2. Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Vatok
I tap my foot on the skater robot as I glide down the dark streets. This is a smaller road that isn't as busy as the others, but some spaceships go here, too, and today, this is my patrol route. I'd much rather be up in the sky with the regular program, but a fellow is sick today, and the leader reassigned me.
There's a surge of warmth building in my stomach as I think about the bartender from last night. Somehow, she always does things to me when I meet her. Her laughter dances in my mind. Maybe, one day, I'll gather the courage to ask for her name. It isn't like she has it clipped onto her clothes like a server does in a restaurant, so...
Maybe that's for her to dodge weird beings out there with her name a bit better hidden away. As a police officer, I understand that, but as a semi-regular bar-goer, I want to know her name.
She has good hands too, effortlessly navigates the chaotic bar like a good traffic police officer in the midst of crazy traffic during peak hours. I can still picture her teasing smile and the way her bright eyes sparkled with mischief when she tossed playful jabs at her patrons. It’s an enchanting chaos that calls to me, even though it has never been my thing.
Tonight, the streets are quieter, the distant hum of spaceships leaving behind their trails of light in a blurry glow. I can't shake the image of her leaning over the bar, mixing drinks, a whirlwind of colors and laughter. For a moment, her life seems to be more interesting than mine.
I lift my brows at two spaceships parked on the streets, where that's not allowed. I pull out the scanning machine that will search up the registered number of these and send them a fine. Getting fined sucks, but that's the only way some will learn a lesson.
I swipe the machine at the two ships, tapping for their information on the screen.
The cute human bartender...
Sometimes, I wonder whether I'm in the bar for a drink after a shift or some jokes from her. She seems to find me silly, for some reason. I don't get it. Maybe I'm too serious for the bar. That'd make sense.
I know bars are somewhere where rules don't apply and one has to use their quick wit to deal with things that can pop up without a warning. I try not to look at most things that don't involve me, not wanting to get into trouble. I'm not in the stores and bars compliance department, so I'm not in charge of making sure everyone behaves. More importantly, I don't think other beings will want to know that I'm a police officer. My job doesn't sound like fun to most, let alone bar-goers.
I go down another street after I scan these spaceships. If the road were wider, there might have been parking slots for them, but this isn't. Spaceships that descend from the sky may not be able to stop or slow down in time to avoid hitting these, causing extra risk on the road, which is good for no one.
This street looks better, but there is one lone spaceship randomly parked to the side, too.
It's so badly parked that... It's a diagonal against the side of the street, almost blocking half of the road. Even if this place is good to park, this is no way to park a spaceship. How did this being get their permit to even drive? If they don't know how to drive, they should attend lessons and figure themselves out, not cause problems with others.
I look around. There are a few barks from stray animals, but other than that, there's no being in sight.
Frustratingly, I want to shout at that being. This is one of the worst parked spaceships I've ever seen.
I pull the machine when someone shouts behind me.
"Wait! Don't fine my spaceship!"
There are barks following.
I turn around to...
My heart skips a beat at the wavy hair of the being. That's the cute bartender. She looks tall for a human female. She has... a zebaba in her hands. What's this thing doing there?
Part of me wants to take the zebaba's place and have her hug me, but that's such a silly idea. I'm a bigger being. There's no way she can hold me up like she can with zebabas.
She says, "Sir, please. I'm leaving."
I clear my throat. "But you should know that your spaceship shouldn't be here, like ever."
"I know, but I heard this poor guy, and his leg's stuck. I have to save him."
While I appreciate that, if she's honest about it, I can't make an exception just because. I point at how poorly parked the spaceship is. "This kind of parking..."
Despite the dim lighting in the streets, her cheeks turn red. "So... Like I said, I was in a hurry."
I roll my eyes at that. But she lifts the zebaba to my face and that thing licks me. I wince and turn away, not expecting that. When I turn back, she's already inside her spaceship. I hiss. "What are you doing? I haven't done—"
"Do you remember this ship model? Have you scanned it?"
I check my scanning machine. The screen is off since it was inactive as I talked to her. "No."
There's a hum of an engine starting. "Then don't remember that, please!"
She zooms into the sky, leaving me on the street, holding the machine that's just ready to be scanning.
Even that take-off is too sloppy for her good. She almost runs into a lamppost.
I stare at her spaceship, which gets smaller and smaller into the sky as seconds pass. So... If I insist on trying, stopping her and making sure I fine her won't be a problem and can be achieved easily.
There's a flutter in my stomach. I... The spot where the zebaba licked me heats up. I...
I suppose I should keep patrolling the streets instead of standing here like an idiot.
But I can't tear my mind from her. She always comes with a ball of vibrant energy, so much so I find it hard to talk to her like a normal being. It's like I can't even form words in my head.
It must be stupid to have to wander in the bar for so long to come up with what drinks I want for the day and to even make an order with her, even though I want to talk to her.
I find myself moving, almost instinctively, down the streets. My feet set the wheels in motion before my mind catches up.
Do I just let her go and pretend not to see that?
I know where to find her, but...
I look around,even though I'm in another street already. There's apparently no one around, not when she and I talked either.
So...
I tap the controls of the skater robot, sending it into a swift glide, my heart racing as I navigate the narrow streets. As I fumble through my head, replaying our brief encounter, a mix of irritation and fascination brew within me.
She is for sure one of a kind.
And pure chaos energy.