The following is an uncut transcript of the third of four interviews, after the Dessaron’s existence was made public. This transcript contains material that was not aired.
Cameravok: Alright, we are about to start recording the interview.
Elksia: Don’t you do a countdown normally?
Cameravok: We are about to.
Elksia: Oh.
Cameravok: Ready to record. Counting down. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six…
Kazix: Good evening, Elksia Ksiou, and thank you very much for joining is tonight.
Elksia: Ohhh it’s lovely to be here, Kazix! Been excited for this!
Kazix: We all have a lot of questions for you, Elksia. Where did you go? What happened? How are you doing now? Where would you like to start?
Elksia: At the beginning, I guess?
Kazix: Very well. You were among the many vok that were captured on Kolasi. What were you doing there?
Elksia: Ah… Hah, I was running to get to the travelport. Me and my mates were supposed to be getting on the first trip to Portalia for a new placement there. I missed my flight, sadly.
Kazix: A new job, huh?
Elksia: Yeah, I’ve always worked with the Silver Fangs on border patrol. We were supposed to be getting a promotion. Slightly more time off and a more scenic location. Kinda funny that we got back about 100 kilometers away from the base I was supposed to work at.
Kazix: So you were captured by Deitics. What did they want you for?
Elksia: I dunno. Like, I totally get why they’d want someone like Retvik, or why they’d try go for the Vice General, but I was just a bystander. Most of us were. I just assumed it was for some sort of sick, perverted experimentation.
Kazix: You broke free though, right?
Elksia: Arkay did most of the work, we just distracted them long enough for Arkay to beat them up with telekinisis and for Tenuk to come along and help us. Worked though.
Kazix: Your friends escaped though, and came back with the other vok. Why did you stay behind?
Elksia: Um, I don’t really remember. There was a thing, Arkay and this Vohra were holding the portal open and Retvik and I went back to help somevok up who had fallen. We sent them into the portal then some bastard Deitic stabbed Arkay through the back and tore off his wing. I picked up the Vohra and threw it into the portal but wasn’t fast enough to get out myself. Kinda lucky I guess, otherwise they’d be the Trion!
Kazix: So you had no choice?
Elksia: Nah. My fault mostly, I hesitated and stopped to try and help Retvik pick up Arkay. You’d be surprised how wriggly he was. Then we just kinda hid for a few hours trying to work out what to do, then we saved Tenuk and most of it is, well, you all know…
Kazix: We don’t, really.
Elksia: Eh, we killed Deitics. A lot of them. Was fun when we weren’t losing vok ourselves. Learned some awesome tricks, like the best way to talk to Banikans.
Kazix: You seem much more optimistic than your fellow Dessaron. Why is that?
Elksia: Ah… *long pause* I guess… I remember things differently than they do. Okay, yeah, some bits were horrible and I… I can’t sleep with flashing lights nearby because they scare me… But I don’t remember the horrible bits as much as the others do. It’s a memory thing, my mind trying to protect me.
Kazix: Why do flashing lights bo-
Elksia: We’re not going to talk about that. Sorry.
Kazix: Very well. How do you feel now you’re back here?
Elksai: It’s not like I remembered. Like, I barely knew Portalia. My friends are at the base. They still love me. Kinda moved on a lot though, they thought I died like everyvok else did. Don’t blame them at all.
Kazix: You don’t feel bad though?
Elksia: I actually feel really good about it. Yeah, it’s all foreign and stuff, and yeah my partner-to-be moved on and married someone else. I don’t care. Everyone loves me now. Gotta settle down and shit though. Retvik’s got some really good ideas and I’m…
Kazix: Excited?
Elksia: Yeah! Excited! It’s all behind us now, we can bask in the sun and the glory and stuff.
Kazix: Do you have any regrets?
Elksia: Hm… *pause* I think… *longer pause* I think I should have killed more Deitics. We made a lot of friends. They’re all dead now. But I could… SHOULD have gotten revenge for them. I should have slaughtered every Deitic I saw, but… I dunno. You can only kill so much before it gets cold and emotionless. I don’t want to end up like THOSE Hertan-types.
Kazix: You wish you killed more Deitics? How many did you kill?
Elksia: I lost count. A lot. Tenuk doesn’t like it. Retvik thinks he committed war crimes and stuff. But those Deitics were going to fuck us up. You know what the Anexartitai wanted to do? They wanted to kill all non-Standard-type Rethans because we were too different. I don’t care, all evil Deitics can die by my claws as far as I’m concerned.
Kazix: That is… fair, I guess? Moving on, what do you plan to do now you’re back in normal times?
Elksia: Do tons of writing stuff. Thank the Light that Retvik is taking care of most of that. Still gotta do some of the work myself. But afterwards… I dunno if Retvik spoiled it for you or not?
Kazix: He mentioned something about a Dessaron Battle System team.
Elksia: Yeah! We’re doing that! Big thing. Gonna see how well we do, and the Raptor might even be sponsoring us for a big tournament!
Kazix: Well, I am glad you are excited. You’ve shown a lot more optimism than most.
Elksia: It’s all I can really do. Like… *pause* Like, Retvik and Tenuk are super smart. And Arkay and I are kinda dumb. We just do our jobs, best we can. You know, born to do all that.
Kazix: I don’t follow.
Elksia: Eh. Vok think I am dumb. They look at me all bouncy and cheerful and wonder how in the Light I do it. I hurt inside just like the others, I just hide it better.
Kazix: I don’t think you’re dumb.
Elksia: I am. Like… I hesitate a lot. I sound stupid when I talk. I sound all ditsy. I hate it.
Kazix: You don’t sound dumb either.
Elksia: Well… That’s reassuring, I guess.
Kazix: You were talking about the Dessaron Arenas?
Elksia: Ah yeah. I did a couple of sparring sessions with the three Rethan teams we already have. I kicked some of their tails in big time.
Kazix: Do you plan on meeting up with all your old friends?
Elksia: I want to but I dunno. They’ve moved on now. I want to make new friends since I lost most of my old ones. Already made one!
Kazix: Who might that be?
Elksia: Vel, the Hertan-type from Retha Squad One. He’s so quiet and sweet. I like him. I… probably shouldn’t have said that. Will you cut that out?
Kazix: Of course.
Elksia: Thanks. He’s shy. I fancy him but am a bit too shy to tell him.
Kazix: How do you feel about your fellow Dessaron? Are you close with them?
Elksia: We’re super close. We all love each other, like a happy family. And other things that… that I won’t mention.
Kazix: What do you mean?
Elksia: Nothing. Just… No.
Kazix: Very well.
Elksia: But we are really super close though. We all live together. That’s the plan. Tenuk has nowhere to go, I ain’t really got anywhere, Arkay got kicked out, Retvik’s managed to find us a place in exchange for this Dessaron Arena thing.
Kazix: So things are going well.
Elksia: Totally. I expected it to be way worse. I… I didn’t think we would make it back. Like, ever. I genuinely thought we’d spend eternity being mentally tortured by Deitics, or trapped alive, undying, in boxes underground. It is so good to see light again.
Kazix: Mentally tortured?
Elksia: Uh… Yeah… Nah, we ain’t gonna talk about that.
Kazix: You know…
Elksia: I know. I know. Arkay told me, how you offered him help. I got help elsewhere, thanks. He tells me everything.
Kazix: Very well. Would you like to wrap up?
Elksia: Sure! Um… How?
Kazix: Well, is there anything you’d like to share or tell us? Like a favourite memory or a word of warning?
Elksia: Apart from the fact that Deitics are tail-sucking fucksatchels? I dunno.
Kazix: Colourful language there.
Elksia: Don’t care. Cursing and insulting are fun. Only thing that kept us going sometimes when Anexartitai were flaying the skin from our bodies.
Kazix: That is… Ugh.
Elksia: Tell me about it. But we came up with some great insults though. Laugh in the face of pain, suffering and death, I tell you.
Kazix: But you made it out.
Elksia: We made it out! And it’s all going to be better now!
Kazix: Thank you very much, Elksia, for sitting with us.
Elksia: Thank you too! Was fun!
Kazix: We got all that?
Cameravok: Yes. Cameras are now cold.
Elksia: I liked that.
Kazix: I am glad you did. And you know, my offer to the others still stands for you, if you want it.
Elksia: I know, but I’m alright. I know a vok.
Kazix: Good. Well thank you for being so chatty, and for staying so optimistic.
Elksia: Heheh, tell me about it! Do you need me here any more?
Kazix: No, you’re free to go.
Elksia: Okie. Thankies! I’m gonna go steal some of that wobbly stuff.
Kazix: The jelly?
Elksia: Yeah. Bai!
Kazix: Bye.