A Stella & Margarita - Desert Sex

Margarita kept eating very slowly, nervously watching the two measure each other up.

"What makes you think that you'll be able to hand my ass to me?" He continued.

It was Margarita who spoke, "Oh, she will mister, trust me on that," The fact that she was so relaxed about it surprised her.

The soldier took a deep breath, he offered his hand to her and said, "Corporal Steven Walker, 1st Armoured, ma'am,"

"Major Stella Murphy, SOE 7th combat signals,"

Stella looked deep into his eyes and waited a few seconds before taking his hand as they both began to shake hands.

"Sorry to intrude while you are eating ma'am," He explained.

"That's ok corporal, ask your friends to join us and I'll shout you all a beer," She instructed him.

"That's very kind ma'am, but not required,"

"I insist corporal, please,"

He nodded and waved his arm to his mates still standing at the bar looking on. Stella found an extra chair so they could all sit at the table together. As his mates arrived he introduced them, "Ma'am, this is my younger brother Larry, whom I think you met earlier today and this is Doug Wallace an old school friend," he told her, They all shook hands, Larry did so reluctantly but he did and sat there quietly. Stella introduced herself as Stella Murphy and Margarita, her fiancée.

A waitress came by and started to collect the empty plates and Stella order the extra drinks for them all. Steven turned to Larry, and with as much brotherly kidding as he could muster told him, "You are lucky she let you off lightly today little brother," As Stella hadn't mentioned her position within the army, neither did Steven Walker.

When the waitress delivered everyone's drinks, Stella whispered something to her, she nodded and went off. They kept chatting and enjoying each other's company, even Larry. As it grew late, Stella signalled to Mags it was time to leave, and they said their goodnights, Stella had left word with the waitress behind the bar that the boys were drinking on her that evening.

"Ma'am, it was nice to meet you and if ever you and your fiancée get to Adelaide you would be more than welcome at our bar," The corporal told her.

"Thank you, Steven, I will make a point of it,"

The girls walked back to room 23, and retired into bed, just cuddling each other, even in the heat of the outback it wasn't too hot for a cuddle. They were tired, and Stella felt good that she had successfully eased past a potentially difficult situation.

"Stell," said Mags as they were slowly falling off to sleep, "Yes babe,"

"You are one smart woman you know,"

"Yes babe," she replied as her eyes closed and they both fell asleep.

It is surprising how loud a blowfly is when it is buzzing around a room. Mags was curled up in a ball one leg out of the sheet and the rest of her body under the sheet. Stella opened one eye trying to think what she could throw at the bloody fly. She got up and visited the bathroom. She hadn't really opened her eyes yet. She found a can of Mortein in a cupboard, gave the room a spray, and listened for the fly.

Nothing, so she crawled back into bed and cuddled Margarita, kissed her head and closed her eyes just as the fly started to buzz again. She lay they listening to it as Mags rolled over cuddled into her and asked if she was going to kill the bloody thing. Stella grumbled and cursed then got up again, put the air-conditioner on, and sprayed an unhealthy amount of Mortein fly spray into the air stream. Unhealthy for the fly and probably them too.

Mags threw the covers over her head and started coughing, it was all fake and Stella knew it. "It's not that bad, anyways, it is time we were both up, we have a long drive in front of us today, and I want to get to Birdsville before it gets dark." She told her as she walked into the bathroom.

"So you're not coming back to bed then, not even for a cuddle?" Asked Margarita.

"Nope, your cuddles always end up with us being late for something or another," Stella replied.

"We can grab something to eat and a big coffee to take with us, plus we need to refuel and get plenty of water ok," Stella was yelling over the shower curtain when Mags pulled it back and joined her and just cuddled her under the warm temperate water, they kissed.

"I want my cuddles first," She told her. They washed each other's backs, talking about the boys from the night before and Margarita told Stell, that she thought she was going to get into a fight again.

"Baby, I hate fighting, and what I do isn't really fighting, to be honest. I cheat a lot." She told her. "Where I am concerned there is no such thing as a fair fight. You should remember that. You never let an opponent think they are going to win, talk first and talk fast and hit them hard."

Margarita never said anything but she was listening intently.

They dried and dressed, wearing their outback kit, they loaded up the land cruiser and Stella went off to pay their bill. It was still early morning the sun didn't have its full effect, but Mags could tell it was going to be a hot one. She went and sat in the car and wished it was in the shade, as she was looking at an old map and trying to find Birdsville. The police Sergeant knocked on the car as he approached from behind her. She was startled but not concerned. She smiled and said hello as did he, "So you got home OK last night?" He asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, no problems at all, Stella ended up buying them a drink," She told him.

"Smart girl your Stella," He told her as he lent on the open window looking into the car, eyeing everything they had. If he saw the gun in the side door pocket, he didn't let on.

"Yes, I think so too, great minds as they say,"

"Which way you heading today?" He asked inquisitively.

"Up north, to Birdsville, Stell wants to get there before dark, hence the early start,"

The policeman nodded, "are you two experienced outback travellers?" he asked.

"Not really, I guess, Stell seems to know a lot more about it than I do,"

Just as they were talking Stella came up and smiled at the policeman, "Not chatting up my girlfriend are you Sergeant?"

He smiled back at her, "I think I'd have Buckley's chance, she only has eyes for you," Stella nodded as she stood on the running board talking over the top of the land cruiser.

"I was just asking if you know what you are doing. I mean travelling up to Birdsville is a fair hike in one stint, there is no water out there ladies, so take plenty, and I'll let them know you are heading their way."

Stella got into the car and looked at Mags as the copper put his head in her window and asked quietly, "Do you know how to use that piece of equipment in the side door?"

"I do but have no intention of using it. It's legal too in case you were wondering,"

"I wasn't and I figured it would be," He replied. "Go and get fuelled up and stock up with water, and drive carefully," he told them as he patted the top of the land cruiser. The girls drove off cautiously.

Margarita turned to Stella and asked, "What was that all about,"

"Just an outback copper dotting the I's and crossing the T's," She told her. "What it also means is that we now have to say hello to the local copper in Birdsville, because if they don't spot us tonight, they will have a plane up tomorrow morning and list us as missing in the desert. Safety first for them but trouble for me."

"Shouldn't I have said anything?" Asked Mags.

"It's ok sweetheart, no harm done."

The distance by road from Innamincka to Birdsville is just over 400 km but takes over 9 hours on a gravel road. The area is harsh and dangerous. If you get lost, and have no water, you won't last more than a day. It isn't the harshest place to travel - that is to come - the Simpson Desert. It is an area you have to keep your wits about you and not take stupid risks.

Stella turned to Mags and reminded her, "This time if you get frisky, we will wait till we get to Birdsville."

Stella bought two slabs of bottled water and put them in the esky then topped it up with ice. She brought a couple of packets of boiled lollies for them to suck on, plus a current map for Mags to read and study. She filled the tank and two jerry cans with fuel. Checked the tyres and lowered the tyre pressure for the more desert terrain. Then she made sure everything was secured. They said their goodbyes to storekeepers who also told them to be safe and drive carefully.

Stella was not surprised or amazed by the caring outback people. After all, if they went missing it was people like the 'Trading Post' store owners who have to go out looking for them.

The drive was slow and boring, each new kilometre was the same as the last and 70 km/hour was Stella's limit. Mags opened the map and kept looking at how far they had come and how far they had to go.

Stella told her not to ask the very obvious question that every child asks on a long trip, "Are we there yet," Margarita just laughed at her and told her as a matter of fact, "I haven't asked that one of you, yet."

"Once we get to Birdsville I want to drive us through the Simpson Desert to Alice, are you OK with that?" She told Stella.

"Sure, if you want to, it is long and even more boring than this drive you know. About 11 hundred kilometres and all gravel and sand. B O R I N G," She spelt it out to her half trying to convince her not to. It didn't work.

"I want to carry my weight on this trip, it seems like you have done everything so far, I feel like I am just here for decoration or something."

"You are my decoration so what of it?"

"I want to be more a lot more, not just your other half," Mags told her firmly.

"Now who is getting bossy?"

"Ha" came the reply as Margarita climbed between the front seats to open the esky and pulled out two bottles of ice-cold water. She opened one and handed it to Stell, who just smiled at her and said thank you with her eyes. They drove on towards Birdsville, kilometre after kilometre. On some of the more secure surfaces, Stella increased the speed only to be told to slow down by Mags, as she continued to study the map. She was humming quietly to herself, turning the map in all different directions.

"Look Mags, wild camels, over there,"

Margarita looked up and in amazement saw a small herd of twenty or so camels. "Oh wow, who would have thought? Did you know Stell that we have more wild camels here in the outback than they do in Saudi Arabia?"

"Yes, I did know that and aren't you a wealth of information,"

"They have an interesting history with the outback and the aboriginals too,"

Stella looked at her and shook her head, "You keep surprising me Mags and that is something I love about you,"

They drove on until looking up from her map she absent-mindedly ask Stella, "Can I shoot that gun?"

Stella looked over at her and said no without hesitating. "Guns are not toys you know,"

"I know that but you wanted me to shoot that shotgun of yours without any training, so why can't I use the little gun you have?" She continued.

"Why do you want to learn to shoot, you will never have a reason to ever again,"

"What would have happened if one of those boys yesterday clocked you one I could have jumped in there and protected you,"

"They were never going to clock me one, never in a million years babe,"

"But what if they did? What if you are away again somewhere and someone breaks in? I need to know how to protect myself Stell, you won't always be around to look out for me,"

"Yes I will babe, where I go you go from now on, that's the way it is going to be,"

"Take me seriously Stella, I want to learn, plus you and I both know that isn't true," Mags told her while looking sternly into her eyes.

Stella took her foot off the accelerator and the cruiser slowly came to a stop, she put it into neutral and turned to Margarita, "Babe, I know you are worried about things, but I will never let anyone hurt you again, or break into our home again. You truly don't need to fire a gun, they are not fun things to have around. Forget what you see on TV, shooting someone leaves an empty space in your soul, and killing someone blackens your soul. Trust me, please."

While still looking at each other Margarita explained, "You had to do something that both blackened your soul and saved my soul, I have to bear that guilt forever as well, whether you think it is right or not, it is how I feel, so you will teach me to shoot a gun or I will find someone else who will,"

The tears in Mag's eyes told Stella it was an argument she wasn't going to win. She put the car into gear and pulled right off the gravel road.

"You can be a defiant little so and so when you want to be can't you?" She told her.

"Babe, I know when I'm right and I am not going to back down," Margarita replied.

"Come on then, I'll show you what I know," They got out of the land cruiser and walked off into the arid land. About thirty yards from the car Stella pulled the gun out of her belt and explained to Margarita the basics.

"This is a Ruger Mkii it is small, compact and can be fitted with a suppressor. It has a short range but is reliable and accurate. It's easy to disassemble and assemble again. It has a little kick in it but for someone who has never fired one before it might seem more than a little." She told her all at once.

"First rule about a gun, is never point it at someone unless you intend to shoot them, this is not a toy,"

Stella moved Margarita behind her and shot 5 rounds into the wilderness, not aiming at anything. "Quiet isn't it, even more so once you put the suppressor on it,"

She pulled Mags around in front of her and got her to hold the gun in both hands, to get the feel of it, "Now this weapon holds ten rounds, how many have I just fired?"

"Five," Margarita responded.

"Good, know what your magazine holds and how many rounds you have used, an empty gun is no use to anyone,"

"Now using one hand hold the gun at arm's length from you. When you pull the trigger it will kick in your hand and arm, don't drop the gun or you'll end up cleaning it on your own," She was told.

"I won't - drop it I mean,"

She held out the gun and her arm started to shake, Stella held her wrist, "now easy, gently just squeeze the trigger, just once."

She did and the gun jerked in her hand and a shock wave sent a string of emotions up her arm to her brain. She stood there. Stella held onto her wrists and then slowly eased her hand down, so the gun was now pointing into the red desert ground. "How did that feel," She asked.

"It was a weird feeling, strange but ok," Mags said as she looked up over her shoulder.

"OK, then do it again, this time aim for the clump of grass about 100 metres over there," As she pointed to a section of ground sticking up, not expecting her to come close to it.

Margarita did so, slowly raising the gun and carefully looking down the length of the barrel, she slowly squeezed the trigger and the gun jumped in her hand, missing the target by the proverbial mile.

"What did that teach you, babe," Stella asked her.

"I have to aim lower or take into account the kick on the gun?" she responded.

"Yep, now do it again,"

Mags looked at the clump of grass and then where her last shot landed, approximately. She aimed once more and fired again, this time hitting the earth ten feet in front of her target.

"Well done Mags," exclaimed Stella. She sounded genuinely excited. "Now once more, carefully take aim babe,"

Margarita did so and fired once more, again missing the target but this time the earth just beyond where she was looking spilled into the scorching sun-baked dry air.

"And again," Said Stella.

This time Margarita took a deep breath and brushed away some flies from her face, all the while making certain the gun was pointed downwards, Stella smiled to herself and was surprised at how quickly she had learnt the very basics of handling a gun. This time after brushing away the more persistent flies, she blew air from the corners of her mouth as she look down the barrel of the gun and squeezed off another round. This time she didn't see where the bullet landed but Stella was clapping with glee, and shouting from behind her, "Well done Annie Oakley,"

"How many rounds have you fired, babe?"

"That's the five, it should be empty now," She told Stell.

"Should be, but never take it for granted. I'll show you how to check it to be sure, now never hand a gun back to anyone with the barrel pointing at you or anyone else, so take your hand off the grip or the handle, hold it at the top and hand the grip back to me, making certain the barrel is pointing away from you and me both." Margarita did so and mentioned the heat in the gun.

"Yeah, strange that hey?" Stella said sarcastically.

Mags looked at her with a wicked smile on her face, feeling pretty pleased with herself. They walked back towards the car shooing flies away from their mouths and noses, as they fell into the Aussie wave instinctively.

Mags went to get into the passage seat when Stella called out to her, "Where are you going?"

"I was getting into the car why?"

"You haven't finished with your lesson yet, come back here," Stella was at the back of the cruiser and opened the hatch and reached to get her saddlebags, she grabbed them and opened one, took out a small box, about the size of a cigar case. Inside was a small container of oil, two white cleaning rags, and a circular brush.

She laid them out carefully and dismantled the gun in three or four swift movements, then laid each piece on one of the clean rags. Holding each piece up she named them and got Margarita to repeat the name back to her. And she showed Mags how to carefully clean and wipe each piece, how to brush the barrel clean, blowing the fine dust after each stroke of the brush. She then assembled the weapon and show Mags how to load the magazine. After which she cocked the loaded pistol. Put the safety on and stuck it in her belt. "Can I have another feel of it," asked Mags with a twinkle in her eye. "And I want you to show me how you take it apart and put it together again,"

"Are all weapons and guns that easy to use?"

"No babe, some are easier and many and harder to learn," Stella told her. She then sat her backside on the rear of the land cruiser, looked at Margarita and told her, "After every time you use a weapon, you clean it, if you don't know how to you ask me. Now that you have fired a pistol, do you feel any different?"

Margarita held out her hand to Stella and then let her wrap her into her arms and warm embrace on a hot, dry, lonely and dusty road in outback Australia.

Mags looked into her eyes, smiled up at her and kissed her, "Thank you, I feel different in a good way sweetheart,"

"Good, grab some water and let's get back on the road, see once again you have made us late, you are always making us late babe," She lovingly chided her Mags.

"Shut your moaning, you will get us there before dark. By the way, the pedal on the right makes the car go faster, try using it a bit more hey,"

"You see this is why I do most of the driving, you would end up rolling us, I am certain of it,"

"The only time I want to roll you over is once I get you into bed," Mags told her.

"You are all talk Margarita," She laughed as she replied.

They got back on the road and drove on to Birdsville getting there way before dark. They were both tired and worn out from doing nothing but driving. Margarita insisted on driving the next step of the way, "Do you know how far it is to Alice?" Stella asked her.

"I know exactly how far it is and then on to Broome, you know there isn't much west of Alice don't you?" Then Margarita rattled off the time and distance left on their journey. "From here to Alice is about 1200 km which should take us about 16 hours the way you drive,"