My first encounter with who would be the bane of my existence happened on my third day at work. Auriga had trusted me with the headset alone after training me the day prior and had left to go on break.
The headset wasn't designed for human heads, but I was feeling optimistic at the angle I'd put it on being sustainable for my shift. And I felt very productive at my input speed on the interface for logging reports in the right places for Mr. Mortius to access. I was also pleasantly warm in my nude tone cardigan and long sleeve blouse.
I was minding my own business being a merry little worker bee when the elevator dinged and I glanced up from my work. My breath interrupted by the snow white Turian in the golden slim gown stepping into what was soon to be my office space.
"Can I help you?" I put on my friendly secretary voice, and the scathing look she gave me with her amber eyes framed by abstract, swan-esque copper face markings almost made me wilt into my chair.
"Where's Lektus?" Her tone was cold even though her clear soprano voice was angelic. She was exactly what I imagined a Turian supermodel to be like in looks and elegant bodyshape. I swear I could see metallic golden shimmer in the spaces between her dermal plates.
"Haha, she's on break right now actually. But I'm sure I can help you with whatever you nee—"
"Seriously? Stop talking to me." Her stare was unimpressed and she blinked a lot as she surveyed me like I displeased her gaze. I hadn't received my first paycheck to buy the right clothes so her intense scrutiny turned my face red as I cast my own down at my desk.
She dismissed me without another word, and let herself in past the fogged glass automatic door that I wasn't allowed through to the CEO's office. And that was my first encounter with Delphina, the leading representative for the company, and I was floored and scrambling mentally from it.
My productive streak electrocuted with a taser I fumbled with Spread to get back into the hang of things and shakily asked the VI to run me through my outstanding tasks again.
Her presence felt like a weight on my shoulders or a lump in my throat that I couldn't swallow. And when Auriga got back, she could tell I was frazzled, frowning, she checked over my tasks marked as completed thoroughly, and I felt my heart sink as she started speaking,
"Leena, you've marked down two appointments incorrectly and categorised this report wrong…" she wasn't mad, but she was disappointed.
"Sorry, I'll fix those right away."
"Alright…" she didn't say anything more, but I wished she had, maybe she'd be less disappointed if I'd explained myself. But the best I could do was try and make up for it now that she was back. And to her credit, somehow, when Delphina left Mr. Mortius's office she had a perfectly polite conversation with Auriga without even acknowledging me.
For now, that was better than being in her line of fire. But I told myself next time I would brace myself every time I saw her coming. It turned out that she needed to see a HR complaint she submitted to correct herself. Something I knew how to help her with thanks to Auriga, had she given me the time of day.
But that was neither here nor there. My breaktime couldn't come too soon, as I'd finally mustered up the courage to try those couches. And I wasn't disappointed, my stress melted away into the foam cushioning as I drank my coffee from my thermos and breathed a long, relieved sigh. Earning a chuckle from Auriga over at the desk.
"You don't understand, I've been wanting to sit on these since my first day," I admitted, and Auriga giggled some more.
"Well, enjoy it for the next fifteen minutes before I steal you again."
Closing my eyes to bask in it, I was at peace until my legs were lightly bumped and I started. "Sorry," I quickly amended, and a light breath of laughter came from the teenage Turian who had bumped me.
"No it's my fault," he corrected, dropping his bag on the coffee table carelessly and sitting on the couch beside me like he owned the place, his crest tucked in a beanie and his outfit quite rebellious.
He seemed familiar with the place, and Auriga was not bothered by him at all. "Are you Morgan?" I asked him, leaning a little closer curiously. He had very dark blue eyes and grey sleek markings on his face.
"Hm? Oh, yeah, nice to meet you." He confirmed and held out his hand, I smiled at his friendly nature and shook it eagerly,
"I'm Leena, I'm the new secretary-in-training."
"You don't say? I wouldn't peg you for what the stiffs here would usually hire. You actually seem cool." I beamed at the casual, friendly chatter. Feeling like I was building instant rapport with Morgan Mortius. Which was a much needed boost after Delphine. If Morgan was this chill, maybe I had hope to befriend my boss too?
"Where are you from by the way?"
"I'm from Earth actually, this is my first time off-planet." I giggled sheepishly in excitement at how fresh and new this all was to me.
"Oh, sweet. How is it living on the Citadel in comparison?"
"It's much more colourful here." I admitted, "there's so much to see, and with everything being a melting pot of galactic races. I can't wait to taste desserts from other places."
He laughed a breathy exhale, "maybe don't with Turian foods. We're dextro amino acid. Our food will kill you and visa versa."
"Oh! Thanks for the warning, then," I chattered, that was a close one, would a bakery have even risked selling me dextro food without telling me? Probably not, but still. Wow. That would take some getting used to.
"Riga hasn't been being too hard on you right?"
"I can hear you." Auriga interjected from her seat, and I chuckled,
"No, no. She's lovely. I'm so grateful for her help. But this conversation was certainly giving me an idea in my head, after all, I loved baking. Making treats for people was one of my favourite things to do. If I could look into dextro ingredients…
It was hard to wipe the grin off my face at the prospect, even when my break was over, I even whipped up a mean pleasant hum while I typed away. Every now and then I could see Morgan moving over in the couch area, and realised before long that he was doing homework.
It made a lot of sense, this room was so quiet, perfect for studying. I wonder what he wanted to be when he grew up, I'd always wanted to open my own cafe. But hadn't the funds to get started, life cost so much credits just to live. Still, I loved to dream that I could make it happen someday.
When my shift was over, and I'd piled myself into a taxi cab, I gravitated towards the radio and the autopilot controls, turning on the outside cameras to light up the HUD with the beautiful lights of the city in the dark, with electronic trance music vibing quietly in the background.
I sighed in wonder at just what a view it was, and it was soul-cleansing to sit back and admire on the way home cruising slowly and safely. No hurry. Just my time to unwind and process how far I'd come. In four more days I was going to be the sole assistant to the CEO of a multi-trillion dollar company.
What an accomplishment from the humble admin jobs I'd come from. "Dad, I wish you could see this…" I spoke as if to him across space with a sobering smile. "You'd be so proud."