Chapter 70: First Day on the Job

The next morning, Lusac was awoken by a clanging alarm from one of the Kremel's holotablet. Hwwnlv had warned them that he could sleep through almost anything so his wake up alarms would be annoying, but Lus hadn't expected it to be this loud. The beeping seemed to vibrate through his whole skull. And worst of all, Hwwnlv was still managing to sleep through it. Luckily Frpl woke up and grumpily punched his brother awake before turning the alarm off.

Lus sat up and stretched, already disliking sharing a room. He'd do anything to be back on the Argo with his private quarters and Avil. The noise from the hallway warned that it would be a battle to get space in the bathroom, so, with a sigh, Lus dropped down from his bunk, changed into his new uniform, grabbed his toiletries, and made his way into the chaos.

Despite having so many employees, the Senator had made sure to prepare his staff quarters to handle them all, so it turned out there was more than room for everyone to get some space in the bathroom, and Lusac easily grabbed a sink to brush his teeth and do his hair.

The red uniform for all the house staff reminded him of a formal version of what he wore with the Runners, but he disliked the small range of motion the tight sleeves provided. He couldn't even lift his hands all the way above his head in the tightly woven button-down, and the pants were so stiff he would never be able to properly run. Of course, this uniform was designed for fashion, not function, so he'd just have to hope he wouldn't ever have need of things like running or fighting while he was wearing it.

His three roommates were all taking their time getting ready, but Lusac had something important to do before training if he could manage it, so he said a brief goodbye as he deposited his toothbrush and hair gel back on his desk before leaving them behind again.

A rumbling in his stomach reminded him he still needed breakfast as well. The corridors became less crowded as he left behind the rooms and approached the general common areas, and it wasn't until he stepped into one of the open rooms that he realized just how claustrophobic he'd felt in the overflowing corridors.

The line for breakfast was short due to the quickness with which everyone received their bowl of oratmeal and berries. It was far from what Lus would normally eat in the morning, but he was hungry enough to take whatever they would give him. Since he worked in the kitchen, he'd probably be able to sneak something better down the line anyway.

Lusac chose to eat by himself at one of the newly placed tables in the room. Almost everyone else grouped up, but he didn't feel like meeting more people, especially when he was only going to be here for a few weeks.

The good news was that being alone finally gave him the chance to look at his system in peace. He pulled up the home screen and was presented with an updated list of stats.

[Stamina: 8]

[Intelligence: 10]

[Strength: 8]

[Charm: 8]

[Health: 11]

[Speed: 10]

[Common Sense: 1]

[Luck: 14]

[Intelligence], [Charm], [Health], [Speed], and [Luck] all went up by 1. He was a little disappointed that he didn't level up his [Common Sense] still, but turned his focus to his next task.

Navigating to the [Skills] tab, he discovered a new option in addition to three from before. [Dash] and [Sixth Sense] were already purchased, leaving [Night Sight] and [Unfailing Feet] as the two purchasable options. Neither seemed very applicable to his current mission, so he was going to wait and see if anything changed. He didn't bother looking at the [Recipes] since he wouldn't have a chance to make anything that special while he was here.

Lus swiped away the screen and returned to his food, nervous about his first day of training. The oratmeal was about as bland as he expected, and the berries were a little mushy, but it filled him up, which was all he could ask for. After he dropped his dirty dishes off, he made his way to the stairs which lead up into the actual mansion, a place he had yet to go.

The steps were wooden but made out of a nicer plank material than the other floors he'd seen. While the walls were the same bland shade of beige, they were spread out a little more, making the stairwell feel wide and free compared to the corridors of the servant wing despite the standard dimness of the overhead lights. It was a long set of stairs, however, stretching well over three stories before Lusac reached the top with only two landings for when the stairs changed direction. He could hear a few others starting up the steps as he reached the last flight.

When he exited, Lusac had to blink back tears from the brightness of the hallway he stepped into. One wall had about a dozen arch shaped windows in it, all beaming with morning sun, and the white paint reflected it all around the intricate architecture of the mansion. Paintings hung on the opposite wall, and a few tables with decorative items were spread out underneath them. It could have been a museum for the variety of objects displayed, and that was in this one hallway alone.

Above him, two hanging lights, fancier than anything Lus saw below, provided additional lighting to the already well-lit space. It was hard to believe that this home belonged to a Kremel since they typically liked things on the dimmer side.

"And you are?" someone said, drawing Lusac's attention from the majesty of the manor.

He turned to find a Kremel woman dressed in a similar style uniform, but with a nice overcoat that signified a much higher position than his.

"Name?" she asked, her orange eyes flicking down to the holoscreen in her hands.

"Lus Andrews," he answered, barely remembering to use his proper fake name. At least they gave him something similar to his real name so it was easy to remember. In Vlqtrn's case, he had to use a completely different name–something like Flq that was similar, but distinct.

"Ah, a kitchen boy," she said after typing it in. "Down this hall, take a left, and then it's the door at the end of the next hallway."

"Thanks," Lusac said. He didn't actually need the directions since he'd memorized the map of the manor as part of his training. Not out of duty for this new job, of course, but in order to be prepared for his real assignment as a Runner. Tracking down the artifact might end up being easy if the Senator had it out on display like so many of his other pieces which lined the hallways as decorations.

He followed the steps she provided but walked slowly once he was out of her sight. More employees were filtering out of the stairwell, and he was hopeful one of them might be Fresa-Ersht.

His 14 [Luck] once again favored him, and his [Sixth Sense] started going off which meant Fresa couldn't be far off. He decreased his pace even further, praying that she would hurry. He didn't want to just stand around the hallway looking lost while he waited for her, but walking this slow made him look a little suspicious as well.

Strolling along the next hallway which was as ornate as the first, Lusac took his time studying each painting or sculpture as he passed it, pretending to be an art critic. So far, almost all the pieces ranked at least 5 on his 1-10 scale. The Senator had good taste. None of them resembled what they were after, but the mansion was so blasted big, tracking it down could take several days if not weeks.

"Lusac, wait up," a cheery voice called out when he was about halfway down the corridor, and he smiled. It was about time. Now the interrogation could begin.

"Hi, Fresa," he said, turning to greet her. Her maroon fins almost seemed to glow in the well-lit hallway, and Lus had to admit that she was pretty, for a Nemarian.

"Are you ready for our training?" she asked him as she fell into step with him.

Lusac's [Sixth Sense] grew even stronger, and he was aware of at least two people close by, walking only a few feet behind them.

"I guess. How tough do you think Chef Savannah will be?" he replied.

Fresa shrugged. "She's made quite a name for herself as a private chef amongst a lot of other important figures. I can't imagine it'll be easy."

Lus mentally prepared himself before speaking his next words, choosing each carefully to keep things as casual as possible. "You seem to know a lot about the workings of political staff. Where did you learn it all?"

His companion's step slowed for a moment before picking up with their usual pep, even if it was a bit more forced. "Oh, you know. Just part of growing up on Quosh."

"Were your parents part of a politician's staff there?"

"No," she said simply, her voice a little less inviting.

"Ah. So they were part of the underground workers then, right?" Quosh was known for keeping the "undesirable" parts of running a society hidden below the surface, which encompassed anyone who wasn't part of a powerful family or a member of a mansion's staff.

"No. Of course not," she responded in a tone of poorly hidden disgust.

A smile twitched on Lus's lips. She'd just made a critical error. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Quosh only have politicians, servants, and the lower class?"

Fresa looked away from him, realizing her mistake. "Please don't tell anyone."

"I'll make that promise if you tell the full truth, Fresa," Lusac said.

She pulled him to a stop alongside her. "My mother is a Representative in the Galactic Legislature. I've always wanted to be a chef, but I need real world experience if I'm going to get there, not just schooling, so I'm here to study under Chef Savannah."

"I'm surprised they sent you here by yourself. Shouldn't you have a bodyguard or someone to watch out for you?" Lusac pressed. She wasn't a regular suckling, but a true, pure-breed suckling who had never wanted for anything in her life. But that did mean she would be a good resource for the workings of the manor outside of the standard staff training. He just needed to be sure her guards wouldn't be a problem.

Fresa shrugged. "There's help nearby if I need it, but this is a safe job. I'm not going to run into trouble, as long as nobody knows the truth." She added that last part with a glare.

"They won't hear it from me. I swear." Lusac made a motion of crossing his heart, a childhood symbol of taking a vow.

The Nemarian watched him closely before nodding. "Thank you. I'm trusting you with something very private, Lus. Don't screw this up."

"I won't." He knew just how serious of a threat it was, given that she had people with [Invisibility] trailing her at almost all times. But at least now he knew that it was about her, not the Runners, so the mission could continue on as planned, just maybe with a little more caution on his part. As long as he didn't give her or her secret guards a reason to suspect he was up to something, they wouldn't have any reason to interfere with his private life.

He was disappointed, however, when no notification popped up confirming that he'd completed his [Quest]. He learned Fresa's secret, so what else could it be?

"Good," Fresa said. Her voice held an air of 'I'm above you' that irked him, but he didn't dare comment on it.

They continued back through the hallway with an air of tension hanging between them, and the [Invisible] guards right on their heels. Working with her was going to be annoying simply because it would trigger his [Sixth Sense] so much, which made it difficult to concentrate. He wistfully wondered if they might only be here for training and then leave her to fend for herself after that.

As they walked, he recalled with a sinking heart that exact wording of the [Quest] description. "Learn all the secrets surrounding you." Fresa-Ersht was only the first of what was to come, meaning this might not be so easy after all.

They didn't say anything, both lost in their own thoughts until they arrived at the kitchen. Inside, Lusac discovered something that looked right out of a really fancy restaurant. There were no windows, but the overhead lights were set to a bright setting, something that would be comfortable for Humans instead of Nemarians and Kremel. The walls were a bright, clean white with big, gray tiles on the floor.

Two huge stoves waited along the far wall beside four different ovens. Two sinks took up one corner, and the majority of the space was filled with several large, silver counters. Pots, pans, knives, and any other kind of equipment a cook could ever need were neatly arranged inside open cabinets while the wall with the door they entered held an array of aprons and other wearable gear. Two grand doors stood by themselves at what could be considered the front of the kitchen. When they entered, they found two others already waiting there, a Kremel and a Nemarian.

"Lus Andrews and Fresa-Ersht?" the Kremel asked before they could make it more than a couple of steps. Lusac's [Sixth Sense] stopped triggering, so it appeared the [Invisible] guards would not be joining them inside, much to his relief.

They both nodded.

"I'm Sous Chef Crrn. This is Majo-Deaber," the Kremel explained. His green skin was the same shade as leaves during the height of summer, and his black hair was buzzed close, giving him something of a military feel. He stood well over seven feet tall and wore a clean, white apron over his red uniform.

"Pleased to meet you both," Majo-Deaber said. "Call me Majo." He had indigo fins which were dark enough to look almost black, and his orange scales were pale, looking somewhat fleshy in tone.

"Everyone has assigned gear," Crrn gestured to the aprons hanging on the wall. "Get it on."

Lus immediately went over to it, found his personally labeled apron, and pulled it on. Fresa-Ersht did the same but in a slower manner, seeming to be a little more self-conscious. 

"You alright?" he asked her quietly as he tied the strings behind his back.

"Yeah. Of course. Crrn just seems kind of bossy," she whispered back.

Lus chuckled. A suckling who'd probably never been truly disciplined a day in her life. Watching her under someone like Chef Savannah was going to be a real show, that much was clear. Crrn was actually using a rather relaxed voice in his opinion, especially when compared with the likes of Yrqw back on the Argo.

Another person entered the row, drawing his attention. She was a Kremel, but rather short for her gender and right around the same height as Crrn. Her skin was a mixture of gray and green, and she kept her head completely shaved.

"And this is Pltr, our final team member," Crrn announced. "I'm Crrn, the Sous Chef. This is Majo-Deaber, Fresa-Ersht, and Lus Andrews."

Everyone welcomed her as Crrn gave her the same instructions he'd given Lus and Fresa. Lus took the lead in going to stand by Majo, and Fresa followed him almost like a lost puppy. She'd been so confident only a few minutes before, but that was all gone now.

Pltr joined them where they stood only a minute later, and everyone was happily chatting away when the double doors burst open and Chef Savannah strode in. Instead of the straight black everyone else had, her uniform had a white collar with some white designs embroidered on the sleeves to signify that she was one of the chief staff members. She already wore an apron which again had a very clear signifier of her rank, and her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail.

"Good morning everyone," she said.

"Good morning, Chef," Crrn replied instantly. The others took the cue, and in unison, they all repeated it.

Savannah smiled as she came to a stop in front of the line they'd unintentionally formed.

"I hope you all got a good night's rest last night." Her eyes scanned the line, the smile turning sadistic. "You're going to need it."