The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 47 © Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Dawn Charlie’s armoured spaceship.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.
Margaret Thomas ‘Failed’ police security guard.
Sally. 1st Oz Special forces trooper
Jacky 2nd Oz Special forces trooper.
Juliet Charlie’s Mal engineering assistant.
Laura The second mate of the Second Dawn
Kate The castrated Australian defence minister.

Chapter 47.

“What are you doing?” Chloe asked Charlie “I thought you intended to ram him up the arse.”

“I’m going to try and hail him first. See if we can get any pointers.”

“Okay. Your call,” Chloe conceded, “but the fourth one is getting away.”
The spaceship dawn caught up with the third fighter and Juliet opened the international civil aviation channel on one, two, one point five megs.

“This is the aircraft Dawn calling the fighter on my starboard side, respond please.”

There was no response at first but both Charlie and Juliet could see the pilot spin his head in surprise as he realised Dawn was right beside him.
Juliet called again.

“We repeat, this is the aircraft Dawn on your port side. We are ordering you to proceed immediately to Darwin airport. You are within the territorial airspace of Australia. If you do not obey our order, we will disable your aircraft.”

In all truth, nobody expected a reply and everybody was surprised when a female Australian accent replied.

“Who are you?!”

For long moments, the crew of the dawn were lost for words as they tried to make sense of the situation. Then Juliet found his voice again.

“Lady, this is the aircraft Dawn and you are in Australian airspace. You have not identified yourself so we are entitled to act on behalf of the Australian Commonwealth and if necessary knock your aircraft out of the sky.”

The unidentified intruder still didn’t heed the warning and actually tried to accelerate but Dawn was far too fast and agile. Charlie simply relocated Dawn directly above the jet then descended violently and quickly to crumple the jet’s vertical stabilizers. The pilot’s curse left no uncertainty of their identity as she struggled to escape from under the dawn.

“You fucking bastards!”

“Prepare to ditch lady! You’re going down!” Juliet replied in no uncertain terms.

Charlie sensed Juliet’s pent-up anger and he gently reached across to tap his arm.

“We’ve got another weapon up our sleeve, just watch.”

So saying, Charlie activated the skeg and the hooked ‘ploughshare’ descended to snag the jet’s fuselage between the jets’ twin exhaust pipes. Juliet gaped through the tiny inspection port in the floor between their seats and gasped.

“Good god. You’ve gaffed her like a salmon!”

“Now we need to find the nearest Australian war ship and deliver this thing.”

“Already on it!” Chloe interrupted. “I’ve got a target that’s identifying itself on the radar as one.”

“Good work darling,” Charlie replied. “We can either drop it in the sea beside the ship or, if it’s got a helicopter platform, we’ll deliver it all nicely wrapped. Where is the ship.”

“Seventy miles bearing three four oh. She’s the picket ship for the Timor Sea.”

“That’ll do, call the ship then call Darwin flight centre. Ask if they’ve got any info on the last intruder.”

Minutes later Dawn streaked over the horizon to appear directly above the picket ship. After confirming with Darwin flight control, Charlie was given permission to deposit the captured jet on the helipad of the warship and the shocked pilot was handed over to the ships’ crew.

With the briefest of farewells, Spaceship Dawn was up and searching again for the fourth intruder.

ooo000ooo

As Charlie piloted Dawn and Chloe Studied the radars, Katie decided to monitor the airwaves between the warship holding the third pilot prisoner and Canberra. Juliet meanwhile was in touch with Darwin regional traffic control as they scanned for the fourth intruder.

Katie was monitoring the warships traffic and interrupted when she considered there was something worthwhile that Dawn had to add to the speculations running rampant over the air. The first time Katie interrupted, the captain of the warship had the shock of her life, for during the transfer of the jetfighter and prisoner, Katie had kept shtum.

As the spacecraft Dawn searched for the fourth intruder Katie eves-dropped the conversation between the warship and the chief of northern operations. There seemed to be some sort of argument as to what to do with the prisoner. When the captain of the warship was talking directly to her admiral, neither realised that Katie, the Australian defence minister no less, was eves dropping.

“Ma-am, captain of that spacecraft that deposited her on my ship stated the prisoner had to be taken to a secure cell at the Woomera rocket range.”

“Well I’m saying she’s to be delivered to the Naval HQ at Sydney. Did this space-ship guy give her identity or name, rank and number?”

“No,” the captain conceded, it was a man but he was pretty adamant about the prisoner being taken to Woomera rocket testing base.”

“Well I’m in command here Captain, the admiral blustered, “we’ll take her into our custody in Sydney HQ.”

As she eves-dropped, Katie tapped Charlie’s shoulder and pressed an earphone to Charlie’s ear.

“Listen to this. That admiral’s going in clear contradiction of the orders the P.M. gave. I’d better intervene. I suspect somebody want’s that jet pilot dead.”

“You’d better sort it Katie. I’m concerned with catching the fourth intruder. You and Juliet sort it out, while Chloe and I find the escaped intruder.”

The division of duties was immediately agreed without argument by the girls and Charlie was amused by the ensuing three-way conversation between Katie, the warship’s captain and the commander of the Australian fleet.

“Hello Admiral.”

“Who’s that?” The admiral demanded for she thought her channel to the warship was a closed line.

“I’m the defence minister, Katherine Bergson, you of course know me as Katie.”

“Where are you Minister?”

“I’m aboard the space craft that delivered the crippled jet fighter and it’s unharmed pilot to your warship Diamond.”

“What are you doing there Katie?”

“I’m doing my job admiral; that is protecting Australia from attack. Do you understand me?”

“Of course.”

“Good! Well I’m ordering that the prisoner is delivered to the Woomera rocket research base and I’m also suggesting you speak to the PM., she’s currently in the cabinet office in Canberra.”

There was a pregnant pause as the admiral digested Katie’s message before he reluctantly agreed.

“Very well Ma-am. Can you give me a reason?”

“One moment admiral, I need to advise the captain of the warship Diamond. Are you there Captain?”

“Yes Ma-am.”

“Then please listen to my instructions and contact the PM in Canberra. She will ratify my instructions.”

“Yes Ma-am.”

Katie turned to Charlie to confirm his intentions.

“If we catch the fourth intruder, are you taking both jet fighter and pilot to Darwin.”

“If we catch them; yes. But she’s alert to us now and she’s seen what Dawn can do. It might be a high-speed ramming with us chasing her like a falcon chasing a duck. First we have to find the duck. I’m hoping Darwin’s radars can locate it between Oz and Indonesia.”

“Quite,” Katie agreed. “Did you hear that Diamond?”

“Yes Ma-am. Can I confirm though, that you’re actually aboard that space-craft thing?”

“Yes, I am indeed Captain and I’m instructing you to deliver that prisoner to Darwin, where she will thence be escorted to Woomera rocket research base. We MIGHT be in Darwin to meet you because this little space craft is fast; bloody fast!”

“How fast Ma-am?” The captain of the Diamond asked.

Katie turned to Charlie and grinned. “Shall we tell her?”

Charlie wagged his head. “Naah; the less people know the better.”

Katie resumed talking to the warship Diamond’s captain.

“Her speed is a secret Captain but be assured, she’s fast! Did you copy that Admiral.”

“Yes Ma-am. Shall I take a plane north and meet you in Darwin?”

“That might be a good idea. Discuss it with the PM. I’m sure she’ll want to be there.”

“Very good Ma-am.”

“Thank you ladies, now I’m shutting down as we’re going to be very busy and I’ve got a dedicated task aboard here during search operations. If you want to contact me, call me through Darwin Air Traffic.”

“Yes Ma-am,” The admiral and the captain chorused.

Katie sighed as Charlie, Juliet and Chloe grinned.

“What it is to have power,” Juliet spoke for the three of them.

“Yeah, but heavy lies the crown.” Katie replied. “Time for tea I think.”

“I’ll make it,” Charlie offered, “Juliet can do the honours piloting here until we, or Darwin find our duck. He needs the experience anyway.”

“What! Ramming d’ you mean?” Juliet frowned.

“Precisely.” Charlie affirmed. “Are you up to it?”

“I’ll try it, but I’ll want you alongside me in the co-pilot seat.”

“Good. Change seats and I’ll make the tea.” Charlie affirmed. “Take her up to thirty thousand metres, the look-down radar gets a better view.”

As the team re-organised themselves, Charlie slipped into the little galley to do the honours with the tea.

“Coffee for me please,” Chloe called.

“And me please,” Katie joined.

“Jeeze! Is my tea that bad?” Charlie giggled.

“Suits me boss.” Juliet declared.

ooo000ooo

After an hour searching with the lookdown radar, it was Katie who eventually located the fourth intruder. Chloe was resting her eyes at Charlie’s insistence.

“Where’s it going?” Juliet asked because he was still in the command seat.

“It looks like Timor though she seems to be skirting south of the island.”

Charlie joined Chloe at the electronic chart-table as Katie transferred the radar images from the look down radar to be displayed on the chart.

“How much fuel d’ you think she has?” Charlie wondered aloud.

Everybody shrugged. The intruders where a new type of plane, much rumoured about amongst the Australian military but little was known about them and worse still, they had no markings.

Juliet intoned as he offered a rendezvous.

“Twenty minutes to contact at current speed and descent.”

“Plan of getting behind her and below it.” Charlie advised

“Same tactic as before?” Juliet asked.

“Not sure yet. If the pilot knows about us, he might formulate some other tactics.”

The four were now determinedly tracking their foe but five minutes later Katie looked up from her radar.

“There’s a larger target west of ours it looks as though they intend to rendezvous. I’ve added it to the plot.”

The three studied the main electronic chart while Juliet focused on her own attack display on the control panel. Katie offered her opinion.

“That could be a refuelling tanker, if our target refuels there’s no knowing where she’s bound.”

Charlie wasted no time.

“Okay Juliet, take her down and ram the son of a bitch, - now.”

“It’ll crash into the sea.”

“I don’t want it rendezvousing with that bigger target. We don’t know what it is.”

As he instructed Juliet, Charlie re-occupied the co-pilot seat.

“Are you happy to do a ram?”

“Gorra’ learn sometime boss.”

“Okay, don’t worry about any finesse like poking her up the arse. Just ram her. We can travel sideways or up and down faster than she can fly going forward.”

“Won’t that overheat our hull; - down here in the atmosphere?”

“It would take a couple of hours to overheat to destruction. This should be done and dusted before then. Where’s that bigger target now?”

“She’s six hundred miles to the west of our baby and travelling at four hundred knots.”

“Forty-five minutes away at their combined speeds. We’ll be away before then, unless we stop to pick up.”

“We’ve already got a sample of their planes.” Juliet observed.

“I was thinking of the pilot.” Charlie countered.

“Yes,” Katie interrupted, “prisoner interrogations always go better if there’re more than one prisoner.”

Charlie wagged his head in some disbelief.

“I was thinking of the humanitarian aspect, not asset exploitation.”

“Oh!” Katie exclaimed with surprise. “I thought it was supposed to be men who were the thoughtless murderous ones.”

“Ask your colleague, Inspector Margaret Thomas of Western Australia. She’ll give you some pointers. Not right now though, we’re going to be busy.”

Katie smiled to herself then to Chloe as she muttered.

“Your husband’s a master of understatement.”

“Ain’t he just!” Chloe remarked as she finished her coffee.

Any further conversation was interrupted by warnings to secure safety harnesses.

ooo000ooo