[Catskills] "Magnificent"

[Ouroboros]

Link to the uncensored version: Magnificent

About six years ago....


Dr. Todd Conway closed the file he'd been looking at for the last ten minutes, placing it unto the pile of rejections with a sigh. The two of them had been at this all day. Looking through proposals and going over reports from the current projects. Todd had steadily been turning down all proposals so far, while Avalynne had been checking up on the happenings in the divisions. She'd have made good progress if Todd wasn't asking her to bring him another file every few minutes. Ever since he'd promoted her above the other researchers to use as an assistant he'd been doing this, asking her to perform menial tasks. The man wasn't even practiced in magic, but he'd been ordering her around the better part of the year since. As if on cue, "Bring me another file, Avalynne." he said to her. The files were on the the center table of his workstation and hers on opposite sides yet he insisted on her bringing him the files. Probably so he had a reason to look at her half naked body without drawing suspicion.

"Yes, of course, Doctor." Avalynne stood up and walked around her workstation to the side of his. She was wearing only what loosely could be described as a skirt. It more resembled underwear with a few panels of cloth that didn't even hide the parts they should. A few strands over the curves of her thighs and hips, a small strand of cloth crossed her flat belly to attach to what could crudely be called a top. Small pieces of fabric were the only things covering her breasts, hardly providing her areolas with a minuscule shred of modesty. The rest of her breasts hung full and pert on her chest. The whole outfit seemed to defy gravity. Got to love shawarmaing magic?

She had a pleasant smile on her face and a middle finger in her head. "I have to work late every damn night because I have to do both of our jobs, you selfish prick." She leaned over his desk, bending at the waist and stretching provocatively across the table. "Get a good look. I hope it makes your heart stop." She leisurely picked up the file with a sultry arch of her back before straightening herself. She walked the few precious feet to deliver the file into his hands personally.

Turning to face her as he took the file she offered. Todd, tried to hide a faint smile as he appraised her with his eyes. That usual lusty look flashed across his face. "Thank you... So are any good things happening with the projects?" He asked, no doubt, so he could keep her there just to add another image to his spank bank. He'd already asked this question four times today.

Maintaining that pleasant, job-keeping, smile as she repeated herself again. "The twins in the Transcendence Project are still exceeding expectations. They are scheduled to start the Advanced Behavioral Modification Program now." "Hopefully your simple mind will retain the information this time." "Anything else you need my assistance with, Doctor?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. Todd closed his mouth and jabbed a thumb over his shoulder with an expectant look on his face.

"Yes, Doctor." She turned, her smiled dropped as soon as her face was out of his sight. "Doorknobs are soooooo complicated. Don't stress that brain, Todd." She puts back on her award-winning smile, grasps the doorknob with her right hand and opens it inward. She started her generic greeting, "What can I do for yo----" She was staring at the middle of a man's armored chest. She let the 'ooo' carry as her eyes traveled up that armor to the stern face waiting atop it, "--ou."

Keliek, wearing red colored armor with a red plate helm tucked under his right arm stood in the doorway. Brown hair and mustache on his relatively handsome face, his green eyes squinting slightly as they look over the top of her head into the room behind her. Without moving his head, his eyes glance down to her. "I'm here for Dr. Conway. Stand aside." He says simply with the gruff voice of a man, obviously used to barking orders.

Holding her smile while her keen mind studied his face briefly. She then stepped to the side, pulling the door fully open with her. Dropping her eyes and bowing her head respectfully. Her voice sounded pleased as she said, "It's for you, Doctor."

Keliek flicked a glance at her from the corner of his eye before striding into the room his head turned towards Todd. The doctor appearing to grow more nervous with each step Keliek took. Stopping at the table he placed his helm upon it with a heavy 'thunk' as his looked back to Avalynne. "Close the door and take your seat." He said to her.

Dr. Conway's nervous hands seemed to be shaking, small beads of sweat appearing on his forehead as he looked up to the Commander.

Avalynne stepped forward pushing the door closed, her eyes refusing the leave the scene unfolding. As the door latches, she walked across the room to her chair, her bare feet making no sound on the carpet. She pulled her chair out a couple feet from her desk and sat down. Immediately crossing her legs, right leg over her left as she leaned back in the chair, resting her hands on each matching upper thigh and studied the doctor quietly. "What did you do... to get an unscheduled visit from him Todd, hmmmm?"

Keliek reached behind his breastplate with his left hand pulling a small book and tossed it on the table. Avalynne immediately recognized it as the expense report she finished and turned into the doctor three days ago. Todd's face went completely white as he looked at it. He gripped the file he was holding tighter, his knuckles turned white, as his hands began to shake.

Keliek reached up to his face with his left hand to smooth his mustache as he looked from Todd to her. "Explain." He said while his left hand dropped from his face to his side, his right hand moving to rest on the handle of the kryss on his left hip, "Now."

She looked from the expense report calmly to Keliek, her eyes glancing over at his right hand and then back to his face.

"What? Did Todd sign his name wrong? Probably." She thought to herself.

"I completed it, then gave it to Doctor Conway to sign. Was there an issue with it, sir?" she asked him calmly.

"Why was there twenty thousand gold pieces allocated to Transcendence that they never received?"

The file in Todd's hands fell to the floor. He immediately bent down starting to paw at the loose papers that scattered. Keliek turned to look at him, eyes narrowing as he looked at the doctor. After a brief moment he looked back to her. Avalynne arched an eyebrow, as she looked to the Doctor for a second then back to Keliek.

"I didn't do anything with any missing funds." she says as she looks back to Todd, "Doctor Conway? Any theories?"

"I... Uh... Well..." Todd stopped speaking to swallow nervously.

Keliek walked over to where the doctor was still kneeling trying to collect the files contents. He looked down on Todd and waited for the mans eyes to look up at him. His right foot shot forward catching the Doctor square in the face. Todd's head snapped backwards as the rest of his body quickly followed. Landing on his back with a whimper then curled himself up into a ball. Keliek looked back to her.

"It has your signature on it." He says gesturing to the book.

Avalynne sat up in her seat. "Oh ****."She points to herself, "-My- signature?"

"Look for yourself, " he says.

The leather handle on his kryss creaked as he tightened his grip on it. Todd continued to sob quietly, a small pool of blood forming near his face and dripping from his hands.

Avalynne uncrossed her legs, standing up abruptly. She walked over toward the desk, and paused rather than making an attempt to circumvent his authoritative stance.

"Pardon me, sir." She said to Keliek. After a glance down to her, he stepped to the side.

She walked past him saying, "Thank you."

Avalynne and looked down to step delicately over the sobbing doctor, pointing her toes as she placed her feet strategically. She turned around and used both hands to lift herself to sit on the edge of her boss's desk. She crossed her legs as she picked up the expense report, and opened it. She flipped through the pages to the section for the accounting of that particular research project. Her eyes scanned down the page. "That *******!" a scowl marking her beautiful face. She flipped the report to the last page and looked at the signature, her scowl deepened. Closing the book abruptly and setting it down right next to her left thigh, she looked back up at Keliek.

"Those are not the figures I wrote and most definitely not my signature. Previous documents I have signed will verify the signature appears forged."

"Indeed." He said, studying her for a moment.

Using his foot, he turned the chair so its back was against the desk next to her before he sat down heavily.

"On your knees, Todd." Keliek ordered.

His head half turned to her, his eyes started at her knees and moved up her thighs passing her hips and chest on their way to her face. He then drew his kryss while Todd struggled to get to his knees. Keliek placed the tip of the blade on the floor, his palm balanced on the pommel as he looked to her. "I've already checked your signature." He said as Todd finally managed to right himself, blood from a broken nose dripping down his face. "This man has wronged you. Deal justice."

Avalynne looks over at Keliek and forces a polite smile to her face, "Thank you."

Todd finally managed to summon the courage to speak "It w...wasn't me. Tell him, Avalynne!" he stammered.

She turned to look at the doctor, her eyes narrowing at him. "I think Commander Keliek's judgement is accurate and requires no assistance. You couldn't shawarma me in the flesh, so you decided to try and shawarma me personally. You ended up only shawarmaing yourself. That shouldn't be anything new to you, you sad excuse for a man."

Todd started sobbing again loudly, wailing like a child. "Ugh. Pathetic."

She looked over at Keliek, opening her mouth to speak as Todd's blubbering reached a new crescendo, threatening to drown out her words. She sighed slightly, lifting her left index finger to Keliek a moment before glancing to Todd again.

She lifted her right hand, gesturing intricately. "An Ex Por, " she says simply. Todd freezes mid-howl, his torso hunched over and cemented in place.

Avalynne looked back to Keliek as she lowers her finger and smiled. "That was getting annoying. Now..." she looks down at his kryss. "...do you have anything..." her eyes trailing up his arm, "...smaller..." lifting her eyes to meet his, as she held her smile. "... that I can use?"

Keliek offers her a slight grin. His eyes going from her to the kryss and back to her. "Smaller? Yes, but not by much, " he says.

Dropping his hand to the hilt of the weapon with a reverse grip he lifted it and shoved it into his scabbard, without even a glance, as he stood up and moved closer to her. Keliek reached his right hand behind his breastplate. A moment later, she heard the snap of a button and then metal sliding across leather. His hand pulled out the handle of a long knife. The blade flashed as it caught some light from the nearby window when it cleared the breastplate. Flipping the knife over and catching it by the blade with his gloved hand, he holds it out to her.

"I trust this will -satisfy- your needs," he said with a distinct emphasis on the word satisfy.

Avalynne's eyes stay focused on his as he extends the hilt, smiling with a relaxed demeanor. "It looks more than sufficient to satisfy my immediate needs. Thank you, sir," she said, while she lifted her right hand towards the offered knife.

A low-pitched whine started emanate from Todd interrupting their exchange. She sighed again and looked over at him. Todd's eyes widened as he slowly sat up and the irritating noise increased in volume. She moved her right hand, aiming it at Todd again. "An Ex Por." Her right index finger lifted to her lips, and pressed gently against them. The wailing ceased again.

"Shh... child. The adults are having a moment." She drops her finger and looked back to Keliek's eyes. She reached up and wrapped her right hand around the grip, her thumb towards the guard. She doesn't pull the blade, but waited for him to release it.

Keliek studied her eyes intently. After a moment he smiled to her as he released his grip on the blade, his hand dropping to his side.

"Tch Tch Tch, You shouldn't have crossed this one, Todd."

Avalynne rewarded Keliek with an appreciative smile at his compliment. She uncrossed her legs and swiveled them to the right while placing her left hand on the edge of the table to steady her as she hopped down. She moved forward and paused in front of Todd to lower herself to a crouch balanced on the balls of her feet to look him in the eyes.

"You not only betrayed me, you betrayed our organization and more importantly, our cause." She stays there a moment, studying the man's horrified eyes.

She stood then moved around behind him. Crouching again, and placing her left hand on his shoulder she leaned forward near his left ear. She placed the blade against the right side of Todd's neck, about three inches below is jawline. Her hand lifted, angling the hilt higher to channel the blood away from her. Her gaze lifted to fixate upon Keliek's eyes as she spoke into Todd's left ear and slowly slid the knife back and forth in a sawing motion. Applying only slight pressure, she allowed herself time to speak before the pain started to reach him.

The sharp edge of the blade sliced into the foolish man's main artery as she said "For these three offenses, you don't deserve a quick death." The knife carved into Todd's carotid artery and she sliced forward. "Lucky for you, I'm absolutely -sick- of looking at your face." She pushes against his shoulder, sending Todd onto his face. She allowed Todd's momentum forward to sever the rest of his own artery as she simply held the knife firmly in place. Staring at Keliek a moment longer before she looked down at Todd's collapsed body. She wiped both sides of Keliek's blade on the back of Todd's white lab coat, cleaning it. Standing slowly, knife still in her right hand. She circles wide, stepping carefully to avoid the still expanding pool of blood. She went back near to Keliek, and hopped up to sit on the edge of the table. She swiveled her legs back in front of him as she crosses them again, right over left. She places her thumb securely over the guard of the knife, pressing it to her hand, as she turned over her wrist and opened her other four fingers extending it to him.

She looked from the knife to his eyes, "It definitely satisfied me. Thank you for letting me use it, sir."

Keliek reached over to take the blade from her, his breathing was a little heavier, as if he grew excited from watching the violence ensue. His eyes moved to the blade then back to her.

"Magnificent," he says as he tucked the blade back behind his breastplate, "It would appear this position has been vacated." His eyes looking her up and down. "Why should I give you the job?" he asks.

She put her hands behind her, fingers turning away from her and palms flat on the desk. She leaned back on those hands in a relaxed pose. "Four reasons. I can do the work and give you exceptional results. I am loyal to our cause and our organization. If you promote me, I'll make sure you look good and I'll make your life easier. And finally, I'm sure as -shawarma- allot easier on the eyes than he ever was."

Keliek grinned slightly as his left hand again came up to smooth his mustache. "And a lot shawarmaing smarter than this piece of ****, " he says pointing to the corpse with his right hand. "I suspect you've been doing the majority of his job for months now." His eyes staying locked on hers as he spoke, "How is you think my life will get easier?"

Still leaning back on her hands with legs crossed at the thigh her feet kicking playfully in front of her. "I'm sure there will be many reasons, but for example... You won't have to come down here and kill me for sabotaging our cause for greed." She grinned slightly keeping her eyes on his.

He took a half step nearer to her as he said, "Besides the obvious reasons what will I have to come down here for?"

Avalynne's feet stopped kicking as she grinned up at him. "Do you really need a reason. You should be able to come down here anytime you want."

He again took a half step closer, coming right up to her. Grinning down as he leaned closer to her, his eyes still locked on her eyes. "There is no should about it, Avalynne. I -can- come down here anytime I want."

She took a deep breath, exhaling only slightly as he leaned forward. "Absolutely right." she confirmed as she lets out the remainder of the held breath.

His grin softened to a smile as he reached his right hand towards her, cupping her chin in his palm. Avalynne blinked a few times, but managed to keep her eyes on him as she held perfectly still.

He leaned even closer to her, "Do not disappoint me."

He then dropped his hand to his side and abruptly turned away from her, going to the table to collect his helm. He crossed the room, stopping at the door to look back a final time.

"Magnificent," he said again before he flung the door open and strode through it.

 

[Ouroboros]

It had been two months since Avalynne Piros was promoted to Head of Development of the organization. Keliek sat in the chair on the other side of her desk with his eyes gazing upon her. His visit should not have been a surprise. She was informed he would be meeting with her today, and it had definitely not been a request. He let the silence hang in the air for a few long moments as he sat watching her.

Avalynne studied him intently with blue-gray eyes. He wore only a black tunic instead of his customary breastplate. Black pants with short leather boots and belted to his waist was his kryss. Her eyes roamed his unfamiliar attire blatantly before she looked back up to meet his appraising gaze. She was wearing yet another outfit that was far from modest. It was similar in style to the previous time he had seen her, except in a rich aubergine and gold. A small furred reagent pouch hung from one of the delicate strands along with what appeared to be talismans and baubles. Golden wyrm scales, small bells, tiny bones and other baubles hung in strands of various lengths from her left hip. The rhythmic and alluring sway of her hips had produced a soft cadence of sound as she had led the way from the door to her desk.

Now those hips and eccentric trinkets sat hidden beneath the desk where undoubtedly she had her legs crossed. She leaned back, not having looked away, as she rested those hands lightly on what most likely her bare upper thigh and smiled genuinely. “You clean up very nicely, Commander Keliek “

"Thank you Avalynne." He says looking down to his shirt a moment then back to her. "I'm glad to see you don't." he said with a slight smile.

She smiles slightly in return, pausing to study his eyes before speaking, “Would you prefer me to wear something with more coverage for our meetings? I would hate to make you uncomfortable, Commander.”

His expression turned amused. "I'd prefer you wear what makes you comfortable." He says, "Either way I'm not here to talk fashion...Tell me of these twins of yours." He says leaning back in the chair.

“Absolutely." she said with a pleasant-sounding voice. She leaned forward and reached for a thick folder on the right side of her desk. She pulled it over in front of her and opened it. “The twins are a boy and a girl approximately eight years of age. They look nearly identical including height and weight currently. The facility expects this to begin to change as one enters puberty, most likely the girl in the next couple of years. So far tests have showed results that lead us to believe there is a mental connection between them previously unseen in other subjects.”

"Mental connection?" He asked as he shifted slightly in his seat. He smoothed his mustache with his left hand.

She turned the open folder a 180 degrees to face him. She leaned forward and pushed it across the desk towards him as she continued, “Yes, sir. They seem to have bonded at some level, in the womb most likely. We have seen evidence that they have the ability to communicate with one another non-verbally as well as some degree of transference of physical sensations. “ She straightened herself and then leaned back against her chair. She rested her hands in her lap as she watched him impassively.

Keliek looked down to the folder, his eyebrows raised slightly in interest. Leaning forward in his chair he reached out to pick up the folder. He pulled it towards him and placed it in his lap as his eyes scanned the contents. He turned some of the pages then flipped back to others. "These results are remarkable."

“Yes, they are remarkable.” She confirmed. She then waited silently for him to finish reading. She didn't busy her hands, nor make small talk. She simply watched him until he finally chose to make his inquiry.

After a few minutes he said as he looked up to her. "Have you verified the results yourself?"

“No, I have not personally. They did make a request for our assistance as they have run into an unexpected difficulty regarding implementing the twins in the ABM (Advanced Behavioral Modification) . Due to the potential value of these assets, I am going down personally to address and remedy the issue." She paused for a moment before continuing, "I have changed my schedule to visit that facility next week. I will be having them repeat several of the tests for my personal confirmation while I am there.”

Closing the folder he placed it back on her desk with a nod as he leaned back in the chair. "Excellent, I'm glad you've already taken the initiative to do so." His eyes fixating on hers again. "As soon as they're verified, or proven inaccurate, I expect to be informed. This is the first glimmer of promise from Transcendence in a long time."

She meets his eyes with a pleasant smile. “Absolutely. I will send word as soon as I return from verifying one way or the other. I will also provide a report on my solution regarding their issue involving the ABM. I’ve also asked the facility manager to pull records on the breeding pair involved as well as any other twins, either living or dead, that have happened in the last ten years.“

Keliek looked at her a moment then shook his head, "Bring me the results as soon as you return." He said with a slight smile then added after another moment. "I need you to leave after this meeting."

She stared at him for a long moment and finally nodded. “Yes, sir.”

"-He- has been waiting for word like this for a long time, Avalynne." Keliek actually looked a little remorseful as he spoke, "I'm sorry to change your schedule like this, I know you are busy."

She tilted her head and studied that remorseful expression. “I understand. This gives all of us hope for the future. I will do as you command. “ She paused and then added, “ I appreciate the acknowledgement of the hardship it causes.”

"Good." he said as he lifted his right hand from the arm of the chair and waved it in a dismissive manner. "Now, what news from the other projects?"

She looked over the stack of files, her intelligent eyes scanned the seemingly meaninglessness colored squares on the spines of the folded paper sleeves. Some of the makeshift folders had letters and numbers on the spines as well. It was a new system she had begun to implement that would allow them to more efficiently store and archive incoming data for future access. Now her mind ran down her mental list of what those folders held. She looked back at him after a moment, "Dawnfire has reported further progress in identifying and classifying several new vectors of some diseases that may be transmittable to our race. Right now, I have the facility focused on identifying and gathering information on as many diseases, fungi, and parasites as we can find in our world."

"Dawnfire." Keliek said with a small level of discomfort at the word on his face and in his voice. He shifted in his seat slightly. "Good, what else?" he asked.

She kept her eyes on his and smiled slightly, “The Cobber Project has been conducting expeditions into Exodus Dungeon to study the technology within as well as collecting power cores for future experiments. We have sent some explorers deep into Ilshenar to check if there are other examples of similar technology that we might be able to tinker with to construct explosive devices.”

"The Cobber Project... I trust you have your team ready to look into other applications for the technology as well?" He asks.

“Of course, “ she said with almost an air of possible offense, “We wouldn’t waste funds on a project that didn’t have potential to be a long-term or significant asset to our organization.”

"Alright, what of current proposals? Anything interesting come across your desk lately?"

She added, "No new projects of note have passed my scrutiny. Most of the other projects are still reporting success and progress, just no major breakthroughs since their last update. “ She picked up the Twins file and put it back on top of the stack on the right hand side of her desk. “There is one lead we have regarding an individual who is rumored to exist among some underground circles. I would like to request someone disposable to make contact and possibly recruit him. “

Keliek's head tilted to his right as he looked at her. "Rumored to exist? What do the rumors say about this person?" He added after a moment. "I need to know how disposable we're talking."

Her torso shifted to the side as she uncrossed her legs under the desk. She pushed back against her chair and then turned it a 45 degree angle towards her left. She re-situated herself in the chair and then her left foot, followed by her right, propped themselves up on the left back corner of her desk. She leaned back, her shoulders drifting forward and back as if she were settling in, “Yes. Rumored to exist, but I believe there is merit in the unsubstantiated reports. The individual supposedly has found a necromancy ability to craft flesh as if clay. Some of the world’s elite have been padding his coffers for a little pinch and tuck and you know how they just love to brag.” She stretched her arms above her head and back as her spine arched in a leisurely stretch. Her fingers splayed at the apex of that stretch, clawing lightly at the open air as her torso undulates side to side. Her breasts stick out further, the fabric rippling just slightly as if her movements might unveil new delights.

She closed her eyes savoring the moment, but her voice doesn’t skip a beat, “I'd say as disposable as you can give, but still be reliable and trustworthy to our cause. There are also rumors regarding his enthusiasm of this ability when he feels threatened.” She brought her arms down and after a moment opened her eyes to look at him. “So something that you won’t miss.”

"I think.. I can provide what you need." He said, seeming momentarily distracted. "Leave instructions for what you need this person to do and I'll see they are carried out." He said with more focus as he studied her. "Anything else?"

She smiled at him, “I appreciate your assistance with this need of mine.” She sighed as she rested her forearms on the arms of her chair, “Knowing that definitely softens the blow that I’m not going to be sleeping in my own bed tonight.”

"It's the least I can do. I trust your judgment, Avalynne. Everything seems to be running smoother since you've taken over here." His right hand moves to his face to smooth the edges of his mustache. "I may end up meeting you at Transendence the day after tomorrow. I think I want to see these results in person." He said.

She looked over at him with a slight smile on her lips, “If you are joining me to observe these tests, would you please explain why I have to miss my comfy bed tonight for some **** cot at the facility?”

He leaned forward in his chair his stern face returning in an instant. "It's what I commanded."

She sighed, purposely overly dramatic, "Very well."

He spent a moment studying her before he relaxed again. He sat back in the chair. "I need you to preform the initial retesting Avalynne, as well as those conducted after I leave. I will not be able to spend more then a day there."

She watched him as he sat back in his chair. Her face held a slight pout of her lips. She lifted her right foot while she bent her knee. She curled her toes and scratched at the sculpted tone calf of her left leg. She continued to watch him as she placed her right heel back on the desk, “I will go and do the testing as you want. “ She settles back into her chair again, “I just disagree with it taking two full days before you arrive. We are dealing with children, although extraordinary, just children who have limits still. We don’t want to break our rising stars by overburdening them."

"Then wait to preform the difficult tests until I get there. I have a meeting with -Him- tomorrow Avalynne, perhaps I should tell him you disagree with my schedule?"

“Now that is -not- what I meant,“ she said abruptly. She sat up and pulled her ankles down from the desk as she looked across at him. “Of course, you keep your meeting. “

"Well, as long as I have your permission...." He said. "You said something about researching the parents, do that until I arrive."

Her eyes narrowed at him and as she stood abruptly, "Fine." She propped up her hand on her right hip, her right knee bent slightly causing her hips to tilt, "Anything else, Commander Keliek sir?"

"Sit the **** down."

"Excuse me?" she asked, her voice rose an octave. “We need to get something clear, sir." She settled her hands on the desk solidly, near the edge with her fingers pointed towards him, "I -will- do as you ask in regards to this assignment. I –will- do my job to the full extent of my abilities. I -will- lose sleep, comfort and any semblance of a personal life because I -AM- going to do everything I can for -Him-, you and this organization related to this position and our mutual cause.” She leaned forward heavily on those arms and looked at him intently. The front of her hips rested against the edge of her desk, “However, -you- choose me at least hopefully in part for my remarkable intelligence and because of that, you get what comes with it. When something can be done more efficiently, or intelligently, I’m going to speak up. If you want some pretty face who is just going to parrot whatever the **** you want, I’ll take the demotion and go back to where my talents -aren’t- best utilized. “ She straightened back up off the desk. She lifted her hands and let them drop to her sides as she still stared at him. “Oh... and where I do or do not put my amazing ass is -not- in the job description.”

"Obeying my commands are." He said as he leveled a stare at her. "Just... sit down," he added after a moment.

She walked towards him deliberately circling around the desk towards him. She kept her eyes fixated on him as she moved. Her walking caused the baubles on her waist to jingle and clink as her hips naturally swayed back and forth. She came around the corner to his right and moved to the spot between his chair and her desk.

Keliek watched her approach with narrowed green eyes. He didn't move as she took her place, but a rather impatient look came across his face.

She stood in front of him, near eye level with him despite her standing and him sitting. She planted both hands on the desk on either side of her. She then used them to hop backward up onto the desk. She shimmied back until she is seated back far enough that the edge of the desk supported the underside of her mid-thigh. She lifted her hands and clasped them together in front of her. She interlaced her fingers and rested them in her lap. She didn’t cross her legs as she met his gaze with an arched eyebrow. “Woof.”

His face grew soft as he looked at her. "Look, Avalynne, I promoted you because you are insanely intelligent and quite frankly, over qualified for this position." His right hand moved left to right in a wide arc before it returned to the arm of the chair. "I need someone I can trust to handle delicate matters when I myself cannot. I thought perhaps you'd be able to fit into that role. I cannot be there or I'd go myself. I'm sending you to be my eyes until I arrive. If these children are half of what that file indicated, they are a huge leap forward, I need someone I can trust and who is intelligent enough to see what others do not. I need a no ******** assessment when I get there, I won't have the time to do it myself. -He- will want a report immediately. Can you do this for me or not?" He asked her.

She looked at him for a moment. She freed her right hand and reached up and ran it through her long hair. “Look….” She tok a deep breath and exhaled slowly before trusting herself to speak, “I told you I’d go do what you -commanded- me to do and I will. I do respect the chain of command, whether you realize it or not. “ She now brought that same hand to her right temple and closed her eyes. She rubbed back and forth from her temple to the center of her forehead, her fingers moving in an arch along her skin, “However, when you shut me down with that military theatrical ********... all that insight and intelligence won’t accomplish anything. I realize you probably get just as little of sleep as I do. You probably have no personal life either outside of whatever flings their crotches at you. And you are under more stress to produce results with more risk.” Her fingertips moved in a few slow small circles around the center of her forehead, “I get it. Out of anyone else in this blasted place, I get it.”

"Flings their crotch at me...." He said with a slight chuckle that quickly turned into a genuine laugh.

She opened her eyes and dropped her hand onto her bare right thigh. She watched him with a smile coming before she spoke, “Is catapult a better verb to give due honor to the amount of crotches flung?”

His laughter slowly started to fade as he looked at her. "No.. is there a word to use that means less then fling?" He didn't wait for an answer, "I'm sorry.. for barking orders at you. You're right about the stress. I forgot just how much stress you might be under."

"Now you are just being modest, " she said. "I'm sorry for not... sitting." she smirked for a moment, "An yeah, a bit of stress. Did you see what happened to the guy who had this job last?" she said with a straight face.

"I believe I did. I even had a front row seat." He said with a grin.

"I'd imagine the amount I'm offered pales in comparison to the number of crotches you get pestered with." His eyes deliberately moved down her body then back up to her face. "Especially with an ass -that- amazing."

She laughed softly for a moment at his reference to her earlier rant. "Too bad, I have this slave driver of a boss. The guy is like a total **** blocker."

"Yes.. too bad.." He said as his eyes fixated on hers. "It's almost a shame he doesn't allow you to get out more... wasting all that time and thought that goes into your outfits only to be cooped up in here."

She smiled and looked down at herself and then back up at him, "Honestly, I doubt this has enough fabric in it to make a decent shirt... probably doesn't qualify as an actual outfit."

"No, I guess it wouldn't." He said with another chuckle. "Very little time off does come with the job title. Not a whole lot that can be done about that unfortunately."

“No, I knew that when I signed on and sure wasn’t getting a lot of quality applicants anyways.” She waved a hand dismissively with a soft laugh. “It has survived this long, it’ll be okay for a couple more years.”

"Either way, I appreciate the view at least." He said with a grin and a gesture of his hand. "Your ensemble does helps take my mind off other matters for a little while at least."

“No problem. Happy to be of service, “ She smiled slightly and made a half-hearted salute with her right hand.

Keliek stood up and looked down at her with an amused expression. "Now that was the laziest salute I think I've ever seen. Don't make me have to discipline you until you get it right..."

She grinned back up at him, "Don't tempt me to do an even lazier one..." She stared into his eyes and lifted her hand with a dramatic, 'uhh ehhh' sound of effort before her hand fell solidly with a loud 'slap' onto her bare thigh.

He smirked at her and took a step forward. "I believe you may have just earned some discipline."

"Is that so?" She placed her hands behind her, fingers pointed away from them and leaned back slightly as she looked up at him. "I've got to warn you... I have a strong history of defiance and rebelling."

"Well that simply won't do... I run this outfit with an iron rod... how else do you think I'm so efficient as a **** blocker." He said as he leaned in closer to her. His right hand came to rest on the table near her hip.

She laughed softly and grinned. "What about all those flinging crotches... " She didn't retreat nor advance, but held her ground.

"I don't have time or patience to sort through all of those ones... besides I see only one around here that might interest me as anything other then just a fling." He said and leaned in as his knees brushed against hers.

She grinned as she leaned forward, staring into his eyes as she did so. "I hope it isn't that pancake Barbara in accounting... cause if so, I heard a rumor she's going to be fired immediately."