his turn. There was a strange heaviness in the
city that North didn't like. Something was about to happen, you could
feel it in the air, and it wasn't going to be something pleasant.
33 North stepped in the tube, juice and cake in hand, and was whisked
up to Academy. He suddenly remembered what his lecture was supposed to
be about and the irony hit him hard. "Duty In The Face Of Adversity."
"Well," he thought, I can speak from experience!"
34 When the lecture was over the Cadets rose, slowly clapping though
any display like that after a lecture was discouraged. This time,
nothing could contain the Cadets’ emotions. North was preparing his
first class when the loudspeakers suddenly came to life. "Emergency
status! Emergency status! All Cadets report to armory for battle gear.
All Officers report to command post for instructions."
35 North locked his desk and headed for the nearest command post. "What
in the name of Hades," he asked himself, "is going on?"
36 As he entered the command post it was orderly confusion. An Officer
pointed to him and said "Commander North, you're wanted at the
transport station immediately!" North saluted and hurried to the
nearest transport station. He found an Officer of The Lord's Guard
waiting for him.
37 "Commander Northern Star," the man snapped, "The Lord God has
commanded that you and Commander Morning Star be put in charge of all
ground troops dealing with the current situation. We have to hurry!
There is a briefing being given at operations headquarters in just a
few minutes!"
38 The Officer pulled North through the crowd. They got in the first
available tubes and as the doors closed North shouted to the Guard
Officer "What situation? What's going on?"
39 The door slammed before the Officer could answer, but as they opened
at the receiving station he responded,