Beasts of Burden

JE 11 Cont.

The first thing I remember about the blast was being knocked on my feet, then a ringing in my ear. I blinked and took in a deep breath, looking around me, the Slitchvehks were running this way and that. I glared, it served those rich bastards right. Well, at least, it served the leaders right. While we were clearing the building for detonation (Meatlocker's idea, to his credit, he wanted as little of a body count as possible) I followed Svalek to meet up with the person who had shoved him down a pipe. It wasn't the leader either.

Then, in one epic scene the truth came out. I'm sorry Meatlocker at the hear it, the speech Breguhnd (the one who threw Svalek down the well when he got too close to the truth) was particularly moving, and not in the good motivational way. It even pissed me off. "They're nothing but filth! Beasts of burden not fit to eat the scraps we give them!" He ranted. "they don't deserve to see the stars at night, or to breathe the sweet air, or to see plants grown, or to see beautiful things! We should have killed you off long ago! We showed you mercy! Who are you to challenge that?!" I for one couldn't take it anymore, I walked right up to the guy and clocked him in the chest. (It's not like I could reach his face).

I most of my hit was just pure anger towards scum like him, but I have to admit, even in the face of such prejudice, more than a little bit of that punch was from Svalek's taunting earlier, but I didn't mention that when I told the thing, "Felicity Kirk of Riverside, Iowa challenges your ridiculous laws." Then, he took a blow to the head, which, not surprisingly knocked him out. "Good hit." Svalek said, standing next to me. "Now let's go."

"What?" I turned to him as he began to walk away. "We can't just leave him here!"

"I don't care what you do Miss. Kirk, but I'm getting out of here before Meatlocker detonates those bombs."

"Oh! For crying out…" I looked at Meatlocker who shrugged. "You're not going to help either?" He shook his head, snout scrunching in disgust. I sighed and looked at the thing, I was between a rock and a hard place. It didn't want him to die when he could've been saved. I wanted him to die when everything was done to save him. I suppose if I had been stronger, like Svalek or Meatlocker, I could've left him too, but I was strong, I'd regret it, and that alien would've been burned into my memory forever. I placed my arms under his armpits and began to drag him. "what are you doing?" Meatlocker hissed. "You heard him! You heard that speech. You know what he willingly did to us!"

"It's not our call to give and take life," I grunted underneath his wait. Jeeze these guys were heavier then they looked. It must've been all that height. "And I don't think I could live with myself knowing I could've saved a man but didn't, all because he pissed me off."

"I don't believe you! Are ALL humans like this?"

"No," I admitted. "But we all have moral codes, and this," I dropped the guy and opened the door to get out. "This just so happens to be mine. I'm sorry Meatlocker, I know this isn't what you want, but, aren't you the one that came up with the idea of clearing the building before it blew up?" Meatlocker groaned. "Hurry up then! I won't wait forever you know!"

"Give me five plotegs! I'll be out by then."

"I'll give you seven, it looks like you're struggling."

"you're a real pal." I gasped, and closed the door. Thanks to the intense ten minutes I took to study the map of the building, I knew how to get out. I also knew the areas I needed to get to and fast, preferably before the building blew up. Didn't look like I was going to make it on time. The load was suddenly lightened and I looked over my shoulder. Svalek had picked up the midsection. "I thought you weren't going to help." He said nothing in return, and instead of making it out in seven, we made it out in four. The moment we put the asshole's body in a safe place, I was off.

I don't remember much about the battle, just that I made it to my destination JUST as the bombs went off and people were sent into a panic. I was thrown a pack of gear and told which tunnel to bring it to. I nodded, then was off again. I don't suggest pushing through a terrified crowd any day of the week, it's not an easy thing to do.

By the time I reached my destination, I hadn't known the fighting started, I just knew my mission. When I finally understood what those loud bangs were, I was too focused on my mission. It's amazing the things you can block out when you're focused. I had been on my last run, I was tired and sweaty, and the sun was high in the sky. When I got to the group I was supposed to, they looked at me like I was stupid. "What?" I huffed, blowing some of the black strands that had gotten loose from my face. "Hasn't anyone told you? It's over, we won." They didn't look happy. And as I looked around, I realized why.

I can' begin to describe the horror. I don't think I even want to…I won't. That's one memory I'll keep locked away in my head so that in old age they may be forgotten. The screams, the smell, the sights, they will all stay with me, however. There were no shouts of victory, no whoops of laughter or relief, just silent grieving for ones who had been lost. At that moment, my mind snapped to Torek. "Oh no!" I slapped myself mentally. Had Torek been present when the fighting began? I knew for a fact the fighting hadn't been contained to just one area, it was all over, on plenty of Floating Cities and their surrounding areas. "Oh God." I felt nauseaus. "Felicity!" Meatlocker ran up to me. "Felicity, what's wrong?"

"M-My brother." I whispered. I looked at the main road and saw smoke. I wanted to take off, my legs screamed at me to do so, but for some reason, I was routed to the spot. I don't think I wanted to know if my brother had survived or not. "If you need-" Meatlocker began. I shook my head. "No, you still need help, and I'm one of the few able bodies people here, tell me what you need." He looked at me for a long while. But said nothing. I'm sure he was trying to make something out of my total disregard for my brother's wellbeing, but I couldn't take the news of his death right then. I decided, very firmly, that he was alive right then and he would stay alive until I was proven otherwise. "Assist the men in taking care of the others." He instructed me. I nodded. "And Felicity?"

"yes?"

"Everyone will know what you did this day, I'll make sure of that." Meatlocker put his meaty hand and my shoulder and flashed me a smile. I gave only a half-hearted one back. I looked around, I don't think I wanted my name associated with such carnage.

For the rest of the day I went along asking people what they needed me to do. I got around to one group, and my heart gave a twang. It was Snot-nose. He was dead. "Oh." I simply said, falling to my knees. A small piglet was sitting next to him, crying and asking him to come back. "Oh." I said again. "We can't get the boy off him." One of the men whispered. I looked up and blinked. "We need to bury him, and before the sun comes down, lest his soul stay locked in Degeth forever."

"Oh." I looked at the small boy and I touched his shoulders, the look he gave me was absolutely heart-wrenching, and I was on the verge of losing it right then. "Is he your big brother?" I asked. The little thing sniffed and nodded, behind me I could hear someone mumble something about how they shouldn't have taken the kid along. I agreed, that was just too cruel to subject a poor thing like the one in front of me to. "My name is Felicity, what's your?"

"Dung-heap." The little one said. I nodded, the unusual name was now no longer a surprise to me. "I have an older brother too,"

"You do?"

"Yes, and he's the best big brother in the whole wide world." At the moment, I didn't know which brother I was talking about, Torek, James, or George, maybe it was all of them, because they meant so much to me on so many different levels. "And while my brother is still alive, I don't think I'd want him to live in Degeth forever, will you let the men bury him? You and I can pick out some nice flowers in the field to mark the grave." I turned Dung-heap's attention to the small field, miraculously unscarred during the battle. "I think he'd like that." The boy whisper. "Come on, we'll get the best ones for him shall we?" I took his hand and led him to the small field.

I made sure to ask him if every flower I picked was one he wanted to put on his brother's grave, and while it didn't cheer him up any more than it would've me if I had lost my brother, at least it allowed the men to do what the needed to do. "Alright," one of them called. "We're done." Dung-heap began to sniff again, and he took his time walking to his brother's grave. I hadn't like Snot-nose too much, and I'm sure he hadn't liked me, but still, to die in the horrors of war? And to leave behind so many loved ones? It must've taken real guts to die for what you loved, more than I ever could hope to have.

After long moments of silence, the kid began to wail again. I knelt to his level and turned him around and held him. The men just stood around awkwardly. "Does he have any family left?" I asked. "No," one of them answered. "He don't have no one left." My heart gave a painful twist. For only a split second I thought about taking him with me, but I decided couldn't, as hard as it was to admit, I didn't know a thing about these people, what if he got sick? He'd most likely need special medicine? And he couldn't tell me what he was sick with, he was a child, he wouldn't know what to do. I didn't know his specific dietary habits, and I was only sixteen, I still had two years left of schooling to go through.

"Meatlocker said he'd take care of all the orphans." One of them piped up, hoping to cheer the mood. I nodded. "That's good." I whispered. "That's good."

By the time things had formed into some semblance of order, I had buried many dead people, and helped ease the passing of many dying, always keeping a watchful eyes on Dung-heap, in case he began to cry again, but it seemed all his tears had dried up. The sun was setting when I met back up with Meatlocker, who looked very grim. I noted Svalek among him, good, he was alright, if a little worse for wear. I'm sure I didn't look much better. "I appreciate your help." He said to me, sticking out a hand. At this point, I didn't care how disgusting and greasy it was, I shook it, feeling dejected. "I know it doesn't feel like it today, but things have changed for the better. We'll treat the Slithvehk's fairly, I can promise you that. And…I'll be sure to keep you updated on out progress….if you want."

"Certainly." I said, giving another sad smile. "Especially of this cutie." I rubbed Dung-heap's ears and he managed a small laugh-squeal that was so characteristic of the Pig People. "We wish you luck Meatloker." Svalek said, giving him the Vulcan Salute. "Live long and Prosper." Meatlocker looked at him with a frown. "I thought you said he didn't….and what did he just tell me?" I gave a chuckle. "He speaks common, I lied to you guys just o you wouldn't hurt us. I'm sorry."

"All is forgiven." Meatlocker waved his hand dismissively. "You've more than proven yourselves treasured allies." I nodded. "Good luck here Meatlocker," I gave him a Vulcan salute as well. "Live long and prosper." He huffed as I stood my Svalek as he channeled to ship. "Two to beam up." He said. "Live long and prosper!" Dung-heap yelled waving. I gave a small smile and waved back at him as blue light surrounded me.

In all too short a time I was back on the ship, thankfully, I was looking directly into the eyes of Torek. Such was the relief to see him I nearly peed myself with joy. However, instead of approaching me, he took a step back. "You both smell revolting." He commented. "And you don't look much better."

"We've been through hell." I muttered. "No one looks or smells good after they've been through hell." I stepped off the transporter platform and began to shuffle off to my room without another word. I just wanted to be alone.

And after that cold shower, I've confined myself to my room for three days. I don't know if Svalek deemed it necessary to stay longer than what we did to help out a little, and I don't know what he told the others, I just know I've been writing this passage, hoping it will alleviate the pain sitting heavy on my heart. My brother and parents have come to check up on me numerous times, Orson and some of his people have braved the large living space to try and cheer me up with song, and even Captain Svalek himself has come to see me more than once in an attempt to get me to talk, even to begin training again. I merely lay there, letting their words slip by, wondering if there could've been a peaceful solution to that fight.

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