Really, the day had been a bit of a blur for Kuta. So much had happened. A demotion. A promotion. A mission brief. A change of armour. A layer of paint and varnish. A trip to the space port. A flight.
A lot of things.
Kuta was now sitting in an empty hotel room in Phanos, the capital city of the planet Threa Three, the only major Rethan territory outside of the Reth-Astra solar system. It was also the closest planet to Kuta’s destination, Torr 9-6, the location of their mission. However, they had to meet with their Skyavok and Lanex allies first. Kuta’s 606th Legion handlers were waiting outside, making the required arrangements.
In the mean time, Kuta wasn’t really sure what to do with themselves. The biggest problems currently were uncertainty and a hint of boredom. As part of being reintegrated into the Legion of Hidden Blades, Kuta had been given a bit of a makeover. New, lighter armour, darker than even their Below Twenty armour, black with a faint brown camouflage pattern. But at the same time, Kuta’s natural bright white plating had been covered in a special varnish, painted in a matte black. Kuta was somewhat thankful that they already had dark skin, because otherwise they would have had to undergo a dark temporary henna tattoo as well.
Kuta had also been given a standard 606th Legion backpack, with unique gear. The 606th Legion didn’t use gun-staffs like normal Rethans did. Their equipment and specializations were similar to what Phantasma Skyavok used. A rifle and daggers. A small backup pistol. Specially designed blades holstered in the plating in Kuta’s arm armour.
In fact the 606th Legion was originally set up to try and combat the Phantasma, to play the same game they played. They were assassins; smaller, stealthier, more nimble Rethans trained to do a very specific job. And while Kuta didn’t have true shadow powers, they were very quickly snatched up by the 606th Legion when they were young.
Also included alongside Kuta’s gear were both paper and digital versions of maps and their mission statements. What Kuta had to do. None of it was good. Kuta had been studying this material on the flight to Threa Three, and they were still studying it all now. However, a knock on the door distracted Kuta.
“May we come in?” a voice outside asked.
“Yes, of course…” Kuta sighed.
The door opened up, revealing a Rethan and a Skyan. The Rethan was General Livtar, the leader of the 606th Legion, and, right now, Kuta’s superior. The Skyan… Well, Kuta knew exactly who they were, even if Livtar and everyone else nearby didn’t. However, like Kuta, they’d had their organic plating painted, but they were wearing a typical black hoodie that hid most of their gear and armour.
“Hello, soldeir!” Livtar smiled. “This here is Elarkay Skiatheon, who you will be assisting on this mission. Elarkay, this is Captain Kutiir Kaldynik, our 606th Legion operative. Elarkay has already been briefed, you have both been given your equipment, you will now spend an hour getting to know each other. After that, you will be fed, given two hours rest then the Enlightened Might Lanex team will take you from there.”
Livtar nudged the Skyan into the room, then pulled the door shut and locked it. They glanced at the door, then at the shadow in the corner, then smiled and sat down on the bed.
“Hello, Little Bitey, how are you doing?”
Kuta stared at the Skyan.
“Kyr Elkay, what in the name of the Light are you doing here?”
Being a telepath, Kuta was aware that the name Livtar had given to this Skyan was a fake name, but that the General had no idea. No one had any idea that the Phantasma Skyavok here wasn’t just any normal Skyavok, but literally the All-Ksa himself.
Elkay gestured that Kuta keep their voice down.
“Like you, I am the only real person capable of dealing with telepathic Rethans. After all, thanks to you accidentally nearly killing me when you were ten, I am immune to pretty much all telepathy. But, well, on top of that, I am the Shadow of the Skyavok, it is my duty to protect my kin from this sort of threat.”
“Yes but it is also your duty to LEAD the Skyavok!” Kuta exclaimed. “We are not perfect beings, we risk capture and death! What happens if something bad happens?”
“Kuta, dear, I am older than you are, and us Skyans do not live as long as Rethans do. If something happens and I don’t come home, I have everything planned. A report that I died of a heart attack from old age, a statement of who to replace me, and a contingency for the L-Class to take over as the leading Class, and for my old friend Veeyel to become All-Ksa. Right now, my body double is lying in bed, being pampered and pretending to be ill. I have covered my tracks.”
Kuta hesitated for a moment. “That… Alright, I am well aware that I am a mess of a conscious being, but what you just said is both insane and vaguely reasonable. And not much different to what I unfortunately had to do.”
“What did you do, deary?”
“I had to resign as General of the 11th Legion, citing poor health, in order to be reinstated in the 606th Legion. Which means, right now, I am Captain Kuta Tieridos, and that annoys me far more than it should.”
“It is just a title.”
“I am a Rethan, a higher-caste Rethan, titles mean a lot to us.”
Elkay smiled. “I am sure they will make you a General again when all of this is over.”
Kuta eyed Elkay some more. “You seem… almost excited about all of this.”
“Someone sent a child slave to kill me. They failed. Now I am here to kill them. And hopefully save the poor children. Because there are, according to our intel, a hundred kids here, begging for freedom. We will also be blowing things up. Yes, we are operating in foreign and scary territories, but I have always done my best to be optimistic! You though, Kuta, you seem almost scared.”
“I am scared for two reasons. Firstly, I do not like how my life has been shaken up, how, if things go south, I will leave behind a poten-partner and actual friends. All other members of the 606th Legion lack friends and family, so death is less of a concern. But what I fear more is being captured. I have spent most of my life making sure my abilities cannot be abused too much by others. If I fall into the wrong hands, if I am captured, tainted, manipulated, cloned even, the destruction I could cause… is not something I want to think about.”
Elkay reached over and patted Kuta on the shoulder. “Understandable. But luckily, we are both blessed by the Silent Blade. We have an out if we need it. Yes, I desire vengeance, but I will happily put that to one side so my beloved Little Bitey is safe.”
“I… I appreciate that, Kyr Elkay… Sorry, should I be calling you Elarkay right now?”
“If you don’t mind. I don’t want to blow my cover. I must ask though, why did Livtar call you Kutiir?”
Kuta frowned. “It is a pseudonym. Most 606th Legion Rethans have one.”
“Does it have any meaning?”
“It does, but it is… complicated. Annoyingly, my old 606th fake surname was Kaldieridos and I cannot use that right now.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. You can see why I am concerned.”
Elkay patted Kuta on the shoulder some more. “It is most likely coincidence. This universe is very varied and large, after all. You are lucky you are not a K-Class Skyavok, there are so, so many of us called Elkay. We will be fine.”
“You think?”
“Yes, of course. After all, these Torr bastards will be facing the Shadow of the Skyavok. The wrath of the Silent Blade himself. You are just the backup.”
Kuta smiled uneasily. “If you say so.”