-mini story- Zipp Storm BUSTED- by Colonist!

Hitch: Another day, another lovely uneventful patrol!

*In another time and location away from our usual protagonists, Hitch Trailblazer, the local county sheriff, was wrapping up his day after getting back from his usual rounds around the unincorporated area that his department was in charge of. He always fancied balancing the field work with the administrative work that a sheriff would normally be doing more of. Unfortunately, due to a previous incident involving the last lone deputy, it had become more of a necessity than Hitch would’ve liked. Still, the varying workload wasn’t too bad. So long as he packed adequate donuts and grabbed a large coffee smoothie from his friend Sunny before heading out, he was able to manage both.*

Hitch: One look in the interdepartmental mailbox under Sheriff Trailblazer…and there are no pending assignment to start on before clock out time!

*“Clock out time” was more of a formality. In a true supervisory fashion (in line with the department he ran), Hitch was only required to punch in at the start. Technically, he could leave for home at anytime even though doing so would poorly reflect on his professionalism. Still, he loved the symbolic gesture.

Hitch: I wonder if Zipp’s clocked out yet. That girl really needs to learn to leave work at work and go home at a regular time.

*Down the hall from his office were a couple other rooms that served as both the evidence storage lockers and the forensic laboratory. If Zipp was still around for work, that’s where she’d be. Hitch swung around the former and peeked inside.*

Hitch: Zipp?

*No answer; maybe she’s in the lab.*

Hitch: …Zephyrina? (Boy, I’m pushing my luck with that one!)

*Zipp’s full first name was sure to get a loud disapproval in response had she been in earshot, but it looks like she was indeed gone for the day.*

Hitch: It’s about time she got out of the lab on time. With that, it’s about that time for me to head off!…and go on-call…

*As one of the few law enforcement officials in the area, Hitch lead from the front and often went on-call. Thankfully, the region was low in crime and most of the few hastily-deputized individuals were able to handle it just fine. Strange moving figures bumping over a trash can? It’s probably raccoons. Fender bender at dusk? No problem; the drivers would just exchange insurance information and work it out with those entities.*

Hitch: Even with the low chance of being called in, I doubt that anyone would enjoy being on-call.

*The sheriff opened the door to his office and took off his belt and boots before throwing both into the room. It was habit for him to get out of the on-duty garb and into something more off-duty and comfortable before heading out. What he didn’t expect this time around was hearing someone else on the receiving end.*

Zipp: Ow! What the hell, Hitch!

*Hitch recognized Zipp’s voice immediately, and his head perked up at it.*

Hitch: Wait, she’s still here? Wait, what’s she doing in my office?

*He half-burst into the room - half the way he would when breaching a hostile door, half the way he would when entering through his bedroom door. The sight both puzzled and pleasantly surprised him (though his initial expression reflected more shock in a mix of the former couple of adjectives). *

Zipp: Hitch, dude! I’m getting undress - I’m getting dress -

*Hitch chuckled as he held up a reassuring hand.*

Hitch: Relax, deputy. You’re getting undressed to get redressed in your street clothes.
Zipp: Y-yeah.
Hitch: Me too! Sorry about the boot.
Zipp: No problem. I sometimes get shoes thrown at me when my sister’s particularly annoyed. Mind looking away for a bit?
Hitch: Hey, it’s my office! What happened to the evidence locker or the lab?
Zipp: Sterile environments, my guy. I’ve always kitted up and down in your office whenever you’re not around.
Hitch: Fine, I’ll face the wall. I’m a professional man!
Zipp: Hehe, I know you are. I’ll try to return the favor.
Hitch: No complaints if you don’t. You see my old calendar over there, right?

*Zipp looked at the wall across from here as Hitch started to get into his street clothes. Yep, it was the calendar that he posed in for all twelve months of that year. It was the result of a lost bet during his time in the academy, but the other cadets didn’t expect him to take it in such stride.* 

Zipp: (thinking) With his positive attitude and go-getting attitude, it’s no wonder the man made sheriff so quickly!
Hitch: So, deputy?
Zipp: Only on paper, Hitch. We’re friends. Call me by the same four letters that you’d call me when you’re not on duty.
Hitch: Haha, so still not the nine-lettered one.
Zipp: Not if you want to end up “New Sheriff Needs Electing” signs littering everyone’s lawns!
Hitch: Wow, okay, okay! Anyway, why are you here after official office hours? I’m not aware of any cases that need any overtime analyzing and perusing. You’re not in graduate school anymo
re, Zipp!
Zipp: True, I’m not working my thesis anymore.
Hitch: The - what’s it?
Zipp: Thesis. Hypothesis that gets proven in an extensive experiment laid out on paper…in layman’s terms at least.
Hitch: Sounds too scientifical to me!
Zipp: Scientific. And you got to learn this stuff man!
Hitch: Heh, they always focused more on investigative skills and securing the scene that they did with evidence analysis with my pay grade. That’s why we got your position in the department budget, and it always seems to work out!
Zipp: *sigh* I got back from a meeting.
Hitch: Not unsanctioned, I hope. That sort of thing is my department, Zipp. Outside of your official lab capacities, your deputized powers are only in effect when I’m giving the order or when you’re with me out there.
Zipp: Not that kind of meeting - the kind with like-minded ex-colleagues in an industry I was once part of.
Hitch: Graduate school?
Zipp: Yeah: - my principal investigator. Quite brilliant, but he’s a real lecher. Handsome man though, and never without a shortage of impressionable female graduate students at his disposal.
Hitch: Good to know that I’m the polar opposite of what this guy sounds like.
Zipp: I’ll say. Either way, I heard that he was pioneering a new methodology of evidence analysis and was offering to give me an off-the-record demonstration when we met up on one condition: I show up wearing something…that his old female graduate students would wear during his “office hours.”
Hitch: Yikes.
Zipp: Indeed, but I learned a lot. I’m confident that if I show up for a few more meetings, I’ll be able to take some of that knowledge back here and see how it would apply in my lab setup.
Hitch: Remember the department budget, Zipp.
Zipp: Of course, of course. It’s my own side project and nothing else.
Hitch: Good. Pffft, I was about to say that you’re not really known as a stockings and sleeveless blouse type of woman.
Zipp: And you’re not the kind of guy who’d tell my sis or stare, right?
Hitch: *gasp* Of course not! I resent such an accusation!

*Hitch turned around to face his friend out of reflex - just in time to meet her shocked eyes and her full-frontal nudity. He wasn’t sure which one he looked at first.*

Zipp: Hitch, dude!
Hitch: Oh! Um, shoot! Uh…I’m looking at your eyes?
Zipp: *sigh*

*Zipp covers up and turns around to face the wall. Hitch does likewise, though the gesture feels a little late.*

Zipp: Say, my sis always tells me that she could be a really good bait for investigations.
Hitch: Like a sting? How so?
Zipp: Maybe it was more of a dig from her toward me, but she said that with her beauty and persuasive charm she’d be great in extracting information from certain suspects. I shot that idea down by bringing up her socialite status. A social media celebrity hitting the streets and getting information in an official formal capacity? No way of that happening when so many people can recognize your face and voice off the bat.
Hitch: How did she react?
Zipp: She threw a hissy fit for about five seconds and went back to checking her messages. Typical Pipp.

*Hitch had an idea at that moment, and he once again turned around on reflex. Thankfully, Zipp was turned away from him and facing the wall at that moment. Hitch quickly turned back to the wall before he was tempted to stare any further.*

Hitch: If I need help of the feminine charm on a sting operation, I think the department’s already got that covered, deputy.
Zipp: You’re calling me deputy again, sheriff. I know you’re talking about me now…
Hitch: Well, yeah! It’s not Pipp-level, but you’ve certainly got the derriere for it!

*Hitch feels his own boot hit him on the back of the head - throwing courtesy of Zipp.*

Hitch: Ow! Yeah, I kind of deserved that…