Chapter 30: Preparation

Tani, Steve, and Mika debriefed Marie, Seth, Zasha, and Zalia exhaustively. Preparing plans for the defense of Zafilk they called a community meeting and all that were not involved in critical jobs attended. Steve addressed the crowd that filled the cafeteria turned meeting room. When he was done, he turned the meeting over to Tani.

"I will now give the floor to Tani our military leader to explain what she has done and what she desires to have done. I have placed her in complete charge of our defense any questions you have I will be glad to answer but I think they would be better addressed by her," Steve said and sat down.

Tani stood and faced the crowd. "First the good news," she started. "The passes have been plugged. I fear though that this only buys us a little time and will not prevent the pending battle. Xtos the AI that leads the robots is determined to exterminate all of us. I want all ten of the armored AAC's manned the rest of the air cars will be of no use other than two of the new scout cars which I will put on patrol to keep watch. Maj I want you and Jake to prefect and build six large cannons. I intend to put two covering each pass and the remaining two I will place in the mountains that overlook our community..." Tani continued with her assignments and instructions and finally she asked, "I will now take any questions you wish to ask."

The first question by Naomi was, "What about Julian and Laniya? With the passes sealed they can't get back here."

Tani looked at her with hurt in her eyes and then in a matter of fact voice said, "They are either in hiding and probably safer there than here or as I suspect they are dead. Either way there is nothing we can do at the present for them. Next question please."

Tani addressed one question after another with Steve and Mika helping whenever they could. At last, she dismissed the crowd. "Tes," Tani said, "Please remain here I wish to speak to you about another matter."

The crowd dispersed to perform the tasks they had been assigned. When Tes approached, Tani handed her a slip of paper containing a list of names. "I want you to assemble everyone on this list and have them meet at the nursery we usually go to tomorrow night," Tani requested.

"What is this about Tani?" Tes asked.

"I'll tell you when we meet because when you read the list you will find that you are included on it. Now I must go for I have a million and one things to do," Tani concluded and turning walked away.

If it were possible for an AI to feel emotions, Xtos felt rage when it found the pass plugged. Xtos was becoming acquainted with human emotions. The armada continued to the next pass and found it sealed too. Xtos felt even more rage and frustration. It could excavate the blockage that filled the passes but it would require many months of work and Xtos had little doubt that heavy defenses by human weapons awaited at the entrances on the other side. Its forces would suffer heavy losses forcing their way through these passes.

A scout car returned and informed It/him that they found no more passes. The mountain chain ended abruptly at the open sea. The air cars that Xtos had constructed were not the same as those built by the humans. His air cars although capable of flying over small bodies of water did not do well over large bodies of it. They could remain airborne but barely and their control would be drastically reduced. They would flounder just as if they were on the water surface with heavy seas. Many of the aircraft would not survive. Xtos opted for this solution anyway for it would cut down the delay of his attack on the offensive life forms on the other side of the mountains. Xtos had developed another emotion, patience, and he was running out of it. The mighty army headed for the end of the mountain chain.

The four Vigger ships arrived at Zafilk. The captains of each had been apprised of the upcoming battle and were urged again to put back to sea, and avoid the attack that was coming. The Vigger captains and Akira over the radio from far off Vagena respectfully but adamantly declined. Instead they offered their added fire power to the defense of Zafilk. The captains put themselves at the disposal of Tani and the other Zafilk leaders.

Tes had informed each of the people on the list to meet at nursery number one at twenty-hundred hours. The women were prompt and each one of them asked what this meeting concerned to which Tes answered only that it was at Tani's request and she did not know herself. Tani entered and looked silently at each member of the group she had assembled which consisted of Mist, Rediya, Naomi, Sarah, Rain, and Tes.

"First of all I want to thank all of you for coming. What I have to say must not leave this room, do not discuss this among yourselves unless you are in this room and you are sure you are alone and definitely do not talk to anyone else. Do all of you agree to abide by these terms? If so acknowledge."

All six heads nodded in agreement but each wore a look of total confusion.

"We are facing a foe who wants not to take us prisoner but to totally exterminate us. I will do my best to defend us with the help of every male and female in this compound."

Tani paused as if the next words she would say were very distasteful, "Given that we are outnumbered tremendously I fear we are going to lose the coming battle. Most, if not all of us defenders are going to die. I do not wish to die knowing our entire community has died also and so I charge each of you with the responsibility to see that is not the case. All of the children are to be gathered and divided between you." Tani whispered in each woman's ear the next instructions so that none of them would know the location of the other.

"Mist, you are to go into the Timinium mine to the lowest level with your children. There you will have stocked it with supplies to last for six months. Once you are there you will seal the entrance with a cave-in."

"Naomi, you are to take your children into the Santium mine." Tani gave Naomi the same instructions she had given Mist.