Vortex

Hastings and his command group spun round, startled. They came to attention and saluted.

“Orders group, sir.” Hastings pulled his blue beret off and ran a nervous hand through tousled red hair.

“We’re trying to determine the best way to clear the stadium.”

Another Buffel pulled up, the wheeled vehicle’s angular armored body towering over them. Andries Kloof, a lean, black-haired officer, climbed out of the troop compartment and ran over to join Reitz. More APCs arrived behind Kloof’s command vehicle and halted, engines still turning over, adding yet more noise to the din all around.

“Captain Kloof and C Company, reporting as ordered, Colonel. “

Taylor snorted, but quietly. This wasn’t a parade ground, but Reitz returned the younger Afrikaner’s salute with snap and precision-just as though it were.

“Glad you’re here, Kloof. Stand by for a moment.”

The young officer moved closer and studied the map with the rest of the group.

Reitz, looking impatient, turned back to Hastings.

“Well, Captain? What’s this mess you’ve managed to create?”

Hastings’s snub-nosed face paled beneath its light dusting of freckles, and Taylor saw his jaw muscles twitch as he fought to control his temper.

“We estimate there are two to three thousand people in and around the stadium, sir. Mostly white students from the university, but there are a lot of blacks and colored there as well.”

He gestured to the map.

“We’ve sealed off all entrances and exits to the commons area… “

Taylor listened intently. Hastings and his company were following standard crowd control tactics designed to minimize

civilian casualties and protect his own men at the same time. They were using tear gas to break up organized groups of demonstrators outside the stadium. Once the demonstrators were dispersed and fleeing the gas, a platoon armed with Plexiglas riot shields and batons moved in to haul them off to waiting trucks.

Unfortunately, it was a slow and tedious process. The soldiers carried more gear than the protestors and were finding it difficult to capture more than a handful with each sally. Most managed to evade arrest and reformed-only to be dispersed by new salvos of tear gas grenades. It was a frustrating cycle that seemed to go on and on.

“And what about the stadium itself?” Reitz asked.

Hastings shook his head.

“I haven’t wanted to fire tear gas inside because of the panic it would create. Too many people could be trampled.

We’ve been using loudspeakers to order them to disperse or face detention.”

“And whenever they are ready to leave, you’ll arrest them?” Reitz’s voice was laced with sarcasm.

“Your concern for these hooligans is touching, but misplaced. These people are breaking the law and should be treated as such.

“Now listen to me closely, Captain! I will not have you”-Reitz raised his voice—or any man in this battalion babying these troublemakers.”

He jabbed the map.

“Have your grenadiers start firing tear gas into the stadium. And form the rest of your men into a cordon. Once the gas goes in, start sweeping the area on this side of the stadium. Arrest everyone, and if they run, shoot them!”

Hastings stared at Reitz, shocked, but he quickly concealed it. Taylor noticed the captain’s eyes flicker in his direction. He controlled his own expression, masking his true feelings behind an impassive countenance.

Reitz smiled for the first time.

“You will see, gentlemen. A few bullets will convince these ruffians to stop running and surrender. “

For an instant, Taylor thought about protesting the triggerhappy order to open fire without serious provocation. It would be a useless gesture, though. Even at the best of times, South African law enforcement was a pretty brutal business. And Reitz was within his rights as commander on the scene.

But that didn’t mean Taylor liked the situation. It also didn’t mean that he could forget that Colonel Ferguson had never found it necessary to have unarmed civilians shot. He stiffened.

Reitz’s smile faded and he glared at the group.

“Well?”

Galvanized into action, A Company’s lieutenants and sergeants went flying off under a new string of orders from Captain Hastings.

The colonel turned to C Company’s eager commander. Kloof take your men to the far side of the stadium and clear these communists away. Arrest anyone who stops, shoot anyone who moves.”

The younger man saluted again and ran off to his waiting APC. Taylor heard him shouting orders in a high-pitched, excited voice.

Reitz strolled over to Taylor’s side. His tone was pleasant, almost light.

“There, Major, that’s what I mean by my orders being energetically executed.”

He glanced at his watch.

“I expect we’ll have this little tea party broken up in an hour or so. ” His voice turned harsher.

“When we get back to the office, I want you to draw up court-martial papers for Hastings.

He’s obviously incompetent and may actually be in sympathy with these rioters.”

Reitz frowned at his stunned look.