Niko goes back to work

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2/15/99

Anya comes wandering in at last, thankfully missing Niko's suaveness. She's carrying a small box under one arm. Spotting the young man she grins broadly and promptly goes to ruffle his hair. "Niko, good to see you."

Niko mumbles something about having to ask his hair to stop emitting 'ruffle me' messages, but he's grinning nonetheless. "Same to you, of course. Oh... hey, thanks for the, uh, gifts. They were quite the hit when I opened them." And he's not even blushing, what a guy.

Anya seems to find that of vast amusement, ruffling the hair once more to set it mostly straight and then going to set her box down. "It's good to see you up and on your feet again." She chuckles quietly, "I'm glad you enjoyed it. After that note, I couldn't pass the cologne up."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko wiggles one foot. They're happy to be used again, yup. "Yeah," he says, now starting to look abashed. "That note, yeah." Ooh, time to change the subject. "Oh, yeah. Speaking of gifts, I brought Addie something from Hellas. Can I bring it to her sometime?" He hasn't yet mentioned what it is, nope, but that too-innocent smile should be setting off alarms.

And it does, Anya knows better than to trust smiles like that. "Is it alive?"

Niko shakes his head back and forth. "Of -course- not, Anya." And now his tone reflects that innocence, with a hint of injury for good measure. "I wouldn't bring your daughter a -living- gift." Mainly because he knows what Anya would do to him if he did.

Anya just groans softly, "I am -doomed-. Iolytus Casymed, just remember, revenge will be enacted as necessary."

Niko wrinkles his nose at the use of the first name, but as he had small children calling him 'Uncle Ioly' in the recent past, it doesn't hit quite so hard. "It'll be worth it," he says serenely. "When can I bring 'em by?"

Anya is all innocence herself for once, "How about sometime you're kidsitting?"

Niko considers that, then nods, with a quick grin. "Sure. I can do that. It'll be fun." He doesn't mind having small children torture him, after all. "You and Tony could likely use some time to yourselves and all. When would be good?"

Anya now looks even more suspicious. "Anytime you have the oppotunity. I can always use some time. It's been hectic lately. As far as I can tell, the Chief must have -no- free time normally."

Niko's head bobs in a nod at that latter statement, though he's still considering the former. "Hm. Far as I know, Ela doesn't have anything planned. You've got my schedule right there. Whenever works." A pause, and then he inquires, "You've got that washable paint on your walls, right?"

Anya pauses, considering this, "Nooooo," she says quietly, "We don't. It's a rental."

Niko hrms quietly. "Well, I'll have to find some dropcloths or something, then. What about your kitchen? Are the floors easily cleaned?"

Anya just -glares-, "Ni-ko, don't even -think- about doing anything that needs -dropcloths-." There's a pause, "You could use the Chief's office. It's terrifying now as it is. He's already going to go into cardiac, it can only be improved."

Niko's brows lift at that. "Terrifying? What happened? And should we really take Addie in there? Hrm... maybe if we move stuff off the desk, though I know Kya wasn't allowed to do that."

Anya just thumbs towards the door. "I cleaned off most of the desk, trying to get stuff done so he doesn't have to when he gets back. But you have to see it to believe it."

Niko pads over to Riley's door and opens it. He stares for a moment, looking decidedly stunned, then carefully closes the door. "Cardiac... you're not even kidding. Who -did- that?"

Anya only has one word, but it's loaded with apprehension. "Kyara."

Niko blinks as he returns to his seat. "But why would she... ack." Actually 'ack' is the closest phonetic spelling for that highly disturbed noise he makes. "I didn't think she'd take me -seriously-."

Anya just shakes her head, "I mean yellow's bad enough... but -art-? He's going to have a duck, or a penguin or something."

Niko mumbles, "Or a puffin, yeah." He shakes his head as he rummages through his paperwork, adding, "I think getting Addie to help redecorate is definitely a good idea."

Anya still looks wary, but nods, "It can only help. Maybe some more paint, a few penguins maybe."

Niko grins innocently. "Don't worry, Anya. Just leave it all to me." Oh, fear that look.

Anya does fear. A lot. She also groans quietly. "Just don't make it -worse-, please. The poor man's going to be horrified enough."

Niko shakes his head. "It'll be fine, Anya," he says brightly. "So when can I steal your daughter?"

Anya shakes her head, "Anytime you like. She's probably feeling neglected, poor kid."

Niko ponders that for a moment, looking like he's going through some sort of mental schedule. Yep, folks, his brain has a schedule. "When d'you get off shift today?"

Anya checks her chrono. Proof if any were needed that she's been doing Riley's job too long, she doesn't know by heart anymore. "Mid-afternoon."

Niko nods agreeably. "Good. I'm off a bit later, I think--maybe I can steal the kidlet and you and Tony can have some quality time or something?"

Despite the fear, Anya looks rather relieved at this suggestion. "Niko, I'd have to cannonize you."

Niko flashes a grin at that. "As long as that doesn't involve shooting me out of a cannon, that sounds grand." He hmms quietly. "Maybe they'd have some more of those skates... nah. Probably a bad idea, at least til -I- know what I'm doing on them."

Anya says dryly, "She can teach you maybe. The brat's been on those things nearly as long as she can walk. I had to staple Riley to a wall for that."

Niko laughs at that, with a shake of his head. "I should've known. I don't know that my ego could take that, though." He grins as he starts to fill out another sheet. "Besides, Ela seems mortally certain that I'm going to injure myself on those things. As medbay isn't all that conducive to babysitting, I think I'll pass. Might have to get more paints, though."

Anya just erks, "Paint? You want to give a two year old -paint-???"

Niko blinks mildly at Anya. "Yes. So? Already left some with the twins." He just hasn't received the hate-mail from their parents, yet.

"Niko, did perhaps your parents drop you on your head as a child," Anya's all but laughing.

Niko shakes his head. "Of -course- not," he says, his huffiness feigned. "They wouldn't -drop- me. I -fell-."

Anya harrumphs in mock affrontery, "I'll remember to have her in old clothes."

Niko grins at that. "Good idea. Though the stuff theoretically washes out fairly easily. I'm not -that- cruel."

"Now see, that's one of the fundamental lies of the universe. If they say it will wash off, they are wrong. Still, it can only improve the Chief's office. He can tell people it's modern art." Anya looks innocent now.

Niko shakes his head. "Well, then," he murmurs, at your first statement, "I should likely wait a bit before going back to Hellas." With another shake of his head and a few more scribbled lines on the forms, he nods. "Modern art. Sounds grand. Little kids do a good enough representation of that most of the time anyway."

Anya nods, "And anything's better than what his reaction would be to...well, an office that'd fit in on the fourth floor."

Niko echoes the nod with one short, sharp gesture. "What was Kyara -thinking-?" he murmurs. "By all that's holy, that place is just disturbing."

Anya shakes her head, "I haven't a clue as to what she was thinking. I mean don't get me wrong, the place needed a lick of paint and some dusting, but yellow? And art? And -slipcovers-? The quilt's not a half bad idea though..."

Niko nods yet again. "As much time as he spends sleeping in that place, yeah." He casts a look towards the corkboard of doom, and stifles a snicker. "Hmm. I guess we shouldn't blow up that one of him when he was green, and put it in there. He probably wouldn't appreciate that."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Anya considers this at length, "The green picture's not very good either, taken at a bad angle." She pauses, "As tempting as it is to print my whole stock of bad ones of him up large... Well, if somebody went into -my- private space and made it kind of hostile..."

Niko nods his agreement. "Tempting," he agrees, "But not the kindest thing in the world to do, no. I'm sure we can come up with something better than the -art-, though, if Addie and I get creative."

Anya nods, "Maybe after he's well, and has done something evil, then it'd be -revenge- see." She nods, "Something less fluffy. Maybe paste some penguin cutouts on the wall."

Niko inquires, with a grin, "Revenge is a dish best immortalized with a photo?" He nods, then, adding, "We can do penguins, sure. It's something he'd like. That'd be good. We've still got a bit of time to work with, too."

Anya rummages in a drawer and holds up a heavy duty data cube, the kind that can hold tons upon tons of pictures, "And multiple copies kept of, yes." She nods, "A week at best last I heard, two weeks on the long end. And then Dr. Aleron's going to haul him off a couple of days."

Niko nods at that, making no comments about a certain lack of always-rightness. "Yup, that's what he told me. He's looking better than he was before I went off to Hellas, but he's still got a ways to go, I'd say. Clara'll make sure he gets better, though."

Anya nods, "He's pretty much normal up to a point, and then just falls asleep. Like puppies when they're small." She rummages among the paperwork, "Just in time for his yearly review. Timing."

Niko's brows lift at that. "Ack," he says quietly. "That doesn't sound good at all. That's a massive amount of paperwork, right?"

Anya nods ruefully. "Huge amounts of paperwork on the Complex, and then review by a board of AF powers that be."

Niko blinks at that. "Uh, okay, -when- is this review again?"

Anya moves to check her board, "Little less than a month."

Niko shakes his head. "Lovely," he murmurs. "Well, at least it's not in a week and a half. Could be worse."

Anya nods, "At the longest estimate it still gives him two weeks"

Niko echoes the nod, pencil tapping a quick staccato before he scrawls another few bits of the form. "Is there any of that that we can take care of for him, or does he have to do it all?"

Anya considers this a moment, "Some of the preliminary paperwork, we coulf take a shot at." She pauses and considers you a moment, "Though it can wait."

Niko catches that momentary consideration, and returns it with a look of inquiry. "Whatever I can do to help, just toss it at me," he says mildly.

Anya shakes her head, "When you've had more time to get back up to speed yourself."

Niko really tries to sound patient, though he's clearly a little frustrated by this. "Anya, please. Clara cleared me to come back to work. This stuff," he says, with a gesture towards the paperwork, "Isn't that bad. I could've done it weeks ago."

Anya nods, "But getting this stuff done is beyond just paperwork. It involves invetories, and interviews, and scans and such."

Niko nods agreeably. "And I can do -that-, too. I'm fine, Anya. Really. Heck, I managed to deal with my entire family for two days. I think I can handle more than paperwork."

ANya shrugs almost apologetically, "We'll see. This is just your first day back after all."

Niko nods slowly at that. He turns his gaze back to his paperwork, saying idly, "Clara got me a nerf bat for my birthday. I'm wondering if maybe she should've given it to Ela instead." Okay, that's kind of relevant.

Anya pauses to consider this a moment. "To Ela? So she can beat you? Have you been driving her nuts?"

Roland arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Roland has arrived.

Niko mmhmms absently, brows furrowing as he tries to remember a particular number. "Query rates are annoying," he decides, nodding to Roland as he gets to his feet to hunt up the appropriate number.

Roland wanders in shuffling through a small pile of papers and returns the nod to Niko, wandering up to the reception desk. "Could I get more information on this little bugger here, please?" Hey, he said please. He's learning.

Anya nods, but unlike Riley she doesn't have the numbers memorized. Also because her player's forgotten which number it was. She blinks at ROland, "Bugger?"

Roland he nods and turns one of the papers around and sets it down on the desc. It's a flattering (not!) mug shot of some thug. "He apperently lost a poker game or something, and I hafta go track him down." He rolls his eyes, not anyone could tell though.

Kyara arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Kyara has arrived.

Roland is leaning on the reception desk casually, having a small brief chat with Anya on something.

Anya blinks a few times more at Roland, "I'm not sure how we're expected to be of help..."

Niko is paging through a series of forms, muttering about query rates. He's intent on them, and doesn't notice Kyara yet.

Roland blinks back at Anya. "Uh, how about any information you have on him? Rap sheets, history, his favorite music, what size shoes he wears, anything?"

Kyara rushes in, a bit breathless. "I'm sorry I'm late, Niko! I, uh, forgot to set my wake-up alarm last ni..." She halts at spotting Roland, and beams. "Mr. DeMario! I didn't expect to see you in here today. I do apologize for nodding off last night during your story."

Niko peers over his shoulder at Kyara, with a blink. "No worries," he says mildly. "I'm hardly one to criticize for tardiness, after all." He lifts a sheaf of papers in greeting, then goes back to them.

Anya does not sigh, although it's only by dint of will. "You're a civillian. If someone came in here and asked for that information about you, would you appreciate me handing it out?" There's a shake of her head, "I don't have the authority to release that information without a writ or court order."

Roland looks over his shoulder, gives Kyara a wave and says quikly, "It's all right. Nice room, by the way." He turns back to Anya and after giving a brief blink at her words, reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small folded bounty-contract. "This worth anything in this matter or am I fishing in the wrong lake with the wrong lure?"

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Anya shakes her head, "You'd have to talk to somebody with more authority, or bring me a writ. Bounty hunting's barely legal on this planet, let alone supported."

Niko? Who's Niko? Kya's attention is fully on Roland as she steps up to the desk beside him. "I'm glad you like it. Perhaps to make up for my inattentiveness I could listen to the rest of your story, perhaps over dinner tonight?" She pauses, glancing back and forth between Anya and Roland. "Problem?"

Niko ahas as he finds the appropriate number, chanting it under his breath while he returns the forms and heads back to his desk. "There," he murmurs. "Someday I'll just learn the thing, so I won't have to hunt it up every single time." At the p-word, he glances over to Anya's desk as well.

Roland taps his finger on the desk while listening to Anya. After she finishes he blinks at her, vainly trying to think of something to say in response. Fortunantly Kyara comes and saves the day. "Problem? Ah, no. I guess. What was that about dinner?"

Anya offers an apologetic look, "I can offer you the number of a judge's office if you want to get a writ. Or if it can wait a couple of weeks, the Chief -might- have the authority, not sure though."

Kyara gives Roland a warm smile. "Dinner, on me. At the Fruvous or down in the dining hall, your choice."

Roland blinks at Kyara then grins. "Who am I to refuse a ladies offer?" He nods his head at Kyara then turns to Anya. "Likewise. The judge's office will do for now."

Anya scrawls a number on a piece of paper and offers it to Roland with a nod.

Kyara beams happily. "Alrighty then. You can pick me up here whenever you're ready for dinner then." She makes her way around the desk and to the office's coffee mugs, and begins to scrub them, whistling merrily, if slightly off-key.

Niko shamelessly eavesdrops, one ear turned to the conversation as he scribbles on the form in question. The off-key-ness of the whistling gets a faint grimace, but Niko doesn't comment, gaze still on that form.

Roland takes the paper, peering at it. "Hmm, okay, thank you," he says to Anya then watches Kyara go a merrily scrubbing along. "All right... at, ah, five then."

Kyara nods with a grin to Roland. "Five it is then. That'll give me a chance to change into something more comfortable."

Roland blinks a couple times and shrugs. "All right. See you then." He turns around and heads out.

Roland heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Roland has left.

Kyara sighs blissfully. As she's grinning to much to whistle, she settles for humming the same merry tune.

Anya just looks disturbed. As well she might. "Always an adventure."

Niko nods his agreement, murmuring, "It's not just a job..." He grins over his shoulder, then, chuckling, turns back to that paperwork.

Kyara giggles. "Ah, you'd be bored if it wasn't, Anya."

Anya just shakes her head and goes to rummage for fresh paperwork in a drawer, muttering about timing and yearly reviews and bounty hunters.

Kyara heys, "Bounty hunters aren't all that bad. At least, not that one. He's kind of... interesting."

Niko considers Kyara's statement for a few moments, after a glance at Anya and a mild grimace. "Yeah, I guess so," he agrees finally. "Depends how you mean the word."

Anya tugs lose a folder from the back of a drawer and sets about examining its contents. "Wherever he was stationed before, the law must've been a lot more lax."

Kyara settles back in her chair, the cup in her hands forgotten momentarily. "You know, /interesting/. The kind of guy who works his way into your thoughts every five minutes." She gives Anya a curious look. "What makes you ay that?"

Niko murmurs, quietly enough that his comment could go unheard, "That's not one of the translations."

Anya shrugs, "If he thought we'd actually give him unauthorized information."

Kyara gives Niko an amused look. "Sure it is. Elasia's /interesting/ to you, isn't she?" She glances back toward Anya, starting to scrub again. "Well, he /did/ do you a favor. It'd only be honorable to return it."

Anya shakes her head, "It's not honorable to break the vows I made to the AF because he did something someone paid him to do."

Niko nods his agreement to that. "She's interesting to me, but that's not what the word means." He also nods to Anya's words.

Kyara blushes slightly, looking away from Anya. "Okay, Niko, what's it mean then?"

Niko rattles off a string of words in Hellenic, reaching for another form. "Most of it," he adds, switching back to Standard, "Doesn't translate too well. 'Interesting' is about as close as you get."

Kyara blinks. "How very helpful."

Niko offers a faint grin. "Hey, you asked."

Anya spreads the mass of paperwork out on the desk and starts seperating it into three stacks.

Kyara rolls her eyes. "Oh c'mon, you've gotta admit the life of a bounty hunter must be exciting. All the tales he must have to tell... and he's so strong... and /handsome/ too. He's perfect."

Niko puts down his pencil with a clatter, turning to Kyara with overwide eyes. "Y'know, you're -right-. Hey, think he'll have me?" He maintains that ridiculously earnest expression for a moment, then, with a grin, takes up the pencil once more. "Sorry, Kya. I'm not quite the one to appreciate handsomeness."

Kyara snickers. "Okay, well, take my word for it- he is."

Niko nods agreeably enough. "Good," he says mildly. "That's good." He peers at his chrono, then murmurs, mostly to himself, "Maybe she's out of that meeting."

Kyara eyes Niko for a moment, and grins. "Yup, she's 'interesting' alright."

Niko's gaze shifts to Kyara. "Yes," he agrees, with a quick smile. "But she's more than that. Interesting is not a strong enough word."

Kyara ahs, sitting back in her chair. "What /is/ a strong enough word then?"

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko murmurs a phrase in Hellenic, brows lowering as he attempts to come up with a translation. Finally, he says softly, with a shake of his head, "She's the part of me that I didn't know was missing."

Kyara ooohs softly. "That's /so/ romantic. You should have something inscribed with that."

Niko nods his agreement, expression thoughtful. "Yeah. Yeah, I should."

Kyara's eyes narrow. "But not an engagement ring, something else."

Niko's brows lift at that. "Hm?" he inquires, looking back to Kyara. "Why not?"

Kyara frowns. "A little soon to be thinking along those lines, isn't it?"

Niko lifts his shoulders in a small shrug. "Thinking is one thing. Asking is another. Besides, I've known Ela since I was a kid."

Kyara shrugs. "And when was the last time you saw her before a few weeks ago? People change."

Niko says mildly, "It was back on Evinast, before I came here. And people change, yes." A hint of irony to his tone, he adds, "I'm not about to leap into anything, Kya. You can relax."

Kyara nods slightly, her expression softening somewhat. "I just don't want you getting hurt, Niko." The unspoken 'again' seems quite palpable to her.

Niko shakes his head, making a few notes on his page. "That's not going to happen," he says, his tone one of quiet confidence. And if he hears that 'again', he ignores it. What's past is past.

Kyara's nod becomes firmer. "You're right, it's not." She's going to make sure of that, see.

Niko's brows lift a bit as he peers at Kyara. He can't read her thoughts, not quite, but he knows her well enough to be suspicious. "Uh, yes. That's what I said."

Kyara merely returns the peer with a bland smile. "Why don't you see if she's out of that meeting and go take her to lunch or something?"

Niko looks a bit quizzical at that. "Uh, because I'm still on duty? Besides, I'm going over to Anya's once I'm off." A quick, wicked grin crosses his face.

Kyara coughs. "Niko, you're entitled to a lunch brea..." She blinks, eyes flicking towards Anya and back to Niko. "Going to Anya's? Why?"

Niko's manner is a little too innocent for safety. "I'm just going to look after Addie for a bit, so Anya and Tony can have some time to themselves."

Kyara's eyes narrow. "Uh huh. Very kind of you, I'm sure." A pause as the curiosity builds. "Okay, Niko, what're you up to?"

Niko shakes his head slowly back and forth. "Hey, I like kids," he says cheerfully. "Why would I be up to anything?"

Kyara wags a finger at him. "Because you have that expression I do when I'm embarking on evil."

Niko just shakes his head. "Addie and I are just going to have fun together."

Kyara inclines her head slightly. "Addie's, what, a few years old?"

Niko holds up two fingers. "Smart kid, though, for two."

Kyara nods, smiling sweetly. "I'd recommend finger painting. With pudding."

Niko pauses a beat, then shakes his head. "We were thinking about using paint." He gestures vaguely towards Riley's office. "Maybe do a penguin or something."

Kyara blinks, then grins. "That's a /fantastic/ idea!"

Niko chuckles quietly. "Thank you. I'm glad you approve." He risks a glance towards the busily-working Anya, adding, "She wouldn't let us paint in her house. Can't imagine why."

Kyara giggles softly. "Because the resale value would drop?"

Niko shakes his head, expression serious despite the glint of humor in his eyes. "Nah. It's a rental."

Kyara snickers. "They'd be evicted then."

Niko shakes his head once more, finally letting that grin to peek out. "We wouldn't be -that- bad. But painting on walls," he admits, "Will be more fun. I wanted to do that with the twins, but there wasn't a lot of time. Well, that and my sister would have commited great evil upon me."

Kyara grins. "See, you need to arrange it so that she wouldn't find out til after you left."

Niko admits, with a faint grin, "She didn't know that I gave them the paints, not when I left. But there still wasn't time to show them what all they could do with them."

Kyara snickers. "I didn't know you had it in you, Niko. I'm proud of you."

Niko's brows lift very slowly at that. "Uh, thank you. I think."

Kyara cackles... er, chuckles, softly. "Did you ever figure out why the tangler kicked in the green prematurely?"

Niko shakes his head. "I need to get back on that, actually. Maybe tomorrow. My schedule's just getting more and more full." And, unsurprsing when you consider his relative lack of schedule-ness, he seems thrilled about that.

Kyara nods sympathetically. "Especially with the Chief being out of action, eh? Anything I can do to help?"

Niko shakes his head. "Nope. I can handle it. Anya's not letting me do as much as I'd like anyway."

Kyara sighs. "Ditto."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko starts to say something, then looks up at the chime. "Huh. She's likely out of that meeting by now. Scuse me a minute?"

Kyara nods courteously. "Of course. Who am I to stand in the way of true love?"

Niko chuckles quietly at that, brows arching fractionally. "I'm just going to comm her, Kya."

You say "Hon? You out of that evil meeting yet?" into the communit.

Kyara chuckles, returning her attention to mug-scrubbing.

Your communit crackles to life and blares "Heya' love. Yeah, just been back long enough to change." in Elasia's voice.

You say "Changing is good. Just figured I'd let you know that I'm not sure when I'm going to be back. I told Anya I'd look after Addie for a bit tonight--one of the conditions of that, uh, gift I brought back for the kidlet." into the communit.

Kyara starts laughing quietly.

Your communit crackles to life and blares "Ahhh, thanks for the heads up. I appreciate it. Have fun with the kidlet." in Elasia's voice.

Niko casts a puzzled look at Kyara, though he doesn't say anything to her, the better to keep up that comm-conversation.

You say "No problem, love. And I'm sure we'll have a blast. I'll give you a buzz if I know when I'll be heading back." into the communit.

Your communit crackles to life and says "Thanks." *chuckle* "lAter then." in Elasia's voice.

You say "Later, yup!" into the communit.

Kyara is down to snickers. "What in the /world/ did you bring Addie?"

Niko says mildly, as he puts down that comm-united wrist, "Fingerpaints. No big deal."

Kyara chuckles. "You're evil."

Niko nods amiably. "It's genetic."

Kyara thinks about that for a moment. "Oh dear. Thank goodness Riley's not the vengeful type."

Niko says drolly, "I -saw- that office, Kya. You're very lucky he's not."

Kyara blinks, giving Niko a blank look. "Beg pardon? His office looks nice."

Niko shrugs at that. "Well, that may be, but is it what -Riley- would like? Painting on the walls? Slipcovers? And I didn't mean to paint it the same color as those scary vinyl uniforms..."

Kyara grins faintly. "He likes yellow. He told me so. And the slipcovers are cozy."

Niko says mildly, "Liking yellow is one thing. Being surrounded by it in your -office- is quite another. And the slipcovers don't seem very..." He searches for a word. "Rileyan. Rileyesque."

Kyara ponders that thoughtfully. "I could make 'em with pictures of skates on 'em."

Niko shakes his head. "I'm not going to tell you what to do with them." He'd ditch them, that's what -he'd- do.

Kyara looks amused. "I didn't ask you to."

Niko's brows lift at that, but he doesn't comment, instead turning back to his paperwork. "True."

Kyara nods, humming merrily again as she concentrates on mug cleaning. "Of course it is. I wouldn't say it if it weren't true."

Niko mmhmms absently. Paperwork. Busy, busy. Scratch scratch scratch goes the pencil. (Ding ding ding goes the bell?)

Kyara reaches over, digs into a desk drawer, and pulls out a few dozen pencils, all very sharp and rubber-banded together. She lays these on the edge of Niko's desk.

Niko blinks at the sudden and random appearance of the pencils. "Thank you?" he says, looking a bit puzzled as he lifts his gaze from the form. "This one's fine, though," he adds, with a gesture towards the pencil in his hand. "Matter of fact, I'm just about done." He scrawls 'INC' at the bottom of the form, then gathers up his paperwork.

Kyara shrugs. "I got bored and sharpened a bunch of 'em yesterday. They're there if you need 'em."

Niko nods amiably as he drops his paperwork into one of the boxes. "Thanks, Kya. 'preciate it. I don't think I'll take 'em with me, though. No sense in arming Addie, after all. Those suckers look sharp."

Kyara snickers. "That's probably wise. She'll do enough damage with the fingerpaints."

Niko tucks away a few more things, then grins cheerfully as Kaycen walks into Security. "Good timing." He heads over to exchange a few words with the older man. "And I'm -fine-," he concludes, mock-irritably. "Later folks. Thanks again, Kya. Catch y'all later."

You head towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

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