Publisher's Synopsis
The riot had not ended completely before the Prime Minister arrived. Joachim had been part of a large police detail that were sent in to make sure the buildings were clear of prisoners a day or two after the fires were out and a week before the Prime Minister's arrival. There was still a problem with the census and there may have been some stragglers. Joachim's detail walked into the area of burned buildings. After a few minutes, the police passed two standing walls about two meters apart next to a sidewalk about halfway between the east and west gates. As the police detail passed the space between the walls a movement caught the eye of Joachim.
The violence of the encounter shocked even the police who had been inside the stockade for the three days of the prison riot. Joachim parried the board that was swooping down onto the head of the man in front of him with the big bayonet on the end of his riot gun. The steel short sword broke the wooden board the prisoner held into several pieces, which left the end with nails buried into the wall opposite the prisoner. Joachim continued to attack the prisoner breaking the man's jaw with the butt of his riot gun. Joachim stood over the man with blood on his jacket, gloves, riot gun, with the tip of the short sword at the man's throat while the man was on his back. The police around him thought Joachim was going to kill the prisoner and gently restrained their comrade. The truth was that Joachim was surprised by the intensity and quickness of his reaction.
Shortly after that episode Joachim began drinking in Weissbaden on his days off where the beer had more alcohol than the camp beer on the military post. He came back so drunk on several occasions he had to be helped back to his barracks. He was also promoted. The Military Police already had a full complement of corporals, but since his personnel records did not reflect his job as a Military Policeman he was promoted to Technician as an Armorer.
