“Retvik!”
The weird, tall, gangling Rethavok-like being with blue and silver armour charged over to where Retvik and Rethais were standing, wrapping his arms around Retvik and hugging him tightly. It took a moment to realize who this being was. It also took a moment for them both to realise where they were, standing just outside a small, concrete bunker, surrounded by other concrete bunkers.
“Tenuk! What happened to you?”
Tenuk mumbled a reply, his face buried in Retvik’s shoulder before letting go, having been overcome with emotion.
“You… You have no damn idea how fucking messed up everything is! It’s so damn fucked up that I can’t even properly shape-shift into a fucking Rethavok right now!” Tenuk shook his head, sighing loudly. “I am so glad you’re alive. I… we need you both right now…”
With a second sigh, Tenuk grabbed Retvik by the hand and pulled him towards the nearest doorway, dragging him into a room filled to the brim with boxes and cans. Rethais followed them both inside and closed the door behind him.
“Your entire damn race has turned into fucking zombies!” Tenuk exclaimed, using expletives even more freely now he knew he was somewhere private. “Most of you fuckwads at least! I watched a damn district completely fucking empty out and now we’re just getting fucking trickles of Rethans coming back! Like, I don’t fucking know how many but there were 10,000 fucking Rethans in Hertany and now there’s like, what, two fucking hundred? Two hundred and fucking two, including you retards!”
“You have been looking after all these Rethavok this entire time?” Rethais asked, looking genuinely impressed. “Someone who should have no further allegiance with us and here you are, trying your hardest to help.”
Tenuk rolled his eyes. “You say that as if I hadn’t already sworn allegiance to you! Whatever, it’s not fucking important right now. What is more important is that you assholes need to fucking help me look after these stragglers and keep them safe, in case that cunt Kenon decides to pop by and snatch everyone up because you’re not all mind-controlled properly!”
“Has that happened?” Retvik gasped, looking far more worried than Rethais did. He glanced at his brother, who was tutting, a sign that he had temporarily stopped processing emotions, the complete opposite of what Tenuk was doing.
“From what I can tell…” Tenuk hesitated. “Well, there’s some people who were definitely captured and taken away. Kenon has been seen leading that… oh what’s his name… one of those popular generals around in chains. The first Rethans to arrive here were definitely hunted. But after that? The only issue was getting off planet Retha, everyone else has been… kinda… fine, apart from being fucking terrified.”
“So we can reform and rebuild here, away from that cowardly Voidlord!” Rethais snarled. “That is what we will do then. Build an army and take it all back.”
“Ah, uh, yeah, about that…” Tenuk shook his head and rolled his eyes some more. “That ain’t fucking happening. Kenon has full control over your entire race. All one billion of you. And since everyone thinks you’re dead…”
“They think I am dead?” Rethais interrupted. “I… I did not die.”
“Kenon dug up a corpse.”
“I am not dead though.”
“Well, he probably faked it,” Tenuk shrugged. “Anything to ‘prove’ he is the rightful ruler of the Rethavok. I’m gonna be brutally honest, mate, but you’ve… you’ve lost. Big time… Unless you want Kenon to come back and curb stomp your ugly tail again, you’re better off staying dead…” Tenuk then turned his attention back to Retvik. “You though, I fucking missed you. Where the fuck have you been?”
Retvik frowned. “You know…”
“You know what I mean!” Tenuk hugged Retvik for the second time that evening. “I am so fucking glad to see you. You can help me get all these poor Rethans fed and sheltered… Uh, Kenon isn’t looking for you specifically, is he?”
“No, he just wants Rethais buried, we believe.”
“Good!” Tenuk beamed, racing to the door. “Come and help me arrange these meals, then you can tell me where the hell you’ve been for the last few days!”
“I would love to…” Retvik smiled, just a little. “Can Rethais come too?”
“Sure, but he’s gonna have to put a disguise on or something… Don’t want people knowing he’s alive quite yet now, do we?”