Operation Buffalo

Who's gone? Carmen. She... she's gone.

The rumours are true - you're flying hookers in.

Again, not the issue.

And you've lost one? Seriously?

I haven't seriously lost one, but one may be seriously lost.

Identify yourself. It's Leo, General.

You should know they've brought the test forward to tomorrow.

Do you actually know what they're really doing here?

Because I don't!

Word is the Defence Minister has certain appetites.

Maybe some insurance might be useful.

You're gonna have to stay put for a while.

But this is where we send people to die.

You know Alice? She told me last week that she'd been raped.

Hilly, mate, this is ridiculous.

You know? Carmen could be any-bloody-where.

If we had more men... It's just you and me!

We can't have more men. Do you understand?

I know we can't have more men. I'm saying "IF"...

Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on,

hold on, hold on.

Jesus.

Fuckin' hell.

Oh, shit!

Dead? Nuh.

You right, mate?

He's out.

Hey, Murph...

..there's a girl over here.

Please, God, let it be Carmen.

Ahh...

Shit.

Hilly...

..do you think it could be him?

Who? The rapist, mate.

Jeep.

Pretty girl.

Leo said this is what happened to Alice, wasn't it?

Who is she?

After the detonation,

much of the real work begins.

Scientists and soldiers at Maralinga

examine equipment and infrastructure

to see how they've responded to the bomb.

As our boys trudge through the desert and the heat,

they amass vital data,

which will inform both government and the military

as to how to wage a nuclear war.

(OUTSIDE) Lunch is being served in the mess, sir.

Right. Yes.

Thank you.

(WIND WHISTLES, VEHICLE APPROACHES)

(MUFFLED) Hello?

Hello? Testing.

Can you hear me?

Ugh. Bloody things.

Oh, God.

(MUFFLED) Oh, yes.

I think I have you now, Williams.

Ah. (INHALES)

Didn't get to 60, then? What?

Didn't get to 60, then?!

Oh. Oh. Uh, it'll be about 40 by 10, or thereabouts.

Not for long.

Not quite what we predicted.

What?

Shut up, Myer. We're talking!

What?! Ugh.

You'll find it was 40 by 10.

They've shut it off? What?

It only put out 35...

So, if you'll forgive me, Mr Moore,

what is the purpose of your stay?

His Excellency thought it might be a good idea

for me to spend some time...

..to...

..observe things around here.

Observe?

I see.

Your bloody marys, General.

Thank you, Swanny.

Keep 'em coming.

And we'll have the chablis with the main.

Very good, sir.

Any particular part of the camp you'd like to observe, Mr Moore?

Let me assure you both

that His Excellency is a great admirer of the work

you chaps are doing here.

And you well know the esteem

in which he holds you personally, General.

But? No, Major, there is no 'but'.

Please understand, I'm not here to poke holes.

You must know the huge importance of this project

to Britain and the Empire.

There is no greater priority for the cabinet

because nuclear is our future.

Her Majesty herself

is constantly briefed on the subject.

She's keen to know all there is to know about this place.

I say! That's a damn fine show, isn't it, Leo?

It is, sir.

She's such a delightful young thing, isn't she?

So, you're a career diplomat, eh, then, Mr Moore?

I am, sir.

Well, if they've sent you here, you're clearly prospering.

One has one's hopes.

Tell me, where did you school? Winchester.

Ah.

Good.

And then?

Cambridge.

Tell me, did you ever make the acquaintance

of those two utter bastards Burgess and Maclean?

Mm...

No, I...

..never had the pleasure, sir -

or, should I say, the shame, sir.

Hanging's too good for them, I say.

Commie traitors. Hm.

Actually, you know, when I think about it,

Russia's probably worse than hell.

So let them rot in Moscow with Khrushchev, eh?

My wife loves anything to do with spies.

Can't get enough Graham Greenes in her diet.

You know, I have it on good authority,

Greene is a part-time spy too.

I've heard the same thing, General.

Mm.

Sir, Mr Moore, I'm... I'm afraid I'm being paged.

May I be excused, sir? Yes, of course, Leo.

Thank you, sir. We'll get to the reports later.

Mr Moore.

Please tell me you found Carmen.

We found someone else.

Fuck.

It's just never easy, is it?

Dead or alive? Alive.

Man or woman?

Both. (CLEARS THROAT)

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

Six last night, actually.

And another six this morning.

Need to establish a trail.

If ever there is one.

No trail so far?

I guess that's good news, then.

Very good news, Baxter.

It means the plume doesn't travel...

..which means the radiation doesn't either.

Whoo!

Wow. Looks like that balloon's travelling.

That's nature's work, my boy, not the bomb's.

It's a question of radium's atomic weight, you see -

very heavy.

The cloud goes up, the cloud comes down.

But for my purposes, of course, I need to track the wind.

Uh, now you've lost me.

Uh... (CHUCKLES)

That's one of the great things about science -

it's a marvellous conversation stopper.

Prime Minister Menzies is to set out on a tour

to the United States and the United Kingdom,

in which he will have a series of meetings

with both President Dwight Eisenhower

and British Prime Minister Anthony Eden.

The atomic bomb tests in Maralinga

are set to be at the top of the agenda at both meetings.

Australia is clearly doing its bit.

Hey, keep those buckets coming.

Keep those buckets coming.

The line's stretching quick. Get in, get out.

Get in, get out. Oh, I needed that.

Fresh air is a beautiful thing.

Oh, Dave! Mate!

Feelin' a bit butchers, eh?

Yeah, Vic. I feel like shit.

Ah.

OK. OK.

I'll get you up to the RCU. Thanks, Vic.

I feel really cold all of a sudden, mate.

You get crook enough,

they'll send you to Adelaide for a few weeks' recovery.

Yeah.

That'd be pretty sweet.

Thanks, mate.

That's alright. Ta.