The soldiers and officers ran rampant upon Arus, destroying property, stealing, and in general, doing the things that normal occupying armies do.
Many people ran to the caves, as they had during the attacks of years ago, but many of them were buried alive when Doom destroyers came and blasted holes through the surface. The Castle of Lions was no refuge - not as it had been in the past. There, troops had taken control of it and had rounded up most of the castle personnel - including Dr. Gorma and his patient, Keith Akira. Under Amalgamus' instructions, Dr. Gorma and Akira were to be taken to Doom pending a ready reslift table (a life support system) for Akira.
It was Zarkon's wish that Akira remain alive for the moment and Dr. Gorma to continue to care for his patient. Gorma was tempted to just kill both himself and Keith, but his oath to save lives still bound him. He could not do it. He suspected that he and Akira would be used to coerce the princess somehow. He believed as Coran did, that the princess was still alive and on Doom. He knew that Coran was already there. Gorma had seen him taken, and had tried to stop the officers, but he was deterred by one of them aiming his laserrifle at Keith's head.
For Dr. Gorma, the occupation was of death and destruction - of hopes dying in the dust. No Voltron now..only Doom and slavery.In the rebuilt cities, of course panic was rampant. People fleeing, trying to get off planet, trying to get anywhere were all about. Children and parents were separated, lost, and this time there was no Voltron to save them.
Women were raped, taken as slaves along with the men, herded onto the waiting ships like so much cattle. The smell of death and burning were in the air, where once the scent of flowers prevailed.
Rumors ran rampant regarding what happened to the Princess and Coran, their prime minister. There was speculation that they were on Doom, awaiting execution. Of course, later, many of these self-same slaves of Arus would be paraded in front of King Zarkon, and they would know first hand. Their world was in shambles.
Fires broke out as Doom and Alliance ships fired upon structures - many with people in them - incinerated alive. Dead bodies were in the streets, their eyes opened, seeing nothing but the blue sky above them. The sun still shone beautifully despite the weeping of the people and the crack of the whip upon their backs.
All the people were not taken as slaves though. There were many left behind. They would be a work force - basically slaves but on their home planet. For now, occupational troops would be about the planet, stationed in key cities to keep the remaining populace under control. They would be demoralized first and then starved. They would be more pliable then.
One scene that many on the isle of Atair would never forget was their Queen, Orla, rallying her small army to battle against the Doom invaders. Of course, it had been futile - like ants battling a giant. But for awhile, there had been a hope - for Orla was Allura's aunt. If the princess had been killed, then it would be Orla's place to rule Arus. But that wasn't to be. Orla's army had been slaughtered, and Orla's fate was like any other woman caught in war. However, rather than become a plaything for the officers, she killed herself with an officer's forgotten weapon. Of course, the officer had been killed outright for his negligence and Orla was beheaded and her head placed upon a pike for all the people of her island to see as they filed into the waiting slave ships. Her people wept in despair and mourning as they filed into the ships. For many children and adults, their sleep ( what little they would recieve) would be haunted by nightmares of their ordeal for however many months or years they were allotted...
Rommelle laid there in the hold of the ship, forgotten for the moment, by the officer who had captured her. She closed her eyes in misery.
Sven..oh god..he didn't even have a fighting chance..
Her love, her only love - swept away just like that. And Bandor - her little brother. The one who grew up to young adulthood, had proven his merit, and had lost his life defending her. He was gone too. The officer who had claimed her had killed him.
Her planet was gone. Her life was gone. Hell, not just hers, but everyone's - in a span of a day, all was swept away by the hand of Zarkon. Rommelle thought she had hated Lotor, but now she hated Zarkon even more for the utter destruction he caused.
Rommelle sighed and thought of her cousin. The officer - E'aalas, he said his name was - said that Allura was with Zarkon. Rommelle shuddered at the thought. She hoped that wasn't true. She rather Allura be dead than be with that fish-faced demon.
And she? What was her fate? She didn't know. E'aalas seemed to take a liking to her - not that she cared, of course. Despite her front of bravery, Rommelle was afraid. She was afraid to be taken to Doom again. Old memories came unbidden of her captivity there in the time before the Fleet disaster. Of Lotor's obsession with her cousin, the beatings, her fear of Zarkon and of Hagar, the dark onyx walls of the castle that refected her dark self every time she was dragged down the halls.
She doubted though that this time she would be kept there for long. She and Sven had done much damage to Doom when they led their troops to free the slaves there. Zarkon would not forget that.
Rommelle shifted from her postiion upon the narrow bunk. She knew just as her cousin knew, that he hadn't really changed his ways, but no one would listen to them. Sven didn't believe either and his voice had been strong against Zarkon's appointment to the Alliance SecCouncil. Perhaps that was why the "accident" had befallen him on Pollux - that and the fact that he could pilot any of the Lions.
Sven..oh thinking of him still hurt so.Rommelle caressed her stomach slightly. Their baby was in there - she was sure of it. She had been going to tell Sven of it, but never had the chance to. She didn't know whether to wish for the baby's death or encourage it to live. What kind of life would it have as a slave? Her thoughts were interrupted as E'aalas came in with a smile to his face. Rommelle grimaced. E'aalas was a Drule hybrid like Lotor was, except he was not as handsome. He was also older too.
He came to her, held her hand and said, "I have been given permission from the King himself that I could keep you.."
Rommelle winced. Hmph! Like she was a pet, or something! She said nothing, only let him rattle on, as he seemed to do - actually bragging. She couldn't quite believe that this man who was happily chatting with her killed her brother so ruthlessly. When they were on Pollux, she had begged him afterwards to kill her for she wanted to be with Sven wherever he was, but he would not. He carried her off to his ship and would not let the others touch her, which was unusual. The last thing she had saw on Pollux was her brother's body lying still upon the ground. She remembered half thinking that he would get up and say he was playing another one of his practical jokes upon her. She had wept bitter tears when she heard that Pollux had been destroyed. It would not be the first or the last time...
To Be Continued in Book Five: Let The Fun Begin