Page 2 of Testing the Kot'oll Officer

He straightens again, the stoic mask returning. “It is merely a beverage. But it may appear that I’ve been led astray by your insistence on ‘spicing up’ my protocols.” He looks at me, and I swear there's something in his gaze that makes my heart race—a mixture of challenge and something else I can't quite name.

“You can call me a guide to the reckless side of life.” I lean forward just enough for my auburn hair to cascade over my shoulder, inviting him into my world, even if just for a moment. “I promise you, one taste of chaos won’t dismantle your operating system.”

I would have added that this isn't the first time he's been here, but I'm not supposed to mention that unless he starts. That is also considered a patron's privacy, which I shall not talk about. That's the one and only rule for the bar and as a bartender.

He tiles his head to the side, seemingly deep in thought. He swipes his card and pays for his drink, then walks off with the glass in his hand without another word.

Now, he's gone with his back against me.

This is usually how our interaction ends. I'll try to get him to talk, which may or may not be successful depending on which side the wind blows. Then, at some point, he'll give that solid nod and leave, usually before I'm done with talking to him. Maybe that's his way of keeping a hint of mystery around him, which he has been successful.

Sometimes, I imagine a hug from him. Those arms and muscles are going to make him a good hugger. But I almost can't see him being someone like that. He may have to pull out a list of rules and check against every single one of them before he knows whether he can hug me, which is probably a no.

Knowing him, he's going to stay in a corner, as far away from the banging music in the bar as possible as he sips his drink, probably staring at an empty wall.

Weird.

Chapter 2

Vatok

I tap my foot on the skater robot as I glide down the dark streets. This is a smaller road that isn't as busy as the others, but some spaceships go here, too, and today, this is my patrol route. I'd much rather be up in the sky with the regular program, but a fellow is sick today, and the leader reassigned me.

There's a surge of warmth building in my stomach as I think about the bartender from last night. Somehow, she always does things to me when I meet her. Her laughter dances in my mind. Maybe, one day, I'll gather the courage to ask for her name. It isn't like she has it clipped onto her clothes like a server does in a restaurant, so...

Maybe that's for her to dodge weird beings out there with her name a bit better hidden away. As a police officer, I understand that, but as a semi-regular bar-goer, I want to know her name.

She has good hands too, effortlessly navigates the chaotic bar like a good traffic police officer in the midst of crazy traffic during peak hours. I can still picture her teasing smile and the way her bright eyes sparkled with mischief when she tossed playful jabs at her patrons. It’s an enchanting chaos that calls to me, even though it has never been my thing.

Tonight, the streets are quieter, the distant hum of spaceships leaving behind their trails of light in a blurry glow. I can't shake the image of her leaning over the bar, mixing drinks, a whirlwind of colors and laughter. For a moment, her life seems to be more interesting than mine.

I lift my brows at two spaceships parked on the streets, where that's not allowed. I pull out the scanning machine that will search up the registered number of these and send them a fine. Getting fined sucks, but that's the only way some will learn a lesson.

I swipe the machine at the two ships, tapping for their information on the screen.

The cute human bartender...

Sometimes, I wonder whether I'm in the bar for a drink after a shift or some jokes from her. She seems to find me silly, for some reason. I don't get it. Maybe I'm too serious for the bar. That'd make sense.

I know bars are somewhere where rules don't apply and one has to use their quick wit to deal with things that can pop up withouta warning. I try not to look at most things that don't involve me, not wanting to get into trouble. I'm not in the stores and bars compliance department, so I'm not in charge of making sure everyone behaves. More importantly, I don't think other beings will want to know that I'm a police officer. My job doesn't sound like fun to most, let alone bar-goers.

I go down another street after I scan these spaceships. If the road were wider, there might have been parking slots for them, but this isn't. Spaceships that descend from the sky may not be able to stop or slow down in time to avoid hitting these, causing extra risk on the road, which is good for no one.

This street looks better, but there is one lone spaceship randomly parked to the side, too.

It's so badly parked that... It's a diagonal against the side of the street, almost blocking half of the road. Even if this place is good to park, this is no way to park a spaceship. How did this being get their permit to even drive? If they don't know how to drive, they should attend lessons and figure themselves out, not cause problems with others.

I look around. There are a few barks from stray animals, but other than that, there's no being in sight.

Frustratingly, I want to shout at that being. This is one of the worst parked spaceships I've ever seen.

I pull the machine when someone shouts behind me.

"Wait! Don't fine my spaceship!"

There are barks following.

I turn around to...

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