Teekay and Vieneff watched as the being that was obviously not a Skyavok helped move boxes around. Normally it would take at least a team of two Skyans to move boxes from the transport bay into the storage sectors, but this one being was moving crates and boxes around with ease, hardly breaking a sweat.
“Where the fuck did you find this guy?” Vieneff asked, observing how the muscular being effortlessly stacked and lifted up four crates filled with glyk-corn, carrying them over to the cold storage area for safe keeping.
“Long story…” Teekay muttered. “What is more important is that you give him a job.”
“No, no, Teekay, I respect you, but you gotta tell me who that guy is. He definitely ain’t a Skyan. Would call him a Rethan but he’s too bitty for that. He looks a looooooot like a certain former-”
Teekay glared at Vieneff. Vieneff shrugged.
“He does.”
“Please do not mention that. Not in earshot.”
“It IS hi-”
“No…” Teekay pulled Vieneff to one side. “It is a long, complicated story that hurts more than it helps. The more we talk about his past, the more danger we put ourselves in. What is more important is that we get Elkay into work and keep him occupied and slowly repatriate him as one of our own before he loses his mind and vok start looking for him.”
“So he…”
“Yes. He is…” Teekay rubbed his eyes wearily.
“So why do you want him working here? I assume you’ve got a way to, I dunno, get all his stuff sorted out?”
“He is currently on an alien card. Basic care, 97% of everything he earns goes into taxes and he only gets 25% back instead of the standard 75%. But he needs to start working now so he is kept occupied…”
Vieneff turned his head to one side. “I still don’t get where I come in…”
Teekay took a deep breath. “I cannot keep Elkay a secret forever, nor can I afford to hide him forever. I need to find a way for Elkay to work a simple job and keep him occupied. You have hired allavok before, you are still hiring allavok, and I need you to hire him, on your standard allavok contract.”
“Yeah but why me?”
Teekay closed his eyes, then gestured around him. “There is literally no vok else around here who even hires other Skyans, let alone other races…” Teekay took another deep breath. Vieneff could see that he looked tired. “I am sorry to thrust this upon you, but I really need him out of my way for a few hours a day…”
Vieneff smiled curiously. “And why is that?”
“In the time I have had him living with me, he has alphabetized my bookshelves twice, rearranged my furniture three times and has completely and utterly cleared every single potential weed in my garden about seven times over. He keeps on trying to clean my house from top to bottom, even though my house is plenty clean enough. He NEEDS to work because if he doesn’t work, he will lose his mind and destroy mine.”
“Is that normal for a-”
“I have no idea, but frankly I do not care. I care deeply for Elkay, I fell sorry for what he has gone through, but I just… I just need him out of my underwear drawers for a bit.”
Vieneff shrugged. “You coulda just said that. Sure, I’ll hire the guy. Half-days though, because he seems useful as fuck but I ain’t got much going on right now. You want me ta pay him in cash or supplies?”
“Half and half, if possible…” Teekay sighed. “Thank you…”
“No worries, mate!” Vieneff smiled. “Just get him here at 8am tomorrow and I’ll keep him busy…”