Desert Air - 17. DA Ch 17 - Vice Regal Visit

“Right, we have our men looking at the other mines, and I have already been in contact with the VIP jet, and they are on their way back here, eta about 45 minutes, how about giving me a tour of these facilities of yours,” the Captain said.

“My pleasure sir, can you leave one of the Hawkei’s behind when you leave?” I replied smiling I hope, and the Captain laughed.

“Not sure that the VIP’s would approve of that,” the Captain responded, “No, I guess not, shame. Well I wouldn’t mind a ride in one of them,” I replied, “You got it,” the Captain said as we walked over towards the closest Hawkei, and the Captain sat in the front passenger seat, while myself, a sergeant and a corporal joined us, all of them heavily armed.

“I hear here is a hidden bunker somewhere on this base,” the Captain said to me over his shoulder, “Nah, you must be mistaken, I haven’t found one, and I have covered the whole base,” I replied, as I decided to keep that information secret.

Luckily the Captain didn’t push me for any more information about it, as I explained each building, and over the radio, a call came through that the last of the mines has been disarmed, and that Mr Parkinson was ok, apart from a bit of hearing loss and been shaken up a bit, but he should make a full recovery.

I was glad when I heard that, and I leaned forward, “Can you get your lads to take him back to the homestead, it is a bit over 5 kilometres south-east of here, and Mr Parkinson has a key for the gate,” I asked, “Sure not a problem,” the Captain replied, and he called on the radio to make the arrangements.

A few minutes later as we stopped near my plane, the other Hawkei stopped beside us, and the rear door opened, “Jexon, I am going home with these lads, depending on how I feel after a lay down, we should be back just before they arrive, and if you didn’t know, your siblings have been staying with Joyce and I while your parents were away,” Hedley said to me.

“Yes, I did know, and thankyou for looking after them, I hope they have been well behaved,” I replied, “Yes, little angels all of them, bye for now,” Hedley said and the other vehicle set off towards the Southern gate. “How many siblings do you have,” the Corporal asked, “Four of them, and I am the oldest of three boys and two girls,” I replied.

After having a look at my plane, we all headed to the operations shed, where there was an old table and sitting on it was a vintage communications radio. “Wow, I wonder if it still works,” I commented, “It does, and quite well too,” the Group Captain said as he walked into the room.

“We have been keeping in touch for the past two days, using this old thing,” the SAS Captain said smiling, “Who said old things never die, well with the exception of the old jeep out the back,” I commented, and there was a round of nods of the head.

“I like your style of fencing, very heavy duty and hard to force through,” the SAS Captain commented, “That is why we built it that way, and each post is four metres into the ground, so it would be virtually impossible to move, unless it was a tank, that can drive over it,” I replied.

With just fifteen minutes before the VIP jet is due to land, the mine holes had been filled in, and there were now a total of thirty heavily armed men lined up on each side of Runway one, and another thirty in the hills to the north with sniper rifles.

“Here, I have a spare one of these, so you can listen in on what is happening, since you will be close to the protectors,” the SAS captain said to me, and I looked at the tiny item in my hand.

“A sat communicator?” I asked, and the Captain smiled and nodded, before turning sideways to me, so I could see how he wears his, and I soon had mine in place.

“Just talk normally, never shout, or you will deafen us all, and only talk when it is extremely urgent, we use first names only, never rank, and make the messages clear and brief,” the Captain instructed me. “Ok… err Tim,” I replied.

“Linc to Tim, we see raising dust north off us coming this way, over,” I heard, which made me jump at first. “Copy that, hold,” Tim replied, and he looked at me, “Do you have your keys for the gates with you?” he asked me, and I pulled them out of my pocket, and handed them over, minus the keys to the plane.

“Keys to the gate coming in a Hawkei,” Tim said over the communicator, and I tried to adjust mine as it was little too loud, and Tim smiled as he adjusted it a little.

“Test one two, it that better?” Tim said through the communicator, and I nodded yes, “Be advised, the Airbase owner, Private Jex Kendrik ASC-1 has a communicator,” Tim said, “Welcome to the party Jex,” came a response, and Tim chuckled.

“Ok boys, sit-rep on that approaching vehicle,” Tim said, as I walked away from him, and sat under the wind of my plane where there is some shade. “White Toyota Landcruiser, WA private plates, looks like three persons onboard,” came a reply.

“Ok boys, this is what we are trained for, keep a close look out in all directions,” Tim said, “Spotter, Jex here, do the plates read Bravo Romeo, Oscar, Oscar, Kilo Sierra?” I asked, as I had a slight hunch who the unwelcome visitors may be. “One moment… yes that is correct Brooks is what the plates read,” came a reply.

“Tim, that is Sergeant Paul Brooks, from Marble Bar Police, and it is his own private vehicle,” I said over the communicator. “Copy that Jex, Tony go and meet this local copper, and find out who sent him out this way, I have no information about the locals coming to visit,” Tim said, “Copy,” came a reply.

About ten minutes later, “Tony to Tim, he says he was invited to come, and he has the Shire President and the Police District Superintendent with him, and I have seen their ID’s to confirm their identity,” came a voice over the Comms.

“Very well, inform them to park at the car park on the north side of the creek and walk to the Operations shed, and report in, and make sure you secure that gate once they have passed through,” Tim replied. “I will go and escort them to operations,” I said to Tim as I began to jog northwards.

“Mr Parkinson’s vehicle is approaching from the south gate, looks to be 6 occupants,” came another voice, “That would be his wife and my four siblings,” I added, as I slowed to talk on the communicator, “Keep going Jex, I will go and meet them,” Tim said.

When I arrived at the car park, the three men were exiting the vehicle. “Kendrick, what on earth is going on here,” Sergeant Brooks demanded, “It is Private Kendrik, Australian Army thankyou very much, and it is need to know only, I am here to escort you to the operations shed,” I replied to the police sergeant, before turning to the Police Superintendent.

“Superintendent, nice to see you again sir,” I said to him as we shook hands, “This is East Pilbara Shire President Bill Porter, Bill this young man is the owner of this Airbase, Mr Jexon Kendrik, his family own the nearby Hillside Station,” the Superintendent said making the introductions, and I shook his hand.

“This way please gentlemen, and be aware this base is now under Army control until the VIP’s have safely departed after the ceremony,” I stated, as we began the nearly two kilometre walk.

“Do we have much further to go?” Sergeant Brooks asked as he sounded puffed out from the long walk, “Just to those sheds sir,” I replied as I smiled, and I heard the Superintendent chuckling beside me. “So who exactly gave you an invitation to attend this well planned but secret event?” I asked the superintendent.

“I was notified by Army Headquarters in Canberra that an event would be taking place at the airbase, and that no police vehicles or unauthorised people are to go near the airbase today. Mr Porter was in my office when I took the call, so he found out by chance, and so we drove to Marble Bar, and asked the good sergeant to drive out here in his personal vehicle,” the superintendent replied.

“Just as well that I knew about his private vehicle and what the plates are, or you would have received a much more hostile reception, than what you got,” I responded. “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that, I guess the VIP’s are just that,” the superintendent said.

“Sorry, that is need to know information, all I can say is take note of the fully armed soldiers that are guarding the main runway now,” I replied.

“Wow, so many of them, and all with rifles,” Mr Porter stated, “That is just half of them, there are the same number in the hills with sniper rifles, watching our every move, so I suggest that you continue staying calm and do not attempted to move towards the dignitaries, unless I am with you,” I said, with that statement being heard by all of the SAS men as I had the mic on for that.

“Nice going Jex, scaring the shit out of the visitors,” a voice said in my ear, and smiling, I turned and waved towards the hills, before we approached the shed, where the Parkinson’s and my siblings were all seated and waiting, and I was suddenly swamped into a group hug from my siblings.

“Hey everyone, good to see you again,” I said, “We have all missed you,” Mary said softly, as she saw the others enter. “Hedley, Joyce, nice to see you again. How is your head feeling?” I said to the Parkinson’s, “A bit better now thanks, at least I have got most of my hearing back,” Hedley replied.

“Heads up, here comes the Airforce escort,” came Captain Tim’s voice, and I headed outside, and everyone followed, just as we heard 5 jets approach and fly low over the airbase, then it circled the airbase a few times, before two of the planes landed on runway two, and taxied halfway along before stopping near my plane, than we heard saw the approaching executive jet which came straight in to land.

“Be on your very best behaviour kids, as you are about to meet some very important people,” I said to my siblings, who were all wearing their good clothes, as we watched the plane land and taxi onto the taxi road, and stop just in front of the operations shed.

One of the Hawkei’s that followed the executive jet, stopped behind it, and four men jumped out and stood guard as the door opened and the stairs were lowered. “Honour Guard, Attention,” a shout came from Tim, and I too snapped at attention, what I had not noticed before, was that near the windsock, there was now a flag post, and flying on it was the Australian flag.

“Oh my, it is the Governor General of Australia,” I heard Joyce say, “That’s right Joyce, also his wife, plus the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Army, and Mum and Dad,” I responded quietly as each of them exited the plane.

“So this is why the base is so heavily protected,” I heard the Superintendent say, “Yes sir, but I was not allowed to say so before they landed,” I replied, and while the dignitaries were being greeted, Mum and Dad stepped ahead, with dad carrying a suit bag.

“Something you forgot to take with you last night son,” Dad said to me as he handed it over, “Thanks Dad,” I replied, and I raced around the back of the shed and very quickly changed out of my casuals and into a business suit with black shoes included.