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She walks through the field hospital, hair tangled and matted with blood and mud. The Red Cross armband on her sleeve, no-longer bears the fresh and vibrant colours as it had hours ago. Her uniform once clean is now like every other, a mud stained name badge reveals a single word. ‘storm’.

Around her, the injured moan in morphine induced peace and death hangs like a cloud on the horizon. There are the soldiers who stood with their allies. These are the mates of eAustralia. Brushing a loose strand from her eyes, Larni smudges a dark streak across her face as she looks around for someone to help.

These are the great men who came to her country’s aid and though the fighting rages outside she will not let a single one die alone. Another soldier is stretchered in and Larni watches as the doctor quickly examines his wounds and then with a thick marker pen puts a cross on his forehead.

Yet another soldier to face the darkness, but he will not go alone. Watching as the stretcher bearers transport the soldier to his final destination Larni heaves a shuddered breath. She approaches them now the nine soldiers bearing the cross of death, eCanadians, eAmericans, eGreeks, eMalaysains. Tilting her head slightly she allows a moment for tears before wiping them from her face. Moving amongst them she is peace, she is the reason they have sacrificed so much.

“Rest easy, sleep well my brothers. Know the line has held, your job is done. Rest easy, sleep well. Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held. Peace, peace, and farewell...”

And she sits with them until their final shuddering sigh. Reaching down she closes their eyes before pulling the sheets over their heads.

A chant begins outside, the war cry of her great nation. The words simplistic yet reaching into the soul of everyone born under the Southern Cross. “Aussie! Oi!” Closing her eyes Larni is swept up in the chant and the swelling of the nations pride. A hand touches her and she flinches, eyes opening on the doctor who smiles slightly and she knows that he too can feel it. “Go child” he says softly as his eyes flicker to her name tag, “Our soldiers need you.” “I am not a soldier” she replies with the honesty of youth. Smiling the doctor passes something into her hand, “You do not understand men very well. They will fight like demons if you are amongst them. Trust me.”

Larni looks down into her hand and at the pistol held within. With a heavy heart she nods once as she stands and slides the Red Cross band off her arm. Smiling once she nods to the doctor and turns, leaving the field hospital behind the young woman goes to war.

And they gathered around her, protecting this child of the bush and when the time came they dragged her beaten and weary body to the hospital. Fighting like demons, united by a single cause, a single flag and swelling of national pride.