It was a night, just like every other, cold and dank and don't forget dark! He stood at the base of the LEP watchtower, the marquee sign flickered with the latest updates about child abductions, including a pair of dwarves and a request for cash reward. He remembered things used to be much calmer and safer when he was younger. Now things had changed, and everything was a threat, or… so it felt like it sometimes.
He stared up to the main deck and pulled a small stick next to him, it was all he really could do right this second… he had to wait for his access codes to show up and open the doors, but he could just wait in the lobby for the time being. Oh the glory of being a freshman on the job. He sighed and looked around, watching a group of young sprites talk in the far wing of the hall. He himself just groaned and slunk back into his chair and everything seemed to go so smoothly back then too. he reached down to his pants pocket, and drew out a small picture, it was when he was little and his ears had much more of a point to them back then…
"oh how the years have not been kind to me" he reached a hand up to touch along his burned off ear tips and tried to imagine that he did look normal, and that he was still welcomed here. Fat chance… he looked to his parents on either side of the photo and smiled. His mother was always a rather tall and large elf, but his father, he was the classic surly man with arms the size of the human computer monitor. How those two ever fell in love was beyond him, even to this day…
"Wheeler! Get in here!" he winced and slid the picture away and stood up. "Your access codes haven't arrived yet, but you will be working upper tonight," it was his commander, rude and yet, so charming at the same time…
"do you understand?" he asked and Wheeler blinked and nodded "yes sir" he let go, a weak smile and let his commanding officer take the lead.
"Tonight, they aren't going to go easy on ya little guy, just because you're a newbie, doesn't mean..."
"I know sir, I'm, prepared to work at my fullest esteem" Wheeler said rather proudly.
"Good, then I don't need to give you another lecture. You're riding the next flare, so I hope you're ready…"
"Yes sir, I... am" he had never rode the flares before, but... he had heard stories from some of the older LEP officers, someone went in a ship, and when the flare went off, the hull was breached, and he was burned alive.
"Felix," his commander was a few feet ahead and looking back at him. "Are you coming? Or are you just going to day dream?"
The smaller elf nodded and hurried after him, following his long strides. He linked his hand through the larger elf's arm and leaned against him, with a quiet sigh. "I'll come back home in one piece... I promise" his small hand slid down and laced fingers into the larger hand.