Chapter 6

Lisa rushed to the door and opened it. Mai-Loan, instantly awake, was up next to her bed, reaching for the FAL FN rifle, resting by the wall. Lisa stood in the doorway and looked out. Samson, dressed only in his long field dress pants, bare feet and chest, stood there. Samson tried to open his mouth to say something, but over his shoulder Lisa saw something that made her burst into tears. She sank to her knees. How can this be possible? How did they get here, and what are they doing? Lisa was excited and apprehensive all at once. This is impossible! Unbelievable, how could they have come this far?

The two baby elephants stood next to Dave’s helicopter. The smaller one was on the left-hand side, her small trunk prodding around the skid. The larger male stood next to the front left windshield, his little trunk exploring around the plexiglass and the skid. What were they doing?

Lisa got up, wiping the tears with the back of her hands, slowly Lisa approached the babies. Slowly, so as not to startle them in this, to them, alien environment. Lisa excited, yet worried and apprehensive.

It was getting light. The sun will rise any-time now. The young elephant male calf, leading the smaller female calf, came around the hill to their right. Then he saw it ... the nest of the noisy birds. There they were, sitting on the ground next to each other with another colourful one of their species. It must be the male bird because it is so colourful. The green food thing was also there. All of them quiet. Not moving. Are they sleeping?

The elephant calf was a little surprised. The birds were much larger than any bird he had seen before. They were huge, bigger than his mom. Cautiously he approached the bird he saw the other day when the bird was alone, all by itself. He smelled the same smell when his mother fell on the ground with the red stuff coming out of her. The bird’s one eye was broken, as if a tree branch or a stick was pushed into it. He saw the reddish-brown stuff, smelling the same as his mother’s red stuff, on the funny legs of the bird. The same stuff was under the smaller eye on the side of the bird’s head. The side eye was not broken, yet the red brown stuff was smeared under the eye, drips of it splattered on the funny leg of the bird.

The bird’s injured. Somehow, he must tell the bird that it’s gonna be okay. The bird would feel better. The bird would heal, and he, he himself, will find his mother.

He touched the bird with his trunk. The bird did not move or wake up. He hoped that the bird is not dead. The other birds and the food thing also did not wake up or move. Slowly he caressed the bird, on the bird’s head, on its legs. The bird did not wake up. Why is the bird not waking up? He must tell the bird it’s going to be okay. He won’t be sore for long. He looked over to where his little sister was. She was pushing her side to the bird. The bird moved a little, but did not wake up...

There was another noise now. He turned and looked at where the noise came from. Hey! There is that human that gave them the funny tasting milk. Must he go to her? Will she give him and his sister some funny milk again?

He was hungry. He didn’t eat grass or tree leaves. He will go to the human and ask for some funny milk. Walking up to her, followed by his sister, he saw her holding out her front foot. Funny that all the humans walk on their hind legs! They seem to use their front legs for something else.

I heard the commotion outside and looked through the window. There was Lisa with the two baby elephants outside next to my helicopter. The two elephants were touching her all over with their little trunks. She was caressing them. I think she needs some help.

I was about to light a cigarette and make some plastic coffee that the rangers put in the guest rooms but thought better of it. Lisa needs help with those little ones.

“Lucy, we have unexpected guests.” I said. Lucy was already up and dressed. Her hair was up in a ponytail, but she still had to battle into her boots. But hey, dressed is dressed.

“What guests?” She asked. A frown on her face, shaking out her left boot like I showed her. In the bush there are all kinds of creepy-crawlies that seek refuge inside one’s boots at night. Scorpions are the most annoying of the bunch. The ones with the small, slender front claws are the poisonous ones. Some deadly!

“The little elephants followed us home. They’re here, playing outside with Lisa.” I said. There was an explosion of activity from Lucy. I nearly got run over by the little five-two, eighty-pound blonde express train as she ran through the door and out. I just hobbled out of the way in time. Oh, well, let’s join the fun. At least Lucy’s dressed; barefoot, but otherwise dressed.

An: “Ahaaa! Shit! Get away from me!” Came from outside. I looked out the door, just in time to see the old giant rock lizard scurrying out of Lucy’s way. I chuckled. I thought the two’s path might cross! “DAVE THERE’S A CROCODILE HERE!”

“Nope! Only a lazy old rock lizard. Harmless.” I said and got an evil-eyed look in response. Lucy went off to join Lisa.

I felt a little better this morning. Still, a light throbbing in my leg, but otherwise, okay. The leg still felt a little stiff. Walking was also better; the limp not so pronounced.

Lisa was playing with the little babies, making cooing sounds and touching them, slowly leading them towards the vet hut. Samson had given Lisa the use of the hut that the rangers use as a vet clinic. Mai was by now standing in the doorway of their hut, still dressed in her pyjamas. Or what she regards as pyjamas. Her long black hair, still in pillow disarray. Beautiful! Nice legs. She smiled a shy smile at me. I turned away, waving a greeting with my hand.

Lucy was slowly and cautiously approaching Lisa and the babies. I was about to warn her to be careful, when the smaller elephant baby turned towards Lucy and reached out with her little trunk, curling it and then extending it again, smelling Lucy’s scent. Lucy stopped in her stride. The little elephant slowly advanced, reaching Lucy, the baby touched Lucy with her trunk, feeling around her arms, neck, and face.

Lucy hesitantly reached out with her hand and touched the elephant. The little baby watched Lucy with her big bright eyes, assessing Lucy from under her long eyelashes.

“Talk to her.” Lisa said to Lucy. “Talk, like you’d talk to a baby. Be gentle, get her to trust you...” Lucy smiled, looking at the little elephant and still rubbing her on the back, Lucy started to make cooing noises and baby-talk. The little elephant responded by pushing up against Lucy. Nine hundred and ninety pounds pushing against eighty pounds. Lucy had her hands full!

“Keep touching her but watch her. She’ll push you over!” Lisa said. By this time, the little male elephant also decided to join the party with Lucy. Lucy was beyond exited.

“Dave! Watch them for me. Let me go and make the kids breakfast!” Lisa said to me.

“Rodger that, Doc!” I said, indicating that I’ll be there for Lucy. In the meantime, the “kids” were touching Lucy with their little trunks and then stepping away a few paces, as if to lead her to follow Lisa. Lucy was being led by the two elephant babies to where they knew food was. I just laughed and followed along. Already the two elephants associate Lisa with food. Is this a good thing?

Lisa emerged out of the hut with two two-litre cooldrink bottles, filled with some grey-white liquid.

“Elephant milk. Or as close as we can get to it. Elephant babies are lactose intolerant. So, no cow’s milk. Special formula that costs a fortune!” She told me.

“So, what’s in it?” I asked.

“Calcium, low-fat powdered milk, Ascorbic acid, mineral iron, coconut flakes, glucose and baby cereal. I’ll give you the formula, as you just volunteered to help in the preparation of the milk!” Giggle. And those brown eyes flashed little sparkles of morning light at me, a shy smile to go with it.

“You know I’ll help.” I said.

“Good, now let’s go give them breakfast.” Lisa said and jumped off the steps, skipping over to where Lucy was being entertained by her new friends, Lisa’s ponytail flicking from side to side. I stood open-mouthed. Lisa still giggled and skipped like a teenager, she must be very happy.

Oh, yeah! We got that funny tasting milk, some sweet grass. You know, that grass that grows at the foot of that long hill with the high tall cliffs. Yeah, that’s the one. The one the humans call momma-glob-wee. I hope I say it right. It’s a very big word, even for me.

The humans played with us. Little sister is happy. She likes to play with the small human ... the one with hair like the grass. She’s got eyes that look like the sky. No, not like on a cloudy day. Like on a bright sunlight early morning sky.

I like the other one. The tall one with hair like the river. Her eyes are like the river too, but without the crocodiles. I think we must give her some of the funny milk too, she looks like she hasn’t eaten in a while. I wonder what they feed her?

I still don’t see the birds waking up. Nor the green food thing. They are all still sleeping. They also did not get fed. Shame, poor birds and food thing. I feel sorry for them.

(Meanwhile out in the mid-Indian Ocean, three days into a twenty-day cruise.)

Just past the south tip of Madagascar, the Japanese registered container ship proceeded, at 19 knots, on its easterly course towards the north tip of Australia. It is day three of the 20-day, 9340 nautical mile journey by sea. Sailing west towards the south of the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, out to the north coast of Australia.

The ship could make 24 knots with ease, but to conserve fuel the captain ordered a reduced speed, but at the cost of a longer lasting journey.

The wind came from the north. The sea swells were riding north out of the south, propagating out of the south Indian Ocean, going north-north west and west at three to four metres high. As the two different courses of the sea and the wind collide, the ship rolled from side to side. The captain isn’t concerned; the cargo is secured, and the ship is designed for conditions far worse than this.

Down in the hold, the container with the ivory tusks, marked as machine parts, sits in the corner of the hold. Silent, except for the invisible radio frequency, transmitted by the small radio, hidden in the seam where the side panel and roof come together. Although, smothered by steel all around it, the transmitter was designed to send out a strong signal, overcoming the steel barriers.

What worried the captain though, was the steadily dropping barometric pressure. This could spell nothing good; this is cyclone country. They can be blown off course and miss the very narrow opening to the Timor sea, north of Australia.

The captain turned to his first officer, who was at that time watching the radar display. The ship dropped into a valley between the swells, ploughing with its bow into the rise of the next swell, rolling with the swell. An explosion of white foaming seawater, blew up over the bow, crashing onto the forward containers. The wind blew the tendrils of seawater mist away.

“I am going below for a while. You got the bridge.” He said in Japanese.

“Aye, aye Captain, I got the bridge.” The first officer said. “Make sure to stop by the galley then ... stewards got some hot coffee going there.” The Captain looked over to the first officer and smiled. Yes, coffee. He’ll leave the coffee for later, there’s a half bottle of nice Russian Vodka in his cabin. The clear liquid was calling him...

Don and the trio of girls came up to where I was looking at the helicopter. I was trying to assess the damage during the daylight, contrary to the “doctor’s instructions.” She’s a vet, so she could be ignored ... or should she?

“What are you up to? I already got Pete to get a mechanic up here.” Don said. “Took some pictures with my phone and sent them to Pete.”

“Thanks Don. Any news from Pete?” I asked.

“Except a string of words I cannot repeat in the near vicinity of pretty young girls, not a thing as yet.” Don said.

“Okay. I’ll phone him later.” I said.

“Except something about, death-by-a-thousand-cuts, and hanging some carcass out to dry in the wind...” Don said. Mai-Loan giggled.

“Dave, why don’t you just leave it to Don and go help Lisa with the babies? Don and I will take over the air patrols.” Mai-Loan said.

“Yes Dave, those little ones need a three-hourly feeding around the clock. Lisa is not gonna hold up all on her own.” Don said.

“Work out a schedule with her, both you and Lucy. It’s going to be tough for all of you, but at least, you’ll be off that leg for a while.” Mai-Loan said.

“Yeah! It’s gonna be feed, clean, prepare and be back at feeding. I’ve seen what Lisa has been doing.” Lucy said. “She is also gonna need a major massage later today ... all those aching muscles, you know.” Lucy winked at me; Lisa was quiet the whole time and blushed bright red. So much so, I was afraid she’s going to burn-up the camp.

“I ... I’ll appreciate ... the help...” Lisa said, brushing her one hand over her head and ponytail, looking down at her feet.

“AND, we can keep an eye on you.” Lucy said. “See to it that you follow the doctor’s orders!”

“AND eat your food.” Lisa said. “Stop being a hard-headed rhino.” Lucy, Don and Mai-Loan, all gave me the evil eye. Lisa just smiled shyly. Okay, let me adhere to instructions, even though the instructions are from a vet. Okay! A doctor/vet. One with a DVM, thus a real doctor.

“Okay, Lisa, show me what to do!” I said and smiled at her and Lucy. Lucy took my hand and pulled me towards the little “Rondawel” type hut being used as a kind of vet surgery and feeding kitchen. To better describe a “Rondawel”, it’s an Afrikaans word for a circular hut made out of brick and mortar with a pointy, thatch covered roof. A very popular abode in the bush and directly translated, meaning literately, round dwelling or house. Some larger ones were subdivided into real rooms.

Lisa, her eyes a little red, showed me around the hut. There were sinks with water taps for hot and cold water. The water was supplied from the 5000-litre tanks on high metal structures outside the hut. A solar water heater supplied hot water.

There was a workbench that looked very “surgical” in appearance. Also, a stainless-steel veterinary examination table, more for smaller animals, like cats and dogs. Lisa admitted to using one of these tables to perform an emergency caesarean section procedure on a cheetah, delivering three healthy and lively cubs.

Lisa then took Lucy and me over to a table to one side. The packs that came with her in the helicopter were stacked there. Untying the string on one pack, Lisa showed us the grey-white powder inside.

“One cup of this powder in a two-litre bottle, then, fill it with lukewarm, sterile water, and shake until all the powder’s dissolved.” Lisa said to us.

“What about the bubbles? Ain’t it bad for the babies?” Lucy asked. Lisa laughed.

“No. You must see, when the babies drink, how many bubbles they make in the bottles.” Lisa said. “Come. It’s time for their next feeding!”

“Can I! Can I!” Lucy asked Lisa ... highly excited with big bright eyes and fluttering eyelids.