“WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY KSA?” Elkay roared as he charged into the sparsely guarded High General’s office. “WHAT DID YOU DO, PHOTEIANOS?”
Photeianos glanced up from his desk at the angry but also rather cute-looking Threan-type standing in his doorway. “Protecting you, kid.”
Elkay stomped into the room and stood at Photeianos’ desk, wings spread wide and threateningly baring teeth. His eyes were glowing red, something Elkay only subconsciously did when he was really fucking furious. He slammed his fist into the desk, causing it to crack.
“You arrested every single one of my Ksa without informing me. Then you arrested every other General’s fucking Ksa as well. Tell me, did you leave the Great Crystal wide open? Because you left me without a single fucking body guard!”
Photeianos ignored the Vice General and continued reading the papers in front of him. “Get to work on preparing a message for this Vohran rebellion. It’s been 24 hours and we still have no statement.”
If Elkay was furious beforehand, he was steaming now. he snatched the High General’s papers and tore them to shreds, knowing that they were insignificant. “Are you FUCKING INSANE? WHERE ARE OUR KSA?”
Finally, Photeianos decided that Elkay was worth his attention. “You know how we make apogen Ksa, right?”
“It’s a training process from birth that amplifies their telepathic and telekinetic power, while lessening their desire to disobey. What has this got to do with anything?” Part of Elkay was glad that Photeianos was finally talking, but it was a very, very small part of him.
“The process is almost identical to how Kalsa Warriors are created. But more costly because of our Rethan genetics. We need to modify their DNA to get such amazing specimens like the N- and K-Class Ksa…”
Elkay’s eyes widened. “We made genetic manipulation of Ksa illegal ten years before I was even born!”
“Well I lied,” Photeianos explained. “I had to lie, because the N-Class Ksa has been genetically manipulated all along. Genetically engineered Threan-types are the only beings even worthy of becoming Ksa. You, little Elkay, are incredibly lucky that you DIDN’T end up being a Ksa. Plus, no one wanted any of the Rethans who eventually became Ksa. They were all unwanted babies that would have died had I not personally signed them into becoming Ksa. I finally ended the program with the current Ξ-Class Ksa.”
Elkay smashed his other fist into Photeianos’ desk. “Why the fuck did you not tell me about any of this? I am supposed to know your secrets, the same way you know mine!”
Photeianos sighed. “I know. I should have told you. But I wasn’t worried until I heard about the Kalsa Warrior rebellion.”
“Wait!” Elkay interrupted. “You arrested every single apogen Ksa because you are scared they are going to turn on us!”
Photeianos nodded, thinking he’d calmed Elkay down, when in fact he’d done the complete opposite.
“YOU FUCKING IDIOT! NOW THEY WILL TURN ON US!”
Before Photeianos could react, Elkay had him by the throat. For a Threan-type, the little thing could be incredibly intimidating. Thankfully, his guards would…
“If you hadn’t arrested your own guards, you wouldn’t be in this mess now, would you?” Photeianos had completely underestimated Elkay. “The Ksa have been loyal to us for our entire lives. You arresting them all is going to completely and utterly destroy their trust. I am going to go and free them before too much damage is done.”
Photeianos scoffed. “You have no authority to do so, kid.”
Finally, Elkay let go of Photeianos’ throat. He stomped off the desk, knocking the entirety of the desk’s contents on the floor as he did so. Photeianos rubbed his neck, silently cursing at having been walked on by his own Vice General of all beings.
“Free the Ksa, or you’ll find yourself dead by their hands…” Elkay threatened as he stormed out of the office.