Chapter 4

Mikele organised a spirited defense for most of the afternoon. As more of the Bluefields Arks joined the resistance, Mikele stationed them in sniper positions among the surrounding hills with orders to keep shifting. He, Nor and Thane fired most of their banshee ammunition at the operators of the plasma weapon - killing at least two. Their actions allowed something to be organised behind them - unmolested by the blast of the HEW.

Costa, Rasida and a young man named Redell concentrated on the men still coming down ropes from the Voortrekker. Five lost their grip and plummeted a good 200 metres to the river flat.

Nor doubled at the crouch to Mikele, who was squatting behind a fallen tree. "That airship," he said, breathlessly. "We should bring it down. Our rounds go straight through the hull."

"An airship is not like a balloon," he replied. "It is an envelope containing nine, maybe ten balloons. Roger thinks the gas cells are likely made from some self-repair material. We'd be wasting our ammo - we couldn't put enough holes in it to cause any damage."

"Okay, but what about the gondolas? We take out some of the crew?"

"Roger reckons the airship's leased by the Religionists. They're just ordinary folks doing their job."

"Bringing soldiers to make war on us? They're nothing more than mercenaries. Roger's not here - what do you say?"

"Hmm, I say, take the fuckers out!"

"On it!" Nor smiled, and ran back to his position.

Mikele signaled he'd cover him by pinning down the plasma crew. Nor took careful aim at the clear screen panels of the forward control car until he spotted movement.

'ZIP, ZIP.'

Captain Peter Strasser was anxiously watching the unloading of the ship so he could get away. He hadn't predicted being in the middle of a firefight and he was thinking seriously of dumping their emergency ballast and leaving the crazies to jump. From his vantage, he could plainly see the Second Millennialists and their local adversaries dodging, scrambling for new positions, and sniping at one another. The SMs were trying to move their plasma weapon to a new position under very accurate fire from the inhabitants. It was quickly becoming an unpopular job and he could see the SM commanders screaming at their men to follow orders.

"Are they nearly off, Leo?" he asked his Landing Officer without turning around. When he didn't answer he turned. First Officer Leo Furstzinger, Landing Officer, was lying crumpled up on the floor of the Control Car - a red patch growing steadily over the back of his uniform jacket. Strasser stood for a moment stunned. The large side clear view panel was now a spider web of cracks with two neat holes drilled through the middle of them. The Control Car crew looked at him in shock. The Trimmer bent over the inert form on the floor and looked up gravely. "Release emergency ballast!" he shouted. "Blow the breeches and get down on the floor!"

"What about them?" the Helmsman indicated out the clearview.

"Throw everything out off the ramps!" he yelled. "Any passenger left on board can jump. I want none of those idiots left on board. Throw them off my ship and let's get the hell out of here!"

"Sir?" the Watchman called, lying prone of the floor. "Rear Car reports they're taking fire as well. A shot has just gone through the auxiliary engine control console."

"Release QR breeches, now!" Strasser yelled. "Pump aft - up plane 30 - engines to full emergency power! Up ramps - anything left on board we can throw out later."

The Arks watched in fascination as a cascade of water descended from the airship. The scream of the engines could be heard over the sound of the shrieking wind and the crackle of weapons fire. The water deluged those below and sent a swarm of men running for their lives. Ark snipers had a brief happy time pouring fire into the runners and reckoned they shot another half dozen.

'SNAP!'

A vivid white flash lit up the hillside starting a mini avalanche of rocks and rubble. Mikele watched two Ark snipers tumbling after the rocks - he couldn't identify them. 'Get back, ' he signaled. 'Back to the Fall.'

The Fall was a narrow defile and he figured it would provide an excellent defensive position.

Back at Bluefields, caravans were being hastily loaded with as many of the Arks' precious possessions as they could hold. Young children, the sick and elderly were piled on top. All the horses that weren't needed for the defense were tethered or driven in front of the immense Shires. The Religionist may take Bluefields, but, they weren't going to find much of value left behind.

Roger lay on his bed complaining while Sean Beth fussed over him, bathing his face and eyes and treating his numerous wounds. He demanded to know what was happening and Sean Beth was determined he should rest. Reluctantly, she allowed him the use of his transceiver.

"Mikele?" he called. "Come in? What's going on?"

"The Fall!" came the reply. "Better position - airship bugged out - 20 or 30 coming after us." Mikele talked in bursts and Roger could hear the zipping of the autorifles in the background.

"What? What's going on?" came a new voice through the speaker. It was George, calling anxiously from the cabin up on the plateau.

"Religionists have landed at the lower valley," he explained. "They're armed with automatic weapons and at least one portable HEW."

"Shit!" George exclaimed. "I'll be right down!"

"No, George. I'm sending the wagons up your way. They will need shelter. I suggest you lager them around the cabin."

"Roger, I..."

"George? They will need a fighter or two up there, or are you suggesting Reged defend the kids on her own?"

"No, but..."

"Do it and clear the channel. I need to speak to Mikele."

"I'm sending the horses back with Thane, Roger," Mikele said. "That plasma rifle is scaring the shit out of them. Maybe use Thane to supply us with water and ammo?"

"Hey!" said another new voice. "I'm Delios of the Montseny. I've been monitoring you. Need some help?"

"Delios?" Roger cried in delight. "We need fighters, weapons and ammo. We should have fresh mounts at the way cabin in a day or so if you want to use them. Can you get a message through to Iberica?"

"I've already sent a rider to the nearest base station. Likely, he ought to get through to them in about two days."

"Great, Delios!"

"We have an autocannon mounted on a trailer. We'll send that as well. Sebat thinks he knows where a band of Black Guard are camped - about a week away..."

"Bring them. These guys want trouble, we'll give them some."

"Roger?" Mikele interrupted. "That plasma gun's more than we can handle. They're just flattening our cover - exploding the rocks right in front of us."

"Do you think you can hold them off till night?"

"Not sure. Nor's hit in the shoulder and I think Rasida's got a busted arm!"

"What?" yelled Sean Beth from across the room. "Get my babies back here!"

"On their way. Nor wanted to stay, but, I talked him of it."

"Good."

"It's starting to rain," Mikele told him. "It'll drive into their faces. It may gives us a respite."

"Well, hang on as long as you can, Mikele. It'll give more time for the vans to get away."

Sean Beth came to him with another bandage soaked in cool water and placed it over his eyes. She peeled back the tatters of his allsuit and clicked her tongue.

"You're riddled!" she told him. "All superficial, mostly, except that - looks pretty deep. The allsuit shielded your skin from the heat, but, your poor face ... My dear, you may need a little grafting."

"My eyes..." he moaned.

"I dunno, beloved. I can't tell whether you have retina damage without proper equipment. We need to get you to Iberica. They have all the gear and can fit you with artificial retinas if required."

"Can't leave..."

"Oh, sure, and what the hell use are you here? Jack and Janet are waiting - she will care for you on the way."

"No! But, you must leave!"

"I'm not leaving my babies! Mikele will need a healer back here in any case. Roger, I will sedate the shit out of you and get the guys to load you on to the van if I have to. You're going, and that's it!"

"When did you learn to be so fucking assertive?"

"20 years an Ark - move!"

Sean Beth helped Roger - still complaining bitterly - into Jack and Janet's caravan. She looked across at the cluster of tents that housed Allsinger and his followers and felt a flash of anger. How dare these people seek to ruin their lives with a mixture of self-righteousness and arrogance? Some of the Arks had suggested shooting them out of hand, but, Roger had been against it. He'd sworn he'd never be a party to cold blooded murder.

She watched her parents urged the horses forward. The lumbering caravan - all gayly painted in scrollwork and whimsical scenes - headed for the mountain road taking her lover away from her. Throughout their lives, they'd never been parted for longer than a day or two. She wondered whether she'd ever see him again.

John and Rada broke through her despondency as they rode up to the cabin.

"How's Roger?" Rada asked, anxiously.

"Uh, burnt face - wounds from stone chips - and he's blind!"

"Oh, god!" Rada gasped.

"Where're you two going?" Sean Beth asked.

"Join the fight!"

"The hell you are!" Sean Beth cried, outraged. "And John has no training! If Roger could take a shot, you'd be sitting ducks. The guys need ammunition and water and help with the casualties. Rasida busted her arm - go fetch her."

"Yes, ma-am!" Rada rolled her eyes and the two galloped off. "When did she get so bossy?" she complained to John as they went to gather the water bottles from the bore.

Several minutes later Faith rode up. "Water!" she said, breathlessly, "and more ammo."

"Take whatever you can find. How are things down there?"

"Rain," she replied. "It's driving into their faces. Mikele thinks they can't see us properly. He's at the Fall."

"Casualties?"

"Nor and Rasida - they're coming back with Thane and the horses. Nor's hit in the shoulder and Rasida fell and broke her arm. Redell fell - they, ah, haven't found him yet. He might be..."

"Okay, Faith. He's a good, strong lad. Keep an eye on your brother and Rada, huh? They're apt to do something foolish."

"Faith?" came a voice behind them. It was Martin, her father, and he carried one of the groups fowling pieces. Behind him stood Matthew Kohn - similarly armed. "What are you doing, child?" he asked.

"Father?" Faith said, shocked. "I'm helping."

"You choose the Heathen against your own people?"

"Father? I choose to be with my friends when they're in trouble."

"Your friends?" Martin said, aghast. "The same friends who have destroyed your faith?"

"Yes!" Faith turned her horse to go, but, Martin brought up his firearm.

"Get down from that horse?" he commanded. "Or I will shoot you down. Don't make me do it, Faith, for you're still my daughter. I must rescue your soul and redeem you in the eyes of the Lord."

Faith looked at her father in shock.

"Bullshit!" Sean Beth spat. "Put down that popgun before you hurt yourself."

"Stay out of it, whore!" Martin yelled.

"Martin?" Matthew Kohn intervened. "What are you doing, brother? She's your daughter!"

"And I'm losing her to the Devil!"

"I have lost my wife, Martin. It makes little difference to me whether she is with the Lord or the Devil for she is still gone. I wouldn't inflict that kind of pain on another human being - be they Faithful or Heathen. To take the life of your daughter is a crime beyond redemption - it's a life sentence. You must not do this, Martin!"

"But she must be punished - it is written!"

"It is written that sinners are judged and punished, not killed. For what do you seek punishment for her?"

"She is debauching with a Heathen. She takes the cause of those fighting against us."

"You made war on my friends," Faith told her father. "And Thane is my partner in all things. We love each other and will remain together for the rest of our lives."

"You call this sickness love?" Martin scoffed.

"She does, Martin," said Kohn. "And, although I believe she is too young, I see in her eyes that she has given her heart to this boy - as I gave my heart to my beloved Glory. It is a precious, priceless, commodity - one that demands to be nurtured and cherished - not destroyed. If our Lord demands that we should destroy such love where we find it, He is not a god I wish to worship. Put down that gun, Martin."

"Matthew? I never thought I would hear you say such things."

"My wife died and the pain of losing her has brought a lot of things into focus. We have committed great wrongs on these people who came to us as neighbours. We turned them away in our arrogance and, as a result, our loved ones died a needless death. I believe we must ask them to forgive us - not perpetuate our sinning against them."

"Faith?" Thane cried, galloping up. He had a horse pistol in his hand pointing straight at Faith's father.

"No, Thane!" she yelled. "It's all right!"

"Martin?" Matthew Kohn said gently. "Put down the gun." He moved forward and carefully took the fowling piece from his grasp. Martin allowed himself to be guided away.

"Where's Rasida? Nor?" Sean Beth asked.

"Coming - back there. What's been going on, Faith?"

"Nothing!" she told him. "Tell you later."

"How's it going?" Sean Beth asked Thane.

"Mikele's got them pinned down at the Fall. The plasma weapon's run out of juice and they haven't a charger - least I haven't seen one. Mikele thinks it's still on the airship. It's really pelting down with rain and they're taking shelter. Mikele's sending a few of the guys back. He reckons they need rest and is going to rotate everyone. He says the Religionists will have a hard night of it because there's no shelter and he has the high ground. 'They're commanding the view clear down to the river flats.' That's what he says and said I should pass that on to Roger."

"Don't bother, Thane," Sean Beth replied. "Roger's on his way to Johnson's Flat. I guess Mikele's in charge."

"He says that with reinforcements they ought to be able to drive them back into the Gulf," Thane continued.

"Get some rest then take them some coveralls for the weather. The rain's going to be here soon, so I need you back soon. You and Faith have done good, but, don't tire yourselves. Where's Rada and John?"

"Down the trail a ways," he told her. "They have more ammo with them."

Soon Nor and Rasida arrived. Nor's shoulder was covered in blood and he was tied to his horse to keep from falling off. Rasida lead his mount for him with one arm - the other was strapped to her chest with a leather belt. Sean Beth, Thane and Faith helped them down and into the house. Rasida was complaining loudly as they laid Nor on the bed.

"Fucking silly bitch," she wined. "Too fucking slow to get out of the goddamn way. Redell went down, too, but he fell clear into the creek."

"They found him?" Sean Beth asked.

"Yeah. Knocked out - he comes to and crawls out himself. Mikele told him to go back, but, Redell told him to go fuck himself. Probably concussed - silly fucker."

"Nor?" Sean Beth said, "It's gone though your scapula. The bone's shattered. You're going to Iberica for surgery once we've pumped a few units of blood plasma into you."

"Not!" he moaned.

"Are!" Sean Beth said, sternly. "Thane? Go set Rasida's arm and tell her to stop bitching!"

Shortly, Redell came through the door, staggering, and slumped down on the sofa. "I feel sick," he moaned.