The Manufacturing and Storage district of Palaestra was always devoid of life in the dark evenings, apart from the one warehouse at the end of the street. Unlike every other warehouse, this one was not cold and full of products waiting to be used or sold, but instead filled with a warm, humble glow. Even in the gloomy weather, promising rain and heavy storms, seemed to almost smile upon seeing this building.
Its walls were heavily insulated. Formerly just wood and steel, stone walls and foam insulation helped keep its contents at just the right temperature. Around its perimeter was a wooden fence and gravel paths, winding around succulents in ceramic and glass pots. The only entrance was via a heavy metal gate and an even heavier metal door. This building was no longer a warehouse, but a home. And today, it had a visitor.
Kayessen rang on the doorbell a few times. The first attempt yielded no answer, but the second and third did get some sort of response. He rubbed his head, then adjusted the dark, gunmetal gauntlets around his arms. Kayessen, or Kass as almost everyone called him, was a standard-looking Retha. Dark grey skin. Purple and black natural body armour, overlaid with gunmetal and leather plating. Just under average height. Beautiful purple eyes.
“Door’s open, come in!”
The Retha heaved the door open and looked around. He was certain he heard someone call out, but at first glance there was no one there. The insides of the warehouse had been converted into a home, with an open living space downstairs and half a second floor jutting out from the western wall, containing four sleeping areas separated only by a single wall each, and a walled off bath and washroom at the end. Underneath the second half-floor was a study area and three bookcases. The rest of the house was split equally into a kitchen, a dining area, a small training area and a generic living space, all surrounding a traditional log fire.
The dining area consisted of six stools and a table with a strange, metallic ornament in the middle. One chair had multiple cushions on it, two others seemed very much unused. A smell of freshly cooked stew, as well as sugary treats, drifted from the kitchen, which otherwise generated little warmth, cold and clean, a stark contrast to the living space beside it.
It was the living space that interested Kass the most. That was where the voice came from. There were three comfy stuffed chairs and many large ‘beany bags’, stuffed with small foam balls and offering shapeless comfort to anyone who sat on one. They all surrounded a low table and faced an entertainment screen. The table was covered in treats freshly stolen from the kitchen. As Kass got closer, he finally found the source of the voice.
Compared to his guest, Arkay could scarcely be called a normal Retha. Not even 2m tall and in spite of his bright yellow organic armour, the young Threan-type was almost camouflaged among the cushions of the largest beany bag, an electronic gaming controller in his tiny but heavily clawed hands. He didn’t wear much extra armour, a simple spike-piece on his tail and matching knee, upper arm and foot plates, all of which had been lazily thrown on the chair next to him. Arkay’s golden eyes were fixated on the entertainment screen, concentrating on whatever was going on.
“Good evening, Arkay, did not see you there. Have you seen Gath or Retvik?”
An explosion occurred on the entertainment screen, causing Arkay to sigh and properly acknowledge his visitor.
“Hiya, Kayessen. Haven’t seen him, sorry. Retvik went over to Gath’s place about…” Arkay paused, then glanced at the metal band on his left wrist. He’d taken off the rest of his non-organic armour, but he always kept the metal wristbands on, for they contained not only his communication device and clock, but his wrist-blades, weapons which neatly folded away into the back of the metal band and could be extended whenever Arkay desired. “Wow, time’s passed, didn’t even notice. He went to Gath’s house three hours ago. You looking for him?”
The movement on the entertainment screen caught Kass’s eye as he pulled up a spare beany bag and sat down next to Arkay. “Clearly. Need to discuss scheduling. The arena wants to move some of our promotional matches around, and one of them is now interfering with a sorely needed terrain training session. Just thought I should pop by here first before heading to Gath’s home, since it is on the way.”
Arkay nodded and returned to the screen. Kass couldn’t quite work out what was going on. “What in the name of the Retha are you playing?”
No answer. There was another explosion and a small shower of blood on the screen. Arkay cursed. “Bloody random luck!”
“What are you playing?” Kass repeated. “Does not look like a standard Cassid game or anything? Is it a… Thrope game?”
The young Retha gave Kass a response this time. Unlike most Retha, Arkay didn’t fear Thropes, or ‘humans’ as they called themselves. In fact, he had a rather unhealthy interest in them, and had a small collection of Thrope objects he’d collected from his travels, not to mention an info storage device filled with many terabytes of Thrope data copied from their native ‘internet’. The game Arkay was playing was clearly from there.
“This? It’s a video game called Team Fortress 2. I couldn’t find a Team Fortress 1, the only one I found was completely different!”
“You and your Thrope stuff…” Kass rolled his eyes, but still felt somewhat compelled to watch Arkay play. He may have been a good 22 years older than Arkay, nearly double his age in fact, but deep down he did like electric gaming. A smile slipped across Arkay’s lips as he realised he had stolen Kass’s attention. The screen was exploding in bright colours and a sound of applause was playing. “So… What is this?”
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“I have time. This is not urgent.” Kass glanced at Arkay before going back to the screen. “Plus, few people rarely see you alone and not doing anything. It would be nice to talk.”
Arkay nodded. “Yep!” He put down the controller and reached down to the table, taking a sip from a carbonated beverage. Kass didn’t seem to approve.
“You know you have telekinesis, yes, Arkay?”
“I know, but I don’t like using it.”
“There are a lot of things you do not like.”
“I like this.” Arkay went back to the game. Parts of the screen had switched from being blue to being a light red. “Basically you pick a character and they all do different things. On this one, the blue team pushes the bomb cart and the red team has to stop them.”
“Why?” Kass scratched his head in confusion.
“Don’t know. But the architecture for the red team always has like stupid Thrope versions of lasers on them and stuff, so I assume they are the bad Thropes.”
“But you are playing as a bad Thrope right now.”
Arkay shrugged. “Not everyone can be good. Sometimes you just need to have your entire life destroyed to be a good vok. Or a normal vok…”
It took a moment for Kass to take in Arkay’s reply. For someone who was barely an adult, that was a rather strange thing for him to say. The young Threan went back to ignoring Kass, while he wondered what he could say in return. Everyone knew that Arkay, the youngest member of the now famous group of beings called the Dessaron, had always been a little, well, off, even before they disappeared all those years ago.
“But the others are trying to get bett- Am I saying this out loud?”
“Yes.”
Kass considered apologising, but there was a little something in the back of his mind telling him not to. Problem was, Arkay was basically insane. Beings were scared of him. They’d avoid him on the streets. Kass had spent more time with him than most, and it was clear as day that the young Retha had issues.
“Well… Good. I think you need help.”
Arkay paused the game and blinked. “What?”
“I think you need help.”
“I’m absolutely fine.”
“You are not fine.” Kass entered full lecture mode. “You are a former K-Class Ksa sitting on your own getting fat off electronic games, sweets and a lack of a social life. You had no childhood, never celebrated your big 21st birthday and spent a good part of your life being tortured by Deitics. You have no real friends outside of family and whoever you talk to on the Panet and you do not look after yourself.”
“Kass, I am fine.”
“Arkay, kid, look at you. Retvik is married and is making things up with Gath. Elksia has got her life sorted out. Tenuk admitted he has problems and is fixing them. You are just sitting here on your own playing games.”
“No, I’m sitting here being randomly told off by some vok who I only socialise with because Retvik gives me no other choice!” Arkay slammed the controller down.
Kass remained silent, giving time for the table to stop shaking. Arkay turned off the electronic game and slouched, arms crossed, in his beany bag, sulking. The storm outside had finally arrived, and rain started trickling down the metal roof, providing a pleasant interruption. It would be a few moments before either of them spoke. Kass ended up being the first to do so.
“I am sorry, Arkay, but you do know I am right, yes?”
Arkay sniffed, not wanting to admit defeat. Kass decided to continue with caution.
“You do have problems. But you spend so long burying them deep inside because you do not want to inconvenience anyone. You must realise that we see you and want to help you. I am only saying what everyone else is thinking. We care. Retvik, Tenuk and Elksia all care. Gath and I care. Amazingly so do Vel and Kohgrah. We are all here for you, we, I do not wish to see you cry.”
He hadn’t realised that he was crying. Arkay wiped the tears from his eyes. Kass stood up and headed into the kitchen, grabbed a handkerchief then handed it to him.
“I am sorry I made you cry.”
“I-it’s okay… You’re right, I guess…” Arkay wiped the tears from his eyes. “It’s just been… It’s been really hard. I just want things to be normal for a bit… You know? Just relax for a few weeks before trying to fix my crappy life… I find it hard though, I just… I don’t trust anyone, I want to be left alone…”
With that, Kass removed his arm from Arkay’s shoulder. “Are you sure that is what you want?”
“For now, yes.”
Kass bowed his head. “Very well. I must be heading off now anyway.”
“It’s pouring down.”
“Not a problem. My craft is just outside. Have a nice evening.”
“You too, Kass…”
As his fellow Retha got up to leave, Arkay sat up straight, the last of his tears drying away. He waved goodbye to him then watched as the door slowly drifted shut. Once he was sure Kass was gone, he sighed and stared at the blank entertainment screen, before turning it back on. Just as he picked up the controller to continue playing, a message popped up on his communicator wristband. It was one of his online friends, asking how he was.
“What’s up Arkay?” the message read. He hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer. Tears started bubbling from his big, gold eyes as he typed a reply and went back to his game.
“Nothing… Just nothing…”