Mother was with them in the basement, as they rifled through years of boxed-up belongings, and bins of old athletic gear. Danjel had explained it as best he could, and quickly. Russia was invading, and it was safer for everyone if he was gone. Father Kit would be staying, and Mother knew to go to him in real emergency. Wendy and Leon wanted to leave, but Danjel had convinced them, with Claudia's help, that they had to be the new resistence cell and do whatever Mother and Father Kit told them as if it w erea matter of life or death.

      One by one, Danjel took bags or boxes of his things upstairs and out to his newer car. It was a hovercar, large, American and purchased used. It held a good amount of people or luggage. Right now, it was parked on its underwheels, with eight horses tethered to trees nearby and feeding from bags.

      Leon came from the house. "News?" asked Claudia.

      "Just that those that were camped here are active all over the city and others of unknown number are not a long march east of here."

      Claudia nodded and hurried back into the house. Danjel looked over the car. It was a convertible with its top up now, because he thought that looked slightly less suspicious. He had about as much as he was going to find from the house.

      Danjel walked his mother into the house. "Wendy has money, did she tell you. It's for emergencies, Dad sent it. Let her give it to you if you need it. Wendy and Leon will stay with you, and Alicja of course. Leon has means to contact Claudia over the net if there is an important message. Rudy's good, he's fighting for our people. Wendy will watch over him if she can. Is there anything else?"

      Mother shook her head. "I only wish none of this had happened."

      "I know," Danjel said. "I love you. Take care of Jozef." Danjel kissed his mother either side of her face. Claudia came from the front door.

      "I think we have everything," she said. She came down the steps, almost happily. Maybe she was happy.

      "Are you sure you have enough clothes?" Mother asked.

      Danjel embraced her a last time. "Don't worry. Take care of yourself." He could hear her sniffle. 

      Claudia stood still at mother's side for a moment and then she also embraced her. She whispered something and Mother kissed her for it.

      "Take care of each other, please," Mother cried.

      Danjel smiled for her as he hitched the horses to the car. He figured it was the best way to keep pace with them, if they pulled the car along on its underwheels. Claudia stroked Cloud's neck while she waited. Then, they got in the car, put down the roof, and laughed all the way to the church.

                      †               †               †

      The group gathered within and just outside the ruins of St. Casimir was larger than Danjel had expected.  Kit was there, and Father Zilla along with him, both inside the old stone walls, where the large doors had once stood. As Danjel walked to the portal, he saw others he knew. Wendy and Leo were there and Rudy had managed to show up.  Karina and Elzbieta were together with Karl and Merideth some distance back. Danjel noted a few more local kids who had been at the coffee shop or the church before.

      A new group was centered about a black, Japanese sedan and had a certain aloofness about them. "Here is our leader, John," Karl said and he was addressing the new group of kids. "And our lovely Lady Claudia."

      The new kids fell into step with each other, not as military, but gang fashion. They approached quickly and Danjel realized they must be the expected group from Warsaw. They dressed in the latest street and club styles and mainly in dark colors with bright bindings and corsetry. He noticed several of them wore a red letter R on their person. "I'm Robbie," said the thin boy, he had to be around Leon's age.

      Claudia formed words silently and suddenly the boy, Robbie and she jumped to life. "You're Quick?" he asked, "How random is that? A babe in real life!"

      "Your image is everything!" Claudia said and seemed happy. "I have so much to show you. Is this your crew?"

      Robbie was shaking his head, but Danjel figured this was only the lingering disbelief that the hacker known as Quick really was a hot sixteen-year-old girl. His group of friends seemed torn between awe and disillusionment. Robbie pointed them out quickly, his crew. Danjel gathered the oldest girl was Leonore and that the others were peripheral; Robbie might have actually whispered this word. But Danjel caught the names Marek and Helena.

      "So, the sitch?" Robbie asked.

      Claudia tipped her head toward Danjel. He motioned for all the group to move closer. They crept up and Danjel began to speak. "Claudia and I must leave, the reasons may be given later, if you do not already know. Followers are welcome, and friends. Our plan is to move around, mainly in a camping type mode, perhaps visit towns. Our goal is to spread a message on this trip. The message is that differences don't really matter when lives are at stake, whatsmore and in particular, that we all come from one ancient tribe or another and the fighting between tribes is bloody and stupid.  So, we propose a new tribe. A tribe for all. Nomadic across all homelands. A people loyal to each other and respectful of others they encounter."

      "What's the name of the tribe?" Leonore asked.

      Danjel looked to Claudia. She better have thought about this. It was her area.

      "We will be the Goth."

      There perhaps half a minute of near silence. Danjel was afraid the mention of any one of the ancient names would renew a blood-feud.

      "Didn't they compose music?" someone asked.

      "There were different kinds of Goth."

      "The Huns killed them all," someone said, as another said, "the Romans wiped them out."

      "I will tell you all about them," Claudia said, a bit more loudly than usual. "I chose the name because it is simple and was one of the larger more successful tribes. But the new tribe will be for all, not only those who might have once been Goth."

      "My crew will follow you, John," Robbie said, "Warsaw is completely taken by war, we barely managed to get out, except that I knew the frequency used by emergency vehicles there to manually change traffic signals and Leonore built a slick multichannel wideband radio scanner that we used to catch Russian military calls."

      Danjel only nodded. "Useful technologies, you will make the tribe stronger," Claudia said. "Perhaps John will ask someone to introduce you to the original crew."

      Danjel looked to Karl. He and Merideth were discussing something amongst themselves and Karina seemed to be listening less obviously. Karl looked up finally toward Danjel and gave a nod. He brought the others yet closer.

      Danjel watched as Karl stepped around to lok over the new recruits. "We call our Leader John, and he is the one who makes the important decisions. We all agree that he has the good ideas and seems inspired, that is why we follow. Thus far, he has allowed me to assist him in making practical decisions and in carrying out field assignments. I will be called Alaric."

      Danjel looked toward Claudia out of the corner of his eye only, not trying to be obvious. It seemed she nodded. It must have been a name from history and Danjel recalled that Karl and Claudia had been discussing such things when he had first found them together. "Alaric is like a battle commander, a champion," Danjel told the others, "sometimes I must think on a problem or do other work, so Alaric gives orders if they are needed."

      "The Lady Merideth," Karl said with flourish toward her. As if arranged she curtseyed to the group. "She has assisted Lady Claudia in technical projects, but more she is her lady-in-waiting and my partner. A scout she is as well, and an artist with her camera. Merideth and I mean to record all that happens to the tribe"

      "Lady Elzbieta," Karl said, "most lovely recruiter and scout, also a wonderful cook. Unlike Claudia, Merideth and myself, descended from a tribe close to your own if not the same, and we are glad to have her share in the new tribe with us."

      "Karina," Karl said, "does not prefer to be called Lady. But really deserves all our respect. She has been a help right from the beginning to us all, and distinguishes her self in knowledge of herb lore and use as well as Wiccan craft."

      "I do not ask or suggest belief in any one religion opposed to another, so long as practice of any chosen religion does not prevent others from doing the same," Danjel annouced, "I am Catholic, Karina Wiccan, Claudia existensialist in philosophy, Merideth and Karl Lutheran in upbringing..."

      "Karl, huh?" Robbie asked.

      Danjel winced. "He is Alaric now, but I remember calling him Karl. My mistake. If anyone chooses to take a new name to be known as within the tribe that is their right."

      Karl nodded. "I look forward to getting to know the rest of you," he said. "I believe we want to get moving as soon as possible. There are some here only to say farewells. Anyone who wants to follow be sure to have a vehicle or join another as passenger. I believe Claudia has maps and will guide our course."

      Danjel saw Claudia go to Robbie and Leonore and ask something. There was just time for him to say goodbyes. He found Kit still near the doorway with the older priest. It was father Zilla who spoke first. "Father Kit has spoken of you young Mr, Poznanski; may I offer you and your followers my added blessing?"

      "I would be honored, Father," Danjel said and bowed slightly.

      Father Zilla spoke a blessing in Latin the sprinkled Danjel with holy water. He stepped away to move about the crowd, asking those who wanted blessings to stand for the holy water. Kit picked up a wooden box with lid from the ground. "The priests of the parish and the retired Jesuits from the home have prepared this gift for you," Kit said and Danjel expected to find small religious figures and saints within the box. He knew that this was the best known way the local parish and the associated home for retired priests and brothers of the Jesuit order raised funds, the making of small figures. In his mothers house, at Christmas, they displayed a large nativity set made by the priests with many finely crafted shepherds and animals as well as the Christ child and family.

      Kit lifted the box open into three fabric lined sections. The leftmost held an infant Christ, as well as his mother and foster father, St. Joseph. The center shallow held a crucified Christ with mother Mary in mourning and disciple John. It was quite usual for them to be paired; it was taught that Jesus Christ had given his mother over to John's care at his death.  The third section held a resurrected open armed Christ standing with the figures of St. Mother Teresa and St. Casimir the Peacemaker. Teresa and Casimir were the two saints the local Church had been dedicated to, of course, and commonly sold by the priests. What struck Danjel was that, unlike the set owned by his mother and others he had seen, these figures were all made of poly clay, not cast plaster. They were hand-crafted, the sort of figures the more talented priest used to make their molds, only they were unlike the prototypes that Danjel had seen in that they were fully colored either by use of clay or paint and had their small accessories attached.

      "They are incredible," Danjel said. He gazed down at the half-foot high figures as he took the open box into his own hands. The cross and manger were both made of real pieces of wood. Casimir's crown was made of gold leaf and wire. The outermost clothes of the figures including Christ's torn and folded garment as he hung on the cross the veils of the female figures were made of thin cloth.

      "I made most of them myself, but all the priests helped with the painting and dressing. Father Zilla mainly worked on Joseph and old father Stan did most of Teresa."

      Danjel touched Casimir's face. It was a perfect tiny copy of his own face. "I'd forgotten," Danjel said but recalled now that Kit had learned as a child to make miniature figures and doll parts from his mother who mainly crafted hers for use in collectable doll houses.

      "Really, it was no trouble, I could sit all day and work on them; it keeps me in favor with all the old priests. Always they are coming up with another saint I should craft. Father Stan swears celibacy's no trouble if you occupy your free time with a hobby, but I'm not sure that isn't too easy a way out."

      "Be satisfied with Christ," Danjel said then bowed to kiss the feet of the small crucified figure.

      Kit blushed and tried to hide behind his hands. Danjel had to laugh.

      "Don't tease, Dany," Kit hissed.

      Danjel closed up the box and shifted it under his arm. He had to say good bye to his brothers and sister and it bothered him a little that he would not be seeing Kit, more than it hurt him to leave his family again. "I love God, Kit and you know it. I love you too, and it bothers me I can't kiss you goodbye without being suspected of tempting you toward sin."

      Kit held his hand forward, palm down, and smiled a little. "Forgive me?" he asked Danjel.

      Danjel took Kits wrist and lifted his hand, bowed just slightly to kiss Kit's fingers. "Always," he said before he straightened and dropped kit's hand. Kit embraced him then, put his arms up around Danjel's neck.

      "God go with you, Dany, I will pray for you to be safe every night," Kit said in a whisper. He did a strange thing then and Danjel thought he was sincere in meaning it a high form of blessing and nothing else, though it might appear otherwise to any who did not understand their real and particular love for God. Kit straightened, and kissed his first two fingers with eyes closed, then, opening his eyes, he touched the same fingers to Danjel's forehead, lips, and chest, as he said, "on your mind, your lips, your heart," and then continued, "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," as he touched again Danjel's forehead, his chest and then left shoulder before right, "be written the Word of God."

      Daniel felt something, believed it might be genuine ecstasy. Perhaps it was not, but he felt it must be very close if not really genuine. He might not have moved if Claudia had not touched him.

      "We're picking up radio messages, say goodbye to your family, there is little time," she said.

      Danjel moved away, wondering if this very content feeling would stay. He found Rudy, with Wendy and Leon hanging close about him. He nursed his right arm by the way he held it close to his body, but he was fully dressed, again in uniform and no bandage was visible. "Good luck," he said.

      Danjel nodded, "I never want to fight with you again, Rudy. You're a good man and I hope you will take care of the family while I am away."

      "I guess I'm sorry we fought, too," Rudolph said, "you're different, Dany, really different, but I can see how you have very good intentions. I always planned on taking care of them."

      "Well, try not to get yourself killed, all right?"

      "You too?" Rudolph said.

      "And you two both take care. I love you all," Danjel said, looked from Wendy to Leon and then back to Rudy. He bent to embrace Wendy, she held tight and did not let him go immediately. She said nothing, however. Danjel embraced Leon then. "And you don't go joining any armies any time soon. You keep watch at home and don't let anyone push the family around."

      "I'll do my best," Leon promised. 

      A raindrop fell on Danjel's cheek. He looked up and several seconds later another fell into his eye.

      "Let's get loaded up and moving!" Karl called and Danjel wondered if he should really think of him as being Alaric now.