Sound Team to set up loudspeakers, then, he took
the microphone and began to speak.
59 "This is Fleet Commander Northern Star. I have been ordered by The
Lord God to restore order, and to take into custody those responsible
for this disorder. All persons will leave this area, immediately!
Surrender yourselves to The Lord's Guard waiting at the exists.
60 All those who respond now, will be allowed to proceed home except
for a few we have been ordered to take into custody. Disperse now! This
is your only warning. In five minutes my troops will move. They will use whatever force is
necessary to remove you from this area. Heed my warning, disperse NOW!"
61 North put down the microphone, and began to look through his
binoculars to see what was happening.
The group to the left was already on the move toward the exits. A few
of those on the right were moving out, but most of them were making
barricades.
62 "Damn!" cursed North. ''I was hoping to do this without a fight, but
it looks like they plan to do it the hard way! Palace Guard Commander,
left!" North ordered. "I need your men over here. The regulars can take
care of the sweep on that side. At a slow walk, gentlemen, shields
tight forward."
63 As North's troops began to close on the barricades, some of those
behind them took flight, but others began to hurl curses and other
things.
64 The whine of shields meeting shields warned North and his men that
using their beams was out of the question. So taking the barrage of
stones with their shields, the ranks pressed forward.
65 Now, those that had real weapons appeared; homemade swords, shields,
long knives, these lunatics had everything! It took little time for
North's seasoned fighters to send the rabble running. After their
shields separated, from a little rise behind them, twenty-five