The screams echoed down the narrow corridors as Elkay sat bolt upright, his voice hollow and his mind even emptier.
“GONE. ALL GONE.”
Kayen and Phovos had both desperately tried to calm Elkay down, but he refused to settle. Tears ran from his dulled eyes as he held his head in his hands and repeated the same words over and over again.
“General Elkay, what are you talking about? What’s gone? Talk to us!”
Similar wailing could be heard from the other side of the ship. A much deeper yet more terrified wail of agony and suffering that was steadily coming closer. The cries reached their peak though as Retvik stood in the doorway. Just like Elkay, Retvik’s normally bright red eyes seemed dull and lifeless. But as Retvik spotted Elkay and Elkay looked up at Retvik, both Rethans fell silent. Retvik slowly approached, kneeling by Elkay’s side, nuzzling his arm.
“Retvik…” Psiksi gasped as he also appeared in the doorway. He had chased the hulking Rethan down, somewhat traumatized by what he had seen. Kayen and Phovos both backed away a little, giving the Rethans some space. “Retvik, what is going on…”
“They’re all gone…” Retvik muttered.
“Who are?”
“Everyone…”
Elkay stopped whimpering and put his free arm around Retvik and pulled him closer. Retvik quickly began to sob, overtaken by sadness. Any words he attempted to say were drowned out by his own tears.
“What do we do?” Kayen whispered. “I’m, like, I’m not… picking… anything up from them…”
Psiksi edged closer and tried to put his hand on Retvik’s shoulder, but Retvik immediately brushed him off. A mumbled, waterlogged apology slipped from Retvik’s mouth as he continued crying. Elkay just stared blankly at Retvik, his own voice worn thin.
“What happened?” Phovos finally asked. “You need to tell us.”
“They’re gone…” Elkay repeated, choking on his words.
“Who are gone?”
“The Rethavok. All gone.”
“How…”
Elkay shook his head in a vague attempt to clear his thoughts. “We felt it. The connection severed. All lost.”
Phovos glanced at Kayen and Psiksi. “I… I still don’t follow.”
“We were connected. Individuals together. Our power is… was our unity. We feel pain. We felt them die.”
Elkay rubbed his face again then held Retvik tightly, a new flood of tears dripping down their faces. The appearance of another being in the doorway didn’t make either of the Rethans move.
“Are they alright?” Elksia asked. She seemed upset too but was hiding it.
Phovos shook her head.
“Reth Aster is gone…” Elksia explained. “Whole Rethan solar system is gone. Like, huge swathes of the universe are being destroyed. They just…” Elksia extended her claws slightly. She looked nervous. As if she knew something she shouldn’t have. “I know we were supposed to be splitting up but I kinda think it’s a bad idea now.”
Kayen shrugged. “I dunno. What are the others saying?”
Elksia shrugged as well. “Dunno. You should give them some space though.”
Phovos and Kayen followed Elksia out of the room, but Psiksi remained for a moment. He turned to the door, when Retvik stopped him.
“You know, yes?”
“Know what?”
“How we are all connected. Telepathically.”
Psiksi blinked. “You have…”
“We all do. Did…” Retvik sat up slightly. Elkay gripped him more tightly. “We felt them all die. There is nothing but silence now.”
“Is there… anything you want me to do?” Psiksi asked. “I can get you both something to eat or something.”
“Without the connection, we will go insane…” Elkay muttered under his breath. “We need to sleep.”
“I still don’t understand!” Psiksi exclaimed. “What do you want?”
“The Rethavok have gone extinct. Our connection, the connection that keeps us all sane, has been severed…” Retvik finally began to explain. “Those who are still alive, we felt every other Rethan die. That pain… will never go away. It will drive us off the edge…”
“You need to leave. And lock the door behind you…” Elkay sighed. “It is for your own good.”
Psiksi sighed, giving up on the whole conversation. Exhaustion was beginning to overcome him and he didn’t like the sound of having to deal with a couple of mad Rethans. Well, madder Rethans. “Fine. I’ll lock you both in here. Let me know if you want any water or anything…”
Elkay and Retvik looked at each other as the door slammed shut. After a moment of silence, Retvik got up, then wandered over to a cabinet in the corner. From it, he pulled out two syringes and several capsules of sedative, enough for both of them. He quickly sorted out the syringes and injected the sedatives directly into Elkay’s arm, then did the same to himself.
“They will never understand.”
“They never understood.”
“I hope I get to see Gath before we go insane…” Retvik sniffed.
“I hope to see him too…” Elkay yawned. Already they were both getting sleepy. Retvik set an alarm on his wristband, then snuggled up next to Elkay. “I wish it did not end like this.”
“It was not your fault, little brother.”
Elkay closed his eyes as they began to drift off. “I know. Still, it feels like it was…”