The men gathered around the table ranged from probably in their fifties to one that looked to be seventy. But he was a tough old bird, short but as hard-looking as the mountains that ringed the valley. He’d taken the seat at the far end, opposite Mike, as his due as senior.
“Genadi,” Mike said to the overseer at his right. “I think introductions are in order.”
“This is Father Makanee,” Genadi said, pointing to the man on his right. “He is head of the Makanee family.” Father Makanee was medium height with brown hair and eyes and broad shoulders. He was just about the youngest of the “elders.” His hands looked like hams. He nodded at Mike warily.
“Father Devlich,” Genadi said, pointing to the man to Mahona’s left. This was the man Mike had met on the night of the blizzard. He, too, was watching Mike warily, but nodded.
“Father Devlich I’ve met,” Mike said in Russian. “But we weren’t introduced. A pleasure to see you again.”
“Kildar,” the man said, nodding again.
“Father Mahona,” Genadi said, pointing to the man on Mike’s left. He had short-cropped blond hair shot with gray and a graying beard. Another nod.
“Call me Mister Jenkins,” Mike said, smiling.
“Father Shaynav,” Genadi said, continuing to the man across from Devlich. He was in his sixties with red hair gone almost completely gray and a gray beard that hung to his chest. He watched Mike with interest, though, out of bright blue eyes. Mike noticed that he looked more like Genadi than the man who had the same last name. Either there was some fooling around going on or he didn’t understand the family structure.
“Father Kulcyanov,” Genadi said, leaning over to point to the second to the last man. Kulcyanov had once been hugely big, Mike could tell, but time and age had shrunk him. He looked in worse health than the man at the end of the table.
“And Father Ferani,” Genadi concluded, pointing to the septuagenarian at the end of the table.
“Pleased to meet you all,” Mike said. “First things first: Within my duties, which means responsibility to equipment and the homes as I understand it, is there anything that you need?”
The men looked at each other for a moment, then at Father Ferani.
“One of our houses needs the roof repaired,” Ferani said in Russian, eyeing him warily.
“What do you need to do that?” Mike asked. “And do I pay you to do it or farm it out or what?”
“We need nails and roofing materials from the store,” Ferani said, frowning. “And our men should be paid. We will do the work.”
“Any other roofs that need repair?” Mike asked.
“Two of our houses leak,” Father Kulcyanov said, wheezing slightly.
“Genadi, get a list, take a look at full replacement for all the roofs,” Mike said. “Next.”
“We have two plows that need to be much repaired or replaced,” Father Devlich said, frowning at the apparent largesse.
“Pass,” Mike replied. “I won’t promise new equipment for the spring, but it’s likely. I’ll be looking at that with Genadi. Next.”
“Our well has to be redug,” Father Mahona said. “We will do the work, but it’s the responsibility of the Kildar to provide for the wells. The Kildar owns the water. We should be paid.”
“Can you do that in winter?” Mike asked, frowning.
“With difficulty,” Genadi replied. “The ground is hard.”
“What are you doing for water now?” Mike asked.
“Melting snow,” Mahona said, shrugging. “What else?”
“Genadi, put that at the top of your list,” Mike replied. “Figure something out. If it has to be redug by hand, it has to be redug by hand. But if we can get equipment in to do it, get the equipment.”
“I’ll look into it,” Genadi said.
“Next.”
The meeting went on for about an hour and it was apparent that the bank had been neglecting its duties, at least from the point of view of the Keldara.
“I’m not going to guarantee to get all of this fixed this week,” Mike said as the list grew. “Or even this month. But it will all get worked on. If there is anything that you can do by yourselves, do it and bill me. If there is something that needs fixing that falls in my duties, get it fixed. Work out the payment and arrangements with Genadi. There is a large operating account with the bank for just this sort of thing. We should be able to cover everything that needs doing. Now, a few things that I need. I’m going to be moving into the caravanserai but the place is so huge I’ll need servants. Notably, I’ll need a cook, a housekeeper and some yard help. The housekeeper may need some help as well and there are repairs to do on the grounds and on the interior. I’d also like to get some of the junk moved out of the cellars, especially since I have materials I’m going to be moving in. I would prefer the housekeeper be capable of reading, writing and basic bookkeeping. I’ll also need some foodstuffs. All of this, obviously, will be paid for.”
“We can do all of this,” Father Ferani said, nodding. “What is the planting schedule for the spring?”
“That will be up to Genadi,” Mike said, firmly. “I think you’ll find that we will be buying more, and more expensive, seed than you are used to. If any of you find this excessive, I’ll be glad to take up the slack. Again, I’m not promising anything, except to promise that there will be changes. On that note, I’m bothered by the security situation. I intend to fund a militia with both arms and training. Is this going to be a problem?”
“No,” Father Kulcyanov wheezed. “Give us the guns and we’ll show you what we can do.”
“There is more to it than giving you the guns,” Mike said. “Some of you might have been soldiers or talked to soldiers. I’m a professional. And there are going to be changes I know you won’t like. Among other things, I’ll be bringing in female soldiers to train the women.”
“What?” Father Mahona snapped. “You’re mad!”
“No, I’m a professional,” Mike snapped right back. “Women, by and large, aren’t good field soldiers. But they can hold fixed positions just fine if you give them training. And that is how this militia is going to work. The men won’t just be sitting on their butts but patrolling and finding the enemy before we’re struck by them. Then they’ll maneuver in the field and strike them from the flanks and behind while the women hold the farms. That’s the way to win, not just survive. I intend to make this region a no-go zone for the Chechens because that means they never get to the farms. But if they do, they’ll find them bristling with guns, guns served by women.”
“In the Great Patriotic War many women fought alongside men,” Father Kulcyanov wheezed. “And the women of the Keldara have always been the last line of defense of the homes. This is nothing new.”
“There will be new things,” Mike promised. “But the training, weapons and equipment that they get will be top of the line. There’s no reason for it not to be. If you’re in agreement, and Captain Tyurin already is, I’ll begin rounding up trainers, weapons and equipment immediately. For the time being, we’ll store it in the caravanserai.”
“As you wish, Kildar,” Father Mahona said. “But if you think women can be taught to fight, I think you are mad.”