or so beams began to hit their shields.
66 North broke off one-hundred men and while the rest swept the other
Purists from the park he and his men rushed this group, their swords
blazing, until their shields met. Then it was sword to sword.
67 These were regulars, no doubt of it, and they intended to go down
fighting. That's just what they did! North lost three men but wiped out
The Purists.
68 "Gather up their I.D. tags," North ordered. He took the pictures
Morn had given him from a pouch on the back of his shield. Most of the
men he was looking for were here. He picked up his battle com and
advised the perimeter stations which ones to still look for.
69 One of his men walked back towards North. "Something strange," he
remarked. "One of these men is wearing about sixteen I.D. tags, not
including his own. Where are the people they belong to?"
70 One of North's men emerged from a group of trees just behind them,
and gasped. "Sir, in here! It's awful! "
71 North and the others rushed forward. Two bonfires had been built on
the stone pathway in the center of the trees. What hung on the poles
now over the cooling ashes, nearly sickened North. "Oh, God!" he
moaned. "Cut them down. Make sure the Medics get those I.D. tags. It's
probably the only way they'll ever identify them."
72 No wonder Morn had been so determined to capture this particular
group. The observation ships must have spotted this as they flew over.
An Officer walked up. "Sir," he snapped, "the park is clear and all
persons that were here not being detained are being escorted to their
quarters. Operations wants us to advance on the housing project to the
east as soon as possible. They've got thousands of calls of fighting