Original subtitles

LEO: Tell me you found Carmen.

HILLY: We found someone else.

Eva Lloyd George. My uncle is Gwilym Lloyd George.

The Home Secretary?

I thought you released three of those last night, Dr Ratchett.

RATCHETT: And another six this morning. Need to establish a trail.

CRANKY: I have been told that there are no Aborigines in this region.

I've never really gone out there to see for myself.

ST JOHN: Why don't you, sir?

I never want to hear that name again. Do you understand?

I'm from the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation.

Leo? Leo!

You have to clean up and get out of here.

There's no time to mourn.

(LIVELY CHATTER)

(DRAMATIC MOVIE MUSIC)

FILM NARRATOR: Before dawn on the 16th of July 1945

at Alamogordo, New Mexico,

an event took place which was to change the world

for all time to come.

(EXPLOSION)

The atomic age was born. (CHILDREN EXCLAIM)

LORRAINE: Would you like to go to space one day?

I guess so. What about space monsters?

What space monsters?

There could be space monsters.

There aren't any space monsters. No such thing.

How do you know? There's probably another life out there.

It's unlikely they look like us,

so I think that space monsters aren't just a possibility

but a probability.

There is no other life out there. Is there, Mum?

No space monsters!

Everyone take a breath. OK? Come on.

The horse show starts in 10 minutes. Giddy-up.

(THEME MUSIC)

DICK: (ON RADIO) Mr Speaker, having just returned

from a fact-finding journey to Maralinga,

where we found a military facility

run to the highest standards of discipline and efficiency,

we can inform the House the work being done there

will define this country for generations.

It is fundamentally un-Australian

for this Opposition to attempt to undermine our future.

This Opposition... SPEAKER: (BANGS GAVEL) Order!

..which seeks to do no more

than to pollute the minds of our citizenry

with their hideous red propaganda!

SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Speaker, Labor does not seek to pollute anything.

OPPOSITION MEMBERS: No, no, no, no!

What Labor seeks is straight answers from this government

to inform the Australian people

about the goings on at Maralinga!

MAN: We want to know!

TERRY: This government volunteered

to have nuclear bombs dropped on our country!

MAN: It's a bloody disgrace!

TERRY: Absolutely nothing and no-one will be harmed,

according to the Prime Minister!

The girls are coming to pick me up in a cab at half past.

Len's coming, right?

Yeah, he should be here any minute. Here.

Take this. What's that?

It's your marching orders.

Tell no-one, not even the girls, until you're there and safe.

It's Lenny's uncle's and it's remote, so you'll be safe.

Uh, Nick, this is Leo. G'day, mate.

Hey.

NICK: Oh, we're in luck, man. No blood's seeped through.

We'll just wrap him in the rug,

tie it off and chuck him in the truck.

Did you want anything extra? What do you mean, 'extra'?

No fingers means no fingerprints, no teeth, no dental records,

burn his clothes, that sort of thing.

I thought you said he'd never be found.

A lot of blokes in your situation

feel as though they might sleep a little better at night

if the body could never be ID'd.

How much extra? £5.

Yeah.

Did he drive here? Yeah.

Well, we'll need to deal with that. That's another five.

There's a sedan out front with Z plates.

Z plates? Is he a cop?

Is that a problem?

Not especially.

Terry. Can I have a quick word?

It'll have to be very quick. I'm already late for a meeting.

You gave us some pretty good stick today about Maralinga.

You look confident.

We're a hungry Opposition. What do you expect?

I expect you to do

what's in the best interests of the nation.

Is there something you know

that I, as the responsible minister,

ought to know about Maralinga?

You've answered your own question, Dick.

You ought to know.

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS)

MAN: (ON P.A) Attention.

The next train will not be stopping at Canberra station.

For passengers' safety, please stand well behind the line.

(GUARD BLOWS WHISTLE)

MAN: (ON P.A.) Perfect conditions yet again in Maralinga

for the annual Aussies versus Poms game.

So, go, boys! (P.A. WHINES)

(CLEARS THROAT) Pitch is turning a bit. (CHUCKLES)

Mm. I see. Yeah.

Uh, a couple of gaps out there on the on side.

This Pommy bastard's got a bit of pace about him, so be warned.

Gotcha. I'll sort it.

JONES: How's the patient?

You mean the Russian doll you nearly pissed yourself over?

She's fine. Stop it.

Cor!

Duty calls. Have fun.

Yeah! It's cricket!

Ah.

MAN: Middle and leg, please, sir!

A bit towards leg.

There we go.

MEN: Oh!

(GRUNTS ANGRILY) Fuckin' rat!

HILLY: Murph. Murph...

What's the bloody point?

MAN: Get him!

(KNOCK AT DOOR) Come!

Hang on. Ta-da!

How are you, darling Prof?

Chicken! (LAUGHS)

You're my new junior? It would appear so.

But you're...

Since when have you been a Lloyd George?

Unless you've married a Lloyd George, of course.

No, I've always been a Lloyd George, Prof.

Yeah, but you were Eva Lavroski.

I'm afraid not.

I used my mother's maiden name at Cambridge.

Still do sometimes. Never liked having preferred treatment.

You're an actual Lloyd George?

Oh, Christ, Prof! Does it matter?

If anything, it's a bloody curse.

It's all anybody ever wants to talk about.

Prime minister or not,

I was never particularly fond of the old bugger.

Quite frankly, I wish I could have stayed a Lavroski.

Shall we go for a walk?

Nurse! Nurse, give us a hand, would you?

(GROANS) Ow. Ow, ow!

Oh. Good Lord!

Nurse. Professor.

MURPH: Cor! You know I love you, right?

Always have and I always will.

Come, my little rays of sunshine!

Men! (GROANS)

I love you. Alice! Marilyn!

Sometimes, during a drought...

..the meteorologists must tell the farmers

it's about to rain.

Because without hope, they have nothing.

So, sometimes, when the wind is blowing east...

They must be told it's a southerly.

I have one job, chicken - to allay fear.

To put the gods of water and fire...

..at peace.

Are you some sort of... desert war-lord shaman now?

I write my public reports in such a way

that the Australian people can feel comfy and secure

about the tests at Maralinga,

so all the windy politicians in London and Canberra

can be released from liability

because the science is officially in from yours truly

confirming the atomic mushroom clouds don't travel.

EVA: "Sleep tight, Australia, for safe progress is at hand."

Quite.

You must also have written real reports.

Of course.

Who gets those?

It's a political matter way above your pay grade.

Only two people get the truth.

Not many in London or Canberra want it.

It seems a possibility your truth is getting out there

beyond pay grade borders.

What do you mean?

What borders? Porous borders.

Parties opposed to Her Majesty's realm

seem to have received a raft of secrets

they were obviously not intended to discover.

It seems your secret truths

about the wandering atomic clouds have...

..been leaked -

to politicians described by some as 'unsympathetic'.

Unsympathetic?

To whom?

Prof...

..have you been indiscreet?

(BANG AT DOOR)

Excuse me, Professor Ratchett.

Uh, Dr Lloyd George,

the general requests the pleasure of your company.

CRANKY: # As I walked along the Bois de Boulogne

# With an independent air

# You could hear the girls declare

# "He must be a millionaire"

ALL: # You could hear them sigh and wish to die

# You could see them wink with the other eye

# At the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo. #

Where are the scientists?

They finished their work here yesterday, Doctor.

CRANKY: And what a jolly good show that is, too!

That's British efficiency teaching them, isn't it?

In and out. That's our ethic.

Ah.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Isn't that a sight to behold?

One must say, as leader of this vital mission,

as one surveys this symbol of progress,

which only we British can make.

Actually, you know, looking at it from this angle,

it's really just a crater, isn't it?

Or am I missing something?

EVA: No, it would appear to be just a crater, sir.

Well, I must say, that's a tad underwhelming.

To put on this most uncomfortable and unflattering kit.

Good God! Is...is that a fire?

Is it they? ST JOHN: Who, sir?

The people. You know.

The black people we met last night.

She sang. Remember?

I think we should be discreet about last night, don't you, sir?

Government policy about Aborigines and all that.

All what?

I think it's just a truck, sir.

And the blacks wouldn't be in a truck.

ST JOHN: Even if there were any, they can't drive.

What do you mean, "Even if there were any"?

We were all there! Leo was with us as well!

EVA: Might it not have been a dream, sir?

We all have them. Nothing unusual about that.

When one is in a position of command,

under such obvious stress,

one needs to allow for the occasional dream.

Don't you think, sir?

Corporal, sound your klaxon!

My...my what, sir? Your klaxon!

Sound it immediately! Uh...

Your horn.

Ah.

(TOOTS HORN REPEATEDLY)

Corporal, start the vehicle.

Allow me, sir. Jolly good.

You two stay and, uh...mind the fort.

No, sir, really, I... Did you not hear me, Mr Moore?

This is a military installation.

I am its commandant and those are my orders.

Let us move on, Baxter.

Sans flotsam and jetsam here. (STARTS ENGINE)

What exactly are you doing here, Mr Moore?

You know, that's a very good question, Dr Lloyd George.

LEO: Oh! I'm so bloody stoned.

That stuff is unbelievable.

I know. (COUGHS)

I'm very proud.

(LAUGHS) No, that... that's not what I meant, Len.

This is not...this is not the right time to get this stoned.

It was just meant to be a toke.

Oh, Jesus. I've got to...I've got to see Lorraine. Oh, my God.

I really need to stop taking drugs at some point.

Why don't you stop killing people first?

Might help.

I beg your pardon?

That's the reason why you take drugs.

To placate the murderer within you.

What...what...what bullsh...

I'm not... I'm not placating any...

I'm not...I'm not a murderer. I'm not a murderer.

What do you fucking mean, you're not a murderer?!

We just had a meeting with someone about

how to dispose of a body stabbed through the neck this morning!

Yeah, I told you, it was self-defence.

Oh, and then you paid a few extra pounds

to cut his fuckin' fingers off!

OK, shut up. Shut up! Shut up!

And then there's the small matter of your atom bombs.

You know what?

You really need to get a haircut.

Well, I'm thinking I'm gonna keep growing it.

Longer?

Well, I can't exactly grow it shorter, idiot, can I?

(LEO LAUGHS)

Mate, I'm just saying, given your profession,

you might want to adopt a lower profile.

Mate, fashion, if nothing else, is cyclical, yeah?

And, mate, no, the long hair, it was the fashion hair

of the Renaissance era, the Romantic era.

In fact, whenever mankind has been at its best,

everyone's had long hair.

It's coming back. It's coming back soon.

I intend to be in the vanguard.

Another inch and they'll arrest you on sight.

Ha! I doubt it, mate.

Far out, I've got big cops and pollies

and they're doing pretty well out of me right now.

Yeah, they're not gonna let my soon-to-be-glorious locks

get in the way of good business sense.

Shit! What?

What if ASIO knows? Knows what?

Knows I'm in Adelaide. It's possible. Fuck!

This place has been cleaned.

We don't know for sure that Whicker's dead.

Maybe it's Molly.

Then why didn't Whicker report in?

Mm.

(RADIO PLAYS QUIETLY)

OK, what do we know about the phone call

from Molly to Lachlan?

Molly was in Maralinga

with at least one other girl - Carmen.

Yeah. I mean, if you're gonna go to all that trouble

to get two hookers from Adelaide to Maralinga,

you may as well make it a real party, right?

Get a bunch of girls. Yeah. OK. I'm with you.

Then something goes to shit at the party.

Sex game gone wrong. Drugs.

Carmen goes missing. Politician panics.

Yeah, next day, Molly threatens politician over the phone.

We know that.

But she probably also threatens the guy that booked the party.

"Find my friend or else I'll blab" is the message, yeah?

He'd be in a world of shit

and he'd need Molly to stay quiet.

CRANKY: I'm damn sure it wasn't a dream.

She kept on insisting it was.

I don't know what to tell you, General. Really.

Oh, but you must have seen them. The blacks.

If you haven't, then what are we paying you for?

I mean, your job is to find them and move them on,

outside the perimeter.

Have you considered the possibility

that some of your people may be trying to protect you from yourself?

You're not meant to be seeing blacks, sir.

I have no need for protection.

I'm a general in the British Army.

I've been decorated in a dozen bloody theatres.

I am your commander, am I not?

Aye. You are indeed, sir.

How much petrol do you have, Sergeant?

Uh...

Huh. A lot.

Corporal! Yes, sir?

You may return to our crater

and ferry our friends back to the camp,

if you'd be so kind.

Dalgleish here

is taking me on an inspection tour of the perimeter.

Yes, sir. The entire perimeter?

Time permitting.

You do know, sir, that this facility,

in actual land size, is bigger than the United Kingdom?

Well, it's a big job, then.

So, tarry not, man.

Right.

Jesus! Shit! Slow down.

What? They're here.

Right there, look. Straight ahead. A Z car.

OK, uh, take a left here. I'll go in the back way.

What, here? Yes, left!

Yeah, alright.

(PANTS)

(DOG BARKS) Shh!

(BARKS) Quiet, Major. Quiet.

Quiet, Major. There you go. There you go. Shut up.

Not a bad neighbourhood, don't you reckon, mate?

How does an army major get to afford

to live in a place like this?

Red money, maybe.

(CALLS OUT) Dad!

Shh! Shh-shh!

OK, now, we only have about 90 seconds

before there'll be a knock on the front door.

They're men I work with. We have to be nice to them.

What happened to your hand?

Tough roast beef. Carving knife slipped.

This is our story, group.

I got home early this morning from Maralinga, had a sleep.

We had breakfast, fooled around with the dog for a while.

Walk in the park. EMMA: We went to the show.

Did we? Mm.

There's show stuff in there. There are bags.

OK. Well, that...that... that's good.

That's...that's why I came back, right?

The most important thing is I've been here all day,

apart from when we all went to the show.

And if they ask how often you see me,

just say a fair bit - every few weeks.

That's not a good answer. It'll do for now.

That's not a good answer, Dad!

You can't just say you're back every few weeks,

because they can check that, can't they?

I mean, they'd know if you left the camp, right?

Right. Thank you, Em.

So, we'll say Harry's birthday, shall we?

Because we can prove that.

Seven...months ago.

OK. Good thinking.

Harry, come and help me rebandage my hand, huh?

Come on. Hello, darling.

Alright, let's go.

AGENT: Calm down.

Oh!

(AGENTS CONTINUE LOW-LEVEL CONVERSATION)

Heads up. Wait. What?

Ohh, shit!

AGENT: Mate, really?!

Mate, we're not meant to have these. Where'd you get them?

It's a war out there, mate. The communists are everywhere.

Mate, that guy is a decorated war hero.

Arggh! Ohh!

It is the school holidays. He has two kids.

More than likely, they're at home.

If we turn up there with sawn-offs and he has got a gun,

all hell could break loose.

Whicker would have gone in with a sawn-off.

Whicker was a psychopath, mate.

Back in the boot!

(SIGHS)

"But the man from Snowy River let the pony have his head,

"And he swung his stock whip..." (DING!)

"..round and gave a cheer,

"And he raced him down the mountain

"Like a torrent in its bed

"And while the others stood and..." (DING!)

"..watched in very fear."

Milk for your tea, gentlemen?

Yes. Thank you. Yes, please.

That would be... Definitely milk.

Yeah, that would be great. Thank you so much.

It's 'The Man from Snowy River'. I'm just practising my typing.

Ah, right.

So, you...you, um...you went to the show this morning, did you?

That sounds like fun.

Dad promised he'd take us. Oh. OK.

So, your...your dad's been home all day, has he?

Yes. Apart from when we went to the show.

Tell me, do either of you believe in space monsters?

I know it sounds childish.

Space monsters? Yes.

Because my idiot brother

won't even contemplate the possibility,

and I just can't see how the only life in the universe

can be on this earth.

Statistically, you know?

Statistically.

I mean, they don't have to be, like, 'monsters' monsters,

like in the movies,

but it's most likely they won't look like us.

Isn't it? I mean, the process of evolution.

So, is your dad gonna be long?

Well, how do you do, gentlemen?

Leo Carmichael. Sorry for keeping you waiting.

Yeah.

G'day. How do you do? Agent Cartwright.

Agent Martin. What happened to your hand?

Oh. Tough roast beef.

Hunger got the better of me and the knife slipped.

Thanks, darling. Of course.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

So, um, one of our colleagues has disappeared.

Oh. How can I help?

Well, it depends how you want to play this, Major.

You see, we're ASIO

and we don't have to go through this little charade

of tea and pleasantries with the kiddies.

We can haul you away right now

and keep you in custody pretty much forever.

So, the last place we know for certain our colleague visited

was the home of Molly Lipton,

and if you tell us you don't know who that is,

that would be a huge mistake.

Very well.

Do you know where Molly Lipton is?

Well, I presume you've tried her house.

I have her telephone number somewhere,

if that'd be of some assistance.

OK. So, you...you do know her? Of course.

As you said, it would be a huge mistake to deny knowing her,

because you know it'd be untrue.

I mean, you know my job at Maralinga.

Yes. We've been told that you effectively run the place.

From a military and logistical perspective, that's true.

My main official task is to design and supervise construction

of whatever infrastructure the scientists need to drop their bombs.

Right. Yeah.

But after General Cranford, I am the senior soldier,

so I also run the camp.

We know you have prostitutes flown into the camp.

Yes. And obviously, that's where Molly comes in.

My main unofficial task is to look after the scientists.

Whatever they want, it's my job to make sure they get it.

If they want French wine, I get them French wine.

If they want French women,

I get them Australian women poorly pretending to be French.

But whatever makes them happy. Such are my orders.

So, Molly Lipton is a person I turn to

as a, uh...service provider,

and she's paid well to provide those services.

She and a few of her girls come to the camp occasionally...

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

Need Leo, darling.

(SIGHS)

Uh...and this is for the scientists, did you say?

Yes. So, Molly and her girls arrived Tuesday, I think.

And then a test was called forward.

Uh, apologies, gentlemen.

Darling, there's a gentleman at the door

wanting to use the phone.

Excuse me for a second, gentlemen.

No worries.

(WHISPERS) Just stop being so aggressive, can you?

I'm not! You are! It's in your eyes.

Just because you're expecting another set of twins

doesn't mean you can steamroll every situation.

This has nothing to do with Wendy's unique talent for pregnancy!

He's a communist!

What are you talking about?

Who said anything about a communist?

He's not a communist! We're here because of Whicker!

There's no history of twins in Wendy's family.

Or mine. (GROANS) Mate!

But when these two are born,

we will have three sets of twins under the age of five!

Wendy's not her mother's daughter.

Or something worse. That's all I'm saying.

(PHONE RINGS) Oh, Jesus!

Dunne! LENNY: Hey.

How are you, Jack? Busy, mate. What's up?

Look, I'm not happy. I'm not happy at all.

I've just had a big stash thieved.

And I want to know that you've got my back on this.

I do, mate. Always. How big was the stash?

It was four carry-ons.

Four carry-ons?!

Fuck! That's got to be 200!

Jeez! Do you know who and where they are?

Yep.

Oh, well, they're dead meat, mate, trust me.

Yeah, look, I'd be careful if I was you.

I think they're ASIO. ASIO?!

Fuck!

So, the, uh...the Defence Minister?

Yes, Mr Lachlan was in the party,

as were the scientists,

the British High Commissioner...

What went on at the party? I have no idea.

Well, you falsified records, flight manifests.

Only way I could make it work.

And what went on at the party? I told you, I have no idea.

When was the last time you actually saw Molly Lipton?

Wednesday, when she left Maralinga.

We will tell the press that you are cooperating with our investigation,

but if I were you... I would kiss your kids.

If I were you, I'd walk away right now

and steer clear of Maralinga for the rest of your lives.

Yep. OK, well, let's do that.

Thanks, mate, for... You're under arrest. Get up.

Mate, are you sure?

(CHUCKLES) I'm sure.

OK.

(SIRENS WAIL) Oops.

(CARS PULL UP) Too late, I fear.

You had your chance.

They're not here for me, Agent Cartwright.

Oh! Come on, mate! You've already cuffed me!

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

REPORTER: Here. Another one!

There's another one! There's another one!

Are you kidding?!

You're dead.

(SIREN WAILS)

(REPORTERS SHOUT)

Alright! Oi!

As you can observe, the perpetrators,

who we can identify as agents

of the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation,

have in their possession a trafficable quantity

of illegal substances and illegal weapons.

Weapons?! I'll take questions now.

(REPORTERS CLAMOUR)

So, you're in trouble?

It's nothing I can't take care of.

You can take care of ASIO?

On an average day, it would seem.

And today has been pretty average.

I thought you built towers.

Yes, from which they drop atom bombs.

No towers, no bombs, no progress.

Are you a spy?

You've done more than your share for the Empire.

Lorraine, I'm a soldier.

I like being a soldier. It's not so much about loyalty.

You took the words out of my mouth.

But you don't like it.

You love it.

They owe you an enormous pension.

The house is paid for.

You could walk into any engineering firm in town...

I tried that when I got back from France, remember?

How do you think that worked out?

The offer's still on the table.

If you want a divorce, I won't stand in your way.

I'll be the villain.

That's not what I want.

And just for the record...

..it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice on your part

to be the villain.

Well, there's not much more I can offer right now.

You talk about divorce like we're from Sydney.

This is Adelaide, Leo.

I'll see you as soon as I can.

HARRY: Can't you stay longer? I'm needed back at the camp.

Remember these words, my boy -

people really like being bossed round.

Now, what are you gonna do for the rest of the day?

EMMA: We're going to Justin's.

HARRY: A balloon landed in his backyard.

Everyone's going to see it.

A show balloon? No.

A bigger balloon, he says. Covered in muck.

Justin always makes up stuff, though.

Right. When was this? This morning.

It's got all these gadgets on it, he says.

Gadgets?

OK. You know, I'd like to see this thing.

Really? Yeah.

What, a balloon?

Yeah, a family outing. What do you say?

What about your flight? Oh, it'll wait for me.

Come on. Let's get in the car. Let's move.

Hey, um, have you... you got your keys, mate?

'Cause it's your turn to drive.

You know, we really...we need some equity in this relationship

or it's simply not gonna work.

(CHILDREN LAUGH)

I'm gonna get you!

(CHILDREN CHATTER)

Just wait here for a second, OK?

EMMA: Why? Just wait here for a second!

Your father's right. Stay put for now.

I know these people. You don't.

What's in the balloon?

Information.

You turned white when Harry mentioned the balloon.

The kids can't go near that balloon.

Because? It's just a precaution.

Hi!

Hi, Lorraine. I thought I heard your car.

Hi, Maria. Sorry. A little early.

You've met my husband, Leo, of course.

I think so. Um, how are you?

Fine, thank you.

Well, come in. Hi! Bring the kids in.

Oh, you should see this thing!

It fell literally out of the blue, onto our washing line.

Has anyone touched it? Yeah!

The kids have been fooling around with it. Why?

Hmm. Well, I know this all sounds strange, but I think it's mine.

And can you get the kids to stop playing with it, please?

Oh! (CHUCKLES) Your balloon?

Leo runs the atomic tests at Maralinga.

We use a lot of weather balloons. Are the kids playing with it right now?

Uh...the atom bombs?

Right. I remember Lorraine saying something...

If that balloon is one of ours, it wasn't meant to land here

and the gadgets connected to it

contain some important scientific and military data,

so it would be a lot better

if no-one touched or tampered with the gadgets or the balloon.

In fact, if you could just keep the kids away from the balloon altogether

and you kept them inside.

Our washing. The...

The sheets I put out to dry yesterday...

..this morning, they had this...this...

..light grey soot all over them,

just like the balloon.

And I-I...

(SCREAMS) Kids! Kids!

(KETTLE WHISTLES)

So, I have two kids...

(SWITCHES OFF KETTLE)

..and a dog.

They've been playing with your husband's balloon all day.

What would you advise me to do?!

Leo will tell you.

Oh. So, you trust Leo now, do you?

(PHONE RINGS)

Why do we always make tea?!

I'm so fucking sick of tea!

Have you got any Scotch? Watto?

Yes. Get me...get me Professor Ratchett.

Where is he, then? Try the mess.

So, the thing is...

..I know it's you who's been doing the leaking.

You're the only person I've discussed the truth of my work with.

And I did that because I trusted you.

Actually, I didn't do it because I trusted you,

I did it because...

..I think I'm in love with you, actually.

And I think you know that.

But you're not in love with me, are you?

You can be honest with me.

Were you just using me?

CORINNE: 'Just'.

I mean, it's such an awful word. Don't you think?

I found out I was sterile after I'd been here for a year.

So, you can imagine my...curiosity.

And then you appeared... almost as if on cue.

It's not as if I haven't enjoyed our time together

over the last year, but...

..you're right.

I'm not in love with you.

I want you to know that I've seen things here.

Things you don't know.

That I couldn't, in conscience, stay silent about.

I'm sure you've seen things too.

I never meant to hurt you.

But I guess it was an inevitable consequence.

So, I apologise.

(BARKS)

LEO: Shit. Away! (TAPS ON WINDOW) Away!

Lorraine... Uh, sorry, Maria?

The dog. The dog. You need to pull her in.

I'm back, yeah.

(WHISTLES) Where are you? Come here. What are you doing?

No, no, no, no. (DOG WHIMPERS)

Thank you, Corporal. I hope I'm not keeping you.

Yes? Doctor.

Major. Enjoying Adelaide?

One of our balloons has landed

in the backyard of one of my son's friends.

My neighbours and their kids

have been playing with the balloon,

even though the balloon is covered in, quote, "grey muck".

Are you sure this is something

we should be discussing over the phone, Major?

We have no choice!

OK? What about my neighbours? Is it serious?

Well, there are many variables in play.

Mass, content, viscosity.

I can't tell from here, sir. Check the number.

Will you please tell me what to do?!

This isn't my area. Not your area?

How long have you been at Maralinga?

That balloon has travelled through an atomic bomb plume.

I wouldn't go near the thing myself without gloves, a mask,

boots and a suit.

Do you have kids?

What would you do if you had kids in this situation?

Isn't it obvious?

You scrub those kids till they bleed.

Then you wrap them up

and you take them to a hospital with a radiation unit.

Surely you don't need me to tell you that.

So, it's really bad? Christ!

Don't pretend to me that you don't know.

Your job is to pretend to them that you don't know!

(HANGS UP)

(GIRL SCREAMS, CRIES)

It's OK. I'm almost done. It's OK.

(GIRL CONTINUES CRYING AND SCREAMING)

MARIA: Ah! OK, almost done. Turn.

Just stay there. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

It's just a matter of precaution.

A precaution? Against what? Just to be safe.

I understand the meaning of the word 'precaution'!

Christ!

Lor...

What the hell are you doing?

Isn't it safe?

I thought it was the safest thing mankind ever created.

That's what you told me.

Just walk away from it, will you, please?

Answer my question.

Why?

These are my friend's kids, Leo.

Christ! What war do you still think you're fighting?

Whose war? Who's the enemy?

Or is it because it's the only war on offer?

If there's another war,

don't you want us to have a chance of winning it?

This is what winning looks like, is it?

Bombing your own country?

Toxic balloons in backyards?

The Russians won't need a war, Leo.

We'll just kill ourselves and save them the bother!

Tell me the truth!

Walk away from the balloon, Lorraine, and we can talk.

I don't think I've ever seen you this scared.

Don't play fucking games!

You don't have to touch it to get sick!

The kids, Lorraine!

Goddamn you!

But for the fact you happen to be back here, playing spy games,

our kids would be playing with that balloon right now.

Yeah, so I came back, alright?

Not by design.

We need to take you and your children

to the hospital at the Edinburgh RAAF base.

I'm not aware of any hospital at the RAAF base.

You're not meant to be.

You'll have to sign a document before I can take you there.

You have no choice.

You can't mention anything that's about to happen

to you or your children to anyone.

If you do, you'll go to jail.

CRANKY: There is so much beauty in this land, Dally,

is there not?

Aye, there is, sir.

I should have thought, with such a permanently stunning setting,

they would have had a bit of dress sense.

If ever there was an environment that cried out for white linens.

Or cream, at the very least.

Well, they...they used to roam round happily naked, sir.

And then the mish taught them hymns and shame.

"The mish"?

Aye, the bloody Lutheran mission.

Oh.

Ah, yes. Now I understand.

It does smack of a German sense of fashion.

(BOTH LAUGH)

Aye.

DALGLEISH AND CRANKY: # Oh, you take the high road

# And I'll take the low road

# And I'll be in Scotland afore ye

# For me and my true love

# Will never meet again

# On the bonny

CRANKY: # Bonny banks of Loch Lomond. #

(CRANKY LAUGHS)

# Oh, ye take the high road

# And I'll take

BOTH: # The low road

# And I'll be in Scotland afore ye... #

(FAN RATTLES)

(PLANE FLIES OVERHEAD)

(SIGHS HEAVILY)

What's going to happen to my babies?

I'm sure they'll be fine.

Can you promise me that?

No. I'm not a doctor.

But let me make sure that you understand...

(YELLS) I bloody know!

I can't speak to anyone about this,

and if I do, the consequences will be severe!

That's all you seem to bloody care about!

What are you doing out there, Leo?

Making us safe.

(SOBS)

But you can't tell anyone that either.

I'm sorry, Maria. I have my orders.

(DOOR OPENS) MAN: Major?

Let Lorraine know how things turn out.

I'll do what I can do.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Prof, you didn't come to dinner!

Wakey-wakey!

Hands off it, darlin'. (LAUGHS)

Good evening, Attorney-General.

And Defence Minister.

DICK: Good evening, Major.

You're visiting Maralinga again, sir? And so soon?

Just wanted to have a bit of a private chat, Major.

Bad news and good news.

(LEO SIGHS)

I've just been reading an intelligence report.

You've had a busy few days, by the looks of things, Major.

Indeed I have.

ASIO agent disappears off the face of the earth.

(SCREAMS) No! No, no!

No! No!

No, please! No!

And just as they're about to arrest you,

they are arrested by local constabulary!

(LAUGHS) What a fabulous twist!

Now, if you are eventually charged

in relation to these incidents

and then found guilty,

what do you imagine will be your sentence?

I'd say without a lawyer for my defence at a trial in camera,

any reputable judge would give me death.

DICK: And we have nothing less than reputable judges.

Nevertheless, there is a chance

that you may be more useful to me alive than dead.

Hence the good news.

You are now mine, Major.

I own you.

I need you to tell me all the secrets behind our progress.

I will have your 100% loyalty.

But never fear. It won't go unrewarded.

I am making you the face of Maralinga.

I will own you and you will own these tests.

So, on the whole,

it would be better if things went without a hitch.

Tomorrow, Australia will have a new hero to celebrate.

(CHUCKLES) Are we agreed?

You know, we'll have television come October.

The government's looking for a new face

that can project confidence, strength and warmth

into the living rooms of the nation.

So, we daren't use a politician.

Are we agreed?

Thank you for the opportunity, Attorney. I am at your service.

Excellent.

Rather than bring discredit to this great national endeavour,

you will make this nation proud.

And if I don't, I'll be shot. We are in furious agreement.

Now, as we have a test bombing tomorrow,

I have, of course, invited some press

to witness the proceedings.

I think he was murdered. What do you mean, murdered?

Why didn't you tell me we have guests?

This is not an auspicious start to our relationship, Leo.

There's no need for a tower in this test,

as the bomb just has to be loaded onto a plane.

Why don't we just postpone the whole thing for a few days, Leo?

The Attorney-General and Defence Minister are here

and they're not leaving today

without photos of them standing in front of a mushroom cloud.

Can you imagine what it must be like

to be blown up by an atomic bomb?

DICK: Who IS that lunatic?!

Somebody shoot him! Shoot him now!

Captions by Red Bee Media

Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation