Lost Child Home
...ch with the world around him. She just stood there watching and studying him. She tried to walk quietly up next to him, but the warehouse betrayed even her softest of steps. Then it happened! Ursula remembered screaming at the coming horror. She remembered Max suddenly coming alive. How anybody could move as fast as Max did, she didn't know. Max's reaction time seemed like greased lighting to her. She remembered the barking shots of a pistol. She remembered fainting - only to wake up to Max trying to revive her. Max was speaking and saying all sorts of comforting things to get her to wake up. She awoke to Max saying, "Are you all right? Are you okay?" "Yes, I'm okay. What happened?" Max pointed to the dead large dog that lay beside her. She began to form the question of how, when she saw the Glock pistol in Max's hand pointed safely towards the ground. During this time, Max had no time to look for beauty in the beautiful young girl now sitting on the floor. When Max had sprung into action, his first concern was for the safety of the young girl he had never met. He hadn't had time to notice how beautiful she looked or wonder what she was doing in the building. His survival instinct had kicked into high gear, and Ursula could tell that he was just now beginning to come off his adrenaline high. He looked at the gun in his hand and then realized he was still holding the pistol. He put the Glock back on top of the box he had retrieved it from. After he put the gun up, he sat down next to Ursula. It was only then that their eyes locked. It was what they'd later attribute to love at first site, but right now that analysis was far too advanced for the primordial feelings surging between the two. It was a deep fascination that held their gaze towards each other. It was a feeling that came before humans had evolved long enough to form speech. It was just as intensive as it was sudden and deep. It was a feeling that neither one of them could describe but held them each transfixed upon the other. After nature's spell had been cast, he said, "I'm Max." "I'm Ursula." The spell was so deep that explanations and questions were not necessary. They were still gazing at each other when the staff suddenly rushed in. A young man in a white lab coat hurriedly asked, "Are you two all right? Are you injured?" Max spoke. "We're okay. I think both of us got a surprise." Neither Max nor Ursula thought to ask any questions. The staff took them up to a more plush building where they were served breakfast. The staff then showed Ursula and Max to their separate rooms during their stay, and then suggested activities they could both do together. They both chose to visit the zoo. And naturally, they had two chaperones accompanying them. After the zoo, the two went to an art museum before visiting the small shops of the tiny town. There weren't any signs indicating where they were, but neither one of them thought about that at the time. After dinner, each chaperone accompanied their guest to their respective room. Ursula slept in, awoke, got herself ready, and went down to the lobby to look for Max. They'd agreed that they would meet downstairs after they got up and after doing the bathroom thing. She looked all around downstairs, but she didn't see any signs of Max. She began to worry when an older gray haired man walked up. "Are you looking for Max?" "Yes." "Max will be in session with Dr. Blanks for the rest of the day. I'm Doctor Russell." Dr. Russell held out his hand. Ursula shook hands with him. "It's time we talked about Max. Please follow me to my office." "Yes, of course." Ursula followed Dr. Russell to his office. Dr. Russell's office looked like a lesson in comfort. The whole room was laid out so that anybody coming in would feel welcome and at ease. There were two plush couches as well as several high backed well cushioned chairs to sit in. The furniture was arranged in a circle. Ursula chose one of the couches. Dr. Russell opted for one of the chairs. After they were both seated, Dr. Russell spoke. "Ursula, welcome to Lost Child Home. Thank you for coming." Ursula didn't know quite how to respond. "You're welcome." She still wasn't sure what it was she was supposed to do when she arrived yesterday, so she decided to ask the doctor. "Did I do what I was supposed to do? Did everything go all right?" "You were excellent Ursula. I don't think we could have thought of a better way for you. Let me be the first to apologize for not clueing you in as to what we were trying to do. If we had told you, then we would have had a high risk for failure. We've conducted quite a bit of research into how to do things, and we have found this approach best for reaching young boys such as Max" "I think I understand a little better now. I was truly in danger yesterday, wasn't I?" "Yes, you were. We've always tried to put a strong warning on all our material for prospective volunteers. I think you can understand why now. Now, I hope you don't mind, but I have some questions to ask you." "Yes, please." "Why did you volunteer for Lost Child Home? Our records indicate that you explicitly asked only to work with Max." "I felt drawn to Max. I can't explain exactly why, but somehow I knew that I had to be here." "Yes, we've reviewed the video of you and Max, and we clearly see the attraction between you two. I never thought such a thing possible until I saw it with my own eyes." "I care a lot about him. Will he be all right?" "The hardest part in Max's treatment was getting him to come out of his shell. You made that possible." "I really like Max. I want to see him again. Can I see him again?" "Of course you can see him. I was going to ask you if you can stick around here for the next few weeks, but I think you've beaten me to the punch on that one." Ursula smiled at the thought of being able to stay for several weeks. Dr. Russell continued. "During office hours, Max will be kept busy with therapy as well as physical exams. Max came from one of the worst environments we've ever come across. We've had others just as bad, but we want to keep him under observation and therapy for the next few weeks. We especially want to make sure he's disease free. We'll ask you two to refrain from kissing for the duration of your stay just because we want to ensure that he's healthy, and it will be several weeks before all the test results are in." "Is there anything I can do to help?" "Yes, Ursula. We'd like you to talk with him. Get him talking. Nothing serious, but the more he talks, the better his chances of recovery will be. I'd like you to refrain from discussing deep subjects with him for right now or asking too much about his past. Dr. Blanks is better suited for that task right now. And if Max suspects that we ran a scenario on him yesterday, then you need to let us know right away. But in general, talk about happy things with Max. And above all, have fun!" The next few weeks just seemed to fly by like a jet plane. She thought they both knew, but they were each still to shy to admit, how much they cared for each other. They went on long hikes and Max even began jogging and going to the gym with her as well. What words couldn't express, her heart told her was true. Ursula Schmidt was head over heals in love with Max Clay and she could tell by his eyes that he felt the same way about her. Max was so shy, but yet she also knew that she would have had a hard time refusing a kiss from him. She was glad, in a way, that she wasn't tempted. Good things are worth the wait, and Max was definitely worth waiting on. As much as she wanted to cry on his shoulders when he had to leave, she wanted to be true to Dr. Russell about Max's recovery by not tempting herself with his kiss. We'll be together again, she thought. They both made doubly sure they had each other's addresses before they parted. Max was scheduled to join his White Brotherhood platoon on Adolf Hitler's birthday. Governor Logan Views His Reports Even though Governor John Logan was allowed no contact with Max, he still had a free reign as to every other means of keeping tabs on his son. He assigned one of his staff officers the job of keeping him posted as to Max's goings on. And as long as the Field Marshall and rest of the Politburo were kept in the loop, they gave their blessings to John and his methods for tracking Max. John also wanted feedback from Dr. Blanks and his staff, so he copied all findings over to the Lost Child Home Institute. They all figured if John stayed busy keeping tabs, then he'd be less likely to interfere with Max's training. John's staff officer provided him with daily reports on Max. First there was the Platoon Drillmaster's report followed by the Company and Battalion Drillmaster reports. To save each of them time, John allowed each to give their report over the phone. The headquarters clerks at Sector 6 would then process the reports into a presentable format for viewing the following morning. He thought about bugging the tent area and latrines for Max's platoon, but upon further thought abandoned the idea as too extreme and unworkable. Every single letter that passed between Max and Ursula was first intercepted, transcribed, and sent to John's staff officer. The other students also had their letters opened as a cover. The fact that Sector 6 was only concerned with letters written between Max and Ursula was not transmitted to the youth organizations. The consensus of the state is that one should not hide their views, but instead one should express himself - despite who might be listening. In this case, all the students knew their letters were being viewed, but the state's attitude was that a student should be forthright enough to express themselves regardless. And if one fears to speak up on a topic, then the state's attitude is that the topic isn't important enough to discuss. Hiding one's views is viewed as a form of cowardice, and this was a hard won lesson from the Revolution. When the report about the bully picking on Max came through, John kept his discipline and called the Field Marshall about the matter. The Field Marshall had read the same reports, but he and the Politburo had come to a far different conclusion. He reminded John that being a father made him more than a little myopic when it comes to analyzing reports on his son. Robert told him that the bully was in fact a blessing in disguise and that they'd talk again in a few days. After a few days, the reports showed a remarkable improvement in Max's attitude towards training as well as opening John up to another lecture on faith from Robert. John struggled with the dilemma of all good parents - whether or not to spy on one's child? Some nights he didn't sleep because of this issue. He was worried about his son, but yet he concluded that he was sometimes too close to tell the forest from the trees. As John received each report about Max's next promotion, he felt himself more and more able to let go. John also began getting favorable reports about Ursula. Just as Ursula inspired Max to excel, so too was Max also inspiring Ursula. It might have seemed a coincidence, but Ursula was also receiving meritorious promotions at about the same rate as Max. First it was Squad Leader, then Section Leader, then Platoon Leader, then Company Leader, and finally Battalion Leader. John sent his people, around to Max and Ursula's platoons to investigate if any rigging or tampering had been done that might explain the elevations of Max and Ursula. He still had a hard time believing the reports that no cheating had occurred, but the reliability of the men he had sent was beyond reproach. When Max got promoted to Company Leader, John changed the Drillmaster reports from a daily report to a weekly summary before later being changed to biweekly. John still viewed the letters between Ursula and Max, but now the focus had changed. Instead of reading them to keep tabs, he read them as inspiration. Like the most die-hard football fan of old, John most enjoyed cheering on the winning team. All this good news was putting John in a good enough mood to call Robert and hear another sermon on faith. Let the good times roll, thought John, as he dialed up Robert. Max and Ursula Max had breaks in his training to allow family and friends to come visit. Beginning in July, Ursula and other family guests were allowed to visit the young boys training on the Mississippi once a month on Saturday. White Brotherhood sponsored a cookout as well as outdoor games for the guests in attendance. The boys also put on various demonstrations of skill as well. White Brotherhood wanted each young boy to spend a full year in training with them. The rest of childhood would be spent with local chapters in their own neighborhoods, and these local chapters became the new public school system. By September, Max had gotten over enough shyness to actually hold Ursula's hand. But then again, there was not any other place she would rather be. Even though he was shy about getting close, she knew it would be her that Max got close to when the time was right. The seasons again changed, and the time rolled around to November. November was the month for fireworks at the fair, and they were both now 13. There were rides, popcorn, and cotton candy galore. Max held Ursula's hand as they sought a shortcut in back of the row of small tents. All of a sudden, Ursula let out a gasp. There was that same bully who had beaten up Max before. The bully had two comrades. He had grabbed Ursula's ass while squawking like a chicken. "Baw! Baw Baw Baw! What's this, a lady chicken?" The bully was surprised about how quickly Max wanted to fight. It was one thing to pick on Max, but quite another to pick on his girl. Max had spent many of his off duty hours studying with the master - Drillmaster Owens. The bully threw a punch but was surprised at how quickly Max employed a joint technique on him. The bully was harshly thrown to the ground with a broken wrist. The second comrade was stopped cold by a spinning back kick; followed by a several punches which left him with a broken nose. The third comrade decided not to hazard the risk and walked off of his own accord. Owens just happened to pass by, saw what had happened, and gave Max a big thumbs up. Max's comrades started filtering in and wanted to hear the story. More of the bully's comrades came in to give battle on behalf of their fallen comrades, but they abandoned the idea when they found themselves vastly outnumbered by Max's growing number of comrades. Somehow, Max and Ursula managed to slip from beneath the uproar. Nature now decided that this was the time. As much as Max had wanted to kiss Ursula, he had never had the courage to actually do it. Time and again he would go over in his mind about how he would approach it, the best ways to make the move, and how best he could minimize the risk. But nature fooled him! In the end, Max and Ursula came together and kissed that first kiss. There were no thoughts, no plots, and absolutely no strategy. It was pure nature - raw and uncut. The first kiss ended, they looked deeply into each other's eyes - just like the first time, and they went into their second long kiss. It seemed like a man alone and thirsty in the desert. There simply came a time when they were forced to quench their lips on one another. In the end, nature always wins. Max's feelings welled up inside him. "I love you, Ursula Schmidt." "I love you, Max Clay." Ursula drew closer to him and they kissed again. She hesitated for a moment and then spoke again. "There's something I've got to tell you Max. I was wanting to tell you before, but Dr. Blanks and Dr. Russell felt I should wait. I wanted to tell you so badly, but I couldn't. I love you such much Max!" Tears were streaming down her face and Max held her close. Max had never seen Ursula cry, and it broke his heart to see her cry. "What is it sweetheart?" "When we first met, it wasn't just by chance. I volunteered to bring you back to the world of the living. I first saw your picture in a resource book for Lost Child Home. I didn't know it at the time, but I loved you even before we ever met." "What is Lost Child Home?" "Lost Child Home is run by the state to bring home children who suffered massive abuse in the Revolution. You were one of the worst cases they'd ever seen. But I knew in my heart of hearts that I just had to bring you back. There's also a hard part I must tell you. I want no secrets between us darling." "Yes, what is it sweetheart?" "Do you remember that big dog that attacked us?" "Yes, I remember." "That was staged. The danger wasn't staged, but sending the dog after us was. If you hadn't have saved me, then that dog would have killed me. The brochure said that I would be risking my life to save you, but I loved you so much - even then, that I knew I just had to bring you back." Upon hearing this, to Ursula's surprise, Max held her even closer. "Nobody ever loved me enough to ever risk their life for me. I love you!" Max kissed her, and they kissed for a long time after that. The passing months came and went. Graduation was getting ever so closer. They saw each other every single month on the designated Saturday. Thanksgiving and Yuletide were all day family days. They were also allowed to go into town together for Yuletide shopping for gifts to give each other. With their meager funds, they went together and put in quite a bit of thought about each other along the way. Governor Logan Does His Duty John had far more to do with his time than keep tabs on Max. For one thing, he had a government to set up for Middle America. The troops were still coming home, the country was in shambles, and the population was exhausted from the long and costly war. These were all tasks that just had to be done, and it was his job to lead the rebuilding process in his part of the country. Specific plans for the aftermath had never really been discussed in depth before the war. Before the Revolution, the emphasis was simply to wake Whites up. Whether or not they believed like us was less important than simply getting a response - any type of a response. Like Max, the White Race was catatonic and unresponsive to any stimulation. It was only when death was finally at the doorstep that they responded. There were many activists in those days who doubted that they could ever be awoken at all. John and Robert had to keep things positive and drive out, like one would drive out a demon, all forms of defeatism plaguing the movement. Times were hard back in those days. Between John and Robert, they had rolled and distributed hundreds of thousands of leaflets, went to rally after rally after rally, and did whatever they could to wake up the race; only to encounter the naysayers and defeatists within the movement. Years went by, and they heard nary a word out their fellow Whites. Most Whites felt scared and all alone; dedicated racists kept plugging away; chipping bit by bit to tear down that tremendous dike of White apathy and fear. When the dike finally gave way, their focus had to change to the task at hand - fighting the war. There was no time to think about afterwards. The war was so brutally extreme that there was no choice but simply to fight for survival, and many Whites perished in that struggle. John could look around and see very few who were comrades from the old days. The bravest Whites perished before the Revolution began. Until the day he died, there were never any braver, in John's eyes, than the men and women who served with John in the old days. Men and women, who had the courage to stand up, when everybody else and their mother shouted them down, are always the best of the race. Somebody had to stand up! Somebody had to risk their job, their life, and even their families. Braver than any soldier can ever be are these men and women. John never got a chance to meet many of these individuals. Oftentimes, these folks lived and died for the Revolution in complete anonymity. How can all these men and women be honored? How can all of them even be named? Nay, such a loss cannot ever be recovered. The only thing that can be done is to cultivate the ground of the race so that fresh men and women, such as these, can spring forth and blossom. It was John's duty to prepare that mangled polluted soil for new seeds. Time to leech out the toxins and plow forth the earth. The first order of business was to round up the traitors and begin the trials. The horrors of the war made for jurors who were both harsh and willing to do their duty. As Governor, John had a free hand to wipe the slate clean of all the remaining crusted over jurisprudence still on the books. Although John was free to conduct military-like tribunals, he instead thought it best to work with a reformed jury system and rock hard hanging judges. This served several purposes. First, it forced members of the community to take a hard look at what the war had cost the race. It was far more difficult for individual citizens to ignore the cost if they also had to listen to the testimony and hear the evidence of the victims. Another reason was that the jury system was perceived as fair by society as a whole, and John didn't want to ever be accused of sending innocent men and women to the gallows. Although the state fully agreed with John's actions in Atlanta, he chided himself for his lack of discipline. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Another reason for the jury system was that it was an excellent way of allowing communities to grieve for the many Whites lost during the war. All trials would be open to the public and broadcast as well. And if there wasn't room enough in the courthouse for all the members of the public, then those communities would just have to find a big enough place to hold their trials. There would be no more trials behind closed doors with this Governor. The current punishment system for criminals needed to be tossed in the trash and rebuilt from the ground up. Prisons were both a waste of time as well as wasteful with the public's money. Petty criminals were often imprisoned for years on end when a simple public lashing with a cat-o-nine tails would have sufficed. John reinstated public lashings and hangings. Misdemeanor offenders could be placed in public stocks on display in front of all their families and friends to see. Henceforth, the only kind of incarceration facilities allowed were local jails where the dangerous accused can be housed for prosecution. The police was another area just ripe for reform. Within his first week of office, John fired every policeman in his territory. Only those police who were specialists such as detectives, forensic experts, and others with technical knowledge were hired full time to serve with the local militias. To replace the policemen on patrol, John made this a function for the local militia. Every able bodied man between 15 and 55 had to belong to the militia. Policemen will no longer be hired mercenaries subject to the beck and call of corrupt politicians. Instead, the local militia will henceforth rotate their members for patrol and guard duty. Every militia member will be required to undergo military as well as police training. With every man having to pull the guard, it will be a whole lot harder for corruption to seep back in. Requiring all able-bodied men to serve in the militia serves another function also. With every man having to pledge their life for their community, they're more apt to take an interest in what's going on. The days of just sitting in front of the television and sipping on the beer are over with Governor John Logan. The reason for this is that John is looking to the future. One day, Whites will again have the right to exercise their vote. It will be inevitable, but that will be many years away. And in actuality, the form of government is far less important than the character of the citizens behind that government. Governments never become corrupt until the underlying citizenry has been debased. The Vote is not a promise to the public or even so much as a hint. Instead, it will be the natural function of nature when the citizens recover. And a good part of that recovery will be restoring the gene pool. When the war ended, the scientists discovered that they didn't know as much as they thought they did about eugenics, because there were far fewer scientists. Much of the original research had been lost, and will have to be rediscovered. In addition to that, it is still an open question as to what the specific future eugenics' goals should be, and that will require still more research. The traditional methods will be employed for now. Locate those best and brightest members of the race, and accelerate their rates of reproduction. If the former United States White citizens could fund worthless mud creatures to be bred, then they can certainly fork over the money to generate the good stuff. The sick and the feebleminded will not be allowed to reproduce. There will be no welfare in this Governor's society though. Whites will be expected to work or otherwise improve themselves for the good of the race. When it comes to the family, the Governor again cast aside whole sections of the existing law. The laws on statutory rape were repealed. Under jewish influence, the laws became just plain ridiculous. In some states, the age of consent had been raised to 21, and the sole reason for the laws were to punish Whites for engaging in natural behavior. Before the jews, in traditional times, boys and girls were free to marry when they reached puberty. There are quite a few advantages to early marriage. When a White couple marries young, quite a bit of later marital dysfunction can be eliminated. The young couple can grow together into adulthood, and they get to discover themselves in the same way as their forefathers did. Young men and women will no longer get unhealthy notions about the opposite sex from prostitutes and gigolos being displayed on the silver screen. The influence of television and motion pictures needed to be severely curtailed. The first thing John did was institute a Board of Censors for unhealthy racial content with its members chosen from the militia. Almost all material before the Revolution would be outlawed, with distribution of banned material punishable by death. Instead of outlawing existing ownership of banned material, John detailed his subordinates to set up community programs and build community support for eradicating privately owned banned material. John wasn't exactly sure on how to proceed, so his subordinates were tasked to approach the community leaders for help in coming up with solutions. The natural starting point would be to put the matter before the local militias. John's personal preference is to install local taboos on banned material instead of having to enact laws. With the details delegated to his subordinates, John moved onto other matters. Even with good content, the culture of television also needed to change. John wants folks who don't just sit in front of the television all the time. John's notion is to move television viewing to public places for better social interaction. Along with content, these issues and John's ideas would also be delegated to the local communities. With early marriages being encouraged, young couples need to be provided for so they can complete their training for society. It is simply a mistake to base society on the worship of money. With Whites being a small fraction of the world's population, the race just has to get their numbers up if we're going to survive, and that means reproducing during the most fertile early years of life. The idea of having to wait until thirty to produce a child, just because of money, is both ridiculous as well as stupid. John will also task this with the communities, but he'll also keep a real close eye on their progress. Make no mistake though - the White population must increase, and the communities will just have to deal with it! One reason Whites became so docile is because they spent their whole life as slaves to the economy. How can Whites be expected to speak their minds, if their livelihood is on the line each and every day? The fact that a person could be fired from work with little or no notice had done much to squelch healthy activism in the community. John instituted local labor boards with members drawn from business owners, workers, and government officials. It is now against the law to fire a worker without going through the board. Each worker will receive a fair and just hearing. Shirkers and the lazy will be subject to community punishment. John delegated oversight of this to his subordinates. Corporations were immediately disbanded with their assets being divided between the management and workers. Corporations had existed for centuries as ways to reap huge profits while escaping their responsibilities to the race. The first importation of negro slaves, the culture of money, rampant pollution, consumerism, and later forced integration all came about by greedy men allowed to shirk their racial duty - hiding behind the law. These changes were a swift beginning for Governor Logan's new administration. He was kept busy traveling to all the meetings. Initially he'd have to be onsite at many different locations. Things would slow down after the changes had been implemented, but right now he remained very busy. April 20th - Adolf Hitler Birthday International Youth Tourneys Young girls and boys from around the world came to the big event. The site of the games this year was St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis was chosen in celebration of Charles Martel crushing the Moors during early Medieval Europe. A brand new stadium had just been built which had seating for over 300,000, and the stands were packed. Over 2 million people came to St. Louis and surrounding counties for the games. The campgrounds and hotels were all packed, and others were welcomed into the homes of the residents. The army and local militias set up tent cities for the remainder. The games were being broadcast worldwide. Popcorn, hot dogs, and cola vendors were going up and down the aisles hawking their wares to the awaiting crowd. Football field size displays were amply peppered around the stadium to allow the crowd a better view of the games. There was an expansive network of mazes taking up the majority of the field. The mazes appeared transparent to the crowd but looked like mirrors to the teams playing inside. The crowd could see into the tunnels, but the teams could not see out. Cameras were computerized and widely dispersed in the tunnels in order to give the crowds the best possible view of the games. The newest technology was employed so that the crowds would have a crystal clear view of the tunnels without unwanted reflective glare. Whenever the action shifted to one of the inner tunnels, the outside surfaces of the matrix were automatically switched to become video screens. All portions of the matrix were computer controlled to be able to instantly switch back and forth between transparent or video screens. The games would be played 24 hours a day for the next 7 days between the various teams. The whole week was an official holiday for the entire White world. Admission was free on a first come, first serve basis for the general public. Those turned away would have another chance later on in the afternoon and evening. Governor Logan and the Field Marshall McBride both made their way to the plush box seating awaiting them and their entourage. At the beginning of the games, the announcer began the introductions. "Ladies and gentleman. Let's welcome Field Marshall McBride and Governor Logan to the Adolf Hitler Birthday International Youth Tourneys!" Both men stood up to a thunderous applause from the crowd. The announcer then went on to introduce the individual Politburo members in attendance, and the crowd gave them a hearty welcome. The announcer then announced. "Let's hear it for the girls!" The applause was thunderous as the girls' cheerleading and drill teams ran out from their locker rooms onto the field. Ursula was leading the cheerleaders for Max's team. Ursula's team was one of many cheerleading and drill teams on the field. The crowd was enthralled as the various teams went through their routines. One of the best traditions to survive the Revolution was traditional American cheerleading. If a person looked around, they'd see nothing but White faces surrounding them. The girls warmed up the crowd for about ten minutes, before moving to the sidelines. The announcer then announced. "Let's hear it for the boys!" The boys' teams then ran onto the field. First there was one team, then another, and then others. Finally, Max's team, the Blue Saxons, ran out onto the field with many other teams behind him. The boys all had on hardened battle armor and helmets that were enhanced to protect them from game injuries. From head to toe, they highly resembled medieval knights. The armor and helmets were fashioned from the latest high tech material to allow for maximum comfort with low weight and maximum ease of movement. The outsides of the boys' outfits were coated to make the uniforms reflect like mirrors. Each boy wore a number on their outfit. Max was number 68 which was one of the numbers reserved for squad leaders. The games were classed by age with Ursula and Max being with the 13-year-olds. It was now time for the White National Anthem. "Ladies and gentlemen! Let's all stand for the White National Anthem!" Whites from around the world stood and placed their hands over their hearts for the common national anthem. Soldiers, White Brotherhood, and White Sisterhood all gave the Roman Salute. After the White National Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. After the pledge was recited, the audience took their seats. Only the current players and cheerleaders were allowed on the field. The rest of the boys and girls went to their designated seating in the stands. Max and Ursula spotted each other in the stands. The boys around Max asked about Ursula while the girls around Ursula asked about Max. The boys were full of smiles and the girls full of giggles. "Let the games begin!" The applause again came as the opposing teams on the field each went to their entrance at opposing sides of the matrix. Initially, both teams were without weaponry. Each team was allowed 7 positions plus a squad leader position into the matrix. Weaponry was varied and dispersed randomly within the matrix. The weapons consisted of sport versions of spears, swords, shields, bow and arrows, and maces. Electronic sensors were both inside the weapons as well as also along the outside of the boys' outfits. Kills and maims were scored by computer. If the computer scored an injury to a player, the player would have to wear a heavy weight to simulate the injury. For example, the player who was scored with an injured right leg would have to wear a heavy weight on his right leg to simulate the wound's lack of mobility. Where the weights were placed depended on where the scored injuries were. If the player was scored a kill, then he was out of the game. Personal injuries to players weren't scored by the computer. If a player got scored an injury or death, the player's suit lit up bright red and he waited where he stood until the end of the round. Wounded players rejoined their teammates in the next round. Exhausted players were free to be exchanged between rounds. The substitutes took up the injuries of the players they switched with. Each computer kill eliminated one slot in the matrix. If the squad leader's men all died or the squad leader was killed, then the opposing team won the game. The loud horn sounded. Both teams charged into the matrix. The Falcons decided to use the defensive strategy. They went only far enough to arm their people. When they established a defensive position, their squad leader sent 2 people to do reconnaissance. The Red Beserkers opted for the all out assault strategy. They charged as fast and as hard as they could towards the Falcons - picking up their weaponry along the way. When the Red Beserkers reached the Falcons, the two teams clashed. A section of the matrix gave way and two players, in combat with each other, spilled out onto the field. The horn sounded - end of round. The players returned to their entrances. "Falcons - 2 dead, 1 thorax, 1 leg, 1 arm, squad leader arm. Red Beserkers - 3 dead, no thorax, no leg, no arm, squad leader leg." Wounded players put on their prescribed weights, weapons were dispersed, and then the horn sounded again. The players clashed again before the horn sounded. "Squad leader dead, Red Beserkers. Falcons win!" The crowd roared. It was Max's turn on the field. He and his team got to their starting positions for going into the matrix. He looked over to Ursula, and she blew him a kiss. Ursula began leading the cheer while Max and his team got ready for the horn. The horn sounded and Max charged into the entrance with his team. Max employed the Attack in Relays strategy using the Moving Triangle formation. His team took turns sprinting to the front with those in the rear keeping watch. Max's team used only one player as point man. The current point man clashed with the opposing team, and the computer scored him a kill. The horn hadn't been sounded, so the round was still in play. The triangle formation was good for double envelopment. Max's team feinted a retreat and he went with his left wing. The right wing went the other direction. Both wings attacked the opposing team from opposite sides simultaneously before the horn sounded." "Squad leader dead, Flying Romans. Blue Saxons win! We also have a new record for the 13 year olds - 1 minute, 18 seconds!" The crowd stood roaring with enthusiasm. Max came back onto the field to see Ursula frantically waving to him. Ursula came out to the field to greet him. The Governor was seated right next to the Field Marshall in the Box Section of the stadium. The Governor was scanning with his binoculars in an attempt to locate Max and Ursula. He saw Max come out of the Matrix and link up with Ursula, after winning the game, but now he couldn't locate them. He scanned the bleachers where Ursula sat. There were plenty of boys flirting with the girls, but none of them were Max. He then scanned Max's portion of the bleachers, and again he couldn't locate them. He fished out an electronic gadget out of his pocket in an attempt to locate them. The Field Marshall saw what John was up to and said, "Put that thing away, John. I can tell you where they're at." He pointed to a location on the field where Max and Ursula were. Max was down on one knee. "They're going to get married, John." "Max is still on one knee, Robert. It's still not a done deal until Ursula says, 'yes.'" "I recall this time last year I was lecturing you about having faith." The announcer spoke. "I'm seeing a young man - Blue Saxon's number 68 - Max Clay - down on one knee proposing to the Blue Saxon's number 62 cheerleader - Ursula Schmidt. Max, I have to say that we're all cheering for you." Max's face turned red at being caught in the act in front of so many people. Ursula pulled on him to arise, and when they were both standing, she gave a big thumbs up to the audience. The announcer cut in. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a YES!" The crowd roared its approval. Max was still uncomfortable whilst Ursula just stood there grinning back at the crowd and still giving the thumbs up. The Field Marshall saw the look of embarrassment on John's face. "I think it's time John." "I've waited so long for this Robert." The Governor got up to go see his son when the Field Martial motioned for him to sit back down. The Field Martial called his aide over and spoke instructions to him. A few seconds later the announcer spoke. "Max Clay and Ursula Schmidt - Field Marshall McBride requests you join him in the Box Section of the stadium." The Field Marshall looked at the Governor with a smile and said, "They're the youngsters John; let them do the walking." The Field Marshall then ordered the entourage to clear the area and be on the lookout for Max and Ursula. The Field Marshall's aide guided the teenagers into the Box Seating section and then left. Ursula saw the Governor and thought she'd seen him somewhere before. "I've seen you somewhere before." "We've never met Ursula." That answer gave Ursula the final clue that tugged at her woman's intuition. The family resemblance was unmistakable. "You're Max's..." "Father. I'm Max's father." The surprise was total with Max, because he hadn't noticed the resemblance. "Mother told me that you were dead! I don't remember if I was three or four. But she never would talk about you! She had no pictures or anything..." "We have a lot of catching up to do. All I have left is a photograph of you when you were about two and a half." Max looked at the photograph, but he was too young to remember the picture being taken. The Governor continued. "I'd like you both to meet Field Marshall Robert McBride. Robert and I were activists many years before the Revolution." Ursula and Max both shook hands with the old Field Marshall. Just then, the Field Marshall's aide came into the room and told him he had an important phone call. "Field Marshall, it's Mrs. Cox. She says she's making preparations for Max and Ursula, and she has got to speak with you now." "Don't any of those old biddies over in Propaganda ever sleep? Tell that old battle-ax that I'm busy right now!" "I believe this is going to have to be your department Field Marshall. Remember the last time we crossed Mrs. Cox?" "Fine, fine. Bring the telephone over here." The Field Marshall bent down a little and spoke real softly to Max and Ursula. "You'd think a Field Marshall wouldn't have to put up with this kind of behavior." The aide frantically made gestures for the Field Marshall to be quiet. The last time Mrs. Cox overheard the Field Marshall; there was hell to pay! The aide handed the phone over and quickly got out of the room, while the getting was good. The Field Marshall picked up the telephone. "Yes, Mrs. Cox... Well, he only just proposed... Of course we haven't had any time to talk about the wedding! They just arrived a couple of minutes ago..." Ursula was working awful hard to suppress her giggling, but she wasn't very successful. Max and his father were both biting their tongues to keep from laughing. "Well, what do you have in mind? ... Where? ... When? ... Yes, I realize that this is an important state matter... I know that you folks work really hard over there ... And I appreciate all your hard work ... Yes, I will tell them ... Goodbye." The Field Marshall hung the phone up. "I hope you two weren't thinking about a small wedding." Graduation The Blue Saxon's won 1st prize at the Adolf Hitler Birthday International Youth Tourneys. Max's team won for the boys, and Ursula's team won for the girls. Max suffered a bad ankle sprain during the last game, but with the two alternate squad leaders out of the game, he felt compelled to just have the doctor bind his ankle real tight so he could continue the game. The doctor at first balked but was overruled by coach Owens. Ursula's team participated in the cheerleading competitions. The girls were scored on difficulty, poise, grace, and appearance. Ursula's team blew away the other teams. April 27th was the beginning of the grand finale of White Brotherhood's Viking school year. The most exhausting part of the whole year was saved to the very last. Today was the beginning of Long Rowing. A sprained ankle wouldn't come between Max and his oar. And besides that, he insisted on being there. Drillmaster Owens overruled the doctor once again - much to the doctor's frustration. Starting now, and for the next 72 hours, all the teenagers would row almost continuously. They'd stop once an hour for short 10-minute bathroom breaks aboard the shore. They'd also go to shore to quickly eat their catered meals. Since they'd be spending so much time rowing, they would eat eight meals a day for the next 72 hours. The Drillmasters set a slower more marathon-like pace for the young men, and the Drillmasters themselves would take their turns at the oars. The Drillmasters did everything their charges did and went through all the same rigors during the past year. The Drillmasters and all their teenage boys rotated turns operating the ships' rudders, just as they always did. Such rigorous training was done to cement close lifelong friendship between all the rowers. Once the teenage boys graduated, they'd take their experiences home to share with their comrades in their hometowns. They'd go back and inspire their neighborhoods with their acquired confidence and determination. The hand calluses grew like fingernails that year, and most of the boys had to trim theirs back on a weekly basis. Blisters on the boys' hands were almost unheard of by this time of the year. Like quite a few other boys, Max had been out of shape when he first arrived. Most of the boys had done little or no exercise before arriving. Even in their hometowns, physical fitness was more often lacking than not amongst youngsters. Max and his comrades would be the first graduates from the Viking School. Together, they'd take their spirit back home with them. The Drillmasters pushed their boys. At first, the boys hated being pushed so hard. Most of them thought they couldn't make it. Almost all of them wanted to quit, but the Drillmasters wouldn't let them quit. They worked the boys to exhaustion - and then worked them even more. When a young boy could finally rise, he knew the wisdom the Drillmasters had taught them. The state had a strong interest in making Men of Steel; men who wouldn't stop; men who wouldn't quit. For one thing, such men make better husbands and better fathers. The man's position in the household had suffered greatly before the Revolution. Man had fallen far, and the state was hell-bent in recovering these lost men, these men of weakness. If a man looks like a man, then he'll act like a man when it's most important because he'll be in tune with nature as well as his spouse and children. The state's own research indicated that divorce had declined by over 70% just because of the state's dedication to physical fitness. Max was the nucleus of a new generation of men, men of steel. Long Rowing was completed at the end of April the 29th. The 30th was spent as a day of rest. Most of the boys were exhausted and either slept most of the day or else just hung around while their bodies recovered. And for the first time, Drillmaster Owens ordered Max to not train and take the day off with the rest of the boys. Around 1500 hours, the entire Battalion was assembled together in an open field under the bright sunshine and instructed to sit. The other age groups formed up under their Battalion Drillmasters in the distance. Drillmaster Owens took his seat alongside his boys while the Battalion Drillmaster took up the microphone and spoke to his Battalion. "Boys, it's been a real hard year for you. We pushed you real hard. Quite a few of you thought you didn't have what it takes when you first arrived. You were surprised when you could get back up. But tomorrow, the state will no longer classify you as, 'boys.' You'll be called, 'men,' and being young men has certain advantages." The men cheered at the Drillmaster's statement. "For one thing, you will have full rights to marriage to any woman who will have you. You've learned what it takes to be a man as well as the duties and responsibilities to be a good husband and father. I know there are some of you who have no thoughts about women." Adolescent hormones raged through the house today, and there was a hearty laughter. When the laughter died down, he continued. "You're the first class to graduate from the Viking School. By law, no young man has a right to marry until they've passed through one of our schools. The Viking School is just one of the schools that's been set up for the race. But let me tell you about the other schools out there. The other Viking School is based along the Great Lakes, and they're just as dedicated to turning out fine young men as we are. There's also two mountains schools. One is based in West Virginia, and the other is located in the Rockies. The two Ocean Schools are located in Miami as well as San Diego. And more schools are being set up as we speak. There are also other schools located all over the world. We will teach more young boys and turn them also into men" He paused for the young men to clap, and then continued. "The girls - well let's face it! We're not going to make them struggle with an oar or make them crawl through the mud. And we're certainly not going to make it so that you're wives come home with smelly old drawers." The Battalion rolled with laughter over that one. "But young girls are being trained on what it means to be good wives and mothers. The Viking women's school will also be graduating tomorrow. And if any of you haven't had the ample opportunities to notice any of the fine young ladies from their school..." There was more laughter. "Then you'll certainly get a chance to notice them tomorrow when we fly into Branson. We have tuxedos for you to wear, and tomorrow I want you all to enjoy yourselves at the Ball" The boys cheered. "Finally, I have this. There will be many young ladies out there. Think before you act! If you get her pregnant, then you will be marrying her. Think about it! That is all! Battalion, Dismissed!" May Day Ball Prelude Sergeant Smith chauffeured the Governor and the Field Marshall in the Mercedes into Branson, Missouri. The Field Marshall was staying at the Governor's mansion. Now they and their entourage were busy inspecting the preparations for the Balls. There were simply too many people coming to hold the event in only one location. The Governor and Field Marshall were focused only on the Ball Max would be at while letting their subordinates take care of the others. The Secret Service had a massive presence in Branson that day. The Politburo would be flying in, so security was a high priority that day. On a normal day, military and militia presence was heavy, but today it was massively increased. The entire local militia and military were deployed for security. After the patrol and guard duties had been assigned, the remainder were left to their own discretion as to where they'd post themselves - within the discretion of their superiors. They entered the large building and the Field Marshall detected the presence of Mrs. Heidi Cox from Propaganda. "That damndable woman is here John! Where's her elderly accomplices? Adolf Hitler said we should be free of women in government, but just you try telling that to Mrs. Cox!" Heidi Cox was 72 and walked with a very slight limp from the war. The rest of the old ladies from Propaganda were also there. "Try to control yourself Robert. Let's see if we can't just make the best of it today." John and the Field Marshall had both worked with Heidi Cox before the Revolution. Although they put aside their differences for the Revolution, there was no love lost between Mrs. Cox and the Field Marshall. Before the Revolution, just about every single successful business had a woman like her. Mrs. Cox had never been in a formal leadership position, but women like her tended to make wherever they resided positions of power. Even her superiors tiptoed around her. She knew the entire workings of Propaganda and how to make things move. She had a knack for putting a fire under people and getting things done for the race. And whether that person was a lowly government worker or a Field Marshall made no difference with her. She didn't tolerate any foolishness out of anybody. It was her White Race, and everybody was just going to have to toe the line. The Field Marshall made a grimace as Mrs. Cox slowly walked up to them and spoke to John. "Nice to see you John. Come give an old woman a hug." She and John had always been good friends. They hugged, and she had particular satisfaction seeing the Field Marshall wince. "I'm surprised they haven't put you out to pasture yet Robert." "Ladies first!" Robert then spoke to a passing attendant. "Somebody left the door open! All the old broken down nags are getting in! Please bring a bag of oats for Mrs. Cox!" John motioned to the attendant to ignore the remarks and carry on with his duties. "Really you two! Please try to control yourselves today! This is Max's day!" The Ballroom was full of activity as the workers made their preparations for the Ball. There was quite a bit left to do before the students arrived. Heidi departed to direct the workers. John had to attend to other thing also, and he walked outside the building to talk on his cell phone. With nothing to do, Robert slowly walked around to view the workers doing their duty. He found himself over by a deserted corner. The phone in the corner rang. Robert didn't notice the phone until it rang. Nobody was around to answer the phone. He tried to get the attention of a passing worker but wasn't successful. The phone just kept ringing. He tried to ignore it, but it just kept on ringing. Damn it all! He picked up the phone to see who it was. "Hello... I don't know... Well I suppose I can page him... How do I issue a page?... I see! I'm going to put you on hold while I page him." Robert put the caller on hold and switched the phone over to the intercom and then spoke into the phone. "Mike Hunt, Mike Hunt, you have a telephone call on the corner phone!" There were few workers laughing, but the majority kept to their duties. "Mike Hunt, Mike Hunt, you have a telephone call on the corner telephone!" More workers started laughing, but Robert still didn't notice. "Is Mike Hunt here?" Workers were now rolling on floor; they were laughing so hard. When Robert saw the old ladies at Propaganda pointing at him and laughing, he finally got the joke. It was on him, and he saw the culprit Mrs. Cox just standing there laughing at him. That damndable woman! She'll get hers! Now Mrs. Cox was continuing to check her workers' progress by going from place from place to place in the building. More and more workers snickered as she went from place to place. She knew that Robert was up to something, but she couldn't quite figure it all out. She noticed a quite innocent looking young man following her from place to place with a dustpan and a broom. He looked like a nice sweet young man, and she was curious as to why he was following her place to place with a dustpan and broom. Some of the workers were rolling on the floor laughing now. "Young man, why are you following me all about with a dustpan and broom?" More workers were down on the floor laughing. The young man sheepishly spoke. "Well..." "Yes, go on!" The young man knew he'd been duped by his comrades. "Well, they told me to follow you around in case of any accidents." "Accidents?" "They said that you were old and that you'd be prone to wet yourself." The whole building was laughing now. Members of the Politburo had just entered the building, and they were beginning to ask what all the commotion was about. A supervisor went outside to summon John back into the building. Robert could see that John was clearly perturbed about having to be summoned back into the building. John gathered up Politburo members as he made his way over to Robert. One Politburo member pointed to Heidi and summoned her to join them. The President of the Politburo took charge of the conversation. "Robert, Heidi - this juvenile immature behavior has got to stop! This backbiting and dirty tricks have gone quite far enough! You two have a duty to set a good example!" The other Politburo members also joined into giving these two a good and thorough tongue lashing. John remained silent while the Politburo scolded both of them and warned them both that they'd better be on their best behavior. The Politburo members then made them apologize to each other and even shake hands. John would have never believed that those two would ever shake hands, but the Politburo was not about to put up with any further nonsense. The young man with the dustpan and broom quietly slipped away from the commotion. The male Viking students began arriving a little after noon. Each age group had their own Ball to attend, and the shuttles were quite busy transporting students to their particular Ball. Max and his platoon rode busses from the airport. The young ladies weren't expected to begin arriving until 1500. All the young men were dressed in their tuxedos for the Ball. Military transportation was made available to family and friends. When they arrived there were soft drinks, popcorn, and cotton candy. Barbecue, steaks, and hot dogs were cooking on the grill. Loud music was playing from one of the many bands scheduled to play on through the night. The Ball wouldn't shut down until 0600 the next day. Ursula and her platoon came by bus from their hometown in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She saw Max from her bus and waved to him as the bus drove up to the entrance. Her seat happened to be in the back of the bus, so she had to wait patiently in expectation of getting off the bus. She was wearing a flowing White evening dress that Heidi Cox helped her select. Heidi oversaw her battalion's selection of formal wear for the Ball. The girls kept it under wraps that Mrs. Cox and her staff flew them into New York City to do their shopping at the most expensive stores - billable to Propaganda. Ursula and Max kissed a bunch, once she was off the bus, and they went into the Ball. It would be several weeks before Max got off the crutches. Young ladies and gentlemen were busy introducing themselves and being introduced with the idea of flirtation in the air. Nature was only just beginning the pairing up between boys and girls. Live bands were playing. Nature reached critical mass around 1900 when the young couples felt the compulsion to dance. Max and Ursula chose a comfortable loveseat to sit in, and Max had his bad ankle propped up and his arm around her. Max and Ursula hung around the couch while their friends came in to visit them. At 2100, the dancing stopped for awards to be issued. Governor John Logan took the microphone and began the awards. Ursula and Max placed first in all the categories scored, and they went up to get their awards together. Ursula was beside him as he went, on his crutches, up to the stage. The second and third place awards were given out next. John again took the microphone and spoke. "Max Clay and Ursula Schmidt - come forth!" The crowd waited while they made their way to the stage again. "Ursula Schmidt - Last year you volunteered for the Lost Child Home program. Despite the fact that you risked both injury and death to yourself, you performed for the White Race in a manner above and beyond the call of duty. I shall state for your fellow students, and also to posterity, the events surrounding your valor and meritorious conduct that has earned you a place in the Hall of the Heroes. Due to the nature of that duty, I'm not at liberty to state specifics regarding Ursula's actions. What I can tell you is that last year Ursula volunteered for a very important project. With no thoughts as to her own safety, she saved the life of a young boy. But this young boy wasn't just any boy. This boy was the sole surviving child of one of the father's of the Revolution. That boy is Max Clay" There was loud applause. "And up until the Adolf Hitler Birthday International Youth Tourneys, Max Clay was not even aware that his father was still alive. But Max's father is alive, and his father is here." The crowd quickly looked around to see who that might be. "Max's father is me. Henceforth, Max's last name shall be 'Logan' after me." Surprise and astonishment gripped the crowd, and then there was thunderous applause. John again focused on Ursula. "Ursula Schmidt - I award you the Peacetime Medal of Honor. This is the highest award that can be given in peacetime." John shook her hand, gave Max the medal, Max placed the medal around her neck, and then Max kissed her. "Ursula, your parents have just arrived. Field Marshall, will you do the honors of escorting Miss Schmidt's parents up to the stage." The Field Marshall and Heidi Cox put aside their differences to escort Ursula's parents up to the stage so that they could share in the celebration. Since it was difficult for the elderly couple to travel, John had detached medical personnel to aide them with their travel. The elderly couple met Max, the Governor, the Field Marshall, and the Politburo. The elderly couple was happy that Ursula had done so well and that she had such a bright future ahead of her. Since the elderly couple were way past their bedtimes, John arranged to have the couple chauffeured to the Governor's mansion. The bands and the dancing started up again. Although Max and Ursula had hardly been alone amongst the sofas, even more of their friends came around to visit them. Since Max had a sprained ankle and Ursula wasn't going to dance without him, Ursula's friends decided that the couple should have a better view. The girls prompted their boyfriends to take the loveseat up onto the stage for a better view of the Ball. Ursula and Max, along with the cou...