Desert Vets - 2. DV Ch 2 - No Time For Rest

When the time came for the wedding service, I nervously followed Rhodes, and we went around the back of the homestead, and approached the ceremony area where I saw Marcus smartly dressed, with a new hair trim, and he was smiling broadly as I approached.

As expected, the service lasted for thirty minutes, with us both exchanging and receiving rings, and once we kissed for the first time as husband and husband, everyone cheered and I blushed. After some photos were taken, we all sat down for a reception lunch, to be held in the marquee.

After a wonderful lunch and with all the speeches completed, Marcus and I did the wedding waltz, and after a few dances with Mum and my sisters, I gathered Marcus and Auggie for a private meeting in the house, where I informed them of the legal changes that I had made to the business, with them both been made business partners.

Auggie was very surprised by this, but Marcus said that he better accept or he would not have an enjoyable holiday with his new husband, so Auggie gratefully accepted. With the business sorted, I gave Rhodes the signal that it was time for us to leave, as we had to fly back to Kununurra, before catching a flight to Darwin, where we would be staying overnight, then flying to Brisbane in the morning, and onto Lord Howe Island in the early afternoon.

After a wonderful Man Moon as Auggie called it, which we extended by an extra week, we arrived back in Kununurra via Darwin, on a fine afternoon, and as the plane taxied towards the hanger, I spotted three planes all lined up, with a large banner – “Welcome Home Married Men,” which made me laugh, and Marcus smiled when he peered out the window to see what I was looking at.

“What is with the other aircraft, I thought you only own the Thuxton and the Twin Otter?” Marcus asked me, “That is correct, I am just as baffled as you are dear,” I replied, as I looked at the nice-looking Beechcraft King Air B 360 Twin Prop plane. Once inside the air terminal, we were mugged by a large group of family and colleagues, who are very pleased to see us home, although there was one face that I was familiar with who I hadn’t seen in a long while.

“Hello Christian Langley, I haven’t seen you since we finished Uni together. I am presuming you are now part of the team?” I said to my former Uni Student colleague, “That’s right boss, and I am loving every moment of it, far better than working and living in the city. Can I introduce my partner – Joseph Barrett, Joe this is our head boss, Jexon Kendrick and his new hubby Marcus Sanderson, Auggie has employed Joe as our Vet Pathologist,” Christian explained after the introductions.

“Well welcome to the team both of you, I hope you have both settled in, ok?” I said as I shook both of their hands, as did Marcus. “Yes boss, we have settled in well and loving your two mischievous pets too,” Joe replied, which made Marcus and I laugh. “Yes, they definitely are that,” I replied.

Auggie informed me that he had booked us into the resort for the night, so we could spend a bit of time with Mum and Rhodes, who is now the Quarantine Station Manager near the border, and when it is quiet, he often helps out at the Vet Hospital in town.

During dinner, Mum and Rhodes informed us that the rest of the siblings and cousins are still away at boarding school, where they are enjoying their studies, and always looking forward to returning home to the station on holidays, with all the stations running very well, and are looking very good too.

“I am not sure if you noticed the extra aircraft parked between your two planes, but that is your new mode of transport, as a wedding gift from the family, we thought that with your increased work duties as District Veterinary Officer, and with Marcus getting his pilot’s licence, that you could do with an extra aircraft,” Mum announced to us. “The Beechcraft B 360 is mine?” I asked sounding quite shocked.

“Yes dear, we thought that maybe Marcus can do all of the short distance flights in the Twin Otter, based from Kununurra, and you can do all of the long-distance flights in your new and faster aircraft. It makes sense that you have a faster aircraft to get from your new home at Corunna to Kununurra, and from there you can both set off on your daily trips, we just ask that you both fly very carefully that is all,” Mum said to us.

“Thanks… Mum, we really appreciate what you have done for the both of us,” Marcus said calling my Mum that for the first time, which had me and Mum in tears, “You are most welcome dear, but remember, don’t you dare hurt my boy or I will be after you with a shot gun,” Mum said sternly.

I burst out laughing as the look of shock was seen on my husband’s face. Marcus gulped, uncertain if he should take that as a serious threat or not and just nodded his understanding just to be sure, with Mum smiling.

The next morning after breakfast with Mum and Rhodes, Marcus and I headed over to the Vet hospital, with Auggie coming to collect us and all of our luggage. When we entered via the staff side entrance, it was good to get out of the tropical heat as it was starting to get quite humid again, and Auggie led us straight to the main office, which is now mainly where he works since he manages the Kununurra Hospital.

“Just a couple things to let you know about, apart from the additional two staff, that you already know about, I have also managed to so a few alterations upstairs,” Auggie announced to us, which caught me totally by surprise, “I checked with your Mum first about the planned changes, even though she has nothing to do with the business, but I wanted her Okie Dokie before I went ahead with them.

The changes are all upstairs, firstly in the staff quarters, we have turned the study into an additional bedroom suite, with the storage room next to it into a bathroom, and the staff recreation room, is now the second Surgery theatre, since we seemed to be getting a lot busier in that department,” Auggie announced to us.

“Well, I guess we had better go up and check up on theses changes,” I responded, and we headed out the door and around the corridor and up the stairs to the upper level. “The door into the Staff area is now via the Waiting room, and as you can see, we have a secure door into the surgical zone,” Auggie said to us, as we began looking at the changes.

“I like what you have done, but it would have been nice to have been consulted on the changes first, but I think the changes that you have made will be definitely and improvement on what we can provide to the community and region,” I said as we concluded our tour of the changes, and Auggie looked relieved after hearing that.

“By the way, I am loving my new home, and I even let the two devils come and visit me each afternoon, but only for two hours, then they return to their own habitat outside in the garden,” Auggie said to me. “I am glad that you like it there, it is a great place to live, even with the two little devils,” I replied smiling.

“Dr Kendrick, telephone call, line two,” came a PA announcement which was also new, and Auggie pointed to the telephone on the wall near the elevator. “Hello this is Jexon Kendrick speaking,” I said as I answered the call. “Hey bro, it is me, can you come out to the quarantine station please, we may have another outbreak of that same disease as before,” my brother said on the other end of the line.

“Sure thing, Marcus and I will be out there shortly,” I replied and I ended the call. “Grab your gear dearest, we have a house call to make out to the border quarantine station,” I said to Marcus, who chuckled, as we made our way downstairs.

Handing over his practice Vet bag to me, I saw Marcus grab our overnight bags that sat near the door from our overnight stop in Brisbane, on the way home. “Just in case we need to overnight anywhere, always good to be prepared,” Marcus said to me, as we headed out the door, and down the side of the property towards our aircraft hangar the edge of the airport.

Fifteen minutes later, we were up in the air and ten minutes after that we landed at the new airstrip at the border, where I saw my brother Rhodes waiting for us. “Took your time getting here,” Rhodes said having a dig at me, and I just chuckled.

“Either way, by air or by road, it is still going to take the same amount of time, as I have to do all the safety checks first,” I commented as we climbed into the vehicle and sped off towards the quarantine station on the NT side of the border. After putting on our coveralls and gumboots, Marcus and I made a precautionary observation of the yarded cattle, and I looked over at Marcus for confirmation.

“I would say he is spot on with his guess of diagnosis… Rhodes, well done on spotting this, we think you are spot on with what you said,” Marcus said to me and then to Rhodes, who was busy setting up a restriction zone around this set of yards, which are well away from the others.

“I think we need to go and visit this cattle station of origin, and find out what the hell is going on,” I commented, “Just as well I grabbed our bags then eh!” Marcus said and I chuckled at this comment, as we headed to the office to check on the transport waybill for this load of cattle.

While there, I made a few calls, firstly to the Department of Primary Industries in Katherine - NT, to notify them of the outbreak, and then to the Department of Agriculture in Kununurra - WA to notify them of the same thing. I let the Katherine Office know that I intended to personally fly out to this cattle station that is responsible to check on their herds, so see if there are any more diseased cattle on the property, and they agreed with my decision, just as the telephone on Rhodes desk rang.

“Animal Quarantine Station, WA Border, Rhodes Kendrick speaking,” my brother said answering the call, and after a few moments he looked up directly at me, “Yes, the Flying vets are both here… ok, I will let them know, one of them will be there as soon as possible, goodbye,” we heard Rhodes say, as he wrote down some notes on a pad, and tore the page off and handed it to me.

“Wild Horse vs vehicle… Marble Bar Rd, five kilometres south of Nullagine… Airfield available and in good order…” the note read, “That’s about 90 kilometres south of Marble Bar if I remember right?” I asked my brother, “Yes boss, so it shouldn’t take too long in your flash new toy,” Rhodes replied smiling, and I gave a short laugh at that comment before turning to Marcus.

“Will you be ok here to deal with this matter?” I asked my husband. “Yes, you go, I will be fine, and I have my brother-in-law to help me out if I have any troubles,” Marcus replied, and I paused for a moment and watched as Rhodes opened his mouth and snapped in shut, then blushed.

Marcus and I both laughed at that reaction from Rhodes, as I collected my vet bag, and headed out the door, where I asked one of the only two staff members employed so far at the quarantine station, to give me a lift back to the aircraft, and I was soon in the air heading south for the small community of Nullagine, 90 kilometres south of Marble Bar, and just 60 kilometres North of home, with a flight time of 1 hour and 40 minutes.

I received a message from Rhodes to say that someone will be at the airfield to collect me and take me to the crash site, and it was then that I suddenly realised that I may run into my former school colleague and bully, which made me groan out loud.

“KVS 494, did you say something Jexon, over?” my brother said over the radio, and I realised that I hadn’t released the mic button, “KVS 949 to Quarantine Station, no Rhodes I just let out a groan, when I just realised that a certain person maybe attending the accident, over,” I replied, “Oh him… yeah hadn’t thought of that, good luck with that, over,” Rhodes replied and after releasing the mic button, I groaned again.

When I arrived and landed safely on the Nullagine Airfield, just on the outskirts of town, there was a police vehicle there waiting for me, and as I stepped out of the plane and walked around to the storage locker, I was glad to see that it was a fresh face 1^st class constable at the wheel of the Police Ute, which I was very thankful of.

“Hello Dr Kendrick, I am Cliff Underwood, and Inspector Brooks sends his regards from Broome Office,” the Constable said, and I silently groaned at the name. Once at the crash site, where I saw a very badly damaged Toyota Landcruiser on its side, and not too far away was a beautiful wild brumby, laying on its side, and immediately I began to worry that I would have to put down, this beautiful horse, as I cautiously approached and it whinnied as it watched me.

I spent a good ten minutes checking her out in great detail, the first thing I learnt was that she had no broken bones, which was a real surprise, I gave her a sedative to help calm her down a bit, and once that took effect, I was able to do a more detailed examination of her.

“Do we have anyone in town that has a horse float, or a truck with a front-end loader?” I asked to no one in particular. “Dr, my name is Judson, Mike Judson, I manage Bonney Downs Station, and we have a double horse float that you can use,” a mans voice said to me.

“Excellent, can you please arrange for it to be brought here as soon as possible, and can you spare someone to drive the float to Corunna Airbase?” I asked. “Oh! You are that family that owns the airbase. I have always wanted to visit it, and check out all of the old historical area from WW2,” Mr Judson said.

“Well, today is your lucky day, if you can spare the time,” I said smiling, and he nodded his head happily, as I retrieve my Sat-phone from out of the bag, and dialled a number. “Hey Rhodes, I have a special project for you, if you wouldn’t mind spending some time back home on the base,” I said when the call was answered.

Ten minutes later, all the arrangements had been made. Once Marcus has completed vaccinating all of the cattle, at the quarantine station, they would drive back to Kununurra in Rhodes’s vehicle, where Rhodes would travel back to Corunna with Marcus in the Twin Otter, arriving about 90 minutes after leaving Kununurra, but I expected them to be at the Quarantine Station for some time, before they head back into town.

My next call was to the new owners of Corunna Downs Station, Jack and Jill Evans, and after explaining the situation, they were happy to allow me to use the cattle yards close to the homestead to put the injured horse, so she could be looked after in a secure area, and I arranged for the purchase of some of his hay and grain for horse feed while the horse is staying at the cattle yards.