Ranger ELF PLAN - ESD PLUS!
PAge 84… Wishing At The Edge
Craig removed his cap and looked at the ground as he wiped the sweat and dust off his neck with a red-white-and blue bandanna. He stepped closer to Jarred when he saw no one was near.
Leaning closer yet, he whispered:
"Watch the Eagle… Feds."
Jarred tried to grab his arm as he turned away, but the pilot shook him off and climbed aboard. "Not a good sign," Jarred thought as he stood watching through the dust swirl.
The huge chopper pulled away from them. It turned and headed east.
The logging moratorium and the cease-fire seemed to be holding. New groups of people arrived daily. Some were well organized and had connections, land or at least their equipment. Others needed help getting plugged in. The healers worked hard keeping folks out of sight. Election jitters were building and they held wish circles in all the camps, praying that everyone would be calm, no incidents.
Forest Defenders kept to the woods and avoided confrontations. Many joined stream restoration projects organized mostly by elderly folks. Some believed these projects would eventually create jobs, food, and tourism. Idealism was high, and the ‘realists’ kept quiet for now. Funding for restoration projects came from donations, grants, and some local government money too. In a few regions money came from the Resistance Gas-Tax. Many groups had demanded the gas tax as a condition of the cease-fire, but few gas stations complied… at least not willingly.
Ranger Defense was not always a clear part of the Eco-Social Defense program (ESD). ESD counted on large numbers of people moving up permanently to vote, homestead, build communes and do mass direct action.
Ranger ELF sought to assure that the federal and state governments restrained themselves from major intervention in County affairs. Some letters to officials threatened to unleash Phase I if any assassinations or troop movements were discovered. Just before the cease-fire, a demonstration was held. Eco-commandos and apparently some militia units as well, demolished a large number of very expensive electric transmission lines and substations. Most of this was done in the greater Northwest region, but enough attacks were done near cities across the country, that no one doubted their strength or resolve.
The Ranger-Elf deterrent was so successful that many Forest Defenders wondered how it could have been done years earlier. The expense of repairs and security plus the effect on the stock market would have left the government little choice but to accept reasonable demands.
By election time, Phase II of Ranger Elf would be ready and publicized. Following a Phase I attack on utilities and infrastructure Rangers would fall back to safe houses in a second city. If government attacks continued, or Ranger communiqués were not published in newspapers, then a series of new targets would be engaged, thus Phase II.
Dozens of competent teams were in place and more equipment was being acquired. Ganja farmers and several rich Liberals hedging their bets, in case their condos and mansions burned, donated millions. L.A. Gangs started making more money dealing guns than on drugs.
Phase I was about to commence. Hope remained for zero deaths, but reality would no doubt mean casualties on all sides. Theory and ‘the real world’ rarely coincide easily. ESD and Ranger ELF were great ideas. At least the Forest Defenders were prepared and following some kind of plan. But timing makes a difference, and this - the Fall of Babylon - was going to do things, and teach lessons according to its own organic Nature. The Resistance and most people were just along for the ride, but it helped knowing what to look out for.
The whole country falling apart just before a major election, made it seem that Phase II might be irrelevant. With freelancers and the militia joining in the fun, it looked like a new national fad had matured into a new way of life. ‘Composting technology,’ especially expensive, corporate gizmos, evolved into the tension releaser of the Millennium. In the end this saved many lives. Things work out funny sometimes. Or where does humor fit in?
Good intentions that are spread too wide can hurt and be twisted. You’ll trick yourself into thinking you’ve solved a problem or are even remotely aware of a situation, when reality comes a sneaking up on you. Gliding the edge around your foolish sense of understanding. And… slapping you hard with your own hand.
"Who can find the Shadows, when the sun feels so good!"
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Sage felt a little weak and slightly burned out - that tweaky no sleep space, and rhythms still throbbing. Still, she was glad for the diversion. She looked around the room again and liked the blood pumping through her body. "Dancing always loosens up the body and mind, it’s as close to meditation as I get in these crazy times lately. Where the hell is everyone?"
Aire and Dr. Dee pushed through a doorway right as she spotted them. She gave them that impatient look she had down perfect.
"Let’s go,” she said, pointing at her wrist, unsure whether they would hear her much after all the noisy music … and it blasting for hours.
When Aire got closer, giving her a hug, she said softly, "It’ll be light soon."
Sage looked around again at the big room.
Willow came jogging up to her shaking his head.
Dr,
Dee asked "Seen Spook?"
Sage shook her head sideways and
Willow said, "No, I looked everywhere."
Dr. Dee looked surprised and suddenly much more serious. But all he said was, "Tha’s creepy, I had a funny feeling… Maybe…"
Sage grabbed Aire’s arm, saying gently but with gravity weighing on her face,
"Come on. Now!"
They made it back to the warehouse with darkness still lingering in the fog. Wasting no time, they soon had most of the cargo on board. As they brought over the last load Sage went down the list : "twelve, thousand-dollar sniper rifles; twenty full-auto Belgian assault guns; ten thousand rounds of ammo; twenty fancy scopes; night vision gear; and five-hundred pounds of Semtec plastic explosive. There’s a lot more than I thought … wow, what are those?"
