The thing's bloody fingers clawed at him. It
kicked, it bit, but Morn hung on. "Go, North! " Morn cried, "Go!"
32 North pulled the fuses on the crystal pack, charged through the
door, up the steps, and tossed the pack into The Holy Of Holies. It
landed with a 'plump' on the throne, and stayed there. But the fuses
promptly went out! "Darn!" North screamed, drawing his sword, "There's
more than one way to detonate power crystals!"
33 "NO!" screamed the Squad Leader at the door, "No, Lord, you're too
close!"
34 But North fired anyway, and the universe around him exploded in a
flash of light. When North came to The Holy Of Holies was a smoldering
ruin. He sat in the corner
by the door, himself badly singed, his clothes smoldering.
35 Someone suddenly began spraying a fire extinguisher over him. "Good
Lord!" someone screamed "I don't believe it! He's alive!"
36 "And relatively unhurt," someone else gasped, except for the burns.
Give me a hand with those dressings."
37 North could see Morn and his companions with their prisoners. "Get
to the landers," North screamed. "Destroy everything around you as you
retreat. Let's get out of here! We've done what we came to do!"
38 "Yes sir!" an Officer snapped. "No offense, sir, but I'm taking
command."
39 "I think that's a very good idea," North agreed, "A VERY good idea!
Leave none of our bodies……..NONE of them. I'll leave nothing for The
Goddens to mutilate. We take our dead home for burial."
40 "Understood, sir," the Officer acknowledged.
41 The Capitol of Haven turned into a blazing ruin as the attackers
withdrew. The landers had already made several trips carrying off
things of value. Now they carried off the most valuable thing of
all.....their troops!