This is Glek

Chapter 17: Unsynced

I walked down the palace halls, not really concerning myself with the people acknowledging me as I passed. Being alone in the mansion the last couple days had made me really want Raja back. The boy had found his way into my heart. If Taris really wanted to win, they should have just kidnapped him, and I would have surrendered.

The doors to the emperor's study were opened for me. Eric stood behind his desk with his arms folded, watching the workers below.

I cleared my throat, but he didn't move. I motioned to the people around me to get out. The door closed, and still Eric just stood there.

"So," I took off my hat and ran my hand through my hair. "Is my pod ready?"

"No."

I scoffed at his reply. "Why the hell not?"

Eric turned and kept his eyes down. He gripped the back of his chair. "We're out of sync with Sector 31."

I let out a heated breath through my nose. "Since when?"

"When sector 31 become a protected none slave trapping planet, one of our technicians released it, so it could progress naturally."

"Don't give me that bullshit!" I kicked the back armchair, cracking it nearly in half.

"Do you know how much energy it takes to keep a planet synced with ours? We were done with it, so to save on cost, they let it go," he said firmly.

"If I find out you authorized this and still sent Raja back, I'm going to add some pretty new gems to my collections."

Eric narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you threatening my pet?"

"Yes, I am," I stated firmly. "A pet for a pet. If mine is dead, why not yours."

"Don't do this, Tobias."

"I'm the fucking war hero." I flung my hat at him. "Kill me, imprison me. Do whatever the hell you want, but watch Helix fall because of it. We both know, the people only support you because I do. If Raja is dead that might change."

Eric sunk down in his chair and covered his mouth. "I honestly did not know. I would never have done this to you."

"If that's the truth, you have nothing to worry about. I expected a lot of people being fired to hide the one that is responsible, because if I ever found out who sent my pet back to die-"

"He might not be dead," interrupted the emperor in a low voice.

"Are they faster or slower than us?"

"Faster."

"How Faster?"

"For every one of our years, it's approximately 88 of theirs."

"88," I hissed. "88 fucking years and you think he's alive!" I took a deep breath. Every ounce of my will was going into not hitting Eric so hard he flew out the window.

"I'm sorry, Tobias.

"It's been about seven months," I whispered, pacing the floor trying to work my way through the math. "1/12th of 88 is about 7 years, times 7." I stopped mid stride. "50 years. He'd be about 75 years old." I grabbed the back of the chair and hurled it at the wall. "Thank you, your highest," I gave him a slight bow. "Now I can go reclaim my pet, and have the joy of burying him. If he isn't dead already."

"He was given a stabilizer before he left. His body is still synced to this world."

I dropped into the remaining armchair and covered my face. "You sent my pet back into a world three years after it was unsynced. That's what..." I thought for a moment. "264 years, plus the 50," I leaned back and looked at the cycling as I did the math. "314. Everyone he has ever known is dead. They probably killed him, after finding out he doesn't age." I breathed in deep and let it out slowly. "Arrange a pod."