“Sit.”
Psiksi immediately did as he was told, trying to ignore the bland, empty surroundings. Nothing but grey walls, a grey table, two grey chairs, some grey sheets of paper and a grey door.
“You’re angry.”
“I am, Psiksi.”
“Because of the Dessaron or the fact I was late returning home?”
Arksi paced up and down the room, flicking through a grey folder with black, inky letters scribbled on the front. He finally pulled out a photo and shoved it in front of Psiksi.
“Who is that?”
Psiksi inspected a picture. It was just one of him and the other members of the Dessaron, when they were at the small celebration the other day.
“Which one?”
“The Rethavok.”
“That’s…” Psiksi looked up at Arksi, not sure what was going through his head. “That’s General Retvik Rethianos. The heavy hitter and military specialist of the Dessaron. Surely you know that?”
Arksi went back to his file and pulled out another image, throwing it in Psiksi’s direction. In this photo, Retvik had a hand on Psiksi’s shoulder.
“Explain this.”
Psiksi looked at the new picture. This time he had no idea what he was looking at. It was just a picture of him and Retvik, talking to a Vrekan and a couple of other Rethavok.
“I don’t get it.”
“That sign of affection.”
“That’s not a sign of affection…”
“Yes it is.”
“No it’s not!” Psiksi shouted. “He was patting me on the shoulder because he was happy that I’d been able to keep up with them! What the fuck is wrong with you, Arksi? Is this because you’ve not been winning your DBA battles and you want to take it out on me? Or do you have an ulterior motive?”
Arksi snatched the pictures out of Psiksi’s hands and shoved them back in the folder, then threw the folder on the table. The folder skidded across it then teetered off the edge, landing on the floor and sending paper everywhere. Rather than get angry, Arksi closed his eyes and took a very long, deep breath.
“What is this about, brother?” Psiksi asked, breaking the silence.
“It is about political opportunities.”
“Which ones?”
“Information gathering. You were in there, in the Heart of the Union. You could have learned so much yet you sat there chattering about your little adventures. We KNOW that the High General took Retvik Rethianos into his private quarters moments after that photo was taken. But we do not know anything else.”
Psiksi tutted. “You’re insane.”
Arksi blinked. How dare Psiksi talk back to him.
“You are. Right now, I am making the most out of a massive opportunity, helping mending the ties between us and the Rethavok and acting as a new hero to replace Arkay. Vok aren’t seeing us as hiding fools any more. I am more than just a representative in an arena, I am an actual being vok want to know and by getting to know me, their opinions of the Skyavok soften in general! And you’re asking me to betray this newfound trust in exchange for being a spy?”
“No, I’m asking you to both be a hero and be a spy.”
“Nope, I’m not doing that. As you said, this is a political opportunity and I’m not going to waste it by being an idiot.” Psiksi rolled his eyes, then got up from his seat and walked off. “Good day, brother.”
“Get back here!” Arksi shouted.
“Stop being an idiot!” Psiksi shouted back as he slammed the door behind him.