“Really, Retvik?” Gath growled as his partner climbed out of bed. “Come on! Whoever that is can wait!”
Retvik ignored Gath’s pleas and picked up his communicator, holding the headphone to his ear rather than clipping it on.
“It’s Rethais.”
“Fuck Rethais! Actually, don’t, fu-”
Retvik left the room, much to Gath’s displeasure. He loved Retvik dearly but the damn vok could never switch off. Whenever his douchebag brother called, he always answered. Yes, Rethais was the Vice General of the Rethavok, but that wasn’t the point.
Feeling angry, Gath climbed out of bed and followed Retvik’s trail. He had wandered downstairs into the main room, and was idly poking the embers from the fireplace with a stick while Rethais talked his ear off. At least Retvik was staying at Gath’s home today and not at the old HQ, because otherwise he probably would have started working.
“Very well. I shall get it done. Yes. First thing. Good night.”
Retvik rolled his eyes then spotted Gath staring at him.
“I am sorry, my love. I cannot ignore my brother.”
“What the fuck did he want at 2300 hours? It had better be good.”
“Someone left a scarecrow in the shape of our High General hanging in front of Rethais’s office, with the word “impure” written on it.”
Gath rolled his eyes. “That shit again? Are we not over this yet?”
“Clearly not. High General wants to settle the case once and for all and reveal his ancestry. Rethais was giving me a heads up, saying I will need to supply my own genetic details and send them to the appropriate office.”
Gath was both curious and confused now. “What do your genetics have to do with the High General, and how many tests of purity must that poor bastard do? We never had any of this shit with General Photeianos and he hardly even looked Rethan in his last few years.”
“I know!” Retvik sighed as he led Gath back upstairs. “It is insane. Lunacy. Would not surprise me if the scarecrow was placed there by a Photein fanatic. The 3% really are insane.”
Gath shrugged. There was always about 3% of the population that was basically ignorant, selfish, retarded and open to anarchy and the fringes fascism. Really, the Rethavok considered themselves lucky, the “stupid vote” of some species was as high as 30%.
“So we’re catering to them.”
“I think we are settling it.”
“But what does it have to do with you? Is it because you Rethianoi are a Prime Family?”
Retvik grumbled as he climbed back into bed. “Mostly, yes. Being the baseline of Rethavok genetics is… not fun. Having to keep our bloodline pure, partnering with vok who have proved their worth, having to prove our worth ourselves… And the stupid two kids per generation rule…”
Gath tutted. “That damned rule. The thing stopping us from having kids since your brother already has two.”
“I know… Please…”
“Retvik, I know. I agreed to it all back when we started dating. We can always adopt in the future anyway. It…” Gath patted Retvik on the shoulder. “It’s fine. But I feel that is not everything.”
“Yes, you are right. There is more. Which makes this so infuriating.” Retvik pulled Gath into bed, wrapping the blanket around them. “You promise you will not utter this to anyone.”
“You know I will always keep my lips sealed.”
“Good. Because this is… insane.”
“What?”
“The real reason why everyone is so hush-hush about the High General is because he is part Rethianos. General Elkay is mine and Rethais’s half brother.”
“Oh.”
Gath simply shrugged. Retvik expected more surprise.
“Well, everyone knew your dad slept around. And contraception is not even 99% effective.” Gath paused, then smiled, reaching over to a small bedside drawer. “Speaking of that…”
Retvik blinked, then grinned. “Yes. That is a good idea…”