Laura Suen
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A Motley Sisterhood of Pirates! (Part One Blog three)
“I asked her,” Oli says with frustration, “I swear that one is the child of Lust. She got drunk on rum and admits she may have opened herself willingly to Captain Peg leg’s crew. It’s Janice I worry about. One of Captain Peg leg’s younger men decided she was willing when she was not. “Wheel Turn” Sylvia stopped him before he could get on top of her.” As she worried would happen the Captain once again spits into the water.
“Master Navigator Jo Anne,” she hears the Captain call out with a voice full of icy decision. Their Navigator ties back her long brunette hair with a blue ribbon as she saunters towards them. Oli notices how the Navigator already has her hand wrapped around the hilt of her rapier. The hand guard is a marvel of coiled metal.
“She sleeps with that rapier,” Oli says, hoping it will dwindle down the deathly coldness she feels emitting from the Captain. “I asked her if I could try it to see how smoothly it wields. She took a step back and partially withdrew it. I won’t ask her again after that.”
“It was her father’s,” the Captain says, “the last reminder of him from Earth. We’re off to see Captain Peg leg,” the Captain says to both her and the Navigator. “Our dear Helmswoman, “Wheel Turn” Synthia, will be in command.” Oli follows the gaze of the Captain as she peers over the railing of the fo’c’sle where a female figure is slouched against the base of the foremast with her right hand still holding a bottle of rum. “Or our Master-at-Arms “Dizzying Blade” Sadie.” Oli once again follows the Captain’s gaze. This time towards the centre of the deck, where their Master-at-Arms is sprawled against the capstan. In her right hand she is grasping the hilt of her rapier and in the other a jug of rum.
“Thelma,” the Captain calls to the girl sewing the battens into the extra mainsail.
Oli is always amazed how Thelma’s skin constantly glows with sensuality now that’s she’s a young woman.
“Yes, Oh Captain my Captain,” Thelma replies while continuing to sew.
“Your encounter with Captain Peg leg and his crew, was it consensual?”
“Aye Captain, it was. Not all seeds sown grow. So I can’t rely on a single sower can I?”
Oli is as surprised as the Captain by Thelma’s nonchalant words.
“You want to get pregnant?” the Captain asks.
“What about the Ship Builder,” Oli blurts out. She wishes she hadn’t as the Captain is now giving her a dark look.
“You wouldn’t know this because you moved out of the hold years ago,” Thelma says to her. “But he’s like an absent father, the kind who is always around. We’ve known him since we were children and never has he abused any of us. I thought he was just arrogant, only ever speaking to the Navigator and Captain.” Oli didn’t miss the sarcasm. “However,” Thelma continues, “when the Captain told me to sew up a torn sail with poor instruction–.”
“I was never good at it,” the Captain interrupts.
“The Ship Builder came over to me, and in his deep, hesitant voice, kindly showed me how. I’ve been excellent ever since. Also, where he’s missing a finger is creepy. How do you only lose that finger—it makes no sense.”
Oli gasps at the sudden paleness on the Captain’s face.
“So you want to get pregnant?” the Captain asks regaining her composure.
“I do. I want to sail with the Pirate Queen again.”
“You don’t like it with us?” Oli can hear the hurt in the Captain’s voice.
“It’s more I don’t just want to have a baby I also want to be around them.”
“Well, by the time we reach the Pregnancy Ship we’ll know if that’s to be or not,” the Captain says. It’s the first time Oli has seen the Captain flustered. “By the way, until the Helmswoman or Master-at-arms wakes, you’re in charge.”
A Motley Sisterhood of Pirates! (Part One Blog One)
It’s dawn after a saturnalia night. Within a cove two young women stand side by side on the forecastle of a small galleon. Nearby are other, larger galleons. The woman on the left is shorter and lithe with strength. Her unruly black hair is tied up with a red ribbon in a wild pile on top of her head. She’s wearing a black knee length studded leather jacket and a worn azure cotton shirt underneath. Her charcoal trousers are tucked under sturdy knee high boots. The other woman is wearing a black tricorn hat. She has on faded black linen trousers and a dull bourbon waistcoat that covers the egg white cotton shirt underneath. Both women have sheathed rapiers.
“Did you enjoy the party last night?” Captain Alejandra, the woman with the tricorn hat, asks Oli One Eye, the First Mate and Minstrel.
“Oh, it was fascinating,” First Mate Olanis “Oli” Morgan replies. “Master Jo Anne,” she continues nodding at the woman standing at the base of the bowsprit, “and I went to Tristan’s galleon Unbroken.”
“Did you bring your mandolin?”
“I did,” Oli replies. “Tristan and his crew of all men were nothing but gracious. Yet none showed any attraction towards us. I think it’s the first time I’ve been somewhere where the men have longer eyelashes than I do, and are much prettier.”
“Did he tell you his story?” The Captain asks.
“About Barthadrow capturing him when he was a young boy?” she asks in reply.
“Yes,” the Captain says morosely.
“Our Navigator, Master Jo Anne, and I drank fine brandy with him in his cabin until late into the night. In the whispers of a childish sounding voice he told us his story. Lucky I have good ears or I wouldn’t have gotten it all. He said when he was just a boy Barthadrow told him what a wonderful singing voice he has. And since he seems to be effeminate anyways he was going to have a special procedure done. While he was sleeping in the hull of Barthadrow’s ship Corrupta with the other children two of Barthadrow’s crewmembers covered his mouth with a cloth. The next day his groin was wrapped in bandages. They had castrated him.”
“He has a reason to want revenge on Barthadrow.”
Brought to you by Dan Watt (author of Brackish and the soon to be released epic fantasy adventure BARD) and Taylor Norris (co-author of Rita Walker and Rita Walker: Australia).
Just a little while ago I was looking at different agents and one wrote that she would love a story about female pirates. Also not too long I finished reading Samuel Bawlf’s “The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake”. This all culminated in me talking to Taylor Norris (co-author of Rita Walker, Rita Walker: Australia) about writing a female pirate story.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl is one of my favourite movies. I remember Joshamee (Kevin McNally) introducing Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) to his new crew. When Jack stopped at Anamaria (Zoe Saldana), who is also a captain, I thought who is she? In the next movie I looked for her but that was the last Pirates of the Caribbean, Zoe Saldana was in. Since then she has become Queen of the Universe.
Although I can’t use Zoe Saldana’s image nor directly use the name Anamaria I am determined to continue Zoe Saldana’s ruling of the galaxy. Captain Alejandra is the captain of the Nagua, and she looks suspiciously similar to Zoe Saldana.
Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Sixteen and Conclusion) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris
Tom Paxton – Whose Garden Was This? (Live 1971)
“It won’t just be the Australian government and businesses that will be watching this conference but also many governments around the globe,” Aurora is saying from the front passenger seat to Rita and Zsofia.
“Do you know Professors Bappy and Jules?” Rita asks.
“Don’t tell me those two blokes are involved,” Oliver says in a voice full of disgust. “Whatever you do don’t agree to meet either of them for drinks. Whatever they offer you whether food or drink-wise it’s probably spiked with Ecstasy.”
“They are most certainly are going to be there,” Rita replies with a frustrated sigh.
At the entrance to the University both Aurora and Oliver hug Rita and Zsofia. “Let us know when you’re done,” Aurora says before she and Oliver drive away.
“I feel like we’re going into a dream or battle,” Zsofia says with her game face on.
“Just a conference,” Rita says in a shaky voice.
Inside they meet Merindah. Like them she’s dressed professionally. Rita notices that Merindah’s clothes are the colours of the University. A red blouse and blue pants with gold stripes. “Ready?” Merindah asks.
“No,” Rita and Zsofia say at the same time then laugh.
Together they walk down the long hallway with the ceiling so high Rita still thinks it’s meant for giants; if not from the past then perhaps the future.
The conference room is modern with a round table at the centre. Rita sees a number of women and men already seated with folded name cards facing out. They all have intent stares and wear business suits. Rita gives a sigh of relief; Iluka is among them. Directly across from where she and Zsofia are to sit are Professors Bappy and Jules.
“We owe Aurora for the blouses and slacks we’re wearing,” Zsofia whispers to her.
“We owe both her and Oliver a great deal of gratitude,” Rita whispers back. “And if this works so does the rest of the planet.” Rita’s blouse is semi-translucent white on purpose. She wants to make sure the two rainbow snakes are at least partially visible.
“You’re by the globe maker,” Merindah tells them.
“Let us get started,” Professor Bappy says. “Unlike my cohort Professor Jules I do think we need to be concerned about the environment.” Rita is intrigued at how smooth Bappy speaks. “However, I fear the financial cost is too great.”
“That’s why we need governments and businesses to work together,” Rita says.
“Each country should deal with its own problems,” Professor Jules says with a grumble as he sits with his arms crossed over his chest.
“On March 11, 2011 an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan causing a tsunami and affecting around 805 km of its coastline,” Zsofia says. “Up to eighteen million tonnes of debri from that earthquake was estimated to land on Canada’s west coast by 2014.”
“What does that have to do with today’s meeting? And remember I’m very educated in environmental issues,” Professor Bappy throws in.
Rita smiles as Zsofia leans forward and says, “That means, what happens in one place effects another place on Earth. Australia’s use of coal is affecting air, ground and water causing illness and death.”
“Now you’re attacking Australia! This is nonsense,” Professor Jules shouts out as he stands up and slaps his hands onto the table.
Zsofia leans farther forward. “We’re in Australia so we should include it,” she replies.
“Plastic is another concern,” Rita says, intentionally changing the subject.
“Are we here to talk about plastic?” Professor Bappy asks sarcastically.
“We’re here to discuss the environment,” Rita replies with a soothing voice. “Almost all countries are polluting the environment with plastic waste. Too much of it is entering the ocean creating plastic islands. Renewable, recyclable, environmental friendly energy and products are needed.”
“Businesses will shut down if governments enforce these changes,” Professor Bappy says in a very paternal voice.
“People will be out of work,” Professor Jules shouts out.
“Absolutely not,” Zsofia says. “Governments and businesses can work with universities and colleges to make changes smooth and efficient.”
“And cost tax payers an exorbitant amount of money to make these changes,” Professor Jules says with a guffaw.
“The idea of collaborating,” Rita says with more calm than she feels, “is that the transition to environmentally friendly energy and products becomes an easy transition. Jobs aren’t lost their replaced and healthy individuals think clearer. Less toxins in the air, ground, and water means less stress on the health system. For the companies that need assistance for the changeover taxpayers, and such the government, can afford to financially assist.”
“And for businesses that refuse to change?” Professor Jules says with a snarl.
“There will be penalties, perhaps even shut downs,” Zsofia says. “But the majority of businesses are willing to make changes to make an environmentally friendly Earth.”
“What’s to stop businesses from buying environmentally friendly technology or companies that create the technology and shutting them down?” It’s the first time Iluka has spoken up.
“Laws need to be implemented to make such happenings illegal,” Zsofia replies. “Normally a project is non-disclosure until a paper is written. A special government department should be created, if it hasn’t already, to over-ride non-disclosure deals and stop the destruction of knowledge.”
Rita stands up and turns on the light sabre like device. A globe of the Earth appears. She expands it with her hands. “When it comes to developing environmentally safe energy and products we need to collaborate as a planet, not just individual countries. We need to share ideas and technologies. Each environment has its own solutions. A country’s natural resources should be used to replace coal and plastics and other environmentally damaging products. In other words there isn’t a single answer but many.”
Back in her room at the University, Rita gathers up the few items that are hers. Zsofia has gone with Merindah to clean out her room. Later Zsofia will head back to Canada while she’ll meet up with Marlo. Her door opens and Professor Bappy and Jules enter.
“No one will heed what you said today Sheila,” Professor Bappy says.
“They will,” she replies. She knows that you have to believe in something to make it happen.
“Those symbols on your chest and on your belly won’t save you,” Professor Jules says. “We’ve corrupted the Dreamtime so it Dilga’s powers will arrive too late.”
Rita sees a familiar tall female figure walk by her open door but the professors don’t seem to notice. “Shall I call you Bamapana and Julana?” she asks.
“Whatever you want lover,” Julana says with a sneer as he steps closer.
“Do you know what I am?” Rita asks as the colour of her pupils start to change.
Julana takes a step back and bumps into the tall form of Bamapana.
Bamapana starts to open the door wider to escape when he trips over something.
A giant snake the colour of the rainbow slithers over him.
Rita places her hands overhead and presses her palms together. “Back to the Dreamtime for you,” she says as her body changes.
Blue Mountain Jenolan Caves background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt
Rita sits in her empty classroom at the end of the day and massages her temples. It’s the fourth week of teaching and none of her clients are elementals or from the Dreamtime. They’re all interested in sustainability but prefer to debate each other instead of working as a team. Zsofia steps into her room first.
“Brought you some coffee,” Zsofia says placing the steaming mug on Rita’s desktop.
“I don’t think most of the population cares about recyclable, biodegradable, renewable products or energy,” Rita says with lament and frustration in her voice. “We have biochemists, and a number of engineers in the class yet most won’t speak up about what to do for the environment.”
“A good manager gets people to work for them willingly,” Zsofia says with a chuckle. “Take their knowledge and use it to get government and businesses to collaborate. Today’s going to be rough for you Rita. We have to discuss what happens if businesses refuse to initiate environmentally focused practices. Also we need to go over the repercussions to buying out companies with environmentally sustainable technology and then destroying the new technology or making it impossible to use.”
Rita rubs her temples harder. She takes a long sip of the coffee. This is what we have so far: “If we’re talking coal and natural gas the procedure is to invest in multiple technological solutions. That could be better filtration, adding non CO2 producing biodegradables, and the gradual replacement of coal and natural gas by reusable energy. As for plastics. Micro plastics, and plastics in the water and land need to be removed and either stored or re-used. At the same time biodegradable substitutions should be developed. It will be important to get replacements from a variety of sources, preferably the parts of plants currently considered waste by-product. The other reason is a variety of sources means one substitute will not hinder the growth of others. We don’t want deforestation or the loss of food crops in order to grow one type of plant to use as a plastic substitute.”
“That sums up the technology,” Zsofia says taking a sip of her own coffee. “What we want to do with businesses is introduce more environmentally friendly substitutes for what they currently have. The changeover should be financially viable, even if that means the government needs to supplement the business while it starts the changeover. We also want job security for the current employees. For businesses who are willing to change there will need to be financial penalties that may lead to forced closure. We also need to make sure there are government policies that protect environmental technologies from companies purchasing them then refusing to use them or from destroying the technology.”
“Do you think this will get accepted?” Rita asks. She just wants to get the next two weeks over with now and meet up with Marlo.
“Thank you for being here,” Rita says giving her friend a powerful hug.
Blue Mountain Jenolan Caves background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt
Review of An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth by Chris Hadfield
Although this book has been out since 2013 I only just read it.
I am always looking for a story that is motivational, not because it tells me what I want to hear but because it’s real. An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth is about perseverance but also to remember your family and friends, even when you’re out in space.
By talking about the lessons he learned to become an astronaut Chris Hadfield makes it clear his wife Helene played a major role in his success. Helene encouraged him but also grounded him, reminding him of the sacrifices she and their family made, and reminding him to include them. Throughout the book Chris shows his mistakes, his successes and the absolute importance of being a team player, whether as leader or co-pilot.
One of his major points is being a square trying to fit into a round hole. His approach to becoming an astronaut was to become an Air Force pilot and mechanical engineer all the while knowing it would be next to impossible to go into space. What I enjoyed throughout the book was that he constantly learned and went on the basis of that if the square can’t get through the circle, that he doesn’t become an astronaut, he has his pilot and engineering skills to fall back on. He didn’t put all his eggs into one basket.
He talks about sweating the small stuff. He points out that as an astronaut, if you don’t sweat the small stuff (haven’t prepared by going over all the finer details) you could kill yourself and your crew mates.
Encouraging others and being encouraged is a theme he mentions continuously. He talks about the importance of “investing in other people’s success doesn’t just make them more likely to enjoy working with me. It also improves my own chances of survival and success.”
He makes it clear how important team work is “No astronaut, no matter how brilliant or brave, is a solo act. Our expertise is the result of the training provided by thousands of experts around the world, and the support provided by thousands of technicians in five different space agencies.”
Singing David Bowie’s Space Oddity on the International Space Station was his son Evan’s idea. An idea that has a lot of children now interested in space. As Chris Hadfield mentions in his book, spaceflight isn’t just about looking away from the Earth but at it. Satellites allow for communication, the ability to study weather and pollution patterns. To find things that might not otherwise be able to be found such as planes that need to make emergency landings or boats lost at sea.
In conclusion this is a fantastic book. I have not added page numbers to the quotes I used because I want you to read the book yourself.
Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Fourteen) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris
Paradoxically, it took a few years working with other wildly competitive people for me to learn to think of success as a team sport. To instill and reinforce expeditionary behaviour—essentially, the ability to work in a team productively and cheerfully in tough conditions—astronauts do survival training, on water and on land (p. 104 An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth).
Chris Hadfield
Rita stares out the rear passenger seat of the Martin’s Tesla as the couple drive her and Zsofia to the University of Sydney. When Rita awoke in the morning Taz was sitting at her bed breathing onto her chest. She had pulled her sheet lower and noticed tattoos of two, coiled rainbow snakes, one over each of her breasts. Shaking she had slid the sheet even lower. Just above her belly button and below her lower ribs were two running dingos. “Just until you leave Australia,” she had heard Dilga say into her thoughts. She worried about what Aurora and Oliver would think. It was unavoidable they would notice because she had to either wear a bikini or halter top in the blistering weather. Only when she knocked on Iluka’s door to get Sophia did she get a gasp come from Iluka. Zsofia must have thought it strange when Iluka ran her index finger over Rita’s chest and just above her bellybutton. But Zsofia had seen many strange things as Rita’s best friend and made no mention whether she noticed the new tattoos.
“Just inside the court of the university you’ll see a girl wearing a University of Sydney crest,” Aurora tells them as a gothic sandstone building appears up ahead.
“She’ll have frizzy hair and blue eyes and her name is Merindah,” Oliver adds.
As the Tesla stops in front of the ancient front entrance to the university Rita gets out first. She waits for Zsofia before walking under the arch with the lion fresco to the left and horse to the right. At the very top of the lintel lies a creature that appears to have a lion’s body but the coiled tail and face of a monkey.
“Interesting frescoes,” she hears Zsofia say as they walk past the arched doorway into the courtyard.
Just as they step into the courtyard Rita sees a girl with dark brown wavy hair that falls over her shoulders. Her eyebrows are black and thick and she has amazing blue eyes that shine beyond the dark tan of her face. Rita notices the crest with the lion and four, eight pointed stars stitched onto the left side of the girl’s purple halter top.
“Rita and Zsofia?” the girl asks when she sees them. Her eyes linger on the rainbow snake tattoos on Rita’s chest. “I’m Merindah,” she continues absent mindedly.
Rita instantly recognizes that Merindah is a mix of indigenous and Cook’s—as Dilga would say–parenthood. “Pleasure to meet you,” she and Zsofia say at the same time.
“I’ll take you the Sustainable Management classroom and get you settled,” Merindah tells them. “We only have six weeks to prepare a presentation for the replacement of coal for substitute and environmentally friendly renewable energy.”
“And what to do about plastics,” Rita adds.
Blue Mountain Jenolan Caves background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt
Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Thirteen) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris
The more we define our differences the more observers notice the similarities.
She remembers Iluka revving up her Super Soco as Liam helped her onto the back. Something rubbery and tight pressed against the skin of her abdomen.
“I’ve bungeed her to you,” Liam said.
“Let you know how it goes,” Iluka said.
Rita felt herself moving but not on the Earthereal plain.
She’s on a river of sand the colour of silver under a crescent moon. The river of sand piles into a hill under her feet increasing her perspective. In the distance are giant land shapes she thinks she’s seen in pictures but the light is dim and mist flows everywhere. Walking towards her are two indigenous men, naked but for bodypainting. These men represent the poison drawn out of Australia herself. She knows the one on the right is Bamapana a member deity of the Yolngu from the Northern Territory. Covering Bamapana’s chest and abdomen is a white crocodile but with its head facing down as its tail wraps up to Bamapana’s left ear. His deep set eyes are squinting and his yellow teeth are on display in a cruel smile.
Meanwhile, to his left, with his monstrous phallus swelling is Julana. She sees that Julana has a lustful grin and realizes what he intends when he rapidly digs into the sand. Rita grimaces. Julana is a rapist. She tries to run but her right calve muscle burns and refuses to let her move.
“Muldjewangk belongs to this island,” Bamapan says while continuing to walk towards her. “You don’t so Muldjewangk attacked and now you are here with me. I can’t stop what Julana is going to do to you but that could be it. Stay out of the business of Australia. The humans will all die but some of us can change into creatures that will survive.”
She sees a projected image of a coiled rainbow snake appear on Bamapan’s chest. “No,” she replies clasping her hands over her head. “Better tell your father Nijirana to come save you Julana,” she continues under her breath.
The change is more than she can handle and she may never be able to leave the Dreamtime again but she won’t let Julana defile her. “Wish you were here Marlo,” she whispers into the mist swirling around her. She calls to the soil of Australia to tell her what to transform into. Her eyesight grows wider. The strange sense of leaning too far forward fills her. Her body feels as though it’s wrapped around itself.
Julana bursts out of the sand before her. She sees an easy target and strikes.
“Your friend Zsofia is here,” she vaguely hears Aurora telling her. She starts to get up but Aurora pushes her back down. “Iluka said she used the salve in your dilly bag just in time. Australia is full of poisonous animals and plants. I should have warned you. I guess we don’t notice it because we grow up learning about them.”
“Hey Rita,” Zsofia says from the doorway to her basement apartment. Zsofia steps up to her with a cloth. Rita feels Zsofia’s hand wiping away sweat from her forehead. “You need to heal. Lots to do in little time.”
Blue Mountain Jenolan Caves background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt
Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Twelve) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris
I keep thinking of Marvel’s Ultra’s words in Avenger’s: Age of Ultra: ““I’m sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn’t think it through. You want to protect the world but you don’t want it to change. How is humanity saved if it’s not allowed to… evolve?” He continues by saying the Avenger’s must become extinct (that’s its own discussion).
The salt in the water keeps pushing her up so she lingers near a strand of seaweed and wraps her legs around it so her hands are free. Giant trevally and parrot fish swim near her but sadly no tiny creatures. She moves her hands and silently thanks Iluka for telling her messages to Marlo would move faster if she were submerged. “Any luck with the plastics?”
She watches Iluka swim in circles nearby as she waits for Marlo’s reply.
“At one point China handled nearly half the world’s plastic recycling. But there are so many products that are a mix of plastic and paper and other materials, Rita. I think we need biodegradable material to replace constant use products like straws, cups, food and detergent containers and more.”
“Zsofia is coming here hopefully she’ll have ideas. What about using more glass?” As she waits for Marlo’s reply she notices a gargantuan shadow moving towards her. Her body heaves back from a sudden pulse in the water.
Rita finds her left hand in Iluka’s. The power in Iluka’s tail thrusts shocks her as Iluka drags her towards shore. Rita kicks desperately with her feet.
As the base of the dock comes into site she feels an agonizing pain in right calve muscle.
Iluka throws her onto the dock before propelling herself beside her. “We must change before anyone sees us Rita!” Iluka tells her.
Rita clenches her teeth together as she grasps onto her calve muscle to stop the blood flow. “What was that?” she’s finally able to ask.
“A Muldjewangk,” she hears Iluka tell her. “Normally they stay in Murray River. The Dreamtime has opened Rita. It allows Dilga and Albi Rose to communicate but also other ancient beings. This is bad, the skin of your calve is already starting to blister.”
“Dilga gave me a dilly bag,” Rita says as searing pain burns through her calve. In frustration she leans over to the water and pulses it. I’m safe she sends to Marlo.
“I better get you home than, if Liam isn’t out riding my Super Soco,” Iluka tells her as she pulls Rita’s right arm over her shoulders.
Blue Mountain Jenolan Caves background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt
Later that day Rita is invited to eat supper with the Martins.
“Hope you like meat pies,” Aurora says passing her a steaming plate.
“I do,” Rita replies. She glances down at her new clothes. “Thank you for everything and I’ll pay you back as soon my term starts at the University.”
“We’re going to watch, What We Do In The Shadows, tonight,” Oliver says. “You’re more than welcome to watch it with us.”
“I’d love to,” Rita replies, realising she would like to, “but I’m meeting up with Iluka tonight.”
“Ask her to show you her paintings,” Oliver suggests.
“I will,” Rita promises.
Inside Iluka’s hallway is a painting of Uluru in the foreground with Luna in front of the Earth behind it. Iluka tells her the painting is based off pictures of Uluru by a famous photographer named Peter Samuel and of Luna and the Earth taken from space by NASA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory.
“It’s strange to see a place on Earth looking at Luna and the Earth,” Rita says.
“It tries to explain an aspect of Dreamtime,” Iluka says as she leads Rita to a side door attached between the hall and her kitchen. The door opens to the garage where Rita sees a dark green Super Soco electric motorcycle. “Neither of us can fly so we’ll ride to the harbour.”
At the harbour front Iluka parks on a dock near a bluebird yacht. An older gentleman with indigenous features is fishing off the boat.
“Can I leave my bike by your boat Liam?” she hears Iluka ask the man.
“Those things will kill you,” Liam replies with a guffaw tinged with humour.
“Does that mean you don’t want to take it for a spin,” Iluka throws in.
“Maybe but not tell I see you’re off doing whatever you’re doing. Wouldn’t want you to know.”
“I’ll leave my keys in the ignition than since there’s no worries you will.”
“How much ump is in it?”
“Enough for us to get back is someone were to take a short spin, and I mean no longer than half an hour.”
“I’m getting old. My half an hour is about an hour or two in your time.”
“Leave your boat open then.”
Iluka takes Rita to the base of the dock. “He throws whatever he catches back in. The water’s oily here but here we must enter. I’ll be in my truest form but I suggest you change to a platypus if you can. That way you can communicate by moving your paws. The messages will travel faster if you’re submerged.”
“What will you be protecting me from?” Rita asks as she steps into the warm salt water.
“Maybe bull sharks but that’s rare.”
“I think I’ll just turn into my aquatic self.” Rita’s eye turn yellow to see better, and gills grow at the back of her jaws.
Iluka climbs into the water beside her. Rita is taken back when she sees Iluka’s upper body turn into an indigenous woman of Northern Australia and a fish below. “If you feel a strong sound wave it’s me telling you to get out of the water.”
Rita nods and submerges.
Based on a picture of Uluru, Australia by Peter Samuel, and Luna in front of Earth by NASA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory
Blue Mountain Jenolan Caves background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt
