Smitts County Electrical Co-Op read in faded letters above the door and on the sign out beside the freeway. The old brick building was just on the outskirts of town. The only neighbors where a gas station, a tire and lube shop and the Greasy Spoon Cafe` where the pink neon S and N had burned out long ago. The front office of the Co-Op building was just that. A ditzy blond worked the counter and phones while dispatchers and electricians facilitated customer calls and stood around waiting for something to do.
In the back, hidden behind the break room wall was The Covenant Headquarters office. This specific division was solely responsible for the Regulation and Restriction of all Veil travel for the entire north west region for the tri-state area. Comprised of several different Species among the various Veils where those who enforced the rules and regulations of Veil travel. All of which had attended The highly esteemed Covenant Enforcement Academy.
Ten years ago the office would have been considered state of the art. But now after time the equipment, furnishings and break room where all obsolete. The walls where tinged yellow with cigarette smoke from nearly a dozen years and the sprinkler system had been on the fritz for the last six months. Every so often the sprinklers would flicker and douse the office in a spring shower. There where work stations set all around the main office designed in some ridiculous version of office productivity Fung-Shway (sp?).
Nothing particularly exciting had happened in several years. Gone where the days of drug smuggling and racketeering among the Veils. Now those who worked in the offices of The Covenant where not much more than trained warriors who’d been bumped down to traffic regulation. It wasn't for lack of respect or efficiency their service as the Regulators of The Balance between the Veils just wasn't as required as it had been in generations past.
Things had been boring and the once highly profiled position had been dumbed down to a meager 9-5 job.
The Covenant HQ-1
The Covenant HQ-2
"Yes, well, this is all very exciting--"
Theo shuffled through his bag, pulling out a few things he had procured, "--Give this to Nessa when you see her, yeah?" He thrust it in Boris's direction and let go, regardless of whether or not he took the bag. "I'll be in ur internet hacking ur code." He left to his tiny little cubicle.
Lakutos yawned and stretched his arms wide. He looked at Diji and winked. "Well now, since Nessa is out of the building for the moment. I say it's lunch time." He held out a hand to the jungle girl. "She's not here to complain about our eating habits, what do you say?"
"But...maybe we should lay off the bugs? At least for now. Looks like Nessa isn't too fond of them."
Diji rubbed her arm. "Why don't we make something for all of us?" she asked, hoping he would like her idea.
"Insects are my main food, she never really minded that much before. As long as I didn't do it in front of her."
Lakutos told her truthfully. "I can eat other foods, but nothing is as satisfying."
"Well what does Theo and Nessa like? We can find something that we all like, can't we? What do people in this world eat?"
Diji asked.
"I suppose they both enjoy salads."
Lakutos offered her with a shrug. He scratched his chin in thought. "People of this world eat pretty much whatever they get their hands on. Any type of meat or vegetable really."
"Let's make a big one for us all!"
Diji hopped. "You really think Theo would like it?" she repeated. This girl really was head over heels for that unicorn.
Lakutos sighed, he wasn't really a salad person, he preffered meats of various types. "Where do we even start?"
"THERE!"
Diji pulled Lakutos into the kitchen. After twenty minuets or so of gathering, washing, tossing and cutting, Diji sprang out with a giant tupperware bowl of a gorgeous chef salad. Lakutos followed with the plates and silverware. Diji added some of her special homeland spices to it of course. She hoped that Nessa wouldn't be mad and Theo would thank her. "We made something delicious! Come eat!"
Boris had long since vanished and left the magic root on her desk.
"Theo!"
Diji perked up and ran towards the cubicle he was last scene in. "I made something for you!" she smiled and held out the massive salad bowl.
Theo jumped and quickly replaced the screen he had up with a foot fetish porn site. He stared at Diji warily, then at the bowl of salad, hunched over his computer screen. "What is it?" He asked tersely.
"It's called a salad."
Diji explained. Her tail was swishing from side to side, proud of herself. The chef salad was compiled of lettuce, bacon bits, tomatoes, cucumber, radish slices and topped with shredded cheese. It also had a few olives and peppers on the sides. "Please have some!"
Theo took the bowl from her slowly. "Thank you," He said, a bit confounded. It looked good, that he'd give her. He flashed a hand that meant he was saying goodbye and she should leave now.
Diji, who had started to just get the hang of her new body, climbed up to the cubical wall and dangled her legs off the side. "Try it! try it!" she was so excited to see his reaction.
Theo watched as the fragile cubicle wall shook violently as she tried to mount it and observed it fall backwards, taking her with it.
"Woa!"
Diji waved her arms frantically as she tumbled backwards. The wall took down several others behind it like dominoes. There was a
rrrriiiip and Diji's top ripped completely in half and fell. Out bounced her plump bosoms. She sat back on her knees, looking at Theo, "Oops..." she had no clue that she was completely exposed. Around her nipples were cute freckles that matched the ones on her shoulders and cheeks.
Theo looked at Diji, then at Diji's chest, then heaved a sigh, stripping off his Pink Floyd shirt and throwing it in her direction, leaving him in a wifebeater and jeans. He picked up his bowl of salad and walked off to the couch, throwing his butt down on it and picking at the salad bowl.
"Eep!"
Diji squeaked and covered herself, putting his shirt on quickly. "Sorry..." She noticed how the shirt smelled like Theo, but kept it to herself. It was plain to see that Diji, although 11, had strong feelings towards Theo. He was the first person that showed her kindness when she first arrived here on Earth. She looked at Theo as a father, brother and lover despite how she was treated in return.
Lakutos followed her out of the kitchen with a smaller bowl of salad. He had topped his own with the rest of the bacon bits in the fridge, plenty of cheese and carrot shreds, some black olives, croutons, french onions, and chinese noodles. He looked at the carnage of the fallen cubicle walls and stared in disbelief. He sighed and made his way over to the couch, sitting down beside Theo. "How's your salad?"
"S'pretty good,"
Theo said with his mouth full.
Diji wrapped her arms around herself and hugged. She was so happy that Theo liked what she had made for him. Her tail flicked from side to side. She kept her butt on the fallen cubicle walls, they were somewhat confy in their rough, cloth-like coating.
"She's pretty good at tossing a salad, isn't she?"
Lakutos told him with a sideways smirk, wondering what the pair had done during the day with Diji in such a nice form.
Theo scoffed and smirked back. "Please. She's never tossed a salad a day in 'er life," He winked.
Diji pouted a little and got to her knees. "Hey! It's good isn't?" She secretly wondered when those spices were going to kick in. In her tribe, it's a tradition to have some weekly.
"So you two didn't do anything? You were gone all day."
Lakutos was amazed that the unicorn kept it in his pants for once.
Diji, a little confused, put her attention back on Theo.
Theo frowned at him. "We weren't gone that long," He said, his mouth full. "Just, y'know, out tae th'magic shoppe t'pick things up, then a jaunt around the city a bit, let off some energy an all that nonsense," He jammed another wad of salad into his face.
Lakutos looked at his friend curiously once again. "Let off some energy?" He took a forkful of his own salad and smirked, "Whatcha do, go for a gallop?"
Just thin
Nessa appeared out of now where, her wings flittering behind her rappidly. She veered into the refrigerator and slammed into it hard before lighting on the floor "OK the forcefield is back up and that other thing I'm effected by dosen't bother me as long as I keep by antenne curled up." She pointed at her antenne which where curled tightly to her head. "HOwever the problem with that is it screws with my equilibrium. I teleported to Veil C-17 by accident." Her exockeleton appeared wuite glossier than before and she looked as if she'd recently shed it. However when she teleported she took a few months off her age which is quite comon with her species. "Inorder to combat it's effects I need Edurtreg blossoms and those only grow in Veil K-27." She paused dramaticaly as if the veil held some signifigance. WHich it did... to all of them.
Diji was blank when she saw the beetle run into the cooler box. "You ok?"
Theo's face fell. "Aw, hell," he said around a mouthful of leaves.
Lakutos looked at Nessa in shock. "K-27?? Shit..."
"What?....What
?" Diji asked again
"Veil K-27 is a Prison Veil." Nessa explained to Diji. "When people have been bad, people like us stop them. We put them in Veil K-27. It's a dangerous place."
Just then The oracel appeared. "Take the child with you."
She shook her head at the Oracle, not caring to respect her at all. "NO!" Diji stood up straight on her toes, towards Nessa. She was tall enough, but being young, she was used to doing this and it came natural to be on her toes. "I didn't do anything wrong!" she said worriedly, figuring that Nessa was going to send her to this "jail world". She went to Theo and wrapped her arms around him tightly as if nothing could pry her off.
Theo frowned. "Wot, you want to get riduvver?" He asked the Oracle.
Lakutos looked at the Oracle curiously. Did she really mean for them to lock Diji up on K-27? He wouldn't believe that. The only thing the girl's done so far was find her way here, nothing illegal about that really.
"Don't you listen?" Nessa exclaimed to the entire group. "The flower grows there. We have to go get some. The Oracle says we have to take Diji with us. We're not throwing you in jail honey. We're just going on a trip... a very dangerous trip."
"Ooohh...." Diji said with bright eyes, letting go of Theo. "Maybe I can prove myself grown up?" She was sent out of her village in the first place to go on an adventure to prove that she can become a strong woman of her species.
"So we finally get to take the big guns, eh?" Lakutos said in jest. K-27 was a dangerous place, if they were going there, they would need more than their usual attire and weaponry. His sword was more than a match for anything that happened to tumble through a veil, but the creatures in K-27 are the ones that they had gotten lucky with. He would need something more.
"Did someone say big guns?" Borris said appearing from the door, his arms where laiden with several very fancy and powerful looking fire arms. Niko stood at his feet his tail wagging with excitement. Borris liked guns.
Diji grabbed her torn top and sat on a desk. She got out a needle and thread from her sack and started to fix it. Being that she had no other forms of entertainment, being taught trades such as sewing wasn't uncommon in her village.
Lakutos smirked when Borris walked in covered with weaponry. He knew the Naissur would be the one to bring the heavy weapons. Hell, he was about to suggest that they go and wake the old man, figuring he'd be taking a nap as usual.
"You've been pretty quiet threw all this Theo." Nessa said asking for his poinion.
Diji put her top into her sack and stood up, brushing off Theo's shirt on her body. She wagged her tail from side to side like an excited puppy.
Theo looked up at Nessa for a moment, then squinted his eyes. "I don' r'memb'r you wi'five eyes," He slurred.
Diji smiled at Theo, "Cute!" she clapped, bouncing like the excited little girl she was.
"OK what did I miss?" Nessa asked jabbing a thumb at the seemingly intoxicated Theo.
"I made a lovely salad." Diji smiled, tackling Theo from behind, "You liked it, yes?"
"By Hizmahna." Nessa sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "We have to take him with us, I already told the Office that we where going to K-27 with a full team."
"Then we take him with us." Lakutos informed her rather smuggly, as was his nature. "Just keep him up front so he doesn't shoot any of us by mistake."
"No no. You will shoot all of us by mistake. I refuse to touch any of that nonsense. Gimme a min' tae fetch m'armor, an' we'll be off," Theo said, glaring at Lakutos. He tromped off, apparently not noticing the large, busty 11-year-old attached to his back.
Diji's tail was swishing from side to side like a cat. It was a lot harder to stay on as a woman then is would be if she was her normal size. Loosing her grip and not wanting to sink her nails into Theo's shoulders, she let go of him, yet followed like a little lost duckling.
Lakutos looked at Nessa and then headed off to put his own armor on. If they were going to K-27, he'd be damned if he'd go without proper protection.
Theo reached his room and somehow managed to slam the door in Diji's face. A few minutes later he emerged, covered from head to toe in muted white metal that clung to the contours of his body. In fact, the only noticable difference between his armor and himself was the thin lines between each plate. Strapped to his lower back were two short swords. The fine hairs of his tail were accompanied by razor-sharp wire of the same color and lustre. On his shoulderblades and the outside of each thigh was a large, oddly shaped slab of metal, covered with ornate figures and carvings. They looked like pieces of machinery, and interacted with his armor.
Diji clasped her hands together and looked up at Theo in complete awe. Her eyes were glazed and sparkling as she stared at his beauty. Her tail curled around her ankle. "Pretty!"
A few minutes later, Lakutos emerged from the locker room, wearing his traditional Tl'karian battle armor. It hung rather loosely, so that to not impede his movements. Simply because the armor hung loosely did not mean that it ineffective or anything. There were clear openings wherever the scale rings on his skin were. This allowed him to still camoflauge his body, despite wearing armor. If his rings were covered, they would not be as effective as the uncovered ones; which naturally, would not be a good thing. The armor was of a silverish metal that gleamed brilliantly in the light. He had spent countless hours working on the shine and buffing any unfortunate scratches from the magnificent armor.
Nessa shrugged and whipped around towards the girl's locker room. She emerged in the hall with theo and Lakutos a few moments later. She was dressed in a frock of chainmale which shimmered seductivly against her ebony exoskeleton. The cobalt blue leggings and top beneath where accentuated by symbols of magic and energy. Girded about her waist was a belt of precious gems and pouches, each one contained artifacts and amulets to aid their journey. Other than her staff she carried a lite broadsword.
Boris appeared dawned in beefy bronze armor. His hammer and sickle where at his side as usual while two obsurdly large firearms were strapped to his back. Niko sat at his feet stoic in his own set of matching armor. Along his back was a large parsel which seemed of no issue to the dog.
The Oracle appeared dressed in her usual black dress and apron. However the dolly under her arm was outfitted with the finest tinfoil armor child like ingenuity could muster.
"OY NESSA," Theo shrieked unneccessarily. "Ye sh'd lend th'littl'un sommat yer armor." He pointed at Diji accusingly and stuck out his tongue.
Diji was still wearing nothing but her grass skirt and the white shirt that Theo lent her when her previous top didn't hold together. She had stuffed it into her side "purse" to mend later. She looked at Theo, then to Nessa.
Lakutos' gaze was directed not toward everyone else's armor, but rather the armor that the Oracle had placed on her doll. It seemed odd that the doll would get armor, when she had not
Nessa tapped her staff on the floor three times and a green traveling cloak with boots appeared for Diji. "I can't conjur armor for you but this cloak has protective charms." The cloak was square with an opening for her head and a hood. The hood was positioned so the points of the cloke fell at the front, back and sides. It was also embroidered with shiney green thread and swirley patterns.
"Oh!" Diji picked up the cloak from the carpet in front of her and stuck her head through. This was much more airy then that shirt Nessa forced on her earlier. She was a little skeptical about the boots but tried them on anyways.
"And that should solve that. Are we leaving?" Theo said dramatically to Nessa.
"Nooooooo.....we're having a costume party." Lakutos replied to Theo with a roll of his eyes.
"Maybe you are," Theo retorted, "But we seem to all be standing around with no apparent goal or intent of going anywhere. I find it somewhat distressing. This armor is for business, not standing around."
"Theo, please concentrate." Nessa said very calmly "We've been over this. we are going to the very, very dangerous Veil k-27. To get a root I need for a potion. We need you to kill or maim anything that tries to attack us. Can you do that?"
"Let's go! Let's go!" Diji hopped like a kid on a sugar high. "C'mon c'mon, c'moooooon." She was clearly eager to go too, not realizing the dangers ahead.
Theo leaned incredibly close to Nessa's face, glaring conspicuously. "Are there any pure of heart on k-27?" He stage whispered.
Lakutos rolled his eyes at Theo's theatrics. As if the horse was really the person to turn to for killing and maiming in the first place. Although, he could see if the man could turn himself into a horse, he would be quite useful in a battle...
Nessa blinked. She wasn't sure which he wanted to hear. "No?" She tried.
"Then I can carry out these orders unhindered by nature or moral quandaries!" Theo announced victoriously.
Diji stared in awe at the posing unicorn. Her tail swished from side to side lazily.
"Onward," Theo roared, striding with confidence to the room where Nessa would make the Veil shift to k-27, anxious to get this over with.
Lakutos turned and followed Theo into the room. He leaned his back against one of the walls and waited somewhat impatiently
"I guess that means we follow the horse." Nessa said quietly and followed Theo into the Veil Room.
The Veil Room was hidden behind the wall in the handicapped stall of the women's bathroom. It slid out of the way with an old horror movie groan and revealed a flight of stairs decending into the damp darkness. There where random puddles in the stone floor which reflected the fire of the torches on either side of the veil. The Veil was roughly nine foot tall, seemingly carved from one solid mass of red wood. Knuckles and intricate carvings weaved in and out of one another like Celtic knots. An ebony curtain was hung to conceal the portal itself. It floated as if it were caught in a lazy breeze.
"I am not a horse," Theo tittered angrily, stepping into the musty old room. "Any more than you are a giant beetle, miss Samsa."
Diji was the last in line as they headed down the stairwell. She walked slowly with caution. Diji didn't want to admit it, but it was kinda creepy. When she paused for a moment to try and look at the marking on the wall, Diji noticed that she was really lagging behind. Her pace sped and she caught up with the group once more. Diji's tail wrapped around to her front and she grabbed it nervously with her hands, fearing that someone would grab it from behind her.
Lakutos smirked when Nessa referred to Theo as a horse. It was nice to see someone else say it about him as well.
Theo scowled and ripped the curtain back with a dramatic fluorish. Light flooded the room from the gaping portal. He grabbed Diji's wrist and dragged her through with him, shifting into his truest form and dwelling on that dreadful plane called K-27.
Lakutos took a breath and walked through the portal after Theo and the dragging Diji.
Niko was happily dancing at Borris' feet. "See you on tha other side." He said giving Nessa a Salute. Niko jumped into his arms and the two bounded threw the veil and on.
Nessa tapped her staff on the ground causing the entrance to the veil room to close and reain secret. She then had to hopp to get the cutrain down from the edge of the veil where Theo had tossed it and hurried threw before it could drape down behind her.
Stumble!