Chapter 10:

[Ethan Talon]

Ethan chuckled and spooned a mouthful of chili, chewed, and swallowed, "We haven't been living high on the hog, but 1,500 head of cattle goes a long way. We raided the Target warehouse in Pueblo the first week when we realized the lights weren't coming back on. And of course the Rio Grande and Santa Fe Railroads have rounded out our needs, but we got a nearly 800 people living here now. Food goes fast even with every family growing their own gardens. Everyone gets enough to survive, and little more. That's why we just can't pay the Governor's taxes. It's lead to bloodshed, but her attention seems focused on the Monks in Cañon City." He picked up a slice of bread and slathered it with butter and took a huge bite, "But, I have missed bread. No doubt about it."

[Trinity Talon]

"Yeah Thorne-Underwood is fancying herself to be some kind of Queen or whatever." Trinity rolled her eyes. "I didn't vote for her." she shrugged her shoulders. "But she's got some powerful forces, so we may need your defenses and your fighters to keep her off our land."

"Our little Trinity may as well be the Queen around these parts... other than in Mrs. Acker's kitchen" Tess said with a laugh.

"Hey, she knows who signs her checks as it were." Trinity said and smiled. "I still think we're blessed... both with Ethan having this land and because we're good at finding the right people to lead things."

[Kat Donovan]

"Getting the right people in the right place is half the battle," Kat said. "We got fighters that's for sure. You don't cross half a continent through bandit gangs, and half-human cannibals without them. The whole party has been trained in fighting to some degree. Got a dozen archers from mediocre to passable. There's a ninety Infantry, one-ten in a pinch if we enlist the older and pregnant folk. And with the help of Des Moines and our blacksmith's know-how we got fifty heavy lancers in full plate harness, and another twenty-five light horse."

Ethan whistled, "No wonder you made it across, and with those wagons too. They look heavy."

"They are," Kat agreed. "Des Moines has a unique problem. They literally have more food than they can eat before it goes bad. From barges on the Mississippi in Davenport, miles of railcars, and grain elevators all over they are in a position to survive this very well, and we traded. We got food and weapons in exchange for Angel teaching the Iowans how to use a loom to create cloth, and our blacksmith teaching theirs how to make weapons and armor. I noticed your bows. They look like new manufacture."

Ethan nodded, "They are. Found a bowyer early on, and brought him to the ranch. He prefers making longbows, but they are awkward as all get out on horseback, so he's made more recurves. We only have a few dozen part time archers who serve garrison duty. All of our cowboys are what many are calling light horse cavalry, roughly a hundred or so. It's a full time job protecting the herd from the Governor and bandits. But, we've had to get everything from the Abby, which the monks charge a fair price, but it's expensive. Your blacksmith will be a welcomed addition. Best I can do is forge a horseshoe."

[Angel Ryder]

Angel decided that maybe she needed to be with the family more than her own need for a shower and a drink. There would be time for that later.

"So these Monks... what exactly are they making for you? We've got a pretty good set of makers in our little band that I've assembled. Speaking of band... I also have a nice supply of musical instruments. Considering we don't have radio or even working music players - although I have managed to rig a perpetual motion machine to run a record player, there's something to be said for live." Angel said as she pecked Ethan on the cheek. "You still owe me for not playing at your wedding. "

[Ethan Talon]

"Anything metal," Ethan said. "We got a few things from blade shops around the area, but most of the swords are just for show. I'm waiting on them to finish a pump. We can put a water tower on top of the inner keep with a windmill, and we'd have running water again. I think if we put a tank inside one of the chimneys we can have hot water too."

[Angel Ryder]

"That WOULD be nice... warmest bath I had in months was a tepid lagoon and that was a while ago." Angel said as she tapped her chin. "I might be able to give us something of an edge... literally. Since bullets don't work and gunpowder has as much flash as a 9volt battery on a tongue, but spring loaded weapons may still work. I have a few designs in my briefcase that I've been working on. Dad would be proud of me thinking like an engineer again. Not just a frock maker."

[Ethan Talon]

Ethan chuckled as he pushed his bowl away and wiped the corners of his mouth with a peice of irreplaceable paper towel. "You can have a hot bath right now." He jerked a thumb at the fireplace that had been expanded in to a full hearth with a black kettle sitting over the coals. "You just have to work for it. As far as springs go, I can confirm they work. No, not because the Abby makes crossbows that cost more than they are worth, but the bows. They are nothing more than a simple spring."

[Angel Ryder]

"Let me wash off two weeks of sweat and travel grime and actually change into some clothes that don't stink and I'll see what I can set up." Angel said as she buttered a slice of bread and took a bite. "Oh god, I missed this." she sighed and shook her head. "I hate designing weapons, that's why I got out of engineering and went into fashion design, when my mother killed a couple dozen villagers with something I designed and actually had the guts to give me a quarter million dollar check and a contract to make more. I took that check, bought a factory and vowed never to make weapons again. Now... I guess the world is different. And my point of view changed when I was only an hour or two from being some cannibal's dinner if it wasn't for Kat here." she rubbed her wrist. "Ethan I need you to promise me, that we only fight to defend ourselves. I won't see something I created used to kill innocents, even if they're on the 'wrong side'"

[Ethan Talon]

Ethan sighed, "I'm not a president, a king or even a general. I'm just a dumb rancher. The only reason I'm here is because grandfather died three years ago and dad's in the Navy. Someone had to come home and run this ranch. When we fight, we fight for our homes, and nothing more."

"Why not?" Kat asked suddenly. "People obviously follow you. Why don't you carve yourself out a kingdom here."

"Because this is America," Ethan blurted incredulously.

"Look around you. The United States died the minute the change turned everything upside down. We are rebuilding from the ashes. The American way won't work anymore. At least not for a very long time. You and Trinity are natural leaders, and would make a fair King and Queen."

Ethan smiled not taking the speech seriously. "Yeah, King Ethan the First," he said with a chuckle. "And here my science teacher in high school said I wouldn't amount to much!" He finished with a full throated guffaw. "You are still funny."

[Angel Ryder]

"I wouldn't have let my only daughter marry a guy I didn't think had it in him to do something great." Angel said as she looked at him. "That and your mom is a strong leader, the apple shouldn't have fallen too far from the tree. And your science teacher was a prick. I had the same teacher. Should have retired ages ago."