Ashley I will have two of my security men from the station escort us back to my homestead. We could fly if you prefer but it is only 5kms. No problem Jones. I still know how to fly my own helicopter. I may need a lookout tho. You have the job. Be at the hangar 8 sharp Thursday morning.
Ashley was astounded at the size of Davenport Downs and enjoyed the history told her by Ritchie. They inspected some cattle lots and headed for home two hours later with the two burly security men Richie had promised and arrived without incident much to Ashley's relief.
Thursday morning dawned warm with a hazey sky. Sufficiently clear for the muster tho surmised Richie. He and a sleepy- looking Ashley met a punctual Tom Jones standing by the Cantwell Flash hangar. The two men the pushed the small chopper out to its take off port. Within minutes Richie had his other pride and joy on the way to Davenport Downs. Feeling elated as he always looked forward to the first muster of the season.. specially from the air. He told Ashley that their task was to muster (round up) some 1000 Red Belmont and Australian Braford breeds which were grazing 5kms from the station and march them back to their stalls for market processing. Several minute later Jones spotted a large herd of Brafords with a half dozen of Richie's best musterers riding toward them. Richie flew to the far side of a herd when from nowhere a glowing white glow enveloped the Cantwell Flash momentarily blinding the three. Then all went blank. The next the three knew was they had landed. They were unharmed but in shock. "What happened Richie", said a visibly shaken Ashley. " I have no idea, replied an equally bewildered Richie."This is not Cantwell land. Where are we?......
I can see a couple of different ways the story can go. Since Richie is our host, let's let him decide.
Pleased you asked me that. I had in mind that we are transported either back to Nazi Germany or forward to a 1984 like totalitarian society on Earth. The plot being Ashley and Richie having lived mostly a privileged lifestyle now find themselves in a place where they have no freedoms and are in fact punished for their cushy pasts. Aided by Tom Jones they have to go on the run in a strange and dangerous land.
I don't want to go back to Germany. It's too real. There came the sound of some kind of flying machines. "Quick! Get behind those bushes!," exclaimed Junes. "That can't be good." Richie and Ashley followed him behind the bushes. The machines looked something like helicopters but the blades were like beams of light instead of metal. There was writing on the sides in some kind of language that the three had never seen.
Then two figures looking like something out of Star Wars exited the machine and headed towards our hiding place....
Tom pulled out his skinning knife saying " just say the word Mr Cantwell sir and I'll have at them." "Stay back Lady Ashley, your life is more valuable than mine."
Tom Jones' skinning knife went flying as one of the Star Wars 'storm troopers' lifted his arm and fired what resembled a laser beam from a weapon attached to his wrist. "Bloody hell Jones. They mean business".....
"No'" whispered Richie. "We don't know if they are friendly or not. If you go out brandishing a weapon, they will surely attack." "I think we are still in Australia. I recognize some of the landmarks. I think we might have passed through a time warp. I speak a bit of Aboriginal language. Let me go out and try to speak to them." He stepped out from the bushes and said, "Yaama." The front figure removed her helmet and revealed a strikingly beautiful woman. She shook her long, raven hair loose and it fell in lustrous wave down her back. "We speak English," she said. " We saw a mysterious flash of light and came to investigate. Follow us and we will talk. The sun is going down and it will soon be dark." "My name is Raven and my brother's name is Ray." Richie felt his heart skip a beat. He had never seen a woman as beautiful as Raven. More
They went a spot that was surrounded by rocks. Ray soon had a fire going from wood that emitted almost no smoke. They sat around the fire and talked as they drank coffee. Raven spoke, "Many years ago we were a free people. Then the Chinese came. Our leaders saw their far superior weapons and numbers and surrendered rather than have many of our people killed." The Chinese cut off all communication with the outside world. They have made slaves of our people. They found that coffee grows well here so they make our people work in the coffee fields and factories. A few of our people determined to fight and escaped in the beginning. They have long since passed on but their descendants fight on. The ones who remained have been brainwashed. They don't even remember being free. The TV shows them only what the oppressors want them to see. They go to work, go home, watch silly TV shows and smile. At first the Chinese hunted us but they seem to have forgotten us now. We hide and strike whenever we get a chance. But we cannot free our people from their slavery. The Old People tell of a land where people are free. They say it is called America. I don't know if it is a real place or simply an Old People's fable. We have asked the Source of all Things to send us someone to help free our people. Maybe It has heard our plea and sent you to help us."
Chinese occupation or a freedomless totalitarian state? What is the timeline. The 30th century? What say you Shirley and Terry. I am easy with either.
I like the story with Ray and Raven. That's also futuristic which I like. 30th C sounds interesting with totalitarian Chinese. I'm game. Whatever. How about this natter? Tom says in his Aboriginal native tongue, "May I retrieve my little knife please. I was only in a defence stance. You understand me? I guarded our Lady. . m. . m . .m . . Is this a dreaming? Are you spirit beings?" ,whilst quietly picking up his skinning knife, if not interupted, folding it and putting it back in its leather pouch on his belt lightly embossed with delicately embossed Dream time characters to the educated. Toonish to most.The Rainbow Serpent weaved its way along the belts entirety. "You win big bosses, no trouble please, what's up?" says Tom in his tribes' unique language "We help?" If need be he repeats his words in English.