"Hello, Kit," floated a sullen voice. Kit Piper bucked his chair and grabbed the edges of his desk, as if preventing himself from falling downward. He looked up at the voice's source standing in front of him and started panting a few breaths of relief.
"Jesus, Velo, why don't you ever knock? Just once?" Kristogar looked bemused, but the moment passed. "Velo! Man! I was worried about you. I told the team you were probably going to be back in a couple of days, that was a while ago! You're probably wondering what happened to the team you left, eh?"
"You could say that," Kristogar said as he glanced about the makeshift office. "I'm sure we've gotten healthily bigger without my presence."
Kit didn't get what Kristogar's tone implied, but he was used to that. "Yeah, we've got a lot of new guys now, but none that I'd think you'd disapprove of. It might take some time for them to grow on ya, but y'know..." Kit sat back in his chair and beamed. "Man, Velo! Things are certainly looking up with you around! I have a feeling business is picking up, and there's nothing we can't handle!" Kit got up to shake Velo's hand and perhaps squeeze his shoulder to properly re-introduce him into the team.
"Who do I have to let grow on me?"
Kit stopped. "Well, that was just a figure of speech, I didn't mean anyone in particular--"
"Kit..."
"His name's Dirk Bell." Kit almost cringed, expecting some sort of reaction or revelation, as was the norm when any name was dropped in front of Velo. But to his surprise, Kristogar just casually nodded and continued surveying the room about him.
"Alright. I'll try to reserve judgment. Now perhaps you can tell me what the hell we're doing in a fish factory?"
Kit smiled and gave a throaty chuckle. Squeezing Velo's shoulder, he led him out of the room. "C'mon, I'll show you around."
