Tale: Thoughts after the Challenge

I sigh as the ship sails away into the unknown. On it are the bodies of four Raptai, a plant-based race of beings that were killed by Stasis. They suffocated, starved to death from the carbon dioxide they so desperately needed to live.

We intended to bury them at the Hall of Heroes, like any great, fallen warrior, but as their dead bodies decayed and started growing into a tree, and as scientists discovered more about them, we decided to freeze the remains, put them on a rocket and send them home. It’ll take nearly a thousand years to get there. I hope the Reptai will still exist by the time their heroes arrive.

The death of the Raptai makes me feel sick inside. We tried to save them. We really did. But they died anyway. So did one of the poor Sangens, their injuries too severe. Though these events are now a memory in the back of my mind, I am still haunted by them.

Stasis tricked us. He promised that we’d all return home safely. And the fools that we were, we believed that monster. The threat of what this great Deitic would do to our races pushed us into acting without thinking. Not just us Rethans, but other humble races as well. All races who had escaped the crushing claws of the Deitics and their false godhoods.

They’re all heading home now. Well… The Thropes won’t. They can’t, they’re too far away. It may be fair to send dead bodies back home, but a thousand year journey for a living being is unreasonable. Especially for ones with short life spans like the Thropes. There are nearby Thrope groups though, not too far away. They will probably join up with them.

The Sangens have already left. Their home is a long way away too, but they had the tech to signal for help. Within a few days, a Sangen ship arrived, picked them up and disintegrated, teleporting across the cosmos. The Anarkex left with them. It turns out the two races are allies in a way. That is nice.

For the Tavrans, things are different. They actually live reasonably close, a month’s journey from here, using Cassid portal tech. They wish to join the Maza races and are already planning a new course for themselves. I am glad about that.

I wish things had been smoother for us Rethans. We were not as lucky. If it wasn’t for my little friend Arkay’s actions, we would all be as dead as the Raptai.

Arkay never made it home. He remained, holding a portal open so the rest of us could get back through to safety. Where he is now, we don’t know. The second Tenuk was able to, he recreated the portal that saved us and went back to find Arkay. All he found was an airless lump of rock with nothing on it. Then he went to Kinigi of all places. Arkay wasn’t there either. Wherever he is now, it is unlikely we will hear from him again. There is a little bit of hope, deep down in my heart, that Arkay will return one day, but that hope won’t last forever.

There were other injuries. My own.

I…

I can’t talk about that. All I want to do is go home. I haven’t been able to speak to my beloved angel and I can’t wait to see him. My quarantine is over, my physical wounds have mostly healed. Even my stomach and womb have healed up nicely, thanks to Cassid technology. I have yet more scars to add to my collection.

I am not alone there. Tenuk is dealing with his own scars. Elksia though, bless her. She’s not taken Arkay’s… disappearance well. I won’t say death. He might not be dead yet. But Elksia needs our comfort, otherwise she might very well consider doing something stupid. The relationship they had… have… it’s always been different from the relationships the rest of us have. Nearly a romantic relationship. They always understood each other best.

She headed back to Portalia yesterday. She wanted to be on her own so we let her be. I hope Elksia is alright. Vel is waiting for her at the space port, possibly with a vast amount of chocolate to make her feel better.

As for me, I return home tomorrow, when my various medical tests come back clear. I can’t wait to see Gath. It has been too long. But Gath has been quiet. I have spoken to him electronically. I think he wants to tell me something. In person.

My hopes are high that life will turn around again.