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Aboard Raptor the screen lit up and on it appeared the face of Princess Isabellini “ I have great pleasure in accepting your capitulation I’ve heard so much about you I really can’t wait to meet you Nathan!
Of course, you will have to wear a slave band and bow, to your new mistress but” She ran her hands through her hair “ I will look after you and promise I won’t hurt you too much my pet. “
Nathat was still fuming! He had looked around to discover Kiato had gone ! Attempts to find someway to override what ever had happened had failed! Any moment now the hatches would be blown, he knew they were as good as dead!
“It would appear, I don’t know why, but according to my information your systems have failed !!
I did think about targeting your weapon systems but if they had been working you would have used them by now. If I suspected deception on your part then it is long past.
Even if you powered your weapons now, it would be too late, my ships cannons are aimed at yours. The moment they detect any signs of life in your systems they will fire! Don’t be too long in coming to me! “
It had dawned on Nathan how strange it was that the the coms screens on Raptor were unaffected by the sudden power loss? Was something in the background actually controlling the situation ? NOT as she thought, Isabellani ?!!
Aboard the Jogarth vessels the troopers were about to use the transport craft to link up with the vessels of their enemies. Suddenly all hell broke loose and figures appeared from out of nowhere, maiming, killing them! Slaughtering them was probably more accurate! Jogarth bodies were flung around, limbs ripped off, heads ripped off!! The corridors poured with blood.
The screams, how they screamed! Aboard the Raptor and the other ‘enemy’ ships they could hear the screams! They were not alone! From her flagship Princess Isabellini stared transfixed to the screen, unable to comprehend the sight that she now saw of her men being decapitated!
Bodies flung down corridors into others, knocking them over like the assailants were playing some manic game of old Earth bowling or skittles. She tried looking at the massive bodies of the attackers, ghost like images! In her mind over and over, she kept trying to remember, something, something her father, had once told her?
A face moved up close and on her screen it looked as though she had magnified his face? As it’s face grew larger, it seemed to be glaring at her, staring at her. Then it smiled and she felt icy cold, she blinked as she shivered. Steppd back away from the screen, fear in her eyes? A few seconds passed, intense fear! She felt it ripple her body, that moment of almost, ALMOST knowing she was at it’s mercy ?
All she could see after it was GONE ! Was the pile of bodies lining the corridor of the vessel.
A noise, the sound of a self destruct siren? Blaring away, loud, irritating ! The vocodex unit sounding off that the initialization procedures had been triggered. Now counting down to self destruct!
The otherJogarth vessels? Exactly the same! Moving away from the Raptor in reverse the Jogarth vessels were picking up speed! The only one remaining intact and unaffected was the one Dram was on with the freed Bexians. Princess Isabellini and Nathan watched as they disintegrate into tiny pieces !
Those Jogarth who had managed to climb into pods and escape, the pods seemed to suddenly veer erratically before exploding into tiny pieces. Aboard all of the remaining craft the lights and other essentials were coming back on !
All systems normal!
They realised that sitting behind Dram’s craft was another Jogarth vessel.
The one Trime and the other Bexians were on! Now making contact and talking with some urgency in Bexian to ensure that despite their outward, ‘Jogarth’ insignia they were not hostile! Some time later Dram had gone over to the other vessel. Heard the same story about these strange beings? Had they something to do with Kiato?
Had she summoned them? It would appear Trime had! He listened to her story as he conveyed her over to Soniette’s Flagship. She was in need of some real Bexian closeness. The trauma of her mother’s death was not to be treated lightly.
They gently sedated her then placed Trime to sleep. Alone in the compartment she turned to respond to a noise, she saw HIM again as he leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. Softly she heard him whisper.
“If you are ever in need again my little Agrimorph I WILL return.“ Trime rubbed her eyes, he was
gone! Was it all a dream ? Trime did not know but then she was soooo soooo tired... just close my eyes got to sleep got to zzzzzzz
Elsewhere ? On Fendiq itself ?
Lelanora had not welcomed, the departure of so many of Princess Isabellani ‘s troopers, she had been told curtly, if she needed reinforcements, then maybe the Urowq would be more than happy to oblige. There was a mutual dislike between her and them, they had been cheated by her, when she had changed the trading laws, forbidding them to own slaves of the Fendiq.
She needed to gain some support from the people, for her coronation, so had relaxed the laws and introduced new ones, giving the people some much needed rest from conflict. News of the battle and the loss of Jogarth battle ships, had been met by many with cheers, they loved to see the mighty strength of the Jogarth, beaten in battle.
They had done everything they could, to irritate, to frustrate their enemy. Giving the Jogarth the desire to want to leave at the soonest opportunity! Fendiq! From minor skirmishes, to poisoning their food. Contaminating their water supplies and drugging their ale, so the men were drunk quicker, but also argumentative and unresponsive.
That would cause arguments, then they would attack each other or the rebels on Fendiq would wait, then attack the Jogarth, killing them and destroying vital equipment. No mercy shown to their invaders !
Whether they were kind to the Fendiq, had shown mercy, NONE was to be given to them.
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