“What the fuck is wrong with my damm voice?” Elkay shouted as he threw down the electric tablet far harder than intended. Luckily, the rubberised back caused it to bounce. Unluckily, that bounce made it fall off the table onto the floor, where it landed screen down.
With a sigh, Elkay bent down to retrieve it, then checked the tablet wasn’t too badly damaged.
“I have been a public speaker for twenty six years! I am a general of the Stratos! If my voice was not commanding, I would not be here!”
“Maybe it’s because of your weird voice thing?” Arksi asked as he dumped a pile of paperwork in front of the candidate.
“What weird voice thing?” Elkay’s anger was pushed to one side by a wave of confusion. “I speak perfectly fine. My voice is a little high pitched but what can one expect from a Threan-type? My vocal chords are just a little short.”
Arksi shrugged. “I dunno, ser. Nenth pointed it out to me. You do this thing where you sort of hiss or squeak or something. Some sort of weird undertone which Nenth believes has a rather hypnotic effect when speaking to large crowds…”
“That is a load of dicks,” Elkay growled. “All this nonsense about my damn voice is distracting Rethans from my true message of equality for all. It is bothersome! And it also distracts from the whole Photeianos potentially tried to kill me thing…”
Arksi shrugged again. “How comes the High General hasn’t been arrested for that? I mean, you have recordings…”
Elkay growled again, then flicked through the pile of papers. They were filled with hundreds of subjects, copies of previous debates and all sorts. Study material for the last debate.
“Ser?”
“There is not enough evidence to prove without doubt. If this was anyone else, they would be in prison. But Photeianos is made of teflon, it all just slides off him. Hence my anger that my voice is an issue. What is wrong with changing the tone of my voice as needed?”
Arksi sighed. “I don’t know, ser.”
Elkay grunted, and started properly reading the first sheet of paper. It was a basic article on debate etiquette. With a second grunt, he threw it to one side.
“Do you need anything, ser?” Arksi asked as he edged towards the door.
“Hm…” Elkay thought for a moment, then threw a question at Arksi. “Is my voice really that dreadful?”
“Your voice is fine, ser!” Arksi smiled. “It’s just a load of dicks, it will swiftly pass.”
Elkay nodded. Arksi smiled again and reached for the door, only to he pushed out of the way by Itakay.
“Ser! Ser! Oh, sorry Arksi! Didn’t see you!”
“It’s fine, mate,” Arksi continued to smile. “What’s going on?”
Itakay paused for breath. “Have you seen the news?”
“No. What is it?” Elkay looked up from his paperwork.
“A scandal! One of the N-Class… Just… Turn on a television set!”
Elkay reached for a remote controller and switched on the closest TV. On it, a news bulletin popped up. On it, news presenters were discussing something about a date gone wrong. Images of Photeianos and members of the N-Class Ksa kept on popping up, both normal portraits and fuzzy photos.
“Ser, I’m getting hundreds of calls asking for an official statement…” Itakay puffed.
Elkay sighed. “We are not going to say anything. Not yet. We need all the facts. Ita, call Rethais, tell him to remain silent. No comment on anything.”
“Yes ser!” Itakay exclaimed as he rushed off the way he came. “No comment. Got it!”
Elkay tutted, then turned the television off. Arksi noticed that the former Vice General didn’t look pleased.
“Ser, is everything okay?”
“No. This is… Disturbing… Arksi, keep an eye on this. Any news, you tell me immediately.”
“Yes, Ser…” Arksi sighed as he left the room, closing the door behind him.