Back on the Chain Gang

Posted on Sun Mar 1st, 2020 @ 4:46am by Plexie Natalya Petrovich & Plexie Zane Ryan

Mission: Bright and Shiny things
Location: Deck 3 - The Hub
Timeline: Morning

The queue stretched and wound its way through the hub. Zane wasn't counting but if he had to guess, which he was, there were at least 8,000 people sitting, leaning, laying and passing time until the lottery results got posted. It was Zane's understanding that this was the casual line, the real mess started once everyone had to get in numeric order. They were arranged in alphabetical order from 的 to 他. It was destined to be a snake line from hell, Zane was glad his father only forced him into the morning shift. He looked at the mix of spacers in the line. He was fairly certain most of them could and would kick his ass. He was just there to provide information and hope folks were amused enough to listen to him. He was getting paid. As mush as working sucked, he wanted the money. His blossoming relationship with Natalya was going to start costing him. She was from a family that had stuff, he couldnt keep her interest with videogames and fast food. As much as he hated it, he was going to have to grow up beyond petty theft and vandalism. For once in his life, he didn't mind the thought.

"Hey! Hey! If you all could move against the walls and leave some space for folks to get through that would be mighty congenial. Results will be posted in one hour. One hour! Grab some food and get a friend to hold your place in line and take care of whatever the hell you have to." Zane shouted out, paraphrasing the instructions he received in training. A few folks in line even shifted over for him but as a whole they ignored him. Zane just looked out at the crowd powerless to do much of anything with them. This morning sucked.

Almost on cue, Zane caught sight of something to lift his spirits, a vision of sexy curves in tight white jeans and a pink polo selling donuts to a waiting crowd. A wide smile spread across his face. "Hey Nat! What's shiny today?"

This was the most ridiculous thing Natalya had ever heard of...or done. This was not what she wanted to be doing at work or with her day. Or really, at all. Why couldn't her brother just let her stay in the shop! She let out a groan as she ran through every sort of thing she could call Dimitri as she shifted the stupid box. It was still packed with fresh donuts, scents that were so very obviously making the people actually want to talk to her. Well...not technically, but it did mean she had to play nice. Mostly. The catcalls from a trio of men had made her want to shove donuts in their faces.

Or maybe she could just tell her papa...

Natalya let out a sigh as she glanced back into the box. Clearly this was going just the way her brother had thought. Which meant if she went back with it empty he'd re-fill it and send her back out. Unless, she just carried it around after it was empty. That was a wickedly pleasing thought, that brought a small smile to her face.

The smile stayed in place as she turned to face Zane. Seemed both of them had been made to work this stupid go si. "Nothing. Nothing about today is shiny, Zane."

"I don't know, from what i see it's getting a lot shinier. At least you don't have everyone totally ignoring everything you say. I have no idea why I agreed to do this for my dad. Actually I didn't agree to anything. This was cash only." Zane looked at Natalya, then at her donut box, and then back at Natalya. Both looked like good things at the moment. Zane flashed her a puppy dog look. "You wouldn't have a spare apple fritter that is just about to fall out of your box would you?"

He looked down at her box of sugary goodness gazing at the variety of tasty treats as he suddenly noticed his view being framed by the curve of her polo. He quickly shot his eyes back up to hers. "I mean what's your brother gonna do if you come back with one less donut. Just say one of these animals in line here grabbed it." he gave her a sheepish smile.

"Like this animal?!" a voice suddenly said right behind Zane. He turned slowly to find an enormous spacer standing behind him. "You got a question, sir?" Zane asked in a challenging yet semi responsible voice as a line information guy. The big man shoved him out of the way. "Yeah how much for a half dozen of these little lady?" Zane tried wedging himself back in next to Natalya.

Her eyes widened in surprise before narrowing into blue slits. This. This was why she didn't want to be out here. Nat tossed a quick glance towards Zane wondering just how far he was wiling to go with the much bigger spacer just to try to protect her. Or maybe he was trying to be that good ole boy. But Natalya much preferred the bad boy type. "Since I'm not a delivery service, you can march right down to Donuts Czar Us and ask my brother. Dimitri Petrovich."

The spacer took a step back from Natalya at the mention of the name Petrovich. He looked annoyed but uncertain as to his next course of action. The family was well known and rather feared for a simple Donut shop. Waking his arm at her the Spacer turned around. "Never mind, too expensive."

Zane moved in a bit closer to Natalya, trying to stare down the spacer that was now walking away. "Yeah, get back in line." He looked into Natalya's eyes, "Hwen dan! This job sucks." he unclipped his volunteer badge. "You wanna get outa here?"


Natalya couldn’t help but smirk at the spacer’s reaction as he took a step back. She’d come to learn just how much weight her last name carried and knew when to attempt to use it, like now. It wasn’t the donuts that were too expensive, but more along the lines of making the wrong move or saying the wrong thing to a Petrovich. Especially the baby girl.

Curious blue eyes watched Zane as he unclipped his badge and she shifted the box in her arms. It was almost empty, but there was also the small thing of the money. She couldn’t just take off with it...the repercussions would be too great. Nat let out a sigh, “Can’t. Gotta get back to the shop.”

Zane's face dropped. "C'mon Nat, this is lame. Lets go mess with stuff up on Two. Security will have their hands full here." he pleaded to her sense of mischievousness.

Truthfully she would much rather go join him, but Nat didn't feel like dealing with both her father and her parents if she didn't get the money back to the shop. Ugh. But Zane wasn't being too appealing with the whining, "Don't whine, Zane."

Zane looked a little shocked, possibly hurt by the directness of her words. "Its cool Nat, I get it. You get bored come find me, I always got a little more trouble to get in with you." He gave her a conciliatory smile as he dropped the ID tag on the floor and started walking for the escalator to Deck 2.

She gave the tag a kick with the toe of her sneaker. Maybe she shouldn't have been so blunt, but if anyone could take her bluntness it had to be Zane. He'd get over it. Her brother on the other hand... Natalya gave one last look at all the people in line before heading off back towards her family's donut shop.