The Unexpected Superior

The drill dug out into the ocean and inflated an air bubble as they ascended to the surface.

Oliver watched the bubbles elevate along with them. When they surfaced, a mechanical arm caught them and took them inside Windstail.

As soon as the claw deposited them on the cold floor of the hangar, Oliver ran towards the awaiting crew.

“Guys, help!” Oliver shouted, joining the group. “Mabel needs help!”

Leader Quispe opened his way through the group and aguishly frowned as he met with Oliver. “Kid, I…”

Some members looked away, others covered their faces. The girl who was holding to the pilar when Oliver arrived, started sobbing.

“No!”

Oliver ran next to a passing robot.

“Hi, my friend needs medical assistance right now,” Oliver urged.

“Our priority is the harvest of picorium,” The robot chimed.

Oliver kicked the robot and it responded with an electric shock, bringing Oliver to his knees.

“I’ll let it pass for today,” The robot added and rolled away.

“You’re going to be fine,” Oliver mumbled. “Please, help her.”

Caio rushed through the hangar and kneeled next to him.

“We’re gonna help…” Caio assured grabbing Oliver by the shoulder.

Oliver extended his arms as his muscles numbed.

“Oliver…” Sylvie said with a broken voice.

He felt tears begin to roll down his face as he looked down to see Mabel, cuddle like she was comfortably sleeping.

“She’s not taking a nap right?” Oliver wept.

Caio shook his head as Oliver felt all of his senses shutting down.

…

“Ugh!” Oliver complained, waking up from the searing pain coming from his ankle.

“You got a pretty bad burn,” the nurse said looking up to check on her patient while she applied a thick ointment over the burn.

“I didn’t believe the fried chicken thing until it was too late,” Oliver replied, groaning as he sat and looked at the crimson ring of flesh around his ankle. The nurse had moved the obedience bracelet as high as possible to keep it out of the way.

“Well, you’re going to have a pretty scar to remind you that,” The nurse said, covering the burn with wound gauze. “And never say the phrase: I ‘sixteenth letter of the alphabet’ on Dionysus Norrington.”

“I pee on D…” Oliver started.

“No, no, no!” She stopped him.

“Oh!” Oliver exclaimed, finally understanding. “Copied that!”

“Yes, I don’t want you coming back with another one of those,” She replied. “Hey! You have to be lying down!”

The nurse stood and ordered Oliver to move his head back to his pillow, he obeyed.

“You got a rough day,” She continued adjusting the flow on his IV line. “I’ll come back to check on you in a few hours. Rest. It’s an order.”

“Thank you…” Oliver said.

“Doctor Khan,” The woman replied closing the door.

“Alin would have canceled me for this,” Oliver mumbled as the medicine in the IV line did its work and knocked him down.

…

“Wake up, sleepy, sleepy,” the familiar voice said.

Oliver jumped on his bed and looked around the moonlight-bathed room to find the cute 3-foot rectangular prism observing him from a corner.

“Quenzie,” Oliver voiced.

“No! Idol star Mayra!” Quenzie chimed. “Of course it’s me!”

“Quenzie…wha-at?” Oliver uttered, drowsy for the medicine.

“Me, wha-wha-what?” Quenzie cut. “Wow! You really got a pretty rough first day.”

“You wouldn’t believe me,” Oliver replied clenching his teeth.

Quenzie rolled around the room and stopped in front of Oliver’s bed.

“No, I do,” Quenzie continued. “Tell me. Did you get it?”

“Get what?” Oliver grimaced confused.

“The pearl, snail!” Quenzie exclaimed.

“So it was you who interrupted the transmission!” Oliver remembered how KeyWee’s voice distorted while he was inside the purple jelly.

“Genius!” Quenzie ironized. “Where is it?”

“Why would you want a dang pearl?”

“That’s none of your business. Where is it?”

“It’s in my suit, but I’m not wearing it right now…” Oliver realized blushing that he wasn’t wearing his suit under the hospital gown.

“Yes, some strangers saw you naked,” Quenzie added. “It’s not the end of the world! Where is your suit?!”

“I…I don’t know,” Oliver replied. “Wait, so you sent me purposely there just to bring you a freaking pearl?!”

“Bravo, bravo, Oliver. I might ascend you to head detective,” Quenzie mocked.

“And you… the fries…” Oliver mumbled.

“Yes, me!” Quenzie replied.

Oliver lunged against Quenzie but before he could do anything, the box that covered the robot blew away and eight threadlike metallic arms immobilized Oliver against the mattress.

“Be careful you almost tore out your IV,” A glowing sphere chimed in the center of the arms, stroking Oliver’s hair with one pointy needle. Oliver struggled and Quenzie approached a blade to his neck. “I wouldn’t move If I were you. Now tell me, Oliver. Even a first-grader would have connected those two dots. But you waited for me to confirm it?!”

“I thought we were friends,” Oliver said. “Why did you ruin my life just for that?”

“Oh! Oliver! You’re melting my picorium core! This just confirms I made the best selection!” Quenzie continued as it started projecting a video into the wall. “You see. I took care of getting Kazu a promotion, the benefits include a cabin in the intermediate levels. He is taking in Alin. She has a better quality of life now.”

“Alin,” Oliver whispered as the image of the girl faded.

“Life can be golden for her,” Quenzie said, letting go of Oliver and folding back inside the box. “And all you have to do is run a few errands for me if you value your sister’s safety. Of course. Where’s the pearl?”

“If you could trace the pearl inside the zkwich, why don’t you do the same here?” Oliver inquired.

“I'm afraid it's your suit, its materials must interfere with the signal,” Quenzie sighed disappointedly. “And as the exemplar superior that I am, I know when to delegate some tasks. I need you to bring the pearl to our next meeting next week. Agreed? Awesome! I’ll see you then.”

Quenzie opened the door and disappeared into the dark hallway, while Oliver screamed his frustration out against a pillow.

“Bro, I know it’s been a tough day,” Greg said grabbing Oliver’s shoulder.

Oliver stopped screaming and slowly raised his ashamed face from the pillow. “What’s going on?”

“There’s a mandatory meeting at the deck,” Caio said, throwing a uniform on the bed.

Oliver put on his uniform as best he could and walked next to Caio and Greg while the rough cloth rubbed his wounds.

“You stand here,” Caio indicated as the whole crew of the Windstail lined up in four rows as the moon lit the deck.

Captain Khan passed accompanied by her crew and stopped when she saw Oliver.

“Excellent work today, newbie,” Khan briefly complimented. She walked until the end of the line and stood next to the hoverport’s stairs.

After a few minutes, a hoverjet deposited two people on the platform. They ceremoniously walked downstairs to the deck.

“Welcome Auditor Handler Crionesa Gibgy!” Captain Khan announced as everyone stood in greeting position. “And Auditor Handler Practicioner Emil Bushida!”

Oliver wanted to faint, to disappear, to be gobbled up by a zkwich. Anything.

The auditors walked down the deck. Oliver knew he would. Blinking several times as he analyzed, Bushida stopped when he recognized Oliver.

“Rough day, zkwiner?” Bushida asked with satisfaction.

Oliver stood still, he didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

Caio gave him a wary look.

“Bushida! Move!” Gigby ordered ahead.

Bushida frustratedly rushed to catch up with his superior. Once they disappeared inside the vessel, the crew relaxed.

“Are you crazy?!” Greg said.

“What does zkwiner mean?” Oliver asked.

“Auditor Handlers call us that way, it's a contraction of zkwich cleaner,” Sylvie explained. “You know what they could do to you for being impolite?!”

Oliver stood unfazed, he just wanted that day to be over.

“You have guts, Oliver!” Caio complimented. “But I think you just earned an enemy.”

Oliver replied. “Don't worry, he already was.”

END OF PART ONE.

Thank you for reading!