"Let's get in to the dock!"  Do ordered.  "We can't do much more good out here.  We'll fire on the small boats with our fifty callibers and forty millimeters on our way.  That will slow them down some.  But what they need now, is infantry."
     They got to the dock.  Those who had small arms rushed to join the battle.  Those that didn't quickly gathered them.  Do had no idea how long they fought.  He knew the sun had set, and, it was dark, and the sun rose again.  The area around him was littered with spent cartridges, and out before him there were hundreds of bodies.  He had no idea how many he had personally killed.  But then somebody came down the line and said,
       "You can fall back.  There's none of them left!"
     "What?"  Do asked, half asleep.
      "There's none of them left," the fighting person answered. "They're all dead, sir, all of them that got ashore.  We took no prisoners, none of them would surrender.  You should see down below.  There's women and children, sir!  I don't think some of them are even ten, but they kept coming.  They sure hate us, sir!"
     "Yeah," Do agreed, "they sure do!"
     He found a place and laid down. When he awoke again the carrier was off shore on the far side of the island, and its escorts were guarding the channels.  He found Holiday and asked permission to return to his ship. 
     "Yes, sir!"  Holiday answered. 
     A young Warlock approached, and saluted.  "All positions secure, sir," he announced.  "What is the first thing you would like us to do?"
     Holiday looked to the pile of dead in the corner.  "Remove them to a secure place," he answered, "and prepare them for cremation."
      "Yes, sir!"  the young officer snapped.
     "You men," he ordered, "break out the dehydration bags, get these bodies gathered, and prepare them for honors."
      "Gentlemen," the young officer remarked, "may I express how proud I am to serve in the same forces that you serve in?  You are, sirs, men far above the average!
     "Do shook his head.  "No, he answered, "we're just men that knew our duty and did it to the best of our abilities."
     "Oh," the young officer remarked, "I got this message I was told to deliver to you, personally, Warlock Holiday.  It reads 'From First Speaker, Spiritist Republic, to Warlock James Holiday.  Be it known that upon this day I elevate you two grades in rank, and appoint you overall commander of the sector that you are now in. and put upon you the responsibility of taking the battle to the enemy, and concluding this matter in the only way that it can now be concluded.  I am ordering full retaliatory measures for this unprovoked and dastardly attack!  As soon as you can give me a full count of casualties so that the number that the enemy owes us can be calculated.  Message concluded.'"
     Holiday took the message and read through it.  "Is there any way," he remarked, "I can respectfully request to be relieved of this command?"

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