The town of chestnut springs was a buz. Everyone was asking about the mysterious new marshal. Everyone was curious about him. Would he bring law and order or would he fade to dust like all the orthers that tried to restore order to this ungovernable reigon.
Tim was now deputized. He was now a lawman. He wated for the announcement before flashing his badge. He went to the library.
Sense leaving the army,he found himself to be listless. He had no direction. Could he find a life out hear? Could he find a life ananywhere?
He went inside. He tried to be qiet but he did not always seceed. ” i dont have any more johny bray comics books. You have read them all!” mis Liz the school teacher and librarian said.
Elizebeth Perkins was 19 years old. She become the school teacher by accident. She had been the star pupil of mrs. Weber. Mrs weber had taught school for 48 years. She saw it all in those years. She endured foreign invasions, bandits etc. What she could eneure was old age. She was found dewd at her desk.she was 88 years old. Without any replacement.,the job fell to her.
Tim took to her almost imidiatly. She was attractive ,intelligent, and interesting.tim liked her.he was afraid that he had too much against him. He was poor. He was uneducated. He did not graduate high school. He was not refined. He was from the f.s.a the inland. Many feared he was a carpet bagger.
With the annexation by the f.sa, there was fear that the inlanders as they were called would try to federalist the outland. Every bussines man,religious leaders orthodox and ortherwise,and wanders came to this new fronteer. There was talk of railroads conecting the inland to the fronteer. There was talk of hotels coming in. This made poeple nervous.
“I am not hear for comics! ” he said. ” oh ok. ” she said. ” i have met the new marshal!” he said. “He is hear? I was wondering what all the buz was about. ” she said. “Let me gues your reeding life and times by edwin karr noedwin for the 15th time. ” he said. ” it is a fasinating read. “She said. “I could not get pass page one. How can you have sub prologue b?” he asked. ” you have to at least read it once!”she said. “I will try perhaps! ” he said.
“Gues what? I met the new marshal! ” tim said.”is he attractive looking?”she asked. “I dont know. ” he said. “Sory. I had to ask!”she said. “I am sure you did. Any ways. The marshal asked me to be his deputy. “Tim said. “Your are a good choice. If i was a marshal i woukd deputize you! “She said. “Thnks for the vote of confidence. “Tim said. “I gues this meens you will be stiking around hear for a while. ” she said. “Lizzy your struck with me!” she said. ” i am ok with that. ” she said. Neither one added anything to that satement.
“What do you think of the new marshal? “She asked. “He seams good so far. “She said. “Good. I look forward to merting him!”she said. “Are you trying to make me jellous?”he asked. “No im not. If you become jellous thats not my fault! “She said. “Alright!”he said.
The lock up was in the outskirts of the town. Chole was processed. She was changed into a black abd white striped unifrom. She was in a cell by herself. She was barefoot. She laid down on hrr bunk. Odd at least she did not have to look over her shoulder. It had been a while.
She hoped that she would not be hear foever. She had idea how long she would be hear. She did not know much about the legal system. She would wait.
At the hone of the marshall. Nicole made dinner for him and her daughter.”this is really good.”he said.”has it been a while sense you had a home cooked dinner ?”nicky asked. “It has. I forgot i missed it. “He said. ” “i figured your riding into town tomorow?”she asked. “Yes oficily i was the marshal the minute i got my commission form the attorney general. I would like to hold an oficial ceremony. Say a few words. “He said. “Thats a good idea.”she said. ” i wish the town had a functional government. “She said. “Cant you set up one?”she asked. “I can. If i do it will be seen as a pupet for the f.s.a.”he said. “The doc is a leader. He does not like to be think so he really is. I would start there. ” she said. “I had a thought about that. I am thinking about that. ” he told her.
That night, bryan tried to sleep. His mind went in a thousand different directions. His adult life had been spent with little sleep. Sometimes getting barly a couple houers sleep.that was usualy on the ground or in a pup tent.
He was about to desend into sleep when he heard a noise. He looked out the window. He saw a horse. He suspected that it was not just one horse. He grabed a rifle. He trued to not to wake up nick or the baby. He tip toed down the steps. He made it to the door.
He saw a group of horses and men. He guesed that it was bandits. Was it an organized gang or unorganized, he had no idea. He did not know what there intent was.
He went outside. He fired off a schot into the air. “Your on my property. I believe trespassing is against the law even in the outlands.” he said.
“I dont really keep up on what the law says!” the head bandit said.” why are you hear . I suspect this is not a freindly greeting. “Bryan said.
“We dont recognize your authority or the authority of the f.s.a . this is our land. ” the leader of the bandit proclaimed.
“The authority of the federated states over the out lands is not disputed. I have controling ligal authority hear. ” he declared.
“I am a firm belever that might makes right. ” the leader said. “You kill me, the army wil be called you. The military governor will be appointed. He wil declare a sate of emergency and All of you will be rooted out very quickly!”he declared.
The leader took out his rifle as did the other bandits. “your f.s.a wont stomach a guerilla war hear. They wull pull out. The gangs will run this town!”the leader said.
“Dont count on it. “Durgans said.”you will die now. Either head out or leave! “The leader said.”its late. I would perfer not to traval this late!”he said. “You dont have a choice. “The leader said. “Your not going to let me live either way. You cant. You have the might. So shoot me. Do it!” he said.
The bandit bandit was about to fire.durgens rammed the horse and dodged the gun fire. The horse was spooked. Durgens fired near anothrr horse. He fired several shots into the air.
The bandits decided to leave the area. He gused this gang had little or no real influence.they were a gang of petty thugs. The real crime sindicates would be wating. They would qietly build up against him.
Durgens stayed awake. He watched just in case the thugs started to retrurn. He felt he was ok tonight. Tomrow might be a different story.
The next day bryan called a meeting of influential towns people.doctor, lawyers, bussinesman and school teacher.
“Bryan !”tim said. He turnes around.”this is Elizabeth perkins. She is our school teacher and librarian. “He said. “It is good to meet you!”durgens said. “Likewise!”she said. “I am glad you could come! “He said.
“I admire what you want to do. What if this area is hopeless. Not everyone wants to be civilized. ” Elizabeth said. “Ian sanders said that ‘even the most savage person when exposed to civilization come to love it. ” durgens said. “Many have called sanders views nieve including edna braden” she said. “I never liked braden. “He said.”you are quite well read? “Elizabeth asked.”i attended santon university. I majored in art ,literature and humanities of the post eruption age. Please dont tell any one. I wanted to become an officer in the military. Any degree would work to get me into officer canidate school. That and that major had more ladies then men.i hoped to get a date. It worked. I got engaged. It did not work out. ” he said.
The orther came in and sat down.”ok! I would like to call a town assambly tomorrow where i will be fomerly sworn in. “He said.”that can be arranged. ” the doctor said.
“The mane reason i called you all hear is this. We need order. I can only do so much. I have deputized tim and will add aditional deputies as needed. We need a functional government. Any government i apoint will be viewed as a pupet of the f.s.a. i perpose this ,the doctor will act as mayor for a year. You will act as the town council for two years. A moyoral election will take place in a year,council in two. ” he said.
“What if the gangs try to dominate the council? “Reverend luter asked.”its posible. It is a risk. I do not want an oligarchy runing the town. If i have to i wont hesitate to call in the army. I dont want to do that. If people feel like they have a voice. That we can create a better future. It wil take time. I want this council to be a cross section of society. ” he said.
“I am open to this. Will i have actual authority?”the doctor asked.”you will. I dont want to be a pupet master. Any matter not directly related to f.s.a policy is your terf. ” he said.
They all agreed to participate. He thanked them. “One more thing.it was tradition when a new military governor took over to pardon a prisoner. “Elizabeth said. “I see. I can pardon any one?”he asked. “That is the tradition. ” the doctor said. “I see. ” he said.
Nicky was holding the baby. ” why did you put me on the council?” she asked. “You cane uo with the idea.” he said. “I am not the type!”she said. “I need you to do something for me. ” durgens asked. “Ok!” she said.
At the prison, a door opened,a gaurd enteted with nicole. “This is deputy f.s.a marshal nicole winter. “The gaurd said. “You dont look like a deputy?” choe said. “You are receving a full and unconditional pardon. You will stil be in custody before the marshal investure ceremony. You will be alowed to leave the prison. ” choe said. “He came though. I cant beleve it. I figured he was just blustering. He ment it. He realy ment it!”choe said. “He is a good man. ” nicole said. “I supose he is. ” she said.
Later on ,Bryan returned to his residence. It was a warm day.Nicole had removed her sweter. She wore a tank top. Chole was playing with the baby. He saw nicole. She did not realize that he was there. She turned around. On her arm was a tatoo. It had the leter u. It ment unwed. “No!” she said.
“Nicky its none of my business! ” he said. “People hear never asked. I know they talker. I came hear hoping i could start a new. Maybe they would think i was a widow. I knew people suspected. I am an outcast. I had your respect i know i did. “She said. “You still do! This changes nothing. ” he said.she took the baby and walked off.
He was about to folow her. He saw tim. “We identitied the men who attacked you. They are led by a man named buzz greyhorn. He is a pety thug. We are atempting to locate him. We know a few of his hang out spots. “Tim said.” ok good work!”he said. “You ok?” tim asked. “I think so. ” he told him.
The sub section of chestnut sorings was called duality. The area was under the corect control of elikon. Elikon ruled it with an iron fist.
“This man came to the gate. He is requesting sanctuary. ” a mage said “buz greyhorn! ” elikon said. “The marshal wants to arrest me. I need your protection. ” greyhorn said. “This man is wanted for thretning the marshal. If we grant him sanctuary, the Marshall will come with a pose. ” the mage said. “Im aware of that!” elikon said.
End of part five.
Speculitive history 