The rest of the week went by in a blur. Between spending as much time together and packing up all of Viktor's - surprisingly many - belongings, Vok'Rul and he barely noticed the days going by until the day the ship was to depart was upon them.
Vok'Rul nudged him awake gently that morning, easily avoiding the weak swing Viktor took at him upon waking. He fell into consciousness like a bag of bricks off a building, heavy and all at once. Groggy and slightly confused, he barely remembered that this would be the last time sleeping in this particular spot for a while. He felt reluctant to move.
"I know," Vok'Rul murmured softly, brushing his claws against Viktor's forehead. "I am," he paused, "saddened to see you go."
"It won't be forever," Viktor whispered. Vok'Rul said nothing. "You're coming with, right?" He was terrified of saying goodbye. Just think of it as a vacation, he told himself. He had the brief, terrifying thought that he wouldn't be allowed back onto the ship to return.
Surely, Viktor would go back? He had to.
"Of course, Kohgrash." The surety in his voice soothed his nerves, somewhat.
Vok'Rul was as reluctant as he was to get going. They lingered in his room for a long time before the alien finally opened the door to the living room. Almost all of Viktor's belongings - his entire life on this planet - were packed up neatly in a few bags. His clothing, his puzzles, his sphere, his photo album, everything he had, really, was all right in front of him.
The sweet smell of Thruul's cooking wafted up to them, along with the faint tinkling of silverware. His stomach growled in need. Some things never changed, he supposed.
He rode the chair lift - it was pretty comfortable if you got over the dizziness that occurred with riding down a spiral staircase - and awkwardly shuffled off of it, using his walker to steady himself. It had been a bit of a learning curve, but after a few days of using it regularly, he had got it down to a T.
"Ah, my favorite lords have finally decided to grace me with their presence," Thruul said cheerfully, smiling at Viktor and making goo-goo eyes at Vok'Rul.
"I still don't know why everyone calls me a lord," Viktor grouched, slowly accepting a bowl of stew from Thruul's large hands. "I'm not even your pet, anymore. It's not like I'm your kid or something."
Vok'Rul opened his mouth to explain, accepting the bowl from Thruul, when a loud, "knock knock!" came from the wing's entrance.
"Come in, Dad!" he shouted, though it sounded wheezy and weak. He still couldn't get very loud. Oskar popped in a moment later, greeting everyone with a wary smile.
"You are a member of my household," Vok'Rul explained, picking up the conversation again. "It is uncommon for Vokkrus to adopt others that are not related to them into their titles but not unheard of. It is why they call Nohkka Little Vokkra, though I have tried to put a stop to that," he grumbled, spooning the stew into his mouth.
Thruul handed Oskar a bowl, which he took gratefully. "Rukka would have a higher title if she accepted it," the cook explained to the humans, though Oskar looked more confused than Viktor. "She is content working in the background, however."
Viktor hummed around his spoon, trying to ignore the trembling that his fingers did around the utensil. The shock collar had many lasting effects on him. They didn't know if the shaking was permanent, though. He'd have to go to the doctor's when they got back to Earth.
"Excited to go back home, kiddo?" his dad asked him. Viktor hesitated for a second.
"Yeah," he admitted. "Do you think there'll be snow?" His dad shrugged.
"Snow?" Vok'Rul questioned.
"Frozen water," Viktor explained. It didn't seem to clear up any of the alien's confusion, though. "Wait, will you guys be able to go on our planet safely?" He hoped so.
Vok'Rul gave a little half-shrug. "The reports from our last visit told us that no, we would need to take precautions in order to safely traverse your lands. We have safety measures in place, though. It will not impede anything."
That was good. Viktor would hate being stuck on a ship for the entirety of their visit.
Too soon, though, their breakfast drew to a close, and the four of them were forced to make their way to The Salvation. Rukka, Kac, and Nohkka were already at the front of the mansion, subdued. As soon as Nohkka saw him, she wailed and rushed forward, flinging her arms around Viktor. The walker in front of him didn't seem to deter her.
"It's okay, Nohkka," he croaked, wrapping his arms around her in return. She was bigger than a mere month ago. She'd outgrow him soon. He wondered how tall she'd get.
"I don't want you to leave," she hiccuped. He tightened his arms around her.
"I'll come back," he promised. Luckily, she had a translator in her ear, so his promise didn't fall flat.
"When?" she sniffled. She hung off him like a limpet, and he felt his legs beginning to shake and give out. He leaned heavily against her and the walker.
"I don't know," Viktor admitted, looking over Nohkka's head to look at Kac and Rukka. "You won't forget about me, will you?"
"No!" she nearly shouted in his ear. She drew back, patting his head affectionately. The action nearly knocked him off his feet, despite how gentle she was. "You're my favorite."
"Thanks," he said with a grin.
"Come on, Nohkka. We need to help Uncle Rul and Kohgrash get their things in the car," Kac said, gesturing in the direction of his bags. Thruul had gone off to fetch the belongings he'd need for the trip. Vok'Rul claimed that he didn't need many; the one bag he had would be enough. Thruul had told them both that the supplies in the kitchen should be considered a crime, even if the ship was piloted under the great Ghhvresh, so he was bringing his own. His dad had hardly anything; he was still wearing the same clothes he had been abducted with - freshly washed, of course. Still, he had refused any 'handouts' that Vok'Rul had offered.
The ride to the ship was bittersweet. A few weeks ago - well, over a month, more like - they had been traveling to the festival to enjoy the activities. Now, they plus one were going to Earth.
Oskar was squeezed in between Thruul and Rukka, looking awkward. Viktor had collapsed in his usual position on the floor in between Vok'Rul's legs. He had claimed struggling onto the seat wouldn't be worth it, and he suspected that Vok'Rul liked the easy access to his hair, anyway. His dad had protested, though.
"I don't like the seat texture," Viktor complained. It was weird. "And the engine feels nice."
"Trust me, sire of Kohgrash," Vok'Rul interrupted. "I have tried to get him to sit up here many times. He is stubborn, though."
His dad huffed, and before he could snap something snarky at Vok'Rul, Viktor asked "What's the first thing you're gonna do when we get back to Earth?"
It caught his dad off guard enough that he had to think about it, and promptly forget why he was so annoyed with Vok'Rul. Plus, it brought up the topic of Earth, which all of the aliens were rather curious about. None of them, obviously, had been on the first trip out there, so they were interested in where Viktor and Oskar had hailed from. It was a nice topic to pass the time in the car, and by the time they reached the ship, Viktor was humming with excitement. Space travel!
He had been in space before, obviously. But that had been frantic, filled with desperation and confusion. This time around, Viktor was determined to enjoy the ride. Plus, how many people could claim they'd been in an alien spaceship, hurtling back to Earth? Only fifty million people. He'd be one of them!
"Come on," he rasped, coughing through the thickness in his throat. He turned around when he didn't hear the familiar sounds of aliens following him. He frowned. Rukka, Kac, and Nohkka were rooted in place. "Are you guys not coming?"
Nohkka looked upset at the mere suggestion. She buried her face in Kac's clothing. Rukka gave a little sigh, patting her child's head with a fond glance. She turned to Viktor, gaze intense.
"Kohgrash," she started slowly. "I know that I may not have been your biggest fan in the beginning, but I am glad to have gotten to know you. Despite my predetermined beliefs of your character, you have turned out to be everything I did not expect. I am honored to have met you and to have fought for your honor. You, the unexpected, have brought light to my brother's life, as well as my own and my family's, and for that, I am in your debt. Always." She bent low at the waist, much lower than anyone had bowed to Vok'Rul, Kac following her lead a half-second later.
Viktor warily glanced at Vok'Rul for a second, whose face was impassive and expressionless. His dad, on the other hand, looked aghast, mouth hanging open comically. Viktor straightened the best he could, hands gripping the bars of his walker tightly.
"Thank you, Rukka," he said slowly, feeling his throat clogging with emotion. "But you don't need to be in my debt." He took a breath. Talking tired him out. "Vok'Rul is my friend. You are my friend. Friends don't owe each other."
Rukka tilted her head at him, but he simply smiled.
"I fear I will never understand you, Kohgrash," she murmured, straightening. "This is goodbye for us. We will see each other another day. I must remain here in Rulshkka's stead."
"And you will do a fine job," Vok'Rul reassured, finally moving to clap his hand on her shoulder. He reached down to Nohkka, who launched from Kac's legs to his. He rumbled his amusement and happiness at her, patting her head gently. "I will see you three, soon. Try not to blow up my planet."
The family waved them off, only sticking around near the entrance until it started to get busier. As the time neared The Salvation's departure, more and more aliens and humans were flooding in. Vok'Rul, Viktor, his dad, and Thruul were quickly greeted by Captain Ghhvresh, who promptly swept them away from the crowd.
Vok'Rul had to pick up Viktor to carry him, lest he got swept away in the crowd of people. Viktor was grateful for the extra security - he didn't trust his body just yet; who knew when it would fail him next? - and he got to see the crowd from Vok'Rul's height. It wasn't quite fifty million, but as the hours would progress, he was sure it would get so thick that he'd be unable to hear himself think.
He was so caught up in observing the crowd that he didn't realize Vok'Rul was trying to get his attention until something brushed against the back of his head. Claws raked against his skull, and he was thrown violently into his mind as the smell of antiseptic and voices of Nhafka and Turrkn filled his head. The crowd, small as it may be, suddenly rose to a crescendo, chanting his name, punctuated by claws and tails stamping onto the bleachers.
"No," he snarled faintly. Why wasn't his voice working? The ringmaster wouldn't be able to hear him if he whispered like this.
"Kohgrash, it's alright, little one." He barely heard it over the throbbing of his heart in his ears and the loud clamor of the crowd.
"What's happening to him?" someone snapped, fearful worry ringing their voice.
Someone's arms tightened around him, and he dug his nails into their skin, pushing at them with all his might. He was as strong as a butterfly's wings. He felt whoever held him start moving, and his struggles increased.
"No delria," he pleaded in a gasp. He felt like a python was constricting his throat.
"No delria," Vok'Rul promised him. The sound of the crowd was muted, and Viktor shook his head to clear it.
They were in a small shed, the door shut tightly behind them. Viktor frowned, feeling unsteady. The shed was dim; the only light that crept through came from the cracks and edges of the doorway. It cast long shadows on the wall.
Vok'Rul was warm and steady underneath him, humming a quiet, soft tune. Viktor patted his arm with trembling fingers.
"S-"
"If you apologize, I will tell Thruul to give you jerky the entire trip," Vok'Rul said lightly. Viktor huffed, breathing out a shaky laugh.
"Fine, I won't." The thought of eating jerky for two days when there were other, more delicious options nearby, made him nearly forget about his little panic attack. "I don't like the crowd."
"I was afraid of that," Vok'Rul admitted. "You are going to sleep in my quarters, little Kohgrash. I do not want you to suffer the entire trip."
"What about my dad?" he murmured, finally feeling his heart rate descend to its regular pace. He relaxed in the alien's arms, which seemed to be the sign that Vok'Rul was looking for. The alien slowly made his way to the door, curling his hand around the handle.
"He can sleep on the couch," he said reluctantly. Viktor smiled faintly.
"Will you two just get along?" he asked, exasperated. There was some truth to his teasing, though. He wished the two most important people in his life would get along with each other.
"He makes it difficult," Vok'Rul muttered under his breath. "And I am the leader of this planet. The number of difficult Vokkrus I have come across in my time as Vokkra is astounding."
"Poor you," Viktor said with fake sympathy. "Are the others outside?"
Vok'Rul hummed, pulling open the door. Thruul's back greeted them. The alien had been guarding the door, which made a flare of affection leap into Viktor's chest. Ghhvresh was nowhere to be seen, though. Maybe she had left for the ship. Viktor couldn't blame her. "They should be near one of the ramps."
"There's more than one?" Viktor asked no one, smiling feebly at Thruul when he turned around. His dad was in their space immediately, shouting questions up to Viktor.
"Are you okay? What was that?" His tone was careful but worried and stressed. Viktor felt guilty.
"Sorry," he apologized, ignoring Vok'Rul's claws twitching around his midsection. "I don't really like the," he gestured vaguely to the crowd, which was much, much larger than he remembered, "noise."
His dad frowned, looking over his shoulder at the throng of people. "Oh," he said. "You weren't answering to anything, though. You just kept saying 'no,' over and over again." His eyebrows pinched together.
Thruul and Vok'Rul were silent, and Viktor shifted in the latter's arms in discomfort. "I- I'll tell you one day, Dad. I promise. I just can't... right now." He rarely talked about it, and with Nhafka and Turrkn fresh in his mind, it seemed impossible to force the words out of his throat.
Oskar looked disappointed and even more worried. He gave a sharp, short nod. "Okay. I love you, Viktor. You can trust me, you know." His eyes slid to Vok'Rul, and he let out a stiff, "Thank you, alien. For helping my son."
He felt Vok'Rul give a short nod and ignored the muttered, "You are the alien here," he said under his breath.
"My friends?" Viktor prompted.
His friends were waiting by one of the ramps, of which there were four. It slowly became filled with aliens and humans. His friends' aliens were speaking amongst themselves, some looking more tearful than the rest.
"Do you have to go?" Carrot, Aiko and Ezekiel's kid alien, asked with a short sniffle. Aiko gave him a watery smile.
"Yes," she said, patting the kid's arm. "We don't belong here, Karrosk."
"Cheer up, kid," Ezekiel said, slinging his arms around Carrot's shoulders - a bit awkwardly, the alien was a head taller than the man - and squeezing. "Fluffy will keep you company."
"Her name's Star," Carrot laughed wetly.
"Fhora, do you need anything else? I am rather upset I won't be able to go on this trip to see your lovely little planet - space travel and I frankly do not mix, however! Did I ever tell you about that one time when - oh, do you have a jacket? I know you tend to get cold-" Sonja spoke quickly, blabbering onto a patient-looking Nikolas.
"Yes," he responded in the pause where she took a breath. "I have everything I need, thank you. I will not forget your kindness to me, Jhrsak."
Sonja pulled the brawny man into a tight hug. "You have shown me kindness, Fhora. Are you sure you cannot stay?"
"I will visit if that is allowed. I have family on my planet I wish to see."
"Oh, Shrrsk, let me carry that for you," he heard Blacksmith say. He looked over to see her picking up a clunky, boxy bag from Pedro's arms. "How exciting, seeing your planet! You say there is enough water on yours to generate lightning? I must see this."
"It's not lightning, it's electricity. Huge difference. You have electricity here. Is it not translating?" Pedro asked.
"It is," Blacksmith said, a little smugly. Viktor supposed that creating a translation device to use across species from scratch was something to be proud of. "But you described it as that."
"That was before I knew you guys had it, too!"
"How do you think we power our stuff?"
"I thought it was like, alien magic or something. You guys have hover cars. Stop laughing at me!"
Viktor watched his friends interact with their aliens - their friends - for a while. Vok'Rul's grip on his middle grounded him, and his heart twisted with the bitter knowledge that they'd be back on Earth, soon. Vok'Rul wouldn't be able to carry him around without it being a little weird. It had been weird, at first, but he had grown to appreciate it. Especially now that his body was weak.
A quick tap on his arm had the alien lowering Viktor carefully to the ground, Thruul brandishing his walker in front of him a split second later. His dad held his elbow until he grasped onto the thing, which he was semi-grateful and semi-annoyed for. He could stand on his own for a little bit! Seriously, Vok'Rul and Oskar were two of the biggest worrywarts he's ever met. It was incredible that he wasn't wrapped in bubble wrap, right now.
The ramp they were next to was much less populated than the other three - and by less, he meant less. Only one or two humans were climbing up it, accompanied by a few aliens. His unspoken question was answered by Vok'Rul, who had followed his gaze.
"This ramp is dedicated toward maintenance, staff, and other important people on the ship," he explained with a brief caress to Viktor's hair. "Loading the ship with last minute supplies - things they couldn't load until take-off - can require more space and maneuverability than the other three 'residential' ramps can offer."
Viktor nodded slowly, "So, why are we here, then?"
Vok'Rul shrugged, a smirk playing on his mouth, "Maybe, Kohgrash, it has something to do with the fact that I am Vokkra."
Viktor rolled his eyes, smacking the alien in the leg as hard as he could (not very), and said, "You're not that important. Rukka does half your job, anyway."
Thruul chuckled while Vok'Rul sniffed haughtily. He sounded eerily like his mother, and Viktor had to suppress the shiver of fear that crawled up his spine. "You are rude, Kohgrash."
After saying hello to his friends, Viktor slowly struggled his way up the ramp. He was determined to get into the ship - an alien ship - on his own two feet. Ezekiel told him, after both he and Aiko had said goodbye to the family that had taken them in for the last five or so months, that he hobbled like an old man. Viktor tripped him with the walker.
Blacksmith was the only alien of his friends that was coming with. A short, stilted explanation from the others told him that Sonja was space-sick (Viktor couldn't imagine what space-sickness was like), and Carrot's parents didn't want him to go to another galaxy until he was at least two hundred.
The ship was crowded when they got in. The main room of the ship, which was called the plaza, Viktor later learned, was as grand as it had been the last time they had visited, except that there were now decorations upon decorations.
Instead of the plain, simple metal that greeted them the last time, the walls were a muted blue. They held large, fabric banners that spanned across the entire ceiling. Plastered on them were blocky letters that proudly proclaimed: WELCOME ABOARD THE CONQUEST! in clear, legible English.
Vok'Rul grumbled behind him, and Viktor looked up in question. "Rukka does not like the name Salvation," he huffed petulantly.
"It is a silly name," Thruul chimed in. Vok'Rul shot him a wounded look.
"It is not," he defended. "We do not conquer, Thruul."
"I like the new name," Viktor said. Vok'Rul beamed at him. He reached down to ruffle his hair.
"That is why you're my favorite."
"Take that, Thruul," he said smugly. He quickly rescinded the statement when the alien declared that he would not make his favorite stew. He felt betrayed. He was the one who was supposed to play the alien for a sucker, not the other way around!
"Let's get everyone settled in," Vok'Rul said diplomatically, stepping further into the ship's plaza. The other three ramps were barely visible behind the slowly-growing crowd of people. Ropes sectioned off each ramp before they slowly merged into one long line, trickling into a large, round information table. Vok'Rul was headed there, now.
The noise of the crowd made Viktor's heart stutter in his chest, and a quick glance over his shoulder told him that the others - save his dad - weren't doing any better. He tightened his grip on the walker and urged his body forward.
No one's chanting my name, he told himself, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. The walls and floor - which reminded Viktor vaguely of the facility he had been stuck in - seemed to be closing in on him. His heart only increased its tempo in his chest.
His walker bumped into Vok'Rul's tail as the alien stopped in his tracks. His tail twitched, but Viktor was too busy keeping himself on his feet to see if Vok'Rul was looking at him.
"Do not -" someone said. Something else touched the back of his neck, warm and heavy.
His body followed his unconscious commands, whirling around with a speed that made him dizzy and unsteady. He shoved his fist into their elbow as he spun, quickly lurching his head forward to avoid getting smacked in the face as their arm folded inward. His leg swept out from under him as he swung it in an arc, feeling his ankle connect with their leg. The pressure on his neck disappeared.
Streaks of hot agony shot up his spine, and he felt his knees connect hard with the cold flooring. Belatedly, he heard the thump of whoever had touched him falling onto the floor, followed by a sharp exhale of pain. The only reason Viktor was still semi-upright was the iron grip his other hand had on the walker.
"How dare you -?!" Vok'Rul's shrieking voice flooded his ears, overpowering the sick staccato of his pulse.
"Don't you fucking start, you -" his dad responded in kind, voice loud and angry.
His mind urged him to get up, but his body wouldn't cooperate. Something was scrambling against the floor behind him, flesh smacking against the metal in their haste to move, and Viktor's fear heightened. His legs trembled with the effort of pushing himself to his feet, and his breaths came in shallow, panicked-filled gasps.
"Kohgrash," Thruul's voice filtered into his ears, and he jerked his head up in response, face twisted in confusion. "Let me help you up - no, don't look at me, little beast." Viktor obeyed, keeping his eyes on his trembling fingers. He felt a large hand grip his upper arm, hauling him up onto his feet. A smaller, less pointy hand landed on his shoulder.
"It's okay, kid," Pedro's voice whispered in his ears.
"What -" he squeezed through the tight space in his throat. Fear and panic made it difficult to breathe, let alone speak. The air whistled through his windpipe in a wheezy, scratchy whisper. He coughed loudly, feeling his entire chest ache with the effort.
"Your dad grabbed you," Pedro grimaced. He was a solid weight next to Viktor, and he found the courage to finally look up. Thruul's face, worried and completely different from the ringmaster's, greeted him.
Behind him, Vok'Rul and his dad looked like they were one second from beating the shit out of each other. Viktor's eyes widened with a completely different kind of fear. The others nervously stood by, unwilling to step between the human and the alien.
"Stop it!" Viktor shouted angrily, the sound strangled and dying in his throat. These idiots were supposed to get along, not tear out each other's throats.
"Kohgrash," Vok'Rul sounded disapproving, barely able to suppress his anger. "This... this disgrace attacked you! I should throw him in front of the Mirror."
Fear choked him, then, as he remembered the sheer magnitude of the Mirror. He didn't want anyone, let alone his dad, for God's sake, to witness that! "Are you crazy?" he wheezed out between gasps.
"Yes!" his dad shouted, teeth clenched with anger. "This stupid alien thinks it knows you better than me!"
"Because I do!" Vok'Rul roared. His face was twisted into a frightening snarl, but Oskar didn't even falter.
"Like hell you do!" his dad screamed back.
Viktor's neck prickled and looking around gave him the reason why. Everyone within earshot, which was the entire fucking ship, was staring at them with unabashed interest - human and alien alike. "Help me out here," he pleaded with Pedro and Thruul. They looked just as embarrassed as he felt.
With their help, though, he managed to separate the pair. He wanted to wring both their necks. His dad was unyielding to his demands for boundaries and unrelenting in his pursuit to gain knowledge of what had happened to Viktor. Vok'Rul was overprotective, almost suffocatingly so. His dad meant him no harm, and neither did Vok'Rul, but both were convinced that the other was out to hurt Viktor.
His headache could probably win a world - universal - record with how big it was.
"Okay," he hissed at the two. They looked at him with matching expressions of worry as if he'd fall over if they didn't stop looking at him. "You guys are annoying the shit out of me."
His dad looked mildly annoyed at his language while Vok'Rul adopted a confused expression. Viktor impatiently waved his hand in the air in dismissal, knowing exactly what they were going to say. "You two need to get along, or it's going to be a long few days."
"I don't need to get along with the alien that kidnapped you," his dad said right as Vok'Rul spoke, "Kohgrash, if you really believe I would cooperate with him, then your head needs to be checked."
"What happened to the truce you promised me? Did that mean nothing to you?" he snarled at his dad. He pointed at Vok'Rul, leaning heavily on his walker. "You are over four hundred years old, and you're acting more childish than Nohkka!"
They both looked mildly ashamed, though Vok'Rul looked more offended than anything. Fed up, Viktor walked past them, further into the empty aisle, and toward the information desk. "We're going to check in," he told them commandingly. He heard the rest of the group shuffle after him hesitantly, though Vok'Rul's familiar steps didn't come. "And you two aren't going to even speak to each other, ever. This whole trip."
"Viktor, you can't just boss me around - Ow! What do you think you're doing, Pedro?" Oskar hissed.
"Listen, Oskar," Pedro said dryly. "You can either listen to your son and not talk to the alien again, or you can get mauled by said alien and get thrown into whatever passes as this ship's prison. Your choice."
"Not much of a choice," Oskar muttered.
"Kohgrash, you are being ridiculous," Vok'Rul said in that fond, annoyed tone of voice. "I would never lower myself to argue with -"
"If you finish that sentence with 'an animal,'" Viktor rasped, dangerously low. "I am sleeping with the rest of the humans." Vok'Rul's teeth clicked together, and Viktor knew he was silently fuming. He rolled his eyes, silently asking anyone who was listening for the patience to get through this.
Viktor supposed that family vacations always started horribly, even if they were across galaxies.