Argyros watched as the Rethan slumped across the office, lugging heavy boxes around and carelessly throwing things into them. He hadn’t seen the Rethan like this before, he had always assumed that Retha were just as tough and powerful as Vrekans were. To Argyros’ side was Baxavius, who was also watching with intent.
“I have never seen the General like this before…” Baxavius tutted. “Whatever must have happened, it must have been bad.”
Argyros nodded, just as Oxys, a bright green and heavily armed Bayvak, strode by.
“Dids yous twos gets the message?”
“Mhm. Apparently the Vice-General of the Retha cut our funding before we’d even begun,” Baxavius explained. “Not sure why, General Gath has been keeping it all very quiet.”
“He is of the depression, I guess?” Oxys shrugged, before entering the room. Argyros hinted to not go in there, but Oxys didn’t get that message.
Gath angrily chucked a pile of pencils into a cardboard box, before spotting Oxys in his peripheral vision. He tried to ignore Oxys at first, mostly by continuing to angrily throw things into boxes, before catching sight of a piece of paper on one of the desks and tearing it to shreds. Finally, he turned to face Oxys.
“I requested to be left alone.”
“You seem of the sad.”
“Obviously!” Gath returned to what he was doing, but gave up and sat on the last remaining chair in the office.
Worried for Oxys’ safety, Baxavius decided to enter the room and stand by the Bayvak. “General Gath, you have been skulking around with a temper all day. You fired everyone, you sent all the recruits home with two weeks worth of pay, you have been packing up the offices and you have not explained why apart from an incredibly vague statement that our services are no longer required! What is going on?”
The Rethan didn’t answer and instead ignored Baxavius, who considered leaving. Argyros though had other ideas. He extended his arm blades and stomped over to Gath, holding the blades at neck height.
“You will explain what is going on, or I will cut the answers from you!”
Gath looked up at Argyros and growled. In a single, swift move, he grabbed Argyros’ left arm and twisted it, causing the Vrekan to screech in pain.
“To threaten me is to threaten yourself!” Gath growled as he tightened then released his grip on Argyros. “But I do owe you an explanation. You are correct, I should not leave you in the dark…” Gath sat back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, before lowering his gaze down to the three other vok.
“You mentioned a cancellation of funding?” Baxavius started.
“Yes. But it is more than that… A week ago, something, we are not sure what, happened in the Zonta lakes in the north. As far as I know, the Dessaron were caught up in some sort of commotion. Three Deitics who were behind the Soul Rupture were destroyed. Unfortunately, there were a large number of casualties…” Gath hesitated slightly. “They…”
“Surely the Dessaron were just doing their job?” Argyros interrupted. “If other Deitics get in the way, that is their own fault, they know the risks.”
Gath shook his head. “No, the victims were all Lanex. They’d been drawn there and enslaved by the Anexartitai. The Dessaron tore through them like sodden weeds. Not just adults. Kids too. Younglings…”
Baxavius and Oxys glanced at one another. Argyros was still confused.
“Surely not? The Dessaron would nev-”
“They were under a mind control too…” Gath got up, shoving his chair back angrily. “They turned themselves in the second they realised what they had done. And you know what General Elkay does? He hands them over to the Lanex! Then he went and de-funded everything related to them. Including us! Especially us.”
The four vok fell silent.
“Well, theys dids commits crimes…” Oxys muttered. He was unsure how to respond, and no one wanted to anger Gath further. “Maybe thes Lanexes wills bes of the lenient. Especiallys ifs theys has mind-controls.”
“I do not know. No one really knows. The deal that occurred is only known to the High Ups and the Lanex leaders. All I have to show for any of this is a letter from my partner…”
“What does it say?”
“It says he might not be coming back…”
Everyone fell silent once more.
“So… What now?” Argyros and Baxavius found themselves asking in unison.
Gath shrugged. “Do whatever you wish. Perhaps you will stick together, perhaps you will not, although I hope you will remain as friends. I am going to spend a few weeks away. I need a holiday…” He got up and started packing boxes up again.
“Here, let us help you with that!” Baxavius offered, as he too started packing things up.
“Thank you, you have all been very good to me.”
“No worries.”
“When we are done…” Gath finally smiled, the first time he had done so in a while. “I am taking you all out for one last drink.”