Psiksi and Kass embraced as chaos rumbled on around them. In the time it had taken for Kass to fly from Portalia to the small Kronospast territory of K15, over a thousand planets had ceased to exist. Including one of the major Skyavok hubworlds, the place Kass had been born. Yet here they both were, alive, still breathing, clinging on.
Behind the couple, a Tsithan and a Banikan were unloading half the inventory of Kass’s ship and moving it into Tenuk’s ship. Really, both of the ships belonged to Tenuk, but he was somewhat busy now leading the tiny surviving Kronospast population, with his brothers by his side. With the three Kronospasts taking charge though, the rest of them needed a ship of their own.
Suddenly, Kass felt a heavy tap on one of his shoulders.
“Excuse me.”
Kass looked up. The tap belonged to the massive Banikan. “Hi Ct’Era, how can I help you?”
“You have a Rethavok stowaway sleeping in your ship’s medical bay.”
Psiksi blinked at Kass. “Is that Gath?”
“Yeah. Halfway though the trip, he started roaring and screaming in agony, handed me the controls and then locked himself in the medical bay and sedated himself. I have no idea why.”
Psiksi pulled Kass closer. “Ah… uh, did you know that they’re all… telepathically linked to each other?”
“Rethans?”
“Yeah.”
Psiksi and Kass both glanced back at the ship. “I… I heard rumours… I… I didn’t realise…” Kass let go of Psiksi and headed back to the ship. Psiksi and Ct’Era followed.
Kass immediately went to the medical bay and opened the door. A bulky Rethavok had fallen out of bed and was lying on the floor in a puddle of his own tears. Thankfully, he was asleep and probably unaware of how much pain he would be in when he woke up.
“Should I put him with the other two?”
“Two?”
“Retvik and Elkay.”
“Like, High General Elkay?” Kass asked. “I thought it was just Retvik who was here.”
“Ct’Era saved General Elkay just before this whole mess started…” Psiksi wrapped his arms around Kass again. “It’s all going horribly…”
Ct’Era ignored the couple and scooped the sleeping Rethan up, throwing him over her shoulders. She stomped off, seemingly disgusted with the romantics between the two Skyavok.
After some more hugging, Kass awkwardly let go. “Does… anyone know what’s going on?”
“All we know is that nothing has stopped the Thantophor so far.”
“What has been done?”
“According to Tenuk? We don’t know because it’s all been destroyed.”
Kass sighed. “What are we doing?”
Psiksi glanced back at the two ships, then started walking towards the ship Ct’Era and Phovos were loading things into. “I thought we were doing rescue missions. A lot of the supplies you brought are for just that. But these ships aren’t exactly large. Even if Tenuk is taking his brothers plus the little Vohra and Timik with them, that leaves Retvik, Elksia, Phovos and Ct’Era, Gath, Elkay, Kayen and you and me on this ship and that kinda already brings it to mid capacity…”
“I… I don’t follow what you’re talking about.”
“My point is, we can’t feasibly save anyone. Can’t even warn them. Because how the fuck do you evacuate billions when a death god could destroy your planet at any moment?”
“So what you’re saying is… we’re doomed.”
Tears were beginning to build up in Psiksi’s eyes as he gripped Kass tightly, nearly digging his little claws into Kass’s back.
“Yeah… we’re doomed…”
“At least we’re together though…” Kass hugged Psiksi back, then let go. Something felt wrong. Like the planet was shaking. Everyone had noticed it, not just the two Skyans.
Panic began to erupt among the Kronospasts in the distance. The ground beneath them began to crack and split as a dark shadow loomed over the planet’s surface.
“EVERYONE, GET TO YOUR SHIPS NOW!”