|
They took Freip’s parents, putting slave bands on them, but not before they had brutally attacked some of the females, in particular, carrying them off. I was lucky to escape as was Freip.
We managed, with some of the others to escape, but the horror and the pictures remain forever in our minds. The Jogarth are a cruel and maleovalent race of beings. “ Trime clung to her mother hugging her, Freips voice rang out “Come on !”
Freips best friend, close companion, Erget, had arrived, carrying a weapon with a couple of other males.
They greeted each other and as Tresh handed Freip his weapon they were talking of the latest news “Trime” “Yes dad” Take your brothers and go play in the upper level “ “Dad!! “ Her mother looked at her, about to say something? Trime moved to grab them, take them with her. “Yes dad, come on you two “
“Palace is gone and rumour is almost substantiated. They’ve executed the Royal family. Apparently the bitch killed them” “Always said she was bad news “ “Jogarth troops are moving and Reger reports massive infantry, some are Urowq, there to obviously back her forces up.” He paused, wiped a tear. “Some are our own who have gone over to the Jogarth, selling us out, traitors !“
“How long “ “A day at most “ “We need to take them to the south.“ “We’re staying to fight! We need to make sure they’re delayed whilst you take them and make sure they’re all safe especially Trime. “ “Of course I’d forgotten “ Trish held Friep close they kissed. “Remember well and kill a few of them for me! “ Friep nodded. “Now gather your things and we’ll fetch the Kets. Not long after they all left except Wert.
“Trime “ Her mother knew they had to LEAVE and NOW !
Soon they were out and with a number of others, packed into transport and with the bare essentials, they all formed a convoy and left. “Don’t worry.” A neighbours partner leaned forward. “You’ll all be back home soon, this is just a precaution that’s all, we don’t want you to see the Jogarth getting slaughtered. “
Freip had found the travelling tedious, they had been travelling for some time. when they spotted a large building. people moving inside it, some were armed. they headed towards it.Freip was off the transporter and talking to one of the local inhabitants, a whole load of them. were inside the building and taking cover!
There had been some air attacks, as he spoke a noise could be heard and from the north the clear outline of Jogarth strikers.Freip knew what they were, straight away. But he also noticed the heavier looking craft troop carriers. Inside everyone. inside NOW !!”
They rushed towards the entrance as two strikers bore down on them. making the distinct ear piercing sounds they made as they attacked, it was the perfect weapon to create panic and fear. as you lost your hearing. Sound was something the Animorphs were very sensitive t!
Close up, the noise damaged their hearing, which caused them a great deal of pain and balance problems. Already two figures were stumbling staggering before falling to the ground .They closed the doors, Freip saw a troop carrier landing near by, he knew there would be at least a thousand troops on it spilling out no doubt heading towards his home area and taking slaves from the surrounding areas.
The elderly would be abused, murdered. The Jogarth seldom took prisoners, slaves or nothing. He turned to everyone in the place eventually they all hushed.“We will fight them off for as long as we can.” He looked at the females. “Before they take any of you , but prepare for the worst, we can’t hold them off forever there’s too many of them.
If they’re Urowq, we all know they like the Jogarth take no prisoners! Use the caverns beneath this building to hide, chances are they won’t hang around! With any luck they’ll believe we’re their only opposition.”
He knew from experience they raided seized as many as they could but didn’t hang around, too keen to move on to the next kill zone. The battle was soon over, the might and power of the attacking force its superiority in numbers and weapons destroyed any resistance without mercy but this time they were not taking slaves and Freip watched as they attacked with Desje’s (heavy rockets )
Destroying the upper levels to rubble, luckily only a token number of those hiding in the caverns below. Freip was waiting his moment of death when a piece of heavy structure hit him and he blacked out.
The troopers wasted no time their onslaught, killing. Bodies laid out the commander noticed Freip in the corner.
He moved over to him, turning him over he looked at what Freip was wearing. On his jacket was an emblem. ‘Special forces’ It was what was next to it that caught his attention. He looked at it “Well, well, so you were there too ! Sendiq! It brought back fond memories! He had enjoyed the killing spree and the round up of slaves.
Freip stirred, a trooper went to kill him, the Commander stopped him. “Leave him! I want him to remember this day, to remember that the Jogarth are invincible! “ he laughed, He woke to find himself barely alive. Yet he had been given medical aid before passing out again. Who? His question remained unanswered, his thoughts were elsewhere.
The sight that met his blurred vision was one of strewn torn and beaten bodies, he saw the laser lance burn marks. They had casually walked round making sure they had done their job, none of them could be alive? Robbed them. Why had he been left alive?! He started to cry, the tears streaming down his face. In front of him friends, companions he had known all his life. Dead.
Elsewhere?
The heat was just tolerable, arid and dry. A mirrored haze that hung in the air as they entered the desert area south. Beyond lay a crest of hills with caves. Entrances to long abandoned mining tunnels. A reminder of a past long forgotten.
When Bexes had first been colonised, the caverns provided much needed shelter from the bad storms that the planet suffered from. Terra forming and future work, on the landscape had made, for better survival and resistance, to heavy weather, including the cylonic transients. .
|
