Claudia looked through the fence and saw a group of American soldiers in their basic uniform of olive, which was less treatening than the several versions of camo and battle dress she had seen them wear since the battle. They left her view, as they passed through the gate and Claudia noticed them again as they walked toward the tribe's camp.

      The soldiers and various civilian contractors that worked on the base were often stopping by. Since hearing testimonials from the soldiers who had witnessed the Battle of Danube Valley and the efforts of the Goth, the base commander had allowed them to camp only a short distance from the fence. The soldiers who had time to themselves were allowed to leave the base to go into the camp as they liked and some of the Goth were allowed within the military base.

      The various merchants within the tribe had been quick to set up their displays and, now, most often it was trade the people came from the base to do. They were American or German, rarely of other nationality but married to an officer and living on base. Younger soldiers, particularly the Americans, were newly stationed at the air base and wanted gifts to send home. Sometimes, they just wanted to chat up the prettier boys and girls of the tribe.

      There were both men and women on base. German and American military had male and female soldiers that trained together and shared assignments. Claudia supposed the majority thought of their fellow soldiers as teammates, and civilians as potential lovers if not friends alone. American guys in particular would spend hours standing around talking to Helena or Sascha. She was back to her old self and quite flirty.

      Claudia had not been around so many Americans, except for the short time she had visited America. They always had nicknames. They were Joey, Pat, Tony, Fin, or Dan. Sometimes, the names made little sense, except to imagine them names by reference. The little guy called Sinatra had pretty blue eyes, the guy named Cheeks had been put on KP after being caught "mooning" a rival barrack. Sometimes, they had militray nicknames such as Serge or Chowmeister. Somehow, a man with the fine name Randolph was called Ray Ray.

      Justin had been to the fence once, since being in the base hospital. Claudia had not seen the inside, but John and Elzbieta assured her it was impressive inside, with American and German "mad genius doctors" inventing replacements for every part of the body, and new ways to repair existing parts. Justin had regained use of both eyes though his left pupil was permanently dilated. They were greenish, sometimes blue.

      Justin said Elzbieta was just as pretty as he imagined, and that he'd had no idea Miko was so young. He was allowed to stand at the fence for a while, met people who had been voices before. "I'd seen you on TV before," he said to Claudia, "but you look younger in person."

      They were working on his ear now, Justin still hadn't left the base, though Elzbieta had been allowed to visit. She talked about him constantly. Clearly it was love, the way she thought everything he did or said was hilarious or romantic. Elzbieta said that he had survived because, after being knocked out by the explosion that temporarily blinded him and crippled one ear, apart from burning parts of his left side, another of his platoon had been shot, while still off balance from the explosion, and fallen on top of him. Morbid, but being beneath his dead friends had sheltered Justin from the further spray of bullets and flame.

      Elzbieta did not speak fluent English though she basically understood it, and so her retellings of things Justin said sometimes lacked clarity. They certainly had schools in Poland that taught the language and even though there had been technological stagnation, they had still had rebroadcast of some British and American shows that were subbed rather than dubbed, but Claudia suspected Elzbieta's lack of fluency was due to the fact that she watched very little television and used the café computers only for researching Polish literature. Claudia gathered, from what Elzbieta had understood and repeated, that Justin's superiors would discharge him from his further obligation to serve due to the considerable loss to his sense of hearing.

      Elzbieta was with him now, awaiting news of Justin's reconstructive surgery. No one thought they would be able to build a working ear, there was damage within as well as without, but his doctors were attempting to form the cartilaginous exterior and lobe for appearances. Most likely, Justin would get one of their micro circuitry replacements to actually hear with.

      Another group of soldiers came and left the camp. Half these were German. Their current uniform was black and thus distinguishable from the American, even without the various insignias on it. Claudia looked over the venders' tables. The soldiers traded away all sorts of goods if not money. From Quentin's loot box it would seem American music recordings were currency. The other venders had their own preferences.

      Claudia left the venders, not feeling a need to watch over them or the guests, all were familiar enough now not to cause trouble. She walked into the central area of camp where trailers and tents of the Elders were set, and a fire maintained. Here also various papers were strung across lines posting new rules or projects that needed volunteers. There was laundry hanging from the same lines and dishes hanging within mesh bags from tree branches. There was a clean pine smell and a touch of smoke from the fire.

      Though summer still, it was getting cooler, and here, at the crossing of two large rivers, and further north than they had been recently it was actually cold at night. Claudia went to the fire. Merideth was propped up in a chair, cushions at her back. She was very happy now, not so much moody or uncertain. Merideth liked to speak of her baby. She knew it would be a boy now, had seen a doctor in Frankfurt am Main, and was doing well.

      Alaric and Louisa were trying out names in front of Merideth daily. Merideth had something against Theodoric, which had been a son of the historical Alaric. Both names had been rather common a thousand years ago. "Claudain?" Claudia asked and Merideth wrinkled her nose. She had somehow earned veto power in the choosing of the baby's name by carrying it inside her. "Astoric, I like Astoric." Merideth shook her head.

      "Ludwig?" Louisa asked.

      "Not Ludwig, you can have your own son and name him Ludwig," Merideth said as if the name utterly disgusted her, but she was probably half mocking.

      "Daniel?" Claudia asked.

      Meri shook her head. "Nice name but just not right somehow."

      "She says she'll know if she hears it," Alaric said, "the name just has to fit our son. But Meri can't say what it is."

      "What about Meric or Karl?" Claudia offered.

      Merideth shrugged. "Fine names both, but not it. Let's stop, it'll just come to me."

      Claudia nodded. "I'll see what the crew is up to," she said in way of excusing herself. The trailer they kept was close, being three Elders lived in it.

      Claudia knocked once then let herself in. Robbie, Marek and Miko were on the floor, the server online and occupied by hosting the site. "Where are the others?"

      "The RV," Miko said without moving.

      Claudia left as she had come and went next door to the RV. She was not as often in here but was familiar enough. Jayne and Erik had a small sleeping loft above the front seats and just behind was a sort of living area with attached furniture. In the very back, there was a bed shared by the other three. Unlike the style of decorating in the other two familiar trailers, with pretty random draperies and hand made items, the RV had its originally installed furnishings, only it must have been ordered as such for everything was black and the bulbs were all red, so that it was rather dim and eerie inside. Marcus and Melitta were together, laying tangled on a couch listening to slow music with Germans lyrics sung in female voice.

      "Interrupting?" Claudia asked.

      "You? Never. You're family," Melitta laughed but Claudia sensed she meant the words seriously. The black curtain above the black upholstered seats in the front lifted and above a black trimmed platform Jayne's head and chest appeared with one arm.

      Though Claudia could not actually see nipples she could see Jayne wore no shirt. This was why Claudia was less often here. Robbie and Leonore, though a couple, were even younger than Jayne and Erik and, if they ever shared acts of sex, it wasn't obvious. And though Claudia herself had a lover and Alaric had both Merideth and Louisa, Claudia was the youngest there and they were all married to their lovers. It just seemed proper what Alaric and John had with their wives. But none of the five that lived in the RV were married and though Jayne and Erik usually seemed a couple it was not always so. The relationship that Melitta had to either Sascha or Marcus was quite a mystery, and sometimes Sascha seemed quite intimate with Erik or Jayne.

      It was just more comfortable to have visits elsewhere, and the blackness of every object was odd Claudia thought. The one aspect that really intrigued her about the small polyamorous gang of German hackers who belonged to the Blaek Clath Gangen was that her searches had found information that told her that only hundreds of years ago, as opposed to thousands, Goth had been the word used to describe members of a worldwide subculture based on a certain form of music and asthetic.

      The BCG were now Goths in three senses of the word. "I'm flattered," Claudia said finally. She knew she had only developed any social skills since meeting John. She had been quite sheltered in some ways before that.

      "Come on in, I'll wriggle into clothes," Jayne said. Erik's voice said something indistinct from behind the curtain. It was only a moment and Jayne hopped down in long black skirt and shirt buttoned at one button. She smoothed her long hair and smiled. "Do you need anything?"

      "I just wanted to check on all the crew. Merideth usually sits out now and the boys are occupied with the server online. Sascha and Helena are being friendly."

      "Soldier boys," Marcus laughed for some reason.

      Erik slipped from the loft likewise wearing a skirt. "Hello," he said then occupied himself with smoothing his skirt.

      "Would you like Café au lait?" Marcus asked, "I can make it for you."

      "Thank you, that would be nice. I hope it isn't trouble."

      Marcus sat up and smiled his appreciation of Claudia's excellent social skills. "No trouble at all." He got up and walked to the opposite side of the narrow room where in the cubbies of built-in black shelving he had several machines that processed coffee drinks and the small refrigerator where he stored the beans.

      "So, how's Elzbieta's friend doing?" Melitta asked as she sat up. She ran her finger through her hair and it stood even higher than before.

      "Justin is having his reconstructive surgery. I think shes very in love with him."

      "Clearly," Jayne agreed. She took up her mobile from the black table and opened it as she sat. Claudia recognized the tones as Jayne linked to the server a trailer away through indirect mobile lines.

      "How are they doing?"

      "Some Dr. Theophilus and Tweekie are badgering Miko about the Battle of Danube Valley." Jayne tapped at the keys. "Isn't Robbie watching the commands to the server. Theophilus is only downloading everything we've put up."

      "It's there to be downloaded," Claudia said but she went to Jayne and sat beside her on the bench.

      "I just find it odd that this person is downloading everything to their own system, taking up all that space when we allow access. It's like they would have your exact need and area of research."

      "I'm not trying to question your hunch. But I have to allow that it could just be a student."

      "Forget that a minute. Do a search on Dr. Theophilus. Or just Theophilus."

      Jayne typed in the words. "I'll use netlander, they're reliable," she commented. A moment and hits bean to list in the largest panel. Combination of ancient Greek and science fiction with more random and less frequent uses lower on the list.

      "Try the set for Tweekie," Claudia suggested.

      "You think they are that together?" Jayne asked as she input commands.

      "C'mon, Bonnie and Clyde, Crash and Burn, Neo and Trinity...it's not uncommon." Claudia scanned the new list. "That's got to be it, what is this Buck Rodgers?"

      Jayne brought up a image, text wrapped around it and then the words Buck Rodgers in the 25th century spun around and appeared as if realistically spotlit and metallic. "Pretty old stuff, cult sci-fi program. Dr. Theophilus appears to be a small computer and Tweekie the less sophisticated mind, a robot that carried the computer about making it mobile. Primitive flashy-light-robot-suit-voice-over type effects."

      "Are they still badgering Miko?"

      "Still there."

      "Lift the picture of that space chick and change your name in listing to Colonel Dearing."   

      "Just a sec, I'm formatting the graphic." A few more seconds. Jayne changed her name. Within half a minute she appeared in the virtual space as a still picture of the glossy-lipped woman in tight, shiny jumpsuit. "Ok, Tweekie, what have you gotten into this time?"

      "Hubba hubba," Tweekie said.

      Claudia shook her head. "Complete troll?"

      "It would appear someone knows how to search the net for obscure names," Dr. Theophilus said.

      "Oh, how dare he!" Jayne said

      "It's the simplest method, people do it to us all the time and we to them. Nothing all that clever about it," Claudia said calmly. "He's trying to upset us, counts on us having arrogance issues."

      Jayne nodded. "I see it is not only the battle you are interested in. Plan to recreate the migrations of the Germanic tribes?"

      Claudia laughed.  Alaric had said this to her, Jayne had heard the story.

      "We are mainly interested in Goths," Theophilus said.

      "Where's Robbie?" Claudia asked, "I see Miko, where the robot?"

      "It's not evident he's online."

      "He has the commands to appear hidden in our space," Claudia said. "Use wizwhisp and tell Robbie to try to find where these two are actually logged on."

      Jayne sent the whisper to Robbie using wizard level commands and he replied by text message that he was already working on it and he had traced them though a number of bounce offs as far as Australia without luck.

      "I'd do the same, set up slaves or force crossed wires. Check, does it seem they are attempting to send commands to the server?"

      "Yeah."

      "Re-av as Trinity and tell them they'll be blasted off our site if they don't stop sending generated alphanumerics to the server."

      Jayne pushed a single button and her trinity avatar composted of a three within a one replaced the sci-fi character. "C&D the lock-pickin' alphanumerics or I'll blast you."

      "What's C&D?" Tweekie asked.

      "Cease and Desist," Theophilus said, "You are tweeked!"

      "They stopped as far as I can tell," Jayne said.

      "Ask them something about Goths," Claudia asked.

      Jayne gave a nod. Trinity asked, "What is your interest in Goths?  Nomadic, Black Clad or present?

      "Theo wants to know if Trinity is dressed in black vinyl," Tweekie said.

      "Why would I want to know that?" Theophilus asked, "I am Dr. Theophilus. That is what you might want to know, you BG!"

      "What makes you think I am wearing clothes?" Jayne asked. Miko's little school boy covered his eyes. "What's BG?" Jayne said.

      "I don't know," Claudia admitted.

      "Marcus? BG?"

      "I know it's an insult and it's some form of American slang," Marcus said. He brought two beverages to them. Jayne had a liking for mochas and he had prepared one for her without asking. Claudia looked up long enough to see the others hadn't left. Melitta was putting braids in Erik's hair.

      "American faeries," Melitta said, "or Fay, the sometimes nomadic Americans that the rest call fairies or hippies. Completely mortal for the most part, they've been around several centuries at least, live in cities or weird communes, but not the suburbs. A sort of subculture or social group cum tribe. BG stands for somethng. I don't know what, but it's a fierce insult among the Fay."

      "Oh, ask Theophilus...what is it they say? Ask who is the fairest?"

      Jayne asked, "Theophilus, who is the fairest of them all?"

      "Me, of course," Theophilus said.

      "Call me a Broken whatsit and go out of character like that? Christ's wounds! May as well apologize to the lady and start all over!" Tweekie said.

      "Doesn't sound like a stupid robot really?" Jayne asked, "And why would Theophilus be a Faerie or fair?"

      "I'm really quite sick of this," Claudia groaned, "they must have real talents working for them."

      "You've guessed who they are?" Marcus asked.

      "Don't say anything, just blast them," Claudia said. "They are Union hackers, and not their best. Either it is all a big diversion, a game or they truly don't know what they are doing."

      "They're gone. Shall I ban them?"

      "No, not yet. Just let them feel stupid for now. But this makes me think we need to step up our efforts to find a way into the Alexandria Mainframe."

      "You're sure now from their responses?" Marcus asked, "who are they?"

      "Theo and Christian," Claudia said quietly. "I last saw them in Rome, in Vampire City actually. They don't work that well together you can see. Neither is expert in the field."

      "Do you wish to launch an assault now?" Jayne asked.

      Claudia shook her head. Too predictable. Let them wonder just a while. "Preliminary stuff. Check what slave systems we have working for us and that our software is the best we can get it."

      "We can get Sascha back if you like," Marcus offered.

      "If you wish. I'll work on my own a while, get back to you, if you don't mind."

      They answered in nods.

                      †               †               †

      Elzbieta came back into camp late, knocked at the trailer door as Claudia was up working. Claudia supposed she would let her in, though the others were asleep. Claudia got up and opened the door. Elzbieta fell into her arms. "Claudia, I'm going to be married to Justin!" It was all Claudia could do to pull Elzbieta inside.

      The older girl showed Claudia a diamond and platinum ring of generous size on her left ringfinger. "His mama sent it from the states, it was his grandmother's! I'm going to marry him. Will you be my Maid of Honor?"

      "Do you want to wake the others?" Claudia asked seriously.

      "We heard," grumbled a voice, Merideth Claudia thought.

      John walked sleepily from the bed wearing barely anything. Elzbieta ran and threw her arms up about his neck, nearly knocking John to the floor in her excitement. "Are you happy for me? Please walk me to him down the aisle!"

      "Sure," John said, rubbed his eyes. He woke slightly and kissed Elzbieta's lips. "I am happy for you."

      Elzbieta turned again to Claudia, "You will stand with me? I have known you longest. I'm going to buy a dress, do you think I should have Jeanette make it or go into the city? The Chaplin Justin knows will marry us."

      "When?" John asked.

      "Only a few days, the swelling needs to go down."

      "He's well then?" Claudia asked.

      "Better, but I would have married him blind! Justin is so...wonderful."

      "He'd sound more wonderful in daylight, Bet!" Merideth called.

      Claudia shook her head. "We are happy for you, Elzbieta, but Merideth has had trouble sleeping lately. You understand, she's due any day, and you did come in the middle of the night."

      "What time is it?" Elzbieta asked.

      "After three," John yawned.

      "Oh. I didn't realize."

      Merideth walked from her bed wrapped in a blanket. "Bet, I'm sorry I snapped." She put an arm around Elzbieta and leaned forward to try to hug her, the large belly made it slightly awkward. "I am happy for you, you deserve this happiness, it is only your news comes when I am feeling fairly uncomfortable."

      "I really had no idea. I was so excited I had no idea of the time."

      Merideth smiled. "I've felt that way before, all forgiven."

      "Thank you," Elzbieta sighed. "I'll go and let you try to sleep."

      "Congratulations," Alaric called from bed.

      Elzbieta left, closing the door softly as she went. "It's going to take me forever to get comfortable again," Merideth groaned and walked back to bed. Claudia shook her head at the lot of them. She sat down to go back to her work.

      Claudia could recall that she had suddenly found herself in love and gotten married and had an excellent honeymoon. She still loved John, desired him, only she believed in her ability to see logic when it was needed. Claudia needed her logic to guard her tribe from good intentions. She really feared them more than bad.

      She was aware of John sitting at her back, drawing his legs up at her sides and slipping his arms about her waist. His jaw touched her collarbone and Claudia thought she might have shivered. All the sleek and muscular posterboys in the world and it was this rake-thin, boney, saint-faced boy who drove her mad with desire.

      "Don't be overly distracting," Claudia instructed.

      His voice was a whisper, but like the innocent small voice of a child, not something meant to be seductive, "I know you are doing something you think important. I only wanted to be close."

      Claudia whispered so that Merideth would not be disturbed, "I work more efficiently if relaxed, and I am more relaxed if I know you are near and well, so I almost climbed up into the bed with the machine, but the tap tap tap wakes Merideth from that distance." She could feel the smile form on John's lips as they touched her shoulder.

      "What's this work that's bothering you? Something bothers you to keep you from coming to bed, I know how you adore getting into bed with me." Maybe 30 percent mock arrogance and the rest statement of fact. "Really, when I walked out here I could swear you were about to snap at Elzbieta, say 'Why don't you just go have sex without being married?' or something really offensive to her beliefs." Now he was just mocking, maybe 10 percent trying to cheer her up by pushing her to confess the things that bothered her.

      "Jesus loves the sinners," Claudia said quickly, smiled just to herself. "Actually it's persons who may hurt us with their good intentions."

      "Thinking about David again?"

      "Partly, or coincidentally. The other day we found two inept hackers trying to break into our server, I mean, take the information that has to be on the machine to allow it to serve out the information we mean to be accessible. They were inept I said, but the bothersome thing was that they were Theo and Christian."

      "The Vampyres?" John asked, forgot to whisper.

      "I've been virtually self-flagellating trying to decide if they are really stupid or really smart. I mean, they were easy to find, to identify. Are they a distraction? Is there another I haven't found? Or are they it and I have no worry?"

      "Obviously not a hacker, but I do think it's not something anyone can know based on such limited information. Doesn't that sound like your kind of logic? The best you can do is what you already do: be alert, watch for trouble, take precautions."

      "I've worried so much about possible danger that my worry is really worse that the imagined danger. Emotional factors really suck at times, you know?"

      "Yeah. Worth it for the times they don't suck though?"

      "Ja, definitely."

                      †               †               †

      It had actually taken a number of weeks but Elzbieta and Justin were married. It was early October and quite cool. Jeanette, the tribes seamstress, had crafted the white velvet gown trimmed in gold beads. Elzbieta's hands and face had been painted with henna, and, rumour said, the rest of her body had been as well. Her dark hair was hung with red beads and tiny braids, all her jewelry silver and black but for the engagement ring that held a diamond and the newly purchased platinum wedding band.

      Justin made a handsome groom in his black dress uniform. The eye, as Claudia had noticed before, was always going to be dilated and those closest to Elzbieta and now Justin knew the left ear was simularly marked, not quite normal in close up. But he'd grown his hair and had a few locks woven in meantime, Elzbieta and he both thought he looked well with longer hair and he could wear it over his ear. Otherwise his face and hands no longer showed the much scaring; Justin was rather handsome, well muscled and tall. Not Claudia's type, but then Elzbieta was the one marrying him.

      The ceremony was held on base and the party afterward in their camp, with draperies and streamers hung from lines to form a hall and plenty of music, food and drink. Soldiers appeared in their dress uniform and the Goth painted and wearing hair in dyed braids for the occasion, everyone danced.

      It was a magnificent celebration. The youthful Goth, from the oldest only slightly older than John to the crawling babies, were dressed in red or black and gold ribbons worn on clothes or in hair, even as shoelaces. Even Merideth danced, still professing to be due any day and still without name for the baby boy.

      The base commander brought the official notice of Justin's very honorable discharge from duty and as expected he said he would go where Elzbieta went. John made a fairly drunken congratulations then kissed them both. There was more dancing after that. Later John, leaning on Alaric, made an other announcement, "Bring forth the marriage vehicle!"

      A wretched tune-playing horn sounded from behind the draperies and seemed to be meant to accompiany a battle charge. Out drove an RV just a few years old and covered in congratulatory graffiti. Alaric made a joke like, "when we saw this fixer-upper we knew it was for Elzbieta." Justin laughed as if he found the whole thing funny, but Claudia suspected he was a touch drunk as well.

      She was not drunk, but didn't think it too offensive in the others, if there was a time for it, that time was a wedding and always had been.

      "It's actually completely nice inside," Louisa said, "Robbie and Leonore had Sascha and Marcus help them decorate inside."

      Claudia imagined it must be as romantic as the tent she and John had honeymooned in.

      Justin threw his glass over his shoulder and swiftly lifted Elzbieta off her feet. She squealed and somehow this made everyone cheer. "Kiss her!" John yelled.  Another squeal and then Elzbieta and Justin were locked together at the lips. Whoops and cheers.

      "Maybe we can have a baby before Merideth," Justin joked.

      "Want to make a wager on it?" Alaric called out.

      Justin shook his head. He kissed Elzbieta again then carried her up the small step into the RV. The door was closed behind them but before anyone could disperse Elzbieta held only her hand out the door and tossed her bouquet of flowers blindly. It sailed into the gathered crowd and seemed to head for somewhere between Leonore and Jayne. Jayne jumped for it, Leonore tried to duck away. Jayne missed it completely, it bounced off Leonore's shoulder and Ceci caught it in both hands jumping joyfully.

      "Is she even fifteen yet?" Claudia asked.

      "Almost sixteen actually, just small," Anna said. "She tells me she loves Miko, but I honestly think they might only have gone so far as kissing once." Claudia shrugged. Anna would know, she had sort of adopted the girl who had joined the tribe all on her own.

      "Oh, look," Meri said.

      Claudia turned back to the painted RV. Justin's hand reached out the door with the garter Elzbieta had worn beneath her dress. Most of the boys who were either Elder or part of the crew danced around in front of the door taunting Miko by each claiming in sing-song voice that they were going to marry Ceci if they caught the garter. Miko was distant, seemed to be pleading with Ceci.

      Claudia imagined Elzbieta was inside threatening Justin if he did not make sure Miko could get the silly garter. Everyone liked Mikolaj but Elzbieta had known him when still living in Poznan.

      It ended simply enough. The boys were so busy dancing around pretending to catch the garter that it was easy for Miko to walk up and catch it as Justin lobbed it over their heads. The door was closed and Miko was as red as his jacket as Ceci hugged him and kissed his cheek. The rest of the boys pat Miko on his head or back as they left.

      John, already married, had not been among them. Claudia looked about and found he and Alaric sitting down at a table loaned from the airbase with a bottle of wine between them. Elonwey was standing just behind John, holding a bowl of fruit, maybe fruit salad it was a distance away. They were all laughing about something. Alaric took a gulp of wine straight from the bottle and before he put it down John had launched himself practically into Alaric's lap and kissed him.

      Claudia looked away. If anyone noticed there was no one among them who would care. Most had begun to leave as soon as the RV had arrived.

      Claudia noticed Merideth raise her camera. She followed the line of sight and saw John was still all over Alaric, wresting the wine bottle with his left hand as he distracted Alaric with a kiss. "That is so tavern wench I don't even know where he would have learned it."

      "Have you seen him drunk many times before?" Merideth asked. She was looking at her camera, the last frame captured. "Tongue and all, I'll save this for when I want a favor from Alaric."

      "I don't think John drinks often, but now that I think of it, I suppose he's always gotten...this way." Elonwey was sitting in his lap attempting to feed John something while he looked giddily at Alaric. "Suppose we send the boys to bed together and do something sensible like sleep?"

      "You just can't stand Elonwey," Merideth said.

      "I can't help it. Whenever I see her with him I suddenly feel highly possessive."

      "Jealousy, Claudia," Merideth laughed, "It's not so bad really, having a sister wife."

      "You like Louisa, even I like her. I don't feel that with Elonwey. She just irks me. I can imagine having to share with you or maybe Leonore, she just seems like I could get along with her, but Elonwey, no way."

      "Shame or blessing the two of us really don't want the other's husband?" Merideth asked.

      "I'm not sure," Claudia started. John was actually kissing that Elonwey girl.  "I like Alaric but I never have any sexual thoughts about him, at all, even when he's half dressed and right next to me."

      "Same for me with John. I absolutely love him but I can never imagine anything sexual between us."

      Claudia nodded. "I can't watch this."

      "Go get him," Merideth said, "you are the wife and he is drunk, plus we all guard his reputation because he's our Leader. It would be entirely proper for you to go take him."

      "But she'll know she's a threat," Claudia said, "I hate that I never learned these things."

      "What if she were trying to put her name as author on your intellectual property?"

      "I'd get her to try and explain the thought process behind the data publicly if I had no proof."

      "So the equivalent socially is to go over and chat with her as if you are her best friend. You know what she's doing, and so does she, no one else needs to. You phrase everything politely but you make her justify every little action."

      Claudia smoothed her hair and walked the distance to the table Elzbieta and Justin had previously posed for pictures behind. Now John and Alaric were just completely drunk and Elonwey, who didn't seem to be, was rather taking advantage of the fact that in this impaired state John didn't care who was sitting in the same chair feeding him. "Hello," Claudia began then tried to laugh gaily, "Mon Cher, Elonwey, how are you doing? Alaric, having fun?"

      "I'm fine," John said and said something Claudia supposed was meant to be French but just wasn't. "Try some of this fruit, it's really good."

      "It's not that good," Elonwey said.

      "Oh, I'm sure it is if you made it," Claudia said sweetly, "May I?" Elonwey offered the bowl. Claudia smiled and picked up a slice of peach. It smelled tainted. She forced herself to eat it. "Oh, brandied fruit is it?" she asked and forced a swallow, "Can I have the recipe?"

      "Sure," Elonwey said meekly.

      "Claudy," John gasped. He looked at her, glowing drunken expression. She so wanted him to be sober. "Want to see me drink Alaric under the table?"

      "Cher, I don't think that's something I want to watch you do."

      Alaric spit wine from his mouth then coughed.

      "How about you Elonwey, would you like to see John drink Alaric under the table?" Claudia asked.

      She looked lost. "They are both on their way already."

      John looked at Elonwey a long moment. "Honey, you have to get up now, I need to move."

      Elonwey was up in a second, making a bow, "Of course," she said.

      John stood unsteadily then sat again on Alaric's legs. "I'll do it," he said to Alaric. "I will, ask Claudy."

      Claudia moved around the table and held John's ear. "There's giddy and here's disgraceful, and you just crossed the line. Get in the trailer now and climb up into your bunk, both of you!" surprisingly they staggered obediently toward the trailer on the other side of the draperies.

      Claudia glanced to Elonwey. "If you like him so much, Elonwey, don't feed him more alchohol when he's so obviously drunk. It's only going to make everyone feel a fool. Next time you find a friend so drunk try sending them to bed or giving them water to drink."

      "Why are you so hateful to me?" Elonwey whispered, "The very day he brought me to meet the tribe you learned that we had kissed and decided then to marry him that night just to take him from me."

      "I took nothing," Claudia hissed. "John was in love with me, with me, he had been for a long time. The only thing that happened that night is that I realized I loved John just as much. If it had anything to do with you it was never personal. Not personal, all right?"

      "What was I supposed to think?" Elonwey nearly cried, dropped the bowl heavily onto the table. "I travelled to meet the tribe because I already knew I loved him."

      "I love him too," Claudia said. "If he ever by some chance asks you to marry him then you and I can argue all this out, but until then I am the wife and I have every right to insist that you not get my husband drunk and sit in his lap kissing him."

      "It wasn't like that!" Elonwey cried.

      Claudia shook her head in wonder. She had to wonder if Elonwey somehow supressed logic as Claudia had surpressed emotion. "Listen," Claudia said calmly, "it is not personal. Desperation will not attract him. Take a more active role within the tribe. You're supposed to be one of the Elders, represent the people. You say you fell in love from seeing some pictures and reading about a few of his deeds? Go do some noble deeds, Elonwey, go make sacrifices. Just do not do anything to smear the reputation of our Leader nor attempt to entangle my husband in your desperate food-love issues!"

      "I swear I didn't mean any harm to the tribe or even you," Elonwey said and quickly turned and ran crying.

      Claudia held her head in her hands. Nothing since walking toward the table as Merideth suggested had actually made her feel better. "I thought social skills helped smooth things over," Claudia said to herself. She kicked the chair and beat her fists in the air. "I hate weddings!" Claudia called out, but there was no one left to listen.

      Claudia flopped into the chair and put her head to the tabletop. Puberty, emotions, love, marriage, it was all pain. It was David's fault! She felt something like shock in the back of her mind. The math, codes, computers, circuits; they were all safe. Even chatting with people over the net was safe, you could act as if you were strong.

      There was a memory that came back to her sometimes. She was even younger then, a pretty girl but still child-shaped. It was the first time she remembered knowing who Anne was. Lady Anne had visited their home in Paris, must have been trusted or familiar enough to be allowed up to Claudia's bedroom with Father. And Anne had sat, brushing Claudia's hair.

      Anne and Father had spoken over her head and sometimes the memory was clear enough that Claudia understood the conversation. Anne said something in complement then said another word and Father's reply was that Claudia was still a virgin. That's when they had first discussed sending Claudia to Alexandria to be interviewed and hopefully chosen as an apprentice or at least servant of the Haven.

      It had been crystal clear then, her machines, the answers she would give in the interview. And then they had stopped in an inn on the way. David had been in the dining room, strange red-haired man who spoke French but had a Scottish accent...and those brilliant green eyes.

      The first time had been in a dark alley, David had hypnotized her, made her memory of it hazy. Still Claudia only remembered swirling green and gold colors, darkness and a light plesant feeling. It was not really the way Vampyres were supposed to get blood. But David had not been known to the Union. They referred to him as dust child, one whose maker disowned them.

      When was the second time? It was always hazy, except for every time after being kidnapped, when David had been allowed or perhaps sent into her room. Claudia remembered that time vividly. It hadn't only been drawing blood, the whole experience had been fevered and sexual.

      Claudia felt she should cry, but she wasn't crying. Since meeting David she had been so confused. She might love David, or she might not, Claudia wasn't sure. "Reason it out," Claudia whispered to herself. She was not quite seventeen yet and these might be normal teenage feelings.  She could be experiencing a normal thing and therefore there was nothing to fear. It would all pass.

      But then she imagined John in a tangle of limbs with Alaric and felt only longing. If only he wasn't drunk. If only he had never acted in a way that made Elonwey think he loved her. John was always comforting, annoying at times, but even that was somehow comforting on a deeper level. Emotions were normal, social interaction was normal.

      Claudia was much better at speaking to everyone and to no one in particular. She could give speeches, perfectly look the lady and control her voice. But when it came to speaking to one person and it was not about math or circuitry or what bit of fashion and cosmetics she had been bred to understand Claudia felt lost. John was better at that.

      Claudia touched the hard object atop her thigh, the dagger she wore beneath her gown. Maybe if she cut herself...but that was harmful and she had tried so hard to quit drinking blood. If she stayed out here alone it would be bad. Elzbieta was on her honeymoon. Merideth might be asleep and needed her sleep. Leonore was often a comfort but Claudia didn't think she could help with this. Jayne.

      Claudia walked around until she found he RV. There were some red lights within but there usually were. She knocked quietly. Maybe it would be someone else. Maybe Melitta and Marcus thought it funny the genius Quick was really an emotionally distraught teenager.

      Jayne opened the door, but then Sascha usually had her not so new newbies do such tasks. "Come on in, we were just playing a trivia game. You all right?"

      Claudia stepped up into the dimly lit RV. "Um...I don't feel so good. Could I just sit here with you?" Suddenly the tears just burst from her eyes and they all seemed to notice. Jayne put an arm around her and led her to the couch. Marcus got up from his seat there and went to the refrigerator. Sascha picked the hair from around Claudia's crown and carefully lifted it off. Melitta unlaced Claudia's boots.

      Marcus placed a bottle of spring water in her hand. Sascha pressed Claudia back against the cushions. "Do you know what's wrong? Can you tell us?" Melitta asked.

      The tears wouldn't go away and when Claudia tried to speak her mouth twisted. She took a sip of water. It helped. Erik offered a handkerchief. Jayne stroked Claudia's hair as she took the handkerchief and wiped Claudia's face.

      "John was really drunk and Elonwey was kissing him and I tried to have social skills but I only sent John to have sex with Alaric and had a big fight with Elonwey. I said mean things and I didn't even feel better. I made her cry. And I wished John was with me but he is so drunk and he went to bed with Alaric. And I just feel terrible about all of it. I almost hurt myself. I really don't like this emotion I'm having."

      The five seemed to question each other with their gazes. "I will go get John," Erik said. "Trust me, as a young man, as John is, and not some loser guy, we care about you and if we know you are this hurt we will do anything to make it better, even if we are completely incapable. You can choose not to tell him but that has other bad endings."

      "Erik's right. Let him tell John in a man-to-man way that you need him. He'll come," Marcus promised.

      Claudia nodded.

      Erik left quietly, taking a coat. Claudia noticed as she watched to see if he was really going. Jayne wiped at Claudia's nose with a tissue. "Claudia," Sascha called, "We're your friends for real, all of us."

      "Family," Melitta says, "That means you can pick your nose or vomit and we'll still adore you."

      "You can even bore us to death with detailed accounts of anomolies in your cycle or walk about completely naked and expect us not to comment like Melitta does," Marcus said, laughed just a bit.

      Melita was smiling. 'Family," she said, "You never need to hurt yourself. There are enough people out there willing to do it. It was right to come ask to stay with us when you felt bad. We all do it to each other."

      "I did it just yesterday," Jayne said.

      "Whatever happened with Elonwey will be worked out eventually. We all know what's going on, we're at the meetings with her," Sascha said, "It's fine that you feel bad about totally flaming her, but maybe she's run to her friends and they are helping her. Don't make it your problem," Melitta suggested.

      "Not that it was the best way to go, but she must have done something to set you off, so take partial blame if you must take any," Sascha said.

      "I didn't want to be the jealous wife, but I was," Claudia whispered.

      Melitta just nodded.

      "Erik did a similar dumb thing yesterday," Jayne said, "What are we supposed to do, wish them well and watch with a bag of chips?"

      "Actually I think the correct advice goes: you don't have to like your emotions just accept that they are your emotions," Sascha said coolly.

      "I was jealous and afraid. I didn't like it. That made me feel hate for myself."

      "You know it wasn't wrong to have a feeling. It's only wrong when we do the wrong thing because of a feeling," Sascha said.

      "She's been all proverbs since coming down from the mountain," Marcus said.

      "Maybe John's not coming."

      "He'll come," Marcus said. "Maybe he's not feeling well himself."

      Claudia nodded. She took another sip of water. It really helped. The door opened and Erik came in alone. "He's just outside" Erik explained quickly, "I know this is not the real point but John wasn't in bed with any body, he was just trying to sleep. He's lost his buzz and has got a headache so we stopped for some pain killers. He's kind of pukey too, so we stopped a while and had some water. But he really is eager to see you, Claudia. I told him I had to speak to you alone first. Really I just wanted to tell you, as a guy again, it wasn't like he went to a bar for the third night in a row, he as at a wedding. He really didn't start out to be drunken fool. And he does have the headache, so if you could be quiet, he'll be so much more receptive."

      "Thank you, Erik," Claudia said.

      Erik opened the door and John climbed up. He had only his pants on, not even his socks and so he had his arms wrapped about his chest and shivered slightly. But he did walk straight to Claudia and kneel with some obvious queasiness at her feet. "Erik just said you were feeling really bad and asked for me," John started, still hugging himself. "If it was anything I did, I'm really sorry. I was joking about that under the table thing, I thought you would know. And Elonwey...I feel bad for her. It was just timing and I feel odd knowing she likes me so much. I'll just tell her to stay away if you want."

      "I yelled at her," Claudia said, "I sort of yelled in whisper and I made her cry, John. I told her she could never be with you unless you asked her. I said I wasn't jealous of her. I don't even remember it all, but I hurt her. She ran away and I didn't feel better like I thought. I felt very bad. She hates me and she thinks I hate her."

      "What, now you want me to feel sorry for her?"

      Claudia shook her head. "I hurt her, that's the end. There is later for her. It was half her doing, Elonwey yelled too. I just..."

      "Can I try?" Sascha asked.

      Claudia nodded.

      Sascha bent at her knees to look John in the face. "Forget about the other girl for right now. Claudia is saying that when she realized what she had done she felt so bad and still felt jealous and afraid that she couldn't stand herself. She was going to hurt herself." Sascha mimed the slitting of her wrist.

      "But I didn't..." Claudia said, she had never confessed the dagger.

      "Look at your hand," Sascha said, "you've been doing that constantly."

      Claudia didn't have to look. As soon as Sascha began to speak she was aware of the feel of the dagger through the gown. Subconsciously she had been touching it.

      "It's not a ploy," Sascha said and Claudia realized she was speaking to John, "But don't think it is a permanent thing either." She spoke to Claudia then. "Remember what I told you. It's not the emotions that are bad or having them. Having emotions is normal, there are no negative emotions only negative actions. Really remember that."

      "Clearly you're a perfectionist, Claudia," Marcus said, "it's a hard goal to measure up to, impossible actually. And I didn't learn that easily. We have to settle for being some of the best there are rather than perfect."

      "You should try to sleep," Jayne suggested, "It's not horribly late though, we can start up the game again. You can join in or watch as you like."

      Claudia gave a nod. John was lifted away and suddenly the whole couch moved. Claudia realized then it was meant to convert into a bed and that the back was now laying flush with the seat. John and Jayne sat either side.

      Claudia saw John take a blanket from Erik. He told her to lie down as he laid the blanket over the both of them. Erik lay the other side of John and Sascha curled up with Jayne. Marcus and Melitta disappeared to the floor. Sascha read a question from the electronic game. Claudia thought the answer was rice. "Rice," Marcus called form the floor.

      John whispered to Claudia, "Je t'aime, Ma Chere...ma bien amie."

      "He speaks French?" Erik asked suddenly.

      "Only important phrases," Claudia sighed.

      "You can tell me anything if you need to," John said in whisper.

      Sascha asked another question. "Michigan," Claudia answered.        

                      †               †               †

      Merideth had been in the crew trailer watching news with Claudia and the rest of the crew when she went into labor. They had just been watching previously recorded footage brought out of Warsaw which showed the drastic decline of the quality of life, freedoms, and health of the occupied city. Having lost a number of their army in conflicts with Germans and Union forces Russia had begun sending the troops formerly policing parts of occupied Poland into campaigns further into Europe, to take a hold in Hungary and parts of Austria as well as cities in southern Germany.

      With the lessened presence of Russian soldiers on the streets in Warsaw and other Polish cities the citizens had staged uprisings all in the first week of November. In response, Russia had authorized harsher punishments for Poles caught defying their martial law as well as generally denying the Poles freedoms to travel or be about at certain hours without permission.

      Already there had been earlier uprisings regarding shipment of food to the army. Now, similar uprisings were beginning to lead to deaths rather than arrests. When Merideth had cried out they had thought it a response to the news, until she had clenched Miko's hand, because he was closest, and said, "No, I am going into labor now!"

      Claudia and Miko had taken Merideth into Karina's wagon. Karina had there a wooden chair Alaric and Marek had built from photos. It looked like a device of torture, Claudia thought, but Karina swore it was a birthing chair and basically similar in function to modern hospital tables used in delivery. Karina was quick about putting fresh covering over the cushions of the chair and sent Miko to fetch Vivianne and Alaric.

      Karina had helped Merideth to undress and sit with her head back and hips forward, feet drawn in and knees up. Claudia had seen Merideth clench the arms of the chair as she grit her teeth. "You better go too, Claudia," Karina said, "the four of us have had eight months to prepare and learn, trust us to keep Meri and her boy safe."

      Claudia had left then. Vivianne and Alaric had been allowed inside the small wagon which was their place of healing. Claudia waited outside, Miko with her, and soon John came with Elzbieta from the base, Justin close behind. Elzbieta suspected she was pregnant herself, though it didn't show at all. Merideth's screams sounded horrible to Claudia, but Elzbieta said her mother had had a child at home and it sounded all right.

      "Why didn't she go into the city to the hospital?" John asked, "I thought the doctors there said it was a very big baby and she might need surgery."

      "Merideth's also a big woman, I swear Claudia and she are a foot taller than I am," Elzbieta said.

      "Maybe as much as 8 inches," Claudia said, "Meri told me she did not want to have the first child to be born a Goth in anyone else's hospital."

      It seemed a long time they waited, others of the tribe stopping by to ask after Merideth or to offer food. It was really only several hours. They knew the baby had been born when they heard the adult cries of relief and joy. The crying of the baby came afterward and they knew then it was all right.

      Alaric came out a few minutes later, "Merideth is going to be all right and our son also," he told them, "she finally decided to name him Alaric."

      "I should have thought of that!" Claudia said.

      Alaric smiled at her, "So he'll always have the name since birth," he told Claudia. Alaric went back inside. Claudia stayed with Elzbieta and Miko. John and Justin had both gone to make preparations for moving.

      After a while, Vivianne came out, followed by Karina. "They are fine," Karina assured them. "We are just giving the new family some time with each other right now. When Merideth has rested, you'll all be able to see her." Karina raised her finger and wagged it at the group, "if I catch anyone disturbing the new mother and child I'll chase them with my broom!"

      "I will wait until she asks for me or comes out herself," Claudia promised, "I'm sure it must be very tiring to give birth."

      "Exactly," Karina said.

      "How about disturbing Alaric, big Alaric I mean?" Miko teased.

      Karina shook her head. "So long as it doesn't effect the other two. I'm only concerned for their health. New mothers and babies must bond and are also more susceptible to illness, babies I mean. If Merideth got sick her baby could too, or the medicines she would take to get better would go to her baby when she feeds him and make him ill in other ways. Trust me, I studied this. Babies need their breast milk to boost their immune systems, they do not have developed immune systems until months later. That is why when Meri does come out and go to her trailer we must all be very careful about who touches little Alaric."

      "I really didn't know that," Claudia admitted. "We never had a baby in my family. And all the babies already in the tribe seemed to be at the crawling stage already when they came to us. Are there books or software...to learn that sort of thing?"

      Karina smiled finally. "Of course, I'll lend you some books. Anyone who wants to help Merideth, once she's back to doing chores, will have to know the basics."

      "Cyprian and I have a sister, Lucy, but I was pretty small when mama had her," Miko said, "What kind of presents do babies like? I'm usually pretty good about finding things...I can make sure it's really clean."

      "Yes, and if I have a baby I need to learn all those things," Elzbieta said, "Maybe if I help Meri out she will help me later?"

      Karina nodded. "I remember my younger siblings and nephew being babies," she said, "When they are as small as little Alaric, all they do is drink breast milk, sleep, soil diapers, and sometimes cry or flail about. But later, every month, they will get bigger and learn things, how to hold things, to make noises, to roll, to crawl, to feed themselves. He will need warm things, it's going to be cold over winter of course."

      "Blankets or toy animals?" Miko asked.

      "I believe infants can suffocate if improper bedding is used," Claudia offered.

      Karina nodded. "Make sure clothes are snug and just one or two blankets are wrapped about them securely. Maybe one comfort toy to start, when they need it, but very soon he will want all manner of soft chewy brightly colored objects to play with, large enough not to pass down the throat but shaped so his small fingers can grasp them."

      "Red, white, and black," Claudia said. She had seen photos. Her father had sometimes taken snapshots when she was younger. "Father told me he gave me red, white, and black toys because they are the first colors a baby can distinguish. And I had one of those large mice that children use when learning to move objects virtually. It wasn't even hooked up to anything at first. I think I named it something very silly and loved to chew on its cord or click its buttons. Then I got a new one actually hooked to a machine and the old one was thrown out I had chewed on it so much."

      Miko laughed as Claudia stood trying to remember what she had called the thing. She had hardly remembered having the toy until then. "No wonder then you grew to be Quick, huh?" Claudia shook her head. No wonder.