taking them to the forward cabin where the others were. She insisting Kaiser remain in the rear cabin and upon reaching the others sent Joanne to find Kaiser with a grinning expanded eye assurance they would remain undisturbed.

*****

Marge couldn't sleep. Her mind was overdosed from mentally rewinding a hectic day. Strange noises were everywhere, people sounds. She could hear random coughing, snoring and the sound of other bodily functions. At three in the morning someone started a conversation, a male voice with an American accent. He told someone how quiet it was out here on this sparsely populated plain then talked about the stars. They were gorgeous. Someone mumbled agreement, the place was relaxing. Loved the warm night air. One talked about the anatomy of his latest girl friends, how to use each piece to maximum effect.

The talkers were clearly leaning against the house outside her bedroom window. She heard them stop long enough to light a cigarette and smelt the pungent first puff engulf her nostrils. Well they can find someone else to share their insomnia.

Go home Yankee entered into her sleep deprived mind. She rolled over and fed a newly found conscious appreciation of the old-timer talk of the good old days. In her youth any talk about the war and American's always included, _they're over sexed, over paid and over here._

Well they can bloody-well go somewhere else.

Marge sat up, pulled a brunch coat over her shoulders and stepped into her slippers. As she strutted toward the window she secured the top two buttons of the flimsy gown. She hung her head and probably the top half of her generous female anatomy out the window. She was primed to educate and motivate the inconsiderate offenders.

There was no one outside.

Marge took a breath and assessed the situation. Peering into the darkness outside she realised how finely tuned the antenna of an aging widow, who'd lived alone long enough to be set in her ways, can be.

Two hundred yards from the house the newly arrived visitors had neatly arranged all their equipment. The talkers were with that equipment walking slowly backward and forward obviously on guard duty. Her mind soaked in a vision of her own son, David, somewhere in Afghanistan protecting something for someone. Calmness overtook her face and stung a glassy eyed vision. Marge shook away her emotion and hoped her son had grown wise without losing any respect for women. But who can blame the poor men for chatting the night away. It's not as if anything requiring soldiers is going to happen out here.

Satisfied she needed to, what was the new buzz word her youngest, Peta brought home with her from boarding school last holidays? Chill; _I need to learn to chill._

Unprepared to attempt further sleep Marge washed and groomed then dressed in her signature heavy cotton work shorts an equally masculine cotton drill shirt with the sleeves rolled above the elbow. She pulled on her work socks and set about bringing the fuel stove to life. She would make herself useful brewing coffee, baking some bread and making more scones for her visitors. They all seem so young to be such a long way from their families. If she hurries she may be able to take a tray to the poor fellows on guard duty. Hot coffee and a few warm scones will help them pass the remaining hours till dawn.

"Glad I ran into you. Mrs Page... Marge." The Captain surprised Marge. She was walking to the house after delivering her tray to the two gracious and polite young men still ensuring their equipment didn't run off into the night. "I was wondering whether you'd like to take a ride into town. You inquired yesterday about the heavy lift planes coming this morning. You could have a look-see for yourself." He smiled and did that eyebrow thing he often did, "We're sending the Osprey in to pick up a couple a media people who are there to film the arrival of our planes. They've requested filming our three C-17 arrivals out here this morning. It's all been approved subject to you granting them permission of course. I thought if you went in there, watch them work and decide if you want to use your veto or impose some off limit areas before their camera's board the plane. The Osprey is about twenty minutes away from arriving here. All up the trip in and out plus watching the C-5's land will cost you two hours. No more. What do you say?"

Marge felt excitement rise. She'd love to go. "Oh. I need to bake and there's chores need doing. I'm not sure I can find the time."

"Treat yourself to a quick break. You've done a great job on my two privates. They're over there cooking breakfast in that snazzy camp kitchen wearing smiles of achievement a mile wide. Run over and tell them what needs doing while you're away." The Captain smiled kindly, "Come on we'll go see them together. You can help me test their new found coffee making skills while waiting for the Osprey."

"I should change. Going into town is a big thing around here."

The Captain gave Marge a pleasant glance, "You look the business to me. It's a work trip to oversee two cargo planes landing with earth compaction and solidification machines to be used on your property."

*****

Six women alone by a pool drinking champagne will always uncover common truths. It took a lot of talk and three refills to start counting. Five of the six were mothers with seven children, five girls and two boys. The fourth glass uncovered one of the six had never married, one was still married and the other four were widows who between them had lost five husbands violently to military action.

On the fifth glass two, with sunken eyes, quietly smiled, three couldn't stop giggling and Joanne placed her head in her hands openly weeping.

Anke, always the mother, stopped giggling to drape an arm across the bride-to-be while administering a there-there back rub and asking Joanne why?

Joanne lifted her tear soaked face to sniffle out, "I can't do this. He won't... I'm ruined. I've got stretch marks." her head fell back into her hands. The sobbing intensified.

Wendy tried to console Joanne by saying to the table, "He'll like your stretch marks. Jason likes mine. He studies them often. Tells me sexy men don't want flat stomachs, silly little breasts and dumb conversation. Kaiser's sexy he'll want quality a real woman with nice round curves who can give him mature conversation. Besides we only wear stretch marks they don't belong to us our children own them."

The advice didn't work Joanne kept sobbing.

Anke tried a different approach. She rubbed Joanne's back again while saying, "Why are you worried about what he might think. What are you going to do when you see the rash?"

Joanne raised her head took the waiting tissue and another. Dried her eyes and blew her nose eventually saying, "He hasn't got a rash."

Anke faked surprise. "How do you know? I'll bet you couldn't pick his bare backside out of a line up." Anke grinned to the table, "I think he's sure to have a rash. You're taking all the risk. He might pee in the shower and pass wind in bed."

Joanne pulled a frown. Her eyes were all but dry, "You're lying. He's gorgeous. You're trying to get me to reject him so you can marry him." Her old face came back as she fashioned a mock clawing of Anke's arm. "I can see I'll have to watch you. We could be neighbours soon."

Anke nodded several times saying, "I'd like us to be neighbours?"

Fariha broke a long silence. She'd been sitting quietly and looked tired, "Joanne would you mind if Basir and I get married tomorrow as well?"

Joanne looked surprised and pleased, "No. I'd like the support. In fact it will be great not being the centre of attention."

"We talked about it earlier and Basir wants to get married. It used to bother him in Afghanistan that we couldn't get married without telling everyone we weren't." Farida looked at the table and shook her head. "I'm dreading telling Najwa. I'm not sure what she'll think?"

"Why tell her at all?" Kelly spoke. "Let her think you are married. You can duck out, get a licence and have a drive through wedding right now. Then from today on it will be true."

Joanne spoke to Farida, "Lets do it. Right now like Kelly said. No fanfare just get married a double wedding you and Basir me and Malem. I want to be Mrs Voss right now." She looked at Anke. "Whether the wedding is tomorrow with fancy pictures or right now. My mind is made up. Malem and I are sharing the same room starting tonight. If he's not ready he'll have to close his eyes a lot and sleep on the floor."

Anke almost laughed but didn't want to sound cruel. She touched Joanne's arm while saying, "Can I give you a tip." She gave the arm a loving squeeze. "Remember how introductions worked when you were a teenager. Act shy. Kiss him a few times, linger, have a good feel around and let him do the same. Meet each other slowly for the first time as lovers. It will make the dive into bed easy more... memorable for both of you. You might need to take a bottle of champagne with you to share some courage with him. It'll help you help him find the way to the garden of eternal commitment. It has to feel like the first time for both of you if you intend it should last you both a lifetime."

Joanne smiled at what Anke said but looked at Wendy to say, "If we get married now we'll be free to leave for Australia earlier tomorrow. I'm sure Anahita and Maliha are sick of travelling not to mention my two babies and poor Najwa desperately needs somewhere called home to rest and recover."

Wendy handed her phone to Kelly, "Okay it's all settled. You can make the calls. Arrange the car the marriage licences and the chapel for as soon as possible." She pointed two fingers, one for each of Joanne and Farida, "You pair had best round up your man dress them put the hook through their nose and lead them to their fate. Kelly will shortly tell you where and when." Wendy scanned everyone at the table. "Bringing the trip forward is a great idea. We'll leave the hotel at ten thirty tonight and be in the air by eleven, which will put us on the ground in Cairns on time for an early morning customs clearance. We'll actually arrive the day after tomorrow because we lose a day on a westward pacific crossing. After customs the plane will go to Clancy's place. If you wish you can all have lunch and help Farida settle in. Then the next and last stop will be Perth."

Wendy waited for Farida to explain the detail of what she'd just said to Anahita who smiled thankfully. Then Wendy again eyed everyone at the table. "Kelly and I need to stay here tomorrow. We need to inspect some new equipment. We'll catch another plane tomorrow afternoon." She looked at Anke, "We'll talk details upstairs but we're all staying with Clancy's mother. She's expecting us. If all goes to plan Jason will arrive at the same time as Kelly and I."

*****

"Once the stupid thing is in there I'll be fine." Wendy was standing on the ladder trying to manoeuvre her stiff left leg over the high-sided EF-111A Raven cockpit. She stopped in frustration and looked down at the narrow space, almost tunnels, reserved for each leg inside to cramped cockpit. "There was a lot more leg room in the original configuration." She shrugged. "This will be more fun to drive when... if I can get in. Shouldn't have made them reattach this stupid leg."

Kelly looked up from the console. "If you had you wouldn't be here now."

Wendy looked across at Kelly who was already seated, "What do you think?"

"I'm impressed. Easy to understand why you had me flying around in the Growler. The instrumentation layout is just about identical." Kelly gave Wendy a concerned look, "Why don't you turn around facing outwards, grab the cockpit canopy above your head and lift both legs straight out in front of you like a gymnast on parallel bars. I assume you're not to administration focused these days to lift your own weight for one chin-up. I'll pull your derriere this way until both legs can fall inside. Then you should be able to stand on the seat, face the front and slide both legs into place." Kelly radiated a friendship smile, "No idea how to get you out. We'll work at that phase after we land."

Kelly watched Wendy do as recommended and in no time they were sitting side by side in the highly modified Raven cockpit. "If I pretend you're not there this is just like sitting in the Growler. Though we still can't see a thing behind us in this and I do like the paint job. Light blue on top and white underneath is rather cool. Will it stay this colour?" Kelly's mind was all curiosity as she glanced at Wendy. She didn't wait for an answer, as Wendy was busy trying to settle in the seat as comfortable as her left leg would allow. "What did they do all this for? It doesn't seem sane to pull an old plane out of mothballs and modify it to perform the same capability as the replacement will anyway." She arched her eyebrows, "I refuse to believe you have the clout to convince people to spend all this money just because the thing has an escape capsule and you can fly in it. Besides you do know the escape capsule hits the ground really hard and would probably break your rigid left leg anyway."

"Oh Christ breaking the thing again is all I'd need. The day I leave the air force I'm going to cut it off and get an artificial leg. I'll have a knee to bend." Wendy gave her leg one last shove and immediately turned her attention to the weapon control console. "You're right. I don't have that kind of clout. I begged on my one good knee to get this ride. I'm only permitted to take training flights. They're replacing me when the fun begins." Wendy appeared smug as she spared Kelly a quick distraction from the large display in front of her, "There is a method to the apparent madness. When we're air-born, we'll give this thing a good shake down to make sure we can control it. Then I'll brief you on what we're doing." Wendy looked out over the numerous ground staff preparing the plane for flight. "We're attracting too much attention here and we need to keep a tight lid on our objectives for now, for your sake."

"Okay. You ready?" Kelly received a nod from Wendy and the ground crew before commencing the start procedure.

She taxied the plane for a time on the Nellis base tarmac to familiarise with the unusual up-to-date display and control systems for this type of aircraft. As she did so Wendy tested the capable equally out-of-place, ultra-modern combat systems.

In little over half an hour the pair had the newly revamped old plane in the sky throwing it around in exhilarating joy to test its capability. Both were impressed and confident they were ready for business.

"God I've missed this. There hasn't been a day in the last seven years I haven't dreamed of being up here like this." Wendy's speech was soaked in fresh excitement. "Pairing up with you again is a dream within the dream."

"I still don't understand. This thing is pure magic. Not only can it jam it has all the combat capability of a Growler, though it isn't anywhere near as manoeuvrable. It's sleek and fast yet old like us. Doesn't have the acceleration or rate of climb. Personally I think whatever the mission we'd get it done better and safer in an Eagle." Kelly spared Wendy a quick glance. "Save that the powers won't let your leg ride in an Eagle. Aside from visiting old times what are we doing up here?"

"Okay. I'm satisfied everything is functioning as required." Wendy pointed a finger skyward saying. "Take us high on max wet power. Hold it that way to burn fuel. We need to test the air-borne refuelling system and your hook up judgement in this. If everything works fine we're off to Australia later today. There's a tanker out of Beale we can use. Would you believe I've already located it on radar and if I know what I'm doing it should be identifiable on your moving map already. When we've finished our business in California we're coming back to Nevada to Creech where the real fun begins."

Kelly gave Wendy another glance. "Creech as in the old Indian Springs base. There's nothing there but drones. You know as well as I do how dangerous it is to share airspace with those damn things. They don't send or receive emission identification signals to warn other aircraft of their proximity or position and the pilots don't have the usual investment in flight safety."

"Never thought you'd turn into a worry-mite. You'll be wearing grey hair soon. In this thing we can locate and track anything. Look, "Wendy pointed at the main screen, "There are three drones airborne down there. Two Reapers and a Predator. Plus a Global Hawk out there." Her finger pointed north. "God they make easy targets. In this I could hit all four simultaneous with one button. Bang. What a great plane this is." Wendy gave a small laugh, "I know you're not going to believe this. Because I didn't when it first came up but I promise I've checked and checked from every angle. The reason this plane has been brought back into service and given a facelift is because the radar foot print of an approaching F-111 is identical to a MQ-9 Reaper. The only detectable difference on the screen with the racon responder off is speed and manoeuvrability. So as soon as we've checked refuelling we're going to Creech. We'll take lessons in flying this thing like a drone. I've got all the flight specifications ready for you to study in your own time. But today we're going to follow a few drones and learn to behave exactly as they do. When we can do this to perfection we're going to go hunting." Wendy glanced at an attentive Kelly, "It's been kept very, very quiet for obvious reasons. Over recent months we've lost three reaper drones to stinger missile attack. I'm sure you've heard the old story about the sixteen missing stinger missiles. Well the truth behind the rummer is they were given to Osama bin Laden thinking he'd use them to give the Russians a hard time in Afghanistan. He proved somewhat untrustworthy. The missiles all vanished. Thus far ten have been accounted for, which includes seven being fired at US aircraft. That leaves six still out there. We now know where to find them. We also know the new owners will only shoulder them to passing drones. We can't afford to loose six more drones. So we've employed you and this thing to smoke them out. When they pop their head up, bingo. We'll give them a lethal surprise, probably a maverick."

"Losing six drones would be cheaper than the cost of building and maintaining this thing. No one needs rescuing at a drone crash site." Kelly pulled a frown for her own benefit. "I guess I'm smart enough to know they... we can't afford to risk drones receiving bad publicity like imagine if the public thought drones were fallible and vulnerable." She rolled her eyes as she levelled the plane and reduced the throttles at thirty thousand feet heading westward toward the tanker. "I like this plane its fun to fly. I'm your girl. Just tell me when and where?"

Wendy replied, "Spot on. You'll be taking risks supporting the ego of our parents' grateful nation." Wendy gave her rigid left leg a glance for the slightest moment and said, "Forget I said that. Much, much to cynical even for us up here together like old times. Soon, as to how soon and where needs to remain under wraps for now. You need to get the slow smooth flying off pat and we need to get your primary right seat up to speed quickly."

"Who's the lucky guy?" Kelly quickly spared Wendy a glance, "I do hope you've picked someone reasonably sane who isn't a complete sexist pig. In this cockpit... I refuse to tolerate a knee toucher or anyone with flatulence."

"Sounds reasonable. We've found someone compatible with recent experience in F-111's and F18's an Australian, Flying Officer Billie Hope. I intend to have her meet with both of us in a few days to make a final decision." Wendy caught Kelly's eye as they accidentally synchronised a glance. "When we get to Creech I want you to practice an approach for landing this thing on a carrier because in all likely hood we will eventually be operating from a carrier, which is new ground. This thing has F-111B configuration underneath including folding the wings up on the ground. However every time we land the nose cone has to be removed so we can use the ships elevator. We have the short F-111A configuration wings and we're ten percent heavy. Launch will be interesting. This whole business is going to be a tight fit," She shrugged, "Nothing you can't handle."

"The plot thickens. We need to take off from a carrier but a drone has to be closer than our range and a drone can't launch from a carrier. Now where on the planet would that be?"

"Don't worry your pretty self about the physical administration. You'll find out soon enough." Wendy took a breath, "Worry about this. We're not yet sure how effectively we can jam a hand held launcher without completely stopping the shouldering of the weapon. I hope I don't need to explain what will happen if someone gets in first with a lock-on and fires their stinger while we're dawdling along at a few hundred knots like a drone. Everyone on-board will need to be very slick in the retaliation department to pull this off and ultimately you're the one who needs to avoid being shot down. You need to develop an effective ultra-slow-speed avoidance strategy within the next week. That page was left blank in all the pilot flight manuals."

"Will do, somehow." Kelly smiled at the very thought of a worthy challenge, "I've got a question for you? It may even be related. Where is Lima-three-six and what went on there?"

Wendy turned her head and stared for too long to be a passing glance. She shook her head and said, "No idea. Where did you hear that name?"

Kelly glanced, _as if I'd spill to the bigwig Colonel and best friend_ , "I had this dream. There was a grassy knoll with Lima three-six painted in big letters and I'm trying to work out what it means."

"Easy explanation. You were obviously drunk on tiredness and the people around you probably drunk on alcohol. Best forgotten." Wendy pointed to the moving map as she called up the tanker on the radio to identify their purpose and arrange a safe approach."

##  Chapter 11

Marge stepped from the Osprey at Boulia airport like on old hand. It was her second trip in as many days. The servicemen on Pituri Downs made a lot of noise but being chauffeured to town in twenty minutes was quite a treat. Something she could easily get used to.

All of yesterday's delivery arrived on the property. The earth moving equipment had already commenced carving out a runway and buildings were already popping up. Foundations for several low impact curved roof aircraft parking stations were in place. The solar panels and batteries were actually working. Today the electricians planned to fit out the buildings and connect power. _Shame the guests will arrive in the midst of such chaos. They'll be tired after such a long trip. Still they'll appreciate electricity at the flick of a switch. There will be plenty of hot water for them to bath and lots of food._ Beverly and Susanna promised to cook on the fuel stove in both houses and the camp kitchen so the hot water produced in the chimney will be copious and steaming for the new arrivals. They'd promised to hide fresh treats from their _greedy_ colleagues ready for Marge's return.

Yesterday the whole town had heard the large planes arrive at dawn. Many visited the airport to take in the goings on. A media crew flew in with cameras. A few seconds of their footage was shown on the television nightly news under the caption of, _War games; American military invades outback town._ The announcer didn't say where.

The media plane has returned today. Like yesterday it hasn't landed but is flying around and passing overhead occasionally. The convenient hour of today's arrivals prompted the teachers at the local school to arrange an excursion. All thirty-seven students walked to the airport under the supervisory eye of the three teachers and two helpers. No one knew what kind of planes or how many, just they could expect several arrivals between nine thirty and ten thirty when the airport was gazetted as closed to all traffic except US Military flights that would obstruct the runway. The teachers choose a shady spot under the trees next to the small terminal building, which afforded an uninterrupted view of the airport runway and tarmac area to allow their charges to watch the proceedings in safety.

The Osprey landed on the earth, grass wasn't particularly plentiful around Boulia at the moment, not far from the students. The large rotating propellers caused quite a lot of dust to swirl into the air and an equal amount of excitement amongst the students. Marge witnessed many hypo fingers being jabbed in her general direction and when the Osprey's engines were silenced she could hear the boys loudly discussing how it looks like a plane but lands like a helicopter.

At his request Marge introduced Captain Swift to the teachers and students. He was interested in the small gathering. He explained he grew up in a remote New Mexico town called Artesia, which was not unlike Boulia. He looked at his watch and gained teacher approval for a quick tour inside the Osprey. Captain Swift promised to arrange a school outing as soon as time permitted. He asked Marge if it would be acceptable for the students and staff to visit Pituri Downs and lunch with the soldiers. Marge agreed without hesitation. She was growing to like the Captain's continued kindness more and more with each passing day. She already knew she'd miss his company when he left Pituri Downs.

The excited students were back at their viewing place in time to witness the next arrival. Two large C-17 Globemaster III's came into view together. They circled the airport and impressing everyone with the strange practice of landing from the wrong direction while travelling close together. The planes executed a sharp turn onto the runway and roared to a stop. The first plane parked at the southern end of the runway with the second several plane lengths behind. Within seconds of stopping both aircraft commenced unloading. Twenty-four soldiers were first off the lead aircraft. They were herded to a suitable location near the Osprey and immediately set to work marking out a campsite. They removed their packs and quickly began to arrange things before being herded yet again to different tasks unloading the aircraft.

Ten minutes later a group of soldiers were pushing a containerised hut from the lead aircraft to their camp. They'd unloaded a small tractor but it was being used to tow a set of stairs around onto the expanded tarmac area in front of the terminal building.

Everyone missed the second arrival. They heard the engine noise of the large blue and white C40B military Boeing 737-700 already slowing on the ground. The plane stopped in half the length of the runway and turn off onto the single taxiway leading to the tarmac area where rare visiting commercial aircraft park to unload passengers.

Marge felt excitement rising from within as she witnessed two men with stairs prepare to interact with the approaching aircraft, which was being guided by another soldier. _The visitors are here._

An earth shattering sound from above interrupted everyone's gaze at the taxiing aeroplane. Looking skyward in the direction of the noise found nothing, but following the sound eventually revealed two sleek jets rapidly shrinking onto the arisen. Everyone even the soldiers watched the planes loop around and return. Again they buzzed along the runway side-by-side at breathtaking speed and clearly flying lower than the tails of the parked cargo planes. Captain Swift told the finger pointing boys and hand-over-ears girls the closest grey coloured aircraft was an F15E strike eagle. He added curiously no one was sitting in the rear seat. The other white aircraft with light blue top was an EF-111A raven. To this he added, "Thought they'd all been retired."

Both planes all but disappeared from sight to the north. In the interlude a group of soldiers were seen running from the cargo planes carrying smaller special shaped ladders and sundry other equipment toward the disused narrow taxiway near the terminal building, in front of the students.

When the jets returned they were still travelling side-by-side. The eagle had its wheels down and landing light blazing while the raven, now with extended wings was still without wheels.

The eagle touched down and stopped short of the cargo planes, though not before causing many of the spectators to speculate about the eminent collision. The raven returned overhead twice while the eagle turned around and travelled along the runway to join the taxiway and be guided toward a soldier with waving arms.

The passenger plane rear door opened as the second jet stole centre stage taking its turn to land. Only Marge remained focused upon the open door and stairs, anticipating the appearance of her visitors. She watched Joanne and a small child come through the aeroplane door. Took a moment to put a name to the familiar face. Joanne was talking over her shoulder while delicately lifting and placing the toddler onto each stair via an up stretched arm. Marge made the connection when Malem appeared in the doorway carrying Joanne's baby. He was answering Joanne and also talking over his shoulder. She saw him step back to usher a bewildered lady and child onto the stairs. Marge smiled inwardly, _Malem always the gentleman. With time's healing he'll make a perfect husband for Joanne._

She watched the pair on the stairs. They stepped slowly as if condemned to walk while taking every opportunity to look around, impatient to study their destiny. It was obvious they were a mother and daughter accustomed to being alone together. Marge figured they were Afghans and wondered whether they might be the new arrivals, though Wendy's descriptions didn't seem to match the scene. She couldn't imagine this woman confronting livestock or laughing about standing knee deep in muck. The child appeared to have healthy legs.

Another lady with three children assisted by David followed Malem onto the stairs. Marge felt her heart bounce at the sight of her handsome son, safe, well and almost home.

She watched in knowing amusement as the boy jumped heavily upon each step to make it bounce and witnessed the two older girls beside him grab the railing and display disdain at their young companion. One spoke to the lady who positioned a stern silent expression for the boy to read.

David picked the boy up hoisted him skyward upside down over his head. The boy finished up seated on David's shoulders. Done exactly as David's father often did to him a long time ago. David guided the boy's couped up energy toward the now stationary first jet, which had turned around and parked not far in front of where Marge was standing. As the eagle canopy opened the pilot waved toward the passenger plane causing the boy to yell and point, then wave. The two girls looked and also enthusiastically waved though the lady seemed to ignore the shared reunion. She said something to David, which was obviously about the country on display because of how David looked around and nodded his head before answering.

A woman and a child on crutches were next to exit the aircraft door. Two men followed closely behind one had a hand lightly touching the ladies mid-rift a situation obviously resting comfortable within the woman's inner being. The man appeared to be in conversation and even though the woman was connected to his words her attention was focused upon the child.

Marge smiled inwardly. Even with the noise of the second jet assaulting her ears she could clearly imagine the woman's motherly encouragement for the child to be careful on the steep stairs _and remember to lead with the crutches._ Marge knew she heard the woman add _stop and rest if you become tired. I'm here if you need help._

Marge watched in awe as the small group negotiated the stairs together, travelling slower and with more caution than even Joanne's toddler did. She witnessed the girl quickly hide a flinch. Clearly the child was in pain though determined not to share her discomfort. Yet within the same scene Marge caught the mother's knowing eyes shift. The daughter's situation was being quietly and wisely monitored.

Marge knew instantly this group were the Afghans who would be staying. They all stopped on the stairs and looked around taking in the flat dry featureless landscape stretching to the horizon in every direction. It wasn't beautiful grazing land but these people all shared an expression telling Marge they were at one with what confronted them. Each face displayed the joy of people who had found somewhere worthy of being called home. The man behind the woman put his hand on the girl's shoulder and said something that caused her to look up and back. The girl's face lit with happiness, as the man placed a small kiss on the woman's head. The way she held his arm told Marge these people were right for Pituri Downs and Pituri Downs was right for them. They were the help she needed.

Marge discovered tears on her cheeks and reached for a handkerchief. Distracting herself she following the madly waving little boy who was excitedly bouncing up and down and looking down to talk with the girls. Marge realised the boy was now waving at the blue and white aircraft, which was now also parked with the canopy tilted up on both sides while soldiers stood on ladders hanging inside.

As suddenly as the jets appeared Marge noticed David. He, like the children, was studying the plane intensely. There was something new in her son's expression not seen before. Yet she had seen the expression many times on his father's face when she caught him looking her way and probably shouldn't have. Marge closed her eyes a moment and took a breath to absorb what she was witnessing. _The first plane is carrying someone the children know and love, probably a parent. The second plane is also carrying someone equally special to the children plus someone who is a source for fireworks and sparkles in the eyes of my son._ Marge put her hand to her mouth and remembered the old wives ditty, _a daughter is a daughter the rest of her life; a son is a son till he takes a wife._

Marge wasn't sure what she was thinking or how she felt at this moment. She was curious. Curious about many things, not the least of which, _who is it in that plane my son finds so enchanting. And who is the motherly lady with the beautiful smile. The one sharing children with David who appear to belong to someone else. Typical. All the Page men set their head in the clouds without noticing love in front of their face._

Marge realised Captain Swift was signalling people. He pointed in turn at two soldiers, the tractor and at the girl on crutches before making several obscure hand signals that finished with him placing a hand upon his own head. Within seconds the tractor was ferrying the girl and leading everyone from the passenger plane toward Marge.

After introductions, while waiting for soldiers to fetch the luggage Captain Swift used a lull in small talk to introduce everyone to the school children. He invited an exchange of questions with the international visitors. Something that proved a wonderful welcoming boost for the visitors and education for students. A teacher took notes writing down where each plane had come from, plus everyone's nationality and where they lived. The list was long but would prove a great research tool for future lessons.

While talking it wasn't lost on the students that three smaller aircraft had been removed from the rear C-17. The wings were being fitted to make them ready to fly, which led to another round of explanations. Wendy took the opportunity to explain the first aircraft was an older MQ-1 predator. The two rear aircraft were the newer MQ-9 reapers. Each was a drone, which could fly without a pilot on-board. They were here to be performance tested in the hot dry weather conditions. The children were excited to think they would soon be able to witness the drones flying over their small town.

Marge invited Joanne and her family, which now also included Anahita and Maliha to come stay a few days at Pituri Downs. She explained they had plenty of room, with six bedrooms in the main house plus four more in Fariha's house.

Hearing the words _Fariha's house_ started Fariha crying and while Marge and Basir were comforting her. Wendy spoke with Joanne asking whether she would be more prepared to stay if Granny Taylor was here with them to allow Joanne to include Granny in any talk of future plans.

Joanne conferred with Malem and between them decided Granny Taylor would enjoy being here with them. Be like winning second prize in the lottery. Wendy established Granny Taylor was adventurous and fit enough to ride with Kelly in the raven. She didn't say as much but knew Kelly needed hours in the plane to think out her flight strategies. She also knew from long experience Kelly didn't need to rest when it came to flying.

A flurry of phone calls found Granny Taylor in Perth bubbling with excitement. She was told to pack some clothes and essentials in loose bags, not a suitcase. Another phone call had the US consulate provide an official car in one hour's time to convey Granny Taylor to Pearce air force base. The trip would take Granny Taylor an hour. Meaning Kelly would arrive at Pearce about the same time.

Soldiers were summoned to remove one of the four external fuel tanks currently attached to the underside of the raven's wing and fit a MXU-648 baggage pod, which was amongst the inventory unloaded from the lead C-17. The KC-10 extender aerial refuelling aircraft now parked for the day at Alice Springs airport was summoned back into the sky.

Within ten minutes Kelly was on her way for the two hour each way trip to Perth and back.

Wendy arranged for the Osprey to return to Boulia in time to convey Kelly and Granny Taylor to Pituri Downs. In the meantime they would all use the Osprey to fly to Marge's property to freshen up and have a well-earned rest.

Marge held her breath following the visitors from the Osprey into her private world, Pituri Downs. It was as if her underwear was being held up for mass scrutiny and discussion. She could see everyone eyeing the sprawling white timber-planked homestead building with a generous veranda skirting three sides. The corrugated iron roof with touches of rust here and there. _These people bring stories of Las Vegas, Washington, Paris, Germany and Afghanistan. What must they think? Pituri Downs is nowhere. I'm nothing. I'm not up to entertaining these people. I've never even left Australia or slept more than one story off the ground._

"It's not the Las Vegas Hilton but you'll find the beds and towels are clean." Marge wasn't talking to anyone in particular but noticed David's smile was kind.

David blew a kiss distracting his mother's nervous doubts and steered her attention with a finger to where Fariha and Basir were standing. They were focused upon the cattle and whatever Fariha was saying had Basir nodding attentively with a clenched frowning expression fixed on his face.

David spoke to his mother, "Why don't you give Fariha and Basir a tour of their new home. Start with the cattle. I'll look after the others and see they settle in."

Marge nodded and hurried after Fariha saying. "Do you like what you see?"

"At first glance I thought Santa Gertrudis. But they're not are they?" Fariha didn't expect an answer she might well have been talking to herself, "The dewlap is much to extended. More length. Heavier hind quarter." Fariha looked at Marge her face a puzzle of thoughts. She pressed one finger to her lips several times before saying, "I've never seen Droughtmasters before. They're all full four cross aren't they?" She tilted her head with questioning eyes. "Pampered healthy and expensive." Fariha placed a hand on the fence and made to climb through to where several cows had come to the fence like spoiled puppies. She looked at Marge again, "May I?"

Marge beamed with surprise and relief. Clearly Fariha knew her way around cattle and was certainly not just a cowhand. "Please do. You know your cattle. It's a pleasure to meet someone who isn't scared to enter the yard. I was hoping you could help me with the studbook. They take up a lot of time."

Fariha spoke in a foreign language, which caused Basir to separate the wires while she climbed through. He held his grip for Marge then let the wires go before placing a hand on the nearest post to swing over the fence like a seasoned farmhand.

He received a scrutinising smile from Fariha who maintained the expression as she turned to Marge saying, "My hero." Fariha's expression became motherly as she spoke past Marge in a foreign language. But quickly added, "I've asked Najwa to stay with Maliha while we play in the muck. They're good company for each other." Her expression became more reaching, "Najwa's a good child. She's very tired and rather uncomfortable at the moment. They operated on her leg again two days ago and she's been travelling ever since. She'll recover quickly here in this... your paradise. We'll work hard for you Mrs Page. I promise Najwa won't be any trouble."

David held the gate in the house fence open inviting everyone to enter when two young women dressed in army boots oversized short and military issue green tee shirt flung open the screen door. They bobbed in unison like servants saying, "Welcome home Ma'am. Tea will be served on... " Both froze, blushed red and put a hand to their mouth. The taller of the two said in a southern drawl, "Oh. Sorry we though you were Marge. You must think us idiots." Both looked at each other, shook their head and laughed.

David chuckled at their craziness. Obviously they'd been blinded stepping into the light. "Let me guess you guys are kitchen slaves being exploited by the landed gentry."

The talker half turned and tweaked at the tips of her shorts showing off her clothes, "No such luck. We're soldiers here for a month to build the runway. We were allocated helping out with the domestic chores. And you are?"

"I'm the son," He shrugged, "A fellow soldier. Just arrived home from playing in the sand pit. Mum has been delayed taking a few of the new arrivals on a quick tour of the cattle." He put his hand up shielding his mouth as if being secretive, "I was going to try and impress our guests knocking up some morning tea."

The taller soldier spoke, "It's all done... Sir, there's tea, coffee and cool drinks. We've put a few plates together, some sandwiches and things. You must all be hungry and tired. Every thing's ready. All the beds are made." She bobbed again and attempted an English accent, "Would Sir like to lead his guests through the kitchen to the west-wing veranda."

The silent soldier retreated to the kitchen while the speaker held the door, gesturing an invite for everyone to enter.

*****

David lay awake. He should have been tired but nothing felt right. There were muffled noises outside. Not the natural nature sounds he was used to on Pituri Downs. These were coughs, whispers, things falling and creaks of beds made by people.

He was sharing his room with Zahir and he too was restlessly lying awake while trying to remain still. David figured he knew why? Tonight was his first night out of prison. Last night the plane was travelling further away from his jailers. Now he was completely free. Walls, ceilings and closed doors affect a man trying to adjust to the outside. He knew what the answer was and wanted the same. "Zahir I can't sleep and I know you can't either. Want to come outside and count the stars."

"I'd like that. I've been wanting to go outside but didn't want to disturb anyone."

"Come on." David found a pair of shorts and pulled them over his boxers. He handed another pair to Zahir.

Together they tiptoed down the hall to the kitchen and carefully held the screen door so it didn't slam shut. Both sat on the top step and turned their head to the stars gazing in silence thinking of nothing.

David heard the movement first, his finely tuned Afghan aware defences roused. Though his radar quickly told him to relax the sound of the walking and subtle smell belonged to Anke. She too closed the screen door with tender caution.

David spoke, "Can't sleep? Pull up a step. We need help counting these stars."

Anke was wearing her nightdress, a long tee shirt. She had her hair tied in a ponytail. "I'm not wearing very much, hope you don't mind. Its so warm and quiet here, feels like I'm wasting my life lying in bed. Hearing you guys sneak down the hall was too attractive an opportunity to waste." She sat between them using David's shoulder to balance and immediately pushed the loose material of her tee shirt between her legs.

David spoke without looking toward the others, "I was about to invite Zahir to come with me to visit Matthew. Would you like to come? I'm assuming you can both ride a horse."

"Anke spoke first, "If I'm not in the way. I'd love to go. And yes I haven't been on a horse in years but I can ride." She stuck a proud chest out, "I worked as a Jillaroo for six months after I finished university."

Clancy turned and gave her a pleasant stare, "You're full of surprises. Where?"

"On the Barkly tablelands. I met my husband at Cape Crawford, in the heartbreak hotel." Anke stopped speaking and seemed to struggle with emotion. Eventually she said, "Came all the way from Germany to hook up with a Dutchman masquerading as a bore man. We broke the spell for seven years before the hotel's name claimed me."

Clancy put his hand on her knee and squeezed, "Come on. No tears tonight. Go get dressed. Wear loose pants if you want to be able to stand properly tomorrow. I'll saddle the horses and pack swags. We'll be back in time for a civilised person's breakfast in the morning."

"Breakfast?" Anke sounded shocked, then disappointed. "I have to look after the girls and Trent. Wendy has everyone but you flying out at five."

"I'll ask Mum to look out for your kiddos. She'll be up to see everyone off. The Osprey will wake everyone anyway."

"You can't wake your mother now. That's unfair."

"Mum's awake. She'll know we're out here talking. All Mothers are like that." David winked at her, "Go on. Get dressed, the pair of you. Find something comfortable to wear. I'll get the horses and square things with mum before we leave."

When Anke and Zahir entered the house they met Marge in the still darkened kitchen. She had a sugar bag packed with supplies for Matthew and was busy making sandwiches. A thermos was waiting for the coffee to brew on the stove, something to snack on. She handed Zahir a set of work clothes with long trousers so the saddle wouldn't pinch his legs. Speaking in a quiet voice she said, "A midnight ride under our stars will do you all good. Anke you're on holidays too. I'll make sure the little ones are safe, dressed, feed and entertained until you're back." Turning to Zahir she added, "You'll like Matthew and you'll love his house. He's been living out there more than twenty years and still calls it his home away from prison." Marge smiled and squeezed Zahir's shoulder. If you feel comfortable out there ask Matthew to let you stay a few days. He'll teach you what the cattle require." Marge eyed Zahir's relieved expression in the dim light emitted from the fuel stove. "Make sure you chase Anke back here with David in the morning. It's a man's world out there. No brooms aloud. You can lick your plate at Matthew's though it's not compulsory."

"How on earth do you find your way? We might never be seen again. We could fall off the end of the earth and no one would care." Anke didn't sound worried. The words were just something to say to check her silent companions were still real. They'd been riding three abreast with Anke in the middle for well over an hour. A world of silent shadows shared only with light of far away stars. Her companions hadn't spoken. They seemed content to share the absolutes of silence and darkness. "How much further do we have to go?"

David gave a small chuckle, "Not too far, about half an hour. Another fifteen minutes you should see the glow of Matthew's campfire. That will be something for you to watch and aim towards. You're not scared are you?"

"No, I'm not scared. But please don't gallop off and leave me here alone. When I was working out here we never stayed in the out buildings alone. Two of us would always be together."

"Obviously we're a smaller operation than where you worked. We usually only run one beef herd at a time and Matthew prefers tending the cattle. He loves the isolation, says it helps him think. Besides he's not really alone. He has the cattle and is always nursing abandoned wildlife. I think he feels more comfortable dealing with animals. Plus Monty lives with him."

Anke voice sounded excited, "Oh. He looks after baby animals. That's wonderful. I love Australian wildlife. Who's Monty? No one has ever mentioned him."

The amusement in David's voice intensified, "He rescued Monty twenty years ago as a baby and they're still together. His full name is Monty Python."

"Oh God. A python is a snake isn't it?"

"Yes. Monty's an Amethystine Scrub Python. He's as gentle as a lamb but he is a big boy, twenty feet tall if he stood up straight. Be warned he usually checks out visitors and seems particularly interested in the ladies."

"God no. Please say you're joking." Anke's voice chattered with fear. "Snakes and spiders give me the creeps."

"You'll be alright. Monty never hurts anyone. Let him say hello then he'll leave you alone. He seems to know if he frightens anyone. Besides you came out here for an adventure. Ask Matthew if you can bring the kids to dinner one night. They'll love it. Be something for them to tell their friends at school." David stiffened his voice and spoke into the darkness, "You okay living with a tame snake Zahir."

Zahir's voice was always subdued, "Sure. It's beautiful out here. Smells open and free. Thank you for bringing me."

"Wait until the sun comes up you'll see what you can smell. It's the ultimate joy. Keep the image in your mind and you'll never feel hemmed in again."

With the dim smouldering glow of an open camp fire visible up ahead and becoming closer each passing minute Anke continued to chatter, anything to elicit a response from her silent companions. How far have they come --- what's the name of that star --- where's the moon --- does the mailman ride a pushbike out here. Anything that might keep her mind clear of snakes or locating the creeping loneliness that crawls inside to share her dark solitude.

With the distance to their destination growing noticeably nearer the fire flared up and a busy shadow could be seen moving about.

The greeting was silent, both Matthew and David tipped their hat and nodded sincerity for an extended moment.

David swung out of the saddle as Matthew found words. He was tall and bony with a sun-weathered face. His grey hair was thick and wiry. A styled trim would remove a few years from his appearance. "You've been making a lot of noise out there. Hard for a man to know what to think the way things are around here lately. Your mother said you'd be home today?"

David nodded again to his friend, "Yep. Couldn't sleep. Got sent out here with a few supplies." He pulled the sugar sack off the horn of his saddle and handed it to Matthew. "Anyway. This is Anke from Germany." He pointed, "She used to work cattle on the Barkley." David waited for Mathew's nod toward Anke then pointed a finger to Zahir. "Zahir's a school teacher from Afghanistan, Khost region. Found a bit of trouble. Tonight is his first night out of an American prison. The walls were doing their thing. I brought him out here to let the freedom soak in properly."

Matthew nodded twice at Zahir. "You pair better climb down and rest your bones by the fire. Coffee will soon be ready. Stews pretty good this week if you want warning up."

Anke, Zahir and Matthew sat round the fire while David unloaded the swags, unsaddled the horses, put them in the holding paddock and tended their needs. When he sat at the fire he was handed an enamel mug of coffee and a metal plate of stew with a few strips of bread. The others were spooning, biting and sipping enjoyment in silence.

Anke emptied her mouth and said, "This is good. I loved working out here." She gave a little laugh, "I used to cry at night because my hands were ruined, my back always ached and I smelt like the cattle and poo. But it was fun, felt all grown up. It was my first trip away from home. I like this stew. What's in it?"

Matthew nodded thoughtfully before speaking, "Topped it up with some diced beef yesterday. Added a few carrots, beans, potatoes and a turnip. Not bad should be better in a few days."

David offered Anke a further explanation. "Matthew's been simmering and topping up the same stew for ten years. Gets better every time I try it."

"No, no." The response was the loudest words Matthew had spoken and they were soft enough to have everyone lean forward. "That fool Nun came out here five year ago last Christmas and tipped it out. Soaked and scrubbed my pot, ruined everything. Took me a year to get a bit of flavour back." He thought a while, "That's the problem you see." He looked at Anke, "You women can't ever seem to accept the way things are. Invite one here and within a day all the chairs are in a straight line. Everybody has to wear a bow tie to sit down." He looked for a frown on Anke's face but found a large smile. "That Nun she sprayed stuff on the walls, did everything we own. Could taste the fowl chemicals she used for months. Monty wouldn't go in there kept sneezing. We both curled up out here even in the rain."

David spoke up, "Where is Monty?"

"Well that's another story with the same ending. He's over there sleeping in that tall blue gum." Matthew pointed over his shoulder into the dark. "He's got two girl friends chasing him. They had ideas of nesting inside and moved in permanently. The pair of them were always hissing and fighting with each other. One even bit me a few times and kept eyeing a little wombat I'm nursing. I threw the newcomers out and Monty's been sulking ever since. He thinks I'll get lonely, invite him and his girls back. As if I want sixty young pythons and three silly adults living in there. Anyway we'd better not talk all night, early start for us tomorrow. I've never managed to teach cattle how to sleep in."

*****

Marge was in the kitchen cooking breakfast when she heard Wendy's alarm, which was followed by Jason's quick exclamation. The children had stirred earlier and Marge stepped in to help them all find the bathroom, which was a new experience.

None had ever heard of a bathroom located outside before. What started scary and strange quickly became an adventure. Using steppingstones to keep feet clean was challenging and fun. A quick lesson identifying stars preceded breakfast in pyjamas. All relished the idea of eating _goggle-eggs-like-mummy-used-to-make_.

No sooner had the children sat at the table Kelly joined them. She'd heard enough to know it was a pyjama party and quickly learnt no one seemed to bother with dressing gowns or slippers on Pituri Downs. The weather didn't require additional clothing any more than the people expected such things.

While the children ate and played with runny eggs mashed on strips of fresh bread with lots of pepper Kelly assisted Marge prepare bacon, eggs and coffee. Occupied at the stove Marge was still able to stimulate the children with the excitement of getting dressed and cleaning their teeth thoroughly before joining her to collect more eggs. But they needed to wait until the hens were awake. Plus the cows needed milking. Trent was particularly excited about this. He proudly explained with his mouth full, he lived next door to lots of cows but had never seen them being milked because they always go inside the dairy at milking time.

Joanne and Malem woke, a tangle of limbs and single warmth, without the slightest sense of embarrassment. The mutual embrace they shared was reinforced with a kiss to the lips, the first... second, though the other was requested by the marriage celebrant in front of the witnesses and felt awkward. This morning's kiss was mutually offered and received without planning, hesitation or guilt, an unspoken promise illuminating a path toward comfortable familiarity.

The aroma of fresh coffee, happy chatter, Malem's early start and lingering uncertainty lured them to the kitchen. They'd heard enough to know pyjamas were in vogue at breakfast in this household. Though Joanne modestly pulled a light floral robe over the cotton top she'd worn with long flannelette pyjama pants.

All were busy eating when a slightly rattled Wendy hobbled into view. She had obviously climbed quickly into Jason's shirt and jeans to venture this far down the hall. She stood in the doorway taking in the scene with eyes busy counting people and places when Kelly lookup and said, "Good morning sleepy head. Lost something?"

"Well actually there is... How come you're awake? You never rise without prompting. I just went in to wake you worrying about how not to disturb everyone else in the room and..." Wendy was looking directly at Kelly. "The room is bare."

"Oh I don't know. I'd slept enough. I suspect I'm still on Afghan time. Besides it's rather invigorating here. You are going to give me a few days off to ride aren't you?" Kelly pulled a face then grinned, adding, "Ma'am Sir." She ruffled Trent's hair. He was busy carefully buttering a scone beside her, "And these guys wanted to start early because there is much to be done. As soon as Mummy is out of their hair."

"Am I missing something?" Wendy had her head to one side. "Someone. Anke. She's not in her bed or here, which leaves Clancy, sorry David, Zahir and Granny Taylor... "Wendy looked at Joanne who was quite amused by the conversation. "Does Granny Taylor have a name?"

Joanne answered, "Miriam. And you are very wrong. I've no idea where Anke's preferences lay but I assure you Granny Taylor is in bed alone and asleep. Her body clock is still on West Australian time where it's still one in the morning. Granny isn't accustomed to time travel like you.

Marge spoke, "David and Zahir went on an errand for me last night. Delivering supplies to our beef herd supervisor. Anke was envious. She wanting to go with them and did so only after I volunteered to look after these darlings," Marge's hand waved past the children, "She should be back in a few hours." Marge read Wendy's perplexed face. "They're riding horses. Anke worked as a Jillaroo on a property not too far north of here years ago? She knows what she's doing and I assure you my son does. She's quite safe."

Wendy's eyes seemed set to pop, "They rode horses off into the dark. We'll probably never see them again?"

Kelly spoke, "Wendy don't be such a colonel. Sit down and have some breakfast. Pretend you're human. You'll need to start getting dressed soon if you're coming with us."

Wendy shook her head in Kelly's direction faking surprise and called over her shoulder, while shuffling toward the closest vacant chair, "Major. Shake a leg. Your breakfast is getting cold."

As she ate Wendy reminded everyone she would be flying direct to Amberley air force base in the C40B with four super hornet escorts off the aircraft carrier _Ike_. The hornet crews would be staying at Amberley a few days for training purposes. Jason would be flying his eagle in company with Kelly in her growler, which was also being ferried to Boulia from the carrier at this very moment. They were to fly to Canberra alone and pick up Jacqueline Scheller and Sabrina Noble for the trip to Amberley. All planes would synchronise the arrival at Amberley. Where Kelly, Jacqueline and Sabrina would change into dresses and Jason and Malem would also change into civilian clothing on the C40 before attending the officer's mess. They would be meeting Billie Hope and Elizabeth Ho and that would be where the fun should begin. The growler would be returning to Boulia to link up with the raven on the way to Ike where Kelly, Billie and Elizabeth would undertake intense flight training.

Wendy finished her breakfast as she explained she and Jason would be staying in Canberra for a night as Jacqueline's guest before returning to Pituri Downs the following day.

Kaiser sat silently through the talk. It was Joanne who asked why he needed to go? Wendy smiled, "He's flying to Amberley in the back of a super hornet and will be a bodyguard on the ground. He'll be delivered to you tonight in the growler. I need him familiar with flying in jets. David has today off because he has already passed that test. Everyone here except Kelly can have a day off tomorrow."

Wendy got up and pulled Jason, Kaiser and Keller with her finger. "Time to be climbing into fancy dress." She looked at Marge, "Thank you for putting us up, breakfast and looking after my babies. Would you get a message to me somehow if Anke doesn't find her way home? So I can initiate an air search."

*****

Amberley officer's mess was spacious and airy but old school. It had a boys feels. A woman sitting alone wouldn't relax or feel comfortable. In fact given a choice she'd almost certainly stay away. Large windows overlooked an outdoor garden area that seemed to have fallen into disuse. The tables and chairs had disappeared leaving large paved areas that looked out of place. That family groups had long ago found somewhere more appropriate to socialise was etched upon the first and last impression. The place was clean though the air unsuccessfully masked this was a smoking establishment, the drink of choice beer. The frequently vacuumed once plush carpet had all the permanent markings a visitor might expect.

The women and two men held back letting the navy aircrew enter first. Their loud confident revelry signposted many Americanisms well. Though the arrival of so many US marked aircraft onto an unfamiliar runway made that obvious. They were wearing their flight suits and weren't shy about being seen.

The air force crew off the C40 made a less conspicuous entrance and found a table together deliberately separate from the jet jockeys. Their flying outfits were more formal and less dramatic. They had a commercial sense of calm about their demeanour. Being held over in new locations is something they do all the time, along with having their behaviour impact on and be impacted by staff officers and VIP passengers.

The spectacle of the seven visiting aeroplanes landing unannounced on a Saturday morning at a base soon to take possession of their own super hornets attracted a lot of attention. People authorised to visit the tarmac congregated around the four super hornets. Only true aeroplane buffs even noticed two superior aircraft parked on the other side of the brightly painted blue and white Boeing 737-700, military VIP aircraft.

A few people noticed with curiosity how five of the crew flying fighter escorts boarded the VIP plane and must have changed into civilian clothes before joining the others.

Wendy's awkward walk made her conspicuous even with Jason's support. Though new arrivals holding hands on an air force base was just as eye catching.

The four ladies and two men all wearing civilian clothing sat together not far from the C40 aircrew and deliberately away from the immediate focus of the excitable navy delegation.

At the bar five men perched on stools forming a single row. They were all dressed casually in long slacks and colourful open neck short sleeve shirts.

Sitting together at a table near the least used windows were two women wearing a black skirt and white blouse under a black vests. There appearance was immaculate. Each had their hair secured high leaving the neck and ears clear. Clearly stewards they spoke quietly while discreetly watched everything.

When the three groups of new arrivals settled both women stood and seemed to share a joke about who would approach each table. The shorter of the two, who was slim, perhaps five feet seven, of Eurasian appearance wearing slight heels rolled her eyes and headed toward the navy table. Her voice was calm and polished. She clearly said, "Welcome. Is there anything I might get you?"

A chorus of laughter and coarse banter to match the way they'd followed the woman's approach erupted. However the frivolity was quickly silenced when an older man in their midst wearing commander insignias interrupted by slowly nodding his head to the woman. "Please forgive us. The men are forgetting themselves they've been at sea too long. They won't be drinking alcohol. A coffee each and something light to eat, a few plates of sandwiches to share perhaps. You might like to point us to where we could serve ourself."

The taller woman deliberately walked slowly toward the C40 aircrew table until the commander took control. She was protectively watching the exchange at the other table and rapidly increased her pace when the commander spoke. She nodded to the men and women at her table saying simply, "Hi guys. What will it be?" and received a polite reply from a Major wearing pilot wings who pointed a finger to the other table. Coffee and sandwiches would be great. Thank you Ma'am."

The tall steward gave a gorgeous smile, nodded, turned to the third table and began to scan the six occupants. Without even appearing to interrupt her movement she nodded while quietly and regally saying to Jacqueline, "Ma'am." Her scan continued, stopped briefly on Sabrina, "Ms Noble." And continued around the table without comment though her face held Kelly for a moment as if something registered. She moved on without acknowledgement before saying in a normal speaking voice. "Let me guess. Coffee and sandwiches?" She smiled kindly with the comment."

Jacqueline offered her own smile, "That would be lovely. Thank you Billie." She scanned the table to make sure everyone had heard her comment and added. "Have we been recognised at the bar?"

Billie didn't look around, "I don't think so Ma'am. I'll know in a moment because they'll make a demand for attention the moment I turn away from here." Her eyebrows rose, "They'll want to know who you are and what you're doing here?" Billie smiled, "I'll have no idea."

Wendy quietly spoke, "I'm pleased to meet you Billie. For the record I'm Wendy Maiden. We spoke on the phone. I'm in the PR business for the US air force. Our local liaison and press team you seem to know already. She gestured toward Jacqueline and Sabrina and continued round the table. "Jason Maiden my partner and work colleague. Plus Kelly Cassidy and Malem Voss." Wendy rolled her eyes, "When you have a moment would you ask Elizabeth to step over here with you and sit with us. Talking to you both together seems sensible under the circumstances. I'll even fill you in with who we really are," She motioned her eyes again. "Boring rank stuff. Though for now it will be easier on you if you don't actually know."

Billie gave a blank stare and said, "The gallery will not be amused if we sit with you Ma'am."

Wendy acknowledged Billie's remark with a nod, "The next few minutes aren't going to be pleasant Billie. Though with careful management we can assist the next female officers to walk your path. I take it you have your gear packed as requested and Elizabeth is in the same situation."

Billie nodded a yes and uttered, "Ma'am."

"Good." Wendy gave the bar a quick glance, "Elizabeth is prepared to except an international transfer at short notice."

"Yes." Billie gave Elizabeth a quick glance, "Very, very keen Ma'am. I should move Ma'am. Liz is heading back toward the bar. I'd prefer get there before her. Better they leave her alone and quiz me. I've got bigger shoulders. They're arm grabbers Ma'am. Enjoy leaving bruises."

Wendy nodded, "Good." And turned her focus toward the men, "Jason. Do you think you might escape the female chatter? Take Malem for a relaxing cool drink at the bar. Strike up a conversation with the enemy if you wish." Wendy caught her bottom lip as she focused on Jason. "Do what ever it takes but let Malem be the conquering hero. He's trained in counter bastard techniques." She looked at Malem, "Use your judgement. You have my full support. Do what it takes."

As Billie turned to leave Malem and Jason stood and followed, even exchanged a few masculine gestures as if commenting on Billie's appearance from behind.

The man at the bar closest to Billie called loudly in a gruff voice, "Can we have a bit of service here?"

As Billie walked past the men making for the entrance to go behind the bar the man who had spoken grabbed Billie's forearm and leaned forward as if to speak into her ear. Billie interrupted him by pulling away and loudly yelling, "Do not touch me!"

The man was taken back with surprise but quickly recovered to lunge at Billie again. He re-took her arm with a vice-like grip and pulled her aggressively toward him until she was just inches from his face and said, "This is my base. I do as I please. I own you Hope. You'll do as I tell you or your history." And in a quieter voice said, "Who are those people?"

Malem provided an answer in a tone that would level a wall of steel, "Get your hand off the lady."

The man turned his head toward Malem displaying shock and while his grip on Billie seemed to wane with the distraction he made no attempt to release her. "Who are you?" He seemed to recover confidence and shook Billie like a rag doll, "This is none of your business. Walk away and I'll overlook your rudeness."

Malem didn't move or speak. He had the correct range to target and a good angle. Secondary targets were fixed and steady. All was ready. A hint of a smile lowered one corner of his mouth making his moustache appear lopsided. He fixed a stare and lowered his head slightly, which his quarry read as the nervous display of someone yielding to superior authority. The moment the target's face was overtaken by the expected smug expression Malem struck.

No one saw the straight right hook. It caught the unprepared man square in the nose. Malem had planned to finish the assignment with a solid follow though left jab to the gut. But this guy was soft, all beer and wind. He fell like Newton's apple. Only the firm grip he'd had on Billie's arm resisted the force of gravity, allowed him to slide sideways and end up flat on his back.

Malem spoke calmly like a man comforting a frightened child, "You okay Billie. May I look at your arm? Nothing broken is there."

Billie didn't seem to hear. Her eyes were fixed upon the motionless figure sprawled before her with bloodshot eyes staring at nothing. A red grossly oversized, clearly broken nose had blood seeped from both nostrils and running along the line of slightly open lips before disappearing inside the mouth. She swallowed and muttered, "He's a group captain. The base commander."

"No. He was a dumb fool and now he's an unconscious group captain who will probably wake up to discover he's an ex base commander facing a court marshal for abuse of staff and official responsibilities." Malem gently lifted Billie's arm and inspected the prominent red finger marks where she'd been held. "You're going to have bruises here. We should let the doctor have a squiz just in case." Malem looked toward the attentive group at the table he'd just left and pulled with a finger gesture saying rather loudly so his voice would carry, "Kelly would you take a look at her arm just to be on the safe side."

Kelly got up and walked casually across the room. She was struggling to hide an approving smile.

One of the four silent startled staring men at the bar finally found voice, "What about him?"

Malem faked surprise, "Him. We all know what the matter with him was. He had inappropriate notions of grandeur, a lose mouth, an inflated ego and trouble reading people's intention correctly. He's been treated and should be fine now."

Kelly took a quick look at Billie's arm, pulled a face and nodded theatrically, "Nasty. You'd better come over here and sit down. Bring your friend she looks to be in shock. She should sit a while."

Kelly guided Billie back toward the table as if she had something the matter with her and needed to rest. She encouraged Elizabeth to follow and called over her shoulder. "Would you men mind fetching the coffee and sandwiches for these hungry travellers and perhaps one of you should call an ambulance to take that guy to hospital before he makes a mess on the floor. He'll need an ice pack and good a lay down. In the meantime if he starts to make gurgling sounds someone will need to clear his airways. Perhaps you should tell a loved one about his current misfortune, if there is such a person."

Seated at the table Kelly was first to speak, "Billie I noticed several old grab looking bruises on your arm. Were they all put there by the same man or are there others worthy of Malem's special talent for heeling the sick?" Kelly gave Elizabeth a casual glance, "Elizabeth do you have any bruises worth talking about?"

Billie answered, "All the arm bruises were done by the group captain... the guy on the ground. There's one, the second from the other end of the bar who likes to pinch breasts. He's our squadron leader. I suspect he thinks it's funny. I have two noticeable bruises on my left side and Elizabeth tells me she has quite a large fresh mark from last night."

Kelly turned in her seat and spoke to Jacqueline, "We'll be getting changed soon. I'll give you an independent medical report to help lift the lid on this." She turned her attention back to Billie and Elizabeth, "If you don't mind letting me make a quick examination while you're changing. It won't go on your record. I'll identify you as abuse victim number one and number two.

"Are you really a medical doctor?" Billie's voice sounded cynical.

Kelly matched the challenge, "I've said I am. Why would you think I'm not?"

Billie focused her eyes squarely at Kelly. "If your name is Kelly Cassidy, Lieutenant Kelly Cassidy, according to media reports you crashed an A10 last week and you're still missing in Afghanistan. Today you were piloting a F18G growler with media personality Sabina Noble in the back seat. Now I'm supposed to believe you're a doctor. Sounds a bit over the top."

Wendy tried to defuse the exchange, "Billie you clearly keep yourself well informed. Lieutenant Cassidy did arrive piloting the growler with Sabina. And she did park an A10 in the side of a mountain last week. Even spent some time becoming familiar with local Afghan customs," Wendy glanced at Kelly and pulled a smug expression, "Alone wetting her pants." She ignored Kelly's disapproving frown, "Lieutenant Cassidy is an ex-air force pilot who is active in the US air force reserve and is currently on full time assignment with her unit in Afghanistan. In civilian life she is a qualified and practising doctor of medicine."

Billie raised a single eyebrow, "If it's correct she went missing in Afghanistan. How come she's sitting here with us without the media filling in the gaps? Her family must be worried sick."

"Billie. It is correct that some elements of the media are choosing to report her as still missing in Afghanistan because we didn't bother to update anyone. Her family know she isn't in Afghanistan." Wendy gave Billie a Colonel stare. "Is there a point to all this conspiracy tripe Flying Officer Hope?" She didn't wait for an answer, "You either want to be seconded to the US air force to further your career and gain from the experience or you want to stay here and expose yourself to more of the same crap I've just witnessed. Make up your mind and do it quickly." Wendy took a breath and turned her attention to Elizabeth switching her tone motherly calm, "Elizabeth you're in a different position to Billie. I've requested Billie's transfer because of her current skills. We have identified her as potentially suitable for a particular role right now. After that we'll see if Billie is suitable for further less specific duties within the US air force. In your case, Elizabeth, a superior officer to me became aware of your current predicament and thought it outrageous. He has asked me to check you out with a view to establishing your suitability to transfer on secondment and receive finishing training as a combat pilot with an active US air force squadron. Let me make it clear, you won't be getting a free ride. You will make the grade or be sent home. Jacqueline has already authorised your transfer because she wants you to be given every opportunity to gain experience and return to lead by example, thereby helping to change the mindset that currently exists here. However I need to be convinced you have the potential to meet our standards before I'll sign off on your transfer. I need to see you fly. That's why you're coming with us today." Wendy took a breath and glanced at Kelly before returning her focus to Elizabeth. If we put you in an F-111 identical to the simulator they've been allowing you to access here will you take off and deliver the plane to our destination with confidence, in complete safety?"

Elizabeth's eyes opened wide and turned moist in disbelief. She looked down at the table and bit her bottom lip then raised her head to display a gritty expression, "Yes. I'm ready. I can do this. Ma'am."

Wendy turned back to Billie who was watching Elizabeth and smiling encouragement. "What about you, Hope? Will you happily get in a plane with her." Wendy raised her voice, "Support and encourage, use your experience to help a fellow officer complete a difficult task."

Billie didn't hesitate, "Yes. I have every confidence Elizabeth has what it takes to get the job done. Be a privilege to fly as her first passenger. Elizabeth is ready. She won't need help but I'll be there ready to offer backup and support anyway."

"Okay." Wendy nodded at Jacqueline and received a nod in reply, "Lets do it." She pulled a security token from her handbag and placed it on the table before producing a phone and hitting speed dial. Eventually she said, "Colonel Maiden. Authority hotel-echo-six-three-four," She read from the security token in front of her. "Pin, one-three-seven-six-one-nine," And waited a moment. "Correct. I'm at Amberley air force base Queensland Australia. I need a supersonic aircraft suitable for me to fly in and I need it now." She waited, "Yes... no. No. The Raven is nine hundred miles away in Boulia and in any case Cassidy is here with me." She waited, "Yes. I confirm Cassidy is here with me. She flew here in her growler." Another delay. "Yes."... "Yes. Budget! I don't get that. After all we've just delivered four super hornets for them to play with as a PR gesture; free of charge. They'd be miserable polecats... Sorry. Forget that. I don't see why not. Sounds like a reasonable exchange request for us to make." She waited, "Okay. I'll expect your call. Out."

Wendy placed the phone on the table and pulled a non-committal expression for Jacqueline's benefit and said, "Give them two minutes."

Jacqueline pulled her phone out and placed it on the table. She looked across at Billie and Elizabeth, "I know you have your personal items packed. Do you have anything of value that needs to be secured? Vehicles? A house?"

Elizabeth answered first, "I have my car. I'll ask my brother to collect it and take it home. We live in Brisbane. My brother even has a spare key."

"I have my V-Rod. I'll need to put it somewhere safe. I'll..." Billie lifted her hands in uncertainty.

Wendy said, "A V-Rod. A motorcycle? We could fly it to the states for you to use over there, if you want?"

Billie shrugged, "Sure."

Wendy looked at the C40 Pilot at the next table. "Can you accommodate a motorcycle down below?"

The pilot shook his head. "We don't have a suitable container on-board. A V-Rod would be too heavy to tie down on our floor. Have a C-17 drop in here. They'll fit it in anywhere."

Jacqueline's phone rang. She let it ring three times while smiling at Wendy. "Jacqueline Scheller." She listened for almost a minute. "Yes. It does seem quite reasonable. Is this normal practice between allies?" She listened. "Yes. Are we covered if the aircraft is damaged or destroyed?" Again she listened. "And what about any injuries to the crew. Would it in anyway expose us to a damages claim?" More delay, "Good. Lets do it. You have my approval to proceed. Also I know it's the weekend but if they do need the plane now it seems quite important we accommodate their request in every detail. It wouldn't do for us to find ourselves red faced in the media over not being able to respond appropriately to a military imperative. I'm relying on you to make this happen." A short delay, "Good. Thank you." Jacqueline hung up the phone.

It took less than a minute for the hideous ring tone of the phone in the pocket of the man seated second from the wall at the bar to erupt with vulgarity.

"What?" He turned pale and stood up, "Yes Sir." And listened, "But Sir. That can't be done. The time frame is unreasonable. Clearly these people don't understand the technical requirements of such a complicated request." A delay, "But... it's the weekend. Can't possibly be done before Monday. They'll just have to wait." The man's colour continued to whiten as he listened. "But... all our maintenance staff have stood down." The man commenced to turn and fidget, "But Sir... Yes. I... I suppose we could use the duty crew but they're run off their feet with visiting aircraft. Unannounced I might add. It's all quite unreasonable." Further listening. The man could be seen to straighten and stand to attention. "Yes. Yes Sir. Yes. We have had an incident here, a violent attack on the base commander. It requires my full attention. I may have to delegate. Rodney is available." More delay. "Yes Sir. I understand Sir. Yes Sir. It will be done. Sir. Yes Sir."

The man put down the phone. Shook his head with a stunned look on his face and said. "Rodney we have to go. The Americans want to take one of our birds. Now." He lifted his hands in frustration. "Some weak fool has already told them yes."

Wendy picked up her phone and while waiting turned toward Billie and Elizabeth. "Time to fetch you luggage. Take some people from the next table with you. They'll deliver your bags straight to the plane. Pack a change of underwear, toiletries and something to sleep in, in your flight pack. Everything else on this base that is your private property is to go on our plane and will catch up to you in a few days." Wendy played with her lips a moment. "Billie. I know your record lists you as competent to land an F-111 in an emergency. Assure me you're confident to do that for real if things turn pear shaped?"

"Yes. I can fly the plane if the need arises Ma'am. I've been required to do so three times so far. I've also ejected twice." Billie frowned and shrugged, "Being the resident female wins a seat flying beside a lot of duds. Elizabeth isn't a dud Ma'am." Billie put her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder and smiled, "She's smart. She's hungry to succeed and has done all the homework. She's ready. She'll come though for you Ma'am. We both will."

"Okay I'm sold. Go get your bags and we'll hit the sky. You won't need flight gear. I had your sizes sent to me. We have US outfits for you both. You can change in my plane." As she finished speaking Wendy's phone rang. Before she answered she said in a loud voice that would carry to the next table, "Eat up everyone. Fill your pockets if you need to. Time to go. You've got three minutes." And in a still louder voice said, "Navy. Enjoy your time ashore. We'll see you all in a week's time."

##  Chapter 12

The flight to Boulia was slow for Elizabeth's benefit. The recommended most efficient cruising speed of six hundred and eighty five miles per hour was adhered to. Everything was done by the book to make the trip as uncomplicated as humanly possible, military cruising altitude, radio communication were adhered to religiously. It paid off. Elizabeth's maiden flight in an aardvark was undertaken without the slightest hitch.

Her approach to Boulia's narrow runway was long and steady, the touchdown smooth and precise, braking to a stop patient and casual and her taxiing and parking professionally competent. Elizabeth was clearly destined to become a productive pilot. She was now the proud owner of a logbook stated one and a half hours at the controls of an F-111C aardvark. One of only two pilots in the entire US military to be current on type.

In the growler Kelly and Malem maintained watchful contact with Elizabeth and Billie but didn't hog their wing, as was the military custom. They stayed well away, always behind, deliberately in the lead plane's rear blind area so as not to be a source of distraction or pressure. Kelly didn't land at Boulia until the aardvark was parked and secure with the crew out of the cockpit for the same reason.

The osprey landed the moment Kelly and Malem placed their feet on the ground. A quick exchange of well wishes saw Malem share a nod with a navy captain as they passed each other half way to the plane. The osprey had come from Pituri Downs and would return immediately Malem stepped inside.

The same captain Kelly had handed the growler over to in Darwin a week ago was again keen to be under way. He discussed with Kelly appropriate fuel consumption at various cruising speeds and settled on eight hundred miles an hour. He did his calculations before informing everyone they needed to be airborne in ten minutes or Kelly could look forward to a night landing of the Raven, which the captain referred to as that horrible-oversized-ugly-monster.

Billie and Elizabeth took too long being polite to each other deciding who should travel in which aircraft. The captain's hand went out, "You growler. Get in sit down and belt up." He'd picked Elizabeth who happened to be closest. "You pair get in that monstrosity and try to keep up." He almost smiled at Kelly to say, "I'll take the lead because I know you can't see a thing behind you in that brick. When we find the carrier I'll land first because I'm not at all sure you pair won't finish up splattered all over the deck and I'm sick of diverting to Singapore."

Kelly gave Elizabeth a casual wave and said to the Captain, "It's Elizabeth's first flight in any kind of F18 and her first landing at sea. Be gentle with her please and perhaps you might see fit to pass the time showing her the ropes. Quality navy ropes." Kelly grinned.

The captain pointed at himself, "Me. Gentle?" Then smiled like a father figure at Elizabeth saying, "Come on Air force we both need sea air in our lungs. Lets go."

Billie didn't say a thing about the amazingly modern interior of the raven. She sat secured herself ready for flight and silently studied the console layout but didn't touch a thing.

As Kelly prepared the raven for flight Billie said, "Are you tall enough to see over the handlebars?"

Kelly ignored her.

"How does someone claimed to be so competent and experienced at flying manage to remain a lowly Lieutenant?" Kelly's sideways glance revealed a curious smug expression on Billie's face.

Kelly took a deep breath blew it out and turned her head to stare daggers into Billie's heartless chest cavity, "Billie? I don't believe any mother would saddle their baby girl with the name Billie. But a ditsy bimbo trying to make herself popular in the wardroom would invent Billie." Kelly shuddered and blinked rapidly trying to show a pathetic helpless pose. "I'm a girlie, girl you should give me all your attention and lift anything heavy for me." She motored the cockpit closed. "We won't let you down Ma'am. Twinkle, twinkle. Oh look everyone my breasts bounce when I laugh."

Kelly fired the cartridges to start both engines. "I've been putting up with sexist egotistical self assessed heroic male aviators trying to hide their own short failings behind insulting remarks for an eternity. I've never tolerated any of them and I'm not about to have some catty female try the same stunt. Women have to work damn hard to grind out a successful career. A lot harder than the man do. The last thing they need is some dumb tart with big breasts trying to shut them out." She paddled the control surfaces and moved her head around trying to see in the two rear view mirrors above their heads. "Women need to stick together and support each other. Not try to drag each other down like everyone else will." She released the brakes to follow the now moving growler along the taxiway. "What ever your name is shut up. Don't speak to me until you can come up with something worth hearing."

Kelly pressed a button on the centre console and looked across in front of Billie. She scanned up the menus drilled in a few levels, selected the growler identity signal, dragged the raven signal across the display and watched the com-link initiate. Again she selected from the base menus and pulled up a message; 'Link established – Growler xp4 - you have the lead', and transmitted it. She watched the message, tag-link master established – Raven 037x - you are the slave, display on the screen then expanded the combat radar icon to encompass the screen before turning her attention back to her own displays to check the validity of the flight plan detail now occupying her moving map. She pulled to a stop behind the growler, which was now ready to turn onto the runway.

The radio sounded, "CVN-69 Hawkeye junior. This is Growler xp4 and tag requesting flight clearance from BQL to CVN-69 direct via southeast segment KC-10 extender. Over"

The radio continued with a different voice, "Military Flight Service AU this is the US Navy requesting clearance to passage two US military aircraft from BQL Boulia along BME corridor until clear of Australian territory at altitude forty-seven thousand feet, speed eight hundred knots. Over."

Yet another voice come over the radio, "US Navy this is Military Flight Service AU. Ensure your flights establish visually they have clear sky. You are clear to proceed."

"Growler xp4 and tag. This is CVN-69 Hawkeye junior. Your navigation systems have been updated for passage from BQL to CVN-69 direct via southeast segment KC-10 extender. Establish visually you have clear sky for take off at BQL. You are clear to proceed. Out."

Kelly expected the growler to transit south, turn around and use the entire runway length taking-off to the north. Hence she needed to wait until the first plane is airborne to undertake the same process herself. But the Captain didn't comply. He went forward and turned north, rolled forward a few plane lengths and stopped on the runway.

Kelly watched, noticed her moving map had plotted her position and intended waypoints to their destination. A message popped up on her display. _Look sharp air force. Roll or be left behind._ She moved forward behind the growler in time to see the afterburners glow and immediately fired up the raven knowing they had only a few thousand feet to be airborne. The nimble growler streaked ahead lifted off just shy of eight hundred feet and flew almost vertical accelerating at least twice the rate of climb the raven could manage.

Kelly lifted off after one thousand five hundred feet of runway and maintained a steady climb. She learned over toward Billie's console tagged the growler with her retina control and brought up the combat menu setting a sliding intersect readout, which she passed across to her moving map to update her head-up-display. She then brought the aircraft around to the pre set navigational heading.

Billie spoke with a polite humbleness in her voice not present before, "I apologise unreservedly. What I said back there was stupid and cruel. Kelly I'm out of my depth here. I need your help?"

"Need my help with what?" There was a gruff tone in Kelly's reply.

"I don't know what's required of me? I'm not as smart as most people. I need to do my homework. Research, plan and rehearse everything over and over in my mind. I'm naturally clumsy with my hands and my mouth. Please Kelly. Am I allowed to play and explore this weapons console? I've never seen anything like it."

Kelly looked across at Billie and witnessed sadness in her eyes. "It won't work. I'm not sleeping with you."

Billie's eyes widened but saw Kelly's grin and relaxed, "You're correct I am gay but you're in luck. I'm not a tart. I'm a homely person still waiting and dreaming about Ms Right. So I won't be hitting on you for a few weeks at least. Does my being gay bother you?"

"No." Kelly shook her head sincerely without looking away from her flight controls. "Play all you like over that side. It's what you're being paid to do. Ask questions if you want. I'm just a driver can't do much over your side but I know the basics?"

"How do I turn on the iris recognition feature? That is what you're using isn't it?"

Billie watched as Kelly circle her right index finger around a button on the centre console beside the one she pressed earlier.

"How do I select from a menu or an item?"

"Blink." Kelly gave a quick sideways glance. "You don't actually need to blink just squeeze your eyes like you might blink. You'll become proficient after a while. You can't do anything with the flight controls." Kelly grinned, "So if I expire you'll need to loosen your collar or punch out. We share flight comms and navigation, which I can override. I can use your console for basic defence and attack weaponry but can't access anything to do with electronic warfare and you can overrule me with anything to do with weaponry."

Before she turned back to her instruments she noticed Billie had pulled up and placed a track on the Osprey.

"Where is the Osprey taking... what was his name, Malem? Gee he packs a mean punch."

Kelly replied by finding Pituri Downs on her moving map and passed the location across onto Billie's display.

"What's there?"

"Nothing. It's a cattle property."

"Are you sure? Have you been there?"

"You're full of questions. Yes. I slept there last night."

"What's that?" Billie was holding a lock on a radar image. "The computer is identifying it as an MQ-4 at fifty eight thousand feet. Has to be rubbish. A global Hawk couldn't possibly be in Australia without causing a media frenzy."

"I think it probably is a Global Hawk. There's been one flying around all week."

"Do you know what's going on?"

"Not really. I was starting to speculate but this aircraft carrier business has completely thrown me. A week ago I worked out I would be flying a raven and they put me in the growler. Completely deflated my ego then when I saw this aircraft... The controls are almost identical to the growler. So I assumed the growler was to prepare me for this aircraft. Yet they keep seating me back in the growler. I've no idea why both aircraft are still here. I guess now you're on-board we'll find out pretty fast what the deal is." Kelly knew she'd left a lot out but that was best at this stage.

"Have you landed this plane on a carrier before?"

"No. And it's going to be tight. The captain said it for us. This plane is huge and heavy. When we land they'll remove the nose cone before we can use the elevator to go down to the hanger deck. Plus on launch we need to gain twenty knots after we come off the catapult before we fly. So that should be interesting."

"What." Billie sounded shocked, "Does that mean we'll probably crash?"

"No. I've done my sums. It'll work out fine. Means we have to sink lower than the front of the carrier while our engines catch up. Phantoms did it back in the seventies. They were heavier than us and needed an extra forty knots to fly. We'll drop about ten feet max." She shrugged. "The deck is eighty feet up. If my sums were correct we could lose an engine and still make it, just."

"Hope you're good at sums. I know you can fly this thing fine without me but is there anything I need to be doing for you or should be doing as we land. On deck, or launch, or... This is totally new to me. It scares me how unprepared I am. I want to pull my weight but don't even know what I'm supposed to be preparing for."

"You'll do fine Billie. Sit and watch for now. You'll get the hang of things and when you've caught up we'll share the work load." Kelly pulled a quick cautionary frown, "When we land we come in fast, very fast. At the point where you expect me to pull the throttles off I'll go to full thrust. When that happens we're about to be caught. Push all the air out of your lungs or it will feel like you've exploded. Can really hurt." Kelly looked across at Billie with a curious grin, "Hope you're wearing a good panty liner it's not only your lungs under pressure."

"Oh you're kidding. Please tell me that was a joke. I suffered an injury down there years ago. I've got a really weak bladder. We're talking nearly six hours since my last potty break. That's boarder-line territory for me."

"Weak bladder must come in handy flying these things." Kelly shook her head. "Sorry Billie it's true. The cables stop us so quick; every body organ with an outlet comes under huge pressure with no warning. We just stop. Pull your shoulder harnesses super tight on approach or you will bruise your chest and hit your head on the console. Keep your mouth closed or you'll bite your tongue and keep your head straight to the front so you don't kink your neck." Kelly shrugged, "That's about it." She smiled, "Enjoy. Also... we stay in the plane and go below to the hanger deck before we get out. A lot can go wrong on a carrier. We may need to eject off the deck so stay strapped in. That covers the landing. We'll go over a launch take-off when we're safely down. I suppose I should add taxiing on deck gets a little scary. You can't believe how close they'll put us to the edge but they seem to know what's what." Kelly looked long enough to catch Billie eyes and smiled, "Billie if you're serious about your bladder. I do have some liners in my flight bag. You're welcome to use them. Also I'm wearing a catheter. After I've emptied the cola bottle up there," Kelly pointed to the soft drink bottle sitting in the windscreen cavity above the instrument panel. "And before we land. I'm going to retrieve the hose turn the tap and re-fill the bottle. I do it all the time on long flights and shorter flights to carriers. If you have been injured you probably know the mechanics of what I'm talking about. I've got spare catheters, taps and tubes in my flight bag. You are welcome to use one if you wish. I'm assuming you're versatile and agile enough to make the necessary adjustment. You will need to find your own container I always fill the bottle." Kelly grinned, "What goes on up here stays up here. I won't tell if you don't." She then rolled her eyes, "My mother tells me constantly she doesn't approve of my flying. Apparently it isn't a suitable profession for ladies. She'd never let me rest if she knew what I just told you."

*****

David had been looking forward to this ride since leaving Wendy's house on the other side of the world. He had Basir, Farida and Najwa with him. Basir's horsemanship stood out. The moment he approached the horses it was obvious they trusted him. Najwa was seated in front of him sharing the saddle. The girl's leg was still painful, mostly because anything she lent on or touched literally jarred what remained of her leg bone and caused the surrounding still tender flesh to smart. Yet she was a brave young lady and wanted to explore her new home as much as her parents. All three had seen enough of Pituri Downs to agree they'd made the right decision and would be happy here. Najwa even insisted on wearing shorts like everyone else.

They'd been riding towards Pituri Creek for over two hours on a promise of seeing something unusual. David had assured them the topology at Pituri creek was identical to Pichuhree where they'd met in Afghanistan. He, Farida and Najwa all remained silent about the real reason for their trip. Yet David could see both females were bubbling with excitement, impatient to see Basir's expression when they arrived.

They maintained a dialogue about the country being crossed with David identifying markers to help them navigate and the general similarity to Afghanistan was always a trigger to discuss many features. As they neared Pituri Creek the saltbush plants began to appear and quickly grew taller to form a thick scrub. Basir noted to David's delight and surprise they were approaching permanent water even though the creek line was yet to be sighted. Basir was clearly a competent bushman who knew how to read the signs nature provided.

The small track that sliced through the vegetation was just wide enough for the farm vehicles, which allowed Basir and Farida to ride side by side and David to follow. They were chatting as they turned a small bend so it took awhile for anyone but David to notice the large camel trotting along the track toward them, until he bellowed to catch everyone's attention. They all stopped. Najwa looked around into her father's eyes, she was wearing a large smile and had her bottom lip caught in her teeth. His smiling wife also studied her husband's reaction. Basir seemed unaware of anything but the camel. His mouth hung open yet he seemed unable to speak. A hand with a pointing finger showed he had found Goliath.

David dismounted and walked forward to enthusiastically interact with Goliath like a friend and accept a reciprocal acknowledgement similar to royalty greeting of a loyal subject. Yet it was obvious Goliath had come to greet them having heard their approach.

David brought Goliath forward to introduce the new arrivals. He spoke to the camel explaining each persons name and watched carefully to gage the camel's reaction. Obviously Goliath approved of the new comers. He gently rubbed Najwa with the side of his face and even inspected her injured leg. He let her pet him, which was quite unusual. Goliath was clearly aware the guests were speaking to him in Khowar and demonstrating his approval by allowing them to fuss.

Basir couldn't hide his enthusiasm. The last thing he's expected to find at his new home was a huge bull camel that was clearly semi-domesticated and showing all the traditional blood lines of the finest Iranian Baluchistan stud thoroughbred. He needed to get off the horse but was aware doing so would disturb Najwa. Eventually he lifted himself over the back of the saddle taking care not to cause Najwa to move suddenly. He then handed the reins to Farida and slid to the ground over the horse's rump.

Suddenly it dawned on Basir his wife was watching and wearing the motherly knowing look he still found as alluringly enchanting as the first time he'd set his eyes upon her.

"You knew. Didn't you?"

She didn't need to speak her expression had already told Basir the answer. Her sense of fun had made their life together delightful, always offering a pleasant reason to greet tomorrow and lately their tomorrows kept getting better and better. This reminded him yet again of the need to prove his worth to a wife and daughter who would make any man complete.

"We may have overheard some talk about a herd of registered Bejah-Goliath camels needing of a skilled man to manage their welfare."

She had that look on her face again and so did their daughter.

After an inspection Basir walked with and talked to Goliath the rest of the way to Pituri Creek waterhole where the bull proudly showed off his herd. David adjusted the stirrup for Najwa to give her some balance and led her horse so she could comfortably ride beside her mother.

They followed Basir and his new best friend until it was time to hop down in the shade of a large tree to rest beside the waterhole.

Goliath carried on a tradition he had started many years before. He carefully selected a camel from his herd for each of the new arrivals. Basir was offered a formidable bull that was ready to be chased off. Farida received a mature mare and Najwa was presented with a gorgeous small pure white young cow.

Within half an hour of their arrival the two farm pick up trucks turned up carrying all the people and supplies needed for a relaxing picnic lunch. Several camels were saddled and ridden to provide a novelty for all especially the children. Though catching yabbies in the creek proved just as entertaining to Trent.

After lunch Basir and Farida decided to return to the homestead by camel in the company of six young bulls, which Basir selected to train. He negotiated their release from Goliath and linked them into a traditional caravan to lead.

Maliha and Najwa joined the caravan riding the new white camel together while Kaiser, Joanne and Anahita rode the three horses with Kaiser and Joanne each carrying one of her children.

Marge asked Anke to drive a vehicle with her three children. She didn't say as much but it meant Marge got to spend an hour alone in the other vehicle with her son.

No sooner had Marge turned the ignition key than she asked, "How did you meet Kelly?"

David shrugged his shoulders, "She crashed an aeroplane close to where we were in Afghanistan. We were told to find and look out for her. I'm not sure how much of that you're supposed to know."

"When did you fall for her?"

David gave his mother a long stare. "Fall?" He shook his head. "Falling sounds painful. I'm not sure I've ever fallen for anyone."

"I don't think you have until now either. I saw you all caught up watching her at the airport." Marge gave David a quick sideways glance. "What do you know about her?" She looked again waiting for an answer, "Other than how attractive she is to look at."

"I don't know much about her at all. Though I have noticed she's attractive." David looked out the side window and kept speaking, "If you're checking her stud book or whatever. I believe her family own a thoroughbred property in Kentucky. I know she's an accomplished rider." He looked at his mother. "You should be talking to Joanne. She met Kelly's parents and stayed two nights with them. Though my senses tell me Joanne already told you this?"

"Yes Joanne did mention she stayed with them. She also said her mother's name is Marjorie Page, her father is John Page and Kelly has a brother named David Page. Does that sound strange to you?" Marge gave David an intense look. "How come her name is Cassidy? Was she born before her mother married Mr Page or is she adopted?" Marge tried to sound casual though she wasn't able to hide the intensity of her questions.

"Neither." David spared his mother a quick glance. "I think Cassidy may be her married name."

"She's married?"

"Was. She's a widow. Her husband was killed in plane crash. In fact I'm pretty sure Wendy injured her leg in the same crash. So you might want to be a little tactful with your investigation."

"Farida said Kelly is the doctor who amputated Najwa's leg."

"Yes I know. I was there. I'd like to say I helped but the truth is I don't have much stomach for that kind of thing. I stoked the fire and boiled water like in the movies. Farida did the helping. She and Kelly are as hard as nails."

"How come she's a pilot and a doctor? I would have thought one of those professions would make more than enough money to live comfortably."

"Mum. You're behaving strange. Kelly is a part-time air force reserve pilot. In civilian life she's a doctor. I don't know any more about her than that. But seeing as you're asking questions you should know something else. Kelly operated on Najwa but she also dropped the bomb that injured her. So be careful who you talk to and what you say."

"I'm being strange am I? I don't want you to get hurt. She could even be related to us."

"Oh. That's the problem. So that's why you're asked if she's adopted." David looked back at his mother. "I don't think you need worry. She's way too smart to be interested in me." David looked at his hands and adding, "She's just a nice person. That's all."

"Malem said she was going to an aircraft carrier yesterday. What's she doing there?"

"Mum. I don't know and I doubt Kelly knows. I was on an aircraft carrier with her the other day and I have absolutely no idea why we were there and Kelly said the same thing."

"When... where were you on the aircraft carrier with Kelly?"

"Mum. You are acting very strange. Last week. I was staying at Wendy's house in Holland. Kelly turned up for the night. I think she flew in from America. Anyway Wendy told me to go with her. We delivered an aeroplane to an aircraft carrier off the coast of Malaysia. Then we flew to Darwin and caught the same plane to America Joanne was on." He gave his mother another glance. "I'm pretty sure the plane we delivered was the same plane Malem flew home in yesterday."

"Well I think all this is very mysterious. Flying all over the world. And I don't think Kelly and you being here together is an accident."

"We agree on that." David looked at his mother. "Mum. I hardly know Kelly. She's just someone I met and I'd like us to remain friends. Surely there isn't any harm in that."

"No there isn't any harm in being friends. Though you're popular these days. I've noticed Anke looks at you rather friendly as well."

"Mum. I think you've been out here on your own too long. Now you've got help you should pull back and plan a holiday for yourself."

"I was hoping you'd be home next year ready to take over. I was looking forward to going somewhere. I'd love to travel. I hear everyone tell me where they've been, what they've seen and I itch with envy."

"Where would you like to go?"

"I don't know. That's half the problem. I'm not sure I want to go on a blue rinse women's river cruise along the Rhine valley observing everything though glass with silly people laughing at smutty jokes they heard in Australia." Marge glanced at her son with a sad expression. "I'm not brave enough to go anywhere adventurous on my own."

"Why don't you find yourself a boyfriend and go as a couple?"

"Don't be disgusting. I'm still your mother."

David raised an eyebrow and looked at his mother for quite awhile. "You should have that particular talk with Joanne as well. She's scared about being with a new partner and she's just as determined to overcome her fear because she's grown to love the man. Plus shortly Joanne will be living in Europe. I'm sure she'd welcome you for a visit. As also would Anke and Wendy. And I'm willing to bet Kelly's mother would like to have you stay in America. Apparently she's as fascinated with you as you are with her." David grinned, "You might become friends with a foreign doctor, a pilot, or both and we'll all worry whether you'll come home next year."

"That's enough from you," Marge looked at him and managed a large loving smile, "Young man. Quite enough. I'll always be your mother. I reserve the right to worry about what I think is best for my children."

*****

Billie burst thought the door of the tiny cabin and almost knocked Elizabeth over. There was enough room for two people to stand if they didn't mind touching each other and kept the door closed. Four bunks were stacked two high on each side of a narrow area available for anything requiring an occupant to stand. The bunks were two foot six inches wide and six foot long. Four lockers for personal effects were stacked two wide and two high in the end away from the door.

The cabin was their home for now. Billie grabbed Elizabeth in a bear huge to keep upright.

"Flying with these guys is better than sex." Billie was riding high on adrenaline and full of excitement. She'd flown six sorties off Ike. Four in super hornets with a navy pilot plus two with Kelly one in each of the growler and the raven. She'd been up since before daylight and completed eight hours of flying and was now on a break to eat, freshen up and catch some sleep before dark when she was scheduled to fly two night sorties in super hornets.

Elizabeth looked down at Kelly and shook her head. The younger shorter woman was much quieter and more reserved than Billie. Her day had been just as exciting. She'd flown three sorties all in super hornets with Kelly sitting behind her as an instructing pilot. They'd returned an hour ago eaten showered and were now dressing to go again.

Kelly was lying on her bunk to give Elizabeth enough room to dress in comfort. When Billie looked down Kelly took the opportunity to say, "Billie climb in your bunk for awhile and let poor Liz dress without being pummelled by your elbows.

"Sorry." Billie climbed onto her top bunk on the other side of the room and stared down at Kelly. "Are you guys going up tonight as well?"

Elizabeth answered, "Kelly's taking me up before dark and again after dark. It's my launch and land test. If I pass I'll be type certified. These last two days have delivered answers for all my dreams."

Elizabeth pulled the last zipper in her gee suit and climbed on her bunk to allow Kelly to dress.

"Billie stop looking at me." Kelly focused firmly into Billie's eyes.

Billie looked surprised, "Sorry. I'm just watching. I don't mean any harm. You're so curvy, petite and muscular. You must workout like crazy. I'm... sorry."

"God Billie it feels creepy having your eyes follow me around the room. I'll see them in my sleep tonight." Kelly looked again into Billie's eyes. "I know you're harmless but couldn't you stick your head in one of those guy girlie books or something?" Kelly pulled her flight suit over her shoulders and relaxed a little as she pulled the zipper up the front. "Billie. How difficult would it be to override the lift spoilers on F-111 wings so they won't act as ailerons when the wings are fully extended."

Billie seemed stunned, "Where did that come from? That has nothing to do with mentally measuring feminine curves."

"You're supposed to be an electronics guru. And it does have a lot to do with creating definable curves." Kelly lightly poked Billie's arm. "I need to occupy your over active girl receptors while I dress."

"Probably not very difficult at all. Why would we want to?" Billie's mind was now fully absorbed in thought as if Kelly's body had evaporated.

"So we can execute flat turns at very low speed. Use the engines with the tail plane controls and scrub minimal speed with the plane rolling. We might need to change direction very, very quickly at virtually stall speed."

Billie shrugged, "You want to put the plane into a controlled flat spin." She rotated her head back and forward like she was relieving tension in her neck. "Let me sleep on it and do some homework. I take it you'd want to turn this feature off and on?"

"Yes..." Kelly sat on the side of her bunk and commenced to pull on and lace her boots. "Yes. A button on the flight control to stop the spoilers working while I'm pressing it would be great... if it can be done."

"Sounds doable. But why would anyone want to prevent the plane from rolling?"

"Give us a better chance at avoiding a missile at really low speed." Kelly pulled a non-committal face, "If we role we scrub speed and reduce horizontal surface area, we stand a good chance of stalling and loosing altitude to side slip." Kelly shrugged. "It's just something I've been obsessing about." She grinned and poked Billie's arm again, "Deep down you and I aren't so different. We both obsess over perfect curves. With you it's a visual physical thing. With me its..." Kelly swerved her hand through the air like a plane in flight. "Conceptual. My curves don't have nipples."

Without releasing her gaze toward Billie Kelly spoke over her shoulder, "Come Liz. Lets get you super hornet type certified." She turned to study Elizabeth's determined face then winked. "We can stick it in the nose of all the misogynists who dared to stand in your way. Then we'll set about finding you a new squadron."

Six hours later Kelly lay on her bunk clean and dressed ready for slumber. A proud Elizabeth bathing in her new flight status was on the bunk above and even though they were both due back in the air in six hours Elizabeth was in the mood for talking, which wasn't such a bad thing. Always boisterous Billie was due to burst through the door any moment.

Kelly took advantage of Elizabeth's next look over the side of her bunk to change the topic asking, "Do you socialise with Billie off the base?"

We didn't at first but we do now, all the time." Elizabeth learned on one elbow and rolled her eyes, "On the surface we're like chalk and cheese but we've grown quite close. I like Billie. She's amazingly professional at work. Even our horrible superiors acknowledge her skill. Officially they would tell me I was too short to fly the plane but in the mess when the alcohol started to talk it was always _we're not getting saddled with another upstart bitch showing everyone up_. Gender wise there was only the two of us who qualify for their charming characterisation. They purposely team Billie with inexperienced pilots to try to limit her targeting accuracy. When the air-board promoted Billie to flight lieutenant the squadron opposed it. They even tried to use the promotion to have her transferred. In our air force aardvarks are the only plane with a weapons systems officer on-board and Billie wouldn't agree to a change of job to an admin role."

Elizabeth released her arm to lay on her chest learning further over the side of the bunk and started flying the freed limb through the air to recover circulation. "Billie wanted to be a pilot but the powers told her she was unsuitable for flying because of an injury she incurred at the officer training academy." Liz put her arm back under her chin. "She was so capable at radar plotting and electronics no one could stop her becoming a wizzo. "Yet everyone knows she's flying on the wrong side of the plane. Billie's good at whatever she puts her mind to." Liz shook her head, "At first she frightened me. I tried to avoid her outside of work. She was way too familiar for comfort. Though eventually I realised the craziness is an act to hide how insecure she really is. Plus she lets me fly her aeroplanes."

Kelly interrupted, "Billie owns an aeroplane?"

"Billie owns several aeroplanes. She is an instructor certified commercial pilot and even moonlights as a remote area mail pilot for which she flies her own plane. I've even flown a few runs myself at Billie's insistence." Elizabeth stumbled on her words as if uncertain whether to speak then said. "My mother has decided Billie owns the mail contracting and charter business outright and flies to keep her hours current. She flies for Hope Air and is listed as the chief instructing pilot." Elizabeth shrugged as if it didn't matter. "Getting information like that out of Billie is near impossible."

Kelly lifted her head and moved closer to the edge of the bed. "Learning about Billie is like reading a mystery novel. She seems so uncomplicated until you start to dig."

Elizabeth nodded, "She purchases the rights to wrecked vintage aeroplanes and restores them, which means she completely builds the aeroplane as new. You have no idea how well they're decked out. Flying in Billie's moth has kept me sane this last six months. Plus with Billie's support and encouragement I've also qualified as a commercial pilot with instructor endorsement." Liz smiled romantically, "Now days we hang out like sisters, mostly at Titters. My family like to dance. I grew up dancing with my brother Phillip. He's gay and now days, wants me to lead. We keep tripping over each other. I took him to Titters to dance with Billie and they hit it off. Even my parents frequent the place when Mum is in town with a few days free. My whole family have adopted Billie."

"You know this sounds silly." Elizabeth rolled onto her back but kept talking, "My parents... we all keep inviting Billie to spend week-ends and holidays at our place but she won't stay. She'll come for the afternoon or dinner but always goes home afterwards. It's as if she's scared to connect and keeps her distance like she's afraid. Having no family really bothers Billie."

"What happened to her family?"

"She was raised by nuns in a convent. We assume she was given up at birth."

Kelly sat up, "Oh God. So my telling her she's a fraud no decent mother would name her child Billie was about as cruel as I could get." Kelly collapsed back onto her pillow.

Liz looked over the side of her bunk to make eye contact, "Yes. That would have really hurt. But she's Billie; she'll bounce back. I keep asking her to apply to find out who her parents are... or were. But she won't hear of it. I suspect she's scared of being rejected again." Liz produced a gorgeous smile. "The reason she's been looking at you apart from an obsession with broadening her understanding of breasts. She has convinced herself one day she'll meet a small woman. It will be pow-wham-bam an instant happy-even-after." Elizabeth paused a moment then added. "In the mess when she first laid eyes on you she told me she was have a déjà vu experience. Thought you might be the one. Though she's since decided you're not. Would you believe you're too tall," Liz laughed, "And now she knows you're a pilot you're too stuck-up and cranky to live with; her words."

Kelly grinned, "So that's what you were joking about. I could feel it involved me." Kelly looked up and closed one eye, "I'm relieved. I like Billie but I don't see us pushing a pram to day care together before work." Then pulled a frown. "I feel bad about what I said. I'll be more tactful in future."

As Kelly finished speaking the door flew open, Billie charged in and clawed at Liz with both hands tickling her ribs while boisterously rolling her back onto the pillow. "Well Jelly Beans. Did you pass? Or are we both disappointed."

"I passed." Liz giggled and squirmed, "You can stop tickling and kiss my cheek. Just a platonic peck, no tongue, no hands and no lingering stare."

Billie released Liz, gave her a quick peck on the check and moved further away saying, "You're no fun." She looked down at Kelly. "Neither are you. But it's fun for me being here with both of you."

Billie commenced to undress without the slightest attempt to turn away or hide from view. "I'm hitting the sack. Have to be airborne in six hours. Love this job."

*****

Wendy watched the two F-111's taxi to a stop on the tarmac on the military side of Canberra airport. She noted with some interest the small crowd of ground staff that gathered to watch the wedgetail taxi in, before dispersing into the VIP fleet hanger, had reformed. No surprise really after all F-111's have supposedly all been replaced in the US yet here were two sporting US air force markings. Wendy could see the trained eyes of aircraft maintenance staff pointing and comparing, obviously discussing a local aardvark bearing US marking while the other was a much more sinister looking all American raven with it's shorter wings bulging antenna cowlings and distinctively unusual blue and white colouring.

She also noted Elizabeth was flying the raven with Kaiser and while she couldn't see the crew in the aardvark it was obvious Kelly and Clancy would be on-board. She made a mental note to quiz Kelly about this arrangement when the time was right. She gave up watching from the open door of the E-7A wedgetail and returned to her coffee, which was waiting on the table in the crew quarters of the generously fitted out new aeroplane.

Wendy asked Sabina how long she intended to stay on-board basically trying to gage how far from Canberra they could initially stray while she coached Clancy and Kaiser in the working of airborne command activities. This flight would be crunch time. She was expecting the two SAS soldiers to quickly gain a working knowledge of the duties expected and have them appreciate the commitment needs of their skilled involvement.

Circling the national capital and seat of government of a trusted ally wasn't an ideal place to eavesdrop on conversations using computer analysis to collect intelligence. Having the ability to simultaneously listen to every conversation below in a city of three hundred and fifty thousand people and turn those conversations into logically identified threats with the ability to trace individual voice prints could produce disturbing results. Not to mention indefensible media and political attention.

Sabrina was along with a cameraman to gain an understanding of the working capability of a wedgetail. This very aircraft would shortly belong to the Australian air force thus providing a dream opportunity for a technology reporter. Sabrina would know the moment the local air force took possession of this aircraft it's capability would be classified as a military secret and she would in all probability be placed on the top of the list of people banned from looking inside. Sabrina answered, "I'm here for as long as it takes. When you land I'll get off and find my own way home if need be. I intend to take down everything I can. We can talk about what I'm permitted to divulge after we land."

Wendy nodded, "Be warned we'll probably be airborne for a week. I'll have a basic talk about content restrictions when we land and allocate someone from our embassy to continue that dialogue after I've gone. We want to approve every word and image about us forever. It goes without saying no one on-board gets filmed or interviewed except me. You know who everyone coming on-board is. Maintain their privacy. There may be a story opportunity for you later with Kelly, Billie and Elizabeth. Two different stories both headline grabbers. We'll talk about it later on."

Kelly and Clancy stepped through the door first closely followed by Elizabeth and Kaiser.

Wendy stood picked up her coffee and pointed a finger at Kelly then Elizabeth. "Lieutenants; talk in private. Up the front if you would." Wendy led the way forward speaking over her shoulder, "Captains, Voss and Page have a coffee. I'll be with you as soon as I dispatch the hired help."

Wendy sat at an operator work desk and turned the chair around to face the opposing work desks across the plane. She opened the draw of the desk beside her and elevated her left leg across the file rack. "Sit." She gestured with her arm to the vacant desks in front, "Elizabeth I believe congratulations are in order. Are you still prepared to spend a minimum one-year on secondment to the US air force?"

Elizabeth nodded, "Yes Ma'am very much so."

"Kelly, is she suitable?"

Kelly rolled her eyes and shook her head to display, for Wendy's benefit, her disapproval at being asked to comment in front of Elizabeth. Though deep down she knew Wendy already knew what she would say, "Yes Ma'am. Elizabeth is quick, smart, keen and hungry." Kelly showed her teeth in a mock hunting gesture, "She's a lot like you were a decade ago."

"Good." Wendy picked up a file and perused the contents as she spoke, "Do you have a preference posting location Elizabeth?"

"No Ma'am. I have no reason to favour any location over another. I expect to be posted where there is a vacancy and put to work. Given a choice I'd like to fly bombers. Ma'am."

"What about being near your Grandmother?"

"I'd love to be near granny but there are no bases close by where combat aircraft are stationed."

Wendy looked up and made eye contact, "If I offered you anything. What would you pick as your first preference?"

"B-1 Lancers based at Ellsworth."

"Are you in a relationship?"

"No Ma'am not the kind you mean. I'm in a relationship with my job. I want to fly aeroplanes."

"Good, because we have trouble with crew assigned to our bombers especially pilots. Everyone wants to be a bomber pilot. It seems glamorous until they realise a typical four-day flight involves taking turns at sleeping on the floor and sharing a porta pot. It's tiring dirty work and not many people can hack it. As soon as they qualify many ask for a transfer onto something softer. Can you hack four days in a cockpit where you can't even stand up to stretch Elizabeth?"

"Yes Ma'am. My Grandma and Grandpa did it in the war. My mother flies long haul commercial flights. I know what I'm getting into. I promise you I'll stay with it for as long as you'll have me. It's my dream Ma'am. My destiny."

"Good. You've got the job. You already have swing-wing experience under your belt so you'll be trained in Lancers on the job and based at Ellsworth. Which is also as near to your Granny as we can make it." Wendy looked at Kelly. "I want you two to take both planes back to Boulia. Then both of you can fly the raven and put down on Ike to pick up any possessions you have there. Sling them underneath the wing and make sure you take everything of Billie's as well. It wouldn't hurt to have Elizabeth gain experience landing the raven on the carrier before she arrives at her new posting; I'm assuming she took off this morning. When you return to Boulia have the maintenance staff swap the luggage onto the aardvark and deliver Lieutenant Ho to Ellsworth in the aardvark. You should both try catching same sleep on the way. They're expecting the two of you to arrive at Ellsworth today though you'll have time to..." Wendy smiled, "Drop into the old Larson air force base for some landing practice. You'll be expected to arrive at eleven hundred hours sharp local time. Kelly you'll need to stretch your legs while Elizabeth undergoes her final assessment." Wendy looked into Kelly's eyes and gave a small nod, "That's a request from Jim Mortimer. I'll keep my eyes open and make sure the assessor is contacted. They'll be waiting to meet you on arrival at Larson. Make sure Elizabeth is presentable. The media will be there.

"While in the states the aardvark and the raven will operate out of Ellsworth. They have the expertise there to service the planes. Elizabeth you'll be needed to fly the aardvark occasionally." Wendy looked at Kelly again. "Kelly you'll be catching a return flight to Boulia. Get some sleep on the flight. As soon as you arrive I want you to take the raven to Anderson on Gaum, on your own to link up with Billie. She's making her way there. She's carrier hopping in prowlers learning some practical electronic warfare techniques. The moment she turns up head off to the states. You'll spend sometime with Billie at Creech. Show her what needs doing. You may want to play war games testing some avoidance flying techniques as well as retaliation on the range at Nellis. I've authorised them to live fire at you when you're ready. I'll be airborne in this plane almost continuously for the next week so I'll keep in regular contact and may even see you. You and Billie need to be working together and combat ready by weeks end. When you're satisfied you can work together take a day or two off and relax if you haven't used all the time I've given you." Wendy grinned, "Fly home if you wish but whatever you do make sure you both get in a few good sleeps. When we link up next things will happen very quickly. You'll both be busy."

"Elizabeth your personal effects are on the way to Ellsworth and should arrive a day or so after you get there. I've also sent Billie's effects including her motorcycle. I'd like you to look after her belongings until we work out where she'll be posted, which could take a month. You should see her at Ellsworth regularly anyway. And I've discovered she owns several aeroplanes. One wonders why she said nothing. Tell her I'm working on ways to secure the planes for safekeeping and possibly transport them to the states if she'd like to use them over there. Let her know I'll be in touch with options."

Wendy smiled, "Good luck Elizabeth. I'm sure you'll do well." She waved her finger toward the rear cabin. "That's it. Off you both go. Send the others up here on your way out. It's time we were all airborne."

*****

Marge missed the fuss of feeding a large group at breakfast. Well, the second sitting was quiet, just Anke, Jason and the three children with her. She'd seen Joanne, her Granny and the two children off with Malem, plus David and Wendy, before daylight. Joanne was heading home to Perth to start packing, while Malem worked with Wendy.

Anahita and Maliha decided to stay at Pituri Downs with Farida's family. The two girls were good company for each other and Anahita felt secure, while they became more familiar with English as a language and the foreign customs. Marge had hatched a plan to help. She intended to locate Sister Veronica to help coach everyone and augment the lessons they would all be taking from the school of the air.

The changes on Pituri Downs were astonishing. All the buildings now had electricity. The four stylish curved roof, drive though buildings, to house aircraft were complete. The new runway was already over seven hundred feet long and currently growing at a staggering four hundred feet each day. The Captain explained everything to Marge, regularly taking her on little field trips to inspect the progress. He was proud of his team and the wonders of the jet grouting process that enabled them to progress so rapidly. Their current target was twelve more days, plus three days to clean up, barring mishaps or interruptions to the supply line. Everyone was growing ho-hum about the three C-17's dropping in everyday. Clocks could be set by their arrival, which was convenient because Marge now knew to shut all the doors and windows and keep the dust they churned up outside.

Of course it was all well intended grunts, grinds and whirls to Marge. She knew she would appreciate the value of the emerging runway. Being able to wash, iron and freeze things was already heavenly but the incessant noise and vibration was sometimes a little overbearing.

Anke was good company, she was having the time of her life, always able to entertain her three charges and keep them keenly wanting more. She even embraced the routine of schooling. The children were truly intrigued by lessons over the radio and lapped up their visiting guest role. Explaining to other children where they were from, how come they were here and what their day was normally like at home was fun for everyone. Plus the children were all making new friends.

"Are you guys still going out to Matthews for lunch today?" Marge was looking at Anke.

Anke had her mouth full but nodded while she swallowed and placed her hand to her chest a moment before saying, "Yes. Basir is taking these monsters," She ran a hand through Trent's hair, "On a camel trek to get there." She grinned. "We do it all the time in Holland."

"No we don't." Came from several young mouths together.

"Well you'll be able to tell everyone at school you went camel riding." Anke looked at Trent with kind motherly sternness, "You'll need to document everything in your holiday diary without any spelling mistakes or no one will believe it really happened. Will they?"

"I suppose." Was Trent's less than eager response? The boy brightened up, "I could take a photograph."

"You can take photographs. But you still need to write down where you went how you steer the camel and all the camel's names. You'll also need to document if anyone is seasick riding a ship of the desert."

Marge smiled. She loved Anke's easygoing manner. How she could motivate the children without the need to dictate was a pleasure to witness. Jason was quiet and thoughtful. It was as though he was married to Anke when Wendy was at work. Marge checked her own thoughts thinking how wicked that notion was. It only took one glance when Wendy and Jason were together to understand they were committed to a happy and trusting relationship. Yet it was quite unusual to have children treat two women equally as their mother. _Modern relationships are complicated, particularly when both parents work and travel regularly. It must be difficult balancing the responsibility of work and family._

Marge looked at Jason, "Did Wendy say how long she'll be away."

"At least a few days." Jason looked at the stove and seemed to contemplate life. "Could be as long as a week. She intends to give David and Malem a good work out on the duties they'll be required to perform up there. Plus she wants to make sure they can hack being cooped up inside a plane so long."

"What do they actually do up there that takes so long?"

"Listen, watch, record, inform and make decisions. Pretty much anything, except go for a long walk outside." Jason looked at Marge. "It's not the kind of work that suits everyone."

Marge stood and commenced to clear the table. "I can't imagine David or Malem being the most suitable candidates. They're always so active and uncomplicated. There must be lots of suitable people who are better educated that would jump at the opportunity to work with your wife."

"There are. Most want the job because deep down they're megalomaniacs. They have no understanding of the conservative application of authority, or empathy for innocent civilians caught in a war zone. They're obsessed with being heroic without being exposed to the risk of direct confrontation." Jason pulled a thoughtful face, "Your son and Malem know Afghanistan, speak the language and understand the culture. Plus they have a proven track record at applying rational, effective and appropriate solutions to resolve conflict."

Anke stood up and began to help Marge by preparing the sink for washing the dishes. She turned back to the table, "Children. Teeth. I want to see them shinning like pearls. The girls can go first. Trent you go with your father and get dressed. Make sure you wear something sensible. When the girls are finished, you can use the bathroom. I don't want to hear any inter-gender squabbling. When everyone is ready you can all walk up to Najwa's together, help her feed the chickens and milk the cows." Anke looked at Marge and with a role of her head quietly said, "And I might use the free time to lie down and cry."

Marge waited until she and Anke were alone together, "Do you ever think about re-marrying?"

Anke looked startled, "Marriage? Not sure I'll ever be ready for marriage." She looked at Marge, "If truth were to be told, lately I've developed a wicked curiosity to be carefree and very bad after dark." She shook her head, "We needn't worry. My slipping morality won't lead anywhere. I'm scared I'll be laughed at the moment I show my very, very second hand body."

"I don't think you need worry." Marge gave Anke a quick body length inspection, "You look well preserved to me. Anke, am I allowed to ask how old you are?"

"Sure I'm thirty four, the same age as Wendy and Jason. I married at twenty-four, fell pregnant at twenty-six and was widowed at twenty-nine." Anke spared Marge a pain-filled glance. "I was so happy with my head full of future plans, sitting in the hairdressers making myself pretty. My husband was coming home the next day. I'd just found a page in a book with a colour scheme to suit the house we planned to buy. They walked in and my bubble burst around me. Three weeks later I was sitting in a train carriage crying my eyes out with no idea where I was going." Anke looked through Marge with tears in her eyes, "People talk about hitting rock bottom. It's rubbish. There isn't a bottom. We just keep falling until someone grabs us, if we're lucky." She blinked her eyes clear, "Jason picked up Helga. I don't even know where he came from. He wiped her face and nursed her while Wendy asked if I had somewhere to stay. I've no idea why they took me home or how they recognised I had nowhere to go. Anyway, I'm still there and I don't really know what I'll do when the children grow too old to need caring."

Marge put her arms around Anke, "You can come and stay with me." She smiled at Anke, "Mind you I don't know where we'll be. We might find a little house with a picket fence and live with a dozen cats."

Anke looked up at Marge's, "You're not seriously wanting to leave here are you?"

Marge let go of Anke, "I don't know. Some days when I'm on my own I can think of nothing else. I think I'd like a holiday to help me decide what I want. Would you show me Europe if I turned up over there? I'm too scared to do anything on my own."

"I'd love that. I know Wendy has already invited you to stay. If you don't mind three children tagging along I'll treat you to the grand tour tourists never see; Anke's Europe. Now you have me excited. You have to come. I'll start planing. The moment Farida and Basir can run the place for a while on their own I'll expect to see you. I'll even fly out here and sit with you on the plane if that helps you take the plunge." Without thinking Anke kissed Marge on the cheek, "And when we're old we can both raise cats. We'll find a thatched roof cottage near a lock if Europe takes your fancy?"

Marge smiled and held Anke by the shoulders. "I'm not sure that's what you have planned. I saw the way you looked at my son."

Anke raised her eyebrows, "I saw you looking and realised how it must have seemed. You've got it wrong. Someone else has eyes for your son and your son doesn't know there is anyone else on the planet. I was looking at him, but I was thinking about one of his friends. I want to know more and I don't even know his name. I'm scared Marge. This is where the wicked curiosity comes from. He's so handsome and bold, and I'm... I've been living like a nun for so long. I've got stretch marks and... and all the rest that comes with being a mother including the insecurity. I'm even lopsided where men look first." Anke bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "It's driving me crazy. I think I may be crazy. I'm dreaming wicked things every night. Have you met Chiko and Muscat?"

Marge smiled a cheeky, surprised smile, "Yes I have. I've even met their parents." She raised her eyebrows. "And I can tell you they behave like brothers but their upbringing and background is like chalk and cheese. Which one captured your curiosity the most?"

"I like them both. But I can't get Chiko's cheeky boyish smile out of my mind. Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Yes I do. You're crazy." Marge put her hand on Anke's arm, "No I don't. He's a lovely young man and his parents are hard working down to earth folk like us."

"Tell me about him. At least tell me his name?"

Marge nodded but as she opened her mouth the children ran in. Trent yelled, "We're ready. Look." He tapped his teeth with a finger.

Jason spoke across the top of the three children, "I thought I might go for the walk and learn about eggs and chickens. And I can't remember what else but it sounded more fun than kicking aeroplane tyres."

##  Chapter 13

Kelly and Elizabeth taxied to a stop at Moses Lake airport, Washington state. It was ten fifty five. Elizabeth had no idea the complex had been an air force base, called Larson, years before she was born. She was nervous but managed a perfect landing, even after discovering she was here to see her grandmother and probably take her for a short flight in the F111. To Elizabeth, probably was ridiculous. She knew Granny would jump at the opportunity to fly with her granddaughter. Being in her nineties hadn't slowed her down at all.

Kelly remained in the plane with the helmet on when she realised the local media were taking photos. She made a quick exit while everyone was busy photographing Elizabeth hugging her grandmother. Kelly found a hanger, out of the cold wind, and sat drinking coffee while Elizabeth and her Granny entertained the media, which included a half hour flight, more photos and happy tears as they wished each other farewell.

Kelly felt confident she had escaped the attention of the photographic lens.

They landed at Ellsworth in the middle a freezing arctic blast at three in the afternoon. Kelly helped Elizabeth settle into her room with nothing but a blanket off the bed for warmth for the both of them. By five Kelly was seated in a vacant rear cabin seat of a Lancer en-route to Afghanistan, which flew the Pacific and dropped her off at Boulia at seven in the morning though with all the back-and-forward across the international date line Kelly had no idea what day it was.

The early rising plane spotters of Boulia were treated to a spectacular display. The Lancer landed and stopped as quickly as possible in less than a thousand feet. Without shutting the engines down they lowered the crew ladder let Kelly out restored the ladder and waited only long enough for Kelly to make it to the side of the runway before powering up the throttles. The plane ripped down the rest of the runway and into the sky under full afterburners. The noise was earth shattering. It would have been impossible for anyone in the small town to sleep through.

While the raven was being prepared for flight Kelly chatted with the drone pilots at their consoles in the control centre. She asked about loosing drones sighting her personal experiences ejecting from planes to fuel the conversation. She got the answers she wanted. Within an hour of her arrival she took to the sky for the four-hour flight to Guam content within herself another piece of the current mystery had been solved.

It was midday and pouring with rain when Kelly landing at Anderson AFB Guam. She quickly established Billie was yet to arrive and opted for a real bed in the transit hut to catch up on valuable sleep while waiting. The experience was pure luxury; within thirty seconds of her head touching the pillow she was sound asleep.

The room commenced shaking. There was noise and light and... "Oh God."

Kelly shook herself awake, stretched and brushed both hands through her hair. She opened one eye already aware what she was going to find. "Billie. Don't you ever do anything quietly?"

Billie looked sad, "I waited at least ten minutes with the light on but you didn't stir. I decided to sing you a lullaby." She grinned, "I thought you'd prefer that to my lifting the sheet right off you to inspect everything more closely. You've got tattoos."

Kelly's eyes widened, she reached and pulled the oversized tee shirt hem down to a modest level then covered herself to the neck with the sheet she'd obviously kicked off in the tropical warmth. "Billie. You've been staring at me again. I've told you before ladies don't stare at each other."

"Not really. I didn't lift the covers you kicked them off before I got here. I was only looking at what you were inviting me to see." Billie nodded, "Why do you have tattoos? I thought you'd be the last person to paint yourself in body ink." She raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Maybe the Ms Prim persona is just an act. Deep down you're one of those nymphs with a secret fetish for whipped cream and wholesome ladies wearing skimpy lingerie."

"Billie," Kelly shook her head. It was strangely impossible to become annoyed with Billie's curious zest for the bold and impersonal. "A friend who was as crazy as you before she grew up talked me into getting a tattoo of the aircraft we'd flown together in combat." Kelly stared at Billie's growing eyes. She knew what was coming.

Billie lifted the sheet, "Aeroplanes?" Kelly placed her hand over her lower abdomen just above her right hip to stop Billie's enthusiastic hands from lifting her tee shirt. The disappointment on Billie's face rapidly flowed. "Won't you give me a tiny peep? I didn't notice an aeroplane."

Kelly rolled her eyes pushed the tee shirt down in the middle and carefully lifted the side over her right hip until the five small tattoos were on display. She waited a moment to not interrupt Billie's enthusiastic inspection, which even included running her finger gently over the area. "No touching." She read Billie's confused expression and said. "Eagle, Phantom, Raven, Falcon, Warthog. It's a stupid thing. She didn't talk me into it. She got me drunk and I woke up with an eagle the same as hers." Kelly shrugged, "Now I'm obsessed. I've run to add another each time I've flown something new. If my mother ever finds out I've got tattoos she'll disown me. Throw me out, have my room disinfected and board it up to erase me from her life."

"You've flown a phantom?"

"Yes. A few times, wild weasel flights over southern Iraq to locate portable missile sites."

Billie's curious frown displayed she was impressed. "I don't believe your mother doesn't know about your tattoos?"

"Why would she know? I'm thirty-three Billie. Mummy doesn't scrub behind my ears any more, or dress me in frilly white dresses with a pink bow around my waist and pigtails to make sure I look completely stupid." Kelly shook her head. "I promise you Billie my mother would scream from the roof top if she knew I had a tattoo. Tattoos definitely fall into the unladylike category much higher up the list than flying aeroplanes and wearing shapeless pantsuits to work. She'd say something and never stop reminding me. I'm quite sure my mother thinks it rude to completely undress even in the shower. I'll never understand how she ever got pregnant, was definitely after dark with the lights off. She may have been asleep." Kelly sat on the side of the bed, "Anyway. Unless you need to rest we should start making tracks. Wendy wants us in the states as soon as possible."

Billie shrugged, "I'm good to go. I might catch some sleep on the flight if that's okay. I just came in from Hawaii. The weather out there..." Billie pointed east, "Is shocking. We couldn't get above it. We got thrown around some and the lightning... I thought I'd get frizzled for sure until they let us shut down the jamming pods. At one stage we were riding a three hundred knot tail wind. Wind shear had us all over the place."

"It was pretty bad for me too. It didn't let up from above New Guinea to here. I had trouble with ice on the leading edge at one stage."

"If you've just come from Australia where's Liz?"

"Sleeping in her room at Ellsworth, South Dakota. She's in training to fly lancers and has the aardvark with her as a plaything. We flew over together yesterday. I bummed a ride back to pick up the raven and come up here to locate you. Liz is looking after your kit until you find a home. We'll get some work done in the next few days and go check on her. See if she has an American accent and if you're really well behaved I'll take you home to meet my parents."

Billie's eyes shined, "You'd take me home? I've never slept in a house. Ever."

"Billie, don't talk rubbish. Of course you've slept in a house."

Billie looked hurt, "Honestly. I haven't. I grew up in a Monastery, went to boarding school and university where I lived in a dormitory then joined the air force and I live in the barracks. I've never slept in a house, not even one night. Even on holidays working, I always sleep in the bunkhouse."

"Okay. But Elizabeth told me she invites you to stay at her house regularly and you won't go."

"Yes. It's silly. Lizzie comes from such a happy family. I love them. I thought I might bring bad karma down on them. The only hope, for Billie Hope is to break the jinks, find my own family and a cure. Only then will I be able to stay with Lizzie's perfect family."

"Finding your own family is supposed to be easy. Don't you just fill out a form and pay some tax no doubt. I'm surprised you haven't done so already."

"No, it's neither simple or easy. I'm sure I'm the product of a sinful liaison between a gullible nun and a disgusting, hypocrite priest. I don't want to know specifically which witch's DNA I'm crafted from. Knowing for sure would be tacky. I'd rather be alone forever than burden that shame."

"You can't know that. What if you're wrong? What if you're really the third Hilton sister or the love child of two movie stars who wanted to shield you from public gaze? Your parents might be waiting with empty hearts for you to come home and claim your fortune. People who abandon a child usually do so because they love them so much. Giving up your baby is sometimes the kindest gift a mother has to give. Why don't you apply and find out one way or the other."

"Because it's more likely to be the other. Why would they keep me locked in the witch house with witches all around me other than to hide me from their public shame and remind the witches of their own human frailty? Good things never happen to me. Every time I pick myself up and start to feel good inside some out of control juggernaut ploughs me back into the dirt." Billie paused a moment looking reflective, "I'm not blaming anyone or feeling sorry for myself. But it is how it is. I have to live with the shame of being unnecessary... unneeded. No body's child."

"Well you're wrong. I know your wrong. I've only known you a few days and I already feel your necessity. I'm starting to feel I need you to stay close to keep me from feeling sad. Now look the other way no peeping and no imagining what you can see. When I'm dressed we'll find something to eat and get under way."

"Where do you get these bra's from?"

"What?"

"These bras with the little man emblem print on the right tit cover? They're pretty."

"Billie. Stop reading my bra size and don't rub the material against your cheek. Hand it to me now, don't look. And they're breasts not..." Kelly shook her head.

"Okay." Billie handed the bra over looking like a child returning a stolen pencil case, "Your breasts are really pretty. Most thirty, AA's have the nipples too far toward the outside edge as if they haven't filled in fully. Yours are perfect. They're juicy and ripe. And..."

"Billie! Stop it. I didn't choose any breasts; they just grew. I'm sure I'd be a lot happier if I didn't have a gender. Besides you should be concentrating on solving the raven lift spoiler problem."

"Oh, I've solved that already. We can do that with a small software change. I'll even install it as we fly to American. It's perfectly safe to do in the air. The only real problem I have is finding out where to buy bras made from such soft material and a pretty little logo on the right... breast. And whether they come in a size to fit me. Plus now I'm worrying why you aren't comfortable being you. I love being female. I don't think I could handle being anything else."

"Billie. If you keep this breast obsession going I'll tell my mother and she'll really come down on you. I suspect mother already knows where to attach the electrodes and what current to apply. With the turn of a switch she'll have everything incorrect and impure in your head erased. She'll have you thinking lady only ladylike thoughts for the rest of your life. You'll turn into one of those sour faced, boring drudge women who live with cats, knit cardigans and never miss a tea party fuelled by social gossip. And the really scary part, you'll act incredibly happy." Kelly grinned at Billie's confused face. "Come on lets find something to eat we need to get motoring."

Three hours into the flight Kelly and Billie were passing north of Midway Island with twenty minutes flight time remaining to their first tanker hook up. Because they were racing across time zones toward the earth's rotation it was already dark. Flying at eight hundred knots they could expect to see the sun rise in as little as five hours. Billie had located all three planned tanker hook ups minutes after take off on long-range radar. All were displaying on Kelly's moving map as waypoints on their trip to Ellsworth, South Dakota.

The radar made them both aware of a logjam behind the first tanker, which they put down to the atrocious weather they'd been forced to negotiate for the first two hours of their flight out of Anderson. They had been buffeted by strong winds coming from every quarter of the compass with sudden wind sheer that had them changing altitude dramatically without warning. Driving rain and hail reduced their visibility to zero; lightning was unavoidable and quite scary.

However the weather had steadily improved over the past hour. They were still flying in disturbed air and being buffeted around but the moonless sky was now painted in a brilliant canvas of stars.

They figured the weather had caused the aircraft to bunch up behind the tanker. Probably the pilots were trying to regain some natural night vision before approaching the tanker for fuel. No less than eleven military planes were lingering behind the tanker. Some were flying in formation but most were travelling alone on their own course. Occasionally one would move forward to take fuel then retire behind to presumably wait for their colleagues. It was a situation liable to cause drama if they weren't being carefully organised.

Billie radioed the tanker stating their intention to receive fuel. The answer was rather disturbing. They were told not to approach for the planned rendezvous and alter course to the south to seek fuel from Hawaii, another one thousand five hundred miles away.

Billie quickly replied stating it wasn't possible for them to make Hawaii with their current fuel levels, which wasn't strictly correct but to do so meant reducing speed and taking much longer to reach their destination. Neither of them figured that a worthwhile undertaking to satisfy an overworked tanker crew. Better to wait fifteen minutes and receive fuel here. Billie stated their intention to continue on the current heading and wait their turn.

Another voice came over the radio, "You are entering a restricted flight zone without authorisation. Turn away now or you will be fired upon."

Billie replied, "Are you the author of Mein Kampf. Don't be such a Bogan, identify yourself? If you're lost we'll even help you find your way but you don't own our sky. We need fuel. We will continue on our current heading and get it."

The audible tune of an AGP-63 combat scanning array lit up Billie's combat display. It was searching and honing for their plane to target.

Within a heartbeat Billie detected the honing signal using countermeasures and called out to Kelly, "Hostile, bearing seven two, range twenty two mile, declination six," As she updated both displays with the hostile target source.

Before Billie finished speaking Kelly had their plane rolling to starboard and down, onto the minimum closing course to intersect with the target direction. They accelerated under full afterburners. Showing every effort to display hostile intent to rattle their opponent and put him under stress, plus building up speed to avoid a missile if one was actually set loose at them.

Billie jammed the targeting signal with her ALQ-99 high frequency jamming radar. Knowing the original targeting signal was coming from an F15 Eagle she split her frequency initiating jamming on an ALQ-131 countermeasure system to prevent the hostile plane from defending itself against them. Then she initiated seek and acquire toward the offending target using her superior scanning arrays. She found two F15 strike Eagles flying in formation and allocated several AIM-9 sidewinders one for each target, which would promptly commence to emit the chilling audible high pitch tone loudly in the defenceless ears of the targeted crews.

It was a bluff they weren't carrying any ordnance but she knew the offending plane's crew wouldn't know they were unarmed. Besides the honing signal set upon them was coming from such an acute angle the opposing crew couldn't successfully launched a missile without turning toward them, something neither plane had done. Without speaking Billie knew Kelly would also know this. It's a pride thing; combat crews take a heavy hit in the holding-their-head-high stakes when they're outplayed.

With the range to target showing seventeen miles Kelly stabilised their speed at mach one point two. The target planes hadn't tried to resist or avoid them, which was a fascinatingly poor showing for jet jockeys. She grinned when she heard the missile convincingly lock onto both targeted aircraft and could imagine how the poor crews felt. At this range, attack angle and launch speed they stood no chance.

Billie yelled into the radio, "Bang, Bang, Bogan. Your dead. Splattered everywhere. Anyone else around here needing to show superiority, have a go. We'll accommodate you? You're all a bunch of rosy-cheeked premature ejaculators. Stay out of our way we're coming in for fuel."

The radio responded, "For god sake slow down to four hundred and fifty knots, come round to heading due east and maintain your altitude steady at forty one thousand feet. We have a problem up here we don't wish to broadcast. You're obviously using an integrated combat system, which defies the raven racon signal you're emitting. Release your jamming signals so we can communicate privately. Who the hell are you guys anyway?"

Kelly reduced speed and pulled onto the designated bearing holding her altitude as requested while Billie powered down the jamming lock emissions. The combat display immediately commenced to receive a text message. _Sorry about the drama. We have a missing aircraft. We believe it's still airborne with lost ability to communicate or identify using the friend or foe interrogator. They probably also have no navigation support. We don't want you running into them. But you can help us search. We were hoping the crew of the lost plane would see the tanker's navigation lights and approach it visually but they should have been here by now._

Billie typed, would you like us to locate the plane for you?

The reply came back. I wish it were that simple. The lost plane is a B-2 spirit. You won't be able to detect it on radar. We think they may have taken a nasty lightning strike and lost most of their electronics. It has happened before in the daylight and closer to home. If they went down the crew would certainly have ejected and we'd be detecting their personal satellite locators. We have no real idea where they are.

Billie typed. We can find them. We're carrying all the gear we need on-board. If they're within a two hundred mile radius of here we'll locate them. We will need to get up as high as we can to make sure they're below us. Are they likely to be above us? We'd hate to run into them on the way up.

Billie looked at Kelly. She didn't need to ask. Kelly just answered, "We can probably get up to sixty five thousand feet. We'll use a lot of fuel and the engines will over speed so we can't stay there long." As Kelly spoke the message came through explaining when the aircraft was last heard from and where that had been.

Kelly commenced to climb. "How do you intend to find them?"

"Easy. If we can get high enough we'll send down a low frequency signal, which will be absorbed by all the aircraft below us. Then we forget about aeroplanes and scan the water below on our normal terrain demographics navigational radar. We should pick up some little islands, which will be our receptors automatically detecting spots where the low frequency signal has distorted into what is thought to be solid ground because the plane shadows below us absorb any low frequency signal to leave a dense spot effect at ground level showing up as a small landmass."

Kelly looked at Billie a moment and shook her head, "For the sake of the crew I hope you're correct."

Billie nodded in agreement, "Finding them will be easy. Guiding them to safety a little more complex. Do pilots in the US air force know Morse Code?"

Kelly gave Billie another look, "Yes. They should know the basics. I wouldn't bet on them being very proficient."

Billie split her screen to show the normal radar image with the eleven aircraft slotted on it. She tagged the three spirits flying together and pulled up her moving map scan beside it and toggled her heat receptors until she could detect the definable plume spots on the water. She started calculating which plane was responsible for each spot taking particular notice of the image intensity being generated below the three spirits.

Eventually Billie yelled out, "Bingo. Look. That's got to be them. They're south of us and almost thirty mile ahead of the tanker."

Billie tagged the spot on the ground, which might have been an island were it not moving. She passed it onto Kelly's moving map as a target to intercept. And said, "Take us down the beam. Carefully. We don't know their altitude. But the spot will keep growing in size as we approach them. Be warned, if the image disappears the plane is very close and between us and the detectable spot. Comprehend?"

Kelly grinned, "Got it. I'll keep the spot in sight and if need be we'll go past not through the plane." She set her night vision equipment in front of her eyes and scanned the eerie green soup of darkness ahead hoping the dark sinister outline would appear with enough time to avoid any dramatic avoidance manoeuvre.

"Good." Billie returned to her screens, "I'll try to detect their exhaust heat plume. Might give us more time to avoid them."

In a matter of minutes the large shadow of a flying wing was in sight. They inched in behind the plane and slowly edged forward along the plane's left side trying to see in the cockpit. It was dark then suddenly they saw a beam of light being waved as if the aircraft had no instrument lighting and the pilots were checking their status with a flashlight.

Kelly removed her night vision goggles, turned on the plane's navigation lights and switched on the small cockpit light so she and Billie could both be seen. It took an agonising few seconds before the beam on the flash light waved toward them, then it was turned around so the pilots eliminated themselves and waved an enthusiastic greeting.

Billie returned the wave and offered a thumb's up before sending a status report through the secure link offering the location, altitude, heading and speed of the spirit and added that the crew seemed to be coping fine. She requested an update on the planes most likely fuel status and a recommended destination for the plane to be escorted to. Plus she requested ideas on how best to communicate with the crew? She also asked that the tanker be brought forward to their moving location so they could refuel without losing contact with the spirit.

The reply was unexpected and verbal, "Raven, zero three seven experimental this is Widow Maker on-board Sentry minor. Maintain your current activity. New destination for both you and your tag is Whiteman. Your tag refuelled over midway on the outward journey before turning back when the current problem occurred. They have flown approximately three thousand miles, which is half their range. Both you and your tag should reduce speed to three hundred knots to help the tanker get in front of you. The tanker will take forty minutes to complete current tasks and catch you up. After re-fuelling your tag will not require additional fuel. You will refuel via your third scheduled tanker and maintain visual contact with your tag while doing so. Good hunting. Widow out."

As soon as Wendy finished speaking the combat display began to scroll with text, Raven 037x this is Widow Maker on-board sentry minor. The optimum cruise speed for your tag is identical to a Boeing seven four seven. It will therefore be safer if the tag follows a commercial flight. There is a flight out of Manila bound for Seattle approximately two hundred miles behind you that will pass almost directly below. I recommend you refuel and maintain your speed at three hundred knots until the commercial airliner is in front of you. Then follow their navigation lights at a discreet distance while maintaining your higher altitude. You can use your radar to maintain your position behind the commercial flight. By the time you reach Seattle it will be dawn, which will make flying the spirit easier as they will be able to see what instruments are still functional and the horizon. Your most difficult task will be guiding them in to land. They'll need a lot of help. You'll do all their communication, check their wheels and flaps are correctly deployed, and effectively simulate a landing approach beside them so they can judge their correct speed and sink rate from you. When you contact Whiteman tower have them give you the full run down of a spirit's approach. Nobbling these eagles back there was mighty fine teamwork. I'm impressed. Good hunting, Widow out.

Billie gave Kelly I mock punch on the shoulder and in an American accent said, "Mighty fine teamwork sister. He's impressed." Billie dropped the accent and continued, "Should we be impressed? Who's Widow Maker anyway? Do we know?"

Kelly looked across at Billie and shook her head, "God you're dumb sometimes Billie. Widow Maker is Wendy... Colonel Maiden. And, yes. We should be impressed with her being impressed."

"So where is she?"

"Probably over Afghanistan. She's flying Australia's newest E-7A Wedgetail. It's still being tested."

"Anyway. I recon we can communicate with those guys over there." Billie pointed at the dark silhouette beside them. "Do you want to listen to my MP3 player with me?"

"What?" Kelly gave Billie a searching look as she continued to slowly, slow their aircraft while keeping the two planes side-by-side. The other crew seemed to have caught on to what was required. "We need to listen to the radio."

"We can. I can play it through both helmet speakers. It will cut out if there is a message. In fact it will automatically record the message. But more importantly I want to play music so I can test whether the sound will drive into the helmets next door by running it through the jamming pod on the outer wing hard point. If we pull it off we'll be able to talk to them." Billie glanced at Kelly but quickly returned to playing with her console. "You'll need to line the pod up to pass the signal through the side window because the plane skin will absorb most of our transmission."

"Do it." Kelly spared Billie another quick look as she continued to hold her hand up making a stop sign and symbolically pushing it down to signal the other plane to reduce speed still further. She even held up three fingers and made a naught with her thumb and index finger placing it beside where the fingers had been, "Underneath your ditsy girlie persona there's a fully functional geek."

When the music started Kelly recognised the first song with the first distinctive strum of a guitar. "Oh wow. Cut Bank, Montana. Good opening choice."

Billie appeared impressed, "You know the song?"

Kelly didn't speak she shook her head indicating a yes.

"It's my motivational theme song. It's going to come true. We'll meet one-day. We'll lock eyes and both know. She'll drop everything and come to Cut Bank to live a simple life in my cabin in the mountains."

Kelly made an audible laugh, "Do you have the cabin yet?"

"No. I need to find her first. Then we'll purchase the right cabin together."

The tune finished and started playing again. "Is this all that's on the tape? We don't have to listen to this all the way do we?"

"No. We play this one five times and then we play the other song five times. I said it's my motivational tape."

"Billie. You've never been to Cut Bank. Have you?"

Billie pulled a frown, "No. But I'm going to go. I'll pick a nice little cabin with a beautiful mountain view and buy it for my girl. You'll see."

"Billie. There aren't any mountains in Cut Bank. Cut Bank is on the high plains. It's almost flat." She shrugged, "It's a bit of a dump."

"You're just saying that to be mean. I'll bet you've never been there either." Billie looked sideways. "Have you?"

"Billie. I was born in Cut Bank. All the mountains are fifty miles west of Cut Bank."

"You're lying to me. You're trying to be a killjoy. You want to crush my dreams. I've got my heart set on taking her to live in the mountains at Cut Bank. You never lived there. Did you?"

"I've never lived there. My grandparents live on farms near Cut Bank." Kelly looked at Billie to emphasise her words, "On the flats. I used to visit in the holidays; on the train." She spoke normally again. "My father was in the air force. He and my mother were stationed on Okinawa when I was conceived. Mum and my brother stayed with her parents while she was carrying me. I was born in Cut Bank like both my parents."

"Your father was in the air force?"

"Yes. He was a pilot."

"Wow. You're a pilot's daughter. No wonder you fly so well. It's genetic. What did your father fly?"

"He flew a few different planes. He started on F104's and finished up flying U2's. He was flying SR71's while on Okinawa."

Billies stared at Kelly her eyes open wide. "Your father flew blackbird's and dragon lady's. You have a habu man for a father. Oh god. You have to take me home with you. I've never met a habu man. Kelly, you promised. You have to take me home to meet your father. You must."

Kelly looked at Billie amazed by the excited expression she saw. "You shall Billie. I promise I'll take you home. He's my superman too. I love my Dad. He's my best friend."

Billie had tears of excitement in her eyes. "You're not lying to me are you?"

"Billie. Scouts honour. I'll take you home and we'll even fly over Cut Bank. We'll get approval to land. Cut Bank airfield is quite large. It's an old air force base. If we land there you can tell this girl Goddess you've come from Cut Bank when you meet."

Billie lifted both hands and clenched her fists twice. "We're ready. Raise the plane up a little and move forward. Put the outer wing pod as near to their side window as you safely can. I suppose I should add, without disturbing the airflow onto their wind tip. That's the last thing they need right now. They should already be hearing our music." She made a few selections on her screen, flicked a few switches on the console between her legs and spoke into a small hand held microphone. "Hello over there. Hope you like our music. Give me a thumbs up if you can hear me."

The flashlight came on and shinned on the closest pilot who pointed at his head and nodded in time to the music beat then raised his thumb.

Billie and Kelly gave each other a high five before Billie continued to speak into the microphone. "Okay guys. We want you to slow down to three hundred knots so the Midway tanker can catch up and re-fuel us both. When that's taken care of we'll fly to Whiteman together. Give me a thumb up if you can fit that into your schedule."

Both pilots showed an enthusiastic thumb.

Billie again spoke, "Do you want to keep listening to my head set? If you can stand my taste in music it will let you know we can still communicate with you?"

Again both thumbs went up and started nodding to the beat.

"Wave your flash light if you need something. We can play guessing games until we work out what you want."

Billie put down the microphone and pulled a small black box out of her flight kit. She plugged it into a socket coming from her laptop and commenced to type. Eventually she unplugged the box. Set a row of micro-switches with her fingernail then pressed a button on the end of the box and placed it above the console near the windscreen. She looked at Kelly and dusted her hands saying. "That should do it."

Kelly looked confused, "What is it?"

"A phantom transponder. It's transmitting the racon identifier for that spirit. So to all intents and purposes they're back on the grid. As long as we stay together it can do only good and no harm."

"God Billie. How do you do these things? You look so normal. What else do you have in the bag?"

"Lots of things. Best to be prepared I think."

The spirit had settled into the task of following the Philippine airlines seven four seven, ten miles behind, which appeared to be making the spirit crew's tasks bearable. They had enough fuel to make it home. From time to time the flashlight would scan the instrument panels but otherwise all was quiet. The planes needed to remain side by side as neither had any visibility behind the cockpit.

On one occasion the flashlight went quite crazy waving around, which worried Billie until she worked out one pilot had left the cockpit and was in the small corridor probably using the toilet. When they settled back in their seat both pilots started eating and seemed to have better rations on-board than were being carried in the raven. Being able to get out of the seat and move around had quite a lot of appeal to Billie and Kelly.

Eventually Billie went back to playing with her instruments, which now included several leads linking her laptop into the array. Occasionally she would raise her head to check all was quiet on-board the spirit before going straight back to her work, which included talking to herself or more precisely talking with the digital activity in front of her.

"What are you doing?" Kelly couldn't stand the silence. She'd grown to enjoy Billie's conversations. It passed the time.

"Re-programming the lift spoiler software so you can do your flat turn thing."

"What?" Kelly stared at Billie, who didn't notice. "Tell me you're not doing anything dangerous. I try to put on a brave face Billie but I really do hate crashing. Not sure those guys over there would be to happy if we go spiralling down either."

"Kelly you've got no faith." Billie looked up long enough to raise her eyebrows toward Kelly before looking back to her screens. "It's perfectly safe. Lift spoilers do virtually nothing until we slow down. Anyway it's finished and you didn't feel a thing. Any time you feel like playing hold your thumb on the gun button, which does nothing in this plane and work your controls. If you don't touch the gun button everything is normal. Basically holding down the gun button makes the system think the wings are retracted so the lift spoolers won't function during turns. Um, do I need to tell you to keep your thumb away from the button on landing?"

Billie disconnected the cables into her laptop and commenced to pack it away, "Why don't you like being a girl."

Kelly gave her another glance. "I didn't say I don't like being a girl. I'd kill myself if... I couldn't live in a male body or more precisely I couldn't live with a male brain. I think men are repulsive."

"Now who's speaking? You're starting to sound as gay as I am."

"No Billie I'm not gay. I think women are repulsive as well. Sexually anyway." Kelly maintained her gaze forward but shook her head. "I said I wished I didn't have a gender. I'd like people to be attracted to me not my appearance. Or in the case of males what they think they can do to me." Kelly spared Billie a quick glance and made eye contact, smiled and spoke softly, "That might apply to you as well."

Billie smiled back. "It doesn't. I think you're gorgeous. But you're not for me. I don't have any hidden passion to lick the sweat off your naked back..."

Kelly screwed up her face and shivered, "God Billie. I'm relieved. Oh God." Kelly shivered again, "Is that how you see other women?"

"Noooo. No, I don't. I was trying to be funny... male funny. I guess it's not funny is it?" Billie displayed sadness on her face again.

"Don't be sad. I know what you mean." Kelly touched Billie on the arm, "How did you discover you were gay? Like at what age did it occur to you, your thinking was... I don't know how to put it into words. I don't want to say wrong or different because you're not wrong or different. Being gay to you is the most natural thing in the world. I probably shouldn't be asking but I am curious. Like for me... I'm a tomboy. I've always been that way. But growing up I didn't want to be a boy and I know you're the same. I'll bet you were regularly told to stop trying to be a boy. I used to get it all the time. But you're not a tomboy. You're so elegant and girlie, comfortable being female. That's why I know my mother is going to take to you."

"I don't know. It's weird. I grew up not knowing I was a girl. I thought _girl_ was my name because they used to call me _girl_." Billie rolled her eyes a moment, "I know that sounds stupid. But I lived with nuns and they never talk about real life. I thought... assumed I was a little nun and was horrified that one day I'd be a big one like them. They're all witches. They are so mean spirited the idea of becoming one scared me to death."

Billie stopped talking and studied the finger end of her flight gloves for long enough to have Kelly visually check on her. Eventually she continued, "It's hard to explain. I knew nothing, nothing about relationships or biology. To nuns everything is Gods will and silent acceptance." She again stopped talking for a long moment. "When I started menstruating I had no idea what was occurring. I found the mess felt where it came from, concluded I was seriously injured and screamed my lungs out. The group of nuns I attracted looked at my hands, went straight to the source, conferred, told me to get up and stop making a fuss; it was God's curse. They showed me how to bandage the problem and sent me to pray for five hours to beg God's forgiveness for my sinfulness." Billie quietly studied her gloves yet again. "I lived in blissful ignorance and was at university living in a dormitory filled with worldly openness before I discovered what God's curse really was. Until then it was a cruel punishment for being sinful. I didn't know anyone else experienced the same, nor did I even realise God's curse actually followed a calendar pattern." Billie glanced across the plane, her face captured in the most gorgeous smile. "You're going to think me stupid. I escaped the nunnery, attended a boarding school for young ladies yet was at university before discovering I was actually a girl, female. I started looking at pictures in magazines and reading anatomy books in the library. I wanted to discover what the other people who looked a lot like me were talking about. It was quite obvious none of them were going to turn into nuns. Our dormitory was known as the dildo club and I didn't know what that meant. Anyway I got tummy butterflies sometimes looking at pictures of girls in magazines. Eventually the same happening watching or talking to some girls and it never happened with boys. I realised I loved being near girls for all kinds of reasons, which lead to more research in the library reading books about emotion and metaphysics." Billie looked across the plane again, "Sorry to take so long. I was eighteen when I learned who I was and what I am."

Kelly put her hand on Billie's arm and left it there a moment, gave a light squeeze before taking her hand back to the aircraft controls. "I like you Billie. I like you just the way you are." She pressed her thumb on the gun select button and gave the controls the gentlest wobble. She could feel the plane yaw without rolling and wanted to throw the thing into a sharp turn but knew she couldn't until tomorrow. "Exactly the way you are. Billie, what you've done to the wing spoolers sets butterflies loose in my tummy."

Billie looked and smiled, "You don't like flying that much do you?"

"I do. I'm in love with flying. I can't explain the attraction. Like what we're doing now to most would be boring but I love being up here. I love the sound, the smell, the view and I love the feel of the throttle in my hand. It gives my life purpose. I don't know what I'll do for my jollies when I'm too old to fly." Kelly glanced at Billie and saw the flashlight being waved behind her. She touched Billie's arm, "Looks like your friends want something?"

Billie looked and picked up the microphone. "You guys okay over there?"

She watched the pilot shake her head indicating yes. The pilot pointed at the co-pilot, made a steeple with both hands putting them beside her helmet to lean on meaning sleep and pointed behind her. She pointed a hand toward the raven placed both hands on her heart and then simulated wiping her forehead.

Billie looked a Kelly. "Did you catch what he just indicated? It was something about sleep."

Kelly said, "I think she's telling us the co-pilot will be out of her seat for some time."

Billie picked up the microphone, "I think we got it. You're letting us know the co-pilot is going for a sleep and we shouldn't worry about the vacant seat."

The thumb went up.

Billie said, "Can you settle something for us. Are you guys both female; like us?"

The thumb went up and the head nodded.

Billie nodded and continued, "In about three hours we'll alter course very slightly to the south of our friendly plane out ahead of us. Just a few degrees so we cross the Oregon coast and pass over Eugene. It'll be daylight by then. We want to get you home as quick as we can. We'll be picking up a tanker as soon as we make the coast. It would probably be safest if you wait for us."

The thumb again supported the nodding head. The co-pilot climbed out of her seat and blew a kiss as she disappeared behind the cockpit window just before the flashlight went out returning them into darkness.

Billie put down the microphone and said to Kelly, "Do you really like flying so much? Like I love this job too. Mostly I love the achievement, the challenge. But I know one day I won't be fit enough to keep doing it." Billie grinned, "As long as I've met my dream girl. She'll help me cope with my loss, in our cabin."

"Billie. You're crazy. I've already worked out the other song on the tape is where you meet her. You wander into a diner she's there waitressing. You see each other and sparks fly. You travel to the cabin in Cut Bank, fight off the mean sod who follows her and live the happy ever after together." Kelly shook her head and gave Billie a quick glance. "I hope it all happens just like you've planned. What's the second song called?"

"Return of the prodigal son, it's really about the daughter."

"Okay. Than why don't you apply to find out whether you are the prodigal daughter?"

"I've told you why." Billie sounded sharp, "Why don't you take some time off and let yourself meet some handsome guy. He might cure you of your unnatural relationship with flying." Billie dropped her head and quietly said, "Sorry Kelly. I..."

Kelly looked at Billie who had her head down looking sad. She put her hand on Billie's arm. "It's okay, Billie. You've got as much right to offer advice as I have." Kelly squeezed Billie's arm. "Besides you're too late. I've already been there and done that. It didn't work."

Billie glanced up making eye contact, "So you've been in a steady relationships. You're not really the iron lady at all."

Kelly shook her head more for her own benefit. "Oh yes. I've been there." She rolled her eyes, "I was married once and I gave up flying too. After I was married." She glanced at Billie and smiled, "Being married cured me of love. And not flying all but destroyed my heart."

"Really. You're divorced? Wow. From the way you were talking before I thought you might still be a virgin."

Kelly looked at Billie, shook her head and smiled laughingly. "Haven't been a virgin for a long time Billie, a long, long time. I started that kind of thing very young. Too young, when I was still at school. I really was a little tart and I didn't even like it. It always felt so uncomfortable. But the boys seemed to like what they were getting. I think I might have done it to rebel against my mother. She always went on about what was expected of a lady. Anyway I was lucky I got away with my stupidity. By the time I went to university I'd grown up enough to respect my body better." She gave Billie another quick glance. "It was crazy. I hated men... or boys, they were always so aggressive and rough."

Billie made eye contact, "You really do hate men don't you? It's silly. I don't. I'm wary... scared of some, particularly the homophobic ones. But mostly I really like men. I'm just not attracted to them. And you... you're attracted to them but don't like them." Billie rolled her eyes, "Pretty weird."

"It is weird. I've only ever met three men in my entire life I know I could live with. They're perfect. But they're not, because one's my father, the second; my best friend's husband and the third is a guy I met recently that I don't really know well. But he's perfect for me. I can feel it inside. The trouble is I don't know if I'm perfect for him. In fact I'm pretty sure I'm not particularly suitable for him and the whole thing scares me to death. I can't stop thinking about him."

"You could be wrong. The heart does silly things. I notice your short list didn't include your husband. The divorce must have changed your mind about him."

"I'm actually a widow. But he..."

"Oh I'm sorry Kelly." Billie touched Kelly's arm. "God I'm good at putting my foot in my mouth."

"You didn't put your foot in it Billie. He isn't on the list. He never was. And I know how strange that sounds." Kelly inspected her glove. "Can I tell something I've never told anyone before?"

"Sure. I promise not to laugh or judge and I know how to respect secrets." Billie smiled, "Like a nun."

"I was married for forty days and forty nights and the whole time was one big disaster. I knew before I married him I wasn't going to be happy. But to be truthful I didn't think I could be happy living with any man so I picked the one that wanted me and decided to do it. I thought it was time and back then I couldn't imagine any intelligent woman being happily married. I was working two jobs and didn't think we'd see much of each other anyway. I don't know... when I think back I realise how crazy I am. My best friend and I had a double wedding and the whole wedding thing made my mother glow with happiness. We got married at my home so mother organised everything and I went along with it for everyone else."

Kelly scanned her eyes across the instruments, "I didn't think it would be so bad. I knew the sex would be uncomfortable. We'd tried all that anyway and I knew what I was getting into. I figured with us both working I'd have my space to live my lie in relative solitude." Kelly shook her head and shivered, "He used to spit in the kitchen sink. After we were married he became demanding in bed and cruel. He decided we needed to share everything. He effectively demanded we pool our money into one bank account and didn't think it would be necessary for me to have my signature on the account because he'd look after everything best." Kelly shook her head. "He brought two thousand dollars into the union and wanted to share... take control of my sixty thousand. Plus I owned a duplex. He figured he owned that as well... as well as me. This was about the time I asked him to leave and he didn't. Though he did start being unfaithful in my bed. I could even smell the cheap perfume everywhere even in my underwear draw."

"We were both F15 pilots stationed at Mountain Home, Idaho and I was also working full time as a doctor at the local hospital in town. Most nights I worked the night shift after my day finished on base. On weekends I often managed two shifts each day at the hospital. They were short of doctors and I enjoyed being ambitious. Some days I'd work twenty hours all up. To survive I'd purchased a little one bedroom flat across the road from the hospital where I'd crash between shifts. The adjoining flat was two bedrooms. I rented it cheap to a single mum who worked in the hospital kitchen. She would clean, wash, even shop and cook for me. It was a good arrangement until my wonderful husband decided he'd evict her without telling me. He needed the larger flat for us and decided his sister would live in my flat. He figured I'd have time to cook and clean because I was going to resign my commission in the air force. He even told my squadron leader I was planning to leave. That was when I kicked him out and changed the locks." Kelly looked out the side window and glanced at her gloved fingernails again, "So then he told our commanding officer I was pregnant and got me grounded until I'd undergone a full medical to prove otherwise."

"Next he stole my car to make me late for work. Told our wonderful squadron leader I probably wouldn't be in because I'd fallen out with my back seat and wouldn't fly until she was transferred to another plane. We were the best, had both been promoted. I suspect my charming husband thought having her with him would somehow improve his chance for promotion. When I argued that one out I was told it was too late to change the days flight plan."

"That was day forty of my marriage. He crashed and got himself killed. My best friend ejected out. She was crippled and I fell apart. The medical term is a nervous breakdown. People try to help they mean well but... it's like my brain turned into jelly. I couldn't hold a thought. Couldn't even bother to get dressed, eat or even argue."

There were tears in Kelly's eyes. Billie placed her hand on her arm. "Are you okay? This can wait you know."

"No I want to go on. I think I need to." Kelly wiped her eyes with the back of her glove. "It was my friend, my beautiful six foot tall friend with several inches missing out of her left leg and no knee that pulled me back. She made me do it for her and my father helped us both."

"Every time someone offered their condolences and said they knew how I felt losing my husband I burst out bawling. They had no idea how happy I was about him being dead and that made me feel cheap. I'd fall to pieces again. And all the while I felt responsible for what happened to my friend. If I'd had the guts to follow my heart and murder him she'd have been fine." Kelly inspected her gloved fingernails again, "Maybe I was just working too hard trying to do too much and what happened was a trigger. I don't know. But I resigned from the air force and moved home. After a few months I started working locally as a doctor. Daddy arranged that. It took a year on the ground to act on the itch I felt. I joined the reserve, started flying again and discovered my heart was still functioning." Kelly looked around and eventually found Billie's kind eyes. "And here I am." She put her hand on Billie's and squeezed the hand that was still holding onto her arm. "Thank you for listening. I've never been able to tell anyone that story before. Not my father or even Wendy."

Billie smiled, "Well you just made it easy for me. I knew you were talking about Colonel Maiden but I wanted to ask anyway." Billie rubbed her hand up and down Kelly's arm. "You're right about Jason being the perfect husband. Even Elizabeth pointed that out to me." Billie laughed, "Oh, sorry I said I wouldn't laugh. Will you do me a favour? Don't marry this guy you've met until Elizabeth and I have time to approve of him." Billie smiled, "Just to be on the safe side. I'm just a rough and ready impartial observer but Elizabeth is blessed with perfect taste."

Kelly wiped her eyes again and smiled then nodded. "That's a deal. I have a bad track record. My judgement in these things is... wanting." Kelly reached out and touched Billie's shoulder. "You keep reminding me of him."

"What? Oh God. This can't be happening. After what you've just told me how can you even think of telling me I remind you of your sleazy, vindictive, cruel, dead husband? I'll have nightmares."

"No. Oh God no. Billie no. Kelly returned her hand to Billie's shoulder and squeezed. "You trigger reminders of the guy I've met." Kelly shook her head and blow out a breath. "Mr three on my compatibility list."

Billie laughed. "In that case he's going to be a disappointment to you in bed." Billie smiled her most beautiful smile, "Though from what you've told me about past history perhaps not."

"I'm being serious Billie. He has brown eyes with long lashes like yours. And he uses his eyes to talk like you do. It might be an Australian thing. He's tall and slim," Kelly grinned, "But not quiet the same profile as you. Though sometimes when you walk or even stand and no one is watching, when you drop that all-girl sway, a chanced glance can set my heart racing. And then I register it's you... It feels weird.

"Well I hope, for your sake, he doesn't like lacy French knickers or fills a D cup bra with ease. I know how unimpressed you'll be."

Kelly shook her head, "Billie you're crazy. I've slept with him. I've never felt so good about anything or anyone in my whole life. I didn't think it possible. I've always thought there was something the matter with my plumbing. Everything is fine it would seem I've never had access to the correct equipment before." Kelly momentarily put both hands to her helmet, "God." She looked at Billie, "I'm going to regret telling you that. Aren't I?"

Billie nodded, "You could. No accounting for what I'll post on-line when I'm dead tired and can't sleep." She laughed and touched Kelly's arm. "Only joking. Please go on. This is quite an education for me. I slept with a guy once, Elizabeth's brother Phillip. He's as gay as I am. We dance together. We danced topless in front of everyone at Titters until mid-night and lay awake in my single bed till dawn. We touched each other all over and laughed about how inconvenient anatomy can be, how stupid human chemistry is. We even swapped underwear, didn't make any difference to us but it gave Elizabeth a good laugh. Just after dawn she knocked and came in. Her mother phoned and told her to rescue us both from a life of faked appearances. Sorry I'm stealing your story. Go on, tell me all there is the know about Mr Three."

"He's gorgeous his physique is... he must work out a heck of a lot." Kelly breathed in slow and long, "Every time I close my eyes I see him without a shirt and..." Kelly touched Billie's arm. "And before you ask. Yes. His areolas are dark. They're invitingly alluring like the rest of him. He's the real deal. The full package."

"Well you may be compatible because you're the fittest woman I've even seen. Your breasts flex... ripple when you do anything strenuous with your arms and your stomach is rather mesmerising. I always imagine..."

"Billie. You've been a perfect lady up here so far. Raise your mind back above my neck and think about the Cut Bank cabin, diners and the need to be faithful." Kelly shook her head with a smile on her face.

"Well you're the one who mentioned dark nipples. What do you expect? You know what I'm like." Billie gave Kelly a flirtatious glance. "Speaking as a doctor how could I be blessed with acceptable brown eyes and dumb pink nipples?"

"Well speaking as your doctor, which will cost you a consultation. It's not that simple, areola pigment is largely determined by hormone levels, which is why pregnant women darken in that area. It's the same for women on the pill. Your hormone levels are probably very low," Kelly grinned, "Which seems hard to believe. Where Elizabeth is probably frustratingly rampant with hormone induced fantasies about cowboys dipped in chocolate beneath her quiet composed demeanour."

"That's probably true doc," Billie pointed at her lap with a nervous looking circle motion of her finger. Her face a glassed picture of disappointment, "None of that stuff works as it should with me, any more." She lifted her mood and chanced a smile, "I'll tell Elizabeth what you said. She'll bash you up." She changed the topic again without a breath. "Is this Mr Three guy Kaiser's friend? The one who lives at Pituri Downs? Clancy. The guy I never seem to be in the right place to meet. Even though I've been trying to arrange it. Because... I have to tell you something really weird as soon as I chat to our friend over there? I think she's gay? She's desperate to see me standing naked on her bathroom scales. And her nipples are as dark as cooking chocolate."

Billie picked up the microphone. "You okay over there on your own. Hope my music isn't sending you potty?"

The flashlight came on and showed an upward pointing thumb in front of a head nodding to the beat of, _The Prodigal Son_.

"Good. Talk to you again soon." The thumb went up and the flashlight went out.

Billie continued to speak as if she hadn't broken out of the conversation, "My Mum... my adopted mum figure is a nun, Sister Veronica. She looked after and protected me growing up and still keeps an eye out for me. She's my only link to anything resembling a real family. She helped me... pushed me to get a military scholarship for university and that led me to the defence academy then the air force. Sissy insisted I leave the nun factory before it consumed my soul. And she insisted I never go back there or even refer to it as my home for the same reason." Billie gave an expressionless glance toward Kelly. "She was right to do that though at the time I felt really alone, displaced; Stockholm syndrome. Most years I spend Christmas with Sissy. She travels around the country visiting remote properties as a friend of the school of the air. They're a group of retired nuns and schoolteachers mostly who tutor students and help their parents keep up with the lessons. I usually visit her at whatever property she's at. It's fun. Anyway Sister Veronica and I have a method of communicating with each other that circumvents the monastery mail procedure because mother superior, the chief witch, reads everyone's mail and is very capable of losing letters from undesirable influences."

"Some time ago Sister Veronica gave me an address I was to use if we ever lost contact or something happened and I needed help quickly. She told me the person I was to contact would always know how to find her and if the worst were to happen they would take care of me as one of their own." Billie stopped talking and when Kelly looked to discover why, she was staring waiting to make eye contact. "The address is, Matthew care of Pituri Downs, Boulia. Sissy even took a lot of trouble to show me where it is on the map and how to get there by air or road. She said if I needed to talk to someone urgently I was to go there and ask for Matthew." Billie shrugged, "Now with all that is happening at the moment don't you think that's weird?"

Kelly stared for too long her mouth slightly open. It was Billie who pointed to the artificial horizon to snap Kelly back to flying.

When she'd straitened the plane she still looked stunned. "Have you ever been to Pituri Downs? Have you met Matthew?"

"No and no. I don't even know if Matthew exists. It might be a code I'm to use. I was set to go there for Christmas seven years back. But Sissy contacted me at the last minute and asked me not to come. Said there had been a tragic accident and it would be inappropriate for her to invite me to visit such an unhappy group of people. There wouldn't be a Christmas."

##  Chapter 14

Billie picked up the microphone with some urgency, "Are you tired over there. You're rolling slightly to starboard. If you're not tired check your fuel tank levels. Your crossover pumps or tank switches might be on the blink."

The flashlight came on in the spirit. For a long moment the pilot's head went back and forward quite frantically. She held the light source in her mouth, applied one hand to the controls and the other above her head flicking switches. For a minute the pilot was fully occupied then she gave a thumbs up, wiped her forehead in mock stress and displayed another positive thumb before blowing a kiss with a nod of her head.

"You hang in there, sister. Only another hour and we'll have some light on the horizon. Kisses to you too. "Are you married?"

The thumb came up.

"Kids?"

Two fingers displayed.

"What about your co-pilot?"

The pilot raised her thumb twice then offered one finger.

"Okay. You're both lucky. Everyone over here is frustratingly single. You take care over there. Only four hours and you'll both be sitting down to breakfast with the family. What time do you want us to radio ahead to let the cheese and kisses know you'll need an early lift home? Or better still, I have a satellite phone with me when it's light write the numbers on the window. I'll ring them for you."

The thumb stayed high for an extended period. Before the pilot pointed at the flash light battery area and turned it off.

Kelly spoke, "You have a kind heart Billie. You're going to make some girl... the girl in the diner really happy." Kelly took the time to look at Billie. "Do you want to hear part two of the Pituri Downs coincidence saga?"

Billie shrugged, "Why not. We're stuck up here dawdling along for another four hours. We'd be landing about now if we didn't have to baby sit."

"Okay. You know Kaiser and Clancy hide their names and such for good reason?"

"Sure. I've worked out they're not as timid and passive, or gentlemanly as they look. Jesus Kaiser thumped that pig back at Amberley. I didn't see him throw the punch and I was watching. And I think I can assume from their appearance they don't frequent marine bases very often."

"You assume correctly. Don't tell Wendy or anyone I told you any of this. They're not marines at all. They're on secondment like you. They belong to the Australian, Special Air Service Regiment. Wendy found them in Afghanistan or more precisely Clancy found me for Wendy in Afghanistan. Anyway that's not what I wanted to talk about. Clancy and I have the same family name and our parents' names are identical. We don't appear to be related but Clancy's mother is paranoid we may be. And I suspect she assumes we've done the... messy stuff."

"That's almost spooky. Do your parents look alike?"

"No, not at all. Clancy's father died but I've seen his photo. Actually he died over six years ago so that was probably the tragedy your mum referred to when you were about to visit. His parents are taller than mine. Clancy has two younger siblings, which I haven't met. They're at boarding school but from their photos they look tall and slim as well."

"So what's the attraction for the US military at Pituri Downs?"

"I think it's mostly because the place looks like parts of Afghanistan. Wendy arranged for some Afghan refugees to stay there. Plus they're testing equipment involving drones, which is going to involve us and this aircraft eventually. I suspect we'll find out how rather soon. They're building a runway out there using some new technology that doesn't take very long. We'll learn more and be rather busy when the runway is finished."

"Hey look we're getting some light on the horizon and I've located our tanker on radar. Time to stop playing follow the leader and take the short cut to Whiteman as soon as we get some fuel."

Billie communicated their intention to alter course and waited a few minutes for the co-pilot to resume her seat. By the time the two aircraft set off on their own course the horizon was clearly visible, which meant the spirit pilots could safely manage the plane without external assistance. They could see all their instruments and use the horizon to keep the plane level plus navigate by the familiar Interstate highways and cities. Though they still needed Billie to communicate with air traffic controllers along the route and help them land.

Kelly made an approach at Whiteman guiding the spirit down the recommended approach path at the correct speed. She simulated a landing beside the runway to allow the spirit to approach aligned correctly and when down held the raven a few feet off the ground over the grass. The large bomber safely touched down on the runway, commenced to reduce speed and break to an uneventful stop all with the assistance of Billie's timely commentary.

Kelly and Billie did a circuit just to check the bomber had indeed landed safely. They watched the spirit taxi to a parking-bay and were somewhat alarmed to see reporters standing around filming the spirit on the ground. Billie turned off the phantom transponder and returned it to her flight kit while exchanging best wishes with Whiteman tower. She promised they'd return sometime soon to physically meet the appreciative crew who had been nodding at them most of the night. By the time the conversation ended the raven was programmed with a new course, Ellsworth air force base. Five hundred and sixty five miles and forty-two minutes would see them on the ground.

South Dakota was blanketed in snow so Kelly's pointing finger, guided tour of the route taken by the Pony Express, Wounded Knee and the South Dakota Badlands was largely an exercise of looking at a featureless white sheet. But Billie was jumping with excitement and took great care to plot all the locations on her moving map archive for later research. It seems anything Native American in origin fuelled a secret passion. Kelly answered Billie's curiosity by pointing out the Black Hills through her side window, which gave Billie something else to stare at and plot on their approach to Ellsworth.

They touched down in ice-free slosh of molten snow and were guided to a parking bay beside Elizabeth's aardvark. Upon opening the canopy they discovered how cold the freezing Arctic blast had become since Kelly left just a day and a half earlier. Elizabeth climbed Billie's ladder the moment it was in place. She was rugged up like a mountaineer with only her rosy cheeks, glassy eyes and pleasant smile on display. As soon as Billie removed her helmet Elizabeth kissed her cheek and drew a comment about how cold her nose was.

"Billie, hurry up and finish here my knees are banging together. You need to come inside. You too Kelly. This place is beyond belief. I don't know how they make babies here. Anyone without clothes would be too cold to touch me; it's supposed to be summer soon. You've missed breakfast so I'm taking you to a truck stop for a wholesome, truck'en good breakfast. Then you can have a shower and sleep all you want. Don't worry there is lots of hot water and I've borrowed a thick coat for each of you while you're here. Don't even ask to shower first. Only the miss informed go out with wet hair here and you'll be so cold going to bed your feet will fall off." Elizabeth laughed, "I'm executive officer in charge of all foreign visitors, for a day. If you have any complaints or special requests I'm your Yankee-doodle girl."

*****

Pituri Downs:

Marge sat in the three-seater lounge with Anke close by her side. The two women had spent much of the afternoon tutoring the children after participating in radio school, something Anke's three found fascinating. The Afghan girls and two adults who couldn't speak English found the exercise bewildering though they were all trying hard to learn.

Marge had a brain wave, which Jason put into effect on the new computer with broadband Internet that Marge was trying to understand. He'd communicated with Wendy. Used her resources and authority to locate and contact the most capable person alive to assist the Afghans learn and understand English. Jason would take off at first light tomorrow to fetch their new teacher from Kununurra airport in the Kimberly of Western Australia.

The timing of their request was perfect. Sister Veronica had just completed an extended stay at El Questro running the local school while the resident teacher's broken leg mended. He'd taken a fall off his horse. Tomorrow morning the property manager planned to fly Sister Veronica to Kununurra airport to catch a flight to Perth so she could return to the Monastery until her next assignment could be arranged. Privately Marge knew Sister Veronica would prefer run naked through a bush fire than spend time renewing her commitment at the Monastery. But nuns vow to a life of obedience and poverty, which leaves little room for alternatives.

Everyone was happy. Sister Veronica would arrive before noon tomorrow and be the first aircraft to land on the new runway, which was still growing, but the three thousand feet already completed was plenty for Jason's Eagle to pull up on. Besides his plane would prefer be housed in one of the four hangers and Jason liked the idea of his aircraft being located a short walk from the front door. Marge was keen to have the three daily C17 dust makers use the runway from tomorrow. The novelty of them landing on the road, which was disintegrating into powered dust more each day, had worn off some time ago.

Marge studied the room, how it had been re-arranged so all the lounges faced the wall where the new flat screen television was located. Until yesterday the lounges faced each other so people could talk and make their own entertainment. Now it seems people might just as well be strangers in a theatre watching something alone, together. Where would they go to talk about what they saw? Or was that the point, nobody bothered to talk any more. They sit, stare and wonder what might have been, spectators not participators. It was sad and exciting.

Wendy told Jason to make sure everyone watched the end of the news. The message for the children was; when I pull my right ear lobe I'm saying good night. So all the adults were seated in the lounges facing the wall with the children on the rug doing the same, save that Najwa was beside Anke lying on the lounge having her leg wrapped with a stretch bandage to shape the stump ready to accommodate an artificial leg more comfortably. The twice-daily undertaking had fallen to Anke who seemed to have the most consistent touch when it came to tensioning a bandage or anything related to mothering. She quietly entertained Najwa explaining in English how the dog-ears were disappearing making hers the prettiest stump in the whole world. All would soon be ready for the new leg, which was being grown at a secret location on a special leg farm. Anke learned down and kissed Najwa's forehead before the girl hopped down on the floor to sit next to Maliha.

It was a delight to witness Najwa no longer in pain. Marge had rapidly grown to love her new visitors. She depended on them and loved the company. They all seemed happy and settled, a good thing for everyone.

The weather come on the television and explained how it would be clear skies and dry again tomorrow, which it almost always was. Then the article they were waiting to see commenced. Jason called all the children to pay attention as he saw Wendy sitting at her desk in the background. She was facing the other way but her leg always resting across the open draw. No one else sat like that.

Trent pointed and loudly called out, "Look Mummy's on tele."

In the foreground Sabrina Noble stood holding a microphone in her hand. She looked tired and ruffled with no make up. Her hair had clearly been combed with fingers and she was wearing an unflattering US air force issue, khaki flying suit, like Wendy behind her. Though in Wendy's case the outfit seemed to belong on her.

"I am standing in the control room of the most modern military aerial command centre in the world. We are flying over the Middle East and monitoring the activity below. This plane can see and hear everything and has the ability to communicate with anyone anywhere on earth. Which is how I'm reporting to you live at this very moment. We have remained airborne for several days refuelling from aerial tankers. I no longer remember exactly how many days we've been flying and have no idea how long we have left to fly. Day and night merge into duty and rest up here. I can tell you I'm tired and filthy. I'm eating food from military ration packs, sleeping on the floor and the ablutions are less than one star." The camera panned around to show several people lying on the plane floor with boots and head protruding from different ends of a military issue blanket. Only the back of each head was visible but Marge knew the closest sleeper was David the other was Malem. "Let me quickly show you what is happening up here at this very moment in this E-7A wedgetail military command centre."

Sabrina exaggerated the step she took over David and avoided Malem by skirting around him while pulling the cables of her microphone as the camera also moved with her. She approached Wendy who was watching several computer screens displaying detailed images of a combat skirmish from several different overhead angles. Wendy quickly talked though the situation identifying friendly locations, which were all encapsulated in what she referred to as a friendly fire lock. She circled several positions with her light pen and hovered over the first spot picking up a gambit of figures identifying weapons in use and troop strength. "And these are the bad guys." She allowed the screen above her head to display a computer-generated script, translating the dialogue being spoken from the identified site in the heat of battle.

When the computer indicated it had identified several voices and displayed mugshot images, of known terrorists on a second overhead screen Wendy silently reached up and turned the screen off.

Picking up the original detail with her mouse she dropped the information onto a small aircraft icon on the adjoining screen and flicked a switch on her console, which rendered the TV coverage mute as she spoke into one of the four coloured phones on her desk. She released the jamming switch in time for Sabina's coverage to overhear Wendy say, "You are authorised to engage. Good hunting. Out."

Within a matter of seconds the identified location on the lower screen visually exploded. She repeated the process on several other close by locations receiving the same response. Wendy then switched to a large radar screen and said, "This situation is a pat on the back for our Australia allies." She circled a dot on her radar image. "The radar screen is currently centred over the Pacific Ocean approximately two thousand miles north east of Hawaii." She glanced over her shoulder at the camera and turned back to the screen. "An Australian crew on-board an F-111 have located a disabled American bomber. The bomber is able to fly in relative safety but has lost the ability to communicate or navigate due to equipment failure caused by a severe lightning strike. The F-111 crew are in the process of escorting our bomber all the way home to Missouri." Wendy looked into the camera, "We appreciate the help. Your airmen have almost certainly saved the lives of our crew and preserved a valuable aircraft." Wendy pulled up a satellite image of the location showing the two distinctive darkened shapes. The F-111's cockpit light was on allowing the crew to be seen through the glass-top canopy. The crew were moving their heads as if talking, while beside them the darkened profile of the large v-wing bomber could clearly be seen. "We are very, very grateful for the selfless help. The crews are actually communicating with each other using hand signals and flash lights." Wendy nodded into the camera, smiled and pulled her right ear lobe.

Sabrina stepped in front of the camera, microphone in hand. "This is Sabrina Noble putting a human face on the business of military surveillance and command signing off from somewhere high above the Middle East."

Marge looked at Jason. "Was that real?"

Jason smiled, "Yes. That's what they do." He chuckled, "I suspect David and Malem were lying there pretending to sleep to hide their face from the camera and create a war-is-hell effect. But that's all on the level. And I'll tell you something else. That was Kelly's plane with her at the controls and Billie beside her. I've no idea what Wendy's up to but she's bending the facts for some reason. We'll just have to wait and see why."

"What do you mean bending the facts?"

"That plane is the one you saw Wendy flying. It's American and far more sophisticated than anything flying in this country. The only thing Australian in that footage was Billie."

Who's Billie? She hasn't been here?"

"Actually no she hasn't." Jason looked at Anke then back a Marge, "She's always been doing something else whenever we come here. Billie is an electronics whiz like Wendy but flies combat planes." Jason glanced at Anke again. " I know Kelly flew to Guam when she left here. She was to meet up with Billie there before going back to the states for a few days. Not sure where Billie was flying in from, probably Japan. I know she was somewhere up that way working in a navy Prowler."

Marge looked at Jason and shook her head. "You all make me jealous, always flying, always returning from somewhere exotic. I've never been anywhere."

Anke interrupted with a clap of her hands saying, "All right you three down there. Time to clean your teeth; then it's off to bed. We all have to be up early to see Daddy off to work, then we have chickens to feed and cows to milk."

*****

Rapid City, South Dakota

Elizabeth parked the borrowed F350 Ford pick up near the front door of the welcoming truck stop. It was a small place situated a few blocks from the Interstate on the outskirts of Rapid City. The building was an island in a parking lot with room for some twenty eighteen-wheelers at the rear and a similar number of passenger vehicles in front.

The three women walked swiftly though the air lock doors and removed coats before entering the welcoming warmth dressed only in a one-piece khaki flight suit. A few long-haul drivers were scattered about the place, each seemed ready to be gone and drinking coffee as quickly as common sense allowed. In one corner three mature couples sat together in a large booth chatting, obviously waiting on a late breakfast. They studied the three women moving toward the counter seeking stools and even chattered quietly about something that captured their interest.

The place seemed to be in the hands of only one employee who was in the kitchen, which was behind the counter. The door was propped open so she could see the dining tables. She was breaking eggs two at a time one handed and dropping them on the hot top while flipping something with a spatula in her other hand. She didn't stop working but looked through the door and said, "Morning. Take a seat. I'll be with you in a moment." She had a beautiful voice, loud enough to be heard without losing any of the soft feminine quaintness that endears itself to customers. She seemed a happy person. Her gaze lingered long enough to display a gorgeously genuine smile before returning all her attention back to cooking. Her hair was long and dark, tired back in a ponytail. The top of her head was covered with a small beret and she was short, very short.

It occurred to both Elizabeth and Kelly to look toward Billie's silence at the same time. Their eyes met and they both laughed together; Billie was staring. Her mouth hung open. The expression on her face portrayed someone stunning.

Slowly Billie's arm raised, a finger pointing toward the kitchen. Her eyes grew as she struggled for words, a rare event. Eventually she said, "That's her. She's the one."

Elizabeth stopped laughing, "Billie you have to be practical. Don't frighten the poor girl. Promise me you'll be sensible. We can come back tomorrow and the next day while you get to know her. There is no need to rush."

"But that's her. I know its her."

"Yes Billie. It could be her. But she might not know it yet. Be sensible or you'll frighten her away."

The silence was broken by the lady's rapid approach. She spoke on the move, "Morning ladies. My name is Femhe. What's your pleasure this morning?"

"Femhe" Billie coughed, "Oh my God. The girl of my dreams turns out to be a reincarnation of Mata Hari. My Femme Fatale."

The waitress/cook turned her head on the side and looked straight up into Billie's eyes. She didn't frown, nor did she smile. She looked delicate, kind and concerned. "Please don't give me a hard time Miss. I need this job."

Billie looked down at the counter a moment then up into Femhe's eyes her expression sad. "I'm sorry. I don't want to be trouble. It's just... I've... Could I have eggs, bacon and; I don't know... beans. Beans please Ma'am. After all we are in the American west, something warm and filling. Oh and coffee. Please." Billie bit her lip and added, "Please Femhe."

Femhe gave a nod and smiled at Billie with her eyes. She looked at Elizabeth but quickly glanced back at Billie to smile again before returning to Elizabeth.

"Could I just have coffee and a pastry please? I've already eaten." Elizabeth rolled her head to look at Billie who was still staring. She flipped Billie on the arm and said with wide eyes, "Billie."

Femhe looked at Billie again before giving Kelly her attention.

"Do you have cereal and perhaps yoghurt? Just something light? I've been sitting on my backside for hours." Kelly rolled her eyes toward Billie and added, "So has she but she's hollow and eats like a draft horse."

"Yes. How about cereal and a nice side serve of fresh fruit?"

Kelly nodded a yes.

"Would you like coffee with that Ma'am?" Femhe looked sideways at Billie as she spoke.

"Yes coffee is good. Don't mind my friend here." Kelly pointed at Billie. "You look a lot like the girl in her re-occurring dream. She's harmless and her intentions are kind."

Femhe smiled and glanced at Billie before speaking to Kelly, "I'm relieved. She looks familiar. The sign on her chest says, Cpt Hope. Does she have a real name?" Femhe gave Billie another lingering glance.

"Femhe. I'd like you to meet Billie Hope, Captain Hope in air force speak" Kelly turned her eyes toward Billie without moving her head. "She's new in town, flew from Australia last night."

"Oh; are you guys pilots? I'd love to be able to fly away." Femhe seemed to be holding back tears when she again looked searchingly at Billie, "I'd better get your meal." She put a finger on Billie's hand and delicately trailed it down to the end of the middle finger. "Nice meeting you Billie Hope. I'm Femhe Heinemann." She rolled her head slightly from side to side as if saying _no_ to herself and appeared to be overtaken by sadness. "I can't deal with happy. I smile for tips because I need the money. I'm broken, dead inside, not worth anything Billie. You're better off staying within your dream." She turned and quickly walked for the kitchen to resume cooking. She flipped the eggs and gave Billie a glance before laying out several plates and seemed to wipe tears from her eyes with her sleeve.

Billie looked back and forward between Kelly and Elizabeth several times before saying in a low voice. "She's the one. I've seen her so many times. This is surreal." Billie looked at her two companions again before adding. "I didn't realise she'd be pregnant. What am I going to do?"

Elizabeth looked at Billie, head down as if staring over glasses she wasn't wearing. "Well. I know what I'd do. She needs help and we can wait tables like a pro." Elizabeth touched her finger on Billie's, "But we don't want her falling for me do we. You'd best start first."

Billie looked into Elizabeth's eyes and caught her bottom lip in her teeth. She quickly glanced at Kelly before standing and walking around the counter into the kitchen. She picked up two plates and placing them on one arm and reaching for one more.

"What are you doing?" Femhe spoke with alarm.

"Helping. All the tips are yours. I've done this before Femhe. Many times."

Femhe smiled, "Put the plates down and wash your hands. Billie Hope; so I know they're clean. Then I'll load you."

Billie did as told and was quickly on her way to the corner booth carrying all six plates. She walked tall with a straight regal appearance, balancing the meals like a pro. She served the ladies first over the correct shoulder, as much as the booth would allow. And followed Femhe's direction placing the correct meal before each person without the need to ask. She offered soft talk and charm placing the cheap dinner paper napkin on each lap to fuss over her customers. She offered an elegant bow of her head to defer before returning with coffee. She poured, adding milk or cream with sugar to taste for each person's pleasure and watched the combined satisfaction grow as each was pleasured by the attention to detail being offered.

As Billie walked from the table she could feel the happy atmosphere behind her and see Femhe in the kitchen doorway, head leaning on the frame watching. Her face a picture of satisfaction, bright eyes displaying contented wonder. She pointed to Billie's seat where her meal was waiting and poured coffee for all three while mouthing a purposeful thank you toward Billie without making a sound.

Billie sat and smiled at Femhe who was standing in front of her, coffee pot in hand. She deliberately spoke to Elizabeth wanting to change the topic away from Femhe's gratitude, "So Jelly Beans have you been flying yet?"

Elizabeth looked at Billie all smiles, she knew Billie was playing to Femhe but this was the one question she was bursting to answer. Her eyes expanded as she said, "Yes. I've been up for a flight in a Lancer in the co-pilot chair just to show me my way around. What a machine." She raised her shoulders and squeezed them into a self-hug. "And would you believe everyone wants to joy ride in the aardvark. I've taken her up six times." Elizabeth raised a hand with one finger erect, "Seven flights in one day. I need to be back by noon for a briefing. You guys have the afternoon off but the boss wants the both of you front and centre at four thirty. I think you have a mystery mission set for early tomorrow. We both have. I'm required to be there as well. But this afternoon I'll be zooming aloft in a Lancer." Elizabeth squeezed her face and brought both hand to her cheeks to squeeze some more. I'm in love with this place." She glanced at Billie, "Cold and all." She put her hand on Billie's arm. "Billie, They know about you guys and the spirit last night. The Boss has already told me there's a vacancy here for you when you're ready."

Billie looked at Femhe, "Should I stay here Femhe. Is there room at your place for me to bunk down."

Femhe's eyes clouded over, her face instantly sad, "Billie I sleep in the store room here because I can't afford anything better. I work eighteen hours every day for two dollars an hour plus tips. I..."

Billie picked up her fork with a serve of egg and bacon on it and held it out for Femhe to take in her mouth. Femhe took the food and chewed, "What if I paid you two dollars fifty an hour to look after me? We could buy a cabin somewhere and look out for each other." Billie learned forward and added in a whisper, "Plus tips."

Femhe finished eating and moved a hand to her chest, fingers rubbing the base of her neck. "Don't we need to know each other first Billie?"

"I don't think so. I already know you're not mine. We just belong together. Can't you feel the attraction? There'll be plenty of time for knowing each other in our little cabin."

"Can we talk Billie? Later. Alone. Please? There are things you need to know..." Femhe placed her hand on Billie's and gave a light squeeze. "And there are things I need to know." She took her hand back. "I should go. I need to prepare the salad bar for lunch."

With Femhe back in the kitchen, Billie returned to the corner booth carrying a fresh coffee pot for refills, offering good service and no charge. She went around the drivers offering refills and found two who smiled broadly and settled in to stay for another. They'd watched her serve and relished the special attention being applied to them.

While returning to the counter she inspected the music box. In an excited state she rushed to Elizabeth for coins and dragged Lizzie to a vacant place on the floor before _Cut Bank Montana_ started playing. Together they proceeded to dance an Argentine Tango, which they'd obviously done many times before. They danced primarily to the lyrics and entertained everyone present with a variety mesmerising footwork. Even Femhe couldn't resist the temptation to stand in the kitchen door, with a knife in her hand, head tilted to one side and a relaxed smile on her face.

After three repeats, each motivated by eager clapping and encore calls, Lizzie ran out of coins. However coins were quickly provided by the three couples in the corner booth so Billie and Elizabeth continued for two more renditions before Billie offered a refill of coffee all round. And Elizabeth chatted with the occupiers of the corner booth. They fielded many questions some about flying and many about where they learned to dance. One lady asked whether it was she who had been on television earlier in the week taking her Grandmother for a joyride in a jet to which Elizabeth proudly confirmed it was. In relation to dancing she told them they were both part owners of a truck stop coffee house called Titters in Australia where they regularly dance together and with the customers. She gave them a business card and an invite to visit, if they ever find themselves in the area with time to spare. She also explained they had a group of dancers, the resident chums. Proudly told them she and her brother were both following chums while Billie was a lead chum. Elizabeth invited the gentlemen to dance and receive no offers. One of the ladies did dance with Billie and returned to the table all giggly with a glow on her face.

When Elizabeth and Billie returned to the counter Kelly wasn't there. They found her in the Kitchen helping Femhe prepare the lunch spread so joined them and with four hands at work everything was quickly ahead of schedule.

Billie and Femhe sat together in the pick up outside the diner while Elizabeth and Kelly took charge inside. Femhe said she needed to talk alone this was her chance.

"Billie. I don't love you. I'm not sure I'll ever love anyone. I don't think I know what love really is." She looked at her lap and continued. "I like you Billie and you don't frighten me, which for me is almost the same as love. Most people I know are cruel. You're not cruel are you Billie." Femhe looked straight into Billie's eyes waiting for an answer.

Billie shook her head, "Femhe. I grew up in an orphanage run by nuns. I know all about cruel. I'll never do that to you. Not anyone. Never. Not physically cruelty and especially not mental cruelty. I promise you if I ever feel inclined to be cruel I'll walk away and you'll never see me again. And I know all about being alone as well. I have no family, no history. I only have friends I've found along my journey. Will you be my friend Femhe? We can be friends and see where that leads us."

Femhe picked up Billie's hand and placed in on her stomach. "Don't you want to know about my baby?"

"I guess I do. I want to know everything about you. Your tummy is really tight. I thought it would be loose and flabby. I've never touched anyone pregnant before? Didn't think I ever would."

Femhe placed both her hands over Billie's hand and held on, "Sometimes I feel as though I'm going to explode. I assumed I'd never have a child. I ran away from my family when I was fourteen because a horrible man decided to marry me and my excuse for a father agreed. That's how they do things where I came from if you're born female." Femhe wiped her eyes and put her hand back on Billie's. "I went to Las Vegas, washed dishes, worked tables, cooked, made enough money to go to college and started my own business. I was doing well, so well word found its way back to my family. Even after seventeen years on my own my father sent my three brothers to get me. They accessed my bank account, stole everything and dragged me back to Hildale where they held me down every night for a month so my so-called husband could make things right between us. He called that making love. When they were sure I had to be pregnant they were stupid enough to believe I'd stay and become a dutiful wife. They unlocked the door and introduced me to his other three wives thinking we'd get along because we had so much in common. I ran away again, that day. That was six months ago." Femhe wiped her eyes again and struggled to say, "I won't let my baby live in fear and learn hate. I'll kill myself before I let those people get control over my baby."

Billie put an arm around Femhe and urged her to rest upon her shoulder. She gently wiped under both Femhe's eyes and down her cheeks. "You're not alone any more Femhe. We've got each other. We can make our own family. Just the two of us."

Femhe looked up and pulled away, "What about my baby Billie. If there isn't room for more than two we can't be together. I didn't ask for this to happen but it has. There's a little person growing inside me. At this moment baby is part of me. But not for much longer and that's when baby will need me most. Is there room in this family you want for more than two?"

Billie placed her hand upon Femhe's tummy again. "There's room for a baby. Anything that's part of you is part of me. Baby belongs in our family. We might even get a dog, a horse, a bicycle and an apple tree when baby is tall enough to need them."

A tap on the driver's window distracted both of them. Kelly was standing there holding her phone. Billie tried to wind down the window and couldn't work out how, so she opened the door.

Kelly said, "For you." And mouthed, "It's Wendy."

Billie took the phone and rolled her eyes, "Captain Hope speaking."

"Finally. Why didn't you tell me you hold a commercial pilot's licence Captain?"

"You didn't ask Ma'am. Besides flying is my hobby. It has nothing to do with my job in the air force."

"Captain. I decide what's relevant and what isn't. Your planes, the ones you neglected to mention when I asked if you have anything large on the base. Do you want them brought to America?"

"I'd love to have my planes with me but I don't see how I can get them here. I don't want anyone pulling the wings and such off the tiger so the plane can be shipped. I've installed modern electrics, fuel lines and a few other things. The fox moth has folding wings and would fit in a C-17 but the tiger doesn't, the wings have been strengthened and don't really come apart unless I do it myself. And I didn't have time to prepare them so I said nothing. Perhaps when I get some leave I could bum a ride over there and prepare them for shipping. If I had two weeks free I could fly them over here myself. If not, they will still be there when I get back. I'm sorry Colonel. I didn't mean to be deceitful if that's how you see my actions."

"It's fine Captain. I'm actually impressed. Commander Brindle has already verified every word you've just told me. If you want them brought to America say so and we'll have them ferried over intact. You need to make the decision now and you need to give the Commander approval to supervise the flying of both planes up the east coast of Australia. They intend to land on Ike as she passes Thursday Island. Your planes will be delivered in perfect working order to San Diego in three or four weeks. The Commander and his team need to leave tomorrow morning to make the rendezvous. Ike sails from Darwin day after tomorrow." Wendy stopped to breathe. "If you don't have anywhere to take the planes by the time they arrive the Commander will look after them at his ranch in Texas until you're ready."

"Who's this Commander Brindle?"

"You saw him briefly at the Amberley mess the morning we met. He was the senior navy super hornet pilot. He's a vintage aircraft... tragic, a member of the confederate air force. He's already flown both your planes a few times locally. I gave him permission. He talked to the maintenance guys who mother them and wanted to establish they were safe to fly such a long distance. In a word he's impressed with the planes and even more so with you for building them. He has a list of questions to ask you and wants to employ you to build a starter motor, like you've installed on the gipsy major engine for his Fokker Triplane. I'm supposed to tell you it has a genuine LeRhone rotary engine. He thinks you'll find that irresistibly sexy. I told you he's a nut case. Anyway he's a damn fine pilot and so are his sidekicks. Your planes will be in safe hands."

"I'd love him to go ahead and bring them out here." Enthusiasm was alive in Billie's voice. "Can I talk to him or could you relay a message? It's bit technical."

"You can't talk to him he's airborne, though he should be landing shortly. Try me with the message. I know a few things about aeroplanes."

Have the technician's put the course pitch propeller on both planes and lock the top wing slots. He'll make better time. I assume he knows about the belly fuel tank on both planes, which gives them a range of eight hundred miles. He won't know there is also a rear belly fuel tank for long flights. Have the technicians show him how use them. With the rear tank full both aircraft have a range of fifteen hours flying time. That's one thousand six hundred and fifty miles non-stop. But, and this is a big but. He must fill the top tank from the rear belly tank first. If the forward belly tank is less than half full while there is fuel in the rear tank the plane becomes unstable. Once the rear tank is empty everything is fine. And tell him he must never land with fuel in the rear tank. If he needs to put down he'll have to dump all the fuel in the rear tank. For the tiger take off speed is sixty-five knots. It will take him seven hundred feet to get airborne with full tanks and the course pitch propeller, but he'll be able to cruise at one hundred knots. With full tanks both planes have the range to fly all night, which is important in Australia because everyone who services aircraft goes to bed and there is quite literally nowhere to legally land at night. The fox moth will perform the same as the tiger with one passenger. However with a full fuel load and four passengers in the cabin don't lift her into the air until she makes seventy-five knots. She needs the extra speed in case something goes wrong. Her rate of climb is always half that of the tiger. She needs sixteen hundred feet of runway to take off safely with a full load of fuel and four adult passengers. She also needs very favourable conditions to make more than fifteen hundred miles, non-stop when fully loaded." Billie took a breath. "And I assume he knows those engines have been converted to diesels. They run on avtur, jet-A or jet-A-1. Plus there is an oil injector system to lubricate the cylinder walls and the engines have a dry sump. He'll need to top the oil tanks with OM270 whenever he refuels and he'll need to watch the ground staff like a hawk to make sure they don't fill the tanks with avgas. Prime cold engines though eight blades and give them a shot of starter fluid from the clearly marked spray can before he straps in and hits the starter. That's everything."

"I can tell him all that. I've written everything down. And I will make sure he gets the message twice about the weight distribution and fuel. That's important. You'll appreciate the extra range in the states. Do you want all your spare propellers and what ever else, delivered over there by transport, like your bike. I'm told you have a spare engine, fuselage and an assortment of wings. The loadmasters will pack and take the lot for you. The cargo crews are meticulous with valuable and unusual cargo."

"Yes, if you don't mind. Could they send my tools as well? The technicians are pretty good. They know my stuff. And Colonel; the engine, wings and fuselage aren't actually spares. They're my latest project, a leopard moth. Mono wing; carries a pilot and two passengers a tad faster than the biplanes and will eventually be decked out the same."

"Duly noted; as I said Captain, I'm impressed. Did you really design the modernisation of those planes yourself?"

"Yes. There isn't much else to do on that particular air force base for someone who doesn't drink or enjoy watching drunks."

"Billie tomorrow there is to be a press conference involving you. I'll let the people directly involved explain the details at four thirty today. Please agree and just go along with everything. There is method in the deception. During the press conference don't be drawn to giving away too much of your technical knowledge. A nice plain low-tech logical story with luck thrown in might come across best. Entertaining the press with naive innocence and charm will serve you well. I'm trying to pre-empt someone asking you how you found a stealth bomber, in the old F-111c. Save all the technical stuff for the thorough debrief you'll get when we meet up. Do not be drawn to talking publicly about how you managed to transmit a phantom RACON signal for the Spirit. Save that explanation for me as well, and me only." Wendy stopped speaking a moment. "I have to go Billie. Keep up the good work. I'm impressed." Wendy hung up.

Kelly took the phone, "You guys only have a few minutes together out here before Lizzie needs to return to work. We can stay and catch a taxi back at three thirty if you wish." Kelly turned and walked back inside without saying another word.

Femhe put her hand on Billie's arm. She was holding a small shoulder bag in the other hand, "Billie will you look after this for me please?" She pushed the bag forward.

"What is it?"

"Money. I've been working here five and a half months, seven days a week, eighteen hours a day for next to nothing and been paid cash in hand. All the money I've earned is in this bag. There's ten thousand five hundred dollars in there. I want you to keep it safe for me... for us, away from here. I'm sure my boss in planing to sack me. He has been trying to hire someone else and keeps asking me how long I intend to keep working. And he's been looking around in my room. He knows the money is hidden somewhere. I haven't left this place in all the time I've been here. He's planing to take the money or to say I stole it. Or something. I know he is. His wife even warned me not to keep any money in my room. She said he has my social security number and details. He could only have got those details by going through my purse. Take the money with you and look after it. I trust you Billie." Femhe shook her head in a positive nod and kissed Billie on the upper arm.

"I'll put it in a bank, somewhere safe from your boss and your family. If there is trouble make sure we can find you. I'll get Kelly's phone number so you can phone us. I don't know where I'll be in the next few days but Kelly and I will be together. Or you could leave a message for Elizabeth at the base. I'll get a number for her too. Her name is Lieutenant Elizabeth Ho and she's stationed here at Ellsworth. Do you have your own phone?

Femhe shook a no with her head.

"I'll get you one."

Femhe shook her head again. "Billie don't. My family might track me. I can find a pay phone or borrow a truck driver's phone. I'm worried my boss may have told my family where I am. So if I just vanish it will be because my family have taken me back to Hildale. It's in Utah State on the border of Arizona near Colorado City."

"You should go to the police Femhe. These people should be held to account for what they've done. They're not family they're criminals. They should be in jail."

Billie. They are the law. My father is a Sheriff. The three brothers who took me back to Hildale are all deputy sheriffs and so is the man who insists I'm his forth wife. My rapist. They all work for my father. I have to stay out of the law enforcement computer system or they'll find me. They make up there own laws where I come from."

"Well if you vanish don't do anything rash. Wait for me. I'll ride up on a white charger and put things right. They'll never hurt you again now that I'm here." Billie put her hands on Femhe's cheeks, lifted her head and smiled into her eyes. "Do you have enough money on you to tie you over if your boss sacks you without warning? Enough to stay in a motel room for a few days until I come to collect you."

Femhe smiled and seemed to relax, "Yes. I have three hundred dollars next to my underwear. I keep it there all the time."

"Whatever happens, don't run away. Wait for me or leave a way for me to follow you. I only arrived in America today. As soon as we can we'll find somewhere and make a home. If you need money Femhe, I've got enough for both of us and I've got a good job. I can support all three of us. We'll be fine. We just have to get past this first hurdle." Billie rubbed her hands on Femhe's cheeks. "Use the next few days to find something you'd like to do and think about where we'd like to settle. You might like to restart your business?" Billie smiled and kissed Femhe on the cheek. "Hang on a few more days and we'll take you away from here. If the work gets too hard, quit. Stay in a nice motel, put your feet up and rest. You have to look after our baby." Billie kissed Femhe again, "I'll come running as soon as you call. In four weeks I'll take you flying in my aeroplane. You'll love it." Billie squeezed Femhe's hand. "We'd better go in. Lizzie needs to go back to work. I'll give her your bag to look after. It'll be safer locked in her room for now." Billie kissed Femhe on the cheek yet again and lingered a moment conscience of the softness of her skin. The subtle feminine scent that defined who she was and the burning, firmness in her own chest, strange but nice. She rested her face on Femhe's forehead. "I know I sound crazy Femhe. I've searched for you for years and I'm never going to let you down. I need you. Together we can achieve anything. We've both been cured."

*****

Pituri Downs

Jason was ferried to Boulia in the Osprey at first light and took off in his Eagle bound for Kununurra. Landing attracted a lot of attention. People in this part of the world don't expect to see such a machine. By the time Jason pulled to a stop beside numerous light aircraft a crowd of airport staff and plane owners had gathered, a stepladder was located so Jason could climb down and within seconds he'd established Sister Veronica was yet arrive. More questions and a radio call from a stock-mustering contractor's base station established the sister was in the air, ten minutes from landing.

It was a long ten minutes for Jason keeping people safely away from his jet. Several burnt fingers came from touching the tail pipe.

Sister Veronica stepped from the light aircraft all eyes. She was tall and slim, obviously accustomed to the outdoors and healthy for it. Her hair was grey and cut carelessly short. Her brown eyes glowed with intelligent confidence as she surveyed the eagle from end to end and offered a face that showed a youthful tinge of excitement.

She was wearing jeans, a green work shirt with the tail hanging out and elastic sided work boots. And was quite possible the last person on earth anyone would suspect of being a nun. She spoke beautifully and introduced herself with a firm handshake. Saying only, "Major Maiden. Should we be off?"

Thankfully she was carrying only a small travelling bag, which fitted behind her seat with the help of a heavy push.

Jason helped the Sister into a helmet so they could talk in flight. He strapped her into the rear seat while explaining what she was looking at and what not to touch. A promise to fly as gently as he could explained why she wouldn't need any of the fancy and ridiculous flight gear he was wearing. With a wink and a tap on the shoulder Jason moved into the front seat and prepared for flight. Yet it took much longer than planned moving the onlookers a safe distance away so they could start the engines. It might never have happened at all were it not for Sister Veronica rolling her eyes, crossing herself and screamed a sentence full of carefully selected very personal expletives, which succeeded in getting the onlookers rapidly back-pacing further than necessary.

In a little under an hour Jason called up the appropriate flight service controller to gain clearance and make his approach from the south onto the new runway on Pituri Downs. Just after they hit the runway a light aircraft did the same in front of them from the other end. Unable to stop short and not knowing what the other aircraft intended, Jason went for power to abort the landing by lifting off and as he did so, he noticed the light aircraft also commenced to climb away from the ground. As soon as the eagle's nose lifted Jason lost visual contact with the other aircraft. Still unsure what the other aircraft was doing he maintained full power climbing as fast and steep as the eagle could manage. He was banking on being gone long before the slower aircraft could collide with them. It seemed to work. At six thousand feet Jason throttled back and levelled out, finally sure the smaller aircraft would be unable to catch them. He turned on his combat radar and searched for the light aircraft, finding it five hundred feet off the ground in a turn seemingly on a circuit course to approach the runway yet again. He locked his radar onto the aircraft as a target so he could follow it constantly. The plane wasn't emitting a racon signal so he couldn't identify it to communicate directly with the pilot. He called up flight service control reporting the incident and was informed they had no flight plan for any other aircraft in the area. They're recommendation, caution. With no other option Jason circled watching and waiting to see what the smaller aircraft would do. The four-seat Cessna took ages to fly round to approach again. Because the plane approached from the completed end of the runway they had to wait while it turned round and taxied all the way back before it could pull off onto the taxiway where the four parking bays were located.

Jason found himself swearing rather boldly before he remembered he had a religious passenger sitting quietly in the back listening. He quickly apologised explaining what the problem was. The words were wasted Sister Veronica was well aware of what had happened and much more interested in talking about the amazingly powerful climb they had undertaken during the aborted landing. She wanted to know more about the aircraft and confessed to knowing a young lady who flies in F-111's, adding she had no idea how stressful and exhilarating this job was. The name was offered, Flying Officer Hope, though it wasn't necessary Jason knew quite well the female F-111 aircrew had to be Billie. He had enough time to explain they'd recently met, adding she was currently in the US flying with a very dear friend and colleague.

Incredibly the light aircraft stopped on the runway and appeared to be offloading passengers. Though several US ground crew approached them and obviously issued instructions to taxi the aircraft off the runway into a parking bay.

Jason buzzed the field slow and low to receive a thumbs-up from the ground crew before returning to land with a wing over approach. He pulled to a halt in the second parking bay and was set upon by ground crew, a normal occurrence, who secured the plane before helping them out.

Jason scooped up his waiting children, introduced the Sister and commenced doing the same for the other new arrivals on Pituri Downs.

The other aircraft proved to be a neighbour who had popped in with rather unfortunate timing to see what was happening. Rather disturbingly he had his daughter and two grandchildren on-board. The daughter was virtually wheelchair bound, courtesy of multiple sclerosis. It was impossible to be annoyed with his piloting. He obviously had no idea of the protocol needing to be followed around modern military equipment. Still it was a problem that needed addressing to prevent a disaster occurring in the future, particularly so because the drones would soon arrive.

Marge greeted Sister Veronica with obvious close affection. She took over the introductions, identifying the Sister's non-English speaking, students. Sister Veronica spoke to each in their native tongue and within minutes everyone understood who everyone else was. Introductions out of the way they all retiring to the homestead for tea and a good neighbourly chat.

Ellsworth, South Dakota.

The four thirty meeting was conducted in the wardroom with everyone lounging around sipping coffee. Kelly, Billie and Elizabeth shared a lounge together. Seated across from them Elizabeth's new commanding officer and second in-charge who also shared a three seater lounge. Three genuine public relations personnel were also present. A female Captain who was pompous enough for Billie to take an instant dislike to was seated in a single lounge chair with her assistants, two Lieutenants, a male and a female both seemingly more aware and intelligent than their 'superior' sat together on another lounge. The Captain didn't introduce her colleagues by name. She referred to them with a waving finger as, _the Lieutenants_ , obviously they were too junior to take responsibility. "They're here to gain experience. You will address all your concerns through me."

Billie opened her mouth but had it closed by Elizabeth's quick thinking Commanding Officer. Out of sight of the PR Captain he raised a finger to his lips and followed through with a curling motion beside his ear then added a wink and large smile.

"Now. Lieutenant Ho." The Captain aimed a finger at Elizabeth and held her clipboard ready to take notes, "I need to review your story and decide whether it's a suitable explanation. Could you run me through how you helped this damaged aeroplane last night?"

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide. She looked at both Billie and Kelly beside her and shook her head. Her Commanding Officer nodded and said, "Yes Elizabeth. In your own words keep it straight forward and simple."

"Well. I just pointed the plane in the general direction of America and asked the HOT for directions to finetune our destination. I followed her instructions. That's what Lieutenants do. Before I knew what was what the HOT had found a big black thing and told me to herd it along. I wasn't even sure what it was until Billie told me it was a spirit." The commanding officer smiled and waited.

The Captain seemed to miss the humour. She wrote for a while then said, "Yes. I see. What is a HOT? You can't use technical terms with the press. You need to spell everything out for them in simple jargon."

Elizabeth tried to look surprised, " _Her over there_. I was referring to Billie... Captain Hope. She was on the other side of the plane. The HOT, though sometimes when we don't know them we identify them as the YOT, _you over there_. It's F-111 talk. In a super hornet the same person is a YOB, _you out back_. Or a HOB."

"Yes I see." The captain remained serious though both her assistants were sharing glances and smiling. "Might be better if you simply say you referred matters to your superior Captain Hope."

Elizabeth nodded and rolled her head from side to side with a small frowning motion of her lips and a shrug of her shoulders.

"Now Captain in your own words. How did you manage to find and help the... Spirit last night?" The Captain looked straight at Billie and raised the clipboard.

"I didn't. Everybody has this story wrong. We were flying along and called up your tanker for fuel. Got told they were busy. They sent us to Hawaii to get our own fuel. We altered course and next thing we know the spirit was beside us. When we told them what had happened and explained we were desperate, didn't have enough fuel to get us to Hawaii. They arranged for the tanker to give us some fuel and let us fly beside them all the way to America so we wouldn't have any more trouble with the language barrier." Billie lifted and opened her hands. "That's it. The spirit crew saved us. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to thank them."

"I see." The Captain wrote for quite a while before looking up. She turned to the commanding officer. "Look we might down play all this rescue talk and make this a human interest story. International crew meets local pilots. Four female pilots, we can milk that aspect." The Captain looked around thinking and on impulse pointed at Kelly, "Why are you here?" She learned forward to read Kelly's nametag, "Lieutenant."

"Kelly faked confusion. "I have no idea. I was outside kicking the tires in accordance with my superiors' instruction and got herded in here with everyone else."

"Well you're not required. You may go, Lieutenant." The Captain waved an arm shooing Kelly like a hen that had wandered into the barn.

Before Kelly could move the commanding officer spoke, "Lieutenant Cassidy is required to transport you to Whiteman in the morning, Captain."

"We have our own plane."

"No you don't. The plane you came here in has been re-allocated and has already taken off. We've been told to provide you and your staff with transportation to Whiteman. After you arrive at Whiteman you'll be on your own. The pilots of the spirit who were involved in last night's incident will arrive here early tomorrow. Lieutenant Ho and Captain Hope will fly their F111 to Whiteman in company with the Spirit to provide the press with a photo opportunity. They will re-enact their impressive landing with the national press watching."

"We'll be flying down there in a lancer," The commanding officer pointed at his second, "There will be room for your assistants in the back as our YOB's. You can get a feel for the story by flying as Lieutenant Cassidy's HOT. Cassidy can run you through the aircraft's combat capabilities. She has actually flown F-111's in combat, before the aircraft was retired from our air force." He winked and displayed an evil smile towards Kelly. "Having a feel for the genuine theatre of operation will help you control the story flow, don't you think?"

"But... " The Captain turned pale, "But I'm not a trained. I... I..."

"That's the point Captain. We all need to cross train for the good of the service. You'll be in good hands. Cassidy and I went through flight training together. She can teach you everything a person in your position should know about the flying side of air force life. We may even have time for a few simulated combat avoidance manoeuvres in transit. An invaluable experience for someone in your field plus Lieutenant Cassidy and her plane are required to be in Whiteman because as soon as the press conference is over Captain Hope and Lieutenant Cassidy will be heading off to God knows where on some very hush-hush assignment." The commanding officer looked around. "Take-off will be nine ten sharp tomorrow morning. You three..." He eye balled the lounge where Elizabeth, Billie and Kelly were sitting. "Will be on the tarmac at six thirty to meet our guests and you will look after them until we all prepare to head off at eight thirty." He turned to the PR people. "I want you three ready to fly with all your gear sitting here in this room at eight hundred hours. We're finished here. You may go. The duty officer will find you a billet for tonight." He turned to Elizabeth, "Elizabeth you have a night flight scheduled. Be back here ready to go at nineteen hundred hours. Captain Hope you might like to come along for a look-see. It's my understanding you need to find a home base in a few weeks. We'd be happy to accommodate you here. We can put someone of your obvious experience to good use."

Billie looked at Elizabeth then Kelly. "Check out a Lancer. Why not? Wow. I'd love to try out the seat. It'll help me make up my mind what I want to do. Besides I've already located a good reason to hang around here." Billie turned to Kelly and grinned. "Will you be okay on your own until Elizabeth and I get back Sugar Plum?"

##  Chapter 15

On board the E-7A Wedgetail - above Afghanistan

"Crunch time you two. What do you think?" Wendy surveyed her pupils as both Clancy and Kaiser directed their attention from the workstation screens toward each other then Wendy.

Kaiser spoke. He was talking to Clancy. "I like it. We can do good work from up here. Might even be able to make a difference. What do you think?"

Clancy nodded and pulled thoughtful frowns before looking straight at Wendy. He closed one eyes, "Can I negotiate?"

"Negotiate? Negotiate what?" Wendy tried to look stern, "You're not getting more money. You've done well in that department already."

"I want my horse moved out of Afghanistan."

"Your horse? You want me to arrange for a horse to be sent back to Australia?" Wendy raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"Almost correct. Actually I don't want the horse sent to Australia." Clancy looked at Kaiser who was grinning then returned his gaze toward Wendy's feet. "If we send her to Australia she would be in quarantine for months and still be in the army. It's a fair bet they'd eventually return her overseas to suffer the same fate anyway. I want you to help me steal Taffy and transport her somewhere safe. Somewhere she can retire from army life and be well treated."

Wendy looked at the clock on the wall picked up her blue phone handset and dialled, "General. The idiot beside me wants to steal an army horse and remove it from Afghanistan to somewhere akin to a retirement village for pampered horses. Are we in the horse stealing business?" Wendy looked at Clancy while Jim laughed, "Sir. I don't hear anything remotely amusing. May I take advice from everyone's friend and noted horse authority to establish if this is doable." Wendy waited a moment then fixed her gaze on Clancy to say down the phone. "If we pull this off we have them both on-board for as long as we want. If he makes any further demands I'll have him knee caped so he can't go anywhere else." She nodded several times. "Okay. Yep. I'm on it. Thank you Sir." Wendy hung up and immediately dialled again.

"Mr Page. It's Wendy. Wendy Maiden. Do you have a minute? I want to know how to go about importing horses from Afghanistan to the States. For starters; how long will it take?" Wendy put her hand over the phone and said to Clancy, "We're looking it up." She released her hand. "The horse was originally from Australia and sent to Afghanistan with the army." She stopped speaking to listen, "To hard for me to answer. Hang on. I'll put someone on the phone who knows more about the detail." Wendy grinned, "His name is Page. David Page."

Wendy held the phone out to Clancy, "Answer the questions. His name is John Page. He's Kelly's father. Knows everything worth knowing about horses."

"David Page speaking." He listened, "Yes. Australia. They were shipped by air through Saudi Arabia then onto Afghanistan." Clancy listened, "No they were only on the tarmac in Saudi Arabia for about an hour being watered and fed while changing planes. Didn't even leave their crates, couldn't go anywhere near other horses. I'm sure they've never been exposed to African Horse Sickness." Clancy listened again. "No. They haven't left Afghanistan... wait." Clancy looked at Wendy and spoke anyway, "They've been in and out of Pakistan a few times." Clancy listened again. "Yes they're Walers." Another delay. "Yes they're very fit, in perfect health. Okay. Thank you Sir." Clancy handed the phone back to Wendy.

"Well?" Wendy listened, "Three days. Is that all?" More listening, "Could we ship them to your place until we find a home for them?" Wendy looked at Clancy. "Not sure, probably three or four. Thank you, Mr Page. Did anyone tell you your daughter is set to visit you at home in a few days?" Wendy listened. "No she's in the states. At the moment she's in South Dakota and moving to Nevada tomorrow for a day or two. Then she'll have a couple of days with you before she's sent overseas for a few weeks. Then who knows? Thank you. You too. I'll be in touch." Wendy hung up.

She put the phone down and said to Clancy, "Do you have anyone in mind to horse sit on a plane and in quarantine for three days? And before you say it. You're not to go yourself. I have other plans for you. How about I cut short the holiday in Italy and send your misguided friends to the states? They're probably suffering from alcohol poisoning by now anyway. They'll need three or four days to sober up before I can use them."

"What about private Matterson of delta force. She knows her way around horses. If you put me down at Bagram for a day and organise a chopper. I could take her down to Kandahar introduce her to the horses, make like we've going out in the field somewhere. Effectively pinch some horses and brief her on where to go, etc. We could even give her a weekend at home in Wyoming with her hubby and kids before she flies back here. Would be a sure way to get her to volunteer."

"We can't land down there. Not in this plane."

"Fine. I'll jump. I noticed a few parachutes down the back."

"You want to parachute into Bagram?" Wendy shook her head. "Have you thought about how to get back up here when you're finished playing? If you actually survive the fall."

Clancy shrugged, "That could be a problem. Alternate plan. We do as before except I catch the plane to the states and have Prudence horse sit for the three days while one of your overpaid flutter people drives me to Australia, Afghanistan or where ever you plan to send me next."

"Prudence. Who's Prudence?"

"Sorry I forgot myself. I'm now pretending to think like an officer. I should have said marine private Matterson to maintain dehumanising detachment."

Wendy gave Clancy a quick stare, "I suppose I deserve that. But don't get too caught up in the sentimentality of your private world, Captain. Flutter people don't drive, they fly and they have names just like horse people." She gave him a dismissive smile. "Let me think on this for a few moments." Wendy shifted her focus to Kaiser pointed at the phone on his workstation and the clock above his desk. "Ring your wife, kids and mother-in-law. Tell them you'll be home by tomorrow and warn them you'll all be flying together on a plane to Europe in four days. You can all stay at my place for a while. Anke will help everyone settle in and take the women house hunting while you're at work."

She stood, picked up her walking stick and made her way to the back of the plane where she freshened up, made a coffee and drank steadily standing beside a window staring at the country below. When she returned to her desk she picked up a phone and rang the delta force commander to summon him to a quick face-to-face meeting at Kandahar airport in three hours. She told him to bring private Matterson without warning her. She'll be required for a special for a week.

Wendy glanced at Clancy knowing he was listening before picking up another phone. "Mattina Chiaras. Posso parlare con Gualti urgentemente per favore. Ho appena scoperto che sono incinta." She grinned and added, "Is it acceptable if I speak in English, Chiaras?" She waited a moment, "Sure. I thought he would be asleep but this is urgent. Wake him up. Wake them both up. It's after eleven o'clock they should have been up hours ago. Tell him it's Wendy Maiden on the phone and his holiday is over." Wendy waited over a minute her face completely neutral. "And good afternoon to you too Gualti my little pebble. Get your fellow debauchee out of bed, pack and be at Galatina Airport in one hour thirty minutes. There's a plane coming to pick each of you up. I want to see you at Kandahar in three hours." Wendy listened and smiled holding back laughter. "I don't give a tinker's cuss what you were planning to do tonight. I want you here. You've been swanning it for two days more than originally planned. Did you think I'd forget where you were? Silly man. Get your gear together and call a taxi. You've only got one hour twenty-five minutes to be at Galatina airport now. Make sure you bring idiot number two with you, his gear and the missing underwear. Play your cards right and you may even visit your aunty again in as little as a month from now. The alternative will be another sixteen months touring the sights of Afghanistan on foot." Wendy laughed for a second, "Bye, bye reverent doctor. I'll see you front and centre in three hours." Wendy hung up the phone and sat grinning for a few seconds before making yet another phone call to order four Eagles and a C17 transport. She rattled off the detail of each flight plan and timings before hanging up the phone.

She turned to face both Kaiser and Clancy who were staring with curiosity written on their face, "Stop looking at me. Go down the back and have a coffee. Give us girls a few minutes privacy."

As Kaiser and Clancy silently walked away she called Sabrina to her side and picked up the phone to make yet another call then briefed Sabrina what was going on so she could prepare for another live broadcast on the ground at Kandahar airport. The broadcast would be timed to make the late news in Australia her favoured reporting slot.

*****

Pituri Downs:

Sister Veronica sat on the veranda with the children seated in a semi-circle around her. Behind them, on chairs, the two adults wanting to learn English sat. Everything Sister Veronica said was first spoken in English and repeated in Khowar. She was a natural teacher, the children hung to every word she uttered. They were keen to learn and worked as a group to complete any tasks, English speakers and non-English speakers pooling resources just to join in what was seen as _the game_. It was only their second lesson and already nouns were being used with lots of finger pointing, because answers were only listened to when communicated in English, except of course if you already spoke English in which case your message had to be communicated via a non-English speaker.

Away from the veranda the kitchen was in full production with Beverly and Susanna, the two soldiers, happily preparing an afternoon tea fit for young students and adults alike. Marge, Fariha, Anke and Jason were in the yards attending to the stud cattle needs. The engineering soldiers were busy adding more distance to the ever-growing runway. In a week's time the job would be finished and there was already much talk of heading home. Though that talk was countered by rumours the military people stationed at Boulia would be moving in and the drones operating from the new runway. So the return of peace and quiet on Pituri Downs was still some way off.

Everyone stopped working and began to search the sky when the three C17's came within earshot. The daily event entertained all. Soldiers because it was there work to offload the cargo as quickly as possible. They needed the supplies. And to the people of Pituri Downs the large planes were still a novelty. Though today was a first. There was a parcel on-board for one of them, which on Pituri Downs meant a parcel for all of them.

Everyone was on the veranda in time for the soldier to deliver a long narrow cardboard package marked fragile. He handed it to Najwa and smiled before turning to jog back toward the activity surrounding the aeroplanes.

Sister Veronica had everyone study the sending address, Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre, Bethesda, MD 20889. The map was consulted and followed by a discussion about how quickly the package had arrived. It was only ordered yesterday. Then the receivers address was discussed at length, Miss Najwa Shah, C/o Pituri Downs Boulia Qld 4829 Australia. Everyone spoke the words in English before writing the address on paper and laughed when the map was again consulted.

Eventually the parcel was opened to reveal a letter from Najwa's doctor, which was handed to Fariha and a long narrow mirror. Everyone was keen to see how the mirror was going to cure the reoccurring pain in Najwa's missing toes. The lesson quickly became an exercise class. Everyone sat with parted legs wiggling and moving their feet and lower legs as Sister Veronica demonstrated. Najwa did as everyone else with the mirror set between her legs such that she could see her intact left leg and a mirror image, which looked like it was her missing right leg doing all the exercises. Within minutes the phantom limb pain, which felt as if she was continually kicked her toes on something, stopped. Her brain was picking up the visual image to stimulate the unused nerve receptors for the missing leg.

A further remarkable outcome was when Najwa clearly said in English, "This is silly but it feels really good." Her first structured sentence spoken in English and without the need for conscious thought.

Sister Veronica kissed Najwa on the cheek, stopped the lesson for afternoon tea and made the next activity a swim in the dam though everyone was required to speak English while in the water.

*****

Ellsworth AFB.

Kelly was in bed reading and contemplating sleep when Billie and Elizabeth burst in, still full of adrenalin from their flight. They both spoke together in a silly cowboy accent, "Hello little lady. We've been to Texas," Then laughed. Elizabeth took over the conversation alone as Billie began to strip, "To Dyess. We hot pit refuelled and came straight back." She jigged her shoulders. "Pretty cool. I love this place."

Kelly looked up from her book, "Whoopee duck. Does this mean we can all go to sleep now?"

"You're no fun. Billie's going to have a quick shower and rush into town to see you-know-who." Elizabeth pulled a frown, "I was hoping to talk to you until I calm down. Billie said you've got tattoos of aeroplanes. Can I see them?"

Kelly rolled her eyes, threw off the blankets, lifted her nightie and shook her head, "I feel like a specimen these days. You're both crazy. At least I know you won't touch." Kelly looked at Billie, who was disappearing toward the washroom with a towel over her shoulder. "How's she going to get into town?"

"On her motor bike. I've already told her she'll freeze, but she probably won't. She never feels the cold."

"She might break her neck on a patch of ice."

Elizabeth pulled Kelly's nightie down, put the blankets back over Kelly and sat cross-legged on the foot of her bed. "I'll bet you don't even have nibbles for me to chew on. Billie and Phillip always provide nibbles."

"Definitely not. They'll rot your teeth."

"Now you sound like my Mum. Mum will like you... as long as you don't tell her you've got tattoos." Elizabeth smiled. There's a chance I could start flying to Afghanistan soon. How do I represent a lancer?"

Kelly looked confused, "What?"

"For a tattoo. Billie told me they're aircraft you've flown combat missions in. I like the idea."

"Did Billie tell you a friend got me drunk and arranged the first tattoo before I sobered up. And when the hangover subsided I felt like killing her." Kelly shook her head and frowned in mock anger. "What will your mother say? Mine still doesn't know."

Elizabeth smiled, "Billie did tell me that. She thinks it's funny... we think it's funny. I'll get granny to come with me. She's mega brave. She can put a live worm on a fish hook all on her own. I'll tell her all the girls get a tattoo for each bomber type they fly the Atlantic in. She'll go first and get five, like you, then hold my hand so I don't chicken out or cry. Granny can fix things with mum. She always does. Does it hurt?"

"The last tattoo hurt like heck." Kelly pointed at where the warthog was through the blankets. "It's over my hipbone. Tattoos don't seem to hurt as much on bouncy tummy flesh. You could make the lancer tattoo a bone."

Billie rushed in still forking the towel through her hair, leaving the rest of her naked body exposed. She started pulling boots, gloves, jeans, tee shirt, coat, scarf and a helmet out of her trunk throwing each on her bed. Finally she picked up some underwear and socks and started to dress.

Kelly spoke, "Be careful on your bike Billie. There could be ice on the road. I'm not even going to tell you how cold it will be? And if you stay the night make sure you're here on time in the morning."

Billie didn't stop dressing but said, "I'll be careful. I would like to stay if Femhe will let me? She cleans and mops the diner after they close. She shouldn't be doing that in her condition. I'm hoping she'll rest and let me do the heavy work. I'll be back here by six twenty in the morning for sure." She quickly kissed Elizabeth then Kelly on the cheek and spoke over her shoulder as she rushed for the door, "Got to run. I love being married."

Ellsworth Tarmac.

At exactly six thirty on an icy windswept morning the eerie B-2 bomber with _Spirit of Missouri_ displaying on the wheel-well door was guided to a stop beside the two F-111's.

Kelly, Billie, Elizabeth and Elizabeth's Commanding Officer were waiting to greet the crew along with a growing group of curious onlookers, probably keen to witness what several billion dollars looks like up close.

The first pilot to exit the plane was a tall slim blue-eyed blonde who spoke with an educated east coast accent. Her nametag read _Cpt P Zook._ She introduced herself as Paula and offered a firm handshake as she spoke. She immediately turned to her colleague still on the stairs wearing a huge smile and said. "She's captain Zook as well D Zook. It's a little confusing. She threw a thumb over her shoulder saying, "Her names Daisy but everyone including her mother calls her Pinkie."

Pinkie was shorter than Paula about average height. She had olive skin with thick wavy hair and gorgeous brown eyes; eyes that caused Billie to stare. Her figure claimed more womanly curves than most pilots can attest but it was her demeanour that stuck to people. Her face was a picture of mischievous contentment in control of a flowery southern accent that imparted an infectious light-hearted happiness with every word uttered.

After the introductions were complete Pinkie pointed at Billie and said, "Let me see. You're gay." She nodded and moved to Kelly, "You're not." She slanted her head to study Elizabeth, "You haven't made a commitment." Then she turned her head to the commanding officer, "And you Sir think I should mind my own business and stick to the air force don't ask don't tell policy."

The commanding officer twisted his head with a positive gesture to retort, "You got my preference perfect."

Elizabeth giggled adding, "In that case you nailed the four of us."

"It's a gift." Pinkie appeared pleased. "Would anyone like to know the sex of their first child?"

Billie was still studying Pinkie's face. "While you were sleeping... She expanded her eyes, "I hope," and pointed a finger at Paula. "She told us you were both married. Said she has two children and you have one. Was she lying?"

Paula spoke. She looked amused. "We're not an item if that's what you're asking? We're sister-in-laws." She rolled her eyes and cousins. I exaggerated a little. Child-wise I... we share a house and bed with two Shih Tzu humanoids." She pointed at Pinkie and grinned, "They co-exist with an ice cream eating Pomeranian who won't go outside in bare feet."

The commanding officer cut in, "Do you think we might continue this life altering chat inside. My knees are knocking together from cold and I live in the god forsaken place." He led them toward the wardroom but before walking ten paces exclaimed, "Oh crap. Captain Lunatic has arrived to set us all straight. God..."

Some distance off walking toward them was the public relations captain flanked by her two offsiders.

The commanding officer threw his keys into Elizabeth's hand saying, "All of you scatter. Take these guys into town to that diner you like in my wagon. Be back at eight fifteen. I'll martyr myself for a grateful nation. Cowboy or what ever you're calling yourself at the moment. I'll expect you to give her hell on the flight to Whiteman as a reward to me for what I'm about to do."

He walked quickly ahead, "Oh Captain, just the person. While we have a few moments I wanted to chew your ear about a few problems we're having with the affirmative action plan." He waved his hand, "And we are having problems with cross gender privacy on long-haul flights in the lancer. I need unbiased informed intelligent input... advice. I wonder if your sidekick's might like to keep my people company over breakfast so we can talk in private?"

*****

Kandahar Airport Afghanistan

The news camera panned slowly round showing the barren dusty desert country with a multitude of military equipment spread in what appeared to be complete disarray. The camera stopped on Sabrina with the wedgetail aircraft behind her.

"After five days of continuous flying I'm finally standing on the ground. I'm not sure why we're here but I do know something is up." The camera panned to a spot about one hundred yards from the wedgetail where a number of people were standing together in discussion. The camera was slightly out of focus. As they filmed one figure, a tall male dressed in a flying suit, nodded his head, pointed three times, turned and jogged away. The three people selected jogged with him, two were dressed in more elaborate flying suits and each carried a kit bag. The fourth was kitted out in full combat fatigues. They quickly left the tarmac area and disappeared up a dusty street into the labyrinth of military tents, huts and equipment that formed the base proper.

Sabrina came back into focus, "Welcome to Kandahar airport, Afghanistan." She waited a moment before adding, "This is Sabrina Noble reporting live... Cut."

She helped the cameraman pack the gear and moved to a new location where several military planes and helicopters were being refuelled. She stood in front of the camera again before packing up and followed the directions she was given to find the Australian quarters. She hoped to meet willing bodies keen to send messages home to loved ones.

Wendy eyed the five people in front of her. She faced Kaiser. "You're out of here. That's your plane." She pointed to the nearest F15 strike eagle. "He'll drop you off at Perth international airport where there will be a vehicle waiting to take you home. Have everything packed and everyone ready to fly out for Europe in three days. And when you arrive in Europe be ready to go to work." Wendy waved in the direction of the plane. "Go."

Kaiser raised an eyebrow, "Don't I get to hear where they're going?"

Wendy tried to look stern, "No. Go. Now." Wendy waved her arm toward the plane again. "Or you'll end up travelling in a transport plane full of sheep droppings."

Kaiser raised his hands dismissively, "See yah round guys, like a rissole." And jogged toward the plane.

Wendy watched Kaiser go and grinned for her own amusement. She turned back to the others. "You guys really look the part. Matterson are you comfortable doing this dressed like that."

Matterson was decked out in traditional Afghan men's clothing like the guys. She looked the part. They'd even darkened her chin with what Wendy suspected was boot polish to make her appear bearded from a distance. She didn't hesitate. "Yes Ma'am. I'm up for it."

"Okay." Wendy turned to Clancy. "You have two helicopters one for you guys and your horses. The other is coming from Bagram and will meet you there. It has supplies and twenty boer goats, all pregnant does I'm told." Wendy shrugged, "Take them to Fariha's village near Azrow where you left the others. Negotiate a deal like you did before and update them on Fariha, Basir and Najwa's whereabouts, etc. Take pictures to send to Fariha. When you're finished go directly to Bagram and put Matterson on the plane as we discussed. Brief her where to go and when you'll meet her next, etc. All the supplies you requested will be on the plane. Matterson can take care of everything for the trip." Wendy pointed at Muscat and Chiko, "You two will stay at Bagram when you finish today's trip. You'll be working with delta force until I say otherwise. Any trouble and you'll answer to me after you answer to them." Wendy turned her attention back to Clancy. "There have been no unusual comings or goings from the village since you were there last. Everything looks quiet. But don't take unnecessary risks. Check everything out. If anything looks amiss abort the mission and go straight to Bagram. Carry on from there." Wendy looked around before turning back to Clancy, "See Matterson on her way then ride the chopper back here. I want you standing on this spot ready to board that aircraft." Wendy pointed at the wedgetail. "At sixteen hundred hours. I have some things to do up there." She pointed skyward. "I'll be taking off as soon as we finish here but will land again to pick you up." Wendy stared into his eyes, "If you're not here. I will hunt you down. We've got work to do. You don't go on Matterson's plane. Your next aeroplane ride is to Germany with me. Got it?"

"Crystal clear." He turned to Matterson. "You drew the best hand at this table."

Wendy stuck out her hand looking at Muscat, "You have a package for me to take to Anke."

Muscat reached into his kitbag, pulled out a shopping bag and handed it over. "God. What a party pooper."

"There is your chopper. Go before I change my mind." Wendy waved them away. But looked a Clancy. "Sixteen hundred hours. Here." She pointed at the ground under her feet. "Good Luck."

*****

The diner, Rapid City

Femhe stared at Billie as she led the other five inside. When they were close enough she spoke, "I thought you'd gone off to work?"

Change of plan. I have another hour. We've been asked to feed these hungry people then I'll be going for sure." Billie walked behind the counter, "What would you like me to do?"

Kelly and Elizabeth nodded a greeting to Femhe and receive a kind smile as they sat everyone at a table near the window.

Pinkie looked from Billie to Femhe several times, "They're an item aren't they?"

Elizabeth nodded, "Correct. I know how you can tell, it's a gift you have. My brother has the same gift. Femhe is in hiding from her family and works way too hard for someone so obviously pregnant. Billie is looking for somewhere safe for her to stay, while she's moving around. When her current assignment is complete they'll find somewhere permanent to make a home."

Femhe handed Billie three plates and pointed her to a table and handed her coins for the jukebox before squeezing her hand. "Find out what your friends want then ask Elizabeth to dance." Femhe smiled, "It gives me more time to prepare the meal and the customers like to see you dancing as much as I do." She turned back to the hot plate and flipped several eggs.

When the jukebox started Pinkie looked at Paula and grinned. "That's the tune." She turned to Kelly. "It's been going round and round in our head for days. We're still trying to decide but we think we like it."

Kelly lifted her head, "Me too. I take it they've told you what's going on today?" Kelly looked at both pilots then to the public relations staff. "You'd better keep this from your boss." Then turned her attention to Paula and Pinkie. "We're pretending Elizabeth and her aardvark flew in with you guys." Kelly glanced at Billie. "We can't afford to let the press see inside our raven or me for that matter. I'm supposed to be stuck somewhere in Afghanistan for some strange reason that I don't fully understand."

Paula spoke, "The boss warned us about you and we worked out for ourselves the plane you guys turned up in is rather specially decked out. Guess it was lucky for us you were in the area. Our boss wants to talk with you. He wants to know how you found us and also how you emulated our IFF emitter?" Paula's eyes held still a moment. "They make us over fly North Korea and watch to see if there is any activity below. The boss wants to know whether anyone else is likely to find us the same way you guys did." She curled her head, "So do we? Neither of us fancies getting captured in North Korea."

Kelly pointed at Billie and Elizabeth who had started to dance. "Your boss will be disappointed for now. We've been ordered silent on both those topics until we debrief properly with her. I guess we could come back and have a chat later if we're cleared to do so. Might take a few weeks." Kelly quickly glanced at Paula then back at the dancers. "What I will say is I just fly." Kelly pointed at Billie and shook her head, "Don't be fooled by her frivolity. She's a walking tech-head, a genuine geek, with a doctorate and head full of Avionics stuff." Kelly rolled her eyes, "And as if that weren't enough in her own time she moonlights as a commercial pilot. She knows aeroplanes, aeroplane equipment and aeroplane technology inside out."

Pinkie spoke, she was staring at Billie and Elizabeth. "They're brilliant. What great exercise?" She nudged Paula in the arm. "We should get them to teach us to do that. Helga and Hilda would love to see those guys dance. It's a tango isn't it?"

Kelly spoke, "Yes. Argentine tango, they're clever. They can actually dance to those tunes without hearing any music."

Pinkie looked at Paula then toward Kelly. "Would you guys like to have lunch at our place. I'll ask Hilda if she'll let Femhe stay with us until Billie is settled. And I already know she'll agree. When is their baby due?"

"I don't know but she looks well advanced in her third trimester." Kelly shrugged and shook her head, "Happened long before she met Billie. She was raped poor kid. Her family arranged for it to happen."

When the tune ended Billie and Elizabeth broke off dancing. Elizabeth sat at the table all smiles while Billie went to the kitchen to retrieve a coffee pot and returned to silently serve coffee round the table. As she was serving Paula there was a crash from the kitchen and Femhe screamed.

Billie dropped the pot to the table and ran to the kitchen. She found Femhe crying, her face white. She was trembling. Billie took her in her arms, "What is it?"

"It's him. He'll take me."

Billie looked through the diner window into the car park where Femhe was staring. A large man dressed in uniform was climbing from of a black and white cruiser clearly marked _Sheriff Mohave County, Arizona._ She turned to Femhe smiled and rubbed her back. "Stay in here, stay quite and stay out of sight. I'll deal with him. He won't be taking you anywhere. You're with me." Billie lightly pushed Femhe further into the kitchen and rubbed her back at the same time. "Quick. Go. Don't even peep. Stay in the kitchen. He won't get past me."

He was wearing a Mohave County Sheriff uniform with no nametag. His eyes were crazy and everywhere as he walked into the diner. He went straight for the counter. Billie met him. She stood in the gap so he couldn't walk through to the kitchen. "You're a long way from home. What can I get you?"

"Where's that slut? I'm taking her with me. She's mine."

"I'm sorry sir. This is just a regular diner. We don't serve sluts to go or eat in for that matter. You'll need to sit down and order off the menu or go elsewhere."

"Don't piss me off woman. I'd just as soon shoot you. I'm the law and you're just another filthy slut. Nobody will even blink when they pull your bullet-riddled body out of an industrial trash bin. Now tell me where she is and get out of my way before I get mad?"

"Don't call the lady names officer?" Pinkie spoke on the move, walking quickly to close the distance.

The guy turned to face her. His eyes widened. "Don't even think of messing with me cotton picker. I'm here with a warrant to make an arrest. You try to obstruct me you'll go down; be like squatting another filthy fly. I'm the law and you're nothing."

Pinkie didn't flinch she stood beside him near the counter, close enough to be in his face but with enough distance to make him lean forward to strike at her. She spoke calmly, "It's Captain. I'm with the military and you will respect this uniform. You'll address my rank with courtesy. Officer. You're not wearing a badge or nametag. May we see some identification?"

His face and voice turned ranting red, "I've warned you. I'm not answerable to an upstart woman in fancy pants. Get out of my face."

"You're absolutely full of it Sir. Even if they do tolerate dumb, overweight, racist, misogynistic pigs in the sheriff department where you come from. You don't have jurisdiction here. You try to detain anyone it's kidnapping." Pinkie eyeballed him for a long moment, "I'm a reasonable person. You turn on your heels and slither back out that door." She stabbed an aggressive finger to show him the correct direction. "Right now. You'll still have your balls attached. We don't abide rapists having testicles where I come from." Pinkie grinned displaying a smug delight at witnessing the exploding anger in front of her.

His face became a snarl. He lifted a huge arm and took a deep breath before lunging a clenched fist toward Pinkie.

She was waiting, with nimble haste stepped aside and followed through with both hands pushing his extended arm toward the counter, which turned the man clumsily back toward Billie.

The angle was perfect. Billie thrust her right arm forward, hand opened and wrist extended back. The lightly fleshed carpal bones in the heel of her hand connected heavily up under and into the man's nose. The impact emitted a sickening crack and sent the man rolling sideways along the counter.

Pinkie took another step back and placed a well-aimed right-footed kick into the man's groin. She was rewarded with a loud groan as her target crumbled face first to the floor and didn't move. The only sound was light gurgling from breathing through an obviously broken nose.

Pinkie gave Billie a thumb's up saying, "Good shot. Well executed." She picked up a chair, placing it over the man's head so a cross bar between the rear legs was pressing into the guys neck and sat before adding. "Thank the gods he's breathing I wasn't looking forward to doing mouth-to-mouth on him." She grinned at Billie, "Be a darling would you; cuff him. He'll have handcuffs on his belt. Better remove his weapon and find the backup. Guys like him always have backup. My guess would be the right boot." She turning her head to the table where Paula and the others were all standing. "Ring the cops will you. This guy is a public danger. Oh and hand me my coffee. I was enjoying that, it's good."

Billie found Femhe huddled under a workbench at the far end of the kitchen. She had her arms around her knees and still crying. Billie leaned down and put a hand out for Femhe to take, "It's over Femhe. He's been subdued and the cops are coming." She caressed Femhe's cheek and felt her lean into the touch. "Come out. We'll keep serving the customers. Staying busy to help you relax."

Femhe moved out from under the table, stood and wiped her eyes on a sleeve. "I don't want him to see me like this. She gestured at her expanded shape, "He mustn't know I'm having a baby. He'll think he owns my child as well as me." She closed her eyes and turned noticeably white.

Billie pulled her into an embrace, "What is it?"

"He wouldn't come all this way alone. My brothers will be outside somewhere."

"Come. We'll pack your bag. You can leave with me. You have to leave here anyway."

"I can't walk out. Who'll run the diner?"

"Think Femhe? How do you think that guy knew you were here? You told me your boss had your social security details and was planning to get rid of you. Plus cheat you out of your earnings." Billie caressed her face again. "You don't owe him anything. He deserves to be left in the lurch. In fact it's important none of these people here know where you go." She held Femhe close, kissed her cheek, was rewarded when Femhe touched where she'd been kissed and smiled. "If your so called employer had his way you would have disappeared this morning anyway. Come on. I'll help you pack. We'll elope together.

"Tell me this is a joke? Lieutenant Ho you come with a lot of baggage. I asked you to take these people to breakfast. Sounds rather straightforward to me. I said nothing about them bashing a sheriff and leaving him cuffed to a heater without trousers. Plus leaving the scene before the cops arrive and I certainly didn't expect you to offer a ride in our plane to a civilian hitchhiker. Do you have an explanation?"

Billie spoke first, "It was my fault Sir. I did all the fighting. Lieutenant Ho displayed leadership, wisdom and restraint. She stepped in to stop me castrating that pig."

Elizabeth spoke over Billie. "That's not strictly correct Sir. If accounting needs to be held I'm the one who should be identified. We left because we needed to be back here on time. We couldn't in all conscience leave the girl there. She was in danger and it just happens she has a place to stay, somewhere to resume hiding, near Knob Noster. Where we're going. Seemed like the right thing to do. She's a valued supporter of the military Sir. A tax payer."

"Oh come on William." The public relations captain's voice sounded sweeter somehow. "They did what they're paid to do. Defend liberty as provided for in the constitution. From what I've heard they acted with restraint and defused a dangerous situation. If the press got hold of this it would be a natural PR feel good story. You should be proud of your Lieutenant as I am mine and the Captains did the heavy lifting as they should. We can fit this young lady in with Lieutenant Cassidy and I'll fly with you. My people can travel together in your other lancer. You said there were vacant seats."

"Okay... okay. Lieutenant you can expect to hear more about this. There will be paperwork. The military police are in town co-operating with their civilian colleagues. Someone will need a statement from each of you eventually." He clapped his hands, "You heard the captain. This is her show. Cassidy take the young lady with you and fly gently. She doesn't look like she can handle much toss and tumble at the moment. They're going to hide you and that plane inside a hanger while the press have their moment anyway. You might as well set off now. We'll all be twenty minutes behind you."

"Comfy?" Kelly turned her head to face Femhe. They were both strapped in ready to go. "I'll try to keep everything smooth but this thing isn't built for comfort. You'll find it quite a deal more strenuous when we accelerate turn and stop than flying in a civilian airliner."

"I've never been in an aeroplane before. I'll take what comes. I just want to get as far away from that horrible man as possible."

"Good. In that case we'll be travelling a lot faster than he can." Kelly turned on the power and programmed their route, leaving the moving map on in front of Femhe for her to view in flight. "Okay. Mind the bang. I'm using cartridges to start the engines."

Femhe proved a good passenger. She sat quietly looking around, appearing to enjoy the new experience. They took off to the southwest and didn't need to alter course until near their destination when they made a steady one hundred and twenty degree left turn to drop down onto Whiteman runway. En-route Kelly steadily climbed the plane to forty five thousand feet, accelerating to one thousand four hundred miles per hour and only slowed down on approach. The six hundred mile trip took thirty-five minutes.

On landing they taxied behind a _follow me_ vehicle straight into a hanger and upon exiting the plane were warmly greeted by identical twins, Helga and Hilda Zook, Paula and Pinkie's other halves though how either knew which one they lived with was something of a mystery. Helga and Hilda had obviously been briefed. They fussed kindly over Femhe making her feel welcome and had a change of clothes for Kelly, which fitted surprisingly well allowing her to blend in with the air force wives.

Kelly stood with the group looking civil and feeling connected yet separate. She shaded her eyes with one hand like all the wives and stared into the sun at the eerie black tailless bomber's reckless seeming rapid runway approach. The aardvark matched the breakneck decent. A tinge a pride left a smile on Kelly's face watching the spectacularly exaggerated sideslip on the straight winged plane, caused by Elizabeth riding the rudder. It was only a few weeks ago that Kelly had taught her the technique while landing on the angled deck of an aircraft carrier. Lizzie was a good student, a fast learner and natural, clever show-off.

The footage of the two planes landing was enough to find a quick spot somewhere on the national networks. However at the interview Paula mentioned the mysteriously repeating music they'd heard all the way home and insisted Billie and Elizabeth demonstrate how they dance to the same tune to wind down after a flight. It sealed a place on all the national network evening news with relays overseas and a viral following across the Internet.

After the conference one lancer returned to Ellsworth while the other with Elizabeth's Aardvark in tow detoured via Washington DC dropping off a successfully beaming public relations captain and her assistants.

Kelly and Billie were cornered and given a quick non-specific informal chat with the local squadron commanding officers about Billie's technical expertise. Billie couldn't say much but did make a recommendation every spirit flight have in their emergency equipment, a hand held GPS, a satellite phone and programmable device to display their position and status as a guard against a re-occurrence of the problem. Explaining she always carried these three items in her private gear on every flight she undertakes. She offered to return and physically build the last device to match every plane stationed at Whiteman as soon as her current commitments permitted a few days off.

Billie made an impression and received an invitation to return, to talk some more and try out for suitability to undertake pilot cross training to join one of the squadrons.

Lunch with the Zook's was entertaining and relaxing. The four girls and three dogs were inseparable, all fed personality into each other. They lived in separate houses on small acreages a few miles from the end of Whiteman runway.

Witnessing the girls all happily partnered and settled in the lush green central Missouri countryside was nectar in Billie's mind. She watched Femhe's face brighten as uncertainty dissipated. Her relaxed smile and occasional laughter caused sensations inside Billie that were gorgeous to experience and difficult to explain.

The properties were private, just three houses together, set one hundred yards apart, Paula and Helga lived in the first, Pinkie and Hilda owned the third. The middle house was older. It was the original farmhouse from which the two smaller properties on either side had been sub-divided. It meant the Zooks could wave at each other but the walk to visit each house was an inconvenient half-mile trek around the centre property.

After a barbeque lunch at Paula's the group strolled across to Pinkie's for desert, a regular ritual that combined eating with exercise. In conversation the four hosts mentioned the centre property was for sale. The Zooks all added they'd love to purchase the property but couldn't sensibly afford to. The problem wasn't the convenience of access. It was a matter of privacy. If money grew on trees they'd buy the property and pull the house down even though they knew it would break the heart of the current owner, a likeable old widower named Bob. Bob was as neighbourly as his family would permit. He didn't mind them walking through his property, had even positioned gates to do so and Bob loved the dogs to visit. The problem was his son-in-law, an old school bigot with a proven capacity for insignificance. He could hide his failings within opposition to emancipation in any form, which he justified as religion.

Pinkie added, "The son-in-law goes out of his way to corner Helga and Hilda. He serves up a loud recital of God's wrath for their benefit. Mostly he enjoys confronting our girls in the street. When he knows they're alone." Pinkie tilted her head to one side and grinned. "He doesn't seem to like being silenced by good solid kick in the nuts." Pinkie smiled kindly at Hilda. "Everyone knows these two couldn't hurt a fly. So he picks on them for being gay. It's a smoke screen what he'd really like is for Bob's original property value to be closer to being in his hands."

Billie wanted to look at the property. She took Femhe in hand and brazenly walked over to meet Bob who they discovered was selling up to move in with his daughter's family. Or more precisely move into a trailer in the same park where his family lived. Something he had considerable reservations about doing. He loved his independence and little property but was being pressured into giving up both. Family had decided it was all too much at his age. And besides his worthless son-in-law needed money to pay off debts. They were using Bob's failing vision as the trigger to get him out.

Billie and Femhe came away happy from their stroll. They both liked Bob. They liked Bob's property and they liked the neighbours on both sides. The world was full of possibilities.

All too soon it was time.

Kelly and Billie were driven to the base and said their farewells. Billie held Femhe close, made and heard promises while sharing tears. She found comfort in having somewhere secure for Femhe to stay where she could relax. Needing to fly away hurt deep but they both knew the job would pay the bills and Billie would return soon.

At the aircraft Kelly dropped a bombshell, "You're me. I'm you. You're flying."

"But..."

"Not my idea. Wendy phoned. She asked if you were up to ferrying the plane on your own. I assured her you were. She wants to have you fly out of here probably to impress the locals. Wendy's way of helping you find a squadron." Kelly rolled her eyes. "She knows about you and Femhe. And Femhe moving here."

"How could she? Did you tell her?"

"I didn't say a word. Wendy is in the knowing business."

"She's kind, in her own bossy, snooty, sneaky way."

Kelly rolled her eyes, "She is kind but she's not really being kind at the moment. She wants you proficient ferrying the plane so we can collect the growler and move quickly, without anyone else involved. I suspect from now on it's just the two us. Things are starting to happen." Kelly shrugged, "Enough talk. I'm here for advice if you need it but it's your flight. You're the boss. Lets go." Kelly smiled mischievously and added, "If that's okay? Boss."

"Okay. Program a course for Nellis." Billie glanced sideways and smiled, "And be sharp about it underling."

Billie looked out the side window and found Femhe watching with her, head to one side and hands linked together resting on her tummy. She looked alert and radiantly feminine. Their eyes locked together. Billie took a deep breath, held up three fingers to remind Femhe how many nights she planned to be away, blew a kiss, reached forward to hit both starters, paddled the controls, released the brakes, rolled forward and listened as Kelly requested clearance for take off.

Billie felt a sense of accomplishment as they rolled to a stop in their allocated bay on the line at Nellis. Nellis represented the summit of her climb to be worthy in a combat plane. New crews came here to make the grade where the climbing is steep. To have passed and return flying an experimental aircraft set to undergo specialist training was more than she'd imagined in her dreams. A girl from down under doesn't truly expect to fly into combat, yet here she was with her hands on the ladder. It was the stuff of dreams. What she was paid to do.

Billie eyed Kelly a questioning expression on her face, "We're here. What comes next?"

"We go for a pee and a coffee while the ground crew stack the hard points with a full swing of weapons, AGM-88 HARM's, AGM-114 Hellfire's and an AIM-120; just in case. Then we go hunting." Kelly expanded her eyes, "If you're toying with pacifism? Now would be a good time to speak up."

"I'm good. I've always had too much anger to turn the other cheek. HARM's and Hellfire's means on the ground, radar, probably in vehicles; the plot thickens. So we know what. All we need to know now is where and when? And why if there actually is a reason."

"What; will be confirmed very soon. Where and when I'm not sure. I do have a theory, which I'll share with you after tomorrow if we're still breathing. Today's a rehearsal. If today goes well tomorrow we prove we can take live fire. I suspect after that things will happen quickly." Kelly pushed lightly on Billie's shoulder. "Come on we'll have a coffee while the armourers do their job."

In less then an hour they were back in the raven though with opposite seating arrangements.

Kelly fired the plane into life and looked at Billie who was busy checking her systems. "Okay. I'll warn you. This is going to seem like the weirdest take off you've ever experienced but as soon as we're airborne it will all make sense. And I might as well tell you I have done all this before with Wendy sitting in your seat."

"Okay. I can handle weird." Billie glanced a smile and went back to her checks but said. "Is she a good _wizzo_?"

"She is... was excellent. The best. Never missed a target."

"Never missed a target? Are you sure?" Billie looked away from her screen to watch Kelly answer.

"I flew with her a lot. She has never missed a target."

Kelly gained clearance to fly, lined up on the runway ready for take-off and released the brakes to roll with the throttles set on sixty percent power without afterburners. As soon as the plane commenced to move she reduced power to forty percent and waited an eternity for the heavy labouring plane to build up speed on such low engine thrust.

After using up three thousand feet of runway where the raven would normally become airborne Kelly became aware that Billie was quietly staring at her. She pushed the throttle up to fifty percent for a few seconds then throttled back to forty again.

Billie spoke, "Can I help? I could read off speed or distance for you."

Kelly didn't look, "Shush. I'm counting."

As they passed through four thousand eight hundred feet of runway the plane's speed hit two hundred and thirty miles per hour and Kelly pulled back the controls to gently become airborne. She retracted the wheels and continued to climb at a tame one thousand feet per minute while setting their course with a steady turn for Creech air force base forty five miles to the north west.

As Kelly retracted the slots and flaps Billie spoke, "Okay. I get it, two hundred and thirty mile an hour take-off and cruise speed. We're emulating the flight characteristics and performance of an MQ-9 reaper drone. What should I be looking for?"

Kelly gave her a glance, "You're pretty smart. One day I'll ask where you store all the facts and figures. Don't need to do anything for a few minutes. We're trying to fool the radar at Creech we're an unauthorised incoming drone. If we pull it off they should scramble fighters to intercept us and they don't have long. At this speed we will be there in twelve minutes. It should get interesting. We'll try to avoid and jam them and anyone else who tries to find us. So you're on the lookout for incoming fighters and any ground radar. Logically they should send planes out from Nellis or use anything already in the air. But your worst nightmare is Edwards two hundred and fifty miles away." Kelly pointed to and identified the location of Edwards air force base. "They have raptors stationed there. If you think you might be able to detect them now would be a good time to try your theory. And you might want to keep an eye on detecting other drones that could cross our path because Creech has them everywhere and we would prefer not collide. They don't put out collision warnings or racon call signs."

"Got it Boss. I'm on the case. Not what I expected but this may prove even more fun." Billie went silent with her eyes scanning the console while pulling up screens. "If they catch us will they fire?"

"They could if we don't identify ourself and I'm not one for giving up without a fight. We can avoid most things they throw at us. We can only simulate return fire so you might as well lock our missiles inactive now to save time. We're only carrying the missiles for weight distribution, today." Kelly touched Billie's arm in delight as a thought come to her. "If you can workout how to detect an incoming raptor with enough time to act we'd have a good chance of metaphorically taking it out. The pilot wouldn't expect us to be coming at them to target and fire. He'd think it was his lucky day when we turned toward him." Kelly took her hand back. "You're already hot property for finding that spirit. Cornering us a raptor would make you prime real estate. Squadrons all over the country would want you on-board. But that would be nothing compared to the boost it would give my ego."

"Well. We'd better work out how to feed your ego." Billie stared at her console in silence a few moments then played around with the screen arrangements. She spoke without looking up, "We can detect them taking off from this range and we don't need to be very smart to work out where they'll fly or at what speed. In fact they can't actually intercept us in time already. We could upset the apple cart by stealing one of the drones already in flight. It would give a raptor more time to come after us." She pulled up a radar feed of a drone positioned to there right, range twenty mile, on a loosely converging course then passed an intercept course onto Kelly's moving maps displaying details for targeting. "I'll keep an eye out for hostiles. Maintain your speed and flight characteristics and intersect with the drone. Position us above it so we're in the satellite command stream. I'll read and analyse the data stream sequence and see what I can make of it."

"Sounds like fun." As Kelly altered course she added, "Don't' crash the drone. They'd probably make us pay for it."

Billie ignored Kelly's remark. She retrieved her laptop, secured it to her legs and ran several leads from the PC into the aircraft console. For several minutes she played around appearing to be totally absorbed in the activity.

As the two planes came together she spoke, "Come round onto the same heading as the drone and sit twenty or so feet above it. Close enough to merge any radar signal into one but not to destabilise the plane in our turbulence. The pave tack camera is locked on so we'll be able to see as we go above him. I'd expect they'll start manoeuvring trying to see us with the drone's camera." Billie looked up and across to Kelly. "But you're smart enough at piloting to keep above him. If I can intercept the return camera image I'll send them something interesting. Shame I don't have some porn; I can send the video of us dancing this morning. That should confuse them." Billie went silent again.

Suddenly she spoke, "Bingo." She clapped her hands. "Just as I suspected. This is simple stuff, similar to the BAE Systems feed in the phantom target drone conversion." Billie looked at Kelly who was grinning as she concentrated on flying. "Get ready. If I'm as smart as I think I am the drone will alter course fifteen degrees to starboard." She fired up the aircraft centre-jamming pod adjusted the frequency then keyed on her laptop. The drone commenced to turn. Kelly turned with it. "Be interesting to see how long it takes for them to correct the course change."

Both planes flew on the new course for a minute before the drone commenced to alter course back to the original heading. Kelly turned with it.

Billie spoke. There was excitement in her voice. "Okay lets get serious. Inch forward and we'll block the satellite signal so everything is relaying through us."

As Kelly positioned their plane above the drone's satellite dish Billie was able to display the drone's camera signal into a window on her screen.

"That's it. You're in position. Hold this relative location and we're in charge. If I cut the return feed the remote pilot will be blind." Billie went silent for another few moments then said, "Let me work out which one of these feed algorithms is telling us the fuel status. If they have enough fuel we might take it for a spin." She laughed then said. "If we turn and fly directly toward Edwards they'll come after us with raptors for sure. They'll want to sneak up and observe what's going on." Billie glanced at Kelly. "They'll take our course seriously. I'm sure you noticed the drone is carrying two Hellfire missiles under each wing." Billie made a noise in her throat, "We'll get the raptors because they'll think the target is a drone, out of control or being controlled remotely. They'll want to know which before they shoot it down and they'll come straight at us. It's logical." She interrupted herself. "That's got to be fuel status." She was looking at a computer screen full of cryptic data. "Okay. A reaper has a range of eleven hundred miles and can carry four thousand pound of fuel. With safety, that's four pound per mile. If I'm correct our drone has two thousand three hundred pound of fuel on-board. Enough to fly to Edwards and back twice." Billie touched Kelly on the arm. "Will we do it? As soon as we move out from on top of the plane the pilot will take over control and fly it home. If they send raptors and come straight at us we can accelerate at them before they know what's what. They won't even know there are two aircraft here, let alone one can shoot first and fly faster than they can." Billie made eye contact as Kelly glanced at her. "They'll send two planes, which means we can search for, and locate, their local communication as a frequency to plot their location. We can look for a doppler phase shift in their voices to calculate speed and the signal return delay will identify range and declination, which gives us course. The moment they start tracking us on radar we'll have them. We'll be ready and throw a couple of HARM missiles at them. It's perfect if they're coming straight at us they won't be able to out manoeuvre the turn ratio of a simulated missile, or make themselves better targets if they try. They won't be able to deploy countermeasures because that will be behind them and we know what a HARM missile will do if they try electronic countermeasures." Billie looked back at her screen, "Too low. We'll need more altitude, at least ten thousand feet." Billie didn't look up she was studying her PC screen. "What do you think Boss? Do you want to be the first pilot to bring down a pair of raptors fair and square... almost?"

"I'm brave. Lets give it a go. Confirm lockout on all missiles." Kelly looked across the plane and gave Billie a thumbs-up and a nod.

She buried he head in her computer, fingers busy working the keyboard until she lifted her head and said, "Okay. I confirm missile lockout is active. We're shooting blanks. Ready. She pressed a key. The drone pilot is blind. Whoever they are they're now watching a loop of Lizzie and me dancing the tango to Cut Bank Montana without sound. Should keep them entertained." Billie's tone changed, "Altering course now and commencing to climb."

Kelly turned with the drone onto a course for Edwards and commenced to climb. "Now we wait and see what happens."

##  Chapter 16

E-7A Wedgetail - above Afghanistan

Wendy settled back into her seat after taking a stretch-stroll to the bathroom plus attend to her bottomless coffee intake. She'd been scanning the village for activity for several hours and monitored closely as the helicopters approached, landed, unloaded and took off. Nothing was out of place.

Clancy's squad approach with the same skill and caution they had on their first visit. Though this time she watched with interest how they selected one goat, placing it on a lead and when the other goats were released they followed the one being led. She wondered how the lead goat was chosen. There was a lot of stored information in Clancy's head she didn't understand.

The greeting at the village was as before, a drawn out affair involving lots of parallel gestures, nods, several inspections of the new goats, more nods, inspection of the existing goat herd, a formal greeting that seemed to reseal continued friendship and tea. Then everything started again with an inspection of the goods on the packhorses, some finger pointing at surrounding pastures, thoughtful gestures, agreement and more tea.

It was obvious when Clancy mentioned the Afghan family. Women become directly involved in the conversation while looking at photos in the digital camera. Tears were shed and displays of close happiness expressed in many forms.

Wendy already missed having the others on the plane with her. It wasn't the same relying on the computers to translate what was being said. Clancy and Kaiser could put a live face to the meaning of gestures as well as what was spoken. She'd already learnt a lot about identifying cultural inconsistency and even surprised herself with the benefit of having them around.

While listening to the proceedings at the village she couldn't help overhearing Sabrina talking softly on the phone to Jacqueline. They were very close and yet seemed to accept personal ambition would always present a layer of frustration to the tidiness of their relationship.

Wendy was using the military satellite clustered streaming megaplex to keep abreast of what Kelly and Billie were up to. She made a call to Kelly briefed her on what was wanted while watching the interview at Whiteman. When Billie and Elizabeth commenced to dance she shook her head wondering what else Billie was capable of and called Sabrina over to watch. The journalist inside Sabrina took control. Wasn't long before Sabrina was on the phone to her producer identifying the story relay as a news segment source. She also drilled Jacqueline about doing a human-interest story with the two female bomber crews on loan and put the same to Wendy as soon as she got off the phone.

While Billie was flying the plane to Nellis Wendy watched the radar with one eye and used the time to catch up on a few administrative tasks. Billie was clearly capable of ferrying the plane on her own, a good thing that would prove very convenient.

The moment Kelly and Billie settled into their seats for the training mission Wendy turned on her computer simulation overlay of an MQ-9 reaper drone and set the system to undertake a comprehensive comparison of the raven flight while imposing a spot monitor of all radar anomalies in regions, zones and segments surrounding the flight path. She needed to know if any definable characteristics might identify the plane as other than a drone. For good measure she decided to eavesdrop on their conversation in the plane. She needed to know the crew were working efficiently together.

She watched the flight service personnel at Creech become aware of the unauthorised aircraft in their airspace and was pleased they labelled the flight an unauthorised MQ-9 drone. The only action they took was to call up several sister units to find the likely owner of the flight. They assumed it was incoming intending to land at Creech and labelled it accordingly.

Wendy rolled her eyed as she listened to the conversation in the raven and watched in fascinated horror as they intersected with and took control of a local drone. At one stage she had the blue phone to her mouth but held off speaking to the crew when she heard the pandemonium erupt at Creech. She felt sorry for the drone pilot who reported a total loss of communication with the drone and nervously report there were people dancing on the drone's visual display.

The flight service personnel were still discussing options when the rogue drone altered course and began to climb. It was rather interesting how the original unauthorised drone became a symptom, some kind of ghosting malfunction.

The moment the new course was extrapolated forward to Edwards air force base the Creech flight service personnel reported the problem to tactical response including a detail description of the hellfire missiles on-board. They did not report the shadow merging flight when the problem materialized.

Two raptors were dispatched from Edwards with orders to intercept the drone and if need be shoot it down.

Wendy monitored the situation observing the raptors were flying directly toward the target with the two pilots maintained a rather cavalier conversation about their task. She also watched in fascination to discover Billie was true to her word. She was plotting the progress of the interceptors using the inter-plane communications as her source.

Wendy picked up her phone and called her colleagues on the homeland airborne tactical response flight to inform them they should pull the interceptors off the rogue drone, that there was no problem or threat just an interdepartmental misunderstanding.

They didn't call off the raptors but requested more information, something Wendy wasn't prepared to give. With time rapidly running short she opened up a secure voice channel to the raptor pilots and the raven.

For security reasons she chose not to identify anyone but herself.

"Raptor pilots out of Edwards. This is Widow Maker on-board sentry. Do not approach the drone and above all do not turn on your targeting radar. Hold off and listen to my conversation. Out to you." She continued speaking after adding hostility to her voice. "I will not even grace the pair of you with a call sign. Release the drone immediately. Maintain your current deception, speed and altitude. Alter course to one eight zero degrees and stay on that heading until I tell you otherwise."

Wendy waited in silence until the raven and drone separated on radar. "Out to you. Raptor pilots you should already be seeing two radar traces. Your target drone is turning north and is back under the control of the remote pilot. The drone is making directly for Creech where it will land. Please escort the drone to Creech to complete your current task then return to Edwards. Do not follow or investigate the other aircraft. It is an authorised experimental security-classified flight."

"Authorised by who? We should have been told. Pure luck we didn't shoot the clowns down." The raptor pilot sounded annoyed.

Wendy replied in kind, "Authorised by call sign Widow Maker; that's me. If you go near my plane I will not intervene to protect your ego again. I will allow the crew to simulate a missile strike on you. Widow out."

She banged the desk several times. Picked up her green phone and dialled Billie's satellite phone found no signal. It was clearly turned off.

She put the phone down and banged the desk again then picked up her blue phone directing a secure transmission only to the raven. "Tall person. Turn on your satellite phone. We need to talk now."

She waited thirty seconds watching the clock above her head before redialling Billie's satellite phone and smiled when she heard Billie say, ' _Looks like I've got us floating in it? Are you a good swimmer? How would she know I've got a satellite phone with me?'_ She heard Kelly say, ' _I told you she's in the knowing business. I can swim as good as the next person. But we won't have to. I know her. She's acting. The problem is with bureaucracy or something else. If we were in focus she'd talk really quietly. Her quiet voice can melt concrete.'_

Billie's phone rang, "Evening Ma'am or is it morning where you are? If you need an excuse to exercise your rank be aware this was all my doing? How do you know I have this phone with me?"

"Shut up. Scramble; acknowledge two five six on three two delta." Wendy hit the scramble button and waited. It took five seconds before she heard the encryption signal click in. "Thank you. How did I know you have a satellite phone with you? I guess you also want to ask how I knew you would manipulate a classified national security code to join this scrambled call. Your driver has already explained I'm in the knowing business. She also explained I'm not annoyed. In fact I'm impressed. I have no doubt you pair would have hammered both those overconfident jet jockeys. I was tempted to let you go ahead. Hurt my ego to stop you. However the commercial reality is, out manoeuvring two of those aircraft would have political implications. Questions would be asked in the corridors and media would become involved. We can't afford the publicity. You can't, I can't, your plane can't and the mission can't. So I stepped in. From now on Hope you're restricted to dancing for the media. They like you. I have half a dozen requests here wanting you pair to dance on national TV and be interviewed." Wendy cleared her throat and spoke normally. "Your flight today has been perfect. No one has detected anything suspicious. But I already knew your driver could do that. As for you Hope, I assure you we are going to sit down together and talk further about your ability to locate unfindable aircraft. Okay. Climb to twenty thousand feet and plot a direct course for Hill air force base. You're expected. You'll be bunking there tonight. Get some sleep. You'll be briefed formally but tomorrow at first light you guys will be used for live fire targeting practice. There are some who believe the plane won't survive. I'm sure you guys can come through. Don't let me down. Survive tomorrow's foray and you will be authorised to fire back, plus travel to exotic destinations. Good work Hope. Pass on my regards to your driver. I'll be seeing the pair of you in person sooner than you think. Keep your bags packed. Out." Wendy hung up and smiled.

*****

"You asleep?" Billie spoke into the darkened room.

"No. I keep hearing voices." Kelly wasn't tired but she tried to sound as if she was. She felt Billie sit on the end of her bed before she finished speaking.

"Do you want to go for another run?"

"No. I'm warm and clean and if you're sitting there naked put some clothes on so you don't make me feel cold."

"God you're a grump. I've got a blanket around me. Can I turn the light on?"

"No. Couldn't you lay down and pretend to sleep?"

"I've tried that. I miss her Kelly. Could I borrow your phone again? I might ring her."

"Billie, you spoke to Femhe for an hour and a half, and only hung up twenty minutes ago. Let the poor girl sleep."

"Don't you miss your soldier boy?"

"Who?"

"You know perfectly well who I'm talking about. You talk in your sleep. Where do you think he is?"

"Well I haven't talked in my sleep tonight yet. I do miss him. It's crazy. No offence, but I wish it was him sitting on my bed wrapped in a blanket and you were flying around in Wendy's aeroplane."

"Is that where he is? Why didn't you ask to talk to him when Wendy rang us?"

"Sure thing. Wendy would approve of that. Besides trying to talk soft and sweet with you listening at one end and Wendy at the other end... she's as bad as you. Except she has normal body temperature, always wore three coats to sit on my bed at night talking."

"She doesn't seem like the type to talk the night away."

"Well you don't know Wendy very well. When we were room mates she used to sit there just like you are and I was always getting into trouble for yawning in class."

"If you joined the air force together how come she's a Colonel and you're still a Lieutenant. And for that matter how come her husband is only a Major? Didn't you all join at the same time?"

"Wendy was always smarter than the rest of us. She'd be a brigadier general if she hadn't taken time out to have a family or been injured."

"That's my point. Why isn't her husband a Colonel or higher. And you haven't explained why you're still a Lieutenant. You're such a good pilot. Everyone we meet knows you and respects your ability."

"Wendy has an Air Force Cross as well."

"You still haven't answered about yourself."

"There's nothing to answer. I'm a career lieutenant."

"I don't believe you. I think you did something really disgusting with a photocopier and you're being punished."

"I'm being punished tonight. Don't you ever get tired?"

"I don't sleep much. Besides I'm in love. Do you think I should phone to wish her good night?"

"You mean wake her up along with everybody else."

"It's not easy. I've never been in love before."

"I'll bet you have. I'll bet you've broken lots of girl's hearts. I'll be disappointed if you hurt Femhe."

"If I ever hurt Femhe I'll be disappointed with myself. I love her. We're perfect for each other. I'm even looking forward to having the baby." She gave a small laugh. "I used to tell everyone I wanted, _here lies Billie Hope who lived and loved and never once changed a babies nappy,_ written on my gravestone. Do you know how to change a nappy? I want to learn."

"Yes. I've changed lots of babies. We have a lot of first time pregnancies at the surgery. We run prenatal classes to help them cope plus they meet other mothers to form friendships. Caring for a baby is hard work, very stressful. I'm glad you plan to help Femhe. She'll need your help. Parenting is a huge commitment, a partnership. I've no idea how single mothers cope without family support."

"I keep forgetting you're a doctor. In my last year at University I had an affair. We became roommates. It was pretty intense. I'm not sure we were ever meant to be lovers. I thought I was but... anyway when I went to the academy we kind-of lost track. She didn't answer my letters. I cried about that for awhile."

Billie went silent for long enough to have Kelly say, "Well something must have happened?"

"She approached me a few years ago and we started going out. We even stayed together. She seemed more involved and I had become a lot more independent, which was the opposite of how we'd been before. She told me she'd always been my girl and wanted to take things further. She invited me home to meet the parents. It was way too soon for that but I was silly enough to go. What a disaster. She'd told her father we were friends from university and I worked as an airline hostess. I queried why she'd made me a trolley dolly. She said father would never accept me actually doing the flying. Girls don't do things like that in this house. Anyway over dinner they announced her engagement to some family friend, a guy. The families were both in banking and the marriage had been planned years before. After I'd got over the shock and made a scene her mother took me aside, to the kitchen where men never go in that part of town. I was being juvenile. This was my chance to be happy. I'd be rich. I could resign from the air force and be a proper house lady. Girls in that part of town don't really work; they marry. The fathers' were never to know their children were gay. People don't do gay in that part of town. They're much too respectable. My job was to marry and be the groom's partner. So we could all live a swinging duplex existence and be one big lie. I made an ungracious scene and walked out. Even forgot to take my bag, which meant I had no money; had to hitchhike home. I don't seem to be able to stay the night in anyone's house." She put her hand on Kelly's leg in the dark and squeezed. "Now you know my whole love life story. I've let people pick me up for one-night stands. Always feels cheap and tacky. I'm a committed single girl's girl. I may have invented Femhe because I had to. I couldn't take being alone and feeling hurt all the time. I needed something to hope for, to dream about. Deep down I didn't think she actually existed and I certainly didn't think we'd ever meet. People like me can't afford to expect happiness. I'm no one. I've got no history. But now I've met Femhe who wants to share my anonymous existence. She wants to escape from her history. We're going to forge our own future and when we look back there will be a nice long happy trail behind the three of us, our family history." She squeezed Kelly's leg again and lifted her mood. "I've been thinking about the song. No one said she got off the train in Cut Bank. It was just cold like Cut Bank. I think she rides the train to Warrensburg Missouri on a cold day and we go home to our place at Knob Noster wrapped together in a blanket. Sounds romantic. Do you think I'm mad?"

"You're certifiable and you're also wrong because you have a history but you won't fill out the forms so you can collect it."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you requesting information on your birth mother. If you do that you'll find all about where you came from. You probably have brothers and sisters, uncles and aunties, nieces and nephews. If they're nice people you'll be able to share them with Femhe and if they're horrible you'll have something else in common with Femhe. Either way you'll know. What have you got to loose?"

"Lets change the topic. Why don't you tell me what you're planning to do about your Clancy?"

"Okay but aren't you as curious as I am to find out how tall your birth mother must be?" Kelly paused a moment to allow her statement to sink in then continued talking as if she hadn't completely changed topic. "I'm not planning anything. I'm wishing... wishing things were different. I don't know."

"You must know. I know you. There will be a detailed plan tucked away somewhere. What are you wishing for?"

"I... I wish it wasn't so complicated. I wish he lived down the road from my place and... fixed cars in a garage or something so he was always there when I wanted to talk. I wish his mother liked me. And I wish I could think of a way to get his horse out of Afghanistan. I'm going to ask my father to help me when we go home. Life is too complicated."

"You want his mother to like you and you want to steal his horse. I'm not sure I understand. I was expecting you to want to marry him buy a house have babies and cry all the time like a normal heterosexual female?"

"Billie. No... I don't know. I don't know what I want. I... You're the one having the baby... looking for a house near a school and shops." Kelly fell silent a long moment before adding, "Why don't we go to sleep?"

*****

Soon after taking off from Kandahar Clancy unbuckled his seat belt and turned for the rear of the plane intending to wash and change. Before he moved off he said to Wendy, "I'm turning soft, already starting to hate these dirty clothes."

A thoughtful Wendy smiled, "Don't turn too soft. We still need your soldiering instincts. I must say you do look the part. I take it those bags you carried in here contain weapons?"

"Tools of the trade. They're all rendered safe. I thought I'd better bring them with me. Particularly that one," He pointed at a long narrow case with Barrett M82A1 50 Calibre clearly displayed in red on the security clearance label. "I loaded all the saddles and non-weapon gear on Prudence's plane. She got quite excited when I told her where she was going. She's good with horses and people. The villagers warmed to her. She entertained the kids playing marbles and hopscotch. And taught the women how to play poker."

"There's a surprise waiting for her in Dover. I arranged for her husband and daughters to meet her. They're spending the three days at the quarantine station with her before they all fly home together for a few more days." Wendy shrugged, "Seemed fair, pretty convenient them taking most of the horses for you.

"She'll like your surprise. She talked to me about missing her girls and husband. Jumped at the chance to take the horses. They all like riding and even have the facilities to look after them. Said they've been trying to save to get the girls a horse each." Clancy eyed Wendy a moment, "You're a natural kind hearted softy underneath the hard bark exterior. Where are we going next?"

"Home... my home. We're going to change planes and head off to your home to pick up my family. You can stay in Europe if you want but I assumed you'd like to travel home and come back with us."

Clancy pulled a face, "I do. Bit crazy all this travelling. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. I mightn't answer you though."

"Where's Kelly? I wouldn't mind being where she is while you go pick up your family. If it could be arranged."

"Kelly's busy. She's in the states undergoing training. You'll see her when we get back from your place. I need to debrief her flying companion. Plus brief them both on their next task. I'd like you to sit in."

"I was thinking more of spending some down time with her."

"I know you were. There'll be plenty of time for leisure activity when you're both old and grey if you're serous about each other. In the mean time you have a job to do, so does she. If you hurry getting changed I'll let you talk to your mother after I've said good night to my kids. They love your place. Trent is threatening all kind of civil disobedience unless we get some chooks. Where did that word come from? He won't hear of us having chickens. Wants real chooks like the ones at your place."

"Well you'd better find him some real chooks. Be good for him. If you get good layers he'll learn business skills selling eggs to his mother. I'll get changed and bring you a coffee."

*****

Pituri Downs

"You're doing a great job with your students especially the girls." Marge Page turned her head trying to make eye contact with her unusually quiet companion, Sister Veronica.

The two women had been riding beside each other in silence for half an hour. Up ahead within sight now was the front gate where the mail truck was due to arrive some time soon.

Both ladies were dressed in a heavy cotton work shirt, jeans, elastic sided work come riding boots and the ever-present wide rimmed hat. The older lady looked every inch a bushie, not the usual appearance for a nun. "Yes. They're all applying themself well. Najwa is quite a surprise. I think I've fallen in love with her. What a happy little chatterbox. It's a privilege to help such a darling child progress. Coming here this time has truly been one of life's diminishing joys."

"How long can you stay?"

"For as long as you'll have me." The Sister looked into Marge's eyes holding back sadness. "I have two letters with me for the post. One to mother superior requesting her permission to allow me to stay for an extended time helping a family in need of God's guidance." She looked at the ground a moment. "A small twist of the truth. I'm sure God can overlook that. Though mother superior never would." With a shake of her head she returned her gaze to Marge's eyes before adding solemnly. "But I fear my letter will fall on a closed mind. What little faith remains within has been tested sorely of late. I fear I'm being mustered and earmarked for the top floor."

Marge looked into the sadness on the Sister's face holding onto both tears and rage. She knew only too well what the top floor was. Where priests and nuns were banished into retirement. Some old and infirmed live out their final days of poverty and obedience to God in care. Though most top floor residents were much younger; an embarrassment to the church locked away because of wayward behaviour or religious insanity. The top floor of the convent was where the church buried its lifelong commitments to God's service with an expired use-by date.

As a teenager Marge had served as housemaid to the top floor residents of the convert at New Norcia. She had also slaved in the kitchen and scrubbed floors between errands up the stairs for two very long years. Every single day a gang of ungracious nuns, banished to the top floor, reminded her of the cost of her sin. And everyday since Marge had pained over the child she carried and birthed while blindfolded in shackles so she couldn't steal even a glimpse of her child before he or she was taken away lost to someone else's care. The only pleasure to come from her years of that place was a lasting friendship with the thoughtful lady who rode beside her now and who had no right to waste her existence as a nun. She was much to kind.

"Surely not. You once insisted I run away and never return. And I did." Marge nodded thoughtfully. "Well you're welcome to stay here always and forever. This is your home Sister." Marge reached out and touched her friend on the arm. "If you don't go back what can they do?"

"I took a vow of obedience."

"You took a vow of poverty and chastity as well." Marge squeezed her friend's arm. "Surely two out of three would be a pass in your God's eyes. I've never understood why you became a nun. It seems such a waste."

Sister Veronica smiled, "Even as a slip of a girl you were plagued with defiance. Would you do something for me?"

"Anything. You only have to ask."

"Good. Fill out the papers requesting information about your child."

"That's unfair. You know quite well how much I want to do that. And you also know how cruel it would be for me to burst into her life after so much neglect. She should have children by now and I like to think she has loving parents who cared for her as much as I would have liked to. I can't. It wouldn't be fair."

"You keep insisting you have a daughter."

"I've told you before. Everyone's first born in this family is a girl. It's been that way for over three hundred and fifty years that I know of."

"Well don't you think you should find that out for sure? Don't you think she should be permitted to look at you and decide what she may? You owe her that. Even if she hates you and tells you so to your face; you owe her that as well."

"Do you know anything about my daughter?"

"Marjorie if I did I couldn't tell you. Our conversation has come full circle. I took a vow of obedience. I was young at the time you gave birth and wasn't privileged to anything except mother superior's venom as also were you."

"It's just that I've been worried sick lately. Last year at the camel races at Bedourie there was a fortune-teller and I was silly enough to enter her tent. I told her nothing. But she told me I was worried about a daughter that I've never met. She said my daughter is secure, healthy and happy. She's independent, educated and has a good job. She travels all the time and works onboard aeroplanes." Marge looked into Sister Veronica's eyes and dropped her hand. "How could someone make that up?" She threw both hands in front of herself exasperated. "Anyway a few weeks ago David came home. He's mopping about acting strange. When I corner him he announces in not so many words he's met someone, an American pilot. I've even met her. She's a gorgeous person, as smart as shinny new penny. She can even ride a horse well enough to satisfy David's scrutiny. The way he looks at her is..." Marge stopped speaking and shook her head. "Her name is Kelly Cassidy. She's a widow. Her maiden name was Page. Her mother and father are Marjorie and John Page and she will be thirty-four next birthday on April first." Marge put both hands to her face. "Life couldn't be so cruel could it? Please tell me my son hasn't fallen head over heels in love with his own sister." She put her hands back on the horse's reins and studied the older woman. "Kelly tells me she's not adopted but unless her parent's told her she wouldn't know. Would she? Please, if you know, you must tell me? Did my daughter go to America?"

"Marjorie. I've never heard of a child being sent overseas. I'm not sure that would even be legal." The Sister looked thoughtfully at Marge's face. "Can you not see how important it is to fill out those forms requesting contact with your child? You have to. If you won't, I swear I'll do it for you. I'll forge your signature." Sister Veronica crossed herself. "And happily live with the consequences. But in the meantime I'm positive this girl couldn't be your daughter. Think Marjorie. Genetics is a powerful thing. Your three children are so alike you couldn't possible not recognise the forth child. So you tell me. Is David's Kelly an oversized version of Peta?"

Marge shook her head and looked at her horse's mane, "No she doesn't look familiar. I've searched her image a thousand times. She's tiny, even shorter than Peta. She looks so young. No one would pick her for being thirty-three. She wore Peta's shorts, t-shirt and shoes while she was here. And they were all loose on her. But..."

"But... nothing. All this is a coincidence to shake you. There must be one hundred thousand people scattered around the world born on that day. And the parent name... well that is a mystery. Are you sure David and this Kelly are not pulling your leg?" She slanted her head and smiled mischievously. "It would serve your right if they're playing a joke on you. You should have told your family they have an older sibling ages ago."

Marge looked at the ground thinking of anything to change the subject. "You said you have two letters to post. What's the other letter about?"

"You're hiding Marjorie... hiding behind the potato bags again. Like a little girl." Sister glanced and grinned, "I still expect you to fill out those papers and send them in. The other letter is addressed to First Officer Fiona Ho care of the Qantas jet base Brisbane airport. Yes. She's a Qantas pilot and flies aeroplanes all around the world for a living. The letter is not a conspiracy directed at you. Though it is a conspiracy to surpass mother superior's ungracious interfering manipulation of my personal mail." Sister Veronica crossed herself. "I send letters to Fiona to be passed on to a friend of her daughter. We contact each other via Fiona to make sure the letters are actually delivered. Mother Superior has convinced herself I'm arranging the best flight deal possible for the church and doesn't interfere."

"Well if Fiona's daughter is Elizabeth Ho an air force pilot. I can save you the cost of a stamp because Elizabeth came here with Kelly. Elizabeth told me her mother is a Qantas pilot. They stayed the night before flying to America together in an F-111. I don't know where they went in America. But Kelly returned the next day without Elizabeth. She was travelling in a monstrous aircraft that woke everyone in Boulia. I didn't see her but I'm told she flew her pretty blue F-111 to Guam Island alone where she picked up a friend of Elizabeth's; someone... a girl named Billie. They also flew to America. I have no idea where the girls are but Jason would probably know. Can I assume the friend you want to contact is Billie?"

"Marjorie Page you are a wonder. This letter is intended for Billie. Her name is Billie Hope. As I said Billie had the same start in life as you. Her family rejected her when she was quite young and she stayed at the convent. She, like you, still refuses to initiate any contact with her past. So family wise she's on her own until... though she's worse off than you. She was attacked a few years ago. She can't fall pregnant. So she won't ever be able to have her own family around her like you. Unless she adopts." Sister Veronica gave Marge a tilted stare. "And, I should add she's another who worries constantly yet refuses to fill out any papers to request the adoption details be unsealed."

"Well you skilfully brought the conversation back on topic didn't you? Would I like this Billie or would we want to fight."

"I think you'd both get along fine. I can assure you, you both share similar views on the merit of convent life. Perhaps I should talk to Jason before I send the letter. He was going to show me how to use emails and on-line phone calls. I might give it a try. Seems silly not to, now you've gone modern here. Do you miss not having electricity? I'd better send this letter anyway. It might be slow but I know it will get there eventually."

"Love the electricity. Love the computers, television and air-conditioning." Marge gave her friend a quick stare. "I miss the quiet. As intriguing as those little unmanned aeroplanes are. They make a lot of noise. It's hard to believe something so cute is designed to be so destructive and lethal." Marge stopped talking a moment to think. "You should apply for a passport. In a few weeks Najwa will be going to America to have her new leg fitted. The air force will send a plane to take her. You could go. You're her teacher. You could have a holiday and visit your friend. An all expenses paid trip. You can still maintain your vow of poverty. There would be no obedience issue because mother superior never need know. We're doing quite well here now so I'd be happy to donate any pocket money expenses to the church directly to you for any travelling welfare needs. Might help me pay my way into mother superior's heaven; as if I'd want to go there."

"Don't be a blasphemer young lady. I'd love to go on the trip? Why don't you come too? You could make sure I don't get into trouble."

"I've arranged to visit Anke in Europe. I'm so excited. I've actually applied for passports on-line with Anke and Jason's help. They did all the typing for me."

"You could go on both trips, which would be even more exciting. Anyone can see you're rolling in money now. Even have your own sealed airfield like all the rich squatters. I'm sure you'd agree it would be better to spend the money than die rich and leave it to the church."

"Don't know about rolling in it but we've got a lot more than we had a few years ago. And I would love to go on both trips. I'd also love sharing the travelling with you. You could be my spiritual counsel and guidance. I suspect even mother superior would allow you to go if she thought there was a chance of converting me into her ways. Taming me into submission would be such a feather for her coif." Marge smiled amusement at the nun and received a dipped eye stare in return.

On-board an E3 Sentry en route to Pituri Downs

Wendy spent the first few hours of the flight demonstrating for Clancy's benefit with Sabrina keenly looking on the surveillance capability of the aircraft. It was similar to the Wedgetail though with greater range and better co-ordination of external data collection. The larger plane had more room to carry extra electronic sensors and equipment.

While over-flying Afghanistan they were able to use the real world activity below, which meant a lot to Clancy's education and understanding. This flight was proving a good training platform. They had the plane to themself apart from the flight crew who were all currently in the cockpit. Normally there would be some fifteen-console operators on-board all working together with their duties split into overlapping geographical zones.

As they crossed out of Afghanistan Wendy turned her attention to monitoring via satellite a plane being prepared for take-off from Hill air force base in Utah. She had her own moving map on the screen with the route to be flown by the plane clearly marked. Her map identified a number of missile launch sites scattered around the Nellis test range. These sites were placed to intersect with the plane's route making ideal places to efficiently intercept the aircraft. The final phase of the planes journey was to land at the Tonopah Test Range airfield, where two missile launch sites were waiting to attack the aircraft at low altitude on final approach when the plane would be at its most vulnerable. The crew would need to be at their best to avoid being shot down.

"Okay. The waiting is over. We've gone live. Our job is to monitor this flight and warn the crew to eject if they're caught out unprepared by one of these missile live fires." Wendy pointed out the route. The locations of the stinger missile launch sites and explained that the plane is simulating the flight pattern of an MQ-9 reaper drone but was in reality a fully armed EF-111 raven, which would need to avoid the missile attacks and where possible simulate return fire on the launch sites. "I want you to become intimate with the processes and procedures of this training exercise because shortly these guys will be doing this for real and I want you to take ownership of the mission." Wendy looked away from the screen to watch Clancy's response as she added. "You'll know soon enough so I'll tell you now. Kelly is piloting the plane with Billie Hope beside her doing the missile detection, countermeasures and counter firing."

Clancy's eyes indicated he heard Wendy but his voice gave nothing unprofessional away, "Did I hear you right. This is a live fire exercise." He shook his head and pointed at the test range airfield. "While they're coming into land. I assume they've been warned?"

"Of course they've been warned. They know there will be live firing. Not where when or how many times. That would be cheating. All crews need to be combat ready to fly this kind of mission in any war zone. Better we prove them competent now than find out later they're not up to the task." Wendy looked up to survey her companion. "Get yourself a coffee and stretch while you can. When they take-off we'll be stuck here watching for probably three hours. I want you to hear them prepare and watch them in action. I suspect you'll be impressed."

Wendy spoke out loud for Clancy's benefit as she played around with her console bringing up a real-time spot link streaming satellite images with audio monitoring of the plane. She programmed the data feeders to lock onto and follow the plane when it commenced to move and set the computerised recorders into capture mode to co-ordinate a recording of every detail of the flight.

They watched the crew walk round the plane, doing pre-flight checks, climb the ladders and settle into the business of strapping themself in.

Clancy's heart bounced as Kelly's voice came through the speakers as clear as if she were standing with him. "You ready over there?"

Billie raised her hand showing a stop sign and spoke without looking up. "Why did you get them to cluster the mavericks on the port wing? We're carrying more weight over there."

"Precisely. We can roll to the left quickly at low speed. Get the plane spinning. Might come in handy."

"Okay. You know I've never actually fired a maverick before don't you? Is there anything I need to know?"

"No. They're heavy. You'll feel the plane reel when they release and they're fast. They hit hard. I love them. They're like a hellfire on steroids. You can set the target and release or guide them all the way. You're up to it. When we finish the simulated return fire games I'll ask if we can pick some targets and unload to get your eye in before we call it a day."

"Okay." For the first time since the streaming video commenced Billie raised her head and turned toward Kelly, "We who are about to die salute you." She raised her hand pointing skyward, "Hale Caesar. Lets do it."

As the engines commenced to turn the aircraft's avionics status started to display on a screen above Wendy's head. She adjusted the feed and said more to herself than anyone, "What an educated idiot that girl is."

With the plane taxiing toward the runway Wendy picked up her blue phone, "Raven zero three seven experimental this is Widow Maker on board sentry. Please respond. Over."

Billie spoke, "That was quick." She pressed the radio speak button, "This is Folly on-board raven zero three seven experimental. What can we do for you? Over."

"I am updating the navigation computer with your route and timings. Please verify your missiles are unarmed disengaged inactive and locked out."

"I confirm all offensive weapons are unarmed inactive and locked out. We're shooting blanks. Over."

"Have your pilot acknowledge if I give a triple command to eject she will do so immediately without question or query."

Kelly spoke, "This is Cowboy on-board raven zero three seven experimental. I confirm we will eject should you command we do so."

"Stay on your toes the both of you. Good hunting. Widow out."

Wendy put down her phone in time to hear Billie say, "Hale glorious Colonel. She's got a nice figure. You'd think she'd look like the back end of a double deck bus sitting up there with nothing to do all day being waited on by stewards."

Wendy's hand reached out toward the phone but stopped half way. She looked at Clancy smiled and pulled her hand back. "We'll chalk that one up for later discussion. God she's a loud mouth."

Clancy smiled, "I think she's got a point. We've been siting up here for a week now."

"Well she can keep her point to herself. So can you." Wendy grinned and bit her tongue.

"How do you keep so fit? Pretty obvious you don't run like most of us."

"Weights and floor exercise mainly. I'd love to be able to run. And fly in that plane with Kelly instead of sending Miss motor mouth to do our bidding."

Clancy nodded.

Billies voice came through the speakers again. She was speaking to Kelly. "Okay. I know you know all this better than I do but we might as well go through it together anyway. If we're eleven thousand feet up or travelling faster than mach one a stinger can't touch us. The shooter needs a clear unambiguous image of us to aim at to initiate a firelock. The missile will detect our infrared trace and lock onto the visual image of our plane before launch. Hence they will almost certainly fire at us after we pass over their position. Upon release any course change by us will result in the missile trying to cut us off by steering double the relative change in our position. Missile course updates occur ten times a second."

"I can jam any radar searching for us. I can detect any human heat source and should be able to detect voice transmission on the ground ahead of us along our flight path as long as there aren't very many. Should give us a heads up because someone is going to yell they've seen us before the launcher gets turned on. I'm sure I can detect the launcher seek signal. I can transmit an infrared saturation scramble to slow the shooter's aim and also slow the launcher from locking onto our image. At eight thousand feet my bet is I can warn you far enough ahead to manoeuvre onto them and take them out with a clean maverick shot before they fire the missile. Does it sound like a good plan?"

"Sounds like a great plan with one caveat. They're sure to have multiple sites close together. If we dive on one we're inviting the others to take a clear clean shot." Kelly glanced at Billie. "To help your nerves cope. When we turn into them. We'll cork crew towards them and barrel role within the rotations. We need to rotate at one turn every one point six seconds; might feel a little like your bits will burst. But our second moment of area will be enough to completely confuse the stinger guidance system into believing we're expanding. The theory; A fired stinger as you've pointed out will double our course changes hence it will climb toward us trying to match what it detects as an increasing spiral. It will double the diameter of the circle we're making. By the time it gets close enough to detect the dimensional error it won't be able to turn in on us and will go straight past."

"The best part is while I'm diving toward the missile you'll be able to lock onto the shooter's site and send them a maverick." Kelly glanced to make sure Billie was with her, "If they fire the missile after we head toward them it will be programmed to see us as rotating metal donut and will go right through the hole in the middle." Kelly frowned and raised one finger. "Problem; this thing has a prominent tail fin so I'll be doing a gymnastic pike as the missile goes though the hole. Be ready for it or you might miss your target."

"Have you done this before?"

"Yes many times. In a warthog, which is easy. They don't have a central tail sticking up and they spin like a top.

"I like it. Not sure about us landing out there. You know they'll be waiting don't you?"

"Yes. We'll need to clear the area by coming in high and spiralling down over the runway. When you detect the sites we'll shoot out toward them from over the base. They won't fire in that direction. I can straighten up and sit this thing on the ground from a death spiral. Should be fun."

"Okay. Lets do it." Billie commenced to communicate with the tower requesting clearance to take off.

Kelly added, "Billie. Be aware even when you get in first and shoot the shooter, they won't feel a thing. They'll fire on us anyway. Double jeopardy rules don't apply in training exercises. When you hit them and they fire anyway use the time we have to simulate another hit on them. Practise makes perfect."

Everyone heard the control tower, "Raven zero three seven experimental you are clear for takeoff on runway three two. Good hunting."

"I'm actually starting to like this slow flying. What about you?"

Kelly gave Billie a quick glance, "Has its moments. Get itchy fingers sometimes would love to hit the juice."

"Will you be offended if I skip going home with you? I thought I'd get you to drop me off at Whiteman and spend the down time there."

"I'd like you to come home with me. For practical reasons relating to you and Femhe." Kelly gave Billie another glance. "I want you to meet my parents because I'm going to ask if it's okay for Femhe to stay with them while we're flying to wherever. I'm guessing Femhe doesn't have medical cover and I want our clinic to cover her. It's a private clinic but we make a point of carrying a few people in need. It's our way of giving back. I know it will be okay but I'd like you to be there while I talk to mother so she can tell my father what's-what. Dad's the major partner at the clinic. I know it sounds snobbish but we select pro bono service recipients from needy people who have the grace not to offend our paying customers. You guys will meet the criteria hands down." Kelly grinned a glance, "I suspect my mother will adopt you both and move all my clothes into the unoccupied maid quarters."

Billie looked up from her console, "Kelly don't joke like that. I don't want to come between you and your family."

"No, no. It's fine. This is a good thing. I'll encourage it. My mother drives me crazy, wants me to be more girlie. She tries to take me shopping for better clothes and still wants to choose my underwear. I'm sure she thinks her guidance will improve my chance of scoring another marriage for her to organise. You can take over all that girl rubbish and I'll get on with living my life free of parental domination."

"This is all a smokescreen isn't it? What's the real reason you want me to go somewhere with you. I know quite well your parents aren't going to take to a lesbian they don't even know living in the spare room waiting for an unknown girl friend to join her." Billie looked at Kelly's profile. "I'm not available so if you've decided to jump the fence you'll have to make your own arrangements. I'm going home to be with Femhe. Anyway I thought you were still dreaming impure thoughts about your soldier boy. You should have jumped him or whatever it is you straight girls do while you had the chance. Men are fickle. I'm not surprised you're worried sick and thinking of crossing the great bedroom divide. It's either that or become a nun."

"Billie. Everything I've said is on the level. Mother will take to you because you're already crazy and you like girlie things. She's sick of trying to drive me there. I'm being polite. The moment my father agrees to sponsor you, Femhe and baby, you can fly this plane out collect Femhe and bring her straight home. I'll square the flight with Wendy. She's as soft as a pink marshmallow if you approach her correctly. But you have to come home with me on your own first. I know it sounds silly but we mustn't embarrass Femhe with any cruel uncertainty. She's had her fill of untrustworthy strangers and broken promises." Kelly reached across and squeezed Billie's arm. "And you need to start representing Femhe's best interest. Love runs deeper than personal lust. Your girl is pregnant and needs your love to be channelled into energy that supports, pampers and reassures her. What you and Femhe are experiencing isn't a gay thing. A pregnancy in a relationship is as heterosexual as a union can become." She released Billie's arm. "My parents are a lot of things Billie but I promise you they won't be influenced by your sexual preference. You'll have to be obnoxious or disgusting for them to judge you poorly and you're not like that. Neither is Femhe."

"Okay. We'll do things your way. But it won't make any difference; Colonel viagra-leg isn't going to let me use her precious aeroplane alone. Femhe and I will need to ride my bike or catch the train." Billie stopped talking a moment. "I've been having fantasies about her." She pointed at the sky above. "I keep imagining her holding a skirt aloft with frilly pink panties around her knees while squatting to pee with her rigid leg sticking out to the side. Pretty erotic. Shameful; I'm a married woman with a baby well on the way."

At her console in the AWACS Wendy raised both hands and rehearsed strangling someone. She turned her head and shook it at a smiling Clancy. "What do you find amusing?"

"Bit cruel. Have to give her something for originality. What is it between the two of you anyway? You hardly know each other yet you're like a pair of tomcats posturing over a kindly old ladies kitchen windowsill.

Wendy's hand went out in a plea, "I'm a colonel doing a job. She's a captain. She's supposed to be doing as I tell her."

"She's getting the job done. We shouldn't be listening to her private conversation. As long as her comments stay in that plane what does it matter? It's not effecting morale. In fact it's doing the opposite they're working well together. If you're going to judge their performance by the way they talk you should at least let them know they're being monitored. Does she know you can do her job just as well as she can? Even with your... I'm not going to say it. Your stiff leg."

"We can't stop listening, they may need our help and we can't tell them because they need to stay completely at ease. They're both very capable flyers. Very soon they'll need to be at their best and the last thing they need is to feel they can't speak freely."

"Well let her speak freely and forget what you overhear like a professional colonel. Besides you should be flattered she remembers your rank. I'm just a soldier boy. They're a dime a dozen."

"Your so..." Wendy waved her hand dismissively, "Proper. Soldier boy."

"You're a colonel doing a job. I'm a pretend captain. Doing as I'm told."

"Oh shut up. I've got a big favour to ask you before we arrive at your place. In the mean time find eight identifiable targets suitable for destruction via aerial missile launch in this sector here... "Wendy plotted a square over the south western corner of the Nellis firing range on their moving map. "Plot them and inform range control of our intention. They can unload before finishing. We'll see if her aim is as sharp as her mouth. When they've unloaded I have an errand for them."

Wendy realised they had missed some of the conversation streaming from the raven and needed to wind the digital recording back to hear Kelly say.

"Billie for someone so smart you can be really stupid. You're being nasty and Wendy doesn't deserve it. She got you and Elizabeth out of waiting tables at Amberley. You should be grateful. I'm not surprised you got grounded if you talked about your bosses over there like you have just now."

"Oh god. I'm sorry Kelly. I didn't realise I was being offensive. I've assumed she doesn't want me here. She seems so... I don't know, kind of cold toward me. I was just blowing bubbles. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Billie. She is disappointed you're here. She wanted to fly this mission but her bosses wouldn't let her. They allowed her to do some of the training flights but she's considered too valuable to fly the actual mission. They made her find someone else and she chose you."

"Why? I'm surprised she knows who I am."

"It was lucky timing. Gus Cody recommended you as a potential transfer to the US air force. Wendy did her own research and here you are."

"I guess I should apologise, say something nice. Her ears must be burning. I don't normally talk like this. I admire her and sometimes I go silly. I got grounded for refusing to identify who was riding pillion with me in the gay Mardi Gras. They got their nose out of joint thinking someone from the air force was dressed in a nun's habit blessing people. Didn't care about me being topless. They wanted the blasphemous hieratic punished and picked on me for protecting her."

"That's ridiculous. As long as she's out of uniform and doesn't make insulting remarks she should be able to do as she likes in her own time."

"I had to keep quiet. I talked Sister Veronica into coming with me. She didn't want to go but she did for me. She wore her habit to hide. It was a real hit. We got our photo in the paper. I don't think the church would have liked it much. I hope they didn't recognise her."

"You're crazy Billie. And it's time to go to work. We're getting close to the range."

Wendy changed screens to search the Internet and quickly had a number of images of Billie and Sister Veronica seated on the bike on the screen. She smiled shook her head and looked at Clancy who was staring. "Don't be rude. Though I'll acknowledge she's rather well endowed for someone so slim and tall."

Clancy made eye contact, "I'm looking at Sister Veronica. I know her. She used to visit our place regularly to tutor me when I was school age. She's a nice person. The mind boggles what she's doing in a gay parade though she does support equality rather passionately. Never seen her dressed as a nun before. She usually wears jeans. She lived in Afghanistan years ago, speaks fluent Khower."

"I know a lot about her. We'll see her tomorrow. She's at your place tutoring the girls and Basir. Jason flew her to Pituri Downs in his eagle last week."

"Contact verbal trace bearing two one zero. Holding." Billie updated her moving map and immediately allocated two mavericks to her combat array. "Confirmed position bearing one nine five. Range thirty one mile." Billie lifted her head and glanced at Kelly. "Red herring. Our track will never intersect to within their three mile firing range." Billie looked down again. " Recorded and plotted. Might need to know they're there later."

"Good call. That's just the entrée. There'll be more." Kelly throttled back a touch to maintain their speed and checked the course indicator."

"Okay this is more like it. We have three over lapping contacts. Left, right and centre. Range twenty-eight miles. Four minutes twenty-two seconds and we'll be within their range. We can hit all three in three minutes five seconds without even altering course. Should we proceed?"

"Yes. Use your discretion from now on. I'll adjust to your needs where ever we can."

"Recording target sierra one. Mark. Sierra two. Mark. Sierra three. Mark." Billie allocated ordinance and reserved a spare. "Love this multi targeting fire system. Should have been invented years ago." She stopped talking a moment. "To easy. Now I see what they're doing. If we do the obvious and skirt around these guys we'll run straight into the guy out to the side. Must be one out the other way as well. Why don't we hit all four? Record as Target sierra four. Mark." Billie touched Kelly on the arm. "Lets fool them. On my call alter course to a heading of one two five. We'll hit all four and none will come within range to fire on us. And we'll jam any locating radar before we alter course. They won't know where we've gone without visual confirmation and we'll know if they locate us because they'll commence tracking us with the launcher."

"Sounds like a good plan. The moment you jam I'll speed up a hundred knots still within reaper limits. They won't know where we are on the ground on any course."

"Okay boss. On my mark; jamming active." Kelly held the throttles and waited for Billie to speak. "Alter course; now."

The moment they stabilized on the new course and sped up Billie activated each missile to seek on all four targets at once. As each came within the twelve-mile range and locked on target she simulated a launch. And confirmed each as an on target kill.

"Feel sorry for them. Should we go back and let them take a free shot so they get the practise." Billie went silent again. "Probably better they don't see us. You avoiding their missile might make them cry. Still it's not surprising they'd miss. When you educate a whole country not to know an arse from a donkey you'd expect them to lose a lot of targets."

"Billie. You're doing it again. Stop being cruel or everyone will gang up on you. We're not clear yet. Plot a course to bring us back on our original track both course and speed. Make it out of their range on the other side. We might as well tease them properly without you being personal. When we're back on track release the jam to make it look as though we overflew the site and they missed seeing us."

"Sounds like plan." Billie pressed a few buttons on the navigation panel to extrapolate their original course and speed to calculate a new series of course changes to keep them out of sight and range of the missile launch sites before resuming the original course as if they hadn't left it.

Wendy looked a Clancy. "Impressed?"

"Yes I am. They work well together. Will they need to avoid an actual missile launch?"

"Yes they will. Though that's it for now. There are no more launch sites in front of them but they don't know that. They'll have to go through the motions particularly while landing, as they should." Wendy looked at Clancy. "When they get to their destination they'll be sent back to over fly those same positions again. Without altering course."

"You're going to send them back with the shooters all set and waiting." Clancy made a concerned gesture. "That's dangerous."

"No I'm not going to send them back. You are. And you're right it is dangerous. But they know what they're doing."

"You want me to order them back. You're cruel. She might hate me for it."

"We live in a cruel world. It's time you started to earn your money. You've got big enough shoulders. Use them Captain."

The plane circled over Tonopah Test Range Airport completing several circuits before Billie spoke, "There's no one here. We're clear. We can land."

Kelly responded, "Looks that way. We'll spiral down to be on the safe side.'

"Bit of a disappointment if you ask me. I thought half the army would be out here trying to take us on."

"They've probably set up for the most likely real mission a single row of active launch sites to fly through. Okay hang-on we'll land."

The plane commenced to lose altitude dramatically making tight circles. At the last minute Kelly lowered the wheels straightened up and dropped onto the runway.

Before they had time to stop the radio sounded, "Raven zero three seven experimental, this is Clancy on-board sentry. New orders. Continue to roll and get yourself airborne again. We need you to back track along your current course at speed using your terrain following radar to impress the natives. When you've travelled far enough I'll call you again. You will be required to track the original mission again without the benefit of surprise, altering course or taking evasive action until after the first missile launch. Sorry driver not my idea. Acknowledge over."

Kelly hit the throttles and commenced to speed up while Billie responded on the radio, "Message received. Rolling. Will commence to back track as soon as we're air born. Out."

Speaking locally Billie added, "That was soldier boy wasn't it? Wow sexy voice. Are you okay to fly or is your heart palpitating beyond concentration. Sounds too tall for you?"

"Billie, please don't start on him? You've dug yourself in deep enough over Wendy. Even you must know by now. They're listening to our conversations."

"They couldn't be listening?" A glance at Kelly's expression answered her question. "Oh god. I'm back serving tables. What a bummer. I was so happy here? Would she let me off if I beg? I'll wash her car, anything. I could cook her a lemon meringue pie."

Kelly pulled the jet skyward retracted the wheels and allowing the plane to accelerate. "I know Wendy. She won't pull rank anymore than she'll let your comments slide. She'll hit you with something really private and personal to embarrass the pants off you." Kelly glanced across the plane and made eye contact. "It's your own fault motor lips?"

##  Chapter 17

Wendy looked at Clancy. " _Sorry driver not my idea._ Speaking as one surgeon to another. Your theatre work is fine but your bedside manner needs work." She punched a few keys on the computer keyboard until the screen displayed multiple images of lemon meringue pies. "Looks nice. You interested in dropping round to my place for a slice of someone's humble pie. They seem to be aware of our presence might be time to talk. And she seems to work as well under pressure as the driver does."

Wendy picked up her blue phone, "ACOP on-board raven zero three seven experimental this is Widow Maker. I'll send instructions where to deliver the pies. Better be good. Widow out."

Clancy eyed Wendy with curiousity, "Why do I think ACOP has some meaning designed to strike fear into the pie lady?

Wendy grinned and raised a finger ready to listen to Kelly speak on the radio. "Going to share what ACOP means? Told you she'd get even."

Billie replied, "Oh hell. She won't tell anyone will she?"

"She'll tell everyone. You might as well come clean now. In your own words."

"Hold on. We're coming up on our targets. I'll hit them again. She might be impressed enough to forgive me."

"Okay. Lock your targets in. I'll fly a chicane pattern across the lot, give them all a noisy wake-up."

Kelly flew through an arc to overfly each missile team just feet above their heads so the following supersonic boom of the completely silent approach would cause pandemonium. While approaching the site a few miles from the others she lifted the plane skyward and throttled back allowing the climbing plane to dramatically lose speed.

Billie urgently spoke, "They'll fire on us. We can't see."

Kelly's voice was calm, "No. They can't fire straight up. The missile launcher is shoulder mounted. A stinger is five feet long. They can't launch straight up. They will fire when we fly away but the missile won't catch us."

Kelly allowed the plane the reduce speed until it was ready to stall then threw it into a sideslip causing them tumbled over and fall nose first towards the soldiers. She commenced to fly a corkscrewing pattern as the plane rapidly built up speed.

"Quick hit them with a simulated missile strike. It's good practise."

Billie did as requested before Kelly pulled the plane out of the dive and accelerated away no more than a hundred feet off the ground. Sure enough the missile launch team fired a missile but true to Kelly's prediction the stinger gained on them for a short while before expelling all its fuel and falling to ground without catching them.

Soon enough Clancy turned them round to overfly the sites, slowly at eight thousand feet and again Billie successfully returned fire while Kelly avoided incoming stingers.

As they cleared the last missile launch site their navigation system was updated from the AWACS diverting their course for Billie to successfully dispatch their own missiles on predetermined targets.

The moment the last missile was launched Wendy's voice came through the radio, "Okay you guys I'm impressed. I was going to have you fly more practice sorties tomorrow but there seems no point. I'm programming your navigation system to guide you to Ike. You can collect the Growler. Ike is currently located five hundred miles south west of Hawaii. Refuel over California and if need be again over Hawaii. I want the planes delivered to Bluegrass airport where a contingency of marines will be waiting to guard the equipment while you guys spend a few days swanning it on the family farm. Transport to your accommodation has been arranged. I'll be in touch. Out."

The sun had dropped below the horizon before both planes came to a stop at Blue Grass airport on the tarmac in front of the Aviation Museum. With the exception of an hour on-board Ike while the planes were fuelled and serviced they'd been flying since sunrise. Billie enjoyed being at the controls of the raven alone for a six-hour flight. It was almost as enjoyable as seeing her two aircraft safely parked in a corner on Ike's hanger deck waiting for America to draw near.

The commander who organised the flight to get her planes on-board was all over Billie from the moment they landed. He was keen to talk about vintage aircraft and gain her commitment to build a custom engine starter for the Le Rhône 9J rotary engine fitted to his fokker triplane. Said his wife has given the go ahead so it's got to happen if we both want to keep our kneecaps. It would seem not even an authentic vintage plane enthusiast enjoys swinging a propeller by hand. Billie made a commitment to fly to Texas to meet the family and stay a few days as soon as time permitted.

Out of their aeroplanes on Kentucky soil Billie bounded toward Kelly gave her a huge hug, which involved lifting her off the ground and spinning her in a circle. "I just flew six thousand miles on my own. I took off from an aircraft carrier and refuelled in the air. Does my head look swollen?"

Kelly shook her smiling face and said, "Quick. Kiss me."

Billie gave her a peck on the cheek and pulled back with a confused look on her face.

Kelly said, "Not like that. On the lips like you mean it. Pretend I'm Femhe." Kelly placed her arms around Billie's neck closed her eyes and elevated one leg at the knee, movie style. "Come on. This is your last chance before you're completely settled down. Impress me."

Billie reluctantly placed her lips over Kelly's but spoke as she did, "What are we really doing?"

"Turn us round one eighty degrees." Billie complied, "Now look over my shoulder. See the woman coming toward us. She should have her mouth open and look shocked. That's my mother."

Billie froze and dropped Kelly so fast she only just had time to get her feet down to take her weight. "Kelly. You're mean. I'm trying to make a good impression."

Kelly laughed, "You are making an impression." Then she touched a finger to her lips several times. "You're an accomplished kisser. That was nowhere near as bad as I'd thought. Maybe prison wouldn't be so unbearable."

"Don't joke Kelly. This is serious. How do I apologise?"

Kelly's mother spoke first, "Well hello daughter. You're looking rather relaxed and feisty. Who's your tall dark handsome friend?"

Her mother didn't look as surprised as Kelly had hoped. She looked amused. Kelly hugged her mother warmly and kissed her on the cheek. "Hi Mum. Thanks for coming to pick us up. This is Billie... Billie Hope. We've been working together and I thought I'd bring her home to meet you and Dad." Kelly changed her focus between each of the two women. "Billie. My mother Marjorie Page."

Billie lifted her hand preparing to shake a greeting but was pulled forward by Marjorie and given a friendly kiss on the cheek. "I'm pleased to meet you Billie. Wendy rang. She said you've been flying all day without a break. You must be tired and hungry. Come. We'd better rush you both home so you can freshen up. On the way you can tell me all about where you've been."

Billie's eyes were everywhere as they drove along the Paris Pike. She could see enough in the faded light to know the country was fertile and the residents wealthy. The airport and geography at school had told her she was in Bluegrass Country. She looked forward to seeing everything in daylight.

She silently stared into the darkness as the vehicle negotiated the long driveway of what must have been Kelly's family home. The shadows of horses in the paddocks and the huge barn structure that seemed too large and regal for horses. The white fences and what must have been a private racetrack behind the yards, and work building all on the right. Yet when they turned left her mouth fell opened in surprised shock as the gardens and house were caught in the vehicle headlights. A large steep-pitched roof containing second floor windows and chimneys placed symmetrically around a central entrance. The building continued further in both directions at a single level disappearing into crafted, immaculately maintained garden shrubs.

"Hey. You're not asleep are you? We're here." Kelly was smiling. She knew Billie was overwhelmed. "It's just a house Billie. It won't bite and you can stay the night without committing to marry anyone."

Marjorie led the way to the front door offering Billie a welcome and allowing her to enter first.

"Kelly why don't you take Billie to your room and freshen up. Billie I hope you have something to wear in that small bag because Kelly's wardrobe won't go close to covering you. She doesn't own a dress anyway. I could find you something of mine to wear but it will be short on you and a little loose. We might take you shopping tomorrow. If you'd like?"

Billie smiled at her host, "I have jeans and a tee shirt. And I'd love to go shopping if you have the time to show me around. You have a gorgeous house."

"Why didn't you tell me you live in a castle? Your parents are going to think me a dag when they see me in my old jeans and one pre-worn tee shirt." Billie had waited until she was alone with Kelly to speak.

"Don't be silly Billie. It's just a home. My mother already likes you I can tell. And Daddy is daddy. You'll love him. I hope you haven't forgotten he's a habu man."

"I don't believe only two people live in this house?"

"That's correct. Mum has help with cleaning and gardening. This side of the property is her world. Daddy spends his days over the other side with the horses." Kelly eyed Billie mischievously to say. "Besides there are four here now. We'll be under each other's feet." Kelly entered the walk-in wardrobe and searched for some clothes. She collected jeans and a t-shirt so as to appear as Billie would, before saying with a grin. "You're welcome to try anything you see on. I'm going to have a shower. I'll leave you here with this bathroom to yourself." She pointed at the bedroom en-suite. "Make yourself at home. I'll be across the hall. Be back in a few minutes."

Marjorie introduced Billie to her husband after Kelly hugged him for an exaggerated length of time. She then added, "Would you like to help me in the kitchen Billie. Kelly and her father will bore us to death talking aeroplanes and horses." She winked at Billie as she spoke.

In the kitchen Marjorie offered a friendly smile before saying. "Billie I hope you don't think me too forward. Is my daughter leading you on?"

Billie smiled though inside she felt uncertain yet she felt complete truth might serve the situation best. "No. We're just friends. I assume you're referring to our kissing." Billie rolled her eyes, "We're not an item Mrs Page. We never will be. I am gay. Kelly isn't. In any case we're colleagues. I love her to bits but she's not my type. She wasn't leading me on. She was leading you on, trying to wind you up. I'm not sure why she'd want to shock you. But that's what she was doing. If she'd have told me you were there I wouldn't have gone along with her. I hope I didn't offend you."

"Thank you Billie." Marjorie picked Billie's hand up off the bench and held it gently. "I'm sorry. I knew Kelly's performance was for my benefit. I needed to know you knew that as well." Marjorie looked at Billie's hand and took a breath. "The truth is I'd have been delighted if you and Kelly were together and she'd brought you home to receive our approval." She took another pause. "I worry about Kelly. She hasn't shown any interest in anyone for a long, long time. I'd like her to live and breathe more, expel all those doubts captured and locked inside." Marjorie squeezed Billie's hand. "But I do know Kelly. She isn't gay. I was worried she might have been being cruel to you without thinking." Marjorie let go of Billie's hand and commenced to prepare a quick meal. "Do you have anyone special in your life?"

"Yes Mrs Page. I do. She's the most beautiful girl on earth. And I might as well tell you. I wanted to go to her for this break but Kelly insisted I come here because she wants you to meet me and have you sway her father to sponsor Femhe at their clinic. Femhe is pregnant and needs a secure place to stay. Without boring you to death in details, she's hiding from her family. Her own father arranged for her to be raped to make her straight and force her to settle down with his choice for a husband." Billie gave a stunned Marjorie a loving face. "Kelly is so confident you'll give your approval she's bet me I'll be flying out tomorrow morning to collect Femhe and bring her here to stay with you." Billie offered a kind stare. "Your daughter loves and respects you very much. I've no idea why she thinks you can't get along together. And while I'm talking too much I'll divulge a secret, which should make you happy but please keep it to yourself for now." Billie turned her gaze to the window and stared into the darkness a moment. "Kelly has found someone, a guy but she's too embarrassed to tell you. He's a soldier, an Australian, named David Page. She's even been home with him and met his mother but that's where the problem lies. Her name is Marjorie Page."

"Are you being serious?"

"Yes I am. She's mad about him. Talks to him in her sleep." Billie rolled her eyes again. "I've not met him. Though I want to. There's actually a strange coincidence about where he lives planted in my life as well. We've spoken. I talked to him today on the radio and he sounds a really nice person. He's polite which in my experience is rare for a man. Anyway I'd better help you prepare this meal or they'll be wondering what happened to us."

Marjorie gave Billie a kind stare leaned forward and kissed her cheek, "You'll do. Would you mind if a use you to repay my horrible little girl for her indiscretion. If it doesn't embarrass you I'll hound her into sharing a bed with you tonight. Tomorrow after Femhe arrives you can have your own room. Kelly can dream about her new man alone."

Billie laughed and nodded, "We've been sharing rooms lately anyway. She objects to my untidiness and a few other habits but we get along okay. Go ahead. She deserves it and I know she'll be too proud to confess or back down in front of you."

As she picked up plates and cutlery Marjorie asked, "Where do your family live Billie?"

"I don't have a family. I'm an orphan." Billie looked at her feet before saying, "Or a cast-off." Then raised her head. "I was raised in a small town in Western Australia. I have a pretend mother, a nun, Sister Veronica. At the moment Sissy V is staying on Kelly's boy friend's family property. She tutors isolated children. Kelly, her boy friend and I seem to be linked together. It's all rather strange."

"Well Billie, I might adopt you and your girl. If you let me I'll pamper your girl and baby to distraction. When is my grandchild due?"

Billie held up two fingers. "Two months. She's very pregnant and works much too hard. Needs someone to mother her and make her rest."

"Well she'll be coming to the right place. I know she'll be lovely, if for no other reason I saw you dancing with the other pilot on TV. I saw Kelly pretending to be a civilian in the audience, as well, with a very pretty pregnant lady beside her." Marjorie made a point of touching Billie's arm with one finger. "I'll look after your girl if you look after mine while the two of you are flying. John's told me what you've been doing and it seems unnecessarily dangerous to me." Marjorie shook her head at Billie's happy expression.

"So what were you two whispering about when we came in?" Marjorie passed John the plate of pancakes and gave him a stare waiting for an answer.

"Horses mostly. Kelly wants to buy a horse. She was asking my advice how to arrange transport." John was watching Kelly handing her the plate as he spoke.

"Why can't Kelly use one of our horses? Besides she's too old to ride horses now. It isn't ladylike." Marjorie turned toward Billie and added, "Is it Billie?" Billie raised non-committing hands in silence with a hidden expression on her face. But Marjorie was already looking at Kelly. "I thought I overheard you discussing taking on another pro bono client at the clinic. A pregnancy I think you said. Is that wise?"

Kelly gave her mother and Billie a sideways glance. "It's very wise. She's a good choice. It's good for business to have a successful outcome. She'll need somewhere to stay as well for several months at least. I was thinking of asking the ladies committee at the Baptist church if they knew anyone who could take in an energetic and helpful border." She handed the plate to Billie and made a conquering face.

"If she hasn't got flees or body odour? She can stay here. I won't abide anyone who sniffles all day. I guess we could put her in your room so any unpleasantness will only really affect you on your next visit." Marjorie looked around the faces at the table and was able to wink at Billie unseen by Kelly. "Now that we have that settled she can move in tomorrow. Your room will be vacant anyway what with you and Billie playing the married couple. I'll put you together in the larger room down the hall where you can make as much noise as you like without disturbing us or this girl who's moving in tomorrow." Marjorie looked straight at Kelly. "You can drive that stupid car of yours to wherever this girl is and pick her up first thing tomorrow morning."

Kelly replied with a frustrated face of her own. "We've arranged for Billie to pick her up in her plane. Billie can use my car to go to the airport if she can figure out how to get there."

"Billie is coming shopping with me. I've even got her in to my hairdresser for a perm and manicure. If you had any sense you'd come with us. Bet your hair is a complete mess when you let it down. If you don't try to be more attractive Billie will dump you for someone else. It's taken you years to find someone to like you. We both know you're too short to wear pants. You should be wearing nice long dresses with some natural curve shaped into the cut. You're not a teenager anymore."

Kelly put her hands over her ears, "Please mother. I've only been home an hour. Couldn't we talk about..." On a thought Kelly turned her attention to Billie. "Billie shouldn't you phone Femhe before it gets too late. If one of us leaves here by seven, tomorrow morning we'll be back by nine in time to take Femhe shopping with mother. You can all visit the hairdresser together. She'll need a new wardrobe, hairstyle and manicure to live here." Kelly looked at her mother while speaking to Billie. "I recon you should ask Femhe to visit you here for a few days and arrange to pick her up at eight tomorrow morning. I guess you should ask Pinkie or Hilda if they mind driving her to Whiteman. And it would be polite to explain what's happening so they know where Femhe is and why." Kelly handed Billie her phone and added, "Go out the back so you get some privacy in case you need to say all those gooey things."

Billie silently walked off all smiles leaving Kelly's mother to say, "Where is Femhe currently staying?"

"With friends at Knob Noster Missouri."

Marjorie looked at her husband. "Near Higginsville." She waited for him to nod before turning to Kelly. "You can't fly there in half an hour? You'll never be back in time. It takes all day to get there in the car."

John, Kelly's father answered for her, "They can. It's a shame they can't take both planes so you can go with Kelly for the ride. You'd enjoy yourself." John looked at Kelly asking the question.

Kelly picked up the house phone and dialled Clancy's house and quickly heard, "Hello, Marge Page speaking."

"Oh Mrs Page. This is Kelly... Kelly Cassidy speaking. Has Wendy landed yet? I need to speak to her."

"No. She phoned a few minutes ago. Said they were almost here. Apparently they need to land at Alice Springs because our runway is too short. They're catching another plane here and will arriving in a couple of hours." Marge was overtaken with excitement. "Tomorrow we're all going to collect my babies from school and bring them home for the holidays. I'm still on cloud nine over the new runway it saves us two days of driving collecting Jamie and Peta."

"That's wonderful. I'll bet you'll be happy to have them home. They'll notice a few changes since they were there last."

"Yes, everything is finished. They have the little pilot-less planes flying. They're quite strange and cute, sound like monster bees. And our guests are settling in well. In fact Wendy might have a revolution on her hands tomorrow. Trent is sounding everyone out for not going home. Najwa is doing really well and speaking English most of the time. She's a lovely child a regular chatterbox. Kelly there is a lady here teaching the children English who has been trying to contact Billie Hope. Jason seems to think she flew to America with you. Do you know where she currently is?"

"Billie is here with me. We're at my parent's house in Kentucky. We flew in a few hours ago. I'm surprised you haven't seen Billie on television. She and Elizabeth were caught dancing together at a press conference. It's gone viral over here." Kelly was silent a moment. "We'll be here a few days before we head off again. Not sure where we'll be next. Billie could talk now though she's on another phone talking to her girl friend, which could take hours. Should I have her phone when she's free. Is it Sister Veronica trying to contact her? "

"Yes it is? Sister is outside with the children. It's probably best I just say we've located Billie. What's the phone number there?"

Kelly told Marge the number then added. "It's probably better to wait until Wendy arrives. Wendy can explain how to contact us by phone and leave messages or email us over the Internet. David told me you're all wired up and switched on now."

"So you've seen David. Do you know where he is?"

"I haven't seen David since we left your place. We speak occasionally over the radio usually work related so we can't say much. David is on the plane with Wendy. He'll be home in a few hours. I assume he'll have the same down time as we're having. So you'll probably have him with you for a few days."

"Really. Why didn't Wendy say? It will be the first time I've had my children here together in over three years. All this flying around you do. I find it a little overwhelming, like I've been dragged into the twenty first century only yesterday. Anyway I shouldn't keep you chatting too long. This call must be costing a fortune. I'll ask Jason to show me how to send you an email so we can keep in touch if you don't mind."

"I'd like that Mrs Page. Jason knows my address. I'll send him a message for you with all my details and I'll also include how to contact Billie for Sister Veronica." Kelly stopped speaking a moment "Just a thought something Billie told me. Does Matthew have an email address in case Billie would like to contact him?"

Marge laughed. It came through the phone as a quaint soft happy sound. She eventually said. "Matthew! I don't think I even want to ask Matthew if he'd like to use the computer. I'm sure he'll scoff at the idea. Though you have me curious. How would Billie even know Matthew exists? He hasn't put a foot off this property in twenty six years."

"I don't think they have met. It was just something Billie said on a long flight. I'm probably speaking out of turn. If she does want to contact Matthew obviously she can do so through you or Sister Veronica. I'm looking forward to staying in touch Mrs Page. Could you ask Wendy to contact me as soon as she arrives? You have the number, which Wendy knows anyway. Tell her it's about tomorrow morning's flight. We'd like her authority to take the growler and the raven. My mother wants to take the flight as well. Anyway I'd better not hold you up. Look after yourself. And say a big hello to David from me please. Bye Mrs Page."

"I'll make sure Wendy gets the message the moment she arrives. Tell your mother I'm jealous. I'd love to fly somewhere in that beautiful plane of yours. Bye for now Kelly. Thank you for calling."

Kelly hung up the phone and took her time placing the handset in the cradle. She was aware his mother was going to ignore her request about David.

Marjorie, her mother said, "So that was my namesake. Well I know who Wendy is. Who is David and how come you know these people?"

Kelly's mind rejoined the room. She blew out a breath. "Yes. The lady I just spoke to is also named Marjorie Page, though she calls herself Marge and she has a son named David, who I met in Afghanistan." Kelly stretched her eyes toward the ceiling searching for words, "It's bit weird. His father died a few years ago, but his name was John Page." She gave both her parents a quick study. "David was helpful at a time I really needed help. He seems... quite gentlemanly. That's about all I know. We've only met a few of times."

"Which didn't stop you going home with him to meet his mother. All the way to Australia with someone you claim not to know." Her mother displayed those telling eyes of hers to make the point stick.

"Mum. It's nothing like you're implying. I travelled... was sent to Australia with the Afghan families you met here. The air force sent a doctor on the flight to supervise Najwa, the girl who lost her leg. They sent me. They also needed an interpreter. They sent David. Wendy is the one who seems to know your namesake. Her family have been holidaying on the Page property. She's flying there at the moment to collect her children and husband and take them home. Anke and Helga are there as well. What none of us knew accept Wendy was the Afghan's were going to stay with Marge on her property. David didn't even know he was going home, until he got there."

"So where is this property? And why didn't this David, who you claim you don't know, come here with the Afghans to interpret."

Kelly shook her head. "Mum." She waved an arm, decided to ignore any further barbs involving David. "It's not near anywhere. It's four thousand eight hundred square miles in area and is called Pituri Downs. The nearest town of any size is as far as Missouri from here." She looked around thinking. "It's a cattle... beef property and a stud. They breed Droughtmaster cattle and Bejah Goliath racing camels."

As Kelly took a breath her father spoke, "Okay. I think I'm beginning to understand everything except why you two are always at each other's throat." John looked calmly and diplomatically from his wife to his daughter. "Is David Page one of the soldiers who took you horse riding in Afghanistan? And seems to be travelling around in Wendy's plane a lot lately?"

"Yes and yes. Why?"

"Well Wendy phoned me a few days ago to ask questions about horses. When I needed some clarification she put David Page on the phone and he knew all the answers. Seems to know a lot about horses. Small world." John arched one eyebrow.

Kelly looked at her father with her head to the side, "What did they want to know?"

"Not much. They asked about African horse sickness and it's effect on Saudi Arabia bloodline. I think that was all. Wendy didn't really say what it was about. Anyway..." John turned his focus toward his wife. "David Page seems personable. Very politely spoken for a soldier. Quite hard to believe he's a Captain in the marines." He added the last statement to impress his wife hoping to relieve some of the pressure from his daughter.

As her father finished speaking the phone rang.

Marjorie answered, "You've reached the Page residence." She waited a short moment. "Oh. Speak of the devil. Your ears should be burning? How are you Wendy?" There was a further delay. "Sure. So you've already got the message? That was quick. You must have been on their driveway when Kelly rang." More delay. "Oh. Well some would say eavesdropping on private phone calls is rude. But not me, not at the moment anyway." A pause. "Yes. I thought I'd like to see what my daughter actually does up there. Plus I want to see for myself whether we can actually fly to Missouri in forty minutes. We need to travel to the property out there shortly. We should have gone already. John needs to have a look around, talk and sign a few papers. It's ridiculous. Takes all day to drive out there and just as long to fly. Plus hiring a vehicle in Kansas City. Those cars always smell of disgusting perfume. If Kelly had another spare seat John could go as well. He only needs to be there an hour." Marjorie listened for a good minute.

She put her hand over the phone and said to both Kelly and her husband. "She needs to phone someone. Must have two phones. I've never heard of anyone having two phones on an aeroplane. What does she do up there all day anyway?"

John was first to answer, "Wendy works very hard and shoulders a lot of responsibility. Her job makes life a lot safer for our soldiers and pilots like Kelly. What's this about? I never said I wanted to go with you tomorrow?"

"Of course you didn't. But I know better than you what you're thinking. You'd love to fly somewhere with your little girl. Plus you could arrange to meet your manager at the airport, sign all the papers and come straight back? We should buy our own aeroplane. You can afford it."

Kelly managed to speak before her mother spoke further, "Mum. This is outrageous. Wendy can't allow us to use the air force as your private taxi service. She's only allowing Billie to collect Femhe because Billie needs to chalk up flight hours in the plane."

Marjorie took her hand off the phone. "Oh really. That's wonderful. Of course we have room for another visitor. You've seen the house. She'll be most welcome. Oh. Billie's dancing partner on the television. Elizabeth can stay as long as she likes."

Marjorie looked at Kelly, gave a smug grin and silently held out the phone.

"Hello Wendy. I'm sorry. Please don't be cross. None of this is my idea." Kelly listened, "Okay. So poor Elizabeth has been sitting on her fanny for several days on a round trip to the sand pit and when she lands tomorrow morning you intend to send her to our place. Even before she has time for a shower or sit down for a meal let alone sleep and this is for no reason other than picking Daddy up on the way. That's great. Do you think perhaps Elizabeth might have plans of her own for her days off that don't involve flying where you tell her to go?" Kelly listened. "Okay. Yes Ma'am. But maybe even Colonel Clink should ask Elizabeth? Just in case." Another pause. "Wendy that's mean. She probably will be happy to have somewhere to go. But it's still mean to assume." Kelly looked at the floor displaying a feeling of hurt, "Yes Ma'am." She pursed her lips and wiggled her head from side to side, didn't dare add, _three bags full Ma'am_. "I'll let everyone know." She hung up the phone heavily and looked at her mother for a long moment shaking her head.

Finally she threw her hands up, "Daddy can come. I'm to drop him at Higginsville airport and Elizabeth will be there to pick him up when he's ready to come home. It seems she needs more hours in the plane as well. There will be gear for you both to wear at the airport tomorrow morning." Kelly sternly studied her mother again before turning to her father. "Tell your people at the Higginsville property they'll need to meet you and have an eight foot step ladder with them." Kelly gave both her parents a quick non-committed look. "I'm tired. I want to go to bed."

At first Kelly wasn't sure where she was. She was too warm, too comfortable and felt the same inside her head. Eventually she opened her eyes and quickly recovered her memory, rediscovered the best place on earth, her own bed.

It was light though the sun was not yet shinning through the window. Billie was seated on the dresser stool looking out as if waiting for the first rays to find her. She was wearing a pair of black lace loose leg French knickers and nothing else.

"Billie come back to bed and get warm before you freeze."

Kelly shook her head with regret and waited for Billie's reply. It didn't come. When Kelly looked again she could see the stream left by tears on Billie's cheek.

"I'm sorry Billie. Are you okay?" As she spoke Kelly stepped out of bed with all the blankets still around her and walked to where Billie was seated to release and wrap a blanket across Billie's shoulders. "What's the matter? Did my tactless mother say something upsetting?"

Billie wiped the back of her hand across both eyes and made a sniffle before glancing at Kelly to shake her head. "I don't remember the last time I cried for no reason." She scratched the end of her nose with a knuckle. "It's silly."

"You have been to bed haven't you?"

"Billie rolled her head to glance Kelly's way with a hint of recovery on her face. "I slept next to you all night. I don't think either of us moved. This place is beautiful. I woke a while ago and couldn't wait. I had to see outside. I sat here looking out the window and burst out boiling." She wiped her eyes again. "Hope I didn't wake you."

"You didn't. I slept like a log. I love this bed. Didn't hear you come in last night."

Billie smiled. "I know. I wanted to talk to you. I rinsed all my clothes so I've got something to wear." Billie eyed the bathroom where all her clothes were on display. "After I turned the light out. Your mother snuck in here. She pulled the blankets up around your neck and stood there just looking at you for a long time before she kissed you on the forehead. She must have realised I was watching because she walked around here and did the same to my blankets. Then whispered, " _Sleep tight little girl,"_ and kissed me on the forehead before adding. " _Very soon you'll understand what it's like watching your children grow."_ Then she kissed my forehead again turned on her heels and walked out." Billie looked straight at Kelly. "No one has ever done that to me before. I slept like a baby. Woke up and started crying." Billie stood up. "Is it okay if I go for a walk?"

"Sure. You won't be alone. Daddy and the strappers are out there exercising the horses. Don't climb onto the racetrack for everyone's safety-sake. I'll come with you if you like. Or would you rather be alone?"

"Alone if your parents won't mind. You go back to bed until the sun calls you." Billy rolled her eyes. "Beauty sleep becomes you."

"Okay. If you get bored there'll be coffee and stuff in the kitchen. Don't go too far. We need to be ready to fetch Femhe by about six thirty. And will you find some clothes to wear if for no other reason it will make me feel warm." Kelly jumped back into her warm bed as she spoke knowing full well she was unlikely to go back to sleep.

Billie walked outside via the rear door off the large kitchen with a piece of cold toast in her hand to nibble on. She breathed in a few times just to take in the gorgeously manicured lawn, manipulated scrubs and flowerbed colours. It felt as though she'd landed in a fairyland.

Three minutes were taken up consumed in memorising the dimensions of the swing chair on the rear deck. All the angles and anchor points were tested for alignment, balance and loadings. She made up her mind she was going to build one for Femhe when they get their own place.

She skirted the home boundary fence taking in the view toward and away from the structure. Until this morning she'd never fully understood the notion of a house and a home not necessarily being the same thing. This structure, these grounds are both. It's a privilege to observe the environment and people who guided and influenced the making of Kelly. Kelly is many things but most of all she is a calm, confident, feminine, understating pilot who can out fly anyone or anything. It's a mind-blowing enlightenment to sit beside her in an aeroplane and try to keep up. And she's a friend. Everything about her is worthy of admiration.

Billie stood at the well-defined lane separating the living environment from the workings of the racehorse _factory_ that was currently in full production. She could see the horses exercising doing barrier trials. Spaced well apart circling the track at a fast canter in pairs pacing each other with the riders standing straight legged in the saddle holding their horse's stride back. She watched with interest how the jockeys simultaneously dropped down to fire their charge into a breakneck speed gallop as they rounded the far corner.

It was only after some time she noticed Kelly's father and another man standing by the railing further along, stop watches in hand obviously timing the horses over the last several hundred yards, which must have been a furlong. How they quickly compared watches, jotted notes on a clipboard and reset in time to repeat the process.

She pushed her hair out of her eyes several times and couldn't help smiling about forgetting to use a hair tie. She observed the large barn where horses were being walked, allowed to roll in sand and rubbed down only to be walked again before disappearing inside.

Eventually she realised she too was being observed. A beautiful chestnut colt was standing at the white fence of a round corral on the other side of the lane no more than thirty feet away. He was tall with a sharp expression and alert ears that pulled at Billie like a magnet. She closed the distance, allowed him to smell her hand and quickly gained approval to rub his neck. She paid a price; the colt ate the rest of her toast. It wasn't long before she found herself talking to the horse. He seemed to understand what she said though didn't say why he was there alone while all his friends were running around the track. It was clear he was a thoroughbred.

For want of something better to do Billie climbed through the fence and soon found a seat on the horses bare back. She'd ridden enough stock horses on properties in Australia to feel comfortable. It was only a small yard. Though he was the tallest horse she'd ever been on, apart from one draft horse. It was quite a jumping hand lift to get high enough to swing onto his back. He stood perfectly still for her, which was always a friendly sign.

The horse had a smooth gate and was well trained. He was responsive to pressure with her legs, which was just as well because they weren't sharing a bridle. But he happily walked them both around the yard sticking close to the circular fence and would go both ways but seemed more comfortable travelling counter clockwise, which was sensible in Billie's mind. All the horses on the track were circling counter clockwise. Obviously he did what he was trained to do best, no surprise there. His walking stride was magnificent leaving Billie to wonder just how fast he could gallop. Though she doubted she had the skill to find out. Riding a stock horse in a full saddle was a secure substitute for trying to control a thoroughbred at probably twice the speed with a flimsy saddle that required the rider to stand in ridiculously shortened and uneven stirrups while helping the horse balance his stride to maximize their performance.

Billie found if she learning forward to talk to the horse he would pull his head to the right to listen no matter which side of his head she spoke. Strange. Her natural inquiring curiousity took over and soon discovered when they were travelling counter clockwise, the primary direction he was trained to travel the horse allowed her to speak on either side without pulling his head at all; very strange. She wanted to know why. She stopped the horse with a squeeze of her legs and jumped down. Gave him a rub and quickly found if she walked around him naturally his eyes would follow her. However he bowed his head every time she got to his neck on the left side.

Billie become totally occupied holding one finger up and moving it so the horse would follow the finger with an eye while at the same time she used another finger on the other hand to determine at which distances and angle the horse would twitch his head. There was only one spot in one eye, the left, where the horse would predictable bow his head. She determined the angle and distance her fingers were apart and how far from his eye. Then gave him a good long nose rub while telling him about her findings.

She jumped and frightened the horse when John asked what she was doing. He was learning on the fence with the other man beside him. Billie quickly quietened the horse apologising for frightening him before turning to John.

She quietly backed away from the horse, "I'm sorry Mr Page. I didn't mean to be a nuisance. I was just admiring your gorgeous colt. I... He seemed lonely. I guess we both needed someone to talk to."

John smiled, "Relax Billie. We've been watching you for some time. I'm not upset. A little amazed perhaps. Where did you learn to ride? And what were you doing with your hands."

Billie walked to the fence, "So I'm not in trouble? If I am I'll work my pennants shovelling horse muck. I've done it before."

"No Billie. You're not in trouble. Quite the opposite; where have you worked with horses?"

"I've never been near thoroughbreds. I've worked on properties mostly in the holidays. Checking fences, rounding up cattle, the usual yard work. They expect us to ride and it gets lonely so I'd talk to the horse. Most are pretty good listeners. Like yours here."

"Okay. Now what were you doing with your hands."

"He's got a scotoma on the left retina. I've read it's common in horses but I've never seen it before. Was just curious. I can get a bit boring when it comes to research work and technology."

"Show me." John climbed through the fence.

Billie went through the process again.

"How did you notice?"

Billie jumped on the horse and demonstrated how the horse moves his head and explained it happened because her weight moving forward causes the horse to shy at the railing when the passing posts disappear then reappear in a new location within the horse's vision image map.

John stared at his friend in silence for a long moment before looking back at Billie. "I could kiss you." He turned his head back to his friend, "You know what's happening don't you. This railing is on the outside, which means on the track in the opposite direction his left eye is near the inside railing." The friend nodded thoughtfully his face frowning with masculine understanding. John continued, "We've got some research to do. Call the vet. Tell him we've changed our mind. Not again; completely. "And ask him about treatments for scotoma."

Billie joined the conversation. "They can insert a purpose build contact lens and compensate for the blind spot to fix the problem when the horse is valuable."

John fixed his eyes toward the friend. "Come on Billie we need to get cleaned up. When Marjorie's on a mission she waits for no man or woman. I'll make you a coffee myself." He nodded to his smiling friend. "You're an angel." And added clearly talking to his friend. "You've got the reins for few hours while I poke my head back into the clouds. When I get back remind me I've got that shipment to pick up this afternoon."

Pituri Down

Marge walked to the Kitchen and peered through the screen door. She wasn't sure what the children were doing. Clearly something educational was being disguised as fun. Sister Veronica had an amused expression on her face over something Trent had just done.

Marge noticed Sister Veronica's glance toward her before the nun spoke. "Alright hooligans. That's a Dutch word. Alright; I want you to take turns as I nominate you." Sister's voice emphasised the last four words while looking directly at Trent. " Starting from _een_ I want you to count to _tien_. When we've all finished correctly. We'll have our morning break. We have scones with jam and cream.

The numbers rattled out as quickly as Sister pointed to the next person. Marge felt rather emotional. Even the children were learning about people, places and travel. She tried to remember the numbers but lost track at _zes_.

As the adults drank coffee and the children squabbled over milk or lemonade and the seating arrangement. Marge said to Sister Veronica, "I've just received a phone call from America. Kelly was trying to speak to Wendy. I asked about your Billie? She's with Kelly at her parent's property in Kentucky. They're going to email and explain how we can remain in touch. So there." Marge gave a small victory frown.

Anke shook her head. "Ask them to send photos. If you want to travel somewhere beautiful make friends with Kelly and her mother. I guess you know her mother's name is also Marjorie Page. Do it while they're in the mood to invite you home. It's gorgeous."

"Have you been there?"

"Yes. Many times. Wendy's parents live near by and Marjorie insists on seeing the children when we visit grandma Shultz. The Page property is breathtaking, absolutely stunning. Kelly's father is a thoroughbred horse breeder and trainer. The bluegrass region around Paris, Kentucky is much prettier and more inviting than Paris, France." Anke rolled her head thinking and added, "You're the only person here who hasn't been there. On the way here my lot visited Grandma Shultz while everyone else stayed with Kelly's mothers."

"Fariha did say they visited a beautiful horse farm. No one said it was Kelly's home. Anyway Kelly wants to take her mother somewhere in an air force jet tomorrow and needs to talk with Wendy about it."

Anke raised her eyebrows, "Really." She grinned. "That's quite strange. Kelly's mother hounds and hounds poor Kelly over her flying. She doesn't think it's ladylike. Kelly and her Mother love each other yet bicker all the time."

Marge seemed surprised, "I can't imagine Kelly fighting with anyone. She seems so avoiding. I thought she'd be one to walk away and sulk."

Anke replied, "You don't know Kelly very well. She and her father are almost joined at the hip. Perhaps that's part of the problem. Her mother is a nice person but can be quite demanding of everyone's attention. She's house-proud, it's her domain and she keeps it gorgeous. The only thing missing is the patter of grandchildren in the hallways. That's where Marjorie's plans for Kelly's life start and end."

Anke passed the plates she'd prepared with a scone and compliments to each of the children. Saying, "Hands." She inspected each pair for suitable cleanliness and nodded giving them approval to eat.

Without taking a breath she continued the conversation with Marge. "And you've met Kelly. Marjorie worries Kelly will forget to have children, which is a distinct possibility. Though lately..." She widened her eyes, looked at Marge and decided to change the conversation slightly. "Kelly's brother whose name is also David lives in New York. He married the woman from..." She scanned the table and discreetly mouthed, _hell,_ for Marge's eyes only. "When they visit, David's wife takes over Marjorie's kitchen, throws anything out she doesn't approve of and turns everyone into a vegan. She goes from room to room rearranging furniture even deciding which pieces she'll send to New York for her apartment, at Marjorie's expense. They have a boy and a girl who Marjorie can't approach unsupervised." Anke shook her head and almost laughed. "She's such a dingbat the whole family take medication for flatulence." Anke scanned the table again. "Marjorie tolerates this just to have some contact with her grandchildren. She worries constantly how they're being treated." Anke arched her eyebrows, "John would regularly demand they leave and have Marjorie receive the, _you'll never see your grandchildren again,_ threat." Anke paused for affect, "All that was before Kelly got involved. A few years ago Kelly returned from work and walked in on a spiteful tirade being directed at her mother while David stood silently watching."

"Without saying a word Kelly punched her sister-in-law in the nose and got served with a law suite for unspecified damages, which Marjorie wanted to pay to keep the peace. Kelly wouldn't back down. She fought them in court and won convincingly. The sister-in-law was required to pay all costs. Plus because Kelly proved to the court her action was solely to protect her mother from a manipulative, self-serving, greedy, dangerous child and parent-abusing woman. A blanket discretionary custody order was issued in favour of Kelly who in the opinion of the court was the only sane qualified person present capable of professional conduct to protect the interest of the children. They decreed Kelly should monitor the children's well being on behalf of the court. So now every three months the children visit grandma Page for one week without their parents to receive a physical and mental health assessment at Kelly's clinic. Kelly has decided this will go on for as long as the children enjoy their time with grandma." Anke nodded wearing a motherly stern expression. "The moral of the story; don't mess with Kelly. And don't be cruel to anyone or anything while she's about." Anke lovingly touched Marge on the arm. "You don't need to worry. You don't know how to be cruel."

Marge looked straight into Anke's eyes, "Why don't you marry my son? I'd love you as my daughter-in-law."

Anke laughed openly, "I assume you mean Jamie because David is spoken for." She rolled her eyes, "Problem is I know the family. Jamie's sure to prefer a doctor or pilot. Plus by the time he grows up I'll be too old to have all the grandchildren you're planning to see." Anke stopped laughing. "Which reminds me. How come you had David then waited so long before having another two? That's what usually happens with second families." She pursed her lips inward and added. "If I'm allowed to ask?"

"I meant for you to fight tooth and nail to marry David. I think he'd be a worthy catch. The other question is simple. I've only been married once. We moved out here twenty-six years ago for a short holiday to help out while John's father recovered from an illness. David was a baby. Took us ten years to realise we were still here and by then we could see the now or never age approaching."

Anke laughed again, "I would like to be your daughter-in-law. But I'll tell you a truth. I love my daughter to bits and I love Wendy's children just as much." She scanned the table to make sure no little ears were listening. "Yet I don't think I could ever fall in love enough to submit to looking like a pumpkin. Believing I might burst. Not being able to touch my toes or breathe properly and piddle all the time again. If I come here to live I'll court Matthew." She giggled. "Matthew is... I do itch to straighten his chairs." She giggled again. "While I'm being silly I suppose I shouldn't rule out waiting for Peta. I wouldn't have to get involved in that other stuff." She put her hand over her mouth. "I think we should change the topic."

Sister Veronica, who had been quietly listening, entered the conversation. "That's an interesting question for you to consider Marjorie Page. How would you react if one of your children announced they were gay?"

Marge looked over both shoulders as if searching for something and lifted her hands. "Aren't we a happy bunch today? I think about things like that sometimes. I'd like to say I'd support them and not try to impose what suits me best. Yet here I am worrying over David's choice and I actually like the girl. I like her a lot but wish David didn't." Marge looked at both Sister and Anke before saying. "It's hard. Having a gay child wouldn't be as easy as knowing someone else's gay child."

Anke said thoughtfully, "Yes. I've thought about this as well. I'm rather friendly with a few gay couples. One couple have a child who goes to school with Helga, they're friends. I've rescued that poor girl a few times in the street from people taunting her. Even adults make remarks. They do the same to the parents but they're not children. An eight year old shouldn't need to know about human relationships on that level. I often wonder whether I could be completely supporting if my child came out. I hope I could."

Sister Veronica smiled as she spoke. She was looking at Marge, "I'll make my confession. I told you I thought I might be heading for the top floor. The girl we've been looking for, Billie, is openly gay. She invited me to a gay and lesbian mardi gras not so long ago. I went and actually enjoyed myself. They were a lovely fun loving bunch of people. They wear fancy dress. Billie is quite slim and tall. She wore a topless leather outfit and looked very attractive. Something so outrageous would never suite my figure or personality. I tried to be smart and hid in my habit. I didn't realise how popular it would be. We got photographed together, made the television news and finished up on page four or better in every capital city newspaper. Mother Superior got hold of a copy." Sister Veronica raised her eyebrows as she said, "We were not amused. I was resoundingly admonished via telephone and summonsed to return to New Norcia at all haste. Got one reprieve when the teacher at El Questro fell off his horse and broke a leg. And another by Wendy throwing fifty pieces of silver on the church steps to have me come here."

Anke and Marge both laughed for a moment before Marge said. "I think you should be defiant and stay. I can't stand the thought of you locked away with those people. You have a home with me and perhaps Anke, no matter what. Even if they send a Pope-mobile full of heavies we'll find a place to hide you in some bulrushes."

Sister nodded, "I am thinking. I'm thinking quite hard. The children here are helping me think with considerable purpose. And you may note; I said thinking not praying." The nun looked at the ground a moment crossed her self then shrugged. "I like to think God may have intervened. If he arranges a third miracle to delay my return it will just about seal my future direction." She stared at the children for a long moment and again eyed Marge thoughtfully. "While I'm counting coup. I have something needs saying. The other day you scored my vow adherence as a pass, two out of three. You didn't have all the information. Before I become a nun I was privileged to have a comfortable upbringing. My parent's worldly business interests have now passed equally via a trust to my only sibling, a brother, and myself. I've never bothered to share that part of my worldly existence with Mother Superior. The church doesn't need our money. It displays quite enough fancy robes on worthless priests. So if I do choose the life of a heavenly fugitive. I can pay my rent and there would be enough left over to cover expenses on a few worldly sabbaticals." Sister Veronica pulled a nondescript face. "However it is very important you two witnesses understand while I may be somewhat selective with adherence to frivolous obedience and a tad iffy with the spirit of the poverty guidelines. I have religiously adhered to my vow of chastity so I don't consider myself rotten to the core." She winked at Anke. "Though I can assure you I didn't embark on this career without first sampling a good many fruits from the orchard of life."

Anke smiled with amusement, "You are so down to earth. I don't want to say for a nun. But you are unusual. How did you and Marge meet?" Anke looked at the nun and watched the way she and Marge nervously studied each other, "I don't mean how you met. I... How did you become so compatible, close and trusting? You're not family relatives or anything are you?"

Sister Veronica continued to watch Marge fidget and commenced to cross herself but stopped after the horizontal pass. She opened her hand a moment then spoke. "I was tutoring next door." She pointed up the river. "My first assignment outside of Western Australia. Back when travel wasn't as straightforward as now. I was chaperoned all the way by a concerned citizen seeking an adventure where nature controls people. While I was tutoring my chaperone did the Christian thing and came over here to help out. That was a few days before Marge and her husband arrived. I rode over here to see my chaperone, found Marge and we jelled. A case of Déjà vu, felt as though we shared secrets sealed in a common past." Sister released a now calm Marge from her gaze and turned toward Anke. "It wasn't just Marge and myself. Pituri Downs sticks to your skin. My Chaperone returned me to the witch's den and came straight back here. Matthew hasn't left since and I invent excuses to visit as often as plausible." Sister smiled at Anke. "You will see a lot more of this place as well. Shall we return these children to their studies."

*****

The lady on the switchboard efficiently announced the name of the school and added, "How may I help you?"

Wendy spoke, "This as Colonel Maiden of the US air force. I'd like the speak to Ms Southerland please."

"Oh yes Headmistress has been expecting your call? She won't be a moment." Wendy heard a flurry of voices in the background before the call transferred.

"Ms Maiden this is Silvia Southerland. Thank you for calling promptly."

Wendy politely negotiated the niceties before saying, "As I've already indicated the US government wants to sponsor two boarding students from next year onwards. It's a little tricky. I know you're a Christian school. The girls are both from Muslim families. They don't appear particularly strict followers of Islam. Not symbolically at least. The mothers' don't wear veils, etc, but our government would like to be reassured their faith won't be challenged or interfered with."

The headmistress seemed to take the question in her stride. "The girls will be required to involve them self in all activities including any religious instruction, which is part of the curriculum. However none of our girls are required to submit to our faith. Nor are they required to hide their own values. They will be permitted to observe their customs and beliefs so long as they aren't assertive or disruptive to other students or staff. It works both ways."

"That sounds very fair."

The headmistress continued, "Our curriculum in terms of religious instruction is basically an understanding of religious history in all it's forms and character building based upon humanitarian principals derived from religious tolerance. When this request first came across my desk I actually discussed this very topic with our ministers. We are actually keen to have the girls' input and involvement as part of the curriculum. We have also discussed the needs required for the disabled girl and can't see any problems. If any do arise we will make changes. The law requires we do so." The head mistress paused a moment then continued, "I know you didn't mention names. May I ask if the girls are, Maliha Voss and Najwa Shah from Pituri Downs?"

Wendy displayed surprise. "Yes I am referring to Maliha and Najwa."

There was a delay, "Oh. We assumed your government was intending to sponsor the girls directly. Yet we received their scholarship notice this morning along with the enrolment applications."

Wendy sat up in her seat. "I'm sorry. There must be a mistake. We haven't committed. The girls and their parents have yet to see the school. We would never impose this upon them without them being fully informed and in total agreement. I'm phoning to ask if you'd permit the families to visit the school tomorrow, including both children. Plus I have a further personal request; May I bring my own children and husband to see your school as well. We're interested on a personal level for our own situation. Obviously we're American citizens. However we currently reside in Europe so we have a lot of options open to us."

Well you are most welcome to visit tomorrow. Indeed we'll welcome your visit. But as I say we have already received enrolment for both girls from the final term of this year. The Vermatt Foundation informed us this morning both girls have applied for and won a scholarship to cover the total cost of their secondary schooling. We're very happy they chose to reside with our school and we'll make them most welcome.

"May I ask who the Vermatt Foundation is? I've never heard of them."

"What can I say? The Vermatt Foundation has been active for years. They're a charity supporting remote area children with scholarships to cover the cost of education at boarding schools like our own. In fact the school even has a quota of ten scholarships per year. They're eagerly contested. Plus we have a number of students who have gained their own scholarship prior to becoming one of our girls. Point in case, Peta Page of Pituri Downs, who I believe you will be providing transport home for tomorrow, also came to us with her own Vermatt Foundation scholarship."

"Thank you Ms Southerland. I guess we'll meet tomorrow with the girls, their families and my own family. I'll approach the Vermatt Foundation directly and offer our support to them. Thank you for your time. Bye." Wendy hung up and immediately cleared her desk in preparation for landing at Alice Springs."

##  Chapter 18

The C17 Transport taxied to a stop on the staging area of the airfield at Pituri Downs. The crew wasted no time letting Wendy and David off and were back in the sky within minutes heading for Canberra to deliver Sabrina and her cameraman. The plane would then return to Pituri Downs for the crew to spend the night and be ready to fly everyone to the schools in Toowoomba the following day.

Everyone stopped what he or she was doing to meet the plane. Even Matthew and Zahir decided to ride in. The two were becoming inseparable. Zahir had mastered Matthew's novel idiom of conveying meaning and intention through gestures and expressions that didn't require making much sound. A simple hat nod at David was as meaningful as the enthusiastic hug Marge gave her son.

Wendy's enthusiastic greeting of her husband and children was punctuated with a competitive stereo rendition of recently acquired experiences and skills.

Greetings quickly become an outdoor lunch in the camp kitchen with all the air force personnel, which rapidly descended into a lazy afternoon. Matthew produced an orphaned baby wombat and kangaroo he'd been nursing. They were now old enough to be cared for more easily so he handed their welfare over to Najwa and Maliha. The instruction on what to do was an activity all the children wanted to participate in. The wombat's habit of nipping anything inactive in the way, including feet was considered a great source of fun. Trent's wish list of things needed at home was extended to include a wombat.

Everyone noticed with considerable amusement how active Marge became at finding ways to keep Anke and David together. Marge only saw happy laughter. It didn't dawn on her to wonder what the source of their combined pleasure might be.

The digital images David took at the Afghan village were displayed on a computer screen. They produced joyful smiles and a few tears plus a promise to take images of Pituri Downs for David to deliver on his next visit. Sister Veronica questioned Fariha and David in great detail to establish the exact location of the village. It turned out the nun had never been to the actual village but it was very clear from her understanding of the discussion she had personally travelled the eastern region of Logar province while in Afghanistan.

Wendy listening with interest even entered the conversation to ask Sister Veronica when and why she was in Afghanistan. The nun gave up very little in her explanation other than to explain she spent time in Afghanistan with Australian volunteers abroad after leaving university and prior to entering the church. Wendy's attempt to extract further information about when and what she studied drew a glancing amused stare with a polite request to leave the past where it is.

The conversation was over yet Wendy itched for her secure environment where she might delve into what she could about the intriguingly intelligent woman unable to fill Wendy's mind image of looking or acting nun-like; a woman who shoulders broad experience with worldly contacts far in excess of her keeping and interacts with David like a favoured Aunty.

Wendy was still deep in thought and needed prompting to realise Sister Veronica was asking her to invite a neighbour and her two children to join the outing to Toowoomba. She said the invitations would be charitable while sharing a teasingly smug expression.

The neighbour was the lady in the wheelchair on the light aircraft Jason needed to avoid while trying to land. She was afforded little opportunity to venture away from their property and would most likely enjoy a trip to the shops. A quick phone call was made and the neighbour who at first declined because she couldn't travel without her chair was heartened to discover the plane is wheelchair friendly. Even has an access ramp and wheelchair stowage facilities. The neighbour accepted in a flash when Sister Veronica explained David had arrived home and would be on tomorrow's flight.

They would collect Debbie and her children at six thirty the following morning. This would get them to Toowoomba in time for a fast food breakfast to treat the children before touring the school then spend the day shopping until it was time for Peta and Jamie to travel home.

The flight and mini-bus ride to the grand central shopping centre went like clockwork.

While seated for breakfast Marge realised the group of students wearing the same familiar uniform and also having something to eat while noisily eyeing young men for discussion included her daughter.

Marge probably wouldn't have noticed except one girl suddenly flushed with embarrassment upon realising her brother David had been chosen for closer scrutiny.

Peta sought approval from an aptly named Ms Goodchild, who was drinking coffee alone at another table, before being permitted to approach her mother and brother's table.

Greetings and explanations were completed before Peta returned to her friends with arms outstretched soaring plane-like, steered into the vacated seat by a cheerfully active mind.

She eagerly shared with animated enthusiasm how she would not be sitting all night and day on the work-hardened seat of a seventy-eight series land cruiser. She _Anastasia Tall-bottom_ would sip refreshment, read glossies and glow her way home in a private jet. A guest of the United States government, almost like the President. Though her plane was air force three hundred and forty-two. She then cued her inquisitive friends who proceeded to giggle and oh there way around the faces at mother's table.

Wendy was impressed how well the girls' safety and propriety were being protected while still allowing the joyful innocence of teenage years to flourish free from dictatorial religious authoritarianism.

She cast her mind forward imagining what might suit her own situation best when the children add a few years or if, heaven forbid, Anke chose another path to follow.

Over breakfast's extended coffee, long after the teens had been shown to their classes, Debbie struck up a conversation with Zahir about books following subtle prompting by Sister Veronica.

Debbie was making the best of the restriction multiple sclerosis imposed living remotely with her parents by endeavouring to write a novel. She drew quiet attention from David, Wendy and Marge while explaining her novel, a romance, was set in Afghanistan.

The protagonist, a female pilot, crashes and requires rescue by a commando. David was set to speak but obeyed the cautionary hand signal from Wendy.

Debbie continued, eventually shrugging and explaining she enjoyed writing but didn't know enough about warplanes or soldiers to complete the task properly; yet.

Zahir expressed the same interest though with steadfast commitment to protect his particular story. He steered the conversation toward technical aspects of story planning, plotting detail and author voice. Both made plans to support and critique each other. He would ride over as soon as she recovered the energy lost from today's outing.

The ever-observant Wendy made a point of pulling Zahir aside for a private chat during their shopping exposé. She wanted to caution about topics for his book. He should refrain from writing about his experience at Guantanamo Bay lest the government autocrats view the detail subversive.

Her advice, write a book about something else then casually mention to publishers how the idea for the story came while confined in Guantanamo Bay. This would allow a lot of publicity from the experience without confronting the powerful or ruffling raised feathers with the detail.

Wendy boldly recommended he explore the life and death of terrorist Majeed Azizi without mentioning he was the man Zahir was unjustly incarcerated for.

She offered help with research particularly in relation to the death of Lieutenant John Satler.

Zahir quietly stared, his mind chewing every detail before offering a silent nod of agreement.

She watched his eyes follow Debbie, the way he hurried to engineer casual assistance with mobility. There was more motivation in his expression than a desire to share pages in a book.

On the return flight Wendy engineered a seat beside Sister Veronica and asked whether she'd be interested in extending her work commitment after the children phase was complete.

The discussion became protracted. Sister Veronica inquired to know of what specifically Wendy meant by conducting research work.

Wendy wouldn't say anything specific.

The nun wouldn't work where the result might lead to people being killed yet appreciated working for the military with that restriction might prove difficult.

Wendy offered a practical demonstration of what the work might entail at a future time.

Peta wasn't deflated by the lack of service on the plane. She was much too taken with other compensations surrounding their ride.

Prior to take-off she and her brother proudly exchanged small waves with identifiable faces belonging to the better-heeled students being picked up in private planes.

In the world of private planes and boarding school it would seem size matters a great deal.

Paris Kentucky.

Kelly flew the growler from the rear seat, giving her father the opportunity to play pilot if he wished. She knew he would want to. When her mother finally overcame her list of objections to the dress code she happily sat beside Billie and took in every detail of the rapid trip.

Both planes landed at Whiteman. Where the four Zook's and Femhe were waiting to greet them. Kelly's parents were given a tour inside a bomber. Something her father enjoyed and Marjorie tolerated. Marjorie cut her tour short to opt instead for a long talk with Helga and Hilda about everything to do with living at Knob Noster while quietly surveying the connection between Billie and Femhe who stood together a few yards away. Pommie, Hilda's incredibly spoilt canine simply doted over Femhe a situation that re-enforced Marjorie's own initial instincts.

Kelly flew her Father to Higginsville and left him there with the property manager before returning to Whiteman to collect her mother. She said nothing listening to several new complaints about the inadequacies of the growler. Apparently sitting one behind the other meant someone was flying economy and wearing shapeless trousers came up again. However the situation was made bearable when Kelly again flew in the economy seat. Billie and Kelly both decided to fly to Higginsville, only twenty-five mile away, to wait for the arrival of Elizabeth and return of father.

Elizabeth was full of excitement about flying and spending her break in Kentucky amongst friends. She was bursting to reveal all; her first trip to Afghanistan. She apologised for not having washed or changed in almost four days and hoped Mr Page couldn't smell her in the plane. She was even infectiously happy about being so dirty, another new experience. Eventually she remembered to explain she'd packed her own clothes for a few days and filled the rest of the container under the wing with Billie's things.

When the uneventful return trip to Lexington was complete Marjorie decided to change and go shopping straight away. She'd already observed Femhe needed lots of new clothes and Billie could help her choose if she proved sensible. At ten they would visit the hairdressers then find anything they'd forgotten before having lunch over a good chinwag. Afterwards they would be free to see-what-may.

Kelly, her father and Elizabeth dropped the retail explorers at the Mall and went home. Elizabeth needed to bathe, calm down and sleep. Kelly wanted to visit the surgery to catch up, make an appointment for Femhe and finally have the now irritatingly itchy staples in her head removed. Father wanted to get back to work. He invited Kelly to accompany him back to the airport at two. Said he wanted her to drop off a vehicle to the shoppers and thought he might need her company to help unload same new horses.

Enthusiastic greetings met Kelly as she walked into the surgery. The receptionist greeted her and introduced her to the new doctor, Therese. Eventually Kelly got to see her long time colleague, business partner and friend, Jennifer between patients for a quick chat and inspection of the cut that resulted in the staples in her hair so nurse would remove them. After a few hours, which included seeing several patients to help alleviate a waiting room backlog Kelly went home happy her head was finally free of the headaches the staples were causing. She was confident the tummy bug following her travels would also now disappear. It wasn't obvious how the staples were causing the problem. May have been a reaction to chromium alloy or something similar.

At home she looked in on Elizabeth assuming she would be a bundle of excitement wanting to talk. She was sound asleep with Mr Peep her bear held tightly in her arms. Always so innocent and infectiously happy Elizabeth even managed a contented smile in her sleep.

Seeking company Kelly changed into jeans and a tee shirt and walked across to the stables. Helped muck out several occupied stalls and added fresh straw. She then prepared the two stalls in a separate smaller stable complex where new horses entering the property are always isolated for equine health reasons.

She had time for a quick wash before following her father into Lexington in mother's sensible vehicle. Two phone calls and a long search for suitable parking found the shop-a-holic trio seated at lunch.

Mother looked the same, perhaps happier. Femhe was almost unrecognisable. Wearing new clothes, elegant maternity wear fitted her condition well and complemented her soft happy-go-lucky complexion. Her expression conveyed how feminine she felt. Gone was the practical ponytail. Her dark hair shone, styled with bangs clinging to her face. The bulk waved beautifully to her neck before falling in ringlets. She looked small, delicate, delightfully southern and incredibly happy. She glowed with pregnancy.

Billie's was still wearing the jeans and tee shirt she started the day in though she was surrounded by shopping bags, they all were. Her hair had been straightened with the ends trimmed and groomed into smooth obedience. Kelly hadn't realised how long, fine and fair Billie's hair was. With her height and the way she carried herself she looked quite stunning, in a not trying to be noticed way. Having sizable breast for someone so slim and tall attracted attention. Kelly had already observed how men noticed Billie. They would look into her chest slide their eyes all the way to the top and drop to her feet anticipating ridiculously high stilettos. Then inspect their way back to her breasts where their mind would seem to go blank.

The happy shoppers must have spent ages and big bucks at the hairdressers. Well spent. While Kelly was staring Billie clasped Femhe's hand to show off their nails and crinkled her nose as if to say, _there_. A subtly pointing finger told Kelly the hidden toenails would impress. Billie was clearly happy. Though knowing Billie she was probably happiest for Femhe. Her free hand rested on Femhe's inner thigh where fingers tracing endless patterns. Femhe didn't seem to notice. Neither of them did. Only the couple at the next table were conscious of the hand's location. They seemed intrigued by the display of something more than affection by two girls.

Kelly studied her mother's expression as she handed over the car keys and explained where to find the vehicle. Mother didn't look the same. There was a sparkle to her, a missing link. Then it hit. Billie and Femhe were giving mother what she herself always failed to deliver. Allow mother to fuss, what Kelly labelled interfere. Treat them as girls the way mother would have loved to have been treated when young if she'd had the security. Kelly was glad Billie and Femhe were here. Glad for Mother too. And glad she could escape mother's attention for the moment.

Kelly's stare with head to one side prompting her mother, "What is it dear?"

Kelly shook her mind free, blinked and replied, "Nothing. You look different. I like it." Kelly nodded, leaned forward and kissed her mother on the cheek. Something she rarely did. Something she'd learnt from Billie and Elizabeth.

Mother touched her cheek with the back of her hand and smiled warmly, "I'd offer you pair a seat but I'm guessing you need to go round up horses." She looked straight at Kelly but didn't appear nearly harsh enough today. She grinned, "You could end up smelling like the stable. Then where will you be?" She touched Kelly's hand and squeezed it lightly a stealth thank you in the gesture. When she spoke her voice was soft and loving. "Go on. Off the pair of you go. Make some money. Be practical. Leave us girls to preen."

Kelly and her father waited ten minutes for the plane to arrive. They passed the time talking through detail of her coming flights. She confessed they would be over Southern Somalia. Her father listened and contributed. Deep down he was still a pilot at heart. He understood the rules and risks. Could divorce his feeling to some extent from the reality of the pilot for this mission being his daughter. It was something Kelly admired about him. He knew she was an adult and could respect her to be treated so. To mother she was a little girl and always would be. There was no room to grow with mother.

Kelly watched the C17 make a long steady approach toward Bluegrass airport with the wings shinning in the reflection of afternoon light. When touchdown finally occurred it was smooth. The crew let the large plane roll to a stop without reverse thrust and taxied right up to their truck. As the rear door opened Kelly was there looking inside. She saw Taffy just after Taffy saw her. The horse whinnied and raked a front leg impatiently wanting the handler to release her tether.

Kelly froze overwhelmed her lips came apart and so did her resolve. Tears gushed from unprepared eyes and threaten to never stop. She ascended the ramp sobbing uncontrollably and threw her arms around Taffy's neck tightly greeting the horse. Taffy was saddled and bridled ready to ride. The horse rested her head on Kelly's back as if encouraging her to stop crying.

By the time Kelly composed herself enough to take note of the surrounds her father was in discussions with the handlers. They were exchanging cards and writing down phone numbers, conducting a deal of some kind.

Kelly untethered Taffy and took her in hand to join the conversation.

Her father gave her a telling glanced grin. "You and that horse seem to know each other already."

Kelly punched him on the arm with no force. "Why didn't you tell me? These people must think me neurotic?" Kelly surveyed the handlers and said to the lady with a waving point of her finger. "You look familiar. We've shared real estate somewhere. Haven't we?"

Prudence's eyes were almost laughing, "You're no tougher than the rest of us. We've seen each other a few times. The last time you had that horse tethering just like now." She smiled and put her hand forward, "You're Cowboy. I'm marine private Matterson; delta company. We've crossed paths a few times at Bagram. Last time I was third drop on the chopper that collected the US born slimeball you and Clancy interacted with."

Kelly took the hand and held it warmly, "I'm Kelly... Kelly Cassidy. This is my dad, John Page. Do you have a first name? I'm not calling you private Matterson here."

Prudence thanked Kelly with a smile, "Prudence Matterson. This is my hubby, Michael." Prudence pointed, "And our two girls."

Kelly nodded a greeting to each. "How did you arrange to bring Taffy here?"

"I didn't. We're the hired help. Clancy arranged everything including me. He's quite an operator. But you know that. I saw you with him. I've just spent three days at the quarantine station. Somehow he arranged for my family to come stay with me and now we're going home for three more glorious days." She screwed her face. "Before I go back. Best assignment I've ever pulled." She put her arm around her closest girl and squeezed. "And these guys get a pony to keep with a complete set of tack for each horse. I feel like pinching myself."

Kelly smiled at the happy girl. "Which horse is yours?"

The daughter shyly leant on her mother pointing at a chestnut gelding and continued pointing, whispering which horse belonged her Sister, Daddy and Mummy.

Kelly's father added, "And a spare for visitors." John turned to Kelly. "I've given them another horse." Pointing at a bay mare second from the rear of the plane. "I was told to mind your horse and one other until they work out what to do with them. These guys thought three would go to us. I've given them all the mares except yours. They have the room at home and mares might prove handy. We've swapped addresses if the plans change. And we could well be doing some mutual trading. They live in Wyoming at a great location to overnight rest livestock being transported to and from Cut Bank." John shook the man's hand and nodded saying to Kelly, "We'd better shake a leg and let these guys make tracks. They've a ways to go and the clock is ticking."

Prudence and her husband nodded. Then Prudence added quickly, "Kelly, I'll save you some time. Clancy left an envelope in the left saddle bag for you to find."

Kelly mouthed a thank you and led the two horses down the ramp. She waved at the girls and said, "You look after Mummy while you've got her at home."

The girls smiled, waved and promised they would.

Kelly walked Taffy and her friend up and down the access lane several times to stretch their legs. After several walks along the drive she jogged to make them stretch out a little on the way to the gate while checking if either horse was sore. The horses were fine. She could see from Taffy's expression the horse wanted to be ridden so she mounted and led the gelding. Kelly couldn't resist encouraging Taffy to tölt toward the stable complex, gave her a pat on the neck and turned back toward the gate. This time pacing out in a skëio walk. They walked back, stopping once on the side of the lane to sample the bluegrass, which both horses seemed to enjoy. She rode the other horse for several trips leading Taffy before leading them both to their stable, asking the horses what they thought of Kentucky compared to Afghanistan. She asked Taffy when she last saw Clancy. Taffy didn't answer but she listened well so Kelly told her the answer to both question as they applied to her.

In the stables she showed Taffy and her friend their individual stall and removed the saddle and bridle from each. Both horses received a quick currycomb followed by a wash down and roll in the sand before brushing and combing the gelding meticulously with Taffy looking on. Eventually she took Taffy to her stall and gave her the same treatment, with a good long talk. Only when finished did she find Clancy's letter and curl in the hay beside Taffy to quickly fall asleep.

Billie worked alone in Marjorie's kitchen making several lemon meringue pies and a few other treats. Everything she needed was in the kitchen or on the fruit trees outside. It was Billie's practical way of saying thank you to Marjorie, plus she privately figured it was time to make sure her pie skills appealed to the American palate before her test with Wendy. Marjorie had stayed with Billie chatting for a short while. Initially she was protecting her kitchen from disarray. Billie passed the test and was left on her own after some small talk. Marjorie moved to the lounge room to join Femhe who was organising her purchases while showing everything to Elizabeth. Elizabeth encouraged Femhe to try everything on and mix and match into outfits with discussion about when to wear each piece. Femhe stopped regularly to thank Marjorie, offered many times to repay the cost and unsuccessfully tried not to cry once.

Marjorie sat in almost complete silence impressed with how charmingly happy Femhe had become in the space of a few hours, which was prompted by Elizabeth's elegance for tasteful judgement.

When the new wardrobe became a series of neat stacks ready for shelves, draws or hangers Marjorie steered the conversation toward Elizabeth and Femhe to reveal details about their background, upbringing and ambitions. She was genuinely interested in Elizabeth who she knew was younger than the others and seemed so charmingly comfortable with her situation. She already knew snippets of Femhe's misfortune both in recent circumstance and family upbringing.

However to Marjorie's surprise she didn't know Femhe had supported herself for sixteen years in Las Vegas after running away from home at fourteen. Originally washing dishes Femhe had worked her way up. She worked nights to attend college by day and better her situation. For the last seven years she had run her own boutique business and was financially comfortable until her current nightmare began.

Billie, stood in the doorway listening and suddenly realised she'd never been kind enough to ask Femhe what her business involved. She walked up behind Femhe who was sitting cross-legged on the carpet beside Elizabeth. Billie kneeled behind her and hugged Femhe around the chest, speaking softly in her ear. "I'm sorry Femhe. I've just realised I've always been too caught up in myself to ask what you did or sold, or...?" Billie lightly kissed her on the ear.

Femhe looked up into Billie's eyes. "My business is... was called _Panache Pampered Body Cures_. Health therapy mostly we did speciality massages for tourists staying in the hotels. Though we were developing a growing list of local regulars usually wanting kinesiology and/or hypnosis treatments and occasionally we got celebrity work. We had enough turnover to employ three girls full time, with four part time and we were looking to expand further." Femhe observed Billie's face and symbolically hit her on the hand. "Don't look at me like that Billie Bunt." Femhe began to pump the words out. "Massage. Only massage, for women mostly. We weren't hookers. We specialised, reflexology mostly, feet, hands, head and ears." Femhe paused a moment reading Billie's face. "If you keep twinkling doubt with those pretty brown eyes I'll wash your mouth out with soap."

Femhe pulled on Billie's arm and struggled to turn ninety degrees so she had room in front of her. She straightened her legs in front, spread them apart then dragged Billie's hand out in front of her forcing Billie's body to follow. And ordered. "Lay on the floor in front me on your back. I want your head between my knees. And if you think I'm about to do something rude I'll punch you on the nose very hard."

The moment Billie's confused body was in position Femhe placed both hands with spread fingers on the back and top of her head, a classic relaxer to commence head reflexology. She heard Billie take a breath and felt her confused resistance crumble toward relaxation under her touch. By the time she moved to the forehead and temples Billie began to melt. Femhe continued her routine moving to the eyelids.

After fifteen minutes Femhe leaned forward trying to kiss Billie's forehead but tummy got in the way so she lifted her fingers away from Billie's face until her eyes opened. Femhe quietly said, "Do you need to check your pies?"

"Oh. Hell!" Billie jumped up and spoke over her shoulder, "That was so nice. Can I please have some more? When I come back."

While Billie was out of the room Femhe with certainty written on her face asked. "Elizabeth does Billie know she has quite a number of internal problems around her tummy region?"

"She has quite a lot of old injury damage. You must have seen the scars around her midriff. She hasn't complained of anything new and I know she hasn't been examined at the doctors recently. I tried to take her a month ago. Needed someone to hold my hand. She wouldn't go inside the Doctor's surgery. Phillip, my brother took me in to see the Doctor." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "You can imagine how everyone looked at me. Taking my brother to sit beside me while I had my pants around my ankles. Billie waited outside in the car park."

Marjorie entered the conversation. "Well she's in for a surprise tomorrow morning because she's going in to see the doctor with Femhe." Marjorie focused specifically on Femhe. "I'll insist. She got you pregnant. The least she can do is sit with you while you suffer the uniquely feminine indignity of being pocked and prodded all over."

Femhe looked into Marjorie's eyes. She saw a loving expression, which caused tears to build in her own eyes. "Thank you Mrs Page. I've dreamed and dreamed, wishing Billie really had shared in the conception of our baby." She looked at the carpet a moment then back at Marjorie. "I was so lonely and desperate, was hoping to die giving birth. I wanted someone kind to find a healthy baby beside me, someone to love and protect her, afford her a chance at being happy. Then Billie walked up and I've been dreaming about our future together ever since. Billie doesn't seem to care but I do. I want to write Billie's name on the paper saying she's the father, out-door mother, other parent, anything. I don't want my family or anyone they know to ever have any claim over our baby. We need to make sure they never know she exists."

"You keep saying she. Did they tell you the sex when you had an ultrasound?"

Femhe shook her head with a distant glaze on her face. "I haven't been to a doctor. It wasn't hard to workout I was pregnant. I just know I'll have a girl and I hope so much she grows up tall, slim and pretty like Billie."

"Well I should say something to you and sound very cross. But we'll wait until tomorrow. You, young lady are in for one heck of a going over. I can hear Jennifer lecturing you already." Marjorie tilted her head. "And make sure you remember to ask the sex so we know for sure which colour paint to purchase."

Marjorie rotated her head to find Elizabeth and said, "Aside from military cover. Do you and Billie have any health insurance?"

"No. Do we need extra insurance?"

"No the military covers your basic needs but Kelly's clinic has an insurance scheme to cover elective surgery, etc and includes a bi-annual check up. The idea being any problems are found before they become serious, thus the cost of treatment is reduced and the client remains much healthier." Marjorie's eyes fixed an assertive gaze on Elizabeth. As of now you, Femhe and Billie all have that insurance cover. Femhe's going in for a thorough maternity check up tomorrow and while we're there you and Billie can both have your initial check-up."

Elizabeth laughed looking mousy. "I'll need someone strong to hold my hand? Usually I'd get granny to take me but she's not here. So you'll have to come." She looked at the kitchen door. "You'll have to be there anyway. Billie will need dragging in by the ear. Might make sense not to tell her until she's in-front of the doctor."

Elizabeth glanced at Femhe and back to Marjorie. "What you're doing is very kind but you mustn't spend all your money on us. It's not fair. It's not fair on your family and it's not fair on yourself either. You've worked hard to become comfortable. You should reward yourself first, second and third."

"Of course it's fair. Gives me pleasure mothering you girls. And I feel comfortable because I know none of you expect it. You're not greedy."

"Why don't you go on a trip, lots of trips? Put in a pool. Purchase an aeroplane." Elizabeth smiled, "Then take us somewhere for a day and treat us to an ice cream."

"Oh I assure you after today's experience we are getting an aeroplane. I'm going to have a long, long talk with John tonight about a couple of things. He'll say yes before I let him go to sleep." Marjorie shrugged, "I need to take you on a full tour of the house. We have a pool." She pointed through the walls. "Trips would be fun. Are you going to help me drug my husband and carry him away from his horses so we can go together?" Marjorie arched her eyebrows. "See. I have to keep pampering you girls. I might adopt you all. You're helping me stay young."

Elizabeth fluttered her eyes. "Take someone with you. Leave Mr Page at home. He'll obviously be here when you get back. If you go past Brisbane call in and stay with my family. We'll treat you."

Femhe, looked sheepishly at Marjorie. "If you go past Hildale keep going. Don't stay with my family." She pulled a frown. "I like you too much to allow anyone to treat you unkindly." She moved closer sliding along the floor in her new maternity shorts and placed a footstool in front of Marjorie. "Would you let me massage your feet? It's my way to thank you for being so generous." Femhe picked up Marjorie's feet, removed her slippers and commenced with an angle boogie relaxer on her left foot. She looked at Marjorie who had commenced to respond to Femhe's touch with a soft relaxation in her eyes. "You can't give kindness away. It will always be returned." She arched her eyebrows. "Except in Hildale. They banned pleasantness."

Marjorie rested her head back onto the lounge closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.

Marjorie praised Billie's pie and asked for the recipe. They had each eaten a piece and decided it was all they wanted for supper after such a delightful lunch. Elizabeth had two pieces to compensate for missing lunch. They were still chatting about all manner of unimportant things when John came in after cleaning up in the mudroom. He was given a large slice of pie and told if he wanted anything else to get it himself.

As an afterthought Marjorie added, "What did you do with Kelly?"

"I haven't seen Kelly for a few hours. I thought she came in here." John added as an afterthought, "She might have gone to bed. She looks rather tired. Have you noticed she has the rings back around her eyes?"

Marjorie nodded without speaking.

Elizabeth put a piece of pie on a plate and said. "I'll take this up to her. I'll sit on the end of the bed. If she doesn't wake up and talk to me I'll eat it for her."

Elizabeth left the room but came back within a few minutes looking worried. "She's not in her bedroom."

John stood up still eating his pie. "I'd better go and look in the stable. I'm sure she'll be okay. She has quite an attachment to that horse." He glanced at Marjorie and added, "And the owner. He took the trouble to write her a letter and put it in the saddlebag."

Marjorie gave John a smug smile, "Oh. So he sends her a horse and a letter. I suppose some might think that romantic. Personally I'd prefer he used the post." Marjorie looked at Elizabeth. "She said you've met her mystery man. Do you think he'd make a good catch?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and nodded several times without speaking.

Billie stood up and spoke. "I'll go and look for her?" She too rolled her eyes and tilted her head. "You'd better point at where I need to go." She took the plate from Elizabeth and headed toward the door.

John followed, "The stables will be locked. We need to have the night watchman let us in."

As they walked across toward the stable John said, "I'm glad you came out here. I wanted to thank you again for your help with our colt. The vet agrees with you. He's going to operate on the horse next week. I feel embarrassed not noticing what you saw. Anyway at the very least you saved us a lot of money. I want you to know I appreciate it."

Billie silently nodded. Then after a delay said, "I hope you're not offended by this but I'm worried about how much money Mrs Page spent on us today. I've offered to repay her but she won't hear of it. It's not fair. I think she's wonderful but it's a little more than being generous. You guys have worked hard for what you have and we shouldn't be taking advantage of your generosity. Will I start a war if I give you the money to put back without her knowing? Please don't take this the wrong way. I'm tickled pink she helped Femhe purchase a new wardrobe and she did the job far better than I could. And our hair and... it's magic. But we should pay for it. I've got a good job. We have the money to pay our way." Billie looked around before saying with a smile. "Used to think I was rich before I saw this place."

John touched Billie on the shoulder, stopped walking and turned to look directly at her. "You're okay Billie. Marjorie is having the time of her life with you guys and we can afford the money. Repay her by being kind and thoughtful like Femhe was when I came in. If you must find her a gift come up with something to remind her of you. Be creative, the less money you spend the more she'll like it." John paused a moment. "You must have realised she'd like you and Femhe to stay in touch and treat her as family. From what I've heard the both of you could benefit from that situation. She'll be a sensible grandmother. Spoil your kids rotten but they won't turn mean on it." John tilted his head and looked thoughtful. "Marjorie won't keep throwing money at you. Though I should warn you she's working on making Femhe's family situation more stable. I've no idea what she is up to though we'll find out soon enough. Don't be fooled by Marjorie. She has a good head on her shoulders. She makes a very good business partner.

Billie nodded. They commenced walking again.

Kelly was fast asleep when they found her. Taffy was sitting close beside her to keep her warm. The envelope was in her hand being held tightly against her cheek.

Billie said, "She looks beautiful. I don't like to wake her. She never complains but she's been really tired. She's got a touch of flue or something. Even has trouble keeping her food down."

"I agree. Let sleeping daughter's lie. The problem is if we leave her here we get into serious trouble from Marjorie. She analyses things on a higher plain than we common folk." John smiled in amusement.

"You go back. I'll sit here. She'll wake up eventually. Tell Mrs Page we're talking girl stuff about her boyfriend or something. Say I'll spill all the glossy detail when we're alone together. That should save your neck."

John put his arm on Billie's shoulder and squeezed. "You're okay Billie. You look after my girl. We'll talk later."

John walked off and Billie sat cross-legged in the hay rubbing Taffy's nose.

Billie didn't notice Kelly open her eyes she was busy massaging Taffy while trying to calculate in her head the twisting moment required to turn the prop at start up for a Le Rhône 9J rotary engine.

Kelly stretched and spoke lazily. "Have you been here long?"

Billie jumped in fright before looking down at Kelly. "Not long. Your mother sent me to fetch you. I couldn't wake you up. You looked comfy." Billie held up the empty plate. "I had a piece of pie for you but the horse ate it. I like your horse she seems smart."

"She is smart and she has a sweet tooth. Her names Taffy."

Billie rubbed Taffy's nose a little higher. "Hello Taffy. I'm Billie. We might all go riding together in the morning if you don't mind getting up early. Can I take your girl friend inside to face her mother? I'll bring you another slice of pie in the morning." Billie turned to Kelly. "Do you want to read your letter before we go in? Your mother will have questions. She's been asking Elizabeth what kind a catch Clancy is?" Billie smiled with amusement. "I think she's worried on account of the last guy you brought home being such a dud."

Kelly nodded and said, "Putting it that way she should be." And opened the envelope. It was a short note written by hand. His writing was stylish, old fashion, almost copperplate.

Dearest Kelly,

I hope you don't mind my sending Taffy and her friend to stay with you. I needed to make a hasty decision and you were the obvious choice. Taffy likes you. She, like myself, knows you will welcome her with open arms and treat her kindly.

Please don't think me too forward or bold. I've missed you. I see your kind, beautiful face every moment my eyes are closed. I've convinced myself you feel the same. I have no right to think this way, have little to offer by way of future security but I can promise to devote every ounce of my being earning the worthiness of your trust and affection.

I never thought it possible to feel for someone the way my parents felt about each other. I would see the glow on each of their faces. Yet I know I feel the same. Kelly I'm sure this overwhelming sense of need can only happen once per lifetime.

Would you be my girl? Would you let me court you and allow the world to see how madly in love I am?

There I've said it.

If I've read the situation wrong could you consent to think me a friend? I'll endeavour to make you as happy as the thought of you being near makes me. I'll never frighten or pester you with unwelcome advances. Nor shall I mention these things again. But please write to me; tell me about your stamp collection, the weather, anything. To be your friend is preferable to not knowing where or how you are.

I've enclosed the photos you wanted to show your mother and added a few of my own, which I thought might be of interest. Please be discrete with them for the reasons we've already discussed. There are a couple, which you will recognise that probably should be deleted though you took them so I thought it only proper you see the images unedited.

I had a heck of a job sneaking your chip past a number of eyes not the least of which your friend who I'm growing to admire very much. I didn't think I'd take to this flying round in circles observing at arms length. But I've grown to realise it really can make a difference. Plus I get to hear your voice regularly and know where you are. I like that. I like that a lot.

I tried to come and see you this break but the lean controller had other ideas. Perhaps next time she might release me to travel in your direction if you don't mind.

Wishing you all the love in the world.

Your friend,

Clancy

PS: Say hi to Taffy regularly for me. She prefers her strawberry jam for breakfast on toast when not in the field.

Kelly wiped her eyes and glanced at Billie.

Billie looked sad though kindly. "Did he give you the dear John? Men are pigs. You'd be better off jumping the fence." She grinned.

Kelly brightened her eyes. "Stop it Billie. He said he loves me. He dreams about me and wants to know if I'd allow him be my friend." Kelly held up the page with the chip taped to it. "And he sent me some photos."

Kelly patted Taffy on the nose and jumped to her feet. "Night Taffy. I'll bring you strawberry jam on toast in the morning." Kelly jerked her head to gesture Billie toward the house. "Come on. We'll show mother my photos."

It was with some reluctance Marjorie opened her eyes distracting her mind from the delights of Femhe's foot pampering to view the images Kelly presented on her tablet PC. The first few were silently viewed with passing curiosity as Kelly explained the worn narrow track leading through the steep sided valley was the silk-road. The same route used by Marco Polo eight hundred years before.

John who was watching from behind the lounge with Elizabeth and Billie was first to comment that the horse in the photo being ridden by a tall slim man who's face wasn't visible was the chestnut gelding in the stable. He received a nod from Kelly for his observation and a further look when Kelly changed images revealing Taffy standing with the gelding and another horse in front of the tower building. More images of the same man while he talked with another man dressed the same. Marjorie's interest was primed when Kelly identified the man as the soldier David Page.

Kelly displayed images of the two figures climbing the makeshift ladders and ropes up the old Janda pass. Showed the horses being driven up the steep narrow track by the boys and the seven hundred year old elephant skull at the bottom of the sheer cliff. The boys sliding down the ladders, the symbols scratched into the sandstone stairwell, where she pointed out, Alexander the Macedon, Rabban Bar Sauma the Mongol and Marco Polo's mark. She explained of the family, their link to living history before proudly identifying the KSMCC and EL207 mark. She showed the rock in the stream, the explosion, the rock no longer present and the Afghan family watching in silent fascination as the jet swept past them.

Then came the images that moved Kelly to tears reliving the fear displayed on the face of the boy in the suicide vest. Clancy confronting him and his master the terrorist Usuff Akmar. The hatred confusion, then terror in Akmar's eyes from Clancy's dealings and control of the situation with timely assistance from Muscat and Chiko, the helicopter with four soldiers abseiling down ropes. She identified Matterson from her figure, third drop as she'd told them earlier at the airport. She told her father and watched the admiration enter his face as he conveyed the story to Marjorie.

Next came the images she wasn't expecting obviously taken from the helicopter, a good clear frame of Clancy from the front and another of herself holding Taffy, the Gelding and two other horses with the Afghan family also in the frame.

The photos were memorable keepers for Kelly. Her Mother didn't recognise her. Billie did, she gave the silent smiling stare Kelly was growing to understand. Eventually Kelly told the others who the Afghan boy was and got mixed reaction. Elizabeth and Femhe laughed, her father stared while mother silently lost a few tears.

Landscape images of their camp near the olive grove and the ruins. Photos of the Shah family and a few of Clancy, Muscat and Chiko she shouldn't have taken; The barrett rifles on the ground ready for use drew a few comments.

To finish up her slide show with something different Kelly went to the Internet to locate a screen full of images of Billie and Sister Veronica on the motorcycle at the gay Mardi Gras. While everyone laughed her mother kissed Kelly on the cheek and whispered, "Quite an adventure. I already like your young man. Bring him home sometime. I'd like to thank him." Kelly felt her mother kiss her cheek again.

Kelly ate a slice of Billie's pie then went off to clean up and prepare for bed. She left her tablet PC with Billie who wanted to surf the Internet to discover what remained of Femhe's finances, business and personal security.

Kelly woke with Elizabeth sitting cross-legged on the end of her bed. She was wearing a long tee shirt nightie and had Mr Peep seated in her lap. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and said, "Finally. Will your mother be offended if we take her breakfast in bed and join her?" She shrugged and rolled her head to one side. "We heard your father go to the stables. Femhe wants to make your mother breakfast. It was Billie's idea to join her in bed."

Kelly shook her head in amusement. "Let's do it. She'll get a shock but will love the attention. Stay in your sleepwear especially Billie."

Femhe prepared eggs benedict, presented with professional style, fruit juice, a napkin, rose from the garden, all on a silver tray. They turned the coffee machine on and set another tray with coffee mugs and Billie's Tim Tam chocolate nibbles, Elizabeth had delivered in Billie's clothes.

They knocked and entered Marjorie's room, without a reply. Femhe held the tray while a surprised Marjorie sat up and with help from Billie positioned pillows. Marjorie shook her head and smiled not sure whether she should be looking at Billie wearing her lacy French knickers and nothing else. Eventually she said, "Billie hop under the covers before you catch cold."

Elizabeth sat on the end of the bed and positioned Mr Peep like always saying, "Billie doesn't get cold or embarrassed. Femhe you should hop in the middle and let Billie in beside you so you stay extra warm." She patted the bed beside her for Kelly to sit. They chatted while Marjorie ate.

Marjorie finished her meal and thanked them all. Billie bounced down to the kitchen and returned with the coffee tray.

Marjorie took her coffee and said, "Why don't you three go for a ride or a run. I know you all do something ridiculous to stay so fit. I want to have a nice private chat with Femhe before today gets under way. We'll talk to you three later."

After Taffy had her toast the exiled three saddled the Walers, Billie rode the Gelding, Kelly, Taffy and Elizabeth wanted to walk and run. She'd never been on a horse and was nervous about trying. Mr Peep rode with Billie.

They went out the back gate onto the network of narrow lanes that avoided all but local farm traffic, allowing them to meander between the properties around Kelly's home and have a good look at the countryside. Eventually they coached Elizabeth onto a horse's back and took turns walking beside her.

The passing of two hours found the girls back at the house, clean, fed and dresses for the clinic. Kelly would put in a days work. Marjorie would supervise the others who would all see the doctor. Billie thought her roll was to support Femhe though splinters of doubt were beginning to occupy her mind.

"Billie go and put on a bra." Femhe spoke with considerable resolve. "You can wear the tee skirt and short skirt. They look stylish. But not like that." Femhe pointed toward Billie's chest then shook her head. "In fact. Lift your skirt. While you're here I need to check your panties."

"Pardon..."

"Don't pardon me Billie Bunt." Femhe used a hand and fingers to indicate the direction for Billie's hem to follow.

Billie reluctantly complied revealing a gorgeous pair of silk blue-grey French knickers with tasteful light coloured lace panelling below the bias cut that suited her trim stomach. Billie rotated to display the elastic gathered rear waist and equally chic behind view.

"Pretty; very sensible. You look delightfully acceptable. Wear the matching bra and I'll let you come with me. I'm not having Amá Page's neighbours and friends thinking she has hussies staying here. And I'd better find a ring that looks like a wedding ring to wear for the same reason."

Kelly must have been thinking ahead. She handed Billie the wedding ring from the chain she always wore around her neck saying, "Find a bra first then do the knee thing." Kelly rolled her eyes, "Be quick and make the speech short or I'll be late for work."

Billie returned holding a dress in her hand. She'd removed the skirt and tee shirt and changed her shoes. She was wearing the panties with a matching camisole and quickly covered both by slipping into the tasteful short sleeve fine cotton print dress that complemented the maternity wear Femhe was wearing. The moment Elizabeth zipped her up Billie went down on one knee took Femhe's hand and said. "Will you do me the honour of being my confidant now and for even more." She kissed Femhe's ring finger and slipped the ring into place. "And wear this ring until the law allows us to propose and marry properly."

Femhe put her free hand over her mouth and closed her eyes a moment holding back tears then released her hand lowering the side of Billie's head to her stomach. She kissed Billie on the temple and nodded trying to speak. "Yes. I will."

Kelly interrupted the scene, "Well I'm glad that's settled. Keep the ring Femhe. I've no idea why I've worn it like the albatross for so long." Kelly turned her eyes toward her surprised mother. "I suspect it was to remind me what an absolute disaster everything about my marriage was. You guys are sure to make a better go of it than I did." She looked at the clock. "I have to go to work or I'll be late.

Marjorie quickly asked Elizabeth if she and Mr Peep would like to go with Kelly in her ridiculous sardine-can, a BMW roadster. She added, to see the doctor first. Obviously the real motive was to have Billie and Femhe travel with her together and alone in her sensible automobile. Travelling the back way via the narrow lanes Kelly chose would suit Mr Peep. Elizabeth said so.

Eleven thirty saw Marjorie, Femhe, Billie and Elizabeth seated in a charming little café taking the air with morning tea, which turned into an early lunch as the trauma of Billie and Elizabeth's experience was recounted in graphic detail. Neither Marjorie nor Femhe were taking any notice. They talked quietly making plans. Femhe relieved beyond words her pregnancy was progressing with uncomplicated predictability and Marjorie dotingly overwhelmed with the knowledge that Femhe was expecting healthy twins, a boy and a girl, every Grandmother's dream.

At twelve thirty they were back in Paris at the Bourbon County Courthouse meeting with Judge Shouster who greeted Marjorie as friends do. The judge had already acquired a copy of Billie and Femhe's birth certificates and was familiar with their situation. She studied the medical report Marjorie handed over and pulled faces as if weighting the merit of the document. She then took down the detail of Femme and Billie's desired name change before calling the clerk who would prepare documents and present them for registration.

While the name change was put into effect the Judge commenced work on Femhe's adoption papers. In a little over half an hour Femhe Dibe Heinemann born Hildale Utah had become Femme Fatale Page. By official adoption Femme was the daughter of John and Marjorie Page of Paris Kentucky.

Because of the untenable situation with Femme's previous family and the resulting personal danger, a new birth certificate was issued showing Femme's birthplace as Paris Kentucky on the same date of her birth. The parents listed on her new birth certificate were John and Marjorie Page. A social security number, passport and Kentucky driver's licence were issued on her new identity. Femme's new identity was unlinked from her previous existence by the court. The previous documents were sealed and expunged from providing an audit trail between the two.

Billie protested about the need to have her birth name on any new document sighting embarrassment. She lost but was permitted to keep the content private from the others. Angel Chastity Obedience Poverty Hope would now be legally known as Billy Bunt. Billie sat silent displaying confused fascination while the judge jokingly talked to her clerk about some hopelessly confusing and unreadable date stamp. When the judge received the clerk's nod she asked him to have the document registered and sealed. Then she issued a new birth certificate with the details as before save for the name. Billy Bunt, birth place unknown, abandoned on the doorstep of St Joseph's Native School and Orphanage, New Norcia, Western Australia. Mother and Father unknown. The date the child was discovered remained as before. This document she coupled to a change of name from Billy Bunt to Billie Bunt Page and the medical examination report. The clerk registered the documents and had them filed in the archives of publicly accessible county records.

The judge took pains to explain the adoption, name change and reissue of birth details were legally permissible because both Billie and Femme's primary residence was currently within Bourbon country Kentucky at the Paris, Page residence. She answered Billie's question about Billy Bunt by shrugging and looking at Marjorie who gave Billie a neutral glance while casually asking. "Your original birth certificate doesn't actually state your gender. Do you want to be named as the paternal parent on my grand children's birth certificate or not? You have all the scars to prove you've been tampered with. What we've done here is all perfectly legal and seems sensible to me."

Billie closed her eyes a moment to breathe. When she opened them she squeezed Femme's hand before blowing Marjorie an air kiss.

The judge looked at her watch and cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention. Her advise, have the children at the local hospital as the documents registered here particularly relating to Billie's birth wouldn't necessarily pass thorough legal scrutiny with the registrar in Western Australia.

The Judge advised Femme her adoption status now meant her new father John Page was her only legal next of Kin. Because of her United States citizenship her documents were legally binding worldwide. Her previous father no longer had any legal status in relation to her affairs. However Femme was advised to use her old information and not disclose the new details while in contact with anyone from her previous life. To do so would be perfectly legal and prudent for reasons of personal security.

Femme's relief caused tears. She held Marjorie in a long embrace and offered several thank you kisses to her neck and cheek while trying to stem the flowing expression of new found security.

On the way to the car Billie took Femme to a bank where they both used their new details to open accounts and apply for a debit card each, so they could move some money and start anew.

Billie then took Femme into an artist's studio behind a shop front display they'd passed earlier. She arranged, with Femme's agreement, to have a cast commissioned of Femme's swollen torso. She knew the result would complement Marjorie's decor and offer a living sentimentality for them all to appreciate in later life. The enthusiastic sculptor who was also a good friend of Marjorie's dropped everything and within minutes had poor Femme suitably gelled down, positioned to maximum effect and covered in a setting layer of dental alginate. Colour matches of Femme's complexion were skilfully obtained and documented. They all happily left the studio with a promise to have the finished sculpture in place in the upstairs hallway within three weeks.

Pituri Downs.

The children wanted to fly to Perth. Anke and Sister Veronica encouraged their enthusiasm. They intended to persuade Marge to travel with them. Another airborne adventure would be good for her. The C-17 transport was to collect the Voss family and their possessions and return to Pituri Downs. Thus the Voss and Maiden group could travel to Europe together the following day.

Sister Veronica spent her time chipping away at Wendy's conscience to invite Debbie and her children from next door for the outing, which started Peta. She wanted two friends and classmates from school to come. They could pick them up on the way. One lived at Bedourie the other Birdsville.

Witnessing disappointment on the girl's face after receiving a rebuke from Marge had Wendy searching her computer for runway details and location. She quickly checked to make sure Marge was agreeable before offering her okay to take Peta's friends along if their parents agreed.

Phone calls were made, the crew briefed, Marge consulted about catering. All was in place. The only problem remaining now aside from persuading Sister Veronica to travel on the AWACS with Clancy, Kaiser and herself was directly linked to her children's happiness. How to quickly locate someone to build a chook house as soon as Trent got home or earlier?

No time like the present. Wendy looked at Sister Veronica, "Do I have to address you as Sister? It makes me feel inferior. You don't look like a nun. Couldn't I call you Veronica?"

Sister Veronica glanced at Wendy. "You can. But some, Marge included, will cringe if you do so in front of the children." She arched her eyebrows in a gesture of amusement, "You could compromise. Billie calls me Sissy or Sissy Vee. I like being called Sissy."

"Okay. Sissy. Would you like to accompany me on a tour of the garden? I'm told the stars are impressive this time of year?"

The Sister grinned. "Sure."

Wendy stood and took hold of her walking stick and Jason's hand, saying. "Let me bring my stability partner. So I can walk straight in the dark."

Outside Wendy spoke without delay. "Will you come with me to Europe" I want to show you some things that might interest you? It would only be for a few days. You could do some sightseeing if you wish before you're flown back"

"Sure." The Sister made stern eye contact. "But you'll have to take Marge and her two children for the school holidays. And that may lead to Najwa and Maliha wanting to go as well. They could all sightsee while you reveal your secret purpose to me."

"Nothing is ever simple with you Australians. Is it?"

"I'm way to old to be impressed with a plate of candy bars. I prefer wholesome gravy with mashed potato. Will we run into Billie during my travels? I know she's working for you." Sister Veronica gave Wendy's face a careful study. "While we're talking about working for you and Trent wanting to stay here with the chooks. You're probably too busy to realise Billie is very clever at building things with her hands. You could get her to design and build a chook house for Trent. She'll involve the boy and teach him how to care for chooks while they work on the construction."

"Billie? Billie big mouth can construct a hen establishment out of wood and whatever else." Wendy shook her head. "And it won't fall down two days after she finishes."

The nun looked over the glasses she wasn't wearing. "Do I detect a little competitive rivalry swirling below the surface? I believe you've seen her aeroplanes. She built them from scratch and upgraded the original antiquated cockpit with modern safe piloting aids for all weather flying. If her aircraft didn't impress you ask Debbie from next door about her children's bedroom furniture, the wheelchair ramps and her snazzy writing room off the veranda." The nun smugly smiled, "Billie designed everything and built all the components at Amberley. Had the pieces transported by road and when they arrived flew la belle femme," The sister raised her eyebrows at Wendy, "One of the two vintage planes she restored, out here at night non-stop. Did all the assembling in two days then flew home again at night. She landed at Charleville, for fuel, on the way home because she was carrying a passenger who needs comfort stops, me. But don't let me influence you. I'm sure you know lots of chook-house builders who'll do a quality job for the cost of a smile and a kind word."

Wendy pulled a face to match the intention of Sissy's last comment. "She said she'd make me a lemon meringue pie. Are her pies any good?"

"Yes. Billie's good at whatever she puts her mind to. You'll enjoy her pie. Though personally I'd ask her to make a caramel slice. Children enjoy them better."

"Okay. So if I invite Marge to Europe. You'll come look at the humanitarian side of the work we do in our aeroplane just to humour me."

The Nun smiled brightly. "Almost correct. If you convince Marge to go to Europe you'll have my complete cooperation."

"Well let's give it a try." Wendy looked at her silent husband who was holding her hand and pretending not to listen. "Shall we go back to the house and face the next new challenge?"

##  Chapter 19

Wendy spoke while still standing in the lounge room doorway. She wanted Peta and Jamie to hear. "Marge I've just realised we have a small problem. Would you be able to help me?"

Marge looked up from her needlework. "Sure. What do you need?"

"I need you to come to Europe on the plane with us." Wendy looked at Anke. "Anke has to go with Jason. She needs to organise some repair work and a building project before we arrive. Means we need your help on the plane." Wendy rolled her eyes. "With my leg as it is I can't move around while we're flying." Wendy looked at Peta who was already smiling widely. "I realise Peta and Jamie will need to come as well. We can't leave them here alone. I'll see you all returned before the holidays finish. Najwa and Maliha might like to come too."

"We can't. None of us have passports." Marge sounded relieved saying the words.

"And if you did have passports. Would you go?"

"I don't know. I..." Marge eyed her daughter's eager face and silently nodded a _yes_.

Wendy pulled out her phone. Looked at the Sister. "And you need a passport?"

"Actually I have a passport. It's being cared for in Perth."

"Is it current?"

"Oh yes. I could have it delivered to the airport while we're there. I assume we'll have time for a civilised cup of coffee on a seat with clean padding before we return."

Wendy nodded and dialled her phone. "May I speak with Jacqueline Scheller please? It's US air force Colonel Wendy Maiden."

"Jacqueline hope I haven't caught you at a super busy time? We need passports for three Australian citizens rather quickly. I know I'm making a habit of this." She looked about the room, "Marjorie Page and two of her children, Jamie and Peta. They're the mother, brother and sister of David Page aka Operator Clancy. They applied for passports on-line but are yet to receive anything in reply so they should be in the system. Things have moved a lot faster than their plans." Wendy waited a moment. "Yes all here with me now at Pituri Downs. With your help I'd like them to spend the school holidays at our place in Europe." Wendy looked at Marge then Peta. "They'll be at Perth airport tomorrow morning. Or if your contacts need more time we could put down in Darwin on the way to Europe the following morning." Another delay. "Okay. Darwin it is. I owe you yet again. I've come across an accomplished pastry cook from whom I've earned a few favours. We might sit down together over a freshly cooked lemon meringue pie some time soon." Wendy smiled and listened while forking fingers through her hair. "Okay. Sounds good. Ciao Jacqueline. And thank you."

Wendy hung up the phone and gave Marge a small nod. "Done. Save yourself and your children a lot of drama. Have Anke help you pack. It's not nearly as difficult as everyone thinks. Anke knows what you'll need. She's the best practical adviser about everything that is really necessary on this planet. Better do it tonight..." Wendy looked at Anke, "As I said Anke and Jason are making a quick dash towards home tomorrow morning."

Wendy looked at her watch did a mental calculation and again dialled her phone. "Mrs Page. How lovely to speak to you again so soon." Wendy appeared to stiffen in shock, "My parents are with you? It's early morning. Yes I'd love to speak to them. So would their grandchildren. But first could I speak with Billie Hope. Something has come up."

Wendy listened with her thumb over the phone speaker and said to her children. "Would you guys like to speak to Grandma?" Trent and Kelly both cried out and ran to their mother who presented a wait hand and said down the phone. "Who changed their name? Pardon. Billie Page? Why?" An uncontrolled finger pointed rather aggressively into the air in front of her. "Is she causing problems?" Wendy's face found a frown. "Well she's still Hope until I see some paperwork. May I speak with her now please?"

Wendy rolled her eyes then said, "Hope are you being a nuisance?" She looked at Sister Veronica, "Well you would say that wouldn't you? Have you upset my parents yet?" Wendy raised an eyebrow. "Oh don't worry. I'll ask; anyway enough about your favourite leisure activity. We have several urgent deliveries to be made. As soon as you hang up have a quick sleep. You'll be airborne in a few hours and flying all-night. When you reach the destination you'll be assigned a few days manual hard labour before your return flight can be arranged. The next few days should help you stay out of trouble and reflect. You'll receive the details in an email shortly. I'll also include a brief update to pass on to Kelly and Elizabeth. So they know what's-what. Sweet dreams Hope. Now put my Mother on the phone so I can to have an intelligent conversation."

Paris Kentucky

Billie handed the phone to Marlene Shultz with a confused frown on her face saying. "Is she really your daughter?"

Marlene nodded, "Hello Daughter. What an unexpected surprise. Where are you?" Marlene's face lit up. "Oh. You're there too on the ground with your family for a change. Anke emailed us several notes with photos of Trent with the chickens and the girls playing with the little animal. I can't remember what she called it. Riding camels, classes under a tree and swimming in the beautiful lake. They're having quite an adventure. How long are you intending to stay?"

While Marlene was talking Billie and Elizabeth served everyone after Breakfast coffee with home made treats.

When Billie sat down Femme asked, "What did Wendy want?"

Billie rolled her eyes, "She wants me to fly somewhere" Billie lifted her hands in defeat. "In a few hours. Sounds as though I'll be away awhile. She's sending an email..." Billie looked at Elizabeth. "With a royal summons for you and Kelly as well."

Femme frowned, "I'll miss you. But at least you'll know where to find me now. I'll be waiting at the airport when they let you come home."

Billie seemed to jolt upright. She looked at Femme. "Oh I've got a gadget for you. I'll be back." Billie almost ran from the room.

She returned shortly with a device not unlike a tiny tablet computer. "When we attach this to the phone." Billie held up a small rubber suction cap joined via a slim wire lead to the device. "While we're talking this device will automatically display where I am. Plus I can text you private messages as we talk. And no one else will know the content."

Femme looked confused. "Why."

"So you know where I am. And if I'm flying and we talk awhile you'll get an idea where I'm heading as the display updates." Billie turned smug. "Plus I can tell you things in messages I wouldn't be allowed to say and when you learn to use your display you can send me private messages as well."

Billie picked up the suction cap and attached it to the phone Marlene was using while saying. "You don't have to turn it on it's automatic and the batteries last ages. See; at the moment it's doing nothing but when I talk a similar gadget in my phone will transmit to this device." Billie glanced at Marjorie who was listening. "We can leave it attached to the phone if Mama Page doesn't mind."

Marjorie said, "Is this thing legal?"

Billie replied, "Yes, perfectly legal. We're doing the same as a computer link within a telephone line on a narrow frequency band and the transmission is digitally encrypted." Billie looked from under her eyebrows and almost whispered. "The air force may have a view about us discussing what is assumed to be their business but they won't know unless we tell them. I wouldn't think Wendy wants know we're using it."

"Well I think it's a wonderful invention." Marge looked at Femme. "I would have loved one of these when John was flying. He would disappear for ages and when he did phone they wouldn't let him say where he was. We invented code words to tell each other things. All the wives did."

Femme pulled Billie toward her by the sleeve. "Where did you get this thing?"

Billie kissed Femme on the forehead. "I made it yesterday afternoon while you had your feet up resting. I knew we'd be leaving soon and I want you to know where I am. Plus if anything were to happen and you have this with you and can access a phone we'd know where you are without you needing to say."

Femme quickly kissed Billie on the cheek. "Well thank you tall, clever and thoughtful Billie Bunt. I'll like knowing where you are."

Billie added, "Plus I'll text you messages saying where we're going, what we're doing and anything secret or private about Kelly. You'll be able to tell mother all the naughty things your big sister gets up to."

"Excuse me Billie" Marlene spoke quietly and held out the phone. "Wendy asked if you'd like to speak to Sister Veronica. She said to hang up when you finish."

Billie took the phone and thanked Marlene, "Hello Sissy. I got your email. I've been meaning to reply. I've so much to tell you. But... I'm a coward. I've been stalling. You mustn't go back to that horrible place. I couldn't stand the idea of you locked up with those witches. Run away. If your God doesn't understand she's not worth knowing." Billie listened a short moment. "I'm sorry but it's true and you know it's true." Billie rolled her eyes. "Lets not argue. I have so much to tell you. I've been everywhere lately. I'm so happy and I've met someone." Billie looked at Femme. "She's generous, ambitious, intelligent and has the most gorgeous smile. Her name is Femme, Sissy and I love her. But more importantly, of all the people she could choose to love she chose stupid clumsy me. I wish you could jump on an aeroplane right now and come meet her. I'll reply to your email, explain all, about how we met and send you some photos."

Billie stopped speaking a moment and shook her head, "Anyway as soon as we're settled Femme and I are going to buy a house and raise babies like everyone else. You can come and live with us and be our other doting Grandma. You can help Femme change nappies... whatever while I'm away flying. And if any witches come to the door we'll hide you and tell them lies without flinching. We'll distract them discussing abortion, contraception techniques and the church being led by a pregnant female Pope while you make a get-away on your bicycle."

Billie stopped talking and listened. Eventually she said, "Okay. I'm not sure where I'll be for a little while. I'll stay in touch. You can contact this number. Femme will know where I am. It's the same location they use on Pituri Down to contact Kelly. Femme and Kelly are sisters. Femme will be staying here until I'm allocated a base where we can settle." Billie looked into Femme's eyes and winked. "Okay Sissy. Thank you for listening to me. Stay healthy. And you mustn't go back. Stay away for me. Bye. I love you." Billie hung up the phone, closed her eyes and kissed Femme on the lips.

Pituri Downs.

Sister Veronica disengaged the call and handed the phone to Wendy. "Thank you. I know you're a lot kinder than you pretend to be with that poor girl."

Marge spoke without raising her head, "I could have told you that." She commenced to roll up her needlework. "So Sister why didn't you tell that poor girl you'll be visiting her in a few days and why don't you share what she said to be threatened with, _I'll wash her mouth out with soap?_ "

Sister Veronica looked toward Marge but didn't make eye contact. "The poor girl doesn't know where she's being sent. How could I possibly say we're going to the same place?" She deliberately ignored the second part of the question and hoped Marge wouldn't ask again.

Wendy looked at both Marge and the Sister. "Well I guess I'm a villain. Anke I'll watch the tribe. Why don't you help these insurrectionists learn how to pack efficiently... correctly? Occupy their mind. Ask them what they'd like to see in Europe while I send an email to _the poor girl_." She turned to eye an amused Anke. "And while they're out of the room I'll ask Peta and Jamie if they have anything special they'd like to do or see? We'll compare notes later, hatch a plan and produce a timeline."

Thermopolis Wyoming.

Billie touched down on Thermopolis runway at twenty to two in the afternoon, which was pretty good going. The two-hour time zone difference worked in her favour. She'd taken off in Kentucky at two.

John explained who Prudence Matterson was and warned Billie she's be dragging her away from a husband and two charmingly sweet daughters.

Billie hadn't expected a group of some fifty Eastern Shoshone tribe folk in ceremonial costume performing a traditional dance to empower and protect Prudence through the months of battle before her return.

The arrival of the raven was equally unexpected. Prudence had assumed she was waiting for a transport and was no longer puzzled why her instructions required a stepladder. Billie used the ladder and requested the dancing continue. She was fascinated with the romance of witnessing a traditional send off and soon became involved.

An old chief who happened to be Prudence's grandfather explained all to Billie. He streaked both Billie and Prudence's cheeks with black war markings and did the same to the plane in red. He requested they ride their iron horse through the canyon to heat the wind with their thunder so the ancestors' spirit might wake. He was sure this powerful display would have the buffalo return in large numbers and end the cycle of poverty that had beset his people since the buffalo was vanquished and also restricted to reservations.

A circle of amused woman shielded Prudence as she dressed in the flight suit Billie brought for her to wear. The men helped load Prudence's kit in the container under the wing. Billie was discrete enough to leave the catheter detail until they were alone in the plane and needed to reassure Prudence that a nine-hour flight ending in a carrier landing made the device luxuriously sensible in the confined area of a military combat cockpit.

At two thirty, a half-hour behind schedule, the raven streaked down the runway toward the north and lifted into the sky. Billie held the plane low and circled back building up enough speed to fold the wings as they skimmed low over the airfield executing a dump and burn to trail flames in the hope that Prudence's Grandfather might feel their heat. She quickly shut down the extravagant waste of fuel and extended the wings while holding the plane low so the tribe would see them disappear into the mouth of their sacred canyon. It seemed important to Billie.

Prudence thanked her several times for respecting tribal tradition with such a symbolic send-off.

Once out of the canyon Billie took the plane up to cruising height and set a course for the first leg of their journey, a tanker hook-up off the coast of Delaware on-route to the Persian Gulf.

It was dark by the time they refuelled. Flying east wasn't Billie's favourite direction. Racing toward the sun sent the clock on the ground travelled faster with days and nights over every six hours. Pilots become bored and tire quicker.

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean was an exercise in night instrument flying. Occasionally Billie would point out a lit up passenger plane or something, hoping she was keeping Prudence amused. Mostly they remained quiet.

Five hours into the flight and an hour away from their next tanker hook-up near Gibraltar Billie turned on the cockpit light to break out the sandwiches and treats Femme had packed.

Prudence looked at her watches the moment the light came on and repeated the activity several more times while eating.

Wearing two watches was a dead give away. Billie calculated it was seven thirty in the evening in Wyoming, time when young girls were preparing for bed. She reached into her flight kit, found the satellite phone and handed it to Prudence saying. "Phone them." Billie smiled at the light in Prudence's eyes. "Don't talk all night. I want to phone my girl as soon as you're finished. It's nine PM in Kentucky."

While Prudence waited for the satellite phone to find a signal Billie played with the moving map in front of her. She scrolled out so the rest of the journey was visible and turned on identifying labels to display the airborne refuelling tanker with a time to intercept countdown displaying. The aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea was similarly displayed. It would allow Prudence to explain where mummy was.

The phone-call out of the way Prudence wiping her eyes and said, "Thank you. I miss my girls. Try to call them every night when I'm not in the field. Michelle my ten year old thinks you're pretty, wants me to plait her hair the same as yours."

Billie glanced at Prudence, "I don't know how to teach you. My girl plaited my hair before I left. I just sat on the floor and let her play. Was heavenly. I haven't really had time to look though I've decided I like it, feels mega comfortable in the helmet."

"How old is your daughter?"

"She's not that kind of girl. She's my wife. We're pregnant with twins, due in a few months a boy and a girl. Ask me again next time we fly somewhere together."

"Trust me to put my foot in it. Sorry. Can I ask you a private question?"

"Sure. You can ask." Billie glanced across the cockpit again. "I might not have an answer."

"Are you related to Clancy? Tell me to pull my head in if I'm out of order."

"I don't think so. I don't know. I know who you're talking about though we've never met face to face."

"You've got the same brown eyes. He even has your long lashes. Plus I know your name tag says Captain Hope but you introduced yourself as Billie Page. I know I'm not supposed to remember these things but Page is his family name."

"Page is my married name. It's a little complex. I changed my name to Page because I'm gay and it's my wife's family name. Kelly has also told me I have the same eyes and lashes as Clancy and she ought to know. We think she and Clancy would be an item if they both stood still in the same location." Billie noticed Prudence's surprised face. "I know you know Kelly. I've seen the photos you took of her and Clancy. And the one Kelly took of you abseiling from a chopper."

"Oh God am I in shtook? I knew I wasn't supposed to take the photos. I'm fascinated how authentic the guy looks. I sent a copy to my hubby to show him what special-forces really look like." Prudence took a breath. "He wouldn't show anyone. When I took the photo of Kelly I actually thought she was an Afghan boy. It was the horses I was photographing. I knew they were Clancy's. I sent them to hubby to show my girls. Little did I know two of the horses would be living at our place a few weeks later."

"Relax you're not in trouble. Least ways I don't think so. Clancy gave Kelly the photos. Technically you did. He put a camera memory slice in the envelope on the horse. I've been staying with Kelly's parents. My wife is Kelly's sister. Anyway I'd better make my phone call before we catch the tanker."

Pituri Downs

At eight in the morning both planes taxied onto the runway. Jason and an excited Anke took off first and immediately set a course for the Persian Gulf via two tanker-refuel hook-ups. The C-17 rolled at the same time as Jason and was quickly left behind to slowly climb into the sky before turning toward the neighbouring property where they would land on a dusty private runway to pick up the first three hitchhikers along the route to Perth. Marge and Sister Veronica were supervising the troop of hyped-up children on a mammoth adventure.

On the ground Clancy was saddling two horses. He and Wendy were going for a ride. Wendy wanted to fulfil a fantasy and fire a few rounds from Clancy's barrett. She'd often wondered whether it was the rifle or the soldier who could make the long-range shots and score hits with regular monotony. It was childish but this was her chance to find out and besides she had another plan she wasn't ready to share. Riding the horse with her leg would be an interesting challenge though it was one Clancy was working on making easier adjusting stirrup lengths to suit.

The second stop for the C-17 was a little trickier. The runway at Bedourie was sealed and long but too narrow for the C-17 to turn around. They landed from the north, picked up their passenger and opened the rear door so the loadmasters could see to guide the pilots as they backed up the length of the runway before taking off. This procedure impressed the children.

Birdsville, the last passenger stop was straightforward. They were able to turn around and taxi back along the runway to reposition for take-off, big disappointment for the children.

Jamie quickly tired of the relentless girlie chatter radiating from his sister and her friends. He came to sit near his mother then worked his legs back and forward showing everyone he was bored. One of the loadmasters caught on. He invited Jamie onto the flight deck where he could sit behind the pilots and watch after first receiving a tour of the crew quarters. Jamie quickly found purpose and new friends.

Trent the only other male didn't have the same problem. He was content to listen to the girls and even join in as much as they would permit.

The four-hour trip to Perth passed quickly. The plane taxied to the cargo area on the opposite side of the runway to the passenger terminal. An airport bus was provided to go across to the terminal where the Voss family and cups of coffee would be found. Only Jamie stayed with the plane. He was much more interested in watching how the cargo was loaded on-board and secured than drinking coffee with a bunch of gigglers.

A man in a business suit approached the group as they sat together in an airport café. He spoke warmly, addressed Sister Veronica by name without an introduction and opened a briefcase embossed with _VerMatt Foundation._ He removed a satchel, which was also embossed _VerMatt Foundation_ and handed it over before discussing the content. Sister Veronica produced several envelopes, which the man put in his briefcase closed it, made excuses not to stay for coffee and quickly walked away.

An hour passed before everyone joined the bus to be taken back to the C-17, which was now carrying a number of containers full of Voss possessions and ready to fly. Because of the time difference heading west they had taken off at eight in the morning, flown for four hours, and arrived at nine, local time. The return trip heading east required them to pay the ferryman. On the ground the four-hour trip consumed seven hours due to the complexities of air travel and time zones. It was five in the afternoon when they landed at Pituri Downs. Wendy and Clancy had long ago returned from their outing and had dinner well under way when the C-17 arrived.

Over the Mediterranean

Billie and Prudence watched the sun rise in their face before altering course to overfly Egypt and loosely follow the Suez Canal and Red Sea toward the southeast. They traversed the Gulf of Aden and flew out over the Arabian Sea.

Billie briefed Prudence on what to expect landing on an arresting wire. She couldn't help thinking Kelly had offered her the very same advice only days before. She offered Prudence support and guidance before their rapid approach from behind the USS Ronald Reagan.

The catch was perfect and impressed Prudence as much as Billie had been on her first landing with Kelly. They taxied below, spent an hour washing, stretching and relaxing before re-boarding the serviced aircraft, which was now carrying an array of passive missiles for personal protection.

On deck they prepared for launch on catapult three before being ordered to wait the arrival of a lead aircraft.

At nine thirty in the morning local time the raven was punched off the deck and rapidly climbed to forty thousand feet before sliding into formation on the wing of Jason's eagle. Without even exchanging words both aircraft powered north their destination Bagram Afghanistan.

After some time oscillating her attention between sight seeing and studying the lead aircraft Prudence said, "Have they given us an escort because we can expect trouble?"

Billie didn't look away from the heads up display. "I don't think so. I'd say it's just a precaution and it's the other way round they're not heeled we are. They obviously made us land on the carrier to arm us to accompany them into Bagram. Makes me wonder who is in the back seat. I can tell from here the rear isn't crew they keep looking in the wrong places." Billie spared Prudence a quick glance. "If you want to add more fuel to your Clancy conspiracy. I know that plane. The pilot is call sign Argo. He's been operating out of Pituri Downs for a few weeks."

"Pituri Downs? Where's that? Thought I knew all our bases."

"It's a cattle property in the middle of Australia. Run by the Page family. It's Clancy's home. Been some strange goings on there lately."

Billie used her retina recognition feature to apply a flight trace on the eagle's friend or foe transponder and displayed it on the moving map in front of Prudence. She scrolled the map out extending the planes path until the take-off airfield was identified. "There you go that's where they took off from. Pituri Downs. Note there is a C-17 taking off at the same time."

Billie locked onto the C-17 and traced the flight to capture it landing three times for a few minutes before flying to Perth where it stayed an hour. The return flight trace was the reverse of the forward journey though they were still airborne currently approaching Bedourie to land.

Before finishing her play on Prudence's screens Billie pulled up the armament screen, set the counter measures system active and allocated a Maverick missile to the pilot display though not yet targeted or armed.

Prudence gave Billie a long look. "I'm impressed." She pondered in silence a moment then said. "Can I ask you something?"

"Last time wasn't so bad. Fire away."

"Do you fight with your wife before you fly off or is it only heterosexual couples who bicker at each other with destructive remarks all the time?"

"Why do I think that remark is a prelude to a confession?" Billie glanced across at Prudence. Witnessed the worry she was carrying. "We don't argue. But I assure you many gay couples fight." Billie laughed and touched Prudence on the arm. "Gay people come in two flavours. I'm told gay men rarely fight. But the women." Billie shook her head. "When things go wrong they're terrible. The police openly tell everyone gay women fights are the most dangerous." Billie looked at Prudence again. "Femme my girl friend organises me. Yesterday she plaited my hair packed our lunches. In my flight pack there are bags containing matching underwear neatly folded with the day I'm to wear them written on the outside. I love her for it. She can fit five changes of clothes in where I only ever manage to stuff three articles of underwear, shorts and a tee shirt. Nothing ever matches." Billie giggled. "It's not funny. Femme wants to lie on her tummy to sleep but she's approaching eight months pregnant with twins. And her breasts have started to itch. While she lays there uncomfortable she has to watch me. I sleep on my back with my hands on my breasts and she insists I'm always moving my fingers. I know she'd like to scream at me. I would. But she never says anything. I guess we're lucky. Though I do wish I could help her more."

Prudence looked at Billie grinned then shook her head. "We get along okay. Hubby used to be a marine. He lost his lower leg in Afghanistan, an IED on the lead humvee. He's got it in his head I should transfer out of Delta company. He recons I'd get promoted, which would be true but I love what I do. I've worked damn hard to make the grade and earn respect from the guys. I don't want to throw that away." Prudence looked at her hand, inspected her nails and clenched her fist twice. "It's my own fault. He was happy as Larry bringing the girls to stay with me in Delaware. Thought it a family adventure. Until stupid me said I'd been out in the field on horse back with Clancy and two of his colleagues. Hubby remembered the picture of Clancy I'd shown him and that we were there to bring in a terrorist Clancy had captured. Hubby went crazy with worry. I told him all we did was visit a village to give them some goats, shot two wild dogs and played marbles and hopscotch with kids." Prudence shook her head again. "Do you think he'd listen? He was fine until we got home. We put on a show in front of the girls. But every time we were alone... He told me he was going get me pregnant to save me. I pushed him off me. Poor dear landed on the floor beside his shattered ego. He stormed out to his workshop, banging and sawing while I curled up in bed with my daughters trying to answer their questions." Prudence took a deep breath. "We had such a romantic few days at home together. By the time I was due to leave he was on about my going everywhere and him stuck at home with the girls. Nothing exciting ever happens. He never gets time to himself." Prudence glanced across the plane. "That really hurt. When he wasn't fuming he was telling me he'd soon be able to support us with his woodworking. Wants me to resign and find a casual job out there. Says it would only be temporary." Prudence frowned and used her hands to make a strangling gesture in front of her chest. "Then you turn up. He was polite for the girls. Did you see the way he looked at this plane; my ride?"

Billie touched Prudence on the arm again. "Don't get upset. I'm sure he feels like a heel by now. What kind of woodwork?"

"Pardon?" Prudence didn't expect the question. "Any kind. He's a cabinetmaker by trade. But there isn't much call for tailor made furniture these days. Not in Wyoming anyway. He's been making tribal carvings mostly. Sells them to tourists. He is doing pretty well. But it's seasonal. The tourists only come in summer." Prudence shook her head. "I'm probably selfish. But I don't want us to end up living on the reservation where my girls won't have the choices our security can buy. Don't get me wrong I'm proud of our Shoshone heritage but living on the reservation in poverty with drunken violence all around isn't what I want for my girls." Prudence looked at her hand again. "And I love my job. It won't be forever. He's such a good man. Great with the kids and when he's thinking correctly I know he's proud of my achievements as much as I am."

"I may be able to help. There is a market for special furniture that no one seems to be making. I do woodwork as a hobby. Would you mind if I talk to him?" Billie looked at Prudence and smiled mischievously. "I promise he won't get me pregnant. Even if he develops a mind to he won't get close. I like guys. The non-violent ones are a lot of fun. I just can't get all love'y with them... I... I don't know. It's crazy. Besides I'm married. I don't even want to undress passing women in my mind's eye any more. Except one." Billie rolled her eyes. "Sorry got sidetracked. Can hubby ride a motor bike?"

"Yes. Phone him. I'll give you the number." Prudence pulled out her notebook and wrote her husbands name address and phone number on it. She pulled the page from the book and handed it to Billie. "Actually he's not as pig headed as I make him sound. He'll listen to you. And I know I can trust him. He won't try to hit on you or anyone else. He's such a proud family man. I've no idea why he fell for me or why he waits. He receives a lot of offers of company while I'm away. Some even drive to the house hoping to catch him off guard. But he's a one family, one lover guy. I'm lucky. Couldn't do this job without him. And yes he can ride. He has a secret love affair with bikes. Wants one. But they're expensive and we couldn't go out as a family. That would be another restriction I place on him at the moment."

"This will be easy. Kelly's father intends to talk and probably visit him about resting cattle at your place. So I can piggyback on their relationship. I'll say I talked to you. There is a big market for themed children bedroom furniture. Has to be tailor-made. I've made quite a few for friends and people I know. Friends of friends are always asking me to build them one and I'm often asked to build a few commercially. I'll talk to him. He can practice on your daughters' bedroom to see what he thinks. Plus I have a motorbike at Ellsworth air force base near Rapid City. It's a Harley V-rod, just sitting there. If your hubby would look after it I could arrange to have him flown up there, in one of these planes and he could ride it back to your place. He can look after it until I have somewhere to live. Can he get someone to keep an eye out for the girls?" Billie used the retina feature in her helmet to relocate the moving map and measure the driving distance from Rapid City to Thermopolis "Three hundred and thirty three miles. Can he find someone to look after the girls for a five hours and eleven minutes ride plus twenty-five minutes to fly there and ten minutes for a cheeseburger somewhere along the way? What's that? He'd be away less than six hours unless he rides like a girl. He'd be all on his own. Just him, the elements and any insects he picks up in his teeth. And he'll be able to ride my V-rod around and keep it looking good for me."

Prudence wiped her eyes. "Why are you wanting to do this? He'd love it. Simply love it and so would I for him. For us."

Billie gave Prudence a quick glance. "He looks like a decent guy and so are you. I've already made up my mind I want to visit you to take your grandfather for an aeroplane ride, if I get an invite. I have my own plane. Two planes. They're old looking wooden biplanes, his kind of flying machine. I built them myself. They're being delivered and will be in the states in a week or so. When I'm settled, probably in Missouri I'll drop in and take your Grandfather for a flight. Let him feel the wind and see the world from up here. I like Indian culture. I like Indian people. My wife is from the Navajo people. She'll approve of me being kind to a tribal elder. And besides I'd also like for the buffalo to return." Billie looked and noticed Prudence wiping her eyes again. "There is also another reason why I'd like to meet your hubby. I have an almost finished third plane stored in pieces at Ellsworth. I'll arrange for your hubby to check it over. If he feels up to the task and I'm comfortable with his work ethic I'll pay him to finish off the woodwork. I can't seem to stay still enough or find the time to build my plane. If your hubby is interested I have a few more planes I'd like built. I could pay him to build them but it is special work. Every detail has to be perfect. People's lives depend on it." Billie gave a mouth opened Prudence a wink. "I'll talk to him. See what he thinks." She changed the topic. "Anyway we'd better start concentrating on having you looking marine tough. We'll be on the ground at Bagram in fifteen minutes. Would you like to phone home while you can? Those daughters of yours should be waking up around now." Billie handed Prudence the satellite phone. "Have a good chat, mention me and woodwork to Hubby. Ask if he would be able to collect the bike for me. Tell him I can't afford to pay more than the cost of gas plus a cheeseburger and a coffee to get the bike to your place. And I'll phone him with the deal in a few days." Billie put a hand on Prudence's arm. "Prue. Swallow your pride. Feed his ego. Say you're sorry for being... uptight. Tell him to have a good look at the walls because next leave you're going wear spurs and ride him bareback so all he'll see is the ceiling for days." Billie laughed, "Tell him if he's in a mind to get you pregnant you want the job done by a professional carpenter wearing nothing but a tool belt. You want to conceive on the bench in his workshop to make a boy like his daddy." Billie looked across at the eagle, lifted her arm and pointed a finger at other plane. "I've got a sneaking suspicion the person in the back of that plane is some stuck up buffoon with horrible manners. They're going to get in this plane and order me to fly somewhere ridiculous and I'm going to hate everything about the trip, which will be a real let down because you're great company."

Prudence looked at her watches, took the phone and mouthed thank you. She shook her head a moment smiling at Billie before wiping her eyes yet again and made her call home.

Pituri Downs

The group walking the path from the tarmac to the house had expanded somewhat from the one that walked in the other direction. The Voss's had swollen the group numbers. No one spoke. All were quietly watching Trent misbehave and put it down to tiredness. His mother was waiting to meet them when the cargo plane door opened and Trent greeted her with a loud bold display of defiance. He wasn't going home. He would be staying with the chooks.

Logic didn't work. Wendy pointed out he needed to go back to school to see his friends. He didn't. School was stupid. He wanted to be with the chooks. They were his friends.

Threats were just that, threats. If they tried to make him go on the stupid plane he would run away and hide until they were gone. He wasn't going.

Being told they were getting him chickens didn't help. He didn't want dumb chickens. He wanted chooks and the chooks were already here.

With a walking stick in Wendy's right hand and Clancy's hand in her left Trent defiantly walked backwards in front of her and stopping erratically making fresh demands, which made Wendy's forward progress slow and unsteady. They were falling behind the others. Eventually Clancy said, "Wouldn't it make sense to explain why Anke left earlier. Involve Trent in the process. He obviously knows what he wants and has his own ideas." Clancy looked down at Trent and asked, "Do you want to ride on my shoulders? I can see the chooks from up here."

Trent's hands went up in the air wanting to be lifted before his mouth said, "Yes."

Wendy repeated, "Yes please. Remember your manners young man."

Trent repeated his desire and added the please as he was lifted up to sit across Clancy's shoulders. The boy started laughing he was obviously somewhere he'd never been before. Clancy encouraged Trent to hold onto his hair as he resumed supporting Wendy walking.

Wendy rolled her eyes and mouthed _thank you._

"Can you see the chooks? It will soon be time for them to go in. When you've counted them and put them to bed we should sit down together to design the prefect chook house. We'll draw it and make plans so a carpenter can build what we want." Clancy winked at Wendy. "Should your chooks have a multi-story house like you live in or single story one like this one?" Clancy pointed at the homestead.

"Chooks can't walk up stairs their legs are too short." Trent was laughing as he spoke.

"Chooks are smart. They use a ramp. I've seen chook houses built on stilts with a drawbridge. When they go in at night nothing bad can get in. Plus in wet places like where you live the house should be above the ground with a drawbridge so the floor doesn't get wet. Chooks need to have dry feet at night or they get sick. Did you know that?"

Trent shook his head, indicating _no_.

"Well you have to learn these things. If you want to have your own chooks you need to look after them." Clancy remained silent a moment before adding, "If you went home with Mummy. Najwa would send you pictures of the chooks here every day. You could build your own chook house a two story one with a drawbridge and send Najwa pictures of your chooks walking across the drawbridge to go inside their house."

"That would be really cool. Mum can we build a chook house with a drawbridge?"

Wendy smiled at Clancy and said to Trent, "Yes. I think a drawbridge would be good. We'll design one like that before we go to bed tonight."

When the trio walked into the kitchen they quickly observed Marge had her own problem with Jamie. He had just learnt they were to travel on Wendy's plane, which was in Alice Springs. They would be flying to the Seychelles for a few days before completing the trip to Europe. Jamie was boisterously arguing for permission to travel on the C-17 direct to Europe. He had arranged for the crew to show him how to keep the load secure. They were going to sign his work experience book for school. He could wait in Europe for them to arrive. Anke would meet the plane if we asked her. They would be staying there anyway.

He had it all worked out. Marge eventually postponed the dispute by saying. "I'll talk to Wendy after dinner. But I don't think you should go off on your own. It's a long way and you're only fifteen."

Jamie pushed past Clancy and Wendy and slammed the screen door on his way outside. He yelled over his shoulder, "This is your holiday not ours. If I can't go on the cargo plane I want to stay here."

Plus there was the Zahir problem to address. Debbie had asked if she could stay in the homestead while Marge was in Europe. She and Zahir could use the time together and location as a writing retreat. She had already arranged for her children to stay with her mother. Zahir agreed with the notion of a few weeks uninterrupted writing before and after tutoring Najwa and Maliha with their English lessons. Though he privately expressed concern he and Debbie weren't observing correct propriety. Marge didn't particularly care what adults got up to as long as her bed wasn't involved. It wasn't as if the neighbours were going to talk. She was more concerned about not being concerned. Effectively being asked to adjudicate had her feeling like the girl's pimp or madam. She searched her conscience for answers in relation to her daughter's situation in not too many years time.

Marge sought council from Sister Veronica and received the woman's irritatingly smug expression with a, "They're consenting adults. Besides you have your mind in the gutter. They intend to write novels together and tutor two young ladies. Where would the harm be in that?" Then came the raised eyebrows. "You always imagine the worst in people Marjorie Page?"

Wendy looked around the table counting people and established everyone except Jamie was present. She lifted Trent off Clancy's shoulder and sent him out to round up the chooks then said, "Given a choice who'd prefer fly straight to Europe non stop? And who would prefer a two night stopover with a day sightseeing at Victoria on the Seychelles on the way to Europe."

Wendy watched everyone look at each other and added, "We don't all have to go together. I'm asking to give you a choice about which plane you would prefer travel on." She looked at everyone again before saying. "I'm going to the Seychelles. David, Malem and Sister Veronica don't get to vote. You're coming with me for business reasons." Wendy pointed at each of the three she'd mentioned. "You three won't be doing any sightseeing. What do the rest of you want to do."

Joanne conferred with Granny Taylor then raised her hand as if in school and spoke to Wendy. "We'd prefer travel via the Seychelles with Malem."

Wendy nodded. She looked quickly at Peta then moved her stare to Marge.

Marge closed her eyes, took a large breath and said. "Peta wants to go to the Seychelles and Jamie is insisting on going straight to Europe. And I wish I could be in two places at the same time."

Wendy tilted her head to study Marge. "What would you prefer do?"

"Look after my children properly somehow." Marge looked at everyone looking at her. "I'd prefer go to the Seychelles. But as all the adults are going that way I'd better ask Joanne to keep an eye on Peta and go with Jamie."

Wendy looked at Kelly and Helga, "Would you pair prefer go straight home or come to the Seychelles?"

Helga asked, "What would we do at the Seychelles?"

Wendy smiled knowing what Helga's reaction would be. "Look at the ocean and play on the beach. It's warm. You could go swimming or for a boat ride. Eat nice food. Sleep with Kelly in a big bed with a view of the ocean."

Helga and Kelly both giggled. "We want to go there."

Wendy returned her gaze to Marge. "You can come to the Seychelles. Jamie will manage fine on the plane to Europe. The crew will look after him and Anke will meet him at Geilenkirchen. She'll keep him occupied until we arrive. I'll be speaking to Anke directly. You can talk to her if you like. And besides I'm sending Trent on the plane with Jamie. He can watch the chook house being built at home. He will make life hell for everyone if we take him to the Seychelles." Wendy observed Marge's disapprovingly expanding eyes. "They'll be fine. Three of the C-17 crew, the females, are all mothers and they work in shifts on the plane so their will always be a few of the crew not working who can watch over the boys. They'll keep them up on the flight deck or in the crew quarters. Jamie will love it. He'll feel grown up. Trent will sleep most of the way and I've got some colour-in books to keep his mind occupied. Would you believe one book happens to be full of chickens... chooks for him to colour?"

"But..." Marge looked and sounded worried.

"They'll be fine. Trent has flown to Kentucky twice, on his own, to see Grandad. He went on an air force plane with a kind crew. It's not as if they can get off anywhere on a direct flight and they'll be met by Anke who'll look after them until we arrive. She'll show Jamie around Brunssum and put him to work doing chores. Trent will be at school." Wendy looked at the ceiling then her watches. "In fact it would make a lot of sense for the C-17 to leave tonight straight after dinner." She looked at Malem. "Captain be a good fellow and summon the pilot. I know she's churning at the bit to be on her way." Wendy looked at Kaiser's startled face. "Now Captain. Don't stand around looking dumb. On the double."

Malem shrugged and set off out the door.

Wendy continued, "The only reason we're waiting until morning is to pick up the passports in Darwin. If they leave here tonight and fly direct their trip will be quicker. Plus the boys are already tired. They'll go to bed sleep most of the way and arrive at seven in the morning. Leaving tomorrow morning will see the boys sitting up most of the way and arriving sometime after mid-night. Making Trent a difficult little boy to live with for several days.

Wendy pulled out her phone. "I need to make some calls. Find a charter plane for us tomorrow or we could spend the night somewhere comfy in Alice Springs. I'll also need to arrange for Jamie to be placed in Anke's guardianship for three days until his passport arrives. Plus talk to Anke about creating a Taj Mahal for chooks and meet the plane." Wendy looked at Clancy. "What have I left out Captain?"

Clancy silently shrugged while raising both hands dismissively.

"Quite right Captain. Nice to see you're on the ball. Catering. We need something to keep the passengers and crew on the C-17 alive if not content." She looked a Marge and pulled a frown. "Can you accommodate five hearty dinners for adults and two boys with goodies for the next eighteen hours? Don't go overboard and spoil anyone. Fruit, bread and a hardboiled egg each would be luxury. The adults are accustomed to living on second hand food out of a shoebox."

Wendy placed her security token on the table and dialled her phone. "Colonel Maiden. Authority hotel-echo-six-three-four," She read from the security token in front of her. "Pin, seven-three-two-six-four-eight," She waited a moment. "Correct. I'm at Pituri Downs Queensland Australia. I need a flight for eleven people at eight hundred hours tomorrow morning local time. Destination Alice Springs airport Northern Territory Australia." While listening she rolled her head to the side and closed one eye. "Well not that it's any of your business but the answer to your first question is me plus ten other people are at Pituri Downs. The answer to your second question is Pine Gap and our AWACS are both at Alice Springs. The runway here is too short for the AWACS to land. The answer to the two questions you should have asked are, it's currently seventeen hundred hours local time here and the trip to Alice Springs is two hundred and fifty miles by air. A trip, which would take twenty four hours to travel on the ground in some kind of off-road vehicle. The C-17 which was allocated to deliver us tomorrow morning is required to return to Europe tonight." Wendy looked around the room. "That's classified." She listened further. "That's also classified. If there isn't a flight available for us in the morning we will need quality accommodation for eleven people in three double family rooms all located together, in Alice Springs, for tonight." Wendy listened. "Okay. Ring me back. I need answers in ten minutes. The clock is ticking. Do the best you can soldier."

Wendy placed her phone on the table. Looked at Clancy and pointed at the phone on the wall. "Phone Captain." She immediately started writing in her notebook and tore out the page.

Clancy moved around the table and handed her the handset in exchange for the piece of paper with a phone number written on it. He dialled the number on the wall phone.

Wendy waited and spoke in a foreign language. She sounded charming and looked animated.

Sister Veronica observed Marge watching Wendy speak. She leaned forward and spoke softly to Marge, "No limit to Ma'am Superior's talent. She's speaking German, almost reciting twinkle-twinkle-little-star, obviously to a male involved in border security." Sister waited and added, "She always gets her way. Looks as though Jamie's first big adventure without being mothered has began. So has yours." She placed her hand on Marge's shoulder. "Cheer up we'll all have fun. Why don't we make a start preparing some rations? I thought we could knock up seven salads and nibbles. They'll have a refrigerator on-board somewhere. If we do the job well they'll be keen to take us some place someday." Sister eyed Marge and smiled, "I keep visualising Wendy at the Orphanage sports day with hands on her hips and a whistle in her mouth."

Marge eyed the Sister in amusement. "You'll get your own mouth washed out with soap if you're not careful."

Wendy started writing as she nodded for Clancy to hang up the call. She handed him another number, which he dialled without comment or delay. "Hello Mr Argo. Was it an uneventful trip?" Wendy's face took on a motherly softness as she listened. "Oh aside from our son vowing not to leave here with all the defiance inherited from his father it's been a relaxing day." She listened and laughed. "Perhaps. Should I assume I've missed Anke and Hope, that they're already airborne? It's Anke I'm trying to speak with. Your son..." She waited a moment. "Okay. Well that's easy. Walk next door as we're speaking. We need her to collect Trent off the plane tomorrow morning at seven. Your son wants our chooks to live in a palace. He's going home tonight to supervise the building project." More silence. "Jamie will be with him... What do you mean this is as far as you go?" Again Wendy listened, "Oh. Well yell her name. Most bathrooms have good acoustics." Wendy listened a moment. "Has Bagram changed?" Another quick break, "Oh poor dear. Two months will go quickly. And I'm sure you'll find an excuse to fly home once in a while. You've got my schedule?" She listened. "Okay she'll do. Put Hope on."

Wendy Looked at Sister Veronica who was now preparing food beside Marge at the Kitchen bench. "How was your flight Hope?" There was a short silence, "Good. And has your passenger been delivered in sound working order?" "Good. I take it you've met your next passenger and know your destination." Wendy listened. "Okay. Well knowing the passenger is a start. You need to deliver Anke to Geilenkirchen, Germany. Upon arrival you will be billeted in her home where you'll have three days to complete the building of an impressive chicken run at the property." Wendy smiled as she listened. "No it's not a joke. I never joke. You have been carefully selected from a long list of candidates. The committee finding was unanimous. You're the correct person for this job." She listened. "I don't care how you feel about the assignment. We all have our problems. Your current problem is building a chicken run to impress a five-year old boy who has his heart set on keeping chooks. We're depending on you Hope. This is by far the most important assignment I've allocated you. Don't let me down. Anke will show you places to acquire hardware, lumber, wire and whatever else you need. She can do the talking for you. Tell her what you need and she'll purchase it. Anything within reason." Wendy listened a moment. "Tools? Anke should have a few things, screwdriver, pliers a hammer. What else will you need?" Another delay. "Well there's no need to get agro. I don't know about these things. Where are your tools?" Again Wendy listened. "Any ideas on the most efficient way to have them delivered?" Wendy listened for a full minute. "Is that all true? It's doable and it's good PR for the media tarts. I'm impressed Hope. You phone Michael and ask if he's on-board. Better still have Prudence phone for you. I'll follow up with Ho and her pilot. Plus I'll see what I can do at the European end. Then I'll contact Michael when all the times are set. That's good work Hope. I'm impressed. Oh before I forget. Tomorrow morning at seven hundred hours local time a C-17 will land at Geilenkirchen carrying two passengers, Trent and Jamie. Make sure Anke meets the plane and takes care of them. The plane is also carrying equipment and luggage, which Anke will also need to organise. The plane is currently here at Pituri Downs. It's will be flying non-stop and will take off in a few hours. For your information Jamie is fifteen he's Clancy's brother and Trent is the five year old you are building the chicken enclosure for. If you could involve both boys in the building process I'd be very appreciative." Wendy listened. "Yes. No Billie. Trent is my son. The house you're to stay in is ours. Anke is part of our family. I'll see you in a few days. Trent wants to go straight home to see the chicken... I mustn't say that they're chooks. He wants to be there to see the chook house built." Wendy smiled. "Thank you Billie. I appreciate that. Anke can manage everything but if you do need to contact me Anke has my direct number. I'll get your tools moving, with luck they'll arrive before the boys. Ciao." Wendy handed the phone to Clancy to put back in its cradle on the wall.

When Kaiser and the C-17 pilot walked in it only took seven words to make her smile. ' _Do you want to set off tonight?'_ She simply nodded with bright eyes and listened to Wendy go through the details.

Before they finished talking Wendy's phone rang. The best available aircraft for charter was a Piper Navajo, which can carry seven passengers. It could do two runs or there was a Beechcraft Baron available a few hours later to carry another five. If the trip can wait until tomorrow evening a Cessna Caravan would be available to carry everyone together. Wendy quickly assessed the situation and decided to use only the Piper Navajo to pick them up at eight the following morning. She rejected the second plane. Deciding instead to have the C-17 land at Alice Springs tonight on the way to Europe. They could drop off everyone's three-day hand luggage to use in the Seychelles and take the bulky luggage to Europe. She also decided to have Clancy, Kaiser, Peta, Helga and Kelly go to Alice Springs and camp in the AWACS overnight. The remaining seven, five adults and Joanne's babies would fly to Alice Springs in the morning without any luggage to give them more room in the small aeroplane.

The girls were excited about camping in the plane. Clancy and Kaiser weren't nearly as impressed but said nothing. At least they'd get to sleep in.

When Jamie and Trent came in from outside both were over the moon at the new developments.

The luggage was collected and delivered to the C-17 for the loadmasters to work out where to put everything. They took good care of the flight rations Marge and Sister Veronica prepared. Jamie and Trent were allocated the two seats behind the pilots and a bed in the crew cabin for later. Both boys were beaming with excitement about the trip.

Before dinner Clancy took Trent out and photographed him with the chooks. He even had Trent lie on the ground with the chooks standing all over him. Clancy showed him the photos on the computer as well as a variety of chook houses. They discussed what kind Trent wanted and printed the best images so he could think about them on the flight.

All too soon for Marge they ate dinner and watched the plane lift off with her boy on-board. She shed a tear then frantically cleaned the kitchen and went to bed early. It would be her turn to fly away in the morning.

##  Chapter 20

Kentucky

Femme couldn't remain quiet. The dress Marjorie planned was much too extravagant. Her protest fell on deaf ears. "No daughter of mine will be seen wrapped in kitchen curtains on her wedding day." Marjorie gave Femme a stern eye. "Standing on the rise twisted with one shoulders drooped won't deter me or June. We have experience in these matters. Kelly tried this same stunt." Marjorie looked down at June for support. June didn't look away from Femme's hem. She nodded agreement while taking another pin from her lips.

The dress was beautiful. Layered in sheer silk, white with elegant bone embroidery inlays. So much bulk yet light to wear and gorgeous to touch, felt feminine. Long slim sleeves and fitted bodice, dropping above the waistline into a full flowing skirt, numerous seams hidden within subtle waves of material stiffened the garment to fall away from Femme's body with the assistance of several petticoat hops. The mirror captured Femme's heart particularly from the side. There was no way she could walk through a standard doorway without an assistant to gather and reset the lay of the dress. It wasn't a practical dress yet it disguised Femme's condition and helped Marjorie feel special. Were it not for the obvious expense of the garment, which June must have laboured on day and night since receiving the rushed order, Femme may have cried just witnessing how especially happy the dress made her feel. _If only it wasn't so taxing on Marjorie's pocket_.

When she was permitted to turn to the right Femme could see herself in the mirror standing next to a mannequin set slim with shoulders above her head adorned in an equally elegant shapely fitted silk wedding dress with a gorgeous double pleated hem. Even on the mannequin Femme could imagine Billie's bright brown eyes, long lashes and always smiling face. Her dimpled cheeks, cutely turned up nose, small mouth and beautifully symmetrical strong chin line. She sensed Billie's slender long neck semi hidden from the side behind softly flowing fine hair that always managed to catch on her lips.

"Hey. What's this? If you let tears fall on this dress there will be trouble." Marjorie held a delicate white handkerchief for Femme to dry her eyes.

"How do we want my hair to look?" Femme dabbed at the corner of her eyes, "Sorry. I'm supposed to be happy." Femme turned her head to make eye contact with Marjorie and smiled. "I am happy."

Marjorie touched Femme's cheek. "I like your hair up. We should clone you to plait a double or even triple-crown braid. Hat? I'm not keen on heavy large veils. I like to see a girl's smile and I like a good hat. You need something small, like the rage on the river in eighteen ninety. I'll need to research your hat. Billie is easy. A large white flat brim angled to the side. It'll be up above everyone's head. I won't allow her to wear heels beside you. We might employ your clone to plait her hair around the nap like you did the other night. She looked gorgeously Billie. I was jealous." Marjorie picked up Femme's hand and examined the back closely. "You have such a delicate touch." She spoke down toward June. "Did you know Femme studied reflexology? I must invite you round to experience her hands at work. Pure bliss."

June spoke through closed lips occupied holding pins. "I know. She keeps swaying and turning. Must be all the built up reflexology."

Femme put her hand to her mouth and giggled a, "Sorry." Then looked back to Marjorie. "Do you think Billie will like her dress?"

"I'm sure she will. Billie is Billie she walks around naked. It's you who always wants to hide from the crowd. Though if she wants to wear a suit pretending to be a boy I'll hit her with a hammer." Marge looked down. "I'm not sure what we'll do for shoes. Don't want my grandchildren balancing precariously on heels. Though short of making Billie stay on her knees I'm not sure what we can do?"

"I like being in Billie's shadow. It's comforting. Besides I'm not wearing twelve inch heels for anyone."

During the short drive home Femme broke the silence, "I've been trying to ask you something but there is always someone around and I'm too embarrassed to speak. Do you know where the Colville Bridge is? Billie said its ten miles."

Marjorie spared Femme a glance, "Yes. It's a covered bridge out off Ruddles Mill Road. Would you like to go there now? We're got time."

"Yes. If you don't mind." Femme smiled. "That's not what I wanted to ask. Billie found the bridge on-line. Said she's never seen one. If you show me I might be able to find my way back and surprise her when she comes home."

Marjorie turned right off High Street, "So what do you want to ask that takes twenty miles."

Femme looked at her hands then raised her head and said, "How do I know if I'm really gay?"

Marjorie turned right again to head east. "Gay is the label strangers use. You only need to be yourself and not particularly mind what others say or think. Being happy is all that really matters. If loving Billie makes you happy who cares what people who don't matter think." Marjorie spared Femme a quick glance. "Femme it's natural to have second thoughts. Marriage is a long term commitment." She glanced again. "Like parenting."

"I'm not having second thoughts and I don't care what people call me. I'm worried for Billie. I don't want to hurt her. I know Billie is gay. She can't help noticing women. She's not being unfaithful. She's just pre-programmed to look." Femme glanced at Marjorie then back at her hands. I'm not curious like that. I'm not sexual. I'm not interested in men or women. I... but I've fallen in love with Billie. I love being in love with Billie. I don't even know how it happened. I couldn't stop if I wanted to. I wouldn't stop if I could."

Marge touched Femme's hand then let go to turn right again. "You don't have a problem. You sound like the luckiest person in the world."

"I am lucky and happy. Except..." Femme put the palm of her hand to her forehead. "I don't understand what's happened. I couldn't care if Billie was male, female or neither. I'd still be in love. But..." She put her hand down and stared at it. "Where I come from people don't fall in love. Displaying affection is forbidden. Women are allocated to men like slaves. I ran away because I didn't want to be beholden to someone I hate." She looked at Marjorie. "I've seen the way people look at each other. The way they act. Nothing like that ever happened to me. I wanted to be independent and free. All I wanted was to be happy. Least ways I thought that was all I wanted." Femme studied her fingers a long moment in silence. "I thought I was safe until everything got crushed. When they thought I was beaten I escaped. I... at first I just ran trying to survive. When I realised how hard it is to start all over again and stay free I wanted to die. I'm not sure why I didn't kill myself. I thought about it often enough. Then I realised I was carrying babies. I wanted them to survive. I wanted someone kind to find healthy babies next to my lifeless body to give them a chance at being happy and grow up safe."

Femme put her face in her hands. Eventually she raised her head and quietly shook it as if saying no to herself. "Billie walked into my life and everything changed. I felt it immediately. Took me awhile to realise what happened." She turned her head to look straight at Marjorie. "I can't control this... this... thing... this feeling. Love shouldn't be like this. It hurts all over and feels wonderful. I don't deserve to be this happy. I can close my eyes any time I want and smell Billie, hear Billie, feel Billie taste and touch Billie. She lives inside me and all around me."

Femme placed a hand over her chest. "What if I hurt Billie? What if this love thing inside me triggers again? What if I fall in love with someone else? A man like people believe we're supposed to? I'll hurt Billie. I don't feel gay. It's... Billie loves me because I'm female. I know that. And I don't care. I'm happy. But... but... I'm out of control. This could happen again with someone else? I'm scared. I don't even know what I'm supposed to do."

"I don't believe you." Marge turned onto High Street travelling east. She glanced and caught Femme's eyes looking, waiting. "If Billie were male I don't believe you'd go anywhere near a bed with her... him. You might want to but you'd be too frightened. Frightened of what would happen, which is sad and wrong but that's how it is."

Femme closed her eyes and breathed in. She nodded to herself several times. "I've even thought about that. I've wished and dreamt Billie got me pregnant. I tell myself Billie is gentle and considerate. And she is." Femme bit her knuckle before saying, "You're right. If Billie were anything other than just how she is I'd have run long before I got to know her... him. Perhaps I am gay. Maybe I've always been gay."

Marge waited to turn left onto Ruddles Mill Road then spoke, "I'll tell you a true story about me growing up in Cut Bank. I never wanted to go to college or have a career. All I ever wanted was security, a house, kids; it wasn't likely to happen. I hated men. I hated the way they tried to touch me. The way they dominate. How they seem to look through my clothes seeking access to my body. They weren't interested in knowing me. I hated how most girls didn't mind how boys were. I decided I must be gay. There were a few other girls like me. We hung around together. In Cut Bank forty-five years ago we had to be discrete. Sometimes we managed to do what gay girls were supposed to do. It didn't mean anything. We were just silly young friends sharing what we had in common. Then I met a girl who told me things I wanted to hear. It felt good until I discovered she was just like the boys. She was pretending and using me. She wanted to expose me in front of everyone. And she did. She really hurt me. Took ages to work out why she acted so mean." Marjorie glanced across the car to discover Femme watching and listening with concerned curiosity showing on her face. "She was trying to win the high school quarterback. She somehow figured the quarterback didn't date women because he had eyes for me." Marjorie flipped both hands off the wheel and quickly put them back. "News to me. I didn't even know what a quarterback was. Anyway at the time I didn't think it but Dorothy Keeson did me one huge favour. I realised I wasn't interested. I wasn't in a hurry to exercise my loins and live out the rest of my life wondering why I bothered. I wanted more; or nothing." Marjorie turned right towards Millersburg. "So in Cut Bank I became that girl. The one who worked in the hot bread shop and never got asked out. After four years baking and selling bread an out-of-towner who looked vaguely familiar ordered a cheese and bacon croissant with coffee, eat in. He earned a smile for cleaning the table. He nodded and said, 'First class. Thank you Marjorie.' I wasn't wearing a nametag. And his hand touched mine as he paid. My chest went so tight I thought I was having a heart attack. My tummy..." Marjorie seemed to close her eyes and breathe. "Even felt a strange trickle of dampness down below... Oh goodness." Marjorie's red face eyed a grinning Femme. "That's too much information to share. Anyway I'm not gay and I don't think I'm really straight either. I still think most men are disgusting creatures; though I do love my quarterback. We've been together thirty-eight years." Marjorie put her hand over Femme's and squeezed. "Femme we're exactly the same. Monogamists; like mother like daughter. And we have a few other things in common as well. The person I fell in love with right there in that shop was an air force pilot. And by the time we got round to marriage I was showing."

Marjorie turned left into Colville Road and drove in silence until she said, "You'll never meet another Billie. We monogamists only have space for one soul mate. The biggest challenge you pair face is growing your love, expanding to include your own children in a shared love circle. Nurturing your own family will test everything and should draw you closer together. Though if you can't share an equal commitment for the children the love you currently feel will suffocate, wilt and die." Marjorie glanced at Femme a moment. "You won't suffocate. I've been around too long to be wrong on that score. You guys belong together; all four of you." Marjorie drove in silence until she stopped the vehicle in the entrance to the bridge.

Femme looked at Marjorie twice before saying, "Thank you Shimá... Mother. Everything is all upside down at the moment." She looked up into the bridge rafters. "You know Billie will look up there and study the beams in this bridge the same way she looks at passing women. She wants to understand how everything is held together. Except me she knows about me. She looks at me to make sure I am holding together. We exist to keep each other together." Femme put her head on Marjorie's arm and looked up into her eyes. "Thank you for bringing me to the bridge. Billie will enjoy analysing and measuring all this." She waved her hand at the bridge and squinted. "Lets go home. I'll make you a coffee and massage your feet."

The note attached to the fridge read,

Dear Mrs Page.

We're sorry to leave without thanking you in person. We've had a wonderful few days in your care. Been gorgeous and we would like very much to return someday if you'll have us back after so rudely running out like this.

I did try to phone you and Femme. Your phones must be off and I couldn't fathom how to leave a message or send a text. I'm not very smart with dingle things always defer to Billie and she wasn't here.

I tried to clean everything properly though for cleaning I usually defer to Phillip (my brother). He's the domestic Goddess in our house. I pulled the bed apart and left the sheets in the room. Searched everywhere for a laundry and couldn't find one.

We've run away because Colonel Maiden called; she wants me back in Ellsworth before midday, which is doable just. Though I have to pick up a passenger in Thermopolis Wyoming on the way. Very curious Billie picked up a passenger there as well.

We waited for you as long as we could. Didn't like to disturb Mr Page at work so called a taxi. You needn't worry all your silverware is still in the draws.

Thank you again for your kindness, charm and hospitality.

We'll both wave if we fly overhead this afternoon heading east as I suspect we will.

Love,

Elizabeth (Ho)

PS: Mr Peep loves everything about Kentucky, particularly the people. Thinks your house much more suitable accommodation for a regal bear than the dingy little room we share at Ellsworth. He wanted to stay. I made him leave with me. He doesn't seem to need me as much as I need him. Oh well, such is destiny.

Marjorie held the note and smiled. "I like Elizabeth. She's charming. Hope she'll be okay. I've never met anyone so smart and pretty that doesn't let it affect her. She doesn't even seem to know how attractive she is. I like Mr Peep too. Do you think she'll ever find a boyfriend that will tolerate Mr Peep living with them?"

Femme put the kettle on. "I don't think Elizabeth would consider anyone who can't like Mr Peep as much as she does."

*****

Billie dropped onto the runway at Geilenkirchen at two thirty in the afternoon local time. The four and a half hour flight from Bagram had been filled with light-hearted chat, mostly about Anke. Where she was from and how she got from there to being the Colonel's personal slave; Billie's words. Anke laughed it off trying to explain how much she belonged with and felt part of the Maiden family. Would she ever marry again? A few weeks ago she would have laughed at the notion. Now she wasn't so sure. It wasn't really that she'd meet someone, more a dormant discovery within. Something she thought was extinct.

Anke smiled off most of Billie's probing, deflecting questions thrown, designed to uncover loves, losses and background titbits about Wendy. By the time they reached their destination the two women were comfortable sharing their mutual role as worker bees in Wendy's domain.

The raven was taken into a maintenance hanger to receive a new paint scheme, a surprise for Billie. Though the work-order looked genuine and had the Colonel's authority displayed across the bottom.

Billie was all-eyes as Anke drove along the private military access road used by NATO staff to cross from the airfield located in Germany to their Brunssum residence in the Netherlands. She merely looked at Anke with wide eyes when they pulled up in front of the sprawling three-story house.

Anke answered the question on Billie's face. "I know. The house is actually owned by the US government. We only occupy the ground floor. Military visitors stay up stairs. However the dreaded Colonel wants you down with us. I hope you don't mind children running along the corridor.

A tour of the living quarters followed, which included the children's rooms and a hint. Anke explaining she'd seen photos of the Batman and Pirate bedroom creations at the property next door to Pituri Downs. More conversation followed about Pituri Downs and the people there, which included curiosities returned by Anke about Billie's relationship with 'her' Sissy Vee. They ended with a long talk about Trent's new love of chooks. Of his refusal to come home and Sister Veronica solution to have Billie build a, little boy friendly, chicken run for chooks.

When Anke added Sissy would actually arrive here in a few days the surprise caught Billie unaware. She cried, though quickly toughened, wiped her eyes with the back of each hand and set about finding the best location for a chicken run. The conversation turned the discussion toward Trent's loves, desires, feelings and interests. Billie wanted to integrate the best match. Something to radiate satisfaction, keep the chooks healthy and allow them to interact with Trent while offering intellectual stimulation to challenge the boy's growing universe as he journeyed towards manhood, without neglecting the chooks.

They toured the garden together looking for a prime chook run location. Curious cows from the farm next door came to the fence keen to rekindle their understanding with Trent's bread in return for use of their nose to rub.

Billie entertained the cows and had quite an intelligent conversation with them over shared fruitcake, found by Anke in the Kitchen. The cows helped Billie locate the perfect spot for a chicken run. They were lining the fence where the view was best from Trent's bedroom window. Trent's pampered chooks will obviously want to do the same.

There was time to pencil a few ideas to share with Trent before being invited to go shopping to stock the kitchen. Shopping in new locations is always fun.

Upon their return they had a light snack for dinner and cleaned up before Billie asked Anke if she might use the Internet connection. She specifically asked to plug in to the source landline rather than use the house WiFi. Anke was told she was intending to do something rather irregular and wanted to attach some of her own equipment into the wall so the connection becomes confusingly untraceable from the other end.

Anke rolled her eyes and warned Billie she would need to use Wendy's office and all connections from the office were logged and traced by the military for security reasons. None of this frightened Billie though she did confess she was about to set-up a Trojan horse on a computer in the USA to establish bank account details including passwords to return money stolen from her girl friend Femme. The thief was Femme's own father.

Anke shook her head and asked to sit in the room so when Wendy found out she could verify nothing outwardly illegal was done.

Billie set-up her laptop and used a number of self built data gatherers on the line to encrypt the IP channel inter-packet headers and create an inline data log to satisfy her own security needs.

She accessed the Internet and used a network of packet switched IP tunnels in a variety of countries to establish her link. Most were legal though a few bounced signals off routers in questionable locations that wouldn't strictly be considered kosher. She also placed a device in the line she'd built called _a personal inter-packet depletion substitution encrypt wiz-thing_ , which was designed to cause Transmission Control Protocol signals to fail to reply and appear to break the data flow. In reality however the reply came via another forward link, which was software controlled on the PC and ran through a completely different tunnelling network. No one had ever been able to trace the link without access to Billie's suite of LBB's ( _little black boxes_ ). She was looking forward to testing the US military's ability from within and was quite confident they would be found wanting.

Billie established a point-to-point link to the network server of the focus Sheriff department, which would normally be enough to affect the task. Though two items amused her. The first; Sheriff Heinemann was actually using his computer and she could therefore set-up a point of source keyboard scan collector Trojan as well as a data collector. The second source of interest was both a delight and a puzzle. The computer activity within the whole department was already being collected and the information she wanted was already stored in files waiting to be accessed and read remotely. The source of the remote link was the FBI office in Denver. Billie was even able to establish the identity of the agent running the case from the authority ID encryption stored in the header of their data catch file.

It would seem Femme's father had wronged more than just his daughter. Billie took a copy of the FBI files making sure she didn't trigger the read access count lock, which would alert anyone within the FBI the files had been tampered with. To do so would make any evidence they sought inadmissible for legal proceedings if the FBI actually logged the truth.

Armed with the information she needed Billie logged onto the bank and accessed the sheriff's personal account. The balance was impressive well and truly covered Femme's stolen one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.

In order to make the transaction appear legitimate and easily established as basically honest she also logged onto Femme's old bank. She was delighted to establish Femhe's account was still active and even the passwords hadn't been changed from what had been set-up by Femme. Which meant Femhe's stolen money had been transferred using electronic funds transfer in two thousand dollar amounts over the space of a several months. Apparently Femme's family didn't actually have direct access to the account. Just to make sure Billie decided to change the notification email address and password anyway. She was astonished to discover a healthy balance of funds sitting in Femme's account. It was much more than Femme's original balance. She scanned the account transaction log finding where Femme's unauthorised outgoing transfers depleted the account to almost zero. After which the log revealed many inward payments from the defence department. The transactions appeared to be salary payments for quite a number of different people. A mystery.

Billie pulled a copy of the account log to her computer before going ahead with the transfer of Femme's money from her father's account back to Femme's account, which included a generous bonus to cover lost interest and bank charges to be incurred from a series of international transfers that were about to happen.

She used Femhe's account to transact a healthy packet of egold and moved the egold ownership by selling and purchasing through a multitude of non-people identities with Internet profiles she had previously created. Eventually satisfied, she realised the egold into cash with the payment going to her own account in Australia. She wasn't sure what to do next, probably wire the money to the states or even Europe while she was here. She could collect the money as cash in Germany in US dollars and take it home, like service personal do all the time. She needed to do something secure to prevent the money transfer chain going straight into Femme's new identity when her father got around to making a complaint about the missing money. To be on the safe side she cancelled Femme's stolen debit card so no more money could be taken from the account.

Just to be a pain and gain more lead-time she logged onto the Sheriff's mail thanks to his faith in computer cookies and changed the email security notification address for his Bank account to a nondescript email address she owned. She waited for the authentication email to arrive, activated it, before deleting and purging the email from the sheriff's email client. Then she changed the sheriff's bank account password and cancelled his credit card. Satisfied she had done well Billie tidied up her work and was thinking about sending a personnel message to the sheriff's screen just to get his blood pumping and allow him to think the hacker was unrelated before logging off but she was distracted by the phone ringing.

Anke answered the call. She pulled a face and expanded her eyes before saying. "Hello Wendy. Yes it was a lovely trip. Thank you for being concerned. And I got your message to meet the plane tomorrow morning. It's all in hand." Anke rolled her eyes as she listened. "Well I thought you'd want to know I'm fine. You sound quite annoyed. Perhaps you should be doing more of those stress release exercises that were given to you for good reason." Anke rolled her eyes again and listened. "There's no reason to be alarmed. I've been sitting here watching everything. She hasn't done anything particularly disturbing and nothing to concern you or the military. Though how efficiently she uses a computer might disturb some. Would you like to speak to her?" Anke nodded. "Try to be polite and listen. Her explanation is valid. And she really is a nice person. Night Wendy. Perhaps you should try to get some sleep or you'll be grumpy all day."

Anke put a hand over the phone speaker and said to Billie, "Security woke her up to tell her someone is using her computer line. She guessed who and is rather cranky." Anke mouthed _sorry_ as she handed Billie the phone.

"Morning Ma'am. Would it help if I say I can provide a complete transaction log of everything I've been doing on-line?"

Anke was correct Wendy didn't sound pleased. "I've just been woken up at two thirty in the morning to be told the trace capture on my computer link has been circumvented by an intruder who is overriding the IP capture and hop count address storage. Apparently the trace on one link goes cold on a dating agency chat service in Bulgaria. Another is halting at a Spanish suicide help desk. They suspect both lines are being manipulated because volumes of traffic is shunting along both lines in encrypted bursts in only one direction." Wendy took a deep breath. "Will it upset me to hear what you're doing?"

Billie tried her most polite tone. "I'm sorry they woke you. But there was no need. I've taken steps to make sure the people at the other end can't locate the source of my activity. I've been returning Femme's stolen money to her original account then away from that account to somewhere inaccessible and safe. I need to protect Femme's location and the source of the transaction from the other end for the same reason. Nothing I've done is illegal in terms of bank account access methods. I'm quite prepared to share my logs with any discrete, secure, responsible source."

"Okay Hope. I'll cover you. When we next meet I want to see your logs, the chook house finished and a contented smile on my little boy's face. Can you manage all that? That's in addition to everything on my debrief list from your activities over the Pacific."

"Yes Ma'am. I can. And I'm delighted to be the recipient of the trust you're showing in me. Helps me feel warm and fuzzy."

"Don't push you luck Hope. I'm to tired to argue at the moment."

"Ma'am. Your security people may wish to know the source location I'm currently accessing is in receipt of personal attention from the FBI. They're monitoring all computer activity in the building and tracing everyone except me back to their source. Plus; the stolen account since being depleted of owner funds has been receiving funds, which appear to be different people's wages all coming from the military. It seems very irregular. I collected a copy of the transaction logs."

"Okay Billie. I'll pass that information on. Just to make sure we haven't got our wires crossed. Confirm that we're talking about a small town Sheriff and next of kin of your client."

"Yes Ma'am. That's correct."

"Okay Billie. You've made a good intelligence gather. I'll report your suspicions to security and suggest they make further inquiries. I'll also suggest they coordinate their activities with the FBI. I'm not going to name you directly so if you receive any direct contacts about this would you get the persons details and stall them while you contact me to have their authority verified? It would be preferred if you could keep them on the line while you phone me." Wendy appeared to yawn. "I've got to get some sleep. Have to be airborne in a few hours. I'll phone tomorrow from the plane after my little man arrives. Oh and go to the airport to meet my son Anke may need help. There is a lot of luggage on the plane plus your tools are scheduled to arrive at the same time. Ciao Billie."

Billie handed the disconnected phone to Anke and turned her attention back to the computer intending to logoff and pack-up her equipment. However she noticed an increase in activity on Sheriff Heinemann's computer and couldn't resist investigating. A quick look at his active programs found an Internet Relay Chat client in operation. Billie rolled her eyes only people with big egos or something to hide use IRC these days. They all think it's secure. Ha, she didn't even need to logon to the same server. She could spool a copy of his screen buffer to an open port for transmission, which she did and started reading. The Sheriff was in a chat room layering to skyrim/sancta/templiers under the user id Merlin. Billie laughed, King Arthur's wizard. What a Bogan. You'd think a religious crank at war with the world would be more discrete. And original.

Merlin was holding court over a point-to-point link with none other than Galahad. Billie rolled her eyes and shook her head but sat up when Galahad mentioned how he Percival, Bors and Younger were getting close. We don't know where she is yet. Until we know better the key to finding her is here in South Dakota. The guy who runs the dinner said she's pregnant. Plus he told the police she empted the safe before she left. His wife talks to me in the car park, says she wasn't pregnant and when she left she had nothing. Said her husband told us she was pregnant because he figured that was what we wanted to hear. We described her that way on the phone. Plus he paid her in cash and stole all her wages back the night before we arrived. She said he's working a scam with the tax department.

Merlin typed. Who do you believe?

Not sure. I'd say she's more likely to be closer to the truth than her sleazy husband. I know her motive. She invited us to make her a happy widow.

Merlin typed. How do you intend to find our girl?

She's getting help from someone and it's likely the original help came from those air force bitches in the dinner. They all seem to be pilots. One is based here at Ellsworth. We have a good information source on Ellsworth who keeps his eyes open. He was on night shift the day Femhe cleared out. However he heard all the people at the dinner flew to Whiteman in Missouri the same day? Apparently they were even on TV holding a press conference there. We drove down the next day and had a look around but came up blank. We couldn't get anywhere near the base you'd think it was Fort Knox. Tried the supermarkets, post office etc, asking around. No one has seen her or any of the others. So we come back up here.

A few days ago our contact tells us the little slope bitch stationed here at Ellsworth flies in from a three-day mission over Afghanistan and transfers straight into a smaller plane, it's almost her private toy and flies alone to Higginsville in Missouri, which is only a few miles from Whiteman. And she has a heap of women's clothes stored in a container under the wing.

So we drive down there again and discover three military planes landed at Higginsville. One plane arrives and drops off a male then leaves only to return a few hours later accompanied by another plane. They both sit there with four people inside until the bitch from up here turns up to pick the person they dropped off and all three planes fly out together. No one knows what was going on. We show Femhe's photo around but again no one has seen her so we drive back up here.

Heard nothing for a few days then a few hours ago the same bitch returns. Took off from Thermopolis Wyoming with a passenger, a guy who looks and talks like an Indian. They load four large canvas bags into the plane's bomb bay before the guy rides off on a motorbike. He's a talker tells our man he's going home to Thermopolis but turns shy when asked what was in the bags he helped load onto the plane. A few minutes later the slope takes off. She's alone and heading for Moses Lake Washington. I figure all we have to do now is wait and find out where the plane returns from and we're got her. It will be Moses Lake and obviously Femhe intends staying there. They're delivering her possessions. She's probably on the bus or being driven there right now to dust her tracks.

Merlin typed. Indians? Do you think her mother is helping?

I don't know. Maybe she is. When I think about it, it's likely. Everyone knows Indian women stick together like glue. How would they be getting in touch with each other?

Merlin typed. I'll find out. Knowing this might give us the leverage we need. I'll make that girl cooperate this time when we find her.

Anyway we figure we're close. She can't live on luck much longer. All we have to do is wait and see where the plane comes back from. If it's Moses Lake that's sure to be where she is.

Billie watches the conversation flow with chilling interest. She also flits her time reading the pier-to-pier header detail on the data spool emanating from Galahad. She pings for an IP address and gets a response then quickly does an IP lookup to establish an ISP. Hacking an ISP client data record is chicken play. Merlin is located near Pringle at the address she was expecting, the cousins in the South Dakota compound.

The conversation continues.

If we don't get a result this time we'll snatch the bitch who's flying after her and persuade her to give over what she knows. With luck that tall bitch that broke my nose and the southern one who kicked me will turn up sometime soon. I've got plans for both of them. They're dead meat. They'll regret ambushing me. Those bitches will be begging to die long before I give them what they want.

Billie smiles. She knows for certain the identity of Galahad. It would be reasonable to assume Percival, Bors and Younger are Femme's brothers. Femme said they would be there with him. Interesting, they're using the same four identity names of those who went on the quest to find the Holy Grail. I wonder if they're that smart or just dumb lucky? Is there something about Femme so important to these weirdos as the Holy Grail was to Galahad's namesake? Could be. After all she's my Holy Grail.

We need to establish the identity of the person Michael told where he was going. And we need to be very careful in our dealings with these freaks. Elizabeth needs protection. She looked at her watch. It was too early to phone Michael he wouldn't be home yet. I'll talk with him and Elizabeth tomorrow. I'd better brief Wendy when she phones.

Billie did a quick scan of Galahad's computer and initiated a complete file dump during their next update cycle, which was scheduled for midnight tonight. Then she planted an intercept spike to collect data flow and Internet navigation activity.

As an afterthought she turned her attention back to the Sheriff's data capture files and searched for a business bank account used by the sheriff's department for expenses. She found several records accessing such an account, located the matching cookie, which stored the Sheriff's user Id and password and logged into the account. A quick scan down the transactions revealed her hunch correct. There were numerous entries from South Dakota and several getting there. She even saw charges incurred on the two trips to Missouri. She intended to cancel the cards but decided to leave them all active to track their movements. To be thorough she documented all the credit card numbers and associated names in use on the account, then backed up her logs, disconnected and packed away her equipment.

Billie stretched, picked up the phone and dialled Femme. Marjorie's scheduled afternoon naptime for future mummy and babies would now be complete. She smiled warmly knowing Femme was safe and being cared for by Marjorie. It was reassuring. She wouldn't mention any of what she's just discovered. Not yet. The detail would worry Femme and knowing Femme she would be especially worried for Elizabeth. Best to wait until we have a plan. Though of one thing she was sure. These fanatics aren't planning to go away. They will need to be stopped. Somehow?

*****

Thank you for staying with the story.  
The Pages saga continues into:  
Pages – Book 2 - by EA Harwik  
(ISBN: 9780980677645)

EA Harwik – A Dreamer who found an old pen.

Thank you for reading Pages. I'm beholden to you.

More of the author or stories can be found on-line.

EA Harwik  
eaharwik@eaharwik.com  
www.eaharwik.com  
[www.facebook.com/eaharwik  
](http://www.facebook.com/eaharwik)

##

##  Table of Contents

## \--- Chapter_01  
\--- Chapter_02  
\--- Chapter_03  
\--- Chapter_04  
\--- Chapter_05  
\--- Chapter_06  
\--- Chapter_07  
\--- Chapter_08  
\--- Chapter_09  
\--- Chapter_10  
\--- Chapter_11  
\--- Chapter_12  
\--- Chapter_13  
\--- Chapter_14  
\--- Chapter_15  
\--- Chapter_16  
\--- Chapter_17  
\--- Chapter_18  
\--- Chapter_19  
\--- Chapter_20

\--- Title Page  
\--- Beginning  
\--- End  
\--- About the Author  
\--- Copyright

