Elizabeth's DEFCON 1

[sarawolf]

This is not about real people.
All rights reserved.
Please over look any short comings as far as military matters lol. I know so many of you are experts in that area, I am not.

Elizabeth's DEFCON 1

Chapter 1

Washington D.C.:

Elizabeth sat at Army headquarters at the Pentagon hardly believing the messages coming in for the top brass. Impending missile launches from China and North Korea, the activity could be seen in the photos from the satellites. Even the military was slow to take this all in, a treaty had just been signed again with North Korea, and China as usual just sat around acting like the big dog on the block but never really doing anything. The fax machine started up again, more activity but this time around silos in the Ukraine, unbelievable. Well, Elizabeth thought we wondered what all the buddy, buddy stuff was with China and Russia, now we know.

She looked over the photos evaluating them, not good, not good at all.

She pushed the intercom button, “General Williamson, the photos are in and I have evaluated them, are you ready for them?”

The general answered back, “Yes, Lieutenant Zellers, come on in.”

Elizabeth got up and went on into the general’s office bringing the photos with her.

She then briefed the general on the different photos from North Korea, China, and Russia.

“CRAP IN A HAT,” was the generals reply, then he said, “I can’t believe they would actually be this stupid.”

General Williamson then picked up his phone, “Corporal Lester, get me the President right now, this is an emergency!”

Elizabeth could hear the other phones in his office ringing from where she sat. And she had the internal intercom on so she could hear what was being said both ways.

The President’s secretary must of picked up because the general told whom ever it was who he was and that it was an national emergency and he needed to talk to the President immediately. As the general explained what was going on to the President the General was also pushing a red button on the corner front of his desk, she heard a very loud, “WHAT” over the phone, “Yes Mr. President I am telling you that China, Russia, and North Korea are about to fire some of their nuclear missiles.”

“I also think we need to go to DEFCON 1 immediately, and send the alert to every base here and over seas.”

“Yes the General said, but I think it’s to late to go to the situation room, time to get you to safety now Mr. President.”

She heard the garble of words from the other end of the line and the General hung up.

He then had his secretary put in another call and had Generals and Admirals from other branches of the service in on what was going on and that the President was calling the military to DEFCON 1. He then had his secretary put in a call to his wife, as the call was going through the General looked up at Elizabeth and said, “go on Lieutenant Zellers, call your family and have them come here right now, your excused.”

The button the General had pushed notified all the other generals immediately even before they were called and a situation was verified.

Elizabeth got up and saluted her boss, then turned and left his office as quickly as possible. She wished she would have permission and time to call her parents along with her brothers and sisters, but she knew that was out of the question, she was just lucky she had a great boss and he was allowing her to call her family and have them come over to the shelter here at the Pentagon. She quickly pushed the quick dial on her phone, it was 11 AM, and Bill should still be home.

11:01 AM.

Bill worked second shift this month at IBM and should be getting ready to take young Kyle to the sitters, Katherine would already be at school. Bill picked up the phone finally on the fourth ring and saw on the caller ID that it had to be Elizabeth.

“What’s up honey?”

He wasn’t used to her calling at this time of day so he knew something unusual must have been going on.

Elizabeth told him, “Bill don’t talk just listen, we are under DEFCON 1 as of five minutes ago, I had permission to call you and tell you and the children to get to the Pentagon immediately. All you need to do is present your drivers license, you and the kids are already on the list for the Bomb shelter. I need you to grab the metal case under the bed; it has all our birth certificates and other important documents in it, plus some gold and silver. The kids BOB bags are in the closet with ours, plus grab anything thing else you think we will need for an extended time in the shelter, the kids favorite blankets a few toys, and things you think you and I will want and or need. I love you and make sure you tell the guard at the gate you're on the GO list.”

“Love you too,” Bill said, “And I understand, see you later,” and they both hung up.

First Bill looked in on Kyle; he had just finished an early lunch and was playing in his room for a few minutes until his dad came for him.

Bill said to his son, “Hey Kyle you want to play a gathering game, I want you to dump out the toys in the small toy box over there in the corner,” Bill was pointing to it.

“Then pick out 4 of your favorite toys and your sleeping bear, and put them in the toy box, do you understand?”

Kyle looked at his dad will a gleam in his eyes, “Yes daddy I do.”

“Ok son go ahead and do that, and when your done with yours go into Katherine’s room and find four of her favorite toys, the ones you see her play with all the time, and also get her stuffed cat she sleeps with, alright.”

“Yes daddy,” said Kyle and went over and started to dump out the plastic toy box with a large grin on his face, he loved being able to dump things out.

Bill then headed quickly to his bedroom and bent down and pulled the silver case out from under the bed and put it on the bed, then he went over to the closet, he opened the closet and there in the back were the four BOB bags. (Bug Out Bags)

He hauled those out and two extra back packs and went over to Elizabeth’s dresser and began putting in under clothes, socks, her jewelry, a couple extra blouses and jeans.

He then thought whoops, and went back to the closet and pulled out two uniforms and a set of BDU’s, a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of her army boots. He went over to his dresser and did the same thing, but minus the army clothes. He quickly hauled the things to the car and went back in to get the toys and the kids pillows and blankets.

He saw an extra school backpack that Katherine had from last year lying by her toy box. It was worn but serviceable and he went over and added some extra clothes, under clothes, socks, sweat pants, and shoes.

Bill came back out and Kyle was standing in the hallway, with the stuffed animals, and said, “Daddy I all done.”

“Wonderful Kyle, you head down to the kitchen with the stuffed animals and I will be right there, ok.”

“Ok daddy, “ Kyle headed on his way down the hallway.

Bill ducked back into Kyle’s room to grab some more clothes for Kyle and stuff them in an old diaper bag that was now used for others things, he also opened the toy box, to see trucks, army men, a couple other of Kyle’s toys plus Katherine’s Barbie doll case, and some MY Little Ponies and accessories, he was surprised at what a good job Kyle had done, he had figured he would have to finish it off, but everything was there. He picked up the toy box and headed down to the kitchen and on to the garage. Kyle was waiting for him in the kitchen with a cookie in his hand.

Bill smiled and didn’t say a thing about the cookie for now, “Come Kyle lets get these things into the car,” and Kyle followed his dad out to the garage.

After Bill had all that loaded he told Kyle to go get the cookie box and he had permission to open the bottom cupboard and get out the package of drink boxes. He and Kyle headed back through the door and into the kitchen and Kyle went straight for the cupboard and Bill went back up stairs to grab the kids blankets and into his room to pull out his 12 inch bowie knife, Elizabeth had gotten it for him for Christmas last year, it came with scabbard that fit on his belt really well. It had a multi colored wooden handle and he loved it. He looked around and really couldn’t think of anything else, yikes he thought yes I can, he went over to the closet and behind a shoebox was the army container of bullets for their matching colt pistols, which were in the BOB bags. You never knew when some extra ammo would come in handy, especially now.

Back down stairs he went, and low and behold Kyle had 2 boxes of cookies, a bag of pretzels, and the box of drink boxes on the floor and was trying to put them in a plastic bag.

“Great thinking son, those will really come in handy. Ok little man lets go pick up your sister, were going to a special place today,” and helped his son load up the goodies and get them and him into the car.

With Kyle all strapped in his seat Bill pushed the button for the garage door, and picked up his cell phone and called Katherine’s school.

“Hello this is Bill Zellers, we have a family emergency, I need Katherine Zellers ready to go as soon as I get to the office, thank you, I will be there in eight minutes, goodbye to you to.”

Bill didn’t speed really but had the speedometer at four miles above the speed limit and pulled into the school packing lot seven minutes later. He jumped out and went over turned back to the back car door and unstrapped Kyle and just kept him in his arms and headed quickly to the school office, where he saw Katherine standing inside the office door, coat in one hand and backpack laying on the floor beside her. Bill signed her out right away and said thank you to the office personnel, helped Katherine put her coat on.

“Come on Kath we need to go somewhere.”

She looked up at her dad, “Where we going daddy.”

“Somewhere very special Kath, were going to where your mommy works, to a special place there, he told her.”

He got the kids all strapped and headed over to the Pentagon, 30 minutes later they were at the gate, and he was showing his ID. Bill told the guard, “We're on the GO list.”

The corporal flipped his clipboard and looked at the GO list. The looked back up and said, “Your good to go sir take your car over to the right driveway around the building and follow the orange line.”

Bill went right until he came upon an orange line and flowed it right to another guard at the rear of the Pentagon, that’s if there is a rear. Bill showed his ID again and the soldier talked into his radio and the large door in front of him rolled up.

“Proceed to the blue level sir,” the guard told him and then he stepped back.

Bill nodded his head at the guard and drove into the opened door, after several feet inside the ramp started going down, like in a parking garage.

The first level down was yellow, the next, green, then as he continued down eight more floors several other colors. Then the next level was blue level and there at this entrance was another guard, there had been one or two at all of them. This guard was standing in front of another large door and Bill drove up beside the guard and showed his ID and the guard pushed a red button and the door pulled into the wall. The door looked to be about five feet thick as he watched it pull into the wall.

“Proceed sir, park and load your belongngs and go through the red striped door,” said the guard.

Bill pulled through the huge doorway, and found himself in a large parking garage, there were already a few cars and other vehicles in there and he saw three other families standing beside their cars. He saw they had dolly like carts by their cars with that they were putting their suitcases and other things on.

He looked around and over by the wall to the left of him were more carts, he turned to the kids, “I am going over to get a cart kids, you can unstrap, but stay in the car, I will be right back okay.”

Both the kids excitedly said, “Ok daddy,” they were so excited about being in a new place and where their mommy worked, Katherine didn’t know her mom worked at such a big building.

Bill was gone and back in about one minute with a cart, not enough time for the kids to get in much trouble anyway. He unloaded all their things and had Katherine get out of the car and bring her school backpack with her; Bill took Kyle out of his car seat, and sat him on top of their bags on the cart. He saw one of the families headed for the red striped door at the other end of the parking lot, and started on his way toward it also.

There was a guard standing beside the door, and he was checking ID’s and then letting people inside. Bill and the kids went through the same process and found them selves standing beside an elevator with two other families.

No one said anything except for a couple of children asking why they were there. The mother just said it was a new adventure and they would be meeting their dad soon.

The woman then looked at Bill and he nodded his head at her and she did the same thing back. At that moment the elevator opened and it was an extra large service elevator, it would take all of their carts and all with room to spare. Bill thought they had been far enough down as it was, but this was something else. They must have gone down another eight floors before the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

A young solider stood there waiting for them, and as soon as everyone unloaded from the elevator he told them to follow him, and he would take them to their assigned rooms.

“ I am Corporal King, if you need anything I am your liaison.”

About 4 minutes later they came to a set of rooms and the solider looked at his list.

“These rooms are for Lt. William Sim’s family, number 30, there is a main room and two bedrooms.

They all continued on their way a few more feet and the solider said, “ This is #31, this set of rooms is for Lt. Elizabeth Zellers family.”

“Thank you,” said Bill and he and the kids along with their cart went though the door.

Bill looked around, well this is much better then he thought things were going to be.

He had visions of a small cramped room with bunk beds and a sink and toilet in the corner. But this wasn’t bad at all, a living room, and two bedrooms; he went to look at the bedrooms. The first bedroom had a double bottom bunk and a single top bunk, and along the opposite was a set of normal bunk beds, there was a small closet and four dressers.

He turned around and there were the kids standing right behind him, he almost bumped into them.

“Lets go see the other bedroom, I think this one is supposed to be for your mommy and I.”

They followed him to the other small bedroom and it had 2 sets of regular bunk beds, and four dressers. All the beds in both rooms were already made up with sheets, pillows and army blankets. He found a small bathroom off the livingroom area.

“Kids lets get your blankets and other things and bring them in here ok.”

“Katherine looked up at her dad, “Ok daddy, and daddy is this where we're having a vacation?”

Both kids were following their dad out to the main room.

He looked at Katherine, “Yes were having a small vacation here for now and your mommy should be here soon.”

She smiled, “Ok daddy great, we get to spend some time with mommy.”

Kyle mimicked his sister and off they ran to the cart.

By the time Elizabeth got down to the shelter they had all their belongings in the right rooms, and the toy box already opened and the children playing.

Bill knew they would be asking to eat a snack at any time now, when his wife walked in the door. He walked toward her and she met him and wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big hug, it was now 5:05 PM eastern stand time, 17:05 military time.

Bill asked, “Is there anyway you can tell me what’s going on honey?”

“Bill come over to the sofa and sit down and I will tell you what is going on.”

Bill sat there in silence as Elizabeth explained to him what was found from the satellite photos this morning and that the countries of Russia, China, and North Korea had actually lunched missiles and they were heading their way. Ed knew it had to something like that for her to call him and tell him to get to the shelter, he was just glad families were also allowed in here, but his mind also went out to their extended families.

Both the kids had heard their mother’s voice and came running in to give their mom a hug and ask for a snack, Elizabeth was very glad to see the kids and asked Bill if he had brought a quick snack for the kids. He said no worries in that department he and Kyle had done just that, and took the kids over to the middle of the floor and put down a towel and had them sit there and eat their snack.

A siren went off and Elizabeth said she would be back later; she gave Bill a quick peck on the cheek and left in a hurry. Meanwhile Bill had the kids snack on the things they had brought and had them go back to their room to play.

Not long after the ground shook, Bill knew they were down here for awhile then and hoped and prayed for his and Elizabeth's families to come through this. A few minutes later Elizabeth came back to their quarters and said she was done for the night and could be with the family until morning at 0600.

Bill then asked her, “Do you know how many cities were hit?”

“Yes, a lot of the Capitals of all the states, along with a few other larger towns, we were able to take out some of them, and that extra nukes had been set off at high levels to create EMP’s that took out the whole grid all across the country.”

She told him it would be years before they could be back to any sort of normal again outside if that was even possible. She looked at her watch and the clock on the wall and saw they were the same, and told Bill what time their dinner rotation would be normally, 0630. Ten minutes later they got the kids gathered up and they all headed for the mess hall. When they got there they saw they would be about one quarter of the way down the line, not too bad. Bill looked around while they were eating and thought there must be about 200 people in the lunchroom, there was room for a few more but not much even at this late hour. He was wondering how many people this shelter supported, and thought duh, ask Elizabeth she should know.

Bill leaned over to Elizabeth there was 1 child between them; Kyle, Katherine was on the right side of Elizabeth.

“Hey honey how many people does this shelter support?”

Elizabeth looked over at Bill with a mouth full of Salisbury steak, chewed and swallowed, “Over 2000 plus dependants Bill, why?”

“Oh no reason I just wondered.”

To himself he thought “WOW”

The meal all done including ice cream for dessert, they headed back to their room, on the way Elizabeth showed Bill where one of the recreation rooms was, the library, and the gym.

The recreation room even had toys for the children to play on and with.

Bill said, “That will be a big help I know playing with their same toys day after day will get old quick.”

Bill turned to Elizabeth, “How long are we going to have to stay down in this shelter?”

“From the estimates at least six months, they have equipment checks up some of the shafts but don’t count on us going out until then.”

By that time they were back to their rooms, they bathed and dressed the kids for bed, let them play for an hour and put them to bed. Elizabeth and Bill talked about their families and their dreams for the future and turned in also, as Elizabeth had to be up around the normal time for work. It had been a long stressful day and they knew it was just the beginning.

End chapter 1

[sarawolf]

Chapter 2

Reunited


Under the Pentagon in the shelter, Elizabeth and Bill had found they would have to spend almost a whole year down there. The area had taken a direct hit and when they did go out it would be through the long tunnel that ran off of the parking area two floors above them. The Army found a job for Bill working with computers which he was very glad for so he didn’t go out of his mind with a lack of things to do. He loved watching his kids but he had needed something else. The general had also found out through Elizabeth that Bill and her were reenactors for the Revolution and Civil War. Bill and the General had many a lively conversation in the months that followed. Bill would lead up a program on how to live in a wild environment even with the survivor training the soldiers had, they still had many things the troops and civilians needed to know.

The school and nursery school that had been set up for the children had them far ahead of the normal school year. The teachers had taken out the busy work and extras and made the school busier but more interesting. The radiation readings slowly went down and eleven months after they had rushed into the shelter they were on their way out.

Elizabeth had been promoted and the General considered her his right hand women. She was helping to coordinate the moving of the people in the whole complex. Many a preliminary outing had been made by troops and they were setting up the new camp in the park where the tunnel ended.

Things were all ready and people, civilian and army personal alike could hardly wait to get out in the daylight again. Everyone was very excited as they traveled down the long tunnel. The children were delighted with their tent when they arrived, and knew it was just temporary for a few weeks.

A squad was to go out and head southwest to find the place for a more permanent headquarters. It was an abandoned camp the general hoped was still whole. They knew it would be a different but the general thought it would be a good place for his people. At least they had the trucks and he had them bring out more equipment and ammo then even he hoped they would ever need. He made sure all the equipment and medicine they could pull out of the shelter hospital went with them. He darn sure wasn’t taking any chances.

Elizabeth wondered if she would ever see any of her family again, she still had hopes they were alive and safe. She made sure she showed pictures of the family to her children so they would not forget no matter what; somewhere there was more family that loved them. Elizabeth told them stories of growing up in the mountains of Washington and Idaho and how her mom and dad had taught her to cook, butcher animals after raising them and not being afraid to kill animals when you needed to survive but to also preserve life unless you really needed it. She told them of tanning hides and how she tried not to learn and her mother made her do it and stick it out. Elizabeth then told them when they got to their permanent settlement she would have their dad help her make an old style Indian loom and when going by a town see if they could find a spinning wheel. Both children were going to learn to shear sheep, clean wool and how to spin it for yarn and to milk cows and goats. They looked a lot more excited about that then she had been as a child. But to her it had been normal everyday stuff and had seemed like work.

Elizabeth didn’t know that General Williamson had been standing outside their tent ready to ask to enter. He couldn’t believe he had someone in his command that knew these things. He thought he had hit the jackpot when he had learned of the other things Elizabeth and Bill could do. She never told him she could do these other things too. He didn’t know where life was going to take them all, but he knew he would have to help rebuild this country and maybe for the better. Only too soon he knew they would have to become more of a very large clan instead of an Army command if his people were going to survive and raise a future generation. He knew the America they had all known was gone and it was time to start again. He straightened himself.

“Elizabeth you in? It’s me General Williamson, may I speak to you?”

Elizabeth couldn’t believe the General had come himself instead of sending one of his aides, it was evening and they had already eaten and the mess was serving the next round of people and the camp was settling in for the night.

“Yes General I’m in, I’ll be right there.”

She settled the kids down on the floor with some cards to make castles with and went to the door flap and stepped out.

“Yes sir, what can I do for you sir,” she said as she saluted.

General Williamson looked down at the five-foot nothing soldier she was like a small bundle of dynamite. He had seen her on the obstacle course too, she could do things you would never think a small women could do, they had nicknamed her Maniac. Besides she was also an expert marksman, no one wanted to cross her or get on her wrong side. That brought a smile to his face in a flash as this all ran though his mind.

As Elizabeth was asking him what she could do for him she saw a fleeting smile play across his face, and wondered what that was all about?

“Elizabeth, our advance group just came back in, I need to you to get things squared away to pull out in three days time. They found that abandoned base in the hills of Tennessee we once used for training exercises. There’s no radiation and a sparse population so we shouldn’t have too much trouble settling in and may even be a help to those that live there and of coarse they to us.”

General Williamson just calling her Elizabeth kind of brought her up short, he had told her his plans for the future for them all, but it still came as a surprise to hear her called by her first name by her general. This was going to be hard to get used too, she had always been a rank and then her last name Zellers for eight years now.

Elizabeth saluted and said, “Yes sir, General Williamson, I will get right on the assignments sir.”

General Williamson smiled he didn’t salute back. But for her it was just too ingrained to stop saluting so suddenly.

“Tomorrow morning will be just fine Captain, now go ahead and go back to your family, I will see you in the morning.”

With that he turned and headed to the command tent, he had a lot of details to get smoothed out tonight himself, he wanted to hear all of the debriefings from his advance group before he called it a night. He looked off to the west, the sun was setting and he had never seen such bold reds in the sky in his life.

As General Williamson sat through all the debriefings his mind wondered a bit, all of them had reported the same things, he knew he wouldn’t be here in normal times, this would all be taken care of by the lower ranks and then they would report to the next higher officer and that officer to him. He got up suddenly and told the corporal thank you and told the Lieutenant to continue taking down the men’s accounts. He did salute them and headed out of the tent, he knew the men needed the normal command yet to feel secure and to keep order in the ranks.

He continued on to his tent, his aide hopped up from a chair by the inside front of the door and saluted. General Williamson said, “Brandy, do you know where my book of Scottish Clans and Family Encyclopedia happens to be, I can’t seem to remember which box I shoved it into.”

“No sir, but I will be glad to look for you.”

“Then why don’t the both of us look and that will cut the time down in finding it, is that okay with you soldier?”

“Uh, yes sir, fine with me sir.”

Williamson chuckled, Brandy who was never at a loss for words sounded like he had a hard time getting that reply out.

All were going to be surprised when they got to the new camp and he told them they were slowly going to become a clan instead of an Army command.

After looking through four of his boxes Brandy stood up, “here it is sir.”

“Thank you Brandy, you’re free to go for the night.”

“Yes sir, thank you sire, see you in the morning sir.”

With that Brandy saluted and turned to go to his tent, which sat right next to the Generals.

General James Williamson sat down to look up his mother’s maiden name, her grandfather had emigrated from Scotland.

"Let’s see, Rose. Wonder how the men would feel becoming affiliate to the Clan Rose."

Didn’t sound real he man but Williamson liked the motto that went with the clan. “Constant and true. Um, comes from a Norman family that settled in Scotland. Lets see they had been in Normandy, well they came across with William the Conqueror it said. They supported Scottish independence and captured Invernairn Castle for Bruce in 1306. Married into the Chisholm family.

As he sat there he wondered how many were from Scottish stock and if they would just be pledged to his.

Yes that was how he should do it. That still instilled loyalty. Williamson could see in his minds eye the great Scottish clans of United Sates of America upholding the Constitution. He wondered what his compatriots were doing held up in maybe different shelters across the U.S., he sure hoped they were doing the same as he was but he had the awful idea some he knew would be doing the opposite. He needed to make sure his people were prepared for anything and everything, the last thing they needed to do is let their guard down. They could all be living in a new very dangerous world.

The days went fast with so much to do to get the command moved, Elizabeth hardly saw her family, only when she fell into bed and could see they were sleeping. Bill was working hard too but his assignments ended with an eight to ten hour day for now. Elizabeth left at 5 am and returned to the tent at 10 pm.
Bill turned over and told her, “Hi honey.”

“Hi sweetheart, I will sure be glad when were moved, too many days of this and I would be fried, good night hon.”

“Night.” Was the slurred reply back to her.

Elizabeth was asleep minutes after her head hit the pillow. Before she even realized she was asleep her watch was going off. She groaned and opened her eyes to moving day. At least they would be seeing an end to all the logistics of getting things ready to go.

She grabbed her towel and toiletries and headed for the shower, and when she got back Bill was up also to head for the shower while she dressed. Then when he was back she would head out while he woke the kids to get them ready for the day. Bill didn’t have to report today to help train anyone in anything he had to get the rest of their small amount of things ready to go and get it all into their vehicle. They had been issued a few more things from the shelter PX; no one had to pay for anything, as yet that would take awhile. The tent was taken down and thrown on a truck. He was full up now, he felt like they were packed to the gills because of the clothes, bedding, towels and few other things they had now. They were all scheduled to pull out in one hour, and if he knew General Williamson it would be 8 am on the dot.

Yep 8 am and Williamson gave the order to pull out, a loud speaker was heard, start your engines and pull into your assigned places in line. Bill and the children had been sitting in their vehicle for ten minutes, ready to go. The passenger door opened and in stepped Elizabeth, this is one trip she would be making with her family. The General didn’t have to worry about where she was and if he could get a hold of her quickly, they were right behind the Generals Command car.

The General had decided to get to 95 South down close to Fredericksburg then turn west onto state road 20 then onto west 64 until they could get to 81.
All went well with no trouble, the heavy trucks and halftracks having to push cars off the freeway and out of their way. It made the going a bit slower but they were making good progress. It took five hours to get over to the southwest running 81. They took the turn off on 340 and went through the town of Stuarts Den where they came under sniper fire.

Bill had sure hoped this kind of thing was far from everyone’s minds that had been out in the world, after all it had been a year now since the short lived vilent war. A platoon was dispatched to take care of the problem but whoever it had been melted into the woodwork. The caravan kept going and a couple of hours later the platoon caught up and reported no enemy found. When they went through another small town Elizabeth had permission to have men stop at fabric stores, knit shops, hardware stores and the like to pick up things that would be needed in the future.

The caravan was almost out of Virginia and they were headed through the town of Marion when Elizabeth spied a spinning wheel in the window of a craft shop. Pay Dirt. Elizabeth knew that if they could find one or two they could copy them. She had Bill pull out of line and the others that were unloading places like this joined her. Elizabeth jumped out and ran in and what do you know there was more then the spinning wheel in the window. The store had several different kinds of spinning wheels and several looms of different sizes including a full size loom. She had them load all of the store merchandize and caught up with the caravan. As the hours went on trucks would drop out and rejoin as they stopped and emptied stores of needed items.

Bill made sure the equipment and other vital things like reloading equipment and gun making supplies, including blacksmithing tools were among the found items. They were hitting sporting equipment stores and made sure they got bows, arrows including those for children and ways to replace and repair these also. He didn’t want the lack of old-time equipment and how to repair and replace them to be their future down fall.

A roadside rest stop was used for the night and all along the road in front and back of it along with the rest stop on the opposite road. It didn’t matter they were the only ones traveling it seemed right now.

In the morning they crossed over into the eastern tip of Tennessee. They were headed for the Clinch Mountain range and weren’t that far from it. They wouldn’t be far from Cherokee Lake. They didn’t hit any more snipers but blew through a few deserted roadblocks that were in disrepair. No one could tell just how old they were.

They all finally came to a stop along a tall chain link fence with razor wire at the top leading up to the front gate. The hills and mountains behind the abandoned post were beautiful; spring was here in full force even if it was a bit cooler then normal. Bill could look to the left and see the lake glimmering below them not far away, and from what he could see there was a small river running through the Army post. After the gate was opened and they drove in all looked quiet and undisturbed. The place had been well taken care of and wouldn’t be hard to bring back up into shape.

The caravan came to a stop, the gates were closed behind them, and the first of the grunts with the task began to go through the base first. Then the mess people went to the mess hall to see what was what and start to clean things up and ready it to begin cooking for the evening meal after it was checked out. Everyone was relieved to find the base was clear and no one had come and scavenged the place.

Bill and Elizabeth got out and had the children stand beside them, Bill said a quick prayer for a Blessing on their new home before things got busy and Elizabeth had to leave and get on with her work and assignments. Bill did see smoke billowing up from campfires or chimneys in the hills quite a ways away behind the camp.

Things got done quickly in the next few hours and housing assignments were made with more then enough room left over for growth.

The days started to roll by and one day a man walked up to the gate. The guard called for him to halt and set down his rifle.

“I will not set down my rifle soldier boy, do I look stupid?” he said with a deep southern accent.

“I would like to talk to the officer in charge if you don’t mind son and I will wait right here.”

Erin Grasser had to grin, no one had called him son but the old man, and after all he was 38 years old. He looked the man up and down, his clothes were worn but clean and he knew how to hold that rifle without seeming to be a threat at the same time, real relaxed like. The man was thin, he had brown and white hair and a beard that was mostly white, Erin thought the man must be about 60. But when Erin looked into the man’s clear blue eyes, it was like he could see his heart; those were the eyes of an honest man he would bet on it.

“All right sir, I’ll get word to the officer on duty.”

Erin turned and blew the whistle that was hanging around his neck. He glanced over to make sure the older man hadn’t moved he had to do better then this about keeping his eyes on people at all times.

Erin heard another whistle and a few minutes later Lieutenant Fraser could be seen stepping out of the nearest building to the right of the base road not 500 feet from the gate. Lieutenant Fraser stepped up in front of Erin, and Erin saluted.

“What is it Sergeant Grasser?”

“Sir a man is here wishing to speak to the officer in charge sir.”

Fraser looked over at the man and noticed the man still had his rifle but it was in the crook of his arm and pointed toward the ground at the moment.

“Grasser this man still has his rifle, didn’t you instruct him to put it down?”

“Yes sir, I did sir and he refused, he asked me if I thought he was stupid sir.”

Hank Williamson noticed a fleeting smile go across the Lieutenants face before he could straighten his face back out.

“Thank you Sergeant Grasser that will be all, stand back to guard and I will take care of this now.”

Grasser saluted again and stood back to his guard position. Fraser saluted back and turned his attention onto the civilian.

“Sir I am Lieutenant Fraser why did you disobey Sergeant Grassers order to release your weapon?”

“Well son, like I told that young man I’m not stupid, these days putting my pea shooter down could be the death of me when I am outside of my home and even then I keep it close. No son, not these days do I release this for anyone I don’t know and trust. Now I would like a chance to talk with your alls Commander if you don’t mind, it’s important and I figured that the fastest way to do that was start with you.”

Fraser didn’t dare say he knew the man was right these were dangerous times, and so far they had had it easy. Those that had to stay out here this past year or so must have seen Hades come through. Fraser couldn’t put his finger on it but the way this man held himself and the look in his eyes reminded him of someone he knew. Why in the world was this old codger calling him son, the only one that did that was the Commander and he was allowed being who he is.

“Sir I can not allow you to enter the base armed, orders from the Commander, if you would leave your weapon with Sergeant Grasser in the guard house we will see to it you're safe inside the base and will get your rifle back when you leave. You have my word.”

“Well son it goes against my grain ya know, I haven’t been far from ol Bertha here in over a year, she has been my constant traveling companion you would say.”

“Sir that’s the only way you’re entering this base.”

Hank looked over at Grasser standing by the guard house and saw the grin on his face, not a evil know it all grin but it was a genuine in your eyes crap eating grin as his ol mom used to say. Then he looked in Fraser’s eyes, yes these had been hand picked men if he knew men, men picked for there honesty, he could see it in their eyes. Hank looked down at the ground as if mulling it over but, he already knew what he was going to do.

He looked straight into Fraser’s eyes, “okay son I am gonna trust you,” then he looked over at Grasser.

“I expect you to take good care of this here rifle son it was my pa’s and I expect it to be as in as good a shape as when I handed it over to you, ya hear?”

“Yes sir, I will sir, no one will mess with your rifle while it’s here, I promise you that.”

As Hank came forward to hand over his rifle he had the strangest smile on his face. And then said.

“Ain’t you solider boys gonna ask if I have any other weapons?”

Then Hank reached down and pulled up both pants legs one at a time and pulled out two small pistols and a short bowie knife. After he stood back up he reached behind his back and down his vest and pulled out a 10-inch bowie knife, and handled them all over to Grasser.

“You boys need to learn to be more careful, you never know about anyone any more,” he then turned to Fraser with a grin and said, “well son I’m ready, take me to your leader.”

He had always wanted to say that.

As they walked though the base Hank was impressed with what was going on, he saw some men being trained in axe throwing and the next group was doing bow and arrow practice and it looked like there were civilians mixed in with the Army boys and girls. Not typical soldier things to do, well he was glad they were on the ball and learning what they were going to need to get along in this new world. He wasn’t surprised, but he had seen some of this as one of the men that had been keeping his eye on this camp to see just what and who they were.

Hank followed Fraser to a middle building and he saw the word Office on the front. He had also noticed many had turned and looked their way as he made his way down the road behind Fraser. Hank could hardly control himself now, he was getting close.

They walked up to the front desk and Fraser told the women sitting there, “Civilian to see General Williamson and he says it’s important.”

The girl then in turn got up and went to a door and knocked, the door opened and a short compact good looking young woman in her 30’s answered the door, “Captain Zellers a civilian is here to see General Williamson, he asked to be taken to the Commander.”

Elizabeth Zellers looked past Corporal Gail Lightfoot and over to LT. Fraser and the civilian. There was something familiar about the man’s eyes but she couldn’t put her finger on it. The beard and shaggy hair put her off though. He did look like a man that had been through it all and back again.

“Have the man step into my office Corporal and I will talk to the general.”

Hank headed for the woman’s office and sat down in a wooden chair that she pointed to when he entered.

“I will be right back sir,” she turned and gave a quick rap on the next door and he heard, “enter Elizabeth”. So it had started, he thought and Hank smiled to himself.

End chapter 2

[Hudsonhawk777]

Great start to another story. Can't wait for moar...

[MaconCJ7]

Really looking forward to more. I'm curious where you'll go from here, since they're all stuck in the cellar for at least half a year.

[sarawolf]

Chapter 3
Invaders


Elizabeth turned the door knob and entered into the next room.

“Sir there is a civilian here and he asked to see you; the Commander specifically, do you want me to usher him in or have him tell me want he needs if your to busy?”

“It's all right Elizabeth, I will see him, this is the first civilian who has come to see us; there is no way I am letting him get away, apparently he knew to go to the top.”

Elizabeth smiled, “yes sir I will see him right in sir.”

Elizabeth had almost saluted, her hand had come halfway up before she stopped herself, and he had made her stop that practice a week ago, so far he had only had his top officer’s stop saluting him. Elizabeth opened the door and stepped out and to the back of the door to leave room for the gentleman to pass.

“The General will see you now sir.”

Hank stood up and made his way to the opened door. Elizabeth noticed that twinkle in his eyes and wondered what that was all about; she still could not shake the feeling that somehow he was familiar.

As the gentleman stepped through the doorway General Williamson looked up and gasped; a shocked expression on his face. Williamson stood up quickly, so quickly that the chair he was sitting on scooted back and fell over. Elizabeth who had been reaching for the doorknob, stopped in surprise, she had never in all the years that she had worked for General Williamson seen him act like this. She stopped dead in her tracts as she watched the scene unfold in front of her.

The two men wrapped their arms around each other and began to slap each other on the back.

The General was the first to speak. His voice sounding chocked up

“Well Hank you old dog you’re alive after all, I had all but given up hope, how long have you been here in Tennessee?”

“I can say the same about you little brother, and to answer your question I have been here for five months. I have been getting the lay of the land and waiting for you, when I saw your convoy I held back because I didn’t know for sure who it was. I thought I would just keep an eye on things for awhile and see what was going on down here. When I noticed a hunting party doing things the old way I decided it had to be you, and then I spotted you one day. I thought before that no one else would decide to have his men trained to go back to living off the land, at least I hoped it was you but I guess that even if it wasn’t I would be here anyway.”

“Well that sounds like you Hank but you always did rather be safe than sorry. I sure am glad you’re here, you can be a great help to Bill Zellers, training my people to live without very much modern technology.”

General Williamson and his brother had planned a few years before if the crap hit the fan they would find a place to find each other if that were possible.
General Williamson saw this old base on some Top Secret papers and knew they had just the place. This had been choice one for their plan.

General Williamson looked up at Elizabeth as she turned to leave, she was trying to get out of the room so she wouldn’t interrupt anything between the two brothers and let them catch up on each other’s lives.

“Oh no you don’t Elizabeth, come back here, Hank I want you to meet my right hand man, she and her husband Bill know more about living off the land then you can shake a stick at, they’re kind of like you old man.”

Hank’s eyebrows went up, “old man is it, I bet I can still run rings around you Jimmy boy,” he said with a smile.

“I have no doubt Hank; no doubt whatsoever.”

Hank then stood up to shake Elizabeth’s hand, “It is very nice to meet you Elizabeth and I look forward to meeting your husband too.”

“It is nice to meet you also Hank, now I will leave you gentlemen to talk.”

She then turned, went through the doorway and closed the door behind her. No wonder the older man’s eyes were so familiar to her; she chuckled to herself as she sat back down on her desk. Hank must be quite a character himself, not bothering to mention to anyone who he was when he first made contact.

Around an hour later the General’s door opened and both men stepped into Elizabeth’s office, the General had a concerned look on his face, not what Elizabeth would have thought at all would be on his face after finding his brother was alive.

“Elizabeth please send out an aide to collect Captain Fields, Murphy, and Douglas and have them report to the meeting room immediately, you’re expected to be there also.”

Both the Williamson’s than continued through the offices while Elizabeth informed an aide to go out and collect the other three captains. She picked up the duty roster and informed the aide where to go to find them. This had made her concerned for the General to be acting this quickly, there must be a problem. Elizabeth picked up her briefcase and headed over to the meeting room. She happened to look at the wind up clock sitting on her desk and was surprised to see to it was only 1:30 PM, she wondered what the rest of the day would bring. These days she didn’t like surprises, at least not the kind that meant trouble; she had a feeling they were going to get some.

Not ten minutes later they were all seated around a table and the General introduced his brother to the other captains who in turn nodded their heads in acknowledgment of Hank Williamson. Then General Williamson began to brief them on what his brother Hank had informed him of.

During the briefing when the General began to ask for input from the captains, the first thing he heard was, “we knew it had to happen, we have had it just too darn easy.”

“All right gentlemen and lady now that that’s out of the way, I want you to think about it and give us some real options, we can do things by the book which they will be expecting or we can use some of the things we have learned from Captain Zellers here and her husband Bill and give them a big surprise.”

General Williamson stopped and looked at the floor and then looking back up faced Elizabeth, “Elizabeth would you mind stepping out of the door and having my aide run and get your husband, I think he needs to be in on this?”

“No sir, not at all, I’ll be right back.”

When Elizabeth talked to the aide and told him who he was supposed to find she also informed him it was leather tanning day. The aide smiled and took off at a run, a few minutes later there was a knock at the door and Bill entered. Bill was out of breath but recovering quickly. Everyone was in better shape these days.

“I was told to come right over, that there was an important meeting I was supposed to attend, I hope I didn’t take too long? I didn’t take the time to change.”

Bill happened to notice the civilian sitting at the end of the table and was a bit surprised, not one civilian had come into the base the three months they had been here.

General Williamson smiled at Bill, “no son that’s fine there was no need to take the time to change. Now first I want you to meet my brother Hank, he has been living around here for over five months and has been accepted by the local populace, he brought the information in that we’re about to tell you.”

The General had Bill sit down and then went on to fill Bill in on what was going on and just what the threat was and what his part was going to be in it all.

Bill sat in shocked silence when the General was finished. Then they went over just what they were going to do and how to do it. General James Williamson was very happy he had Bill come in; he was a wealth of knowledge on 17th and 18th century war tactics.

The next few days passed by very quickly as most everyone on the base had a role to play in the coming action. Bill was as nervous as a cat, today was the day, and the army coming towards them had been seen coming into the valley at dusk last night. He could hardly believe that he had been made the leader of his own group of Special Forces.

Only they were no longer Army Special Forces, they were his very own Zellers’s Rangers. All of his men’ faces were blackened and were attired as he was in green and brown died fringed leather pants and jacket, and knee-high moccasins. Along with 14-inch bowie knives fastened on their hips opposite their pistols, a log with a Ka-bar. Their quivers were strapped to their backs and their bows slung across their bodies. They each also had a small caliber weapons stashed on their persons. The only other modern piece on them that could be seen was their camouflage skullcaps. Some of the men also had a few odd small knives, among other things hidden about their persons. These men were going to be quick and nasty, a group of deadly men that would be hard to see in the dense Tennessee forest. It would be dawn soon and it was time to give the order to head out. They were already trained to be deadly in their own right but now they were perfect with the extra knowledge.

They were to meet up with Hank Williamson and some of the local good ole boys down in the forest. As the old song went, A Country Boy Will Survive and they had. In fact this was a song this new unit heard quite frequently as it was Sergeant Billy Black’s favorite song and he played it quite often on his small battery operated CD player. He never seemed to run out of batteries to Bills amazement. Inside Billy plugged it in so his batteries would last longer, the base generator was running fine and they were going out and finding diesel but they knew at some time that would run out.

Bills head scout Corporal Larry Underwood gave the signal from the end of the tunnel, their way was clear, one by one Zellerss Rangers slipped out into the predawn air.

General Williamson had told them about the tunnel after they had been at the base a month. Elizabeth had found some odd paper work on it in the former Commanders file cabinet. They knew at some time it would come in handy. The tunnel was seven feet in height by eight feet wide with concrete floors, walls, and ceiling, it ran from the motor pool back office 2000 ft. past the base fence.

All thirty of Bill’s men were kneeling around him and he whispered the last of the instructions. They knew what to do and how to do it, Zellerss Rangers began to wend their way quietly through the trees towards the valley and their mission; death was coming down the mountain.

The four scouts divided, each taking a different path down the hillside and around their prey, their moccasins quiet in the dew wet grass. You would never even guess there was a group of men making their way down the dense forested hillside. Each scout had a group of men silently slipping through the forest behind them.

Larry spotted the first of the local men an eighth of a mile east of the lake, he gave a short Whip-or-will call, and Bubba McCoy turned and gave a short answer back, looking in Larry’s direction. Larry slipped through the last of the trees and stepped up to Bubba, Bubba put his right index finger to his to his chin and Larry smiled.

“Doctor Livingston, I assume.

"Bubba gave a gapped toothed smile and lisped, “but Ollie.”

Larry stepped up and stuck out his hand, “Larry Underwood at your service.”

Bubba McCoy told him, “it’s good to see you Army boys, but ya don’t look like I thought y’all would.”

As Bubba talked quietly too Larry he could see the other men wending their way through the trees, all of them that he could see seemed to be staying twenty to thirty feet from one another.

“What kind of information do you have for us Bubba? Also, I understand that you’re supposed to be our guide.”

For the last month the Commander had them all taking turns learning the surrounding mountains and valley but the locals knew the little odd things about the area they didn’t.

Bubba lisped in his southern drawl and Larry had to listen carefully to understand just what he was saying.

Bubba had lost some of his front teeth on top and bottom six months ago when his horse decided to deliver a hard swift kick when Bubba was trying to clip the horse’s hooves. A pine rattler had crawled up to the horse just at the wrong time, spooked the horse and there went Bubba’s teeth. At this time Bubba’s 30.06 lay cradled in the crook of his right arm, his eyes always darting here and there seemingly watching everywhere at once.

Larry was wondering about what Bubba was doing and decided he would just go ahead and ask, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“Bubba before we go much further I have to ask you a question?”

“Well y’all go ahead son, fire away.”

“Did you ever happen to be in the service because you act like you were by the way you move and keep a keen watch on your surroundings?

“Bubba gave a quiet snicker, “yeah son as a matter of fact I was, let’s just say it was a special branch of Black Ops, I am not able to tell ya anymore then that.”

What was funny is Bubba completely lost his accent as he talked to Larry.

“I knew it; I didn’t think my instincts were wrong, you just move way too good to just be a down home boy and nothing more.”

Bubba frowned, son don’t put down these good ole boys, I tell you some of them will surprise you, I know a couple that can sneak up on me and they never spent a day in the military. I grew up here with these men and most of what I know about the forest I learned here in this very place.”

“Sorry sir that wasn’t my intention, there was no disrespect intended, they must be good for you to say so. I guess we best be getting on with the mission, the enemy won’t wait”

“You got that one right ol son,” Bubba then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small paper which he unfolded. He also took out a tiny penlight and began to show Larry where their prey was camping.

End chapter 3

[bad_karma00]

Interesting. And that's right, don't sell us Tennessee boys short, lol.

I like the start. Be watching for more.

[raggeldy]

Liking what I read so far, My only complaint is its just A bit to short mabey if you added just A bit more? Realy good read Thanks.

[sarawolf]

Chapter 4
Its All About Me

Bubba showed Larry just where the so-called military force was camping and where their forward guard was stationed. They had been seen coming into the lake valley from the North West side of the valley via Highway 25 and were still there. They came in on foot and it looked like in homemade Rickshaws and a variety of horse drawn wagons. Which seemed crazy, as they could have gotten some trucks running if they had found the parts or if the trucks had been in hardened shelters.

Why they were being considered the enemy was the slaves that were being driven in the middle of the convoy. Not men that may have been convicts or other wise criminals, but as far as Hank Williamson had seen men, women, and children around ten years of age and up. The people had ropes tied to their necks which led from one person to the next. The fact that this was a convoy of U.S. military bothered the heck out him so he had gotten closer to make sure that’s what they were. He was very disappointed in the fact that yep they were ours alright. They saluted their officers and did as they were told. That’s all the closer he wanted to get, so he high tailed it over to Roger Gilliam’s and started the news going in the valley that they were being invaded and not a good group like had taken up residence in the old base.

The people at the base had been watched since the day they had entered the valley. While during one of Hanks watches he had seen his brother out watching some of the new woods training, at least that’s what he thought, was going on at the base.

Larry gave a Bob White call and the other men made there way to him and they were then briefed on the findings of Bubba and the others.

Then Larry along with the rest of his group of Zellers’s Rangers, which now included Bubba, headed on their way, hardly a sound could be heard as they traveled though the trees. Most people wouldn’t know that the birds stopped calling and the squirrels called out warnings as men passed through. They were hoping none in the coming Army knew that fact either. As far as Bubba had seen as he watched them set up camp, they were over confident; they must figure their size made them undefeatable. This was also happening with the other scouts, they were meeting with the local men assigned to them and getting the last of the information they needed.

The scouting parties were working their way another two miles through the trees and thickets; they could all smell smoke from the campfires. The local men and Ranger scouts and the men behind them were coming closer to the camp facing the oncoming wind. It didn’t take long to find the first of the guards. These men had become slovenly, and inattentive. It wasn’t hard at all with the combined military and woods training to slit the throats of these men.

The Rangers took out all the guards accept one, without anyone in the camp ever knowing what had happened to them.

The dead men were never found; one of the invaders Corporal Tuner who had gone out to take his watch reported back to the watch commander immediately that the men were gone and must have deserted, because there wasn’t any sign of a struggle anywhere where the men had been posted.

The first light of dawn was filtering through the trees as they made their way back towards the base with their captive he was needed for information.
* * *
In the camp of the enemy, Lieutenant Forest Sale hated to have to report more desertions to the General. He knew it would send the man into a rage, and Sale didn’t what to be the messenger. Sale made his decision, pulled a note pad out of his pocket and wrote the General a note telling him of the desertions during the last guard shift. He then spotted a private headed for the breakfast mess line.

“Private Weaver front and center I have an errand for you.”

Private Weaver cringed; no good ever came of being volunteered for an errand these days. To refuse an order was a on the spot death penalty. He turned from where he was headed, to a mess tent, he sure was hungry he hoped this didn’t take to long.

“Yes sir, at your service sir, what can I do for you Lt. Sale?”

“I have a message that has to be taken to General Smith immediately Private, and I am expected to be assigning the coming watches. I can’t be in both places at the same time; you will deliver this message to General Smith.”

“Yes sir, Lt. Sale.”

Lt. Sale handed the paper to the private, saluted him, and the private saluted back, and then both turned to go their different ways.

Private Weaver was very nervous about delivering this message to General Smith, he knew their Commander would go into rages at the least provocation, and bad news was one of them. He knew a few men had died as a resort of some of the General’s rage, the General tended to shoot the messengers. As he looked back to make sure Lt. Sale was out of site and before he got anywhere near the Generals tent he slipped behind a tree and opened the note.

EEE Gads, there was no way in Hades he was going to deliver this message to the General; this thing would get him killed. He ripped up the note and dropped it were he stood and looked around to see if he was being watched, no one was paying the least bit of attention to him. So he walked over on to the next tree and from there the next tree and so on through the woods. He knew there were no guards out further from where he was, so he didn’t have to worry about that. Private Weaver regretted not having any of the things he had collected, extra clothes, and food especially; he hadn’t even had a chance to have any breakfast. He did have his knife and side arm on; he never went any where without them, orders. He even had his eye on one of the new slaves that had been brought in a few days ago, but he knew that was just a pipe dream, officers got first choice.

He thought he was walking more towards the North by the looks of the sun as it rose, he hoped he would find a empty cabin in a few miles or one he could take over with little trouble on his part.

Else where in camp Lt. Sale was eating his breakfast after making guard assignments for the following night, the day shift had just gone out, and he was wondering why he hadn’t heard a gun shot from the direction of the General’s tent in the last 45 minutes. It should have happened over 30 minutes ago. He took up his personal eating kit along with his metal coffee cup and headed to clean and stash them back in his tent. His personal slave was washing her master’s clothes, his, so she wasn’t around to clean them for him. It wasn’t that far from the General’s tent so he should be able to find out what was going on and in what kind of mood the General was in now.

In this new Army if you didn’t have your own eating kit of some kind you didn’t eat until you did or if you did have a friend they would loan you theirs, but that was rare as no one wanted to take the chance of not getting it back. Things had to be tougher now in this man’s Army. The slave’s food was served on leaves or pieces of bark if that’s all they could come up with. They were needed to do the menial and back breaking work, but they could be replaced without too much trouble yet, the General thought that may not last and then they would have to start a breeding program.

As Lt. Sale walked out of his tent after cleaning his eating kit he ran into a slave boy of around eleven years of age and knocked the child flat on his butt. The boy had, had his arms full of clean clothes which were now all over the ground.

“Well you dirty little dog how dare you run into me,” and Sale started to kick the boy as hard as he could, he kicked the boy for over two or three minutes until the young man was nearly unconscious. Sale finally tired of it and just walked away. But he had not been unseen from someone hiding in the nearby thicket, another local Calvin Rooks had volunteered for the next six-hour shift to watch the camp. Cal narrowed his eyes and made sure that the man’s face that had kicked the boy was burned into his memory.

When no one was paying attention to the boy moaning on the ground a dark eyed girl of around fifteen slipped over and started to care for him, tears were rolling down her face. Lucy had seen what had happened, her little brother Barry had been the one run into, but it didn’t matter to the beast, it looked like he was taking something out on her brother instead. Now Barry also had the possibility of being beaten again if any of the clothes going to Captain Tanner were soiled and had to be recleaned. She hadn’t dared try to intervene with Lt. Sale; it would have meant a beating or worse for her. But she still felt so guilty for just standing there and watching her brother being kicked, as she watched from her hiding place by the side of a tent. When someone was being beaten you tried your very best to stay out of sight in fear you would be next, it seemed to be contagious.

Lucy knelt down and took a small quart canteen from off her belt and poured some water onto her shirt sleeve to wipe her brother’s face, she was wearing one of Barry’s shirts and he had been bigger then her for a couple of years now.

Her canteen was something she always carried; there had been times in the last two months since they had been captured that it had meant life and death to her and Barry. While on the marches from one place to the next they were tied together at the neck and no one was allowed to stop for anything, last week the woman beside her had died of dehydration. That was the only time the line stopped, when someone fell and if they couldn’t get back up they were already dead or shot, then untied from the two around them, retied to someone else and on they marched again.

Barry tried to open his eyes and smile at his sister to ensure her he would be all right and not to worry, but it wasn’t possible, his bottom lip was swelling and both eyes were almost swelled shut already. He moved and let out a groan. I must have some broken ribs, he thought to himself. He would have to try and get up; he just had to get these clothes to Captain Tanner.

All of a sudden his sister gasped, he couldn’t make out what was going on. She had gasped when someone walked up to them; there standing beside her was Lt. S. Sam Lee. (Septimus Samson Lee); Lucy really hadn’t had anything to do with him as yet, he was in charge of a mess tent, but she had heard his yelling and massive rage many times.

“What are you two doing gold bricking in the middle of my path?” He bellowed at them.

“Get your butts up and out of my way, NOW.”

With that last bellow anyone that was near them disappeared quickly, Army and slave alike, they all knew of Lee’s temper, and no one wanted to be around when he lost it.

Lucy noticed a tiny smirk on Lt. Lee’s face as he looked around and saw no one was around them, she thought, OH NO now what are we in for. She looked around but she knew no help of any kind would be forth coming.

The famed mad bull of a Lt. looked around to see if anyone was still about and seeing no one, he bent over and picked up Barry in his massive arms. Calvin over in the thicket watched this with rapt attention even he had been scared for the kids, he didn’t think he would be able to take anything else happening to the poor boy. He thought he would have to blow his cover and shoot anyone else who started to harm either one of them and in the boy’s case even more. Lucy was scared out of her scull for her brother and could only whimper.

Barry was trying to say something, “Croothes Capiaan Tayner’s croothes.”

Lee looked over at Lucy with a question in his eyes; she then looked at the ground at the clothes flung here and there. She was still scared and afraid to talk.

“What’s he saying,” Lee whispered down at the young lady?

At that moment Lucy realized they both weren’t going to be beaten senseless or in Barry’s case even more senseless and she then looked up at Lt. Lee.

In a voice Lee could hardly hear the young lady began to whisper back to him.

“Sir Captain Tanner’s clothes, that’s what he is trying to say, he has to get them to Captain Tanner’s tent before the Captain gets back from late mess.”

Lee only had to think for a second.

“What’s your name young lady?”

“It’s Lucy sir.”

“Lucy quickly pick up these clothes and neat them up as best as you can, then you can run them over to Captain Tanner’s tent over there and call inside to the Captains servant and hand them to him or her, don’t say a word, I will be standing right beside the tent with your brother, can you do that?”

Lucy looked up, “yes sir I can do that.”

“Ok go ahead as quickly as you can.”

Lucy picked up the clothes shaking them off and folding them over her left arm; it sure was good there weren’t any uniforms in this pile. After delivering the clothes to the servant in the tent and not saying a word to her, Lucy turned and met Lee and Barry a few feet from the side of the tent.

In a low voice Corporal Lee whispered, “Just follow me and keep and your eyes facing the ground young lady and don’t say a word.”

A few minutes later they were at Lt. Lee’s tent. He went in with Barry in his arms and she became terrified and stopped right outside the tent door.

Over in the thicket Calvin had noticed how gentle the giant of a man was being with the boy when he had picked him up and that he had said something quietly to the girl, and then the girl seemed to lose the outright terrified look on her face. He thought, well I’ll be horn swuggled it looks like they have a good one in among the rotten apples. I will have to pass this along; he might be of help in the days to come. He also wondered if maybe there weren’t a few more good apples in the woodpile of snakes, just biding their time.

Meanwhile Lt. Sale was standing at the front of General Smith’s tent asking to see the General. Private Tate who was one of the General’s body guards and was one of the two stationed at the outside of the tent told Sale he would be right back and would see if the General’s next set of guard’s would pass along the message to the General. Tate turned and took five steps to get to the door of the tent, as the tent had a nice canopy for the General to stand under when it rained or out of the hot sun. Tate stood at the entrance to the large tent and called in to the next set of guards that stood just inside the tent facing the tent entrance.

“Lt. Sale here to see General Smith at the General’s convenience.”

They were left standing where they were waiting for an answer for almost ten minutes. Then permission was given for Lt. Sale to enter as it was passed from the inside guard to the outside guard. Lt Sale entered the semi light tent of General Smith, he heard whimpering coming from the portioned off area. Sale heard a slap, “quiet I told you.” The General flung open the flap and walked into his main area of the tent, chairs, a table and a sofa were set up inside. The General wasn’t what you would call a big man; he was 5 foot 6 inches, 155 lbs, steel blue eyes that reminded Lt. Sale of a snake and salt and paper hair.

The General was strapping his German Luger to his waist, that thing was never far from him, at night it was under his pillow, he just knew someone was going to try and assassinate him. All famous men had that problem.

The General sat down at the table, it was solid oak and so were the chairs, he stared up at the Lt. and the Lt. gave a salute which the General returned.

“Now just what did you need to see me about Lieutenant Sale that you needed to interrupt my morning routine?”

At that moment Lt. Sale realized he had made a terrific blunder, he had let his curiosity get the best of him. There was no way the General had gotten that note, he wasn’t disturbed in the least and Lt. Sale was the first one to have been in to see the General this morning. When he got his hands on that private he would never forget this day. He quickly tried to think of something to talk to the General about, no way in the world was he going to deliver bad news to the General. Think man think.

“General Smith.”

“Go on Lt. Sale you are beginning to try my patiences.”

“General I was wondering if you would mind if we made tomorrow a day of celebration sir, a day to commemorate to you sir, in honor of your leadership and great ingenuity in getting us this far?”

Lt. Sale began to sweat as the silence went on for several moments without a word from the General. Then all a sudden he heard a, “ummmm.”

“A day to celebrate me, how novel Lt. Sale, you may get an accommodation for this suggestion. See to it Lt. Sale and I expect it to be worthy of me, your dismissed.”

Lt. Sale was well out of sight of the General’s tent when he finally took a deep breath and wiped his brow.

How in the world do I get myself into these messes, but it was better then being shot, now to get things going for this made up celebration. Man when I get my hands on that private and he growled as he walked away further from the Generals tent.
* * *
The Rangers had gathered back at the motor pool, most of the guides coming in with them. Tinker Bishop and Burl Williams had left the group to relieve Calvin and Miles from their watch at the valley camp around eight AM. They had made sure they had plenty of time to get there so their passage through the forest would not be hurried. All the bird calls they were using had been agreed on the day before. As a bird call was heard by Calvin a few minutes before he was due to be relieved, he called one back at the trees. Tinker crawled into the thicket. The same thing was happening on the opposite side of the camp with Roger Gilliam and Burl. Each filled the new men in on what had elapsed during their watch and went on their way to a scout that would then relay the information on to the next one who would then relay what they learned up to the base contact.

Inside the mountain base Bill and Larry were hauling their captive over to the conference room to be interrogated. Hank went along as he would get word back to the other locals on just what and who these people at the valley camp were. It just didn’t seem possible that these people could really be part of their own countries military.

End chapter 4

[raggeldy]

Getting better every chapter.

[sarawolf]

Chapter 5

Planning the charge



The Rangers that were interrogating the prisoner stayed dressed in the Ranger garb, and then they were joined by Sergeant Brigham Lightfoot, a full-blooded Blackfoot Indian. Let’s just say Brigham instilled fear in the prisoner at first sight. Bill and Elizabeth had helped both Brigham and Gail Lightfoot to make authentic ancient Blackfoot apparel. Brigham had come up with the grease paint to do a half black face and some other colors for body paint; he sure was a site to behold.

The husband and wife Lightfoot’s weren’t the only ones decked out in ancient Indian apparel, a few other of American Indian descent had seen these outfits and just had to have their own, along with a few that weren’t full blood and so on. Yes, there were a few black, white,Spanish and Asian Indian’s; they were delighted to be included as it was part of their heritage.

Escaped slaves in the 1800’s and many others that had been captured on there way west were brought into the tribes. The Cherokee people were considered Cherokee if their descent was through their mothers no matter the amount of Cherokee blood. There was now a band of around 70 people running around in their ancient wear. If this didn’t throw the enemy for a loop, Bill didn’t know what would. They tied the young captured Private to a chair in the middle of the room; he was getting a good look at them for the first time as they had blind folded him for the trip up to and through the tunnel.

Then as the young man looked toward the door as it open, in walked a horrifying looking American Indian. They let him get a good eye full and then Bill and Larry turned the chair around; the young mans back to the door as Brigham Lightfoot walked up behind.

The young man talked for the first time in a wavering voice.

“Who in the world are you people, and what do you want, you’re in deep trouble, I’m US Army.”

Then Brigham went to work, he walked up behind the young man and started to growl. Lightfoot then walked around to face the captive and glared at him and started to tell the Private just how the Blackfoot torture their enemies as he took out his deadly looking bowie knife and began to play around with it.

Some of the torture entailed skinning the captive alive; little bit by little bit, doing your best to make sure he stayed alive, and then they would start to whittle away at him piece by piece and throw toes, pieces of fingers, nose, eyelids, and bits of him into a pot and how they would make a nice snack. They would give power and strength to those partaking in them later and he would be allowed to watch as they did so, that’s if he was still alive.

The Private turned white and then a shade of green and lost the ration he had eaten before he was captured. Bill, Larry and Hank had to walk behind the prisoner so their smirks wouldn’t give then away. General Williamson had come into the interrogation room from behind the Private and hadn’t been heard so he got to take in all that was being said and watching the shoulders of the two men in front of him heave as they tried not to laugh out loud. It didn’t take but five minutes in Lightfoot’s presence for the Private to sing like a bird. Not all of what he was told was the truth but the young man didn't know this fact.

After the Private lost the contents of his stomach all over the floor and started to talk the General let his presence be known. They found out the young mans name was Private Matt Cane, he told them how different squads had joined together after different areas had been attacked by escaped convicts from a prisons in Missouri and Arkansas. He had been National Guard along with a few others. The rest were regular Army out of bases in Ohio, Illinois and about 200 they had picked up from Fort Campbell in Kentucky. All together he estimated they must have around five to six hundred men and women, not counting the slaves.

“Please don’t kill me.”

General Williamson stepped forward in front of the prisoner. The young man gave a gasp as he took in the Five Star General tabs on the General’s shoulders.

“I am General James Williamson recently of the Pentagon and I want to know who is in charge of this so called Army camping down in the valley.”

“Sir the man is charge is a General John Smith.”

The General’s face fell at this news.

“Crap in a hat, The Mad Hatter we called him, he was a joke, always trying to pull something to get himself promoted and he managed it too, became a three star General. I can’t believe he made it. He caused more good men and women to leave the Army then you could shake a stick at. I would have thought one of his own men would have shot the SOB by now.”

Whoa, thought Bill, he had never in all this time seen or heard General Williamson get this riled up. In fact it had even shocked the men who had been under his command for all these years.

Private Cane was relieved for the moment because the attention was off of him; he kept glancing over at the huge Indian. Just as Cane glanced over at Brigham, Brigham caught Cane’s eye and smiled a feral grin that chilled the heart of the young man. After that he sat very still real intent on the floor.

“Look up at me Private.”

It was the General speaking to him.

“Private Cane we need information, your troop strength is just the beginning and now that we know who your Commander is all the better. Don’t try to give us misinformation or your will suffer the consequences.”

The General said this last sentence while nodding toward Brigham. Private Cane again looked over to the Indian standing not far away and shuddered.

Two hours later all the information that the young private knew about the arms and men was written down and ready to be transferred to those that needed it to figure out just how they were going to take the army in the valley.

Private Cane was taken off to the brig where he was given a meal and allowed to lay down as he wished. After eating a decent meal he was dead to the world a few minutes later on a nice soft bunk.

A meeting was called while this young man slept away the day and plans were made, the rest of the day and the night to come were going to be very busy. That evening the base was like a hornets nest. They wanted to go to the enemy before the enemy came to them. Everyone grabbed a few hours sleep in shifts, prepared and by three AM the mission was a go.

Every spare person both military and civilian sixteen years old and up were utilized for the mission. The base would be left with a skeleton crew and young adults twelve to fifteen helping with many duties including guard duty to babysitting.

Not all had the training as yet to make 17th to 18th century era clothing; many had been working on it for months after many lessons from Bill and Elizabeth and from others that had learned from them. Many of the things they were learning had to wait until they had arrived here so they could put much of it into practice. So far only around two thirds had the costume of choice. Not all took to making leather, cleaning wool, spinning and clothing making with rapt attention. Those necessary lessons had been a command to be learned by everyone, orders from the General. Also cooking from scratch and gardening, as well as learning to recognize and collect edible wild plants for food and medicine had to be pushed on many women and men. They thought the Army and mess hall would always provide for them and the General had put many straight on that one.

There were 1,932 Army personal, of which 1,603 were able to take to the field and out of 771 civilians 384 were able to join in on the mission. Some of the people who weren’t up to muster yet would be used for smoke and noise.

They had the group of 18th century back woods Rangers, a group of blood thirsty Indians from many nations, a few attired as terrifying Vikings, lots of people dressed as Scots, a group that decided to be early Pict’s, and the rest as mountain men and women. All that material Elizabeth had them picking up on their way through the towns they encountered really came in handy. Some of the outfits that looked like they were made of leather and weren’t would make do until they could get more made.

The ones dressed as Scots didn’t exactly have their clan’s colors on but what they had would do for now. Everyone looked fierce and deadly. The part blue colored Scots, and the red and blue painted swirled Pict’s with the spiked blue hair running around in loin cloths should scare a few out of their ever loving minds. Then throw in the Indians painted black faces with a bit of red and white thrown in and the enemy should feel like they have hit the twilight zone. The Berserker Vikings (they decided on loin cloths too as they really didn’t want to be naked as Berserkers normally were, same for the Picts) would join the fray along with the Mountain men and everyone would be in high form.

Most were anxious for the battle to begin and have it over with, they knew as in all battles some of the innocent oft times fell along with the enemy. The adrenaline was running high as the time got closer to leave the base by the front and back gates and the tunnel, they would hit the valley camp on all four sides while it was just getting light.

Hank along with 54 of the local men would have one side joined by 45 of the base’s Mountain men. About one third of the men and women still had their uniforms on and were interspersed with all the other people; you could hardly notice them in this colorful mixture of warriors.

You could feel the excitement in the air; no one could stand still as the time ticked down to four AM. The General was in the lead as he gave the wave to head out of the gate, he didn’t want to be one of those leaders that led by the rear. Of course he was replete in a full decked out fringed Mountain Man outfit, with beading and fringe across the front of his jacket. He loved his coon-skinned cap, he had always loved stories of Davy Crocket and Daniel Boone as a boy and now he felt like a ten year old again. The General started to hum a song from his childhood, Davy, Davy Crocket king of the wild frontier. Some of the men around him heard the humming and grinned at one another elbowing some of the men and women next to them and nodding in the General’s direction and smiling. Soon the General noticed it was a little quiet around him and also noticed all the smiles.

“What’s wrong,” was his comment.

He got “nothing, nothing at all sir,” from several people. He stood there and shook his head.

Takes all kinds I guess he thought, and went back to humming.

The General did have a Scotsmen outfit as well but he didn’t really want to go into battle with a kilt on, let the younger men do that, he had to get used to the drafty feel of the outfit with a breeze blowing up his kilt first.

There was only a half moon as they set out down to the valley from all three entrances, not too much to give them away yet and enough light to be able follow the Rangers as their guides. The Rangers had divided into two groups. Bill and half his men went with those that went out the tunnel and Larry as his second went with the group out the front gate. They had a small group of people head out the back gate to make sure no one from the enemy camp had snuck up during the night and some how took out the guards. No’ everything was fine, the guards reported all was quiet, the same was found from the guards all around the base. Then the larger group’s started to thread their way down and towards the enemy camp.
* * *
Lt. Forest Sale had been up all night and had many of the mess people and slaves running and cooking and preparing for the day of celebration for the General. He was feeling mean, tired, and grumpy and it showed. The Army personal were cringing right along with the slaves as Lt. Sale bellowed his orders, pushed, shoved, and hit to get things done faster. He needed more people, he had two of the three mess tents and people hopping, and he decided he had to get the third involved if he was going to pull this off. He would have to go to Lt. Lee and ask his help. He and Lee didn’t get along very well, but maybe he had something he could bribe Lt. Lee with. He thought and thought but his foggy brain kept him from coming up with anything at all.

Lt. Sale stepped out into the cool morning air, it was still a little cooler then August should normally be by at least 15 to 20 degrees for this southern clime but not bad. The cool air helped to refresh him and he headed over to Lt. Lee’s tent. He figured it had to be close to 4:30 AM around the normal time Lee arose anyway to start getting the mess ready for breakfast. The fact that a whole weeks rations were going to go for this celebration probably wasn’t going to go over very big with Lee either. It hadn’t with the officers of the other two mess tents. Tomorrow he would have to send out more scavengers to restore their food supplies. This was just going from bad to worse, but the General said there was an old abandoned base around here somewhere and Lt Sale figured men would be going out tomorrow to find it. It will be so great to be back on a base with real walls around him again. Maybe then General Smith would allow people to go up in ranks and he would get his Captaincy with this idea. No one had an increase in rank since the world went to crap almost two years ago now.

Yeah he had power that he hadn’t ever had before and any slave girl he wanted to take if the General was finished with her and didn’t have a claim on. But he wanted the rank for the respect he deserved. He was just about to Lt. Lee’s tent when he saw the lantern come on and heard Lee talking to someone inside. So the lout had taken a slave girl after all. An evil grin spread across Sale’s face, he thought it had better be one of the General’s leftovers, well, well maybe he had something on Lee the terror after all, he sure hoped so.

Sale walked as quietly as he could up to the side of the tent to see what he could hear. Yes he could hear voices pretty darn clearly.

“Now look Lucy I want you to stay here and you just take care of your brother. There is enough food and water in here to take care of your needs all day without coming out. Just lay low for now and get your brother to feeling better. I’ll be back in about four hours to check on the both of you, alright?”

They didn’t have to worry about a bathroom area, the Lt. had rigged up a bucket with a sheet around it for privacy in the back left of the tent, his tent was 12 by 12, so he had plenty of room.

Lt. Sale without realizing what he was doing was standing there rubbing his hands together.

Lt. Lee unzipped the door and went through his entrance, it had a canopy that kept you dry if it was raining and you didn’t have to haul in your muddy boots. He hadn’t taken three steps past his tent when he heard his name being called from off on the left side of his tent.

“Lt. Lee I need to have a word with you?”

He turned to find that brown nosing snake in the grass, Lt. Sale, coming from the side of his tent. That was getting him hot as he realized the man must have been standing beside his tent listening. He put himself on simmer while he saw what the dirt bag wanted.

Unknown too most all around him, he had real good control of his temper when he wanted and wasn’t putting on a show. He had been putting on an act of a hot tempered bully since what was left of his unit had joined up with this rotten excuse for this mans Army last year. Those that knew him in his unit had just gone along with it and hadn’t told a soul that Lee just wasn’t like this. The rest of the unit hadn’t liked what was going on with the murdering, slave taking and cleaning civilians out of their life sustaining supplies. That’s not what the military was supposed to be about and they were biding their time until they could think of how to put a stop to it. They had pretended to be nothing but a mess unit and so didn’t participate in any of the so-called missions. It was really sticking in their craws to let it continue but they didn’t have enough men yet to start a mutiny.

Lee would listen to see what the jackanapes wanted first before he decided what he would do. Never did work to ask first and listen later.

“Lt. Lee I see you have finally succumbed to a few of the new ways, but hopefully you have adhered to the rules?”

“Alright Lt. Sale what rules are you referring to?”

Lee could have said more but he wanted to see what this was all about first, as he had to continue to play the game without giving himself away.

“Why Lt. Lee you know very well the General always gets first choice and you have to check with me to see which woman is available for a tent servant, and since I haven’t seen you and assigned you one, well that won’t go over very good with our Commander. But I will tell you what I will over look it this time if you do me a favor.”

Lee was thinking a mile a minute; apparently Sale was so stuck on something he wanted he had over looked the talk about Lucy taking care of her brother, and that the young man had to be in the tent also. He would go along with it for now.

“Ok Lt. Sale lets say I do have someone I picked out and maybe I didn’t want to have everyone know right away, what’s the favor you want to keep this under wraps?”

“Well how about this, today we're having a big celebration honoring General Smith and I need all the stops pulled out. I already have the other two mess units going and I need yours to cook up everything you can with some extra special things for the General. Let’s say you do even more and I will keep your little secret and later you can tell me who she is and I will sign her out to you, subject closed.”

“Lt. Sale you know this will put our supplies dangerously low, and if that base isn’t where the General thinks it is, we will be hurting. Plus I don’t think there are a whole lot of locals around here.”

“I have thought of that after all Lee, what do you think I am stupid? I am going out on a limb here for you and now you’re telling me my job. I want to know, will you do it or do I inform the General this morning that you have broken one of his rules?”

“I’ll go along with you Lt. Sale and I guess I should thank you for giving me this break.”

Lee decided he had gone too far and needed to smooth things out, but it felt bad going down. A smile spread across Sale’s face.

“That’s better Lt. Lee I will keep my end of the bargain and you go keep yours, I’ll check in with you in a couple of hours and see how things are going?”

Lee stood for a moment as Sale turned and left. Sale wasn’t thinking at his tiptop and had black circles under his eyes; this was really worrying him, and I bet he has been up all night. He had never seen Sale up this early in the morning. Lt. Lee got on his way to the mess tent and made sure the fires were going under the big pots outside beside the mess tents. He should have been here 15 minutes ago and he sure hoped he didn’t tip his hand, not yet anyway. But for now the kids were safe and he needed to figure out just how he was going to keep it that way, at least until the boy was all healed up. That boy couldn’t take another beating right now. Young Lucy had been seeing to Tanners clothing and errands; telling Tanner that her brother was very very sick.

Lee told a couple of his men what was going on and then the rest of the crew about the big celebration today for the General and got groans from everyone. This meant an extra hard day and then listening to the complaining about the lack of variety and watered down foods for the next few days until more supplies could be found and brought in.

End chapter 5

[Hudsonhawk777]

Really enjoying this story. My only question is why they immediately put down their military uniforms for the rustic garb??

[sarawolf]

The only answer I can you HudsonHawk is it is just my strange mind at work.

Chapter 6
The Battle


The attack had been coordinated to start at just after sunrise. The general was leading the attack on the east, Bill on the south, Hank on the west and Lieutenant Colonel Louis Douglas, the former Captain on the north. The General felt it was time for a few more promotions a few days ago before the action began. They wanted to make sure everyone was in position and ready before they went in.

Not to mention Louis Eagle Douglas was half Blackfoot from his mother’s side and similarly attired as Brigham Lightfoot. Bill had wished he could be there to see the looks on the faces of those in the enemy camp when Louis and Brigham with the rest of the braves came screaming bloody murder into the camp. Not like they would have done in real life, which would have been stealth. They wanted people so scared they would surrender without too much of a fight. General Williamson knew that some men in the valley camp should be former war veterans and wouldn’t scare so easily but the surprise of the base people dressed as they were should put some kind of delay in the soldier’s reactions.

The attack group had been within a few feet of each of the night watch and no one had been spotted, most of the camp guards were dozing. A Ranger stood close to each enemy guard ready to take each one out as the attack began, so they wouldn’t have anyone coming at their backs. Williamson really couldn’t believe how this camp of mostly Army personal had become so sloppy. Especially after they had suffered attacks before. It looks like the attacks on them had been too long ago and now that they were the big bullies in the area and they didn’t think anyone would want to take them on.

Time seemed to be at a standstill as the base’s people waited for the right time to attack, the camp was beginning more and more to wake and start about their day. A few soldiers were moving around, a change of a few different guard stations, but mostly slaves for the time being.

Bill noticed a big man come out of a tent and another man that was standing beside it call to the big man and they stopped to talk. He also noticed the look of hard control on the big mans face. Apparently there was no love lost between these two if he was reading things right. They parted ways but the smaller man stopped by a tent for a few minutes like he was gathering himself and then went on his way. Bill wondered if this was the big man the local man Rooks had told them about, he sure seemed big enough. How many could there be this size.

Not long after a war cry was heard through the early morning dawn and then more followed that. Bill grinned knowing how formidable and deadly both Louis and Brigham looked. Then with their men running in behind them, man he wouldn’t want to be on the other side watching those men coming at him. This went through his mind as he led his own charge into the camp.

When they hit the camp yelling all other thoughts vanished from his mind as the battle ensued. Some of the slacker soldiers came running out of their tents, most in their underwear, some bare buck-naked shooting at about anything that moved. They were taken down quickly, their panic killing them, as they didn’t do a good job defending them selves. A lot of those the panicked soldiers did hit were their own people and a few slaves that didn’t get down and out of line of sight. Then their were the calmer ones who had seen action in the past besides just killing cons and other scum they had come up against, they did the most damage to the bases people. But even a few of these stopped dead in their tracks for a few seconds when Indians and Vikings came at them.

Lt. Sale came running out of mess tent 1, thinking maybe a few of the men had been drinking and decided to start the party early. What he saw in his tired frenzied mind was just unbelievable. There were people running into the camp in what he thought was impossible getups, they all belonged in another time and place. The camp had to be being invaded by a mass of crazy people escaped from a loony bin somewhere. That had to be the explanation; a bunch of lunatics must have gotten loose when this whole war started. He was reaching down for his pistol when a large man dressed in what he thought was a Viking hat but else all the man had on was a loin cloth of some sort reared up in front of him, he stood there with his mouth hanging open. He grabbed again for his pistol and was bringing it up to shoot when the Viking hit him over the head with his pistol. A Viking has a pistol, how absurd could that be? Then Lt. Sale blacked out.

General Smith didn’t fare much better. He had been awakened with a start as loud screaming and then shooting woke him from a deep sleep. The girl beside him cowering down under the covers when she saw the General was now in a foul mood.

“How dare anyone make enough noise to wake me,” he shouted to no one in general, “they know better, I’ll have there hides. I need my sleep to lead as I should.”

He thought it was some of the idiots he commanded getting rowdy.

He came stumping out of his tent in white cloth slippers, and in a white night shirt that hung to his ankles, his General’s stars stuck onto the shoulders. His belt and holster strapped around his waist, pistol in hand he brought his pistol up to fire when he saw they were actually under attack. He stood there watching men in fringed shirts and pants, deadly red and black painted looking Indians, nearly naked men swirled with colors of blue and red and hair sticking up at all angles. When he turned to the left, Scotsmen in kilts with blue faces, on his right were large men running around in lion cloths with Viking hats on their heads and short beards with blood running down their bodies. Most had a weapon in each hand, pistol in one and either a tomahawk or large knife in the other. General Smith proceeded to pee himself and drop his pistol, and then he turned and ran back into his tent. It took him only a few seconds to scramble under his four-poster bed.

The young girl of the week watched as General Smith ran back into the sleeping quarters fright clearly written on his face and crawled straight under the bed. She leaned over the bed and pulled up the cover to stare at the general cowering under the bed and this time it was the General who was whining. She wrinkled her nose as she realized he had peed himself and stank. She also realized that they were being attacked and thought good; it’s about time; someone is going to put this no good scum bucket in his place.

Lyn climbed out of the large bed and wrapped a blanket around herself and walked out into the other room of the tent, she went to the door and looked out, the General had left the door unfastened, there wasn’t one guard anywhere near the door. What she saw amazed her, she would have thought that someone had tranfered her in time, but this was worse than that. It looked like people from ages ago had invaded their camp. The shooting was dying down and it looked like the invaders were winning. A smile grew on her face for a second until she thought, maybe these men are worse then this bunch, and she backed up into the tent and up against the wall.

Bill had met up with his second, Larry Underwood, Bill was bloody, tired, and mad, Brigham Lightfoot and a couple other of their men were beside them when he spied the flag flying over a large tent, General Smith’s, it was just as described. Bill motioned toward the tent and his men surrounded it.
“The General’s tent,” Bill said and nodded towards it with a grin.

Bill opened the door flap with his left hand and had his pistol ready in his right up in front of him, with Larry behind him and then Brigham. When all three had entered and they hadn’t been shot at, Bill breathed a sigh of relief at least for that. He went left as he got inside the tent and Larry went right. As Brigham came in they heard a gasp and all three pointed their guns in the direction of the gasp and saw a blond haired teenager standing up against the wall of the tent in a shadow. She was wrapped in a brown blanket, which had made her hard to see at first. Her eyes were as large as saucers and were glued on Brigham. If they were a mess, Brigham was even worse. Brigham was a sight to see that was for sure. His black and red paint was smeared with blood on his face, down his chest and arms. Bill started to talk to the girl.

“Were not going to hurt you, do you understand what I’m telling you?”

For a few seconds she acted like she hadn’t, and then she shook her head yes.

“We’re here for General Smith do you know where he is?”

Never even once taking her eyes from Brigham, she nodded and raised her right arm and pointed to the other side of the tent towards another door in the tent.

“Thank you young lady,” Bill told her, “and stay right there we don’t want you getting hurt.”

As the three wild looking men headed for the Generals bedroom, they heard her say something. All three wild men turned to look back at her.
Bill asked, “What did you say?”

“The General is under the bed,” she said quietly.

“Thank you young lady,” he returned.

“Larry, you take the left and I will take the right side of the door, Brigham I want you to go on in, for the scare factor in case he is no longer under the bed, we will be right behind you.”

Bill went to one side of the door and Larry to the other guns still drawn, Brigham opened the door and slipped in, then Bill and Larry joined him.

General Smith was curled up by the head of the bed by this time and was watching the doorway from under the bed; he heard voices out in the other room and was afraid he would be found so he closed his eyes tight. Just as he opened his eyes again after he didn’t hear any more talking, there in the doorway was a set of moccasined feet and then two other sets stepped in beside the first, all of them had bloodstains on them. He closed his eyes again pretending he was small and no one could see him. The General didn’t even realize he was whining away there under the bed and anyone could have found him with all the noise he was making.

The three men would have known where General Smith was even if the girl hadn’t told them. Bill looked over at Brigham and smiled his crap-eating grin; he leaned over close to Brigham and told him, “Brigham I am going to let you have the pleasure of hauling that coward out from under that bed, how’s that?”

“Just fine with me sir, do you mind if I put the fear of God into him a bit more.”

“I don’t know if you could put anymore fear into him Brigham but you go ahead, have fun.”

Larry tightened his lips and tried to hide his snicker.

Brigham took two steps and bent down onto his knees, pulled up the bed covers and leaned over to look under the bed. There at the very end of the bed was the great General Smith curled up the best he could under this bed on his side and it looked like he was wearing a white night gown of all things. Brigham gave a deep-throated growl and had a sneer on his painted bloody face.

The Generals eyes popped open at the sound of growling, he thought an animal had gotten into his room. But it was no animal; it was the scariest face he had even seen. It was worst then movies he had seen in the past. He had read of black-faced Indians and how it meant death to all they came upon, but he never dreamed he would come across something like this in this day and age.

Brigham saw the Generals eyes open and growled again and grinned at the same time, if the General hadn’t already lost the contents of his bladder he would have again, but as it was his bowels released. Brigham was still growling at the General as he got lower and started to reach for the General. That’s when the General started to scream, and was still screaming as Brigham dragged him out from underneath the bed and tried to set the General on his feet. The man was so frightened he couldn’t stand and so Brigham began to drag him out of the room and though the rest of the tent. Bill and Larry filed in behind them and waved for the teenager to follow.

Man alive thought Brigham, “this man stinks to high heaven.”

Outside their own General Williamson was headed their way shooting a man down that was aiming at him. When Williamson spotted Smith being hauled behind Brigham he put his left fist in the air and pumped it down. He knew this was the end of this tyrant and his men should soon give up when they saw their leader was captured. They would be like a headless snake but some he knew would try to head for the woods and he hoped they would be able to stop most of that.

Over at mess tent three, Lee’s first thought was “YES” before he looked out the door and saw just who had invaded them. A group of the wild men and women were running rampant screaming and yelling through the camp in the wildest getups he had seen since seeing movies. But then he noticed something; they were trying not to kill, they were only killing those that were shooting at them or other wise trying to kill them. Lt. Lee also noted an Army, Navy, and Marine uniform here and there. He popped his head back inside the tent.

“All right everyone we have just been invaded and if you want to live just sit down where you are, don’t fight and don’t look menacing.”

Private Castle who was new to his crew couldn’t believe what he was hearing out of Raging Bull Lee.

“But how can you say just say sit down, I didn’t take you for a coward Lt. Lee, we have to fight back, were the United States Army, we have to fight invasion.”

Lt. Lee looked down at the 5 foot 7 inch soldier, “look son, we stopped being the United States Military the minute we started to pillage, murder, and take civilians as slaves. We swore to protect them not to kill them and take what we wanted orders or not. Now go ahead out there young man and take action against those in the right and you will be dead in seconds.”

Lee then turned and went and sat down by Corporal Eriksson in his unit, leaving the private to do as he wished. His other thought was he hoped those kids in his tent laid low until this was over.

Private Castle stepped in front of the tent flap and opened it a few inches to see just what was going on with all the hollering and shooting. His eyes grew wide, walking right in front of the mess tent headed in staring him in the eyes was a sight he had never seen, not even on TV. The man was painted blue and red and in swirled patterns all over his body and only wearing a loincloth, his hair was sticking up in stiff spikes. The painted man held a pistol in one hand and a very long knife in the other almost a sword, blood was dripping from it. Private Castle backed up as the man came into the tent in front of him, the private was now at a loss for words and he stumbled over a folding chair and fell to the ground not bothering to try and get back up. He just sat there staring up at the door; he didn’t know what was going on.

End chapter 6

[sarawolf]

Gee not one comment?

Chapter 7
Getting on with it


Lt. Guy Fields looked around at the men and women seated on the ground and was wondering just what in the world was going on, not one of them was putting up a fight. One of them cleared his throat, a large man; he looked like a bodybuilder, could this be the gentle giant they had heard about?

“Can I speak,” the large man asked?

“Go ahead.”

“I am Lt. Lee and this is my crew, we're not really part General Smiths killers, we have done our best to help those we could and stay alive at the same time in the middle of these vipers. Can you tell me who you are with and why in the world you are dressed as an ancient Pict?”

With this they both smiled, because a loincloth wasn’t exactly dressed and they both knew it. Some of Lee’s men that didn’t really know him looked at him like he was crazy to give into a man dressed or rather not dressed and all painted and bloody, but more so young private Castle. He sat there wondering what in the world a Pict was.

Captain Fields smiled down at Lt. Lee.

“Lt. Lee I have heard of you and I believe I can trust you, I’m Captain Fields, why don’t you get up and we will talk, are all of your people here going to behave or do we have to get a guard to keep track of them?”

“I can vouch for my people well maybe one I can’t,” he looked down at Private Castle, “son can you be trusted to not do anything stupid and just sit with the rest of the mess crew?”

Private Castle just nodded his head yes. He had the feeling if he didn’t he was very likely a dead man; all you had to do is look into the wild man’s eyes.

“Private I need a verbal affirmative from you and your word, do I have it?”

“Yes sir Lt. Lee you have my word I won’t do anything stupid, I’ll just sit here.”

“Good son, I didn’t think you were dumb, now Captain Fields who in the world are you and your people, are they all dressed like you are, and how could you have possibly heard of me?”

Meanwhile they could hear the fight continuing outside.

“Lt. Lee I only have a few minutes I need to get back out there, my men need me. But first we are here to liberate you and anyone that wants out of this mess and all those that have been taken as slaves. How we know who you are Lt. Lee is we have had an eye on this camp ever since you set foot in this valley, and you are one noticeable man. Now I’ll be going and will pass the word that you and your crew are secured and with us. But I suggest you and your people stay in here as you might be mistaken for the enemy.”

Lt. Lee looked at Captain Fields funny.

“Are you all in this state of undress? Aren’t you afraid to fight without any protection?

Captain Fields just smiled and told Lt. Lee, “I guess we’ll just have to talk about this later,” then he turned and went back out the tent door.

Another short battle later Captain Fields ran into General Williamson, Bill Zellers and his second Larry Underwood, with General Smith in a white nightgown being towed along by Brigham Lightfoot. General Smith was now halfway walking at least. He was also crying and whining as they went along. Fields stepped downwind of Brigham and General Smith, wrinkled his nose and then quickly turned and went to the other side of them.

“Oh man, he stinks to high heaven, peeuuu. What’s with the General stars on his nightgown anyway?”

General Williamson chuckled, “well we figured he wanted people to know who he was no matter how he was dressed.”

The gunfire was dying down throughout the camp, a few hand-to-hand battles were still going on, and one battle was between a Viking and a former National Guardsman. They were both a bloody mess from cuts they had both inflicted on each other. The Viking just happened to be Second Lt. Bertram Fraser, and he was in the fight of his life. He had his pistol knocked out of his hand and had managed to get his knife from its sheath as he was slashed across the chest. He made a jab back with his knife and just managed to get the other solider across his right arm so that the other guy pulled back or Fraser would have been a goner. They were both entangled almost face to face rolling across the ground. Fraser managed to get the upper hand, he cut his opponent across the back of his hand and wrist and the mans knife slipped as he tried to ram it into Fraser’s shoulder. The knife barely penetrated and Fraser in turn rammed his knife into his opponent’s belly. Fraser pushed the body off and to the side and slowly got to his knees. He spotted the other officers as he got to his feet, tried to smile and proceeded to pass out.

General Williamson yelled, “Medic,” and went over to see how Fraser was, the other officers following. Williamson looked over Fraser as another man, a medic Corporal Tyler, reached them and also began his inspection of Fraser’s wounds.

“He’ll be fine sir, a few stitches here and there are all he needs, I’ll get to work while he is out.”

“Thanks son, take good care of him,” and the General got up off his knees and turned to look at their prisoner again.

General Williamson then picked up a sheep’s horn he had tired at his waist and began to blow three long bellows on it. With that more of the fighting died down and he asked his aide who wasn’t far from his side to go get his bullhorn from their stash area in the trees. A few minutes later Brandy was back and handed the bullhorn to General Williamson.

The General gave another three long blasts on the sheep’s horn that was the scheduled signal to halt the fight.

Everyone from the base did the best they could to stop; it was hard when you were being fired upon. Then in the middle of all this the General hollered into his bullhorn.

“Alright everyone this is Five Star General James Williamson out of the Pentagon, I want everyone to cease firing upon one another right now. We have General Smith under arrest and in custody. I command all of you to halt firing and I want all you to report to me as best you can by the ex-General Smith’s command tent.”

Slowly the firing sputtered to a halt. General Williamson and his party returned to the ex General Smith’s tent. But they remained cautious in case someone decided to fire on them again. Some of the camp officers that weren’t already under arrest or dead, started to come in and report and behind those; everyone else. Those that knew they would be put under court marshal or worse a firing squad tried sneaking out into the woods and soon that was put to an end also, their bodies laying for now where they met their end.

One of the officers standing in front of General Williamson was First Lt. S.S. Lee, standing there with a large smile on his face and behind him standing in his shadow were two teenagers peeking out from behind him. The boy looked like he had been beaten to a pulp.

So this had to be the man we were told about, yes he indeed was a very large man, say around 35 years old, brown hair and green eyes, he was around a normal height of 6 foot 2 inches. But his girth is what made him seem so much larger. Not fat, but it didn’t look like he lacked eating wise either, he was one big load of muscle. He really stood out in a crowd.

General Williamson motioned for Lt. Lee to come over to him. Lee looked at the General with a look of question on his face. He turned to look around him to see if the General meant someone close to Lee. Lee then looked back at the General and pointed at himself and the General nodded his head yes. Lt. Lee still couldn’t figure out how he had been singled out and how he had been watched. He then looked back at the kids and pointed at them.

“Bring them along son; they seem to be attached to you.”

Was the answer from the General.

Lee took the kids with him to talk to the General who was dressed as Mountain Man. They stayed behind him the whole time.

“Son as I said I am General James Williamson recently of the Pentagon, I want to commend you for having the courage to take care of these two children in the middle of what must have been a nightmare. I take it no one knew you very well?”

“Sir I am First Lt. Septimus Lee and it’s very good to meet you, I don’t know how I was picked out, but I did have my crew who really knew me and that we and a few others were hiding our true selves in the middle of this nest of vipers.”

“It’s good to meet a humble man and one that isn’t afraid to take care of others in a bad situation. I would like you and your crew to go into the crowd and find and call over anyone you know or suspected wasn’t part of the people who killed and took slaves and went along with this fool Smith.”

At this time Elizabeth Zellers joined her husband and stood beside him. If you didn’t know it was her you would have no way of recognizing her. Elizabeth not only being of Scotch blood, but also proud of her Cherokee heritage was decked out in leather and bead work, not her fancy outfit but her fighting outfit. It was different hues of browns so she could blend into the shadows of the forest, even her bead work ran from light to dark browns. Her hair was darkened with walnut and plaited into several braids. Her face was painted in striking greens and browns with yellow at the edges, heck Bill hardly recognized his wife. Now she had splashes of blood here and there that had run down her shirt and leggings. She had gone with a man’s outfit to make things easier to go through the trees and rough ground, not to mention for fighting.

Lt. Lee had looked back at the teens not knowing how they would take him leaving them alone with these strangely dressed people. Elizabeth had noticed his concerned look as he started to talk to the kids and seeing their worried faces after they heard the new General ask him to go into the crowd to look for others who thought as he did.

Elizabeth stepped up; she was never one to be shy. Bill looked over at his wife, straight and to the point that was his wife. You could tell he was proud of her.

“I am Captain Elizabeth Graham Zellers Lt. Lee, you go on ahead they can stay with me, what are their names?”

“This is Lucy and Barry MacDonald, would you two mind staying with this,” he turned to look back at Elizabeth, “umm Captain while I do as General Williamson asked, I shouldn’t be gone long?”

The two teenagers looked at Elizabeth, she didn’t look like any lady they had ever seen let alone a Captain, they then looked up at their rescuer and tried to be brave, they knew he wouldn’t let any harm come to them if it could be helped.

Elizabeth saw the looks on their faces and gave a laugh, they looked back surprised, she had looked so stern it seemed odd to see a smile on that painted face and hear her laugh.

“Come on kids, I won’t bite, I promise,” and she laughed again.

That seemed to put the teens at ease and they smiled back, Lucy looked up at Lt. Lee and told him they would be fine and they would stay with Captain Zellers.

“Oh please kids call me Elizabeth, come over here and I will introduce you to my husband.”

They went over to Elizabeth and started to follow her over to where the odd looking General and other men stood, they noticed a wild looking Indian woman step up beside an even scarier looking Indian who stood holding onto the nutcase General Smith in his now not so white night gown. They then noticed how the Indian women kind of slid away a few feet a few minutes later with her nose all wrinkled up. The ferocious Indian then looked over at her and said, “Oh thanks a lot Gail.”

“Sorry Brig but that man stinks to high heaven.”

“Gads don’t you think I know that, I have to hold onto the creature.”

Both of the teenagers smiled even wider after over hearing that conversation, they realized these were just normal people after all, even in these strange clothes and paint.

Lucy looked over at Lt. Lee as he left and gave him a wave and he saw the smile on her face and he felt much better about leaving them.

The bullhorn sounded again, General Williamson wanted to get the ball rolling.

“I want everyone’s attention; people from this camp will at this time lay down all your weapons, we want to start with a fresh slate and need to know who the officers are from Corporals on up, will officers make their way over to the right of this tent and the rest move over to allow the officers to be separated from the rest of you. I need the pre- picked Officers from my camp to begin preliminary interviews. We will sort out more later of what went on with General Smiths command. This process will not be done quickly as you know, but we have worked out a method to figure out who were the worst offenders among your people, this will not be nice. At this time some of you will remain here and others will be brought to our base. I want cooperation or the penalty will be sure and swift. Sargents you know hwat to do.”

General Williamson gave the signal and people began weaving their way through the crowd to get to the bottom of things, it would be a few hours before they got a chance to clean up and have some much needed rest. The medic’s had been working on the wounded this whole time and had sent the injured back to the base hospital for further care, be they base or camp personal.

A total of 89 of the enemy camp military personal were killed and 11 slaves in the battle. A few died after the battle and on the operating tables, and they had 94 wounded. The base had 11 killed and 54 wounded all in all not bad at all. Those that had given their lives would be greatly missed. As the days and weeks unfolded they separated the sheep from the wolves per say.

General Smith along with many others were stood before firing squads and taken care of. Lt. Sale wasn’t that lucky before they even got him out of the valley camp a few of the women slaves got together and beat the living crap out of the man, needless to say he didn’t survive. When General Williamson was notified of the incident, he just nodded his head, said good riddance to bad rubbage and went on about his business.

The privates who had taken orders and never bothered to question them, the General did understand, they may have been afraid for their lives, they and other military personal were sentenced to work crews from one to three years depending on their crimes. They also were required to learn everything they would need to hunt, feed, clothe and survive in this new world.

General Williamson also appointed people to go out into the area in an ever-widening circle to talk to the local people and those that had also moved into the area. That way they could all help each other and train those that needed to know new things, which were really the old way and to know what or who were in the area that had survived. Also taking out any more marauders that had taken up residence to close for comfort. More or less sooner or later they would have this area of Tennessee pretty well safe as they possibly could get it for this day and age.

They had a few incidents here and there from a few of the soldiers who had gotten out of the valley camp but that didn’t end up very many. A year later things had pretty well settled into a routine and General Williamson was even encouraging families to go settle some of the areas around the base and further, they made sure to not invade any of the locals properties and bought some acreage off a few of them.

Elizabeth, Bill and their family were joined by another son the following year, they named him Forest. They didn’t live but three miles from the base on Graham Zellers Clan land and continued to teach and assist as needed with regular people generally coming to their farm for instruction. Once a week they went up to the base to make sure all the prisoners were taught what they needed. Neither Elizabeth nor Bill ever found out how their respective families had fared but the legacy of what they had been taught went on to help the new generation live on.

End chapter 7

[dustycanuck]

Thanks for all the hard work. I am enjoying your tale greatly!

[sarawolf]

Thank you to those of you that have left comments.

Chapter 8
The Clans and the Tribe



General Williamson started the families separating into seven different Clans, ones that would cooperate with one another, intermarry and so would have loyalties to one another. They had the Rose, Graham, Zellers, MacDonald, Douglas, Bruce, and the McCoy clans, the McCoy clan because it ended up headed by local Bubba McCoy. He and his family moved without any problem and with great excitement. Bubba’s great grandfather had come over from Scotland and he had known him the last ten years of the old gentleman’s life, he spent many a night listening to his great grandfather’s stories of the old country. Bubba ended up a great help in putting the clans in order with a few new ideas.

They again had different tartans to differentiate the different clans so every one knew at a glance who belonged to which clan. Clan gatherings were encouraged and swearing of allegiance to your Clan Chief. People who were of different ethnic origins were welcome to join to give their children and children’s children a feeling of belonging and heritage, so they had something to believe in and to stand for.

Each of these Clans would find a piece of land of 1000 acres to start building a main Clan house, worker housing, visitor housing, butcher and rendering cabin, cooking cabins, and stables along with a few odd buildings for storage. Another thing the General insisted on was large under ground bunkers for the people in case of attacks so their old, very young and women who couldn’t fight for one reason or another had a place of protection.

Then each family would have ten acres to farm for personal use and then there were the communal fields to help support the entire clan and trade with the other Clans. Every one took two days of the week in rotation to work on the communal fields. The people voted on who the Clan Chief’s would be and then surprising Williamson; voted him the head Chief of all the clans. General James Williamson became the first and last head clan chief, he was Headman General Williamson, even though he tried desperately to not be called General anymore, no one would let him get away with it.

The American Indians decided they would join together to make one tribe, until they could find more people to join and then to do a split. Well that was along with the other military personal as said before who made themselves traditional costumes and joined them in the valley raid, then the people from the camp who joined later. So there were a few black, Caribbean, Portuguese, and Italian Indians. They decided to call themselves the Blackfoot- Sioux World Tribe and began to make teepees for summer hunting and log cabins for winters. Their camp was twelve miles from the base and they began to teach the children that came along the old ways along with a few of the new. One thing they made sure of is that the next generation knew where they had come from and what the world had once been and how war had destroyed it. They came up to the base to pay their regards to General Williamson on a regular basis and to trade there and with the clans.

Many found they enjoyed this life style much better then the fast paced hectic one of the past. The one thing that was missed was the modern medicines but soon a few of the locals joined them that had knowledge of herbs and local fauna to help with illness and pain. The doctors that were part of the tribe and clans did their best to learn what would help as the modern medicines began to run out.

People in this area and further out as they spread across the land, were much healthier then they had been for decades. Whole milk, healthy foods, and lots of exercise were the answer to many problems. The tribe and the clans lost a few now and then to accidents and natural causes, but that can never be helped.
The doctors did there best to pick a new generation to learn doctoring and nursing. That’s one vocation they didn’t need to lose.

The end and a new beginning

[dustycanuck]

Thanks again!

[Hudsonhawk777]

Great tale Sara thanks for all your work writing for us.

[Trident]

Sara,
Thank you so much for your stories.
They remind me of Old Bear's tales.
Bittersweet with lots of practical knowledge.

[deathstalkertwo]

Well Sara, yet again, you entertain us with your stories. Please, keep up the great work. And Thank you