Psiksi sighed as the phone rang. It was three in the morning, everyone was asleep and this infernal communicator had woken him up. What sort of idiot calls at three in the morning anyway?
With another sigh, Psiksi rolled out of bed, onto the floor and across the room to where he’d left his communicator. Normally he kept it by his bed, but since he and Kass had been busy last night, he hadn’t gotten around to moving it.
“Hello?” Psiksi did his best to sound polite. For all he knew, it was the Raptor, asking him for assistance. But it was probably just one of Kass’s drunk friends calling the wrong number.
“Psiksi! Are you well?”
It took a moment for Psiksi to realise who was calling. “Uh, High General Elkay, Ser! I… why are you calling me, do you need me, Ser?”
“I need to know that you are well.”
“It is three hundred hours, Ser. You woke me up.”
The voice at the other end of the line seemed confused, then surprised, then upset as they realised they had messed up. “I am so sorry, little brother! I forgot that Portalia has different time zones to here…”
Psiksi blinked. Portalia had the same time zones planet Threa had. Vriskera was only two hours ahead of Thre-Vretania.
“Ser, it is one hundred hours where you are. Can you not sleep?”
Again, the High General seemed confused, surprised and upset.
“I… I must have lost track of time. Things are… weird things are happening. I had an unexpected visitor and… Something happened to the former High General. And another former Vice General. And I am worried.”
Psiksi was concerned. Elkay was never like this. “Ser, what is wrong? There is something else bothering you, clearly.”
“Photeianos was attacked, kid. Stolen from his bodyguards in one fell swoop. There was also a horrific murder. Not somevok I knew. But their… entrails were strewn all over a street not far away from the Rethan Council buildings. I… is it really one in the morning?”
“Yes, Ser,” Psiksi diligently answered, before a yawn managed to force its way out of his mouth. Behind him, Kass had woken up and was sitting on the bed, patiently waiting. Psiksi mouthed an apology, and Kass just shrugged.
“I apologise, Psiksi. I am sorry for waking you up.”
“Ser, why did you call me?” Psiksi finally asked.
“Because someone visited me, disguised as you. I wanted to make sure that you were safe and well.”
Psiksi gasped. “Disguised… as me?”
“Yes.”
“Who was it?”
“I… I cannot say. Not over communications. Someone we both know though. I shall send you a message later on. I should let you sleep. Many apologies once again for waking you up.”
“Good night, Ser,” Psiksi tried to reply reassuringly.
“Good night, Psiksi.”
The High General disconnected. Kass glanced at Psiksi as he brought his communicator over to the bedside table, then climbed into bed.
“Was that really your big brother?” Kass finally asked.
“Yeah. I think he was just exhausted. Seemed worried about me…” Psiksi didn’t want to lie. He just wanted to go back to sleep and worry about everything tomorrow. Kass smiled, then put his arm around Psiksi.
“Well, you’re fine, nice and safe with me…”
Psiksi smiled, curling up in Kass’s arms.
“I love you, Kass…”
“I love you too, Psiksi…”