Chapter 2

She was the class Valedictorian, and sat on the stage next to the Principal. Since her speech was scheduled late in the commencement program, there was plenty of time to reminisce.

"I can't believe that this is it! High school is over!" she thought.

It had been thirteen years since the death of her parents. Thirteen years since the need to flee into a new land, and to assume a new identity. Her Grandfather had planned well. There had been an established business, and all the necessary papers to enable a new life, a good life, in Alaska.

It had not been so for some of her old family, though. The newspapers had reported the horrendous deaths of members of her extended family. They had foolishly ignored the warnings of her Grandfather. Those stubborn people had been tortured and killed by home invaders.

Not knowing that Jake and Anna had died in the aborted kidnapping, the General was still looking for her and her parents. He had pulled out all of the stops, attacking any one he could find that was even remotely connected to her mother and father.

"Maybe someday I'll be able to cause him some of the pain that he's caused me. I know that Gramps said I should let it go, but I can't. There has to be a way to get at him without letting on that I'm still alive. There just has to be," thought the young woman.

Out in the audience, her Grandfather sat filled with pride.

"She made it through, with a perfect 4.0! I wish Helen (Hattie) could be here. She would be bursting with pride, too. I miss the old girl so much. All of those family members dead because of that bastard! I guess the stress and grief were just too much for that shaky heart of hers. She has missed so much! Amelia has grown into a fine young woman and done so much for someone so young."

As the State Senator droned on in an interminably boring monotone, Flint's (Ken's) thoughts began to drift onto the same line of thought as Amelia's (Faine's.)

"There must be some way to visit the pain that bastard has caused, back onto him. I just don't know how..."

Just then the audience began to applaud the Senator; he was at the conclusion of his speech. The old politician beamed at what he thought was the approbation he deserved. The truth was, the people were applauding the fact that the old windbag had stopped talking, not for what he had said.

Several more dignitaries then spoke in their turn, and with each new speaker the two returned to their musings.

After the ceremony, Flint walked over to where Amelia was talking to some of her friends ... Well, talking was a stretch, really. The three girls were holding each other's shoulders, and were bouncing up and down simultaneously, all the while squealing and screeching like four year olds.

It was a very happy sight, and made Flint smile broadly.

The old man just stood and watched the exuberant girls enjoy this very special day. Finally, Amelia noticed her grandfather, and broke the circle to run and hug him.

"Gramps! Kate and Aya have invited us to a potlatch! Can we go, please?"

"Of course! Where and when?"

"It's at Kate's family's place in Good Portage Camp."

"I'm afraid that I don't know where that is, Honey."

By now the other two girls had walked over and were standing off to the side waiting quietly, their faces filled with hope. Amelia looked to Kate for help.

"It's on the Short River, Sir. It's about an hour and a half's flight from here. It's where my family is from."

"Well, it sounds wonderful to me. When are we supposed to be there?"

Most everyone is going, tonight. The Potlatch will start this evening, and will go 'til it stops," said Kate with a giggle as she covered her mouth shyly. "My father can tell you how to get there," she said, indicating the smaller man of two who were coming toward them.

The small man offered his hand and introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Sam, Sam Utek. This is Ed Burgstrum."

The men all shook hands and then made arrangements to fly to the potlatch.

Flint and the girls entered the large hall to a tremendous cacophony of people talking, dishes clanking and drums being tested. The hall was filled with people rushing around in a kind of organized chaos. At one end of the room women were setting huge platters of food out on long tables. While at the other end of the hall drummers were setting up and some of the people were rehearsing their dances.

Many wore the traditional garb of their tribes, and the site just awed Flint. Amelia on the other hand had been to several such events and just grabbed at her Grandfather's hand.

"Come on, Gramps, I want to introduce you to some people."

It took several strong tugs from the girl to get Flint's attention and to get him moving.

Soon everything was ready and the ceremony began. Much of the event was conducted in Aleut--the Native tongue of this group. However, in consideration for the non-Natives attending there was a translator that stood to the side softly giving the English translation.

This was not the potlatch of old, where many goods were given to show the wealth of the tribe, but a celebration of passage. The youths had attained the hopes of their elders in that they all had graduated from High school with high grades and, therefore, brought honor to their respective families.

The tribe needed educated people to take the reins of the tribal council as the 'old ones' died off. The new world is complex and new skill sets would be needed to keep the tribe safe and prosperous on into the future.

As with many other Native American populations, the traditional ways were under attack, and there was great unemployment and alcoholism.

This community was made up of fishermen, with the government continually cutting back on the allotted time on the water as well as the quotas of the catch, and times were tough. Many of the tribe members had opted to move to Anchorage to get work.

Amelia's friends were from such families but whenever possible went home to keep the 'old ways'. These were intelligent, dedicated people. They were not willing to lose their heritage. It was a delicate balancing act that these proud people needed to perform.

As Flint studied the group he did notice that there were a couple big men patrolling the floor. It soon became evident that these men were the bouncers, there to remove the usual drunks.

"It's funny how drunks can always find the money for booze even without a job, what couldn't they accomplish if they applied that craftiness to something worthwhile?" Flint thought.

At about this time the drums began and the people rose to dance.

"Come on, Gramps," said Amelia as she grabbed her grandfathers hand, and dragged him to the floor. "Let's dance."

"Honey! I don't know how to dance like this," Flint complained.

"Just watch me and do the same thing."

Flint acquiesced and was soon moving along in the circle with the rest of the people. Somehow he felt inspired and at peace all at the same time; a feeling that he had not felt since the deaths of Jake, Anna and Hattie/Helen.

The rage toward General Vezza was always there, underneath the surface. He kept it hidden from Amelia as much as possible but it had always been there ... until tonight, that is. This puzzled him greatly.

"Why this peace, here, with these people? Why now?" he asked himself.

As the evening progressed Flint ate, drank and sat conversing with the families of his Granddaughter's friends and getting mellower with each passing hour. He was happy to see that no alcohol was served; yet there were still those that were intoxicated, here and there, among the celebrants.

Specifically, there were two oily looking men that were consuming far too much of their own alcohol and beginning to become a problem. The louder one had fixated on Kate, pawing her and trying to embrace the wretched girl. He and his running mate were quickly becoming a very real problem. The other man had for some reason become angry with Aya.

"Ya thing youz too good fa me, don chya?" he slurred loudly as he kept pushing his finger into the poor girls sternum with ever increasing pressure.