Oren called the militia guides into Pinehook’s meeting house. The route map covered the central table, and the command baton lay on top of it. Village head Leda sat beside the door with the hall key on her belt.
“I’ve held the baton since Han left the bridge,” Oren said. “I’ll keep it until you choose who leads the routes. I don’t want the coalition to assume the role belongs to me permanently.”
The guides looked at one another. Pell knew the inland ford and the quarry footpath. Two older guides knew the east and west roads. A younger captain had led the mill turn during the last evacuation.
“No one knows every road,” said the younger captain. “We could rotate by route. The inland lead changes when the convoy moves to the west road.”
“That gives people a clear person to follow,” Oren said. “But what happens if the route captain is away?”
“Every route has a primary and alternate,” Pell replied. “The village captains choose who fills those places.”
Wei stood by the wall. “Will it work during an attack? If the road is under fire, can the alternate act without waiting for the primary?”
Oren took the baton from the map. “The alternate acts when the primary cannot answer. The village guides decide who holds those roles.”
