by Cliff Deane
As Daniel’s Ranch was near the abandoned ruin, which was probably of Hopi origin, he watched three helicopters fly into the parking lot of Cliff’s Castle while two others flew as a CAP (Combat Air Patrol).
Hearing the choppers, Daniel looked up and immediately recognized the Cobra Gunships along with the venerable Hueys. He quickly gathered ten Braves and in two pickup trucks of dubious origin, began racing toward Cliff’s Castle. At near the half-way point, Daniel met the messenger who turned around to join the parade.
Daniel remembered that his Grandfather’s last vision, when the Great Spirit had told him of the friends who would come to meet him from the sky. Oh, how Daniel missed his Grandfather, Taza Geronimo, especially on this day.
By the time Daniel arrived, he found Levi and the Local Chief sitting comfortably in chairs under a huge Cottonwood tree, and both men were laughing like old friends. As he approached, the local Chief (Mayor) saw Daniel and rose to his feet, as did Levi.
Introductions were made, and the three men took seats, with Daniel now leading the discussion.
“Welcome General Levins,” said Daniel, we are all happy to visit with you.”
“I am most pleased to meet you, as well,” said Levi, “I was told, first by the Tigua Tribe that our arrival has been foretold to you. I am truly saddened to have arrived too late to meet with your Grandfather Geronimo. I have no doubt that he was a great man, who had been chosen by God to deliver the message of the arrival of the Black Knights, and that the Republic of America would be chasing those evil men.
Chief Daniel, I hope that you will accept our friendship and some gifts that we have brought to assist you in your quest to bring the western Tribes together.”
Daniel was a bit taken aback. Did this White Man think he could purchase the friendship of The People with a few trinkets? Daniel looked sternly at Levi and said, “General, you have our friendship and an alliance only because my grandfather, Taza Geronimo told us of your good intentions. We do not, however, wish any gifts. The People will survive, and thrive, without, again becoming wards of a White Government.”
Levi looked stunned as he said, “No, wait, Chief Daniel, I do not bear trivial gifts of shiny beads. What we bring are long distance radios which will assist you in maintaining contact with your far-flung Tribes. We also would like to give you modern Arms and Ammunition to defend your nation of The People. We have already distributed these things to the tribes we have met along the I-10 road.”
“And what, may I ask, do you expect in return for these gifts?” asked a skeptical Chief Two-Dogs.
Now, Levi’s temperature was beginning to rise just a tad, as he replied, “Nothing, Chief, nothing at all, wait, that is not entirely accurate; we would like to receive your friendship in return; nothing more. If my offer offends you so, then just say the word, and I will withdraw my offer of friendship, return to my helicopter and go back to my command. We will honor your boundaries, so if you wish us to withdraw, then, we shall oblige.”
Daniel now knew that he had met his match in this General Levi Levins and said, “General, perhaps I have spoken too harshly, and for that, I apologize, but I hope you can understand my reluctance to accept gifts from a White Government. I’m sure you know that our history does not particularly have a happy history with the White invaders. Again, I apologize, if my words come out too strong.”
Levi, still a bit hot, said, “Yes, your words do come out too strong, and yes, I realize your history with Whites has not been the best, but those times are gone. Please understand me when I say that we are not invaders. We come to you in friendship only. A new world greets us each morning, a greeting which reminds us that we must work very hard to survive and thrive. Sir, I am not pleased with this first meeting with you, and I suspect, you feel the same. Perhaps we should simply part as acquaintances and agree to respect each other’s borders and leave it at that.
I do, however, want you to know that my people have no intention of ever moving onto your lands without your express permission. Anyone who fails to honor this agreement must be dealt with by your laws, as they will have broken the ordinances of your sovereign nation. We will not interfere in any way. So, I ask you, is this how you wish for this meeting to end?”
“No,” said the Chief, “not until we understand each other better. Our people have heard these exact same assurances of honoring Treaties before, and there is not one that has not been broken by the Whites. Can you blame me for being wary?”
“No, Chief, I cannot blame you, but I also know that at some point we both have to take a chance. We must not allow the sins of the past to rule the present and trouble the future. I can only tell you that this is a new day, and to survive in this new reality, we must somehow gain a relationship of trust and earnest friendship. I offer this. What I do not bring to you are lies, deceit, betrayal, or war.
There, now the ball is in your court, where do we go from here?”
Daniel smiled and offered his hand to Levi, saying, “If my Grandfather Taza was here he would have pinched the back of my arm for being so rude to a new breed of White...no, make that a new breed of Men. He knew you were our friend and I now realize that I have insulted his memory by the harshness of my words to you. Therefore, if you are of a mind, what say we start again from the point of our introduction?”
22 May 03, 1420 Hours
Between New River and Black Canyon City, AZ
I-17 North
Between the afternoon of 20 May to the morning of 22 May, Levi was the guest at two celebrations and was given a tour of the Verde Valley.
“How different,” said Levi to Daniel, “are the Central Highlands of Arizona compared to the land south of Cordes Junction where the Sonoran holds the land in an iron grip.”
“Yes, though the humidity is low in both areas, the Central Highlands holds much more water, creating a huge area suitable for farming, and ranching. This area also sits atop the largest freshwater aquifer in North America.
My grandfather told us that the old sources of water would again flow across the creeks and rivers of our land, and this has come to pass. Now that the huge unsustainable numbers of people no longer drain off the water of our basin, we have seen the waterways which have been dry for seventy-five years flow year round.”
As Levi looked around, he saw that the hills and mountains held many trees, with Oak, Firs, and the huge Cottonwoods that directed travelers by pointing out sources of free-flowing water. The land was covered in a mat of magnificent yellow. Levi was most impressed. Oh, the Prescott Basin was still arid by eastern standards, and only received about twelve inches of rain per year, almost all of which falls during the monsoon season which normally begins in early July and lasts until October. Daniel told Levi that in July, what was now yellow would become a lush green until January, before again taking on the golden yellow Levi was so admiring.
On 22 May, Levi was shown the fighting positions from which The People would attack the Knights by blocking the road and pour weapons fire down the mountain and onto their mutual enemy.
Speaking with the Apache Engineer responsible for the preparations, Levi said, “Sir, I am most impressed with the work done here, and it appears that you may not need our assistance at all, but as a minimum, our Cobra Gunships will assist in this fight.”
As Levi looked over the landscape and the prepared positions, he asked. “Do you have any semi-automatic grenade launchers? They alone would wreak havoc on the mercs from these elevated positions.”
“Yes, I see your point, but no we have no such weapons,” said the Chief Engineer.
Levi nodded his head and said, “My friend, I’ll see that some are sent up tomorrow so that your grenadiers can get some practice with them.”
“Time is short, my friend,” said Engineer Grey Wolf, the new radios you have given us have provided excellent communication with our People in Tucson. They tell us that the evil ones have been slowed, but not stopped by their traps and ambushes. I estimate that they wi
ll arrive at the I-17 turnoff in two or three days. When will you make your first strike against them?”
Levi looked thoughtful before saying, “Benedito, I must confer with my planning staff, but my guess is that we will try to make our first strike while they are caught up in the traffic jam that is Phoenix. If we are very lucky, we may actually destroy them at that point, but one thing we have learned is that Colonel Steiner is slippery and a very knowledgeable tactician.”
“I thank you,” said the Engineer, “but I must remind you that the final battle with the evil ones will take place right below us in the I-17 northbound lane. The Medicine Man, Taza Geronimo has seen it in a vision.”
Levi smiled at his new friend, Benedito, before saying, “Yes, I suppose you are right as it seems that Mr. Geronimo’s visions have been absolutely correct, so far.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Black Knight Convoy
21 May 03, 0600
Merc Convoy
I-10 West
The nights can be very cold in the desert, but the days are getting much warmer. It’s May, and the winds can be fierce, occasionally causing mile-high dust storms, called Haboobs along the I-10. In another two weeks, the daytime temps will become dreadfully hot, nearing one hundred and fifteen degrees in the Phoenix area.
Though deep snow covers the earth only fifty miles north of Flagstaff, to a depth of one-hundred feet in many places. Along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico the warm equatorial winds become hot as they cross the Sonoran Desert in Mexico. This helps to keep the extreme cold at bay as the snow to the north appears to have begun to rapidly melt.
Steiner sat with his staff over breakfast discussing the attacks against his Command. Gentlemen, in the last three days, we have lost our munitions truck, flattened tires that threaten to force us to abandon any vehicles that have tire failures, as we are now out of spares. Yet most distressing is the loss of men and their vehicles to this unknown enemy, these damnable ghosts.
I am seeking your thoughts on who these people may be, why they continue to attack us, and what we can do about it. Captain Werner, let us begin with you.”
“Yes, sir,” said Captain Ernst Werner, “as to who, I suspect that our pursuers have managed to insert Commandos ahead of us, via helicopter. I also believe that we shall pass and outrun them in the next day or two.
The question of why, seems apparent to me, if our tormentors are, as I suspect, elements of those bastards chasing us,” said a morose Captain Werner.
“What can we do?” continued Werner, “Well, other than maintaining a road march slow enough to foresee the traps and ambushes before us, I am at a complete loss. I will say that these ghosts, as you have so aptly named them, seem to be masters of Sun Tzu’s, The Art of War.”
“Thank you, Ernst, your insights certainly give us possible answers.” Turning to the Sergeant Major, Steiner said, Karl, your thoughts, please.”
Karl was thoughtful for several seconds, before saying, “Sir, Captain Werner’s views certainly have merit. There is no question that our pursuers have the capability to insert Commandos in our path; but, if that is true, then why haven’t they attacked using their Air Power, especially now that we are so vulnerable as we crawl through this damnable maze that is Phoenix? I realize this is a bit argumentative with the Captain’s considerations, but that is my opinion. I suspect that we may be facing the remnants of criminal gangs from Phoenix.
If, in fact,” continued the Sergeant Major, “this is a new enemy, I must ask why do they attack us? It must surely seem obvious to them that we wish only to pass through their territory. We have done nothing to them, so why pick a fight with us? I find it impossible to believe that they could believe they could defeat us to capture our equipment,” pondered the Sergeant Major.
The mercenary Senior Sergeant added. “Then, we have the consideration of options. All right, here are my anxieties on our options. I believe that our pursuers are waiting to attack from the air as we become completely mired down in the spaghetti bowl that is Phoenix. Sir, we must be very careful in those ten miles as the potential for disastrous air attacks is greatly enhanced.
Now, this may sound challenging in its own right, but I feel we should send no more than two vehicles at a time through the Phoenix maze. This is, of course, problematic because with only two vehicles at a time, the opportunity for tripping an ambush rises dramatically. But, if we are caught in the open, in convoy, by a large force of Gunships, they may be able to overwhelm our Stinger Missile defense, and our entire force will be reduced to scrap metal. Sir, if that happens, we will all be dead,” said the Sergeant Major.
Captain Werner added, “Sir, I propose we place our Stinger teams, supported by Infantry Fire Teams approximately one-half mile to the rear of our vehicles to actively engage the enemy Cobras before they identify our forces hidden among the stalled vehicles. This will also provide us with early warning of an air attack. I also hope this warning will come in the form of crashing helicopters.
Well, sir, there you have our opinions and concerns. You asked for our views and recommendations on what, who, why, and our possible countermeasures. I can only give limited tactical considerations, simply because we just do not have sufficient intel.”
Steiner then asked Captain Werner what he thought of the Sergeant Major’s plan for movement through Phoenix.
“Sir,” said Ernst Werner, I believe it is very dangerous to only move two vehicles at a time through a potential shooting gallery, but Karl is right, his ideas do seem to be the best way through this Phoenix mess, and I am absolutely sure that he will concur with my analysis of utilizing our Stingers. The small upside is that once a path is cleared the remaining vehicles will make better time. Sir, this will be the most dangerous part of our journey to the Prescott Basin. If we make it, we should consider staying there.”
Steiner said, “Perhaps we shall. We have been travelling west from White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia to Phoenix, Arizona for two years now. Yes, I feel that the Prescott area may be our Promised Land. Gentlemen, we are so near to the end of our travails. Just one more push, and one final battle. It appears we should reach the I-17 turn, north to Prescott and the Verde Valley in no more than sixty Hours, two and a half days, and yes, Ernst, it will be the most dangerous portion of our journey since leaving West Virginia those two years ago.
I will consider all that I have heard as we travel today, and you will have my guidance over dinner. Thank you, gentlemen. Dismissed.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Will we catch them along the Phoenix corridor?
25 May 03, 0600
ROA Convoy
I-10 West
Upon Levi’s return from his visit to Prescott, he gathered the planning staff for the morning breakfast meeting and briefed everyone on each person he had met, and the preparations made by The People to stop Steiner cold.
“Susan, what is your max effective range for a two-way mission without refueling?” asked Levi.
“Sir,” said Colonel Susan Levins, “fully armed our max range is roughly one-hundred and sixty-five miles, each way, but that is cutting it very close. The optimum range is around one hundred and twenty-five miles.”
“Well, crap,” said a disappointed Levi, we will just have to find a way to increase our speed. I initially thought that you could refuel at the Phoenix Airport. Davis-Monthan is enticing but we just don’t yet know what is happening there. I just don’t want our Air Corps that far away at this critical time. No, I think it wise to continue on our efforts to catch up with Steiner, but once we are in a comfortable range for our Air Corps, well, your leash will come off.”
Our new friends tell me that they anticipate Steiner’s arrival at the I-10 West and I-17 North interchange to Prescott in two to three days. It will be a long hard climb up the mountains to the Prescott Basin, filled with many wrecks with big-rigs strewn all over the place.
If he surprises us and continues on west toward Nevada and California, I think
we might lose him completely. Still, I have to think that he does not want to continue through the desert of steep, flinty mountains of Nevada. On that stretch they will find no resupply of anything. So, why would he take that chance when he can cut north to the Verde Valley. I don’t care how many lives that cat has, continuing west is not his best plan. No, he’ll go north on I-17. I am as sure of it as Chief Two-Dogs is sure that we will fight them near New River.
Currently, we are roughly two-hundred and twenty-five miles, behind him, give or take a few. If we can catch him in that traffic mess in Phoenix, we may be able to end this chase right then, or at least whittle him down to a much more manageable size.
All right then, let’s make it a really long day and add another three Hours to our movement. If we can do that, hopefully, we’ll close that range by another thirty or so miles by late tomorrow. The downside is that night movement will not allow us to move as quickly as during the day. Still, if he camps before dark, we’ll catch him soon.
All right, let’s shoot to reach fifty miles from Tucson by 1800 Hours the day after tomorrow. Any questions?” The staff realized that Levi’s thoughts on the chase were the most likely course of action for the Black Knights. There were no questions.
Levi turned to Colonel Susan Levins and said, “All right, let’s turn back to the Gunship attack on Steiner’s force. Susan, how many Gunships can you have prepped for the attack?”
“Sir we currently have all eighteen Gunships ready to go, along with five Hueys.”
“Good, but let’s hold two Snakes and two of the Hueys as a reserve. How about pilots; are those hotshots ready to kick Steiner’s ass?” smiled Levi.
“Oh, yes, sir, they surely are, and every Co-Pilot is now minimally qualified to serve as the Command Pilot. We are also in range of Davis-Monthan Airbase. We’ll find replacements for any downed Snakes, but we won’t find the twin-engine Super Snakes. Unfortunately, the small Marine contingent did not have any on-site. We will have to transition to the Army version which has only one engine. It’s just a danged shame that we don’t have any A-10 Pilots, Davis-Monthan is where they trained. Now that A-10 is one super ground support jet. Oh, well, if I wish in one hand and crap in the other, I’m pretty sure which one would fill up first.”