96 She could imagine the horror in that tightly
packed harbor as those blazing ships appeared. Even now she could see
the light from the first fires. "I've got a little feeling,'' she told
her aide, "for us this is going to be a good night's work!"
97 Out of the darkness the pickup boats appeared, each flying a red
banner meaning they had retrieved all their charges. That pleased Bay
Blossom. The thought of leaving men behind to die at the enemy's hands
had not pleased her. But now she would take all of them home.
98 She signaled the barricade in. The outer ships ran aground and were
promptly sunk. The others stretched across the harbor connected by a
great chain. With this in place, ships loaded with rocks were brought
into place behind it, and sunk. Ship after ship slipped beneath the
water before the enemy appeared. The first one came headlong out of the harbor trying to
escape the spreading terror within. He probably never saw the barricade
until he ran up on it, bow first. The Children of Spirit were on him so
fast his crew had no chance to resist.
99 Moments later a second ship came, then, a third, and these also were
taken. But in the fight for the fourth ship, somehow, either by the
enemy's purpose or by accident, it caught fire. Soon it's blazing light
lit the barricade. The approaching enemy saw it, and turned away, to
return later in force.
100 By now, terrible explosions were rocking the harbor. Balls of fire
were leaping over the walls of the city, and flames were roaring there,
also. Soldiers appeared on the shore, but they could do no good. In
desperation the enemy attacked the barricade. Two ships ran on it,
while others tried to keep the People of Spirit at bay with flight
after flight of arrows, and whizzing bullets. The enemy tried to