Their plan was to travel south in well stocked trailers and RVs that moved quickly, follow the Rhine into the Schwartzwald, almost to the Swiss border, and then cut sharply west and enter France in the southern part of French-Gaul disputed Alsace. The first week had passed in September, and the smaller group of travelling Goth were in the Schwartzwald, the Black Forest. They moved with a slight more caution and less speed that they had over the last six days, knowing well that ownership of the region was being contested.

The Goth considered this part of their state of Germany, but both Gaul and Switzerland claimed it on various days of the week, when small armies pushed east or north. And now it was known they were abroad, the news having been leaked, all the nomadic Goth thought it best to stay hidden as long as possible from their own soldiers as well as from those of other nations.

Claudia and John still shared a trailer with four others, those of Alaric's family. Behind them came other vehicles, best known perhaps the crew trailer and large van towing it which Miko and Marek now shared with Ceci and Joyce as well as fellow young Peacekeepers Hansel and Rory. Sascha retained her own RV, Jayne and Eric still sleeping in their loft, while their bedroom had been given to Patrick, Adelle, and Maureen, and Sascha made use of the sofabed. Justin and Elzbieta had likewise taken on others. Besides ever-present Sammy, who Elzbieta had also found on the Danube Valley Battlefield, and little Rozz, they housed Aaron and Austin of the Peacekeepers. Others had traded vehicles with those staying behind, like Karina, who kept a trailer with Vivanne, now pulled along by her old Mini still full of plants. Elonwey's RV now towed a small trailer shared by Gloria and Jeanette, both now the most prominent clothing makers of the tribe. Quentin still had his work truck with portable furnace, and cot for sleeping, just as Gerhard and his crew lived out of their large news van. Others trailed behind making their number roughly one hundred persons, quite few compared to what they had grown used to.

They moved along an old road, in the outer parts of forest, which had fallen into disrepair in past decades, like so many things in Europe. Claudia was most definitely well within the third or fourth month of pregnancy, or as definitely as she could figure. She was still going about her own daily chores, and corresponding with people in Frankfurt am Main regarding work there, asw well as considering the intercepted comminiques or stolen data. She wore what dresses she owned with high waistline and wouldn't let John or anyone else fawn over her too much.

Only recently had Claudia and Sascha found a means of getting into the military parts of the Alexandria mainframe, past the backdoor passwords and sexigesimal code. The main security feature had been rotating file locations coupled with passwording. Finally, modifying a program Leonore had originally written for use in capturing mobile data, Claudia had broken in. Now she and Sascha studied the contents. In addition to all the previous security measures, they wrote or spoke their messages with codewords, and one message did not seem to match the next in code. Still, they could often get an idea of action being taken, from a group of messages, and sometimes piece together the information.

Usually their codewords used logic, as they would have to be understood by a number of people to receive said message. The pale man named Jack from the factory town was code for an agent of the Manchester School, and in same message the black haired youth was any of the VC. Sometimes, verbs were transferred from dating or sex related vocabulary. What seemed like gossip written between girlfriends could be General Angel's reports of troop movements and conflicts. Claudia expected the most secure messages might be sent via telepathy,

Claudia realized, however, that even telepathy could be captured or provide metadata. Since her time as David's lover, Claudia had possessed a weak sort of telepathy. It was only moderately reliable in reading John's thoughts in close range, but ocassionally she sensed vague images or feelings that truly seemed just beyond range or out of frequency. David was always in her head, and he was getting stronger; David was physically moving toward her.

Jayne ran over the dirt and needles of the forest, calling for Claudia as loudly as anyone dared now. Claudia put the handle of the basket of foraged plants over her arm, and moved away from Karina to meet Jayne. The girl was out of breath but tried to speak. Claudia did not like the news. It seemed Sascha had broken the code of another message and was concerned.

Claudia called back to Adelle who was closer now than Karina, "I have to meet Sascha, I'm going back to the train."

"All right," Adelle said, just confirming. They tried to stay aware of where others were, so they would know who might ever be missing.

Claudia hurried through the pines to the train, where it lined the side of a road. They crossed the road and walked about the RV to climb inside. Sascha was sitting on the sofa looking at her mobile on the table. It was a new machine, quite powerful, and one they had helped to design. "I hope you can tell me I'm wrong," Sascha said, "But I think the Union has sent someone after us."

Cladia sat close to Sascha's side, "show me," she said as she looked at the mobile's display.

Sascha brought forward the text of a message and quickly aligned next to it another panel with text on it. The second was a report from a still publishing Paris daily. "The message was lifted from Alex," Sascha began, referring to the mainframe they had broken into, "It definitely is routed from Berlin to Alexandria. Here you see it speaks of a new friend sending his children on a trip south. I think this is the DG reporting that they can confirm we left Frankfurt." Sascha brought up in the same panel a new section of text. "I looked through to see if any other messages used the same phraseology. This one is routed from mobile somewhere to Alexandria. It says that the sender believes their pretty new friend has allowed his children to go to France. It says they must want to find new friends there. So, I'm thinking that new friend means Goth and children means us, the travelling ones. And someone is telling Alexandria we are going into France to find more Goth."

"And where is someone sent out?" Claudia asked.

Sascha apologized for the background information, "I just wanted you to see how I came to it, because I really hope I am wrong." She brought up another section of text in the panel. "Here, this is from another mobile to Alex, must be after another message has gone out we can't find. The sender says 'I am disappointed that you must seduce those bent boys that your niece introduced you to, and then send them out to meet your new little friend. I could use boys like that just where they were, or dancing with me, but not if they are taken up with the wants of your new friend. Those children should know better than to leave their father at a time like this! Better plan: have one of your nephews meet them instead. They are sure to get on famously with him.'"

Claudia already shifted her gaze to the left panel where the daily article was still displayed. Sascha spoke to ask her to do just this. The article from the Paris daily reported that the so-called Sacred Battalion had left Paris and then went on to lament the loss of the American force and speculate what they were up to. As well the article retold what most knew, that the Sacred Battallion was made up of American soldiers who were all homosexual and that, though America had continued voluntary formation of this and equally homogenous groups, it was this group of 500 soldiers that took up the name of the ancient greek fighting force composed of couples, after being recognized as one of the most highly decorated and skilled.

Claudia saw the connection as well, wondered if Sascha saw the whole picture. "What was your entire conclusion?" Claudia asked.

"We figured that for whatever reason niece or nephew refers to the American Jewel family and often niece in particular to President Caroline Jewel. I'd read this article when I came to that last message. I figure it to be from the General, it is her tone, her way of writing reports, more rants, as we have noticed. She is upset that these bent and clearly American friends, the Sacred Battalion, have been sent to meet us. So between the messages I could find an order must have gone out to the Sacred Battalion ordering them to come seek us."

"To what end?" Claudia asked, not really meaning to ask Sascha.

"I don't know. I can't figure each line of these messages either, just parts."

Claudia nodded. If it had not been ordered, it had been suggested by Angel that David be sent after them instead. "Famously" was too obvious a reference to the biblical verse, in English translations, that mentioned the Nephillim. Claudia doubted such a thing would be ordered, but Angel seemed to suggest that David make Claudia and John Vampyres and thus influence their loyalty. It was much Angel's style, if not the High Lord's. Claudia was pretty sure David was still considered missing to those in Alexandria, and they would not be able to or dare give him such an order...but just the idea of it.

"I'm afraid that it does seem the High Lord has sent the Sacred Battalion after us, we must try to avoid them. Have we anything on them?"

"I hadn't been monitoring them, unless they came in on Radio Free," Sascha said meaning the computer mailbox messages of unknown origin.

"I'll check there," Claudia said. "Let's not tell everyone, Justin, John, maybe Miko if we need more help tracking, but Jayne is here."

Sascha nodded as she looked up to Jayne leaning against the opposite counter sipping from a mug. She wouldn't tell anyone.

Claudia left the other girls with a silent bow and walked outside. Joyce and Austin were right outside the door. "We were just coming to tell you we're getting ready to move," Joyce said.

"Thanks. I'll be working in the crew trailer for a while."

Claudia moved, along the side of the road, to the trailer ahead. Marek and Rory were both outside. As Claudia came within hearing, they were speaking of driving arrangements. Marek agreed to drive, though he said he'd had enough shifts of this that someone else should. That meant Hansel and Rory would be inside as well as Miko and Ceci.

Claudia stepped up through the open door after Rory, and found the other three already inside the familiar chamber of found objects and luxurious scraps of drapery. Miko and Ceci were beginning to be like Jayne and Erik in their twin like appearance and near-constant proximity to each other. They were on the floor looking at Miko's latest mobile.

"Someone ordered the sacred Battalion to move," Miko said, "I wonder if we can find who they are going to meet."

Claudia looked down at Miko without speaking. His eyes gave only innocence. "I'll talk to you about it when we get moving," Claudia said finally and in small whisper. There was a knocking on the outer wall and they all heard the double rap inside and knew it was a signal from the scouts to all riders that they were going to move.

Claudia went to the terminal that held decrypted captured transmissions, it still worked unmonitored as Leonore and Marcus had set it to. Now, Claudia took a memory device from her bag and put it in the terminal. The trailer began to roll and Claudia gripped the counter before her for stability; the wheels on that side bounced over dirt and treeroots at the side of the road. The trailer was on the road again and Claudia keyed in the commands to download what was in the Radio Free mailbox to her device.

Hansel and Rory closed themselves within their bedroom behind curtains, while Ceci and Miko remained seated on the floor. They were setting up to play a video game against each other. Claudia tucked the memory device beneath the low neckline of her gown, then turned to face the others fully.

Claudia went to the door and looked out through the glass. A small car was aside them, driven by Aaron. Claudia waved to them. Soon Aaron had his car pacing the trailer. Claudia opened the door of the trailer as Patrick, riding along as scout opened the rear door and held out a hand to Claudia. Claudia reached for Patrick's hand and as she felt his grip was firm she leapt lightly from the trailer doorway onto the car's threshold, catching herself with her right hand on the top of the car door.

Patrick quickly pulled her into the car. "I'm getting too big for this," Claudia sighed.

"It's fun, thought," Aaron called from in front. "Where do you want to go?"

"Have you seen John?" Claudia asked.

Patrick smiled thoughtfully as he answered her, was probably thinking of how he liked to keep a watch on Adelle. "He's in your trailer."

"There," Claudia said. The trailer was just ahead but they were coming to a bend in the road and all the vehicles were of a sort that they would have to brake to take the curve.

Patrick opened the door of the car and Claudia stepped to the edge, holding the rail that ran along the roof. She reached with her left hand for the trailer door and pulled it open till it locked in position. They were driving very slowly then, and Claudia only had to hop over to the trailer, she took it a foot at a time.

Inside, Claudia closed the door quietly. There was music playing, and the interior lights were out, drapes mostly drawn; that meant little Alaric was asleep in his crib. Claudia could see the shape of him under light blankets through the mesh wall of the sleeping enclosure. At the opposite end of their trailer, light coming through the rear window cast a silhouette on the curtain drawn across the beds.

Claudia had seen Merideth and Louisa in the jeep, and so she knew this was her husband and Alaric. They were a single figure, one torso separated from the other by narrow stream of light. Claudia was quiet about taking out her mobile from her satchel and picking the disc from her clothes. She sat down and went to work, scanning the assorted messages for reference to the Sacred Battalion.

Claudia looked up. She could hear speaking from the bedroom but not so many understandable words. The music was classical, might have been Schubert, played at a volume soft enough that the small boy slept and loud enough that background noises were drown out. Claudia felt Alaric was asking John a question and then slowly the silhouetted figure reclined.

Discreet as they made effort to be, Claudia knew very well what went on. For whatever reasons within John's mind or soul, he sometimes felt he must be give pleasure to young men who, like himself, were both very pretty yet masculine, particularly Alaric. Rather, Claudia was certain it had only, so far, been Alaric, but that John might potentially do this with others. If he might convince Kit that celebacy only prohibited marriage, for example, and that Jesus would want Kit to allow John to make love to him.

Claudia tolerated or ignored this mostly. She never got urges to lick any parts of her female friends, but she supposed if she could have such thoughts about John, the thoughts themselves were understandable no matter who one felt them for.

Claudia went on with her research, reading up on the Sacred Battalion as well as attempting to track any movement on their part. She thought of Michael again. Her Father's old friend had been in Paris all the time. He might know something of them. Claudia brought up the panel and opened her link over the mobile's connection.

† † †

Quick hovered in the entry boudoir of Michael's virtual Parisian house. Michael was cloaked if present and so waiting quick admired the scenery. A figure popped into view and Quick knew it to be another visitor rather than their host. This was a man in leather fetish gear, or their avatar was; the operator could have been a twelve-year-old girl, but that Quick checked their metadata and noted a flag indicating legal age.

As well, they carried a tag which meant they were either American or using machine or location registered as American. Claudia had only recently altered Quick's data as well as Iris's and Pupil's to associate them with Goth. At least when they did not use a partial cloak to hide this information.

"Hey there," Quick's letters flashed.

The man appeared to look at her, but took no other action.

Quick went out into the virtual hallway, seeking Michael, as within the trailer, John walked from behind the curtain to the area of the bathroom and began to wash his face.

"Pardonez, Ma Petite,"Michael spoke through the headset. Claudia could read his message translated into English on a panel; she had not altered this set-up since visiting less familiar areas of the net.

"Hello, Michael. I am afraid I could use your help again."

"I don't have long. There is a gentleman I must attend to in the room you just came from, very important."

"If I could just ask you..."

Michael was already responding that Quick would have to ask later.

Claudia disconnected, and sat near her mobile feeling rather dejected. John left the sink, shirtless or wearing only pants. His feet were bare as well. Claudia looked up. Alaric must have been sleeping, his low shadow did not move except where the cutains themselves swayed.

"We may have trouble. I was trying to find out more...but no luck yet."

"What is it?" John asked. He sat down at Claudia's back.

"The Sacred Battalion seems to have been sent after us by Shade himself." Claudia waited for John to consider. "I'll try to find more details," she promised.

"They wouldn't dare hurt us," he said quietly but was not really convincing. "Any news of other armies moving?"

"We can check in again later. Miko would contact me if there was anything more obvious."

"They all know?"

Claudia shook her head. "About, the Americans? Just Sascha, Jayne and I, but Miko knows they are moving and may guess even without the messages Sascha decoded from Alex."

"When we stop tonight you and I will speak with the crew about it. We have the most risky section of our route upcoming."

† † †

The Goth train of vehicles had stopped again aside a road, hunting and campfires had been had, but now fires and most lights had been doused and everyone stayed inside as much as possible. There were few complaints. The weather was getting cool again, and everyone knew of the usual dangers.

John sat on the floor of Sascha's RV where their platoon of Peacekeepers were gathered with all the crew and some remaining Elders. Marek had brought over a wall map and some papers and devices from the crew trailer for the presentation. It was that: everyone gathered about and a few reporting their findings.

"It doesn't look very good for us," Miko was saying. He had just pointed out the recent findings that though the VC had long been within the borders of Switzerland it seemed the Swiss were unbeatable on their home terrain. Even the elite and supernatural talent of the VC were no match for the superior number of the Swiss, once home and sheltered on all sides by mountainous terrain only they were accustomed to travelling, or their system of tunnels and shelters carved into mountains themselves.

"The VC are clearly starting a campaign directly west," Sascha said. Now, the Russians have successfully been split from these other armies and continue their work in the east, but all the western Estates Liberte are now consolidated and being pushed into their home territory."

John nodded. "At least Goth is for the most part freed. But, now these lands will have the war fought on them. There are still the people who are civilian and innocent that will be hurt. And France is still much split by occupying armies."

"Justin, what do you think?" Miko asked, "there is also the mysterious deployment of the Sacred Battalion."

Justin stood from his seat. He gestured to the map, to the former outlines of nations and the bits of string and tacks the crew used to mark present borders. "It seems to have worked well, the declaration of Goth. The Estates Liberte were caught off guard by the move and the publicly announced stance of peace and neutrality seemed to keep them from risking attacks for the most part, regardless of Goth's stand with the Union. Here, we can see it is clear even much of Germany and Poland are safe for travel again. The bad news is that it has made the Union armies desperate. Without the obvious threat of Union Germany, they were the strongest supporter of the Union in Europe for a long time, the Estates Liberte have not had to plan for attack from the North and so have been able recently to change their strategy. Rather than gather more of Central Europe to their side through war they have moved south. There are some Spanish soldiers moving into Africa now."

"I didn't know that," John said quietly. Spain could conceivably threaten Alexandria itself. They had a strong army, still. Wrong as it was to hope for such feelings, there was some chance that differences between Catholic and Muslim would halt the Spanish Army's movement across Northern Africa.

"I don't think North Africa will be a large problem for us now, but in the future could explode. The area is strongly Muslim and not a strongly affiliated with the African League as they are with the Arab league. Alexandria and all of Egypt is right in the middle of that. The introduction of the Spanish, or any supremacist groups fleeing Europe, can only make matters worse. But to stick to the present," Justin said, "The Swiss are safe if they stay in Switzerland, we have seen this. They might even move on Italy if given time and try to take back Vampire City for the Catholics. For there present, Italy, outside the Vampyric enclave, is more in control of private powers, corporations, and old families rather than any politicians. The politicians there now are all in someone's pocket. They all support the Union for now, because the Union seems to be tolerating this system. But, they have lent no troops. Also recently, we have seen the entire European Darkling Guard move from rendevous in Berlin south and into the Balkans. With only the home armies to guard borders, fighting could turn to the north again, if there is time. The DG will no doubt go against Russia which still has a very large army in Southern Europe. That leaves Spain and Gaul fighting along with the satellite groups. There is really no one to stand up to them but the VC. Reports tell us there are few Darkling left in all of Spain or Gaul; they are publically executed. Those that remain, are in hiding. There is no means of escape across the borders. Still, I hear they are slowly being hunted out."

"Is the VC moving to stop them?" John asked.

"Only the Americans and a very few French are still in the fight, now that all of Goth is neutral."

"But I can't condone declaration of war," John said flatly, "It isn't right. We have done enough harm in taking our borders back."

Justin shrugged.

"What is is starting to look like is there may be American's off the coast of France or Gaul. It's only rumor now, but it makes sense. President Jewel has been very much in support of the Union all during the war. Already Americans have been deployed from airbases throughout Europe to fight for the Union. They continue to hold Paris. And recently the so-called Sacred Battalion has been sent from Paris. The rumor is it is on the High Lord's whim and President Jewel has allowed the Battalion to serve Alexandria."

"We can actually confirm this," Claudia said, "And I know where they are going."

John looked to the black couch Claudia sat upon. She had Jayne at her side and her mobile on her knees. He had not been sure she would tell them all about this.

"I only just now heard from a contact in Paris. The sacred Battalion has been sent to intercept us."

To meet them, and it was definite. Now, John wondered why Shade would bother.

"Why?" Justin demanded.

Claudia held up her palm in plea for calm. "We knew that Alexandria as capital of the Union had been displeased by the very formation of Goth mid-war, and our very public denouncement of the war. What saved our own lands from further battle and attack had made the Union suspicious of us. They continue to meet with our ambassadors. Now, it seems, whatever their true plans are regarding ending the war and fighting the Estates Liberte, they do not wish us present. The High Lord has ordered the SB to come find us. I have just learned that the particulars of their orders demand they keep us out of France, Including Gaul which the Union refuses to recognize as a real nation, and that they are required to use restraining force."

"That means they can go as far as to arrest and detain the Goth but should not consider them targets to be killed. If we were fool enough to shed their blood they would have to return, at least toward those individuals," Justin said quickly.

Claudia nodded. "Clearly they have plans or expectations of a bloody ending of the war on Gaul ground and do not wish our brave camera teams and Peacekeepers present as we were at the Battle of Danube Valley. It would only be bad Press Relations."

"We can rush them if need be," John spoke up, "try to get around the SB."

"We can try," Justin said, "but they will outnumber us five to one and have our best defensive weaponry matched. We set off one gas canister and they'd have us all knocked out and in cuffs."

John shook his head. There had to be a way, a better ending than just giving up. "We can try."

"We can try," Justin said back to him.

"Then we try our best," Claudia said and sounded so much stronger. "No, we do the best we can."

"Very Jedi Master of you, but 500 American soldiers?" Marek asked.

Claudia turned and glared at the boy. "We do our very best and help as many as possible. No Goth should do less!"

"I'm Goth," Marek groaned.

"We are Goth," Justin assured the Lady.

"All of us," John added. "Perhaps we can win over the Sacred Battalion so they don't keep us from our work...or let's make that plan B. It's not a bad thing to be prepared to do in another way as long as what needs doing is done."

Claudia gave a nod.