Chapter 28

Ft. Drum Military Reservation
New York State

October 2011

As they pulled in they passed a number of busses pulling out. Foreman was standing there with what looked like the rest of the men, watching them go, his anger like thunder on the horizon. "Idiots, the lot of them," he said as they approached.

"They're afraid." Spencer said. "They don't know any other way."

"But they know what they're going back to." He shook his head. "Not my people. Fuck Parson and the horse he rode in on. Never again."

"Where's Housekeeper?" Tally asked.

"Hey, Teacher," Foreman said with a respectful nod. "She's inside; some of the others are upset."

"Andi and I have been in there with the others this morning." Emily said. "This is turning out to be a lot bigger than just replacing what Rocheson took."

"Oh?" Spencer asked.

"It looks like many if not most of the women worked in the main house or in the Elder's homes as servants. They're not only out of jobs they've lost what amounts to their career."

"Not a bad thing." Morgan pointed out.

"No, but now they have to redefine their role in their community. And given that they're no longer Master's brood mares...I know." Emily said as both men shuddered. "...they're having to redefine the basic role of women in their community as well. And let me tell you, there are some strong, determined women in there. They are going to define themselves and the world is going to accept that, like it or not. But it's not easy."

"What they decide we support." Foreman said. "But they have to decide for themselves. In the meantime we have other work."

While the women of the Grindstone Colony, as they were now calling themselves, sorted out their roles the men sorted out the physical plant of the community. The next island in the chain, Wolfe Island, was a part of the province of Ontario, held a small town of about 400 and a lot of farm and nature preserve land. Given that the Colony would live rather lightly upon the ground the Canadian government agreed to make a place for them there, with temporary housing to get them through the winter and assistance to help them re-integrate with modern society. The Canadian and US governments were going to go after Rocheson and Parson to pay for it all. "We discussed it with the women this morning." Foreman said. "They want to keep the communal kitchen. They said there's no reason for every woman to have to cook every day, or every man either. And it's a good way for people to gather. But we want separate sleeping quarters, for families to be together."

"Of course," the NGO rep said.

"And we want a proper medical clinic for the women and children, and new teachers since our old ones are leaving us." Foreman flashed Spencer a grin. "That was as far as we got before we were interrupted."

"That's a good place to start."

"It is, but we can't end there," said a familiar voice behind them.

They turned and saw Housekeeper joining them. She was wearing the same surplus clothes the military had handed out to both sexes, with her hair plaited down her back. "What the hell?" Foreman asked without heat. "I thought you weren't supposed to do your hair like that."

"Yeah, supposedly it says so in their bible. It's funny how they always found a justification for treating us like crap in that book." Housekeeper said. "Well, to quote my husband, fuck that. Teacher's right, this is easy, comfortable and practical. We have a community to build; we don't need to be spending time fussing on our hair. We're here to farm and make a business, not dust knickknacks and bake cookies anymore. We'll have to figure out clothes as we go."

"You know we managed the work without you for all those years."

"Yeah, but Parson's money isn't going to last forever. We need to be working to replace what he was putting in so we can get what we need. And all any of us know how to do is farm, so we're all going to have to put our backs into it if we want to stay together and make this work." Housekeeper replied.

Foreman chuckled. "Practical. That is why I love you." He said as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Practical does have its value." Tally said as she joined the group. Another woman came with her, this one with an infant in a sling.

"I was gonna ask, I didn't know hair came in that color, Teacher." Foreman teased gently.

Tally blushed but lifted her chin. "It must since I'm growing it." She replied. "Please don't say anything about a raggy doll, whatever that is."

"I won't." Foreman promised. "Oh, everyone, this is my daughter Pie, and my granddaughter." He put an arm around the woman with the child. "We don't know what we're calling her yet."

Introductions were made all around. "How about 'Tart'?' Spencer suggested, "A little Pie."

"I like that." Pie said.

"Thank you, smart ass." Housekeeper said to him without any heat.

"What about people who don't want to stay on the farm?" The NGO rep asked.

"We're not owners." Foreman replied. "It's up to everyone if they want to stay or not."

"The problem is no one knows what's out there." Housekeeper said. "I left LA when I was sixteen, even I don't remember that much. Enough to know that there are options out there, but no details. People want to stay with familiar work, in a familiar setting."

"But your people aren't going back for that, like the others." Morgan said.

"Unlike the others we know we can recreate that familiarity elsewhere, with some help. At least we have that much, they don't even have that. We've been told all our lives that the outside world is dangerous and evil. At least Foreman and I know it's not that bad."

"And unlike the others we have scouts." Foreman said.

"Scouts?" The NGO rep asked.

"Yeah, these two," he nodded to Spencer and Tally. "Especially her, she's going to have to write back and tell us about the world out there. You're going to have to keep teaching us, Teacher."

"Always my pleasure," Tally replied.

"You know, I am a great believer in letter writing." Spencer said. "But in this case there might be something better. Grab your tablet." He said to Morgan. He took a few steps back, pulled out his phone and pointed it at Tally. "Say something." He said.

"Say something?"

"Start reciting the Gettysburg Address."

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure."

"Good enough." He stopped the video and sent it to Morgan, who opened it up and played it back for the people gathered.

"I'll be dammed. It's like your own little TV studio." Foreman said. "How far away can they get and still have that work?"

"Anywhere on the planet if we set it up right." Spencer looked at the NGO rep. "We can get them on the net?"

"That's going to be one of the first things we do." She replied. "We'll need that for our own offices."

"That's your job then." Housekeeper said to Tally. "You know what we need to learn as a community, go figure it out and make TV shows and send them back to us. And we'll figure out how to send you questions as we go."

"Perfect job for a Teacher," Foreman agreed.

Tally beamed, "Absolutely."