'Why are they doing that for us?'
'My brother, Crispin, must have coded us green,'
'Like in the computer games?'
'Crispin is doing it for real.'
'Prince Crispin is on our side?'
'We're both on your side and we are going to win.'
Allain's truck reached the end of the line of trolls and the truck with the Crispin lookalikes followed. The stomping and bowing continued. Then it was the turn of the Lialas. The girls held their guns at the ready. There was no need to hide them. All lookalikes were expected to have a gun like the TV princess.
'Is your gun real, Princess?'
'My gun is a ray gun like theirs.' Liala pointed to the line of bowing trolls. 'When we've freed the prisoners we'll raid the munitions factories. Crispin has checked them out. They're stacked with the latest weapons. You'll all have ray guns ... I'll show you how to use them.'
They reached the end of the line. The arm waving and stomping continued and didn't stop when the last of the Plaid Koerno trucks filed past. Other carnival trucks got the same treatment. One carried a dance troop. Another had a band with drums and brass horns. It set up a colossal din and prisoners appeared from the huts.
'Continue to hold fire.'
Allain's voice came over the radio. Liala shuddered whenever she heard it. Bryn said the transmissions were weak and unlikely to be detected. She remained apprehensive. The guardians sent in killer pods when they felt threatened. If that happened, nothing would remain except a big hole and a cloud of steam where Elm Grove West Correctional Centre once stood.
The carnival trucks fanned out and drove amongst the huts. The band continued to play and men dressed as clowns shepherded the prisoners towards the trucks. Liala waved her arms.
'I need someone to fly a pod.'
Two men came forward.
She pointed to the pod park.
'We are going to take one of their pods and raid the munitions factories. I want as many fighters as the pod will carry and I want the best.'
She turned to the growing crowd of prisoners.
'If you are fit to fight and can use a ray gun come with me. Otherwise, stay here and wait for the truck to return.'
Men dashed forward and the girls pulled them onto the truck. Liala thumped the roof of the driver's cab and they sped off, throwing up stones as they bounced over the frozen ground.
There were six pods. Four were supply vehicles designed for heavy loads. The other two were combat pods designed for fighting. The truck skidded to a halt beside one of the combat pods.