by G. R. Carter
The system spread like wildfire. Each added community created an expense to ARK at first, but quickly becoming an asset as goods and resources began to flow back to the capital. With the expertise of ARK’s engineers the outposts, deemed waypoints in ARK terminology, began to produce timber and food first. Defenses improved to allow a minimal number of residents to hold out against the ever-present bandits lurking in the surrounding wildlands. ARK skyships soon patrolled overhead, spotting nests of bandits, then Peacekeepers led local militias to wipe out any troublemakers. Militiamen with a particular aptitude for fighting were rewarded with a commission in the Peacekeepers, allowing the force to not only replace losses incurred during the expansion but also grow by double and then triple within a very short period of time. A three-year successful stint in the Peacekeepers was rewarded with Citizenship, a goal that each young person began to aspire to once the benefits became well known.
Communities missed the presence of their strongest young people. But improved defenses, no more outlaws and the promise of Peacekeeper support in times of trouble made the opportunity for their children to gain Citizenship a cause for celebration. A little extra hard work by those left behind was a small price to pay for a full stomach and a chance for young people to have a future.
Huge numbers of those wishing for just such an opportunity were camped out just across the river right now. Tony could see countless campfires spread out over the parking lots of the industrial wasteland that was once the Illinois side of the river. Refugees from all over the Midwest waited for ARK interviewers to review their skills and backgrounds, looking for those with something to contribute to the western expansion. So many were available, he even let ARK’s eastern allies pick through a few immigrants for their own needs. Decent labor was always in short supply, especially reliable and intelligent types; the post-Reset world was no different than the past in that regard.
Tony, and his wife Nicole, were proud of the system they had built. Feudalism was an ugly word, even among the mis-educated. Neither thought the term was fair to use. Frankly neither cared to characterize it all. Political theory was a luxury of a bygone age, when well-fed professors and politicians argued over perfect worlds. This was an age of action, a time to save as many people as possible for the good of the future. There was no reason the people responsible for that salvation shouldn’t be well rewarded for their efforts. And it did take effort, tremendous effort.
Tony reluctantly turned from his beloved view. He had work to do yet tonight, strategic planning for ARK’s nonstop push to expand.
“This would be a lot easier if you would have talked the Hamiltons into letting us have Grand Shawnee,” Kathy Kingsley said to Tony. She was standing next to the map wall, which was literally what the name implied: a huge, incredibly detailed map recreating every major road, hill, town and stream west of the Mississippi River all the way to the Rocky Mountains—and there was room on the wall for what lie further west.
Tony shrugged. “Hardly any people there. Citizens would have trouble finding decent workers for their estates. We’ve got plenty to work with for now.”
“No people, but that whole area’s got a chance to be the Saudi Arabia of coal. Timber, too, and we need to keep control of the rivers. Water will be the best way to move cargo and large groups of people around for the next hundred years. Longer, maybe,” Kathy argued back. She was more than just the Minister of Resources in ARK, she was also Tony’s cousin. Family could speak to the Premier like no other Citizen could (in private of course).
“As long as we can trade for coal and oil from Shawnee, it’s just as good as holding the area. That forest is a headache, crawling with Rateaters. The Republic can’t grow, Vincennes will keep them hemmed in on the east…within a generation they’ll be a fraction of our size, then we can set the terms we need. The Olsens would turn it over to us if we asked, but let them do the heavy lifting of getting the place rebuilt. Heck, the next generation of Hamiltons will probably want to be ARK citizens themselves someday.”
Kathy nearly choked on her ever-present water bottle. “I thought they were your best friends, Tony. What happened to them being trusted allies? Remember that lecture you always give us?”
“They are allies. And I do like Alex and Bek. Sam, too, although that Martin Fredericks guy is one to watch. He doesn’t care for us and he’s got Alex’s ear. Former soldier in the U.S. military, real law-and-order type. Doesn’t like the Republic being mixed up with people of our background. I sensed it when we were planning the attack on the New America HQ. Bobby told me he was very standoffish when Fredericks spoke at the last academy graduation ceremony. Alex only trusts Bek and Sam more than him, so that’s something we’ll have to manage. Julia Ruff’s the same way, she knows more about what really happened at the Reset than she lets on. Too fond of the Buckles, also.”
Kathy raised an eyebrow, pulling Tony’s attention from the map. Tony responded to the non-verbal question. “Kathy, there’s only family in this world. Friends are important, but they come and go. Family is all that matters. Before the Reset that was a golden rule, now it’s platinum.”
His cousin looked unconvinced. Tony had committed ARK forces to help the Republic, and Peacekeeper officers attended the Red Hawk training academy at Old Main College until just this year. Many Citizens whispered amongst themselves that the alliance between the two nations might be formalized someday. Especially when Diamante and Hamilton children reached the age necessary for a good old-fashioned political marriage.
Tony sensed the doubt in Kathy’s look. “I told you, I like Alex. But don’t forget for one second he’s just as ruthless an SOB as you think I am. If it came down to helping ARK at the expense of his beloved Republic, what do you think he’d do?”
“There’s no question what he would do,” Kathy replied.
“See? So that’s all I’m saying. Don’t read anymore into my words than that. Veteran Peacekeepers can instruct our people just as well as the Hamilton’s SDC… the Costellos all trained at Old Main after all. Besides, we’ve got different goals and tactics than the Red Hawks do now.”
The floor to ceiling office doors opened, revealing Uncle Jack Diamante chatting with a Peacekeeper guard, trying to stand at attention while holding the entryway open for him. The guard, a third cousin of Tony’s, laughed at something Uncle Jack said, shook his head and closed the door behind him.
“Don’t let me interrupt. You young people seem quite serious about something,” Uncle Jack said with mock seriousness.
“Just passing on some life philosophies you taught me, Uncle Jack.”
“Then I know it must be serious. I won’t trouble you for details. Let’s talk happy things. How goes the Kansas City project?” Jack asked.
“Better than we expected. SubTropolis is everything we hoped and more. Thanks to your suggestion to wager so many resources there right after the Reset, we were able to save a lot more of the people and infrastructure than I thought possible,” Kathy said.
Jack waved off the praise. “Kansas City was very important to families in our line of work…before the troubles, I mean. The FBI could never root them out, try as they might. I knew there would be some survivors there, in particular ones without the influence of that Continuity cult. Solid families, doing solid business.”
“Our rail lines will run from there to the waypoints in Des Moines, Omaha, Wichita, even down to Oklahoma City once we get Antonio Lopez out of there,” Tony said, pointing a finger at the middle of what was once Oklahoma.”
“Don’t be in such a rush for that, Premier,” Uncle Jack said, using Tony’s official title half in jest. “Texarkana can be a thorn in Lopez’s side. Keep them well supplied out of Little Rock, let them do the fighting for a while. You want those Anglo-Texans begging for your help. Otherwise they’ll be a pain in your rear after you get rid of Lopez’s Nuevos. An independent bunch, too much Teutonic blood even after all these generations.”
“Lopez has pretty much everyt
hing from the Baja country to the Texas Hill Country. His Nuevos are pushing up hard on Tulsa even now,” Kathy protested.
Uncle Jack waved again. “Let him have the entire southwest. Arid country, not much grows there without irrigation. Lopez is a conqueror, he doesn’t know how to farm. He won’t be able to feed his subjects, so they’ll migrate to where the food is plentiful.”
“So we play the stall game until he’s weak from overextending, then offer his strongest supporters Citizenship to come over to us,” Tony said with a nod.
Uncle Jack just smiled, no response needed for agreement.
“With Kansas City the railhead of the entire Midwest again, the Free Grazers will become de facto waypoints for us. Ranch after ranch flying our flag, stretching as far west as the Rockies.”
“The hardest part will be keeping enough young people on those ranches. Make sure you keep Citizenship an elusive goal. Enough chance for there to be hope, not so many that they all end up in Townhouses. You need to start thinking estates out west, not cities,” Uncle Jack said.
“Like the Red Hawk Fortress Farms? Except with art and design and luxury, I hope. I swear, they think the more uncomfortable those places are the more beautiful they are,” Kathy replied. She had been on a recent tour of the Republic’s northwest territory, what had once been the Blackhawk Confederation’s eastern domain. They were reinforcing there for a future conflict with the Northern Caliphate, and comforts were on the back burner of design.
“We’ve got the model with the Romano estate outside of Columbia. Right along the rail line, fully self-sufficient, servants seem happy.”
“Okay, there you go. Draw up the plans, start pushing that out to your Citizen Directors assigned to the territories. You’ve got extra resources to use out there,” Uncle Jack said, then paused. “Remember, both of you, a nation is a belief. Nothing really exists without the buy-in of the human spirit. I told you before, this is where the United States lost her way; no one believed in anything anymore.” He stared at his two younger protégés with his infamous look that demanded acknowledgement. They both replied with nods.
“You can build fancy railways, bountiful farms, beautiful white Townhouses for your Citizens…but if the servant in the field doesn’t believe in ARK, all you have created will come crashing down. Put the lambda on everything—you do a good job of that—remind them where the food comes from. But don’t ever forget to make them believe in what they’re doing, that way they’ll work a little harder, do without a little longer, be willing to die on battlefields you decide are worthwhile, yes?”
Tony and Kathy both nodded again. The Diamante family considered Uncle Jack to be their most priceless resource. The man had been through nearly every type of power struggle in his life. When everyone else was freaking out about the end of the modern world, he was the first one to confirm Tony’s instinct to seize power. Their shared fanatical dedication to improving the family’s wealth and power made ARK a force to be reckoned with before the Reset, and a burgeoning empire since.
“Uncle Jack, I want to get your opinion on something Kathy and I were talking about before you came in,” Tony said.
“You mean those ‘life philosophies?’”
“Right. She’s concerned I made a mistake letting the Republic have Grand Shawnee. She’s right in that there’s a lot of resources there, but it just seems like wilderness to me.”
“And you wanted to let the Hamiltons pacify it? I remember our conversation back then.”
Tony nodded and Uncle Jack continued. “You both are smart, and you’re both right at the same time. See, there’s not always a right and wrong answer…sometimes both right, sometimes both wrong, yes? Both right in this case.”
Uncle Jack waved them over to the large conference table close to the map wall. “Nicole made me promise to make you eat. Come over, get a bite, let’s talk a little about something that’s been troubling me. I really didn’t have the right opportunity to bring it up, maybe now is that time.”
Reluctantly, Tony agreed and sat down to food long since gone cold from neglect. He pulled off a silver cover, revealing steak, corn and a baked potato, with slices of dark bread and rich butter. His mouth began to water, reminding him he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. All day was one meeting after another, then reports, then planning. One item that had not gone neglected was a bottle of pre-Reset wine, expertly preserved in the basement of Renaissance Tower until today. He opened another bottle, and poured each of the three a glass. As they began to pick at the food, Uncle Jack continued.
“You bring up Grand Shawnee, which leads us to an interesting dilemma. The Red Hawks have been good partners—the Hamiltons are good boys, I like them and I think they’re smart. But they’re not businessmen. They’re idealists. They want to fulfill their father’s dreams, rebuild something akin to the United States. With a constitution, civilian government…all the things they believe from their history books. They’ve got some good advisors, this Steinbrink family is a practical bunch, but together they’re convinced they can create this grand republic we’ll all be anxious to join,” Uncle Jack said with exaggerated gestures.
“I still remember the conversation on the skyship that day over Springfield. ‘The people, Tony.’ Remember Alex saying that? I thought he might be on to something, but the way we’re doing things is clearly better.”
“I agree with you. Kathy?”
“Of course, Uncle Jack,” Kathy replied mid-chew.
“Okay. So then here’s the problem. When we’re ready to go east, or help Vincennes go east, we need direct lines of supply. Either straight across Grand Shawnee, or using the rivers. Down the Mississippi and up the Ohio. Longer miles using the river, but depending on what we’re hauling probably faster,” Uncle Jack said.
“Right, that’s why we’re building the armored tugboats. ‘Brown water navy,’ Nicole called it.”
Uncle Jack nodded. “Civil War reference. Something learned from the Union. So here’s the problem wrapped in a problem. These people in what used to be Cape Girardeau, Mt. Horab they call it now,” he said with an eye roll, “they’re sitting in a tough spot for us. Without their blessing, we won’t be able to get our ships south of here.”
“They better not try to stop us.”
“Or what, Tony? The Hamiltons support Mt. Horab. Felt bad for those Buckle people getting run out of everywhere else, so they helped them get established. They claim to be independent, but the Republic will help them if needs be.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Remember what I told you. They’re idealists, not businessmen.”
“What’s the ideal behind Mt. Horab?” Kathy interjected.
“Their religion is the key. The Republic has their Unified Church. There’s one of their chapels just outside of the City, an act of courtesy to them when we ran the Buckles out. Different name but very similar belief structure to what the Buckles believe. Sam in particular will encourage Alex to defend them, he’s very strong in this faith.” Uncle Jack raised his hand to stop them both from objecting. “I know it isn’t good business. Not good for long-term growth of an empire. They think they’re answering to a higher power.”
Tony kept picking at the food, a gloomy mood settling down on his face. “We need the rivers. After we get the Kansas City project complete, we’ve got to link up with Vincennes and start pushing east. That’s just as big a prize, maybe bigger, than what we’re doing now.”
Uncle Jack nodded. “I won’t live to see it, but the Diamante family will control the heart of North America within a generation. That is something that brings an old man great joy.”
“A generation? So I’m guessing you’ve got a plan for how to deal with this Mt. Horab problem?”
“An idea, perhaps. But you’re going to have to do some things that might make you uncomfortable. Even sorry…regretful, I mean. Situations that need handling now, before they get out of control.”
“I’m listening.”
“You just said they’ve got the support of the Hamiltons!”
“That’s where the discomfort will come in, dearest nephew. You’ve got to force Alex to do something he doesn’t want to do. You’ve got to force him to choose between the two of you.”
Chapter Three
Junction of Kaskaskia and Mississippi River
ARK River Task Force 5
Year 12.09 A.G.R. (After the Great Reset)
“Make our speed two-thirds.”
“Two-thirds, aye, Captain.”
Chocolate-colored water swirled in tiny eddies alongside the ship's hull, a hypnotizing dance of resistance to the mighty current below. Billions of gallons of brute force struggled to keep the Firefly pushed back, overcome only by mighty diesel engines willing the propellers to chop faster than Old Man River could shove. Black exhaust pushed a slowly dispersing cloud of soot into the sky from the twin stacks extended ten feet up aft of the wheelhouse, while below a frothy churn of cascading wake was blown toward shore.