8 The Peepians listened, at first unwilling to
believe that The Lord God would be unfriendly to them, but the Hashons
among the Rebels told them of what had happened to them when the
Goddens had first appeared about their worlds.
9 "Unless you are willing to accept Godden rule," they warned, "you'd
better accept our friend's offer and prepare to fight. For if you
don't, a Godden fleet will come and the pride of your people will die."
10 Reluctantly the Peepians agreed. From museum and from family
collections came the glory of their past; ancient weapons and other
artifacts soon filled the freighters as their precious cargo was
off-loaded. The ships returned and a small portion of the artifacts
were sold publicly on the open market. The rest North's people sold on
the illegal market, getting far more than the government allowed. Not
all they sold was authentic. ''There is nothing wrong," North
laughed, "with cheating a cheat! Give them what they deserve!"
11 When the Emissary reached Peepi with The Lord God's uitimatum, he
got a warm welcome. The Peepians vaporized his ship! The Lord God
ordered a fleet gathered, and North sent word to all of his Agents;
''Recrew any vessel attacking The Peepians. None of our people are to
go."
12 It was an enormous task, and difficult to accomplish, without
raising suspicions, but when The Fleet assembled outside The Peepian
system, not one
Rebel was among its crews! And all for the best, because after two
months of vicious fighting thirty-seven of the original one-hundred
ships withdrew. The Peepians had handed The Empire a disastrous defeat.
Their courage had proved too much for Godden aggression.