Off the Deep End (Part 2)

copyright comidacomida 2024

Alexios had to backpedal as the aggressive Gorumn barreled toward him, shouting out a wordless cry of alarm.  A faint hum of capacitors charging was the the first warming the Human got; the second was a split second later in the form of a glimmer of red light at the edge of his vision to either side.  The final one was a faint transmission from his PCD in the form of a digital voice. "Step back one meter more please, Mr. Carras."

With his attention focused on the charging space orc, Alex was on auto-pilot in obeying the request.  A moment later the Gorumn froze in place, convulsing as a red field of energy arced across the hallway, using his body as a conduit.  The massive green skinned twitched, growling and wheezing.  The energy field caught him for several seconds, muscles tightening, quivering, and spasming; Alex saw foam and spittle form on his thick green lips as his eyes rolled back in his head but, eventually the field turned off, letting the Gorumn fall to the ground, foul-smelling steam wafting up from his unconscious body.

NO longer focused on the microcosm of his own survival, Alex's senses finally opened up to the rest of the world around him; the battle between Tau Delta's security forces and the three remaining Gorumn combatants continued to play out, supplemented by Velvet, who remained in melee combat with two of the massive aliens, shouting out at the security guards over her shoulder. "Don't you fools know a damn Alpha-Five maneuver?!"

Moving quickly back into cover, Alex secured the crystal in his pocket, peeking around the corner to watch the events unfold.  As if the Kangaroo woman's shout held significance, the three security guards moved in unison: one laid down suppressing fire against their foe as the other two moved in closer.  As they closed in on the remaining Gorumn gunman, Velvet continued her fight, moving with surreal speed, and avoiding being struck, all the while landing several of her blows.  Despite her obvious cybernetic enhancements, however, her strikes did no real significant damage to the Gorumn combatants; they were far too stalwart.

The voice from Alex's PCD fizzled back into significance. "Mr Carras, there is another threat approaching your position from behind."

Spinning around, the Human raised his eyes in an attempt to meet the gaze of an advancing Gorumn, only to see nothing-- he had to lower his field of view to take in a Voljoi dressed in a similar outfit to the Gorumn gunmen; he also saw that the gray-skinned alien had a charge pistol.  Weighing his options, Alex chose the lesser of two evils and sprang into the combat-filled hallway in an attempt to evade the business end of the Voljoi's weapon.  He jumped just in time as a one-two blast of charge shots seared the hallway's wall across from where he'd just been.

Alex was never one to stand on ceremony, calling out "HELP!"

Glancing back down at the battle raging, the Human realized there wasn't anyone available to help him; the security guards were slowly gaining ground on the Gorumn gunman, and Velvet was still stuck in stalemate: she was able to avoid being hurt, but she couldn't do any decisive strikes against her opponents.  Clamoring back up, Alex realized he had to figure his own way out of things, backpedaling into the hall as the Voljoi rounded it, charge pistol taking aim again.  

Throwing his arms up to defend himself, the Human was saved as the newest blasts of charge shot were absorbed by the same red field of energy that had protected him from the Gorumn's charge.  Unfortunately for the green skinned attacker, who was still laying on the floor, the energy field sent a fresh shock through him, causing convulsions and spasms anew.  Peering through the energy field, Alex saw the Voljoi assessing the situation.  As with most of the short, gray skinned aliens, the assailant's mind moved quickly.  Raising his gun again, the Voljoi aimed it at the emitters on the walls and, with four well-aimed shots, did away with the barrier completely.

With few options to be saved, Alex had to take his life into his own hands.  Straining, he hefted up one of the transit crates by the checkpoint, and hurled it at the alien.  Although the heavy container barely made it a meter, the Voljoi was so surprised that he dropped the gun and the Human sprang into action, leaping toward it in an attempt to get to the weapon before the Voljoi could.  

The two ended up on the ground together; Alex was in decent physical shape and, while he was completely useless in a standoff against a Gorumn, the Voljoi was smaller, slighter, and much less capable of physicality so the young administrator knew he would stand a chance, which was far better than being at the business end of a charge pistol.  They each ended up taking hold of the weapon at the same time; Alex had the advantage, working to overpower the weaker alien's grip-- until his opponent barreled forward, shoving his knee into the Human's crotch. 

Crying out in pain, Alex's grip loosened just enough for the Voljoi to change the angle of the weapon-- and fired.  The searing pain was red hot before it turned ice cold and the young man fell to the ground, his left arm immediately going numb as his nose was filled with the scent of burning flesh.  He'd never been shot before, and hadn't known what to expect, but the dull throbbing replacing the lighting-quick agony was not exactly what he'd envisioned... nor how difficult it was to breathe without a spike of pain lancing from the base of his neck down to his elbow.

Getting back up, the Voljoi stood over him, lowering the business end of the charge pistol so he could look straight down the barrel of it at Alex.  He then shouted into the hall. "Put down your weapons or I shoot the Administrator!"

Realizing at that moment that he was a hostage, Alex felt a momentary pang of guilt, but that was quickly replaced with a deep-seated ember of rage.  Lashing his leg out, the Human's foot connected with the Voljoi's groin; he was loathed to fight dirty, but he was willing to let it go due to his survival being on the line.  The gun lowered for a moment, but the gray alien's pure black eyes narrowed, and the thin finger squeezed the trigger.  The weapon clicked; its power cell had run dry.  A moment later a Gorumn sailed through the air, flying over Alex, and collided with the Voljoi.

Slumping to the ground with a groan, Alex moved a hand to feel his shoulder, winced in pain, then immediately dropped that arm too.  He heard the sound of padded paws on the corridor floor drawing closer to him. Velvet's voice spoke some from somewhere behind him and out of view. "That could have gone better... but it also could have gone worse."

The Human cried out in pain as the Kangaroo woman helped him up. "I... I was SHOT!"

She spun him around to face her and Velvet's eyes were immediately on his shoulder.  "Mmm... play stupid games and win stupid prizes... now lemme see."

Still unable to see the severity of his own wound, Alex stood still, shaking as the numbness continued to grow down his arm. "How bad is it?"

Velvet's unreadable expression was nothing new, and it took her a few moments before she answered his questions. "Well, it was a charge shot.  Although plasma has the capacity to do some lasting damage it at least cauterizes the wound it makes.  What ISN'T so good is that it can sometimes cook your insides... but, hey-- nothing serious got hit so you'll manage just fine.  Not bad for a junior administrator."

Despite how deadpan her comment, Alex could somehow tell she was chiding him.  "So you're telling me I should suck it up?"

She shrugged.  "Well, if you're like most administrators you'll probably want some medical treatments... I can't think of many pretty boys that like the idea of having the kind of battle scar a charge shot will leave."

The Human sighed, pulling at his shirt and wincing as the half-melted fabric had to be torn free from the partially seared flesh.  "Yeah... I'll take that into advisement.  Thanks, Velvet."

The Kangaroo smirked casually. "Just one of the many services I offer, apparently."

Steeling himself against the discomfort, Alex reached into the inside pocket of his business coat. "Here... I saw this after the fighting started."

He held out the crystal to Velvet, watching the Kangaroo's eyes go wide in surprise.  She accepted the item, looking down at it as he set it into her paw.  "Hmm... so THAT'S why you threw yourself into harm's way?"

The statement sounded mutually impressed and condemning.  Offering a shrug in response, Alex answered flatly "Like I said-- I wanted to help."

Rolling her eyes, Velvet turned back to the security team, smacking Alex roughly on the thigh with her tail; it didn't seem accidental.  "Well done, team.  I guess AETHERCorp believes in competent security... I'm done here.  Please tell me you have the capacity to take care of all this trash."

Clenching and unclenching his left hand to verify that he still had feeling in his fingertips, Alex leaned against the wall, waiting until the Kangaroo was done dealing with the after-effects of the fight: one body bag and four prisoners.  Once Velvet started walking back toward him, the Human asked "SO.. that's what you came to Tau Delta for... right?"

She nodded succinctly.  "Mm-hmm."

Alex smirked.  "Well, in that case, thank you for your visit.  If you have to be on your way I wouldn't want to keep you."

Velvet rolled her eyes. "You stupid idiot... come on... let's get you to the med bay."

She picked him off of the wall where he was leaning, letting him drape an arm over her shoulder so he could lean on her for support. Smiling, he pressed the issue.  "Told you I could be of help."

The Kangaroo huffed. "You did 'fine'."

He smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Alex saw her fight for control over her muzzle but, in the end she failed, and a smirk crept across her lips.  "Sure... just don't expect it to be a regular thing."

* * * * *

Alex's shoulder had improved an hour later, seated in med bay, with one of the shift attendants checking in on him to prepare for his release.  The Human was surprised that Velvet had stayed with him the entire time.  After the last attendant headed out with a promise to return with discharge orders, the Kangaroo agent moved to take a seat in the chair right beside the young man's bed, her cloudy-blue eyes flickering with a hunt of amusement as she looked over his patched-up shoulder.  "See?  I told you that you'd get out of it without any life threatening injuries."

The Human nodded. "Yeah... I like having both arms, thanks."

Velvet flicked an ear, no longer bothering to hide her smirk, voice coming out low and smooth. "Grabbing the artifact like that... I'd say that took some serious guts."

It was more praise Alex wasn't ready for. "Oh... uh, than-"

She talked right over him. "Just don't get too cocky, Alex. You may have gotten lucky, but you're still a non-combatant.  Remember that."

The Human fought back a laugh, flexing his arm and moving his fingers as he replied. "Thanks... I will."

Velvet's gaze remained on his face for a few more seconds before drifting to his wound.  Her next words were chiding and light-hearted.  "So...what do you say we talk about your little... education? How was it, running from plasma rounds for the first time?"

Alex offered a hesitant chuckle.  "First time... and hopefully the last. AETHERCorp has security to handle stuff like that normally... Team Leads should DEFINITELY not be getting into gun fights."

The Kangaroo, surprisingly, chuckled back.  He noticed that she was holding her posture much more casually; it seemed strange to see her so relaxed. "Agreed, Alex. Team Leads are supposed to spend more time thinking than doing but..." she paused, her eyes moving to focus on the door to out of the med bay. "Speaking of which, I have to admit, I'm curious... what made you take that kind of risk? Did you really think you would be able to jump out of cover without any armor and just... walk away without a scratch?"

He found himself blushing at being called out for his stupidity. "No... I knew security was there, but the smugglers were going to make a run for it... and... well... I promised to help you... so... I acted."

A slow smile spread across her muzzle and her eyes focused back in on him. ""I see. Promises do make a difference... but, considering your death wish, it may be a good idea to limit your offers of assistance in the future."  She leaned her head back, relaxing in the chair before she quickly added "It's a rare quality though, Alex. Loyalty... particularly in this cutthroat world."

Alex was honestly surprised by the unguarded, honest praise. "Uh... thanks?"

She waved away the confirmation.  "Anyway, since this was MY mission, and because I hate owing people favors, I think I should consider compensating you for your sacrifice... Dinner, perhaps? My treat.  You know this station... where's good to eat?"

The Human felt his cheeks blush faintly but he pushed through it.  "Dinner, huh?  There's a great Italian place here on Tau Delta... have you ever had Earth food before?

Velvet's eyebrows arched in surprise and intrigue. ""Earth cuisine? No, I haven't. But from what I've heard, it's quite diverse and flavorful."

Alex nodded, slowly slipping off of the medical bed and onto his own two feet. "Okay... dinner it is then."

Shhe nodded as well, punching in some commands into her PCD. "I need to check in with my handler.  I'll let you finish up here.  Set it up, and rest assured, I'll bring my empty plates home as proof of appreciation."

The Human got a notification that he had received Velvet's contact information.  Surprised at how quickly she'd transitioned from practically considering him an enemy to inviting him to dinner, Alex set the emotional whiplash aside and chose to focus instead on confirming the plan. "Sure.  See you in an hour?"

Velvet headed for the door. "One hour. Send me the details and I shall meet you there."

He waited in the med bay for another five minutes before an attendant came in with his discharge information.  The young man took the time to get dressed again, sighing when he saw the hole in his shirt and suit top.  There were numerous dangers to the role of working as a Junior Administrator, but most of those were relegated to 'minor issues' such as making clerical errors in a report, failing to reach benchmark goals as put forth by upper management, or even the possible threat of being passed over for a promotion; getting shot at had never entered into his mind.  Velvet was making him rethink his expectations.

* * * * *

There were a number of proper restaurants in Tau Delta's main concourse and Alexios enjoyed most of them, but the one he always ended up coming back to time and time again was a Human run establishment called Celestiale.  It was ironic in a way that Alex had first met Velvet on the lowest level of the commercial district yet the celebratory dinner took place on the highest level.  

The junior administrator, freshly discharged by the medical staff had enough time to return to his apartment and change clothing into something casual but still quality; when he arrived Velvet had likewise chosen fresh clothes but they were identical in make to what she'd worn earlier in the day: a simple gray uniform, top and bottom.  Her greeting was likewise lackluster. "You recover quickly for a Human."

Alex smiled in response as an attendant showed them to their table..  "I owe it to the excellent medical care on Tau Delta."

A spark of wry humor glinted in her eye and she sat down. "I'm certain it had nothing to do with your rank within the company."

The Human found himself smiling through the duration of dinner, banter continuing effortlessly between the two as each course slipped by-- antipasto, primi piatti, insalata... he was surprised at how easy it was to talk to the Kangaroo who, upon first meeting, had been as tight lipped as a Gorumn due for a performance review.  Alex was honestly surprised that he had managed to get the Geneticon covert agent to laugh at least a half dozen time before the main course arrived and, by the time the formaggi e frutta course, she seemed to let her guard down-- or, most of it, at least.

He was surprised when she changed the topic to something much less casual.  Leaning forward, the Kangaroo popped a grape into her muzzle.  "I cannot say for certain, but I have a feeling that AETHERCorp was more than passingly aware of what transpired here."

Alex was certain she was right.  "I've heard stories of situations that gather the interest of our CEO... this felt like one of them."

The Kangaroo woman flicked her ear.  "The AP?  How can you know for certain where it's attention is at any point in time?"

The young man corrected her before explaining. "You mean 'HIS attention'.  He prefers male pronouns... and I know, because I'm sure he helped me when I was being attacked."

He was only half surprised that she didn't even miss a beat. "The security gates... those fields.  I had thought you were controlling them, but, yes... this makes much more sense now that I think about it."

Alex nodded with a smile and a wink. "Yeah... not every day a junior administrator catches the eye of the CEO... almost makes me wonder what you got me into."

Her joking tone fizzled out as she leaned forward, rubbing the underside of her muzzle in thought as she stared at him like a predator. "Things change often enough in the field... this is just another one of them.  If those responsible for the smuggling of the crystal have any indication that you provided me assistance that could cause endless trouble for you."  She sat back in her chair, letting out a deep breath.  "Very well... due to your cooperation and assistance, I suppose I can offer you a degree of protection."

The Human sat up straighter. "Protection?"

Velvet nodded. "You've proven your usefulness, and I would find it distasteful if you were to be put in further danger for your willingness to assist me today."

Alex blinked. "There's security here on Tau Delta.  I don't think--"

The server came back with the check and, once the Kangaroo woman saw the third party approach she let out a very conspicuous laugh. "I must admit, Alex I'm impressed! I never bothered eating dishes in which the cooks were capable of creating such complex flavors."

Not quite sure what she was getting at, the young man accepted the bill, pulled out his company card, and handed both back to the server. "I'm... glad you liked it."

The Geneticon nodded eagerly in an animated way.  "Oh, assuredly.  You know, spending enough time traveling from system to system I've had my fair share of synthetic cuisine, but this... this is a game-changer."

Alex found himself smiling despite her odd behavior. "I guess it's something you hadn't expected?

Velvet's gaze became calculating as the server departed and her next words were much calmer and much more subdued. "YOU'RE not what I expected."

The sudden demeanor change surprised him almost as much as the words themselves. "I... I am?"

She tented her fingers in front of her as she rested her elbows on the table, gazing over her paws at him. "Most Humans are so... predictable... doubly so for corporate administration... but you?  You're... different."

Not quite sure what the Geneticon was getting at, Alex could only shrug. "Well.. like I said... I'm a Resource Coordinator... it's my job to figure out what people need... but also to help them with what they want."  He sat up a little straighter, offering a smile and a wink. "So... how about it? You got the relic you were after... did I do my job right?

A ripple of laughter emanates from her throat at his confession. Velvet smirked and nodded with a raised brow. "Indeed you did. And you managed to do that while genuinely caring about it beyond completing your job duties. It's quite... refreshing. This isn't just another successful mission or classified operation; it's... personal."

It was Alex's turn to raise an eyebrow.  "Personal how?"

Velvet, suddenly much less tight-lipped, spent the next several minutes explaining that the smugglers were possibly responsible for a lot of damage throughout the fringe systems.  She explained that they were known to employ corporate raiders, utilize unauthorized scientific experimentation sites and, most importantly, likely had a part to play in the destruction of the facility where she grew up.  She concluded her explanation "So, when I say it's personal, I mean it.  It took me five years to convince my superiors to put me on this case, and they refused until..."

Engrossed in finally hearing her explain things, the Human couldn't help but ask. "Until what, Velvet?"

Her ear flicked once... then again.  "Until I was given approval to come to Tau Delta to intercept the crystal.  It required AETHERCorp authorization, and it was a long shot, I know... so imagine my surprise when it was authorized."

Alex nodded in response. "Yeah... AETHERCorp tends to surprise a lot of people like that.  I think it may have something to do with our CEO."

Velvet leveled her gaze at him that implied far more than her words suggested. "I know for a fact that it does."

The Human paused, eyeing the Geneticon across the table from him.  He waited several seconds before he asked his next question. "Just what does that mean?"

The voice that answered him did not come from Velvet; it came from his PCD. "It means, Mr. Carras, that Ms Velvet solicited assistance from AETHERCorp.  While I was not completely certain that we had a representative capable of providing her assistance, the events earlier confirmed that I do have a candidate to suggest."

The Kangaroo laid her muzzle atop her tented fingers as if they were a hammock.  She smirked across the table at Alex. "Thank you for providing me the opportunity to do some head hunting among your staff, ALVIN.  I like your choice."