Part 9 (1/2)
No. She had been told that was ... twelve years ago. And Lora only had eleven years.
So it had to have been After.
Oh, well, she thought, suppressing a sigh. It didn't matter.
She didn't know anything about Before. Just After. And now that could be called Here.
Sitting alone, she turned the page. More pretty pictures of smiling and laughing kids.
Lora could not understand why they would all be so happy.
She wished she could read the words.
She could make out some words. But she wasn't too sure she understood what they meant. She had seen the funny-looking word TV many times. She wished she knew what a TV was.
And a moving star. Or something like that.
Movie star, that was it.
Now she wished she knew what a movie star was.
Stars were up in the heavens. Everybody knew that.
Stars were far away and untouchable. Why would anyone want to be far away and untouchable?
Well ... Ben Raines was untouchable, but he wasn't far away.
It was all so confusing.
The other woods-children had told her that when things were better, Ben Raines was going to have them all attend school where they would all learn many things.
Lora thought that might be fun. Maybe.
”Let's go!” the shouted command reached her.
Lora carefully replaced the magazine back into her rucksack and stood up, slinging her carbine.
She looked down at her ragged tennis shoes.
She'd have to find a new pair pretty soon.
Soon as they came up on a house she'd look.
Maybe she'd find a pair the rats and mice hadn't chewed on.
She took her a.s.signed place in the short column and moved out.
The plane from the old Tri-States had landed and the pilots were busy inspecting the newly acquired aircraft. Jean walked up to Ben.
”They're in fine shape, General,” she said.
”And we found an old Puff-believe it or not-in the far hanger.”
”All the guns operational?”
”They seem to be. We'll check them out when we test fly the plane.”
”Fine. Get the planes back to a safe zone as quickly as possible. I've asked Dan's Scouts to hit every airport they can. Striganov seems to have set up posts at airstrips. That'sgood for us if it holds true. I'm taking my contingent straight up the interstate into Redding as soon as you people get airborne. We'll reconnoiter the area and if possible hit the airport just before dark. I sent recon teams out before dawn, in seized vehicles. They'll be reporting back any minute. Get cracking, Jean.”
She saluted and turned to leave.
Sylvia walked to his side. ”Recon teams just radioed back, Ben. They report only a small force of IPF personnel at the airport in Redding. And the airport has been cleaned up and is fully operational.”
”Thank you, Sylvia. You heard it, Jean.
Get the planes back and stand ready for my call to return.” Ben grinned. ”Pretty soon now, we're going to have more planes than pilots, huh?”
She returned the grin and said, ”At last count, General, we've got about a hundred and fifty people who are, or were, qualified pilots. Checked out in everything from props to jets. You're going to have an air force before you know it.”
”I'll make you the first commander of it, then,” Ben said.
”For the first time in history,” Jean said drily.
”That may well be what we're all trying to do.” Sylvia said.
”What?” Jean asked.
”Trying to keep history from repeating itself.”
”Very profound, Sylvia,” Ben said.
”Oh, I'm just full of surprises, General,” she replied.
Ben glanced at her, smiling.
Jean left before it could get mushy.
Chapter Nine.
Early that morning, before dawn, Ben had ordered the residents of Red Bluff-those that could be found-rousted out of bed. IPF sympathizers were quickly pointed out to the Rebels.
And just as quickly disposed of.
Ben and his Rebels had no sympathy for those who would willingly surrender their freedom. And no use for them. And no place for those types within the ranks of the Rebels.
The handful of survivors found in Red Bluff, less than two hundred in all, were armed with weapons taken from the IPF garrison and told they had d.a.m.n well better get ready to fight. To the death if it came to that, and that it might just come to that.