“EMTHION!”
The High General stormed into the office, pushing past the two Ksa stationed in the doorway. Emthion looked up from the piles of paperwork and unfinished bills and all sorts from his desk with a loud sigh.
“Yes, General Photeianos? I am very busy right now.”
Photeianos didn’t seem to care. He swiped his hands across Emthion’s desk, throwing paperwork everywhere. Emthion growled, but knew to not push the issue further. Last time he did, he ended up a week behind on his work and with several smashed windows in his office.
“What are you planning?”
“Pardon?”
The High General smashed his fists on the desk. Again, Emthion growled. He’d just had the desk fixed.
“Don’t make me repeat myself again. What. Are. You. Planning?”
Emthion blinked. “I’m sorry, Photeianos, I really don’t know what you are talking about.”
“You have not put in an application to run as Vice General with me. You said you would consider it. Yet here we are, mere minutes before I announce that I am running to remain as High General and you still have not submitted an application.”
The Vice General got up from his seat and started picking papers up off the floor, sighing loudly. “Perhaps, Photeianos, you have not considered the idea that I don’t want to run as Vice General? I don’t know if you can tell, but I am not particularly happy with my current occupation.”
Photeianos stomped over. He wasn’t as tall as Emthion, and hovered in the air to make sure he was at eye level with the Vice General.
“Emthion, what are you planning?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“I need to know so I can fire you or not.”
“You can’t fire me because I won’t run for Vice General.”
Photeianos landed back on the ground, sneering. “You’re right. I can’t. But I want to know what you are doing so I can plan accordingly.”
“I am not running for Vice General. I hate this job, you treat me like shit and I have no idea how Elkay, bless his unlucky soul, put up with it. Whether I run for my old position or not, I have not yet decided. But I am not going to waste my time and effort running alongside you, just to spend five more years working as your little bitch.”
The High General raised his hand in anger, then lowered it. Emthion had been a pretty good Vice General, more malleable than Elkay had ever been, even if he had been painfully slow with his job. But this sudden outburst angered Photeianos.
“You are not my little bitch,” Photeianos finally sighed. “I respect you.”
“Clearly not enough considering you were about to hit me,” Emthion tutted. “Clearly part of you doesn’t want me here. And clearly I do not want this job any more.”
Photeianos wandered about the room, feeling uncertain. He’d screwed up. Emthion noticed, and decided to go back to picking up his scattered paperwork. That work was more important than Photeianos’s desires.
“So you will no longer be Vice General?”
“I will continue until a new Vice General is elected in April.”
“Very well…” Photeianos glanced at his wrist. He was running late. “I must go. I have an announcement to make.”
Emthion watched as Photeianos floated away, out of his office and down to the press room where the many hungry journalists were waiting. The Vice General continued to pick up paperwork, listening to the click of cameras and the shouting of questions, only for it all to quieten down.
Even from his tattered office, he could hear Photeianos’s speech. Curious, Emthion decided to listen in to what Photeianos had to say.
“My fellow vok. It is an honour to have you here. As many of you know, the month of February is a time where many will announce their candidacy to run for a place in the governing body of the Rethans. Today, although I may not have an ally to accompany me, I am announcing my candidacy to run once again for the position of High General. I both offer good luck and pity whoever decides to run against me.”
Emthion smiled as he listened, then returned to his desk.
“You have no idea, Photeianos. No idea at all…”