Chapter 13

Gina plunged under the water and came back up, her hair slick, wiping the water from her eyes. "Warm!" she said.

"Nice!" agreed Sian.

Heather still looked nervous, bobbing down so only her shoulders were exposed above the water. Neither of the Ark girls seemed overly concerned about nudity, however, nor if anyone could observe them. Heather looked back to the bank, spotted a few Garcians going about their business paying them no attention, and relaxed slightly. Although Sian and Gina were a strange pair to her, she realised they liked to tease - take advantage of her relative innocence - and decided she wouldn't let them win. She wasn't a fool - she had a real lover in Armin de la Perriere - and that was more than could be said for them.

"You guys going off with the others?" Heather asked.

"Nah," replied, Gina. "We're staying with Rada and John. They had this big row. Someone's got to stop them from screaming at one another."

"Huh? What about?" Heather asked.

"Sigh, long story. See, when Schecter and de la Perriere went to John to get the okay for this move against the Bakhunins, Rada was dead against it. She said we weren't at war with anybody and John was abandoning command to guys who weren't even Arks, let alone Black Guard. She told John he was too much the pussy and he lets guys like Schecter bully him into stuff. She said he should stand up for what he knows is right instead of giving way to the loudest voice."

"Aha, and what did John say?"

"John thinks Schecter's right and he's the sort of guy you'd want in that situation. He doesn't think he has what it takes to make quick decisions. He told Rada he didn't have any better idea than to sit and wait and that was, like, letting the Bakhunins do whatever they want to do. He said that was 'abandoning the initiative.' Rasida agreed with Rada at first, but then, her and Schecter had a long talk last night..."

"Oh, sure," Sian laughed. "They were 'talking' alright. You could hear it all over Twin Olives."

"Okay, they were fucking, but, the end result is, now, Rasida is going with Schecter and her and Rada are at each other's throat. Most of the guys are keen to go and no-one is supporting Rada, except us. That's why Sian and me decide to stay."

"Mama said Armin is in his element. She said a soldier is always a soldier and they all want to be heroes. She, ah, told me to expect he'll come back in a box," she sniffed.

"That sucks," Gina told her. "Anycase, Rada told me Euros fight differently. She said they sit in command cars and push buttons. I expect, that's what de la Perriere will be doing."

"You sure?" Heather asked, desperately.

"Sure. Why would he be riding a horse? He only learned last week. Schecter and him will ride in the Kegresse and de la Perriere will fly that drone thing from there. Least, that's what I heard."

"Did you see them practicing back there?" Sian shook her head. "Schecter's broken everyone into units of six, like they do in Euro. He's got some Euro volunteers and even a few of the Garcians are going along. They're practicing jumping off a horse and getting to cover, fancy?"

"As if we didn't do enough of that."

"Hehe, Yeah! I watched them for a spell. Two guys take the flanks, two take point and the other, the rear. The next squad moves in support and so on. Problem is, the way folks talk around here, I bet the Bakhunins hear all about it the next day. Schecter's flagged his tactics, like, to the whole world."

"Dumb!" Gina shook her head, gravely. "I suppose he's told everyone his objective - that is, if he actually has one?"

"Nah! They're keeping that to themselves. I heard they plan to be no more than a day away in case the Bakhunins double back."

"So what would be a suitable objective no more than a day away? That's what the Bakhunins would be thinking. They figure that, they'll be waiting."

"That doesn't sound good," Heather said, concerned.

"They have the drone, though," Gina told them.

"Yeah, but is it bulletproof? You saw the way Rada shot that one out of the sky?"

"Hey, but, wait a minute, guys," Gina said. "We know de le Perriere is ex special forces, Schecter's a trained soldier and Rasida's got local knowledge. Plus, she's a Black Guard second, and that counts for a hell of a lot. It doesn't fit they'd do something so dumb as to show everybody their tactics, flag their objective and all that shit. I reckon this is just show and they have their real cards up their sleeve."

"Unless this is all about drawing those Bakhunins back and they don't really plan to do anything at all?"

"Like, they feint a feint to counter a feint? That's clever!"

"Then feint a false feint?" suggested Sian.

"Oh, don't even go there, sister," Gina laughed. "You're fucking my brain."

"I'm not following you," Heather told them, plaintively. "So what do you think is happening again?"

"Um, we don't know," Gina shrugged. "But, we think you ought to have some weapons training. In case we have to mind the shop for a spell."

"What?" Heather said, shocked.

"The off chance we get left to defend Twin Olives?" Sian explained.

"Oh. I'm not sure I can do that."

"What's to know?" Gina said, breezily. "You just point the gun at the bad guys and hit the trigger?"

"But, I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't think I can kill another human being," Heather pleaded.

"Hey, the gun's doing the killing. You're just holding it," laughed Gina.

"You're a nice person, Heather," Sian added. "I understand you don't want to hurt anyone. None of us want to hurt anyone, but, do you think the bad guys are thinking the same thing? Do you think they give a shit how nice you are? Or, are they thinking to themselves, 'there's an enemy sniper, there, and I'm going to try to shoot them so my guys can move forward'? When the lead starts whizzing over your head, you don't think there's a human being out there, you think, there's a pain in the arse who wants to kill me. You do what you have to do to protect yourself and your friends - we all have to."

"What a horrible world," Heather replied, miserably.

"It's real," Gina told her, kindly. "And in return, we get to laugh, love, have babies..."

"Or not!" Sian interrupted.

"Smell the flowers, play jokes on people, quaff homebrew, meet beautiful people and swim with our sisters..."

"To us," Sian added, "Living in boxes, protected, sealed from anything that could do us harm, is no life at all. It's like you've died already and you go from one box to another, learning and feeling nothing. We'd much rather be out here where it's too hot and we could get hurt, stub our toes or take a tumble from a horse. Bones will mend, but our hearts need space to breathe."

"Well said, Sian! Now, I think a group hug?" Sian and Gina immediately embraced each other. After some deliberation, Heather, too, joined the circle. "Hey, nice butt!" Gina cooed.

"That's mine!" Heather complained.

"Yeah," laughed, Gina, "I know!"

Two days South, as the crow flies, Roger signaled a halt. Solemnly, he read the flatscreen that had been passed to him, then passed it first to Sean Beth, then Delios.

"1000 Bakhunin troopers?" he said, idly, gazing towards the West. "Rada says it's sure to be a bluff and it's possible - it is possible!" he emphasised. "But, the thing is with feints, they're useless unless your opponent is aware of it. What is the point otherwise? If I was the Fladomir, I wouldn't send my eskadres at night, 40 kilometres away, from Twin Olives. I'd make sure everyone saw the movement, or, at least, my dust clouds."

"That's true," Delios nodded.

"They appear to be heading for Bluefields and I think likely that's, indeed, where they're heading. I think it's meant to be a statement, a dagger held to our stomach should we seek to interfere in their internecine argument. There will be many of us who will now be looking over our shoulder towards their house. All this was planned by the Fladomir, I'm sure of it."

"So what are we to do?" Sean Beth asked.

"Well, Rada is right, in that no war has been declared so why should we start one? She is also right when she says John is dancing to a tune composed by rich Euro bankers and their fat cat, Cityplex buddies. Apparently, they want the Bakhunins to exhaust themselves in a civil war that is bound to engulf every single Ark band in the Preserve. All this so they can assuage their appetite for land and gold. John has allowed these alleged clones to take over a small company so they may cover themselves in martial glory. This, they will use to attract many of the young Black Guard frustrated by Suetonius's inaction. But, what other choices did John have? He's right not to surrender all the initiative to the Bakhunins and these clones came to him with a sound plan?"

"John should've taken charge, himself," Sean Beth said.

"Yes," Roger nodded, "and in ordinary circumstances, perhaps he would've. But, John is no soldier in the field. He's smart, sure, and undoubtedly brave, but he thinks too much. He would be busy planning and seeing things from all angles as the earth closed over him." There was a murmur of amusement from those within earshot. "This Schecter and de la Perriere, also, did the right thing in the circumstances. A limited raid, keeping no more than a day away from Twin Olives so they may fall back on it should it be threatened? What's wrong with that? It gives the guys something to do and frightens the Bakhunins a little? Why not?"

"So where does that leave us?" Sean Beth asked, once more.

"Advice? Delios?" Roger looked at the Montseny spokesman.

"Bakhunins!" he spat and shook his head. "Y'know, I've many children. Some, also, claim to be mine yet, somehow, I don't remember their mothers." There was a gale of laughter from those around him. "But, whatever," he chuckled. "I have always brought up my children to ask questions, be independent in heart and mind, and never take anyone's word because they claim to be an expert. There is always more than one way to dig a well, build a house. Arguments? Sheeit, the noise!" he grinned. "My house is always noisy and we bicker and bitch and this is the way it should be - the Ark way."

"Aye," Roger agreed.

"My children are jewels - the most valuable riches of our Montseny communities. Durrutti kids, too, are a credit to the strength of the Ark values I know Roger and Sean Beth hold so dear. If anyone seeks to threaten my children, or the children of our brothers and sisters, they better know that I will hand them their arses. This is no idle threat, but a solemn Ark promise."

"Aye, aye!" came agreement from all around.

"Y'know, my house is always open to friends, strangers, travelers, anyone," he continued. "Should anyone want a meal, a coat, autorifle or a pair of boots, they just need to ask. I know, also, when the noise gets too much at home, I can visit my Durrutti brothers and be sure of a similar welcome."

"Aye, you will," agreed Roger.

"This is the Ark way. An Ark should wander wherever they choose to go within the Preserve and this is their right. No Ark has the right to build a fence or tell someone, 'this is my property, you may not enter.' This is bullshit. There's talk that this bullshit with the Bakhunins will destroy Ark unity. What fucking unity is there when you have Bakhunin eskadres galloping all over the fucking place telling others what to do, threatening their kids, their old folks? Fuck them, Roger! They and their Cityplex bigshots."

"No right at all, Delios." Roger agreed.

"Montsenys?" he raised his voice. "When we were flooded out six Winters ago, did we apply to some Cityplex bank for a loan? A loan so we'd have credits to spend on Cityplex tradesmen and building materials? Did we do that, or did we ask our Durrutti friends for help?"

"The Durruttis!" yelled someone, unnecessarily.

"Aye, and weren't they there for us? Didn't they come straight away with their food and medicine, and didn't they help us rebuild our houses? They came, just as we stood in the line alongside them when they were threatened by the Euro religionists, what, 15 years ago? This is the Ark way."

"Aye, aye!"

"Roger, you're a smart guy," Delios went on. "I've always said that. You've more book learning than all of us put together. Sean Beth? You're the best goddamn healer this side of the mountains. Roger, you've always known the right thing to do. In your heart, you know what to do and, beside you, you can depend on your old friend Delios. Myself, and the Montsenys will always stand with you and win, or we all fall together. Now, you must tell us what you think we ought to do. What are your 'recommendations'?"

Roger sat on his horse, hanging his head down, lost in thought. Eventually, he looked up and addressed the signaler behind him. "Send a message to Mikele at Bluefields," he said. "Tell him what happened and he should expect 1000 Bakhunin troopers in what?" he looked up. "In two weeks at the earliest. I think they have a good four days head start. He will know what to do."

"And us?" Sean Beth asked.

"Delios? What escort do you need for the autocannon?"