Chapter 5

I heard a few more thuds as bullets hit the little bird. Still, I kept the night sun trained on the black figures on the ground. Dropping collective to lower the craft, then up collective to raise up again, throwing their aim off. I heard a clanging sound as a 7.62 millimetre AK-47 projectile got deflected by the spinning main rotors.

Don’s craft came in for his second pass. This time between me and the figures on the ground. Higher up, so as not to interfere with night sun spotlighting the group. Orange and white muzzle flashes erupted from Don’s right-hand side as Mai-Loan fired short, auto bursts into the group. Dust devils erupted on the ground as her fire struck. Two more figures went down. Arms flaying out, AK-47’s went flying.

Don and Mai-Loan passed, banking to the right, as Don brought the little craft sharply around, keeping Mai-Loan on target. There was a sudden pause in the gunfire as Mai-Loan did a lightning-fast magazine change. Then, streaks of white and orange flame bursting out the right-hand side of Don’s bird.

I saw four black clad figures running to the east, away from the inferno. Bullet impact dust devils running after them. Five down, four running. A battle won, a battle lost, the war has just begun. So far it didn’t last one minute. Sixty seconds in total.

“I’m gonna go!” I transmitted. “Got to get Lucy and this bird down in one piece.”

“GO DAVE! GO! Get yourself back to camp.” Don said. “Where are you hit?”

“Right leg ... burning like hell...” I said. “The bird has been hit at least a dozen times. Don’t know the damage. All systems seem A-okay.” The radio broke squelch. Lisa!

“Dave? Lisa. Can’t you land on the road? I can look at your leg if you want. The closest medical facility available is in Musina!” Lisa said.

“Good. I’ll do it! Clear the area. I’m coming in hot!”

“There’s an open space about 70 metres to the north of where we are. No trees. No rocks, stones or other stuff.” Lisa said.

“Dave! Do it. I’ll light up the area with my landing light. Better than chopper pad lighting.” Don said.

My leg felt like a dead wood cinder block. Burning like fire. I could just about bend it at the knee. Pushing down on the rudder pedal, I could barely feel with my foot ... it was also painful. I just ground down on my teeth and soldiered on.

I used the cyclic and collective with a little left rudder. Got the bird to turn to the left, back to the road. During this whole time Lucy was quiet. In the light coming off the instrument panel her face was pale; lighter than her hair. I saw the fright in her eyes, as she looked across the cockpit at me.

“Are you okay Lu?” I asked, while stabilising the helicopter in a slow forward flight. No time to check on wind direction, just get down. Leg hurts; blood flowing into my flight boot. My eyes started to blur. I blinked my eyes and shook my head.

“I’ll ... I’ll be fine. Are you okay? Can you get us down?” Lucy stammered.

“Yeah. Cowboys don’t cry!” I said, feeling like an express train missed me, but the whole railway station platform fell on me. It’s not like in the movies, where you get hit, roll over, and light a cigarette.

I saw the place that Lisa spoke about. By now it was illuminated by the landing light of Don’s little bird, hovering about thirty feet off the ground on the right side of the road. I killed the night sun, put my own landing light on.

I came in a bit high and a bit fast. Night vision playing havoc with my fussy mind. Cyclic back, collective slowly down. The copter was not completely stable in a hover as I set her down on the slightly sloping ground; a recipe for disaster.

Just as the skids touched, first the right skid, then the left skid, both not in full contact with the ground, a little hard contact, a little bounce, then I felt it ... a shock wave running from the skids through the airframe to the engine, transferred to the gearbox and main rotor shaft. The increasing vibration as the rotor hub was thrown out of balance. Two of the five rotor blades responded to the shock wave frequency and to the out of sync rotor-hub. The two were grouped close together on one side of the rotor-hub, adding to the confusion. The onset of ground resonance! The helicopter can be a heap of scrap in a few seconds, as it shakes itself to pieces!

I hit the left rudder, centred the vibrating cyclic and pulled collective, getting the helicopter back in the air. The little craft responded, breaking the contact with the ground. Instantly the rotor blade dampers did their job and the rotor blades spaced themselves back into geometrical position. The vibration died away. The out of sync shock wave frequency was broken. We’ll be okay.

Grinding my teeth, I slowly lowered the collective. The skids kissed the ground, settled, we were down, safely.

“What happened?” Lucy asked-wide eyed.

“Ground resonance! I’ll explain later...” I said, shutting the helicopter down.

“Is it dangerous?” Lucy asked, placing her hand on my shoulder, gripping me. I knew it was her way of trying to get me to concentrate, as I was blinking my eyes to focus on the shutting down procedure.

“Very dangerous!” I said, unbuckling my seat harness. The door on my side opened simultaneously with Lucy’s door. Don and Mai-Loan!

“Come on buddy! Let’s see that leg...” Don said. Lisa was standing behind Don, a little canvas sling bag in her hand. I looked across the cockpit. Mai-Loan had unbuckled Lucy’s harness and hugged her. Little Mai-Loan showed her great strength by cleanly lifting Lucy out of her seat and placing her on her feet. Mai-Loan just hugged her, then pressed her head down and led her away from the still spinning main rotors.

Don reached past me and pulled the rotor brake on the middle bulkhead just behind me.

“We’ll worry about damage later. Just get them stopped before we decapitate Lisa.” Don said. The rotors stopped, the tips slowly rocking up and down. I tried to get down.

“No! Just swing your legs out the door.” Lisa said.

“First time I have a vet attend to me with first aid.” I said, winching as Lisa took hold of my leg. Lucky that in today’s heat I decided to go with cargo shorts and not my flight-suit.

“You’re lucky I did the human first aid course. Else it would have been illegal for me to touch you. Turn your leg just a little to the side...”

“You’re a doctor! Blood is blood,” I said.

“Nope! I’m a BV. Sc and DVM! Not an MD!” Lisa said, but thank you for the complement. Now, sit still.” Lisa calmly said, as she started to clean the wound. She had a head lamp on her head, and the headband was pushing her hair into a funny configuration.

Soft hands touching me. Delicate soft hands. No manicured polished nails, only nicely clipped short clean nails. Long slender fingers.

(Authors Note: BV. Sc = Bachelor of Veterinary Science. DVM = Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. / MD = Medical Doctor.)

“You play the piano?” I asked Lisa.

“Yes, I do. Why do you ask?”

“You’ve got the hands and fingers for it.” I said.

“Another complement. I’ll try not to hurt you ... too much.” Giggle. Lisa looked up to me, a soft glow in her brown eyes. “And play you the Mozart Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, first movement, if the babies are safe. Now you be a good boy and keep still!”

“Thank you.” I said. “That’s one of my favourite pieces.” By this time, the rangers had gone into covering positions around us, although I had an idea that the baddies had vacated the area. Don and Mai-Loan came up to where Lisa and I were at the helicopter.

“We got five of them. Three dead and two wounded. Collected eight AK-47 assault rifles and some ammo.” Don said.

“Good shooting Mai-Loan! Some skill you got there. I won’t ask further silly questions.” I said. Mai-Loan smiled shyly.

“See why we must go to the firing range!” Lucy said, getting into the right-hand seat of our bird. She placed her hand on my shoulder. “How’s he doing, Lisa?”

“Actually, very good. No arteries damaged. No entry or exit wounds. Looks like the bullet just grazed you. Cut the skin. I don’t think you need it sutured. I’ll just clean it and use antibiotics for inflammation and such.” Lisa said. “You’ll be up and about and flying in a few days. But I think your bird needs to go to the vet! Got some holes in it.” Giggle. I just looked at her and smiled a weak little lopsided smile. At least Lisa had a sense of humour.

Lisa then proceeded to put some cream stuff on the wound and wrapped it up in a bandage. The last thing she did was dig into her canvas bag, took out a sticky sort of purple coloured bandage and wrapped it around my leg, over the other bandage. The thing looked like a Velcro covered bandage, sticking to itself.

“Vet-wrap!” She said with a smile. “See I’m a vet! Treat my horse patients with it. They don’t ever go and lose their bandages!” Giggle.

“Okay bud. Get in the back. Mai-Loan and Lucy will take you and your bird back. I checked it out. Except for a few bullet holes, no damage to fuel lines or hydraulic lines. No systems damaged. Besides, Mai-Loan has flown birds in worst shape.” Don said. So, what are friends for? I’m just glad they’re on my side.

I got out. The first step was hell. I hobbled around to the back door. Opened it and got into the back seat of my own helicopter; a funny feeling. I looked down at my leg.

“Lisa, do you have this thing in another colour? The purple looks like I’m sexually frustrated.” I said, grinning the first time since I got shot down.”Be glad I’m not giving you a booster and de-worming shot!” Giggle.

“Oh boy! Now you’ve done it!” Don said. Mai-Loan and Lucy smirking. I just kept my trap shut.

The elephant babies had run. Too much excitement for them. They saw the noisy bird come back. Boy! Now there were two noisy birds. Then one of the birds made sunlight. The other bird, zoomed under the first bird and started spitting fire. Nope! Not healthy. Let’s go ... THE OTHER WAY!

They, the elephants, ran about a kilometre to the south, away from the noisy birds spitting fire and shining daylight. Daylight, more like a moonbeam out of the clouds, but bright as daylight. The noisy birds smelled funny. Burning their noses.

The elephants could still see the noisy birds, milling around like eagles in the sky. Trembling a little after their run, they stood watching. Looks like the noisy birds and the green food thing like one another. The food thing had a small human with them that gave them milk. Not like Mom’s milk, but good; it tasted okay. They were hungry and thirsty. The funny milk helped.

The two stood close together. Touching each other, just to comfort themselves. What’s happening to them. Why is Mom gone? Will she come back? Will the other aunts come back?

The bigger elephant baby, not yet a bull, but a male elephant, placed his little trunk over the trunk of the little female calf next to him. It will be okay, he tried to communicate to her. We’ll find your mom, my mom, and our aunts. You’ll see...

He could not understand that most of the herd was gone. Killed, slaughtered for their teeth!

The male elephant baby remembers thunder and lightning. Not coming from the clouds, but out of the bush. He saw his mother turn away from him, flapping her ears and lifting her trunk high up in the air. Her voice was ear-splitting as red stuff came out of her. She sank to her knees, still flapping her ears. Her trunk came down. She spoke softer and softer. Rolled over on her side, and laid still...

Will he ever see her again?

Back at the camp, I got to sit up in a chair on the porch of our hut. Although I did not feel like eating, Lucy and Lisa insisted that I eat, otherwise, they threatened to spoon-feed me!

“I can’t give you painkillers and antibiotics without you eating something to stabilise your tummy.” Lisa said.

“Okay, you’re the doctor. I’ll try some of this stuff.” I said, looking at the offering on the plate before me. Fried fish and chips. Oh, well, let’s go for it.

“You seem a little young to have done all those courses, Lisa.” I said, picking at the chips on the plate.

“Yeah. Well, I matriculated at sixteen.” Lisa said. Lucy’s eyes brightened. “Then on to Onderstepoort for my BV. Sc. Graduated a year early. Six years instead of seven.”

“Wow!” Don said, ripping into his fish and chips.

“Well, some big shot game farmer saw me and offered me a chance to study DVM at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA. A chance of a lifetime, so I grabbed it with both hands.”

“Good for you!” Mai-Loan said.

“So, how does the first aid on humans tie into it?” I asked.

“During my DVM, I took some electives. Introduction to wildlife Medicine and One Health. One Health is the combined health dispensation for both animals and humans. Looking at the interfaces between them and research on how to integrate the medicine.” Lisa said, taking a bite of her fish. Holding her hand over her mouth she chewed away, swallowed, and then continued:

“I specialised in farm animals and horses through the New Bolton Center Hospital. More precisely, the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals. The wildlife came from my electives of the introduction to wildlife medicine. So, here I am. Looking after orphaned rhinos, elephants, cheetahs, and you name it.”

“So, when you said you were lucky to get a job right out of vet school, you didn’t mean Onderstepoort?” I asked.

“Sorry. Wasn’t gonna tell you my life story just yet; I am a very shy person, you know.” Lisa said, and giggled. Oh, I love the giggle of a pretty girl.

“So, you’re a doctor, and we can call you, Doctor?” Lucy asked.

“Yes, I am, but please call me Lisa. I don’t flaunt my status. And I can only perform surgeries on animals, although I could give you a script for stuff you might need.” Lisa said, taking a sip of her Coke.

“And clean wounds in an emergency! Better watch what we say around here. We’ve got a very clever girl in our midst” Don said and got whacked on the biceps by Mai-Loan. “Ouch!”

“Lisa, can you give me as script for cyanide?” Mai-Loan asked, looking at Don, and giggled.

“Buddy, you’re in deep shit!” I said. Don looked a little pale. Of course, I didn’t know about the joke of the cyanide and a certain police officer. Mai-Loan relayed the story to us; little details filled in by Don. We all burst out laughing, but comparing that to what I witnessed earlier tonight, I had another impression of the little porcelain doll, called Mai-Loan.

I was about to retire for the night when helicopter noise caught my attention. Don looked up as well. Coming over the hill to the south, the unmistakeable deep throaty sound of a Turbomeca Arriel 2B turbo-shaft engine. An AS350B3 helicopter in the blue and white livery of the South African police, descended to the chopper pad, earlier vacated by the parks board helicopter.

“The cavalry is here!” Don said and got up.

“As usual, a little late.” I said, following Don in getting up.

“Sit down! You need to rest that leg.” Lisa said.

“Yes dear.” I said. Lisa blushed.

“You learn fast!” Don laughed.

“I don’t need more grievous bodily harm to my already shattered limbs.” I said, sitting down and relaxing.