From the Clan Amir book A Fighting Heritage
Granite Mannheim
by
Ernest Edwards
All rights reserved © 2007, 2008, and 2010
Born Gerald Herbert Mannheim on 1st March 1942, the son of a Berant woman and a US engineer working for a French construction company in Berana. He grew up on the tales of his clan and tribal heritage. His mother was the only daughter of the Ber (pronounced bear) Clan Father, the clan for whom the country Berant is named. The Ber had been kings for several centuries, until two despotic kings ruled in succession and pushed the Amir Clan too far. Civil war followed and the Amir became the ruling clan, in the 6th century AD. The Ber remained the premier clan of the Bera tribe, whose lands run from the capital city of Berana to the western mountains.
Anaire Mannheim teaches her son the culture, skills, laws, history, ethics, language, and legends of her clan, tribe, and country. Herbert Mannheim teaches his son the culture, skills, games, history, ethics, and legends of his birth land of the United States of America (US). Gerald grows up learning French, English, and Beran (the tribe's language). Over the years of his childhood and youth, he learns and examines both his parents' cultures. He's able to identify many common elements in them and works hard to be a good example of both. He's a perfect example of the welding together of the best parts of both cultures.
During the Japanese occupation the Mannheims lived and worked on a clan farm in the mountains, hidden away from the Japanese. At the end of World War Two they moved back to the city to help with the reconstruction and rebuilding of the country.
When the generals take over the country they say things will be better, but there's little immediate difference in Berana. After a few days the generals are murdering people for no valid reasons. People become afraid and start defending themselves, the generals and their troops become worse. Like many others, the Mannheims decide to leave the country. However, they've left their decision too late, as the generals have closed off all avenues of escape. The fighting grows worse. Many people find refuge in the embassies of foreign governments, the most notable being the Australia, New Zealand, UK, and US ones as their governments have agreed to accept any refugees. The generals establish military forces around the embassies and won't allow anyone who has Berant citizenship to get close to them. They're also refusing the embassy staff permission to roam the city or country unescorted. The citizens take to calling the soldiers of the generals' army Vultures, as they act like vultures picking the bones of the dead citizens.
A New Responsibility
Herbert Mannheim is determined to get his family out of Berant and to safety. He knows many others who are married to Berant citizens, as they make a small sub-community within Berana. The foreign born can leave upon producing their passports but their families can't, and this isn't acceptable to any of them. They gather together in a part of Berana not often visited by the generals' troops but not that far from the embassies, it's called the Foreigner's Quarter, searching for a way to get their families out. If they can reach any of the embassies they'd be safe.
In mid June 1946, Anaire's brother, Bardee, visits them as he has a proposition to put to Herbert. He says, “Husband of my sister, we're a clan. The head of the clan, the Clan Father, is directly responsible for every member of the clan. As such, all orphans automatically become his dependants and he must care for them. My father's dead and we've no Clan Father. The Clan Council has gathered, talked, and voted. We wish you to take over as Clan Father until such time as one of my sons or nephews reaches manhood and you select one as suitable.”
Both Herbert and Anaire are stunned, it's almost unheard of for a clan to ask one not born of the clan to be Clan Father; it isn't against the laws, but not the traditional way of things. Herbert says, “Why me?”
Bardee replies, “It is the consensus of the Clan Council that you've the best chance of see to the welfare of the clan children, especially the orphans, whose numbers grows daily. The Vultures are trying to eliminate the tribe and clan. You, as a foreign national, they won't touch. You can get food, clothes, shelter, and take them to safety.”
“Take them to safety? How do I get past the Vulture blockade?”
Bardee responds, “Accept this responsibility and you, with all your friends, will safely pass the blockade. The Clan Council can guarantee this.” Anaire gasps as she realises what the council has in mind. Herbert takes Anaire's hand in his as he realises what he's not being told. Slowly, he nods, and accepts the silver ring Bardee places on his finger. Four year old Gerald watches this without understanding it all.
By late June the preparations are nearly done. Over a dozen buses and trucks are gathered. The exteriors have been strengthened with steel plates. The engines are well tuned and all mechanical parts are in top condition. Together, they'll carry over 500 people while providing protection against small arms fire. The Foreigner's Quarter has 150 residents left, and the vehicles will carry about 350 more Berant citizens with them, all orphans of the Ber clan and dependants of Herbert.
Dozens of jeeps and light trucks are also prepared as battle wagons.
One of the US citizens in the Foreigner's Quarter has volunteered to leave his family and enter the embassy, to ensure all's in readiness within. They choose July 4th 1946 as the day to act. This has symbolic significance for the US people, the largest contingent there.
A Way Out
On the evening of July 3rd, people start gathering in the warehouse being used to ready the buses and trucks. Each vehicle will have a US national at the front of it, they'll hold their passport up ready to show when needed. Each is driven by an adult trained to drive that specific vehicle and knows it's capabilities very well. The people spread out in the warehouse to get some sleep, if they can.
Shortly after dawn on the fourth of July they wake up, wash, have breakfast, and start to get ready. Each person's allowed to take aboard one carry bag that can be carried on their back or chest. All other property must be left behind as there isn't room for it. At 8.00 am they start climbing aboard the vehicles. They take seats and hold their bags in their laps. Drivers and mechanics are giving the vehicles final checks and tests, to make sure they'll handle the demands of the day.
At 9.15 am all's ready, but five buses are still almost empty. The side door opens and a long line of people enter the building. The adults speak to the children, many hug tight, and the children mount the last buses, filling them. All the adults stand there with weapons in hand. Some of the foreign born adults walk over to Herbert to ask about this.
They arrive at the bus Herbert will ride in whilst Anaire drives it. He's helping Bardee's five children aboard. They're on the verge of tears, like many of these late arrivals. As the other foreigners arrive Bardee shakes Herbert's hand, and says, “Look after our orphans, brother. We must leave to open the door. Give us ten minutes head start.” With tears in his eyes, he turns and jogs towards the front door as he waves his arm above his head. The armed adults swarm aboard the combat vehicles as four open the front doors wide. They jump aboard as the vehicles go by. The small convoy of makeshift combat vehicles leaves with their occupants shouting their clan battle cries.
Turning to the others, Herbert says, “They go to clear the Vultures from our path. Say your prayers for them as we drive. We won't have time to attend their funerals or mourn them today.” Shocked, they all look at him. One by one, they turn away and walk back to their vehicles as they realise those fifty plus adults are giving their lives so this convoy may safely reach the embassies. The price for their sacrifice being the safe conveyance of their children. All the parents fully understand and relate to this action. Ten minutes later, the convoy starts up and moves out as it closely follows the route previously decided upon and marked out on the road with cans of paint. Out the door, straight down the road, left and four blocks to the main road through Berana, right and down the main road to the US embassy, and right into the embassy gate - to safety and a future.
Working the Key
Bardee leads fifteen vehicles, jeeps and light trucks, out into the city. Twenty minutes after leaving the warehouse they're nearing the road block set up across it. As they approach, troops move out to cover them during a search of the vehicles. At that moment, other nearby clan members throw satchel charges at the road block. When the charges land, the troops turn towards the people near them. Bardee and his people open fire. The troops turn back. The charges explode, destroying the road block and killing most of the troops at it.
Bardee and the clan members are quick to spread out at right angles to the main road, clearing troops away from the road and making a safe travel zone. More troops arrive from nearby positions. They're pushed back one street on either side as the clan members charge them and inflict heavy loses. Ten minutes into the battle and over half the clan members are dead, but the vultures are four streets back from the main road and all can hear the buses and trucks approaching. Some leave off fighting to make sure the road's clear of debris and bodies, so the buses and trucks have a smooth drive.
Speeding down the main road the convoy can see the blockade's been cleared away and they've a free run down the road. The US Marines at the embassy gates can see the fighting and the approaching buses. They've been warned, and are quick to open the gates to let them in. The blockade's six blocks away.
The way to freedom's wide open, but trucks of troops are headed down the road from the other end. Seeing the incoming Vultures, Bardee calls to his people and a dozen break off to jump in Jeeps and race to the other side of the US Embassy. Leading the buses and trucks by a few metres, they race by the embassy and open fire on the incoming trucks, forcing them to stop and deploy a block short of the embassy entrance.
A fierce fire fight erupts at that intersection. The Vultures are determined to break through, whilst the clan are determined to stop them. Every few seconds sees another vehicle reach safety inside the embassy. Each passing second sees more of the clan die.
As the last bus drives down the road, those in it watch the Vultures overwhelming the clan fighters and surge down the side streets to try and stop them. Small arms fire hits the vehicle. As this bus reaches the embassy gates the last of the clan fighters can be seen standing behind a heavy machine gun in the back of a jeep and directing heavy fire into the charging Vultures. As the bus turns in, the man's wounded and falls from his gun. He looks up at the bus as it turns, and he smiles - he's done his job. In the back of the bus, Gerald waves good bye to his Uncle Bardee just before the Vultures swarm over him.
Inside the embassy the vehicles are directed around the back as the gates are shut and the whole marine contingent are deployed to protect the integrity of US soil - fully armed and more than ready to fight. By the time the Vultures reach the gate there's nothing for them to see. Swearing, the officer in charge leaves to clean up the mess.
Sixty-seven Ber clan members died sending 354 of the clan's children to safety in the US with the Clan Father. They killed over four hundred Vultures in the process. The generals aren't happy, and immediately set about evicting the embassies and their staff. They have to accept this also means allowing all those who took refuge in the embassies to leave too.
The US ambassador's very surprised to find Herbert Mannheim has one wife and 355 children as his dependants. He knows about the Berant clans and is very surprised to find Herbert's a Clan Father. He rallies well, and sets his staff to issuing travel documents for all the children; as their tickets out have been paid in full, by their parents.
America
Herbert and his children travel to the US, where he sets up business as an engineer. All the children go to school in the US. The costs of caring for so many children are high and would've been too much, except the bags he and Anaire carried were packed with clan gems and gold. These are sold and invested, with the family living off the interest. As the children graduate from university, or college, most of them return to Berant to help with the reconstruction of their country. The first to do so leaves the US in 1950. The rest follow as they can.
Start of a Legend
Gerald's small for his age group, but doesn't encounter any bullying until he hits high school. There, a number of larger boys from the senior class bully the smaller freshmen. The first time he's bullied is in front of his locker and consists of being pushed around as he ignores them. That evening he talks to his father and is advised he needs to ignore them or fight back. If he responds to them at all, he'll have to fight or submit.
Two days later three of the bullies catch Gerald on the grass at the front of the school. Coming from behind, one pushes him over. Gerald falls in the flower bed beside the front steps. The flower beds are lined with small rocks. Another of the bullies rolls him over and demands his lunch money. Gerald strikes upward and punches the bully in the eye. That boy staggers back, holding his eye, as another grabs Gerald. He lifts him up and holds him still while the first two start punching him. Gerald kicks the one holding him in the shin and the boy throws him to the ground again. The three of them gather round and start to kick him. Feeling a rock beneath his hand, Gerald grabs it, rolls over, and sits up, as he strikes upward with the hand holding the rock.
The rock's bigger than his hand and sticks out a little, the end of the rock smashes into the testicles of the boy who pushed him down. He drops, screaming. Rising to his knees, Gerald slams his rock weapon into the testicles of the boy who threw him down, and he drops to the ground, screaming. The third boy, their leader, is surprised his mates are out of the fight and he can't work it out. Before he can run away, Gerald starts to stand and hits him in the same way. Standing above them, bloodied and sore, he drops the rock to pick up his bag and walk off. Most of the school student population are standing around watching, mouths agape.
Going to the school nurse he tells her the boys are outside on the ground, and asks to be cleaned up. She has a staff member clean him up while she goes to check the others. They're taken to hospital. By the time the doctors are finished treating them they're never going to raise anything but a smile, and won't be having any children. He'd crushed their testicles and the pitiful remains have to be surgically removed.
Investigating the incident, the principal finds out Gerald had used a granite rock as his weapon. At a meeting with all the parents present, the principal asks Gerald about the fight. He tells his side of it. One of the boys' fathers says, “Not fair using a rock to hit them with, is it?”
Giving him a disgusted look, Gerald says, “If they wanted a fair fight, they wouldn't have picked on a kid nearly half their height or come in three on one. They fight like the cowardly creeps they are. I used whatever I could to deal with the vermin.” The father surges out of his seat and stands over Gerald, who doesn't even blink. When this information gets out, the other students start calling him Granite after his rock, and they figure he's one tough cookie who's as tough as his granite rock.
After graduating from high school Gerald goes to West Point. Upon graduation from West Point he returns to Berant with his family. His father's been offered a good job helping with many new construction projects, and his mother wants to go home. In Berant, he continues with his wish to serve in the military and joins the Royal Guards. The last of the clan children return with them. At Herbert's request the clan adults elect a new Clan Father. Several years later, Gerald's father dies in a car accident. Gerald's military career goes well in Berant.