Was that why the troops were approaching?
Or was it because Samuel II and the Doktor were tired of the Family’s interference in their affairs? After all, the Family was responsible for assisting the residents of the Twin Cities in escaping from the Civilized Zone’s army and relocating them in Halma. The Family had also forestalled Samuel II’s attempt to overrun the Cavalry. Had the dictator elected to remove a perennial thorn in his side?
Plato realized the Family’s situation was extremely precarious. Of the 15 Family Warriors, 6 were gone, part of the Freedom Federation’s force invading the Civilized Zone. The Family divided its Warriors into 5 sections for organizational purposes. Each section was comprised of 3 Warriors apiece. They were designated as Alpha Triad, Beta Triad, Gamma Triad, Omega Triad, and Zulu Triad. Each Triad had an appointed section leader. Blade, the commander of all the Warriors, was also the head of Alpha Triad. With Blade and the other Alpha Warriors, Hickok and Geronimo, gone, the command of the Warriors would normally pass to Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the Beta Triad head. But Rikki and his Beta companions, Yama and Teucer, were also gone. Next in the chain of command was the leader of Gamma Triad: Spartacus.
Plato found himself wondering whether Spartacus was capable of directing the defense of the Home. During peaceful periods, the Family Leader was in charge of the Home. But when an emergency arose, the Warriors automatically assumed command. The Warriors were skilled at their craft, but none of them had ever confronted a crisis of this magnitude. In its entire 100-year history, the Home had never been subjected to a mass onslaught.
If only Blade and the others were here!
Plato consciously suppressed his trepidation. He would have to have faith in Spartacus.
The long line of Clan refugees extended from the drawbridge, across the field west of the Home, and into the forest beyond. Some of them waved up to Plato and Spartacus as they entered the compound.
Plato felt an odd pain in his chest, and wondered again if he were on the verge of a heart attack. Was contemplating the impending attack too much of a strain for his weakened physique? He disregarded the discomfort and decided to take stock of the Family’s options.
The Freedom Federation was composed of four factions: All four of the groups had committed a large percentage of their fighters to the force invading the Civilized Zone. The Freedom Federation Army was hundreds of miles distant—in either Wyoming or Colorado, if Blade had adhered to the invasion strategy—too far away to be of any assistance to the Family in its time of need. None of the four factions had sent all of their fighters on the invasion. The Family still had 9 Warriors left, plus 34 men and 31 women; Tillers, Empaths, Weavers, Metalworkers, and the like. True, the other men and women weren’t as skilled as the Warriors in the martial arts, but they all took annual refresher courses in the use of firearms and would fight to preserve the Home.
What about the other factions?
The Cavalry was based in eastern South Dakota. Getting word to them would take too much time.
The Moles lived in an underground city approximately 50 miles to the east of the Home. They probably had about a hundred fighters on hand to safeguard their city while the rest were away with the expedition. Their ruler, Wolfe, was unreliable. Plato didn’t know whether Wolfe would send help or not.
Which left the Clan.
The former residents of Minneapolis and St. Paul numbered 543. With 200 of its ablest fighters gone with the invasion force, the Clan was left with 343 members, the majority of them women and children. How many fighters did the Clan have on hand?
“I’ve called a meeting of the Warriors and the Clan leaders,” Spartacus mentioned, shattering Plato’s introspection.
“Excellent idea,” Plato remarked. “I’d like to attend, if you don’t mind.”
“Why would I mind?” Spartacus asked.
“I don’t want to impede your performance,” Plato stated.
Spartacus grinned. Leave it to Plato and his grandiose vocabulary!
Anyone else would have said, “I don’t want to get in your way.”
“It appears most of the Clan have arrived,” Plato remarked.
There was now a gap between the end of the line and the edge of the trees.
Spartacus nodded in satisfaction. When the runner from the Clan had arrived earlier in the day, bringing word of the presence of the military convoy, Spartacus had sent word to the head of the Clan, a man named Zahner, and advised him to evacuate Halma and march to the Home as rapidly as possible.
The compound below was crammed with people, the Clan congregating with the Family in the open space between the concrete blocks. Their voices rose in a noisy tumult.
Spartacus waited until the last of the Clan entered the Home, and then he signaled to the four men manning the drawbridge mechanism. They immediately proceeded to raise the drawbridge.
“Let’s get to it,” Spartacus commented, and led the way down the flight of wooden stairs. Supported by enormous beams, the stairs were positioned to the south of the drawbridge and traversed the moat.
Plato followed the Warrior to the base of the stairs.
There was a reception committee waiting for them below. Eight Warriors stood in a straight row, their eyes on their temporary chief.
Spartacus, his left hand on the hilt of his broadsword, slowly walked along the line of fellow Warriors, nodding at each of them in turn.
Seiko was first in line, attired in loose-fitting black clothing similar to the apparel worn by Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. Both were Family members with Oriental blood. Both were devoted martial artists. Seiko was five inches taller than Rikki, and his facial features were broader. Because Kurt Carpenter had seen fit to stock only one katana in the Family armory, and because by mutual agreement Rikki possessed it, Seiko had dedicated himself to mastering several other Oriental weapons, his personal preferences being the nunchaku and the sai. And, like every Warrior, he was competent at using many of the varied firearms in the armory.
Second in line was Shane, the youngest Warrior. Only recently having turned 16, he had become a Warrior primarily because his hero, Hickok, was a Warrior. Shane had proven himself in combat, and was one of the fastest gunmen in the Family. He proudly wore a Llama Comanche .357 Magnum on his right hip. The Family Weavers had, at his request, sewn together a black Western-style outfit, using photographs in some of the reference books in the library as guidelines. Shane’s brown eyes lit up as Spartacus passed by. He was excited at the prospect of some action. His brown hair, worn long in imitation of Hickok, stirred in the breeze.
Both Seiko and Shane were members of Gamma Triad.
Next came the head of Omega Triad, a strapping Warrior with curly blond hair and penetrating green eyes named Carter. In a holster on each hip was a Guardian-SS Auto Pistol, made of stainless steel, with a narrow trigger for quick firing and Pachmayr grips. Carter wore brown pants and a light brown shirt, both specially made by the Weavers, both insulated against the chilly weather.
After Carter came another Omega Triad member: Ares. He was one of the tallest Warriors, standing six feet, three inches. His attire was a peculiar leather affair, with a dark-brown one-piece shirt and short leather breeches cut off above the knees. Another distinctive feature about Ares was his haircut. He had shaved his hair off on both sides of his head, but left a trimmed red crest running from his spine to the center of his sloping forehead. A short sword was attached to his belt, angled across his left hip. He held a Colt AR-15 in his arms. It was common knowledge he had taken his name from the ancient Greek god of war. Many felt his name was highly appropriate; Ares could be bloodthirsty when aroused.