"It was touch and go Grier. I got lucky. How soon did Kuching say they were sending a rescue team". Richard surveyed the scene around him. The 707 resembled a model aircraft that a petulant child had smashed for no reason. Other than having the left wing hanging by a few struts, the tail had been sheered off, there were multiple cracks in the fuselage and one engine had ended up 500 metres behind. Richard felt physically sick as he saw bodies being carried out and laid next to the plane. Of the 88 passengers, 35 had perished with most others with varying degrees of injury. Thankfully all his crew were alive with Mary, Jessica's assistant the only one giving him concern as she was on the critical list without urgent hospital care.
"Hi Captain, Kuching are on their way with some 4wd vehicles as an advance team. They have to bush bash a bit so they estimate about three hours. With all our injured their advance party won't be able to get them all out. A bigger rescue team will follow later they said. I'm shocked at how many dead we have, I didn't think it was that bad initially. It's a dark, dark day alright."
Jessicas hopes of survival were fading when the dead bodies were piling up, how could a rescue team reach us in time, she thought. She carried on helping the injured, Grier seemed hopeful so there must be a chance of us being rescued. After a while Jessica was feeling tired, and no wonder as it was getting dark, night time was upon us, with no torches or lights from the plane it would be pitch black within an hour......
How many in their medical team Grier as Dr Kildare and his two nurses can't possibly manage alone anymore with his insufficient medicines. They need to get here soon or we will lose Mary and perhaps one or two others The Aussie soldiers with Sgt Bilko supervising arranged a mass burial of the dead as bodies were beginning to putrify in the oppressive heat of the rain forest. Numb with grief and guilt Richard read a brief eulogy from the bible loaned him by his Irish engineer and friend of many years. He had offered to read the eulogy but as the captain Richard said he'd perform the thankless task. His wrist still ached and he was dead tired from lack of sleep since the crash. After the funeral the main job was to clear the plane of broken seats and make room inside for the remaining passengers to sleep. Luckily there were plenty of blankets. Dr Kildare and his nurses made the injured as comfortable as possible with the doctor praying for medical help soon otherwise they may lose more of the seriously injured. Shortly after a thunderstorm hit, the sky darkened and it bucketed down......
"Don't burn the ripped out seats folks. Their fumes are very dangerous if inhaled" called Doctor Kildare. Looking at me Grier, he said loudly "You, go organise fire and food! " "Yes Sir, just what I was thinking. Sir" saluted Grier. Old habits. Grier relayed that command to his Captain Richard who could overule it. "Best not Richie, it's what I do well anyway. I'm a Squirrel" Grier the Engineer was very grateful for his Captain's presence and leadership. He was still in a state of mild shock himself. Looking about, most faces like his were so very downcast too. Only his Captain Wentworth could overrule his Maths/Engineeting decisions. When he called for Volunteers Grier was amazed at the number of hands that went up. Many just wanted to be busy. He could see that in their faces. It was entirely understandable, he was glad to be busy himself... Picking out the smartest and best qualified Grier made out a short list for his Captain. Names were taken and lists made with skills. Jessica found her damaged flight list and did a full role call. So many dead, so many injured, so many tears. Grier couldn't look at the orphaned little girl who'd lost her parents and baby brother. One of the Nuns was trying to comfort her. Kildare gave her a very iight dose of valium. Soon Grier was talking to his Captain Wentworth, Chief Steward Jessica, the two Army Officers and an Australian Federal plain clothed Policeman called Pete. Also a delegate Senior Nun/Nurse Philomena on behalf of an already from the hectic Doctor Kildare, on the job without a break. She looked like she'd burst. Philomena. And the big Rugby captain called Huge, sorry Hugh, who was constantly pestered by a well suited tiny Chinese gentleman Wong, Wang,...? Someone said the rescue team got stuck in a marshland. What ...?...?..wah..wa..Wang...
Heck we need to find the stranded rescue team captain as the medicines they carry are vital for so many of our injured, said an anxious Dr Kildare. Can you arrange to have half dozen fit men ready to leave for the likely place where they were bogged in marshland. It is imperative we find and return the medication to treat the worst injured within hours or we will have more to bury. Just then the reliable Grier turned up with several local villagers who he had coerced into offering their services to guide the party to the stranded rescue team. It took the local village leader Lanon and four of his men plus the crash survivors just over two hours to reach the marshland where they were shocked by what they found. Two large SUVs buried deep in thick marsh mud. Luckily the rear doors were just visible . There was no sign of life......
Grier asked Lanon if there were hostile tribesmen about before they took a closer look. Lanon said 'not to his knowledge unless raiders were afoot', so we made a closer inspection of the sunken 4wd's to see them empty but with most of their cargo still onboard if soaked. From the passengers Grier had enlisted Sgt Bilko with two of his army men, Big Hugh the Rugby Captain, a Policeman called Pete and Singaporean Mr Wang who said looking at the hopelessly bogged vehicles. "Bugger, we need 4 elephants to pull them out." Looking at all the needed supplies Grier asked everyone to help salvage them to high ground. Sergeant Bilko went to the close high spot with Radio and Binoculars and called "This is the best spot to put them, hurry up!", and started looking about for the Rescue team. Grier got the crew making bamboo and vegetation walkways to the vehicles. Lanon's 4 men worked hard but Hugh took the lead pulling out the supplies. Mr Wang buzzed about issuing orders to stack supplies by type and even making an inventory. Meanwhile Lanon was pointing out tracks headed East to Pete the Cop. "They walk out along their own wheel tracks." Not seeing anything with his binoculars or getting any radio contact, Sgt Bilko suggested sending up a flare. "Why not." said Grier. "Where did you get a flare?"
Pete the cop, corporal Steve Melton and rugby captain Hugh searched the general vacinity of the bogged 4WDs for the missing drivers. They will wish they had never found them.. or what remained of them. Four males, dismembered limbs from torso with clear indication of flesh being eaten from bone. 'Oh sweet Jesus' said a profoundly shocked Pete, 'they have been eaten by cannibals'. Quickly the expedition members gathered the medicines and other items and left the killing ground post haste. They arrived exhausted back at the plane in mid afternoon to another scene of gory carnage....
So when the Dayak war party of twenty attacked the crash survivors within moments two male passengers were killed and three were badly wounded with clubs and stone axes as three females were grabbed, and taken. The rest of the Dayak Cannibals moved into the encampment of Survivors with evil intent, where many wounded lay. A Nun stood up and screamed and she was grabbed and dragged away into the darkness. Then a short Australian soldier, called Curly, jumped in front of the main raiding party with his machine gun tearing into them horribly. So shocked were they that Curly unloaded his full clip into them. Soon six of them were either dead or dying. The rest fled with some of their wounded limping as fast as they could. Captain Pilot Wentworth had thankfully told the soldiers to keep their light arms (and other critical items Lt. Jones and Sgt.Bilko loaded into satchels). By the time Curly was reloading Captains Myers and Wentworth, Lieutenant Jones, three more tough Aussie soldier veterans, four armed male Passengers and a Nurse came running up. A Corporal was pulling out a grenade to chuck after the fleeing raiders when Curly yelled "No, they took three women! " "He's right", said a very pale elderly gentleman, they took three younger women, one Nun, one of the flight attendants and a young lady whose husband they killed", pointing to the body of a young man whose skull was smashed in. The other Nurse came running up with Dr Kildare to help the wounded men. Army Captain Myer looking at the 3 still badly wounded Dayaks moaning in pain looked askance of Captain Wentworth by shrugging his shoulders. A third had bled out and died already. Curly, looked keen to follow the raiders who had taken the women...
Jessica had wondered around for 2 whole days, she had the idea of every man for themselves but she now realised that she needed to rejoin the group if she wanted to survive. Hopefully no one has noticed my absence, thought Jessica, she could just quietly rejoin the group if so. She found her way back to the crash site, she could see people moving about so would just mingle in amongst them, she didn't want to explain her selfish desire to save herself...
Jessica where have you been I have been bloody frantic. My first notion was those bloodthirsty natives had taken you. Where were you? Come here and give me a big hug you silly girl. Grier ask Capt Myers to come here. You ready captain. The thick set Myers assured Wentworth his men were armed and ready to mount a raid on the village and rescue the three captive women asap. "This will be a piece of cake after Lon Tan, right fellars" Wentworth knew time was running out for the captives as he had read that these Malay cannibals killed and devoured their captives at sunset. It was now 10am and the Dayak village lay some 15 kms from the plane but it was not an easy passage as they had to overcome portions of dense jungle. "We sure could use one of those 4WDs skipper said Jones. Do we have the equipment to pull one from the marsh". Then out of nowhere Lanon and two of his men arrived again offering their help. Grier explained that the soldiers needed transport thru the rain forest. The small, wiry village leader said that there was an abandoned army truck just outside their village and that the villagers having no knowledge of modern vehicles had simply left it. Then it may still work said Myers. It may actually still have usable petrol in the tank. If it doesnt my corporal, Curly can fix anything mechanical.. and is specially good with motors. Corporal go with Lanon and see it the motor starts. First see what tools you can find in the plane. 10 mins later the corporal returned with a sack and said "These will do skipper lead the way Lanon".
A touch too strong perhaps, Grier siphoned out some jet fuel from the wrecked plane and followed after the squad of armed men. Seeing Jessica, Grier smiled at her and said "A fine mess we've landed in Jessica. You look like you need a feed. Good to see you. I haven't seen you for a while. Follow your nose to Paddy's kitchen over there. " The Captains are leading a rescue mission to save those three kidnapped women. Got to go. Take care."
Jessica threw herself into the captains arms, I'm so sorry, she cried, I thought I'd try to save myself but I got scared and started to come down with a fever, Jessica was pleased to get it off her chest and knowing she was missed made her feel wanted. Jessica smiled at Grier and said she was hungry, and with the men taking control of the situation she felt safe. After she had eaten she sat with the guys who filled her in on what she'd missed, they told her about the natives too which terrified her. What if they were cannibals, what if they surrounded her and the group, these thoughts made Jessica realise that she should never leave the group again.....
Between Grier and Curly the pair managed to start the old beat up army truck. Other than the tyres being in pretty bad shape the truck would get the Grier and the six soldiers to and back from the Dyak village. They took off 20 mins later enthusiastic that their mission to rescue the three women would be a success. It took Grier an hour to reach the village during which Myers and Jones formulated their rescue plan, a quick full frontal assault to catch them off guard. When they arrived the village was largely quiet with women and the elderly going about their daily chores while children played and splashed happily in a nearby stream. What was most evident to Myers and Jones was the lack of male Dyaks". We may have gotten lucky Jones as the men appear to be out hunting for more victims". "Yes skipper looks that way". There were however two males holding spears standing outside one of the small huts. Obviously the three women are in that hut Myers surmised....
Grier had borrowed a hand gun from one of the soldiers and hung back near the truck waiting for orders and keeping watch with a pair of binoculars. He had served in Korea yet his heart was pounding and his hands trembling. Thank God for these army chaps, he thought. Captain Myers and his men were tough battle hardened vetrans. Grier saw Myers point to the hut guarded by two Dyak warriors. He also saw Myers giving commands pointing this way and that, and motioned Grier to stay by and guard the truck.