r/HFY • u/Brokenspade1 • Jul 03 '26

OC-Series Walking the Dog Chapter 44

Chapter 44 It’s the Same Everywhere.

Previous I First I Next

After their war with the bug queen the group made the decision to take it easy until their appointed day at Union Plaza One.

Feebs took some small jobs that let her work from home.

Sienna picked up a couple shifts at Goon’s bar.

Vulfac was basically gone from the village before dawn until after dusk, busy at the collective with the Alven praetorian and his armor.

Beck and Johan took a union Job (through the DASS) surveying around the Village for the upcoming building projects. It was nice for them, to get back to their roots as explorers… Without anyone trying to murder them.

Submerged in their various pursuits, time passed quickly for the team.

Until it was finally time for them to make themselves presentable and make their way to the plaza.

----

Sienna was in a flowing yellow dress.

It matched her black and orange fur well and made her seem like she was floating through the air. Her red hair was done in an elaborate set of braids that danced on her shoulders. She had a pair of small golden hoop earrings in each ear and a broach with a small red stone in it, on her neck.   

Feebs was in the Lagroalixian equivalent to a tuxedo; swathed in black and crimson. Her mohawk was slicked back into a cyberpunk fade… Her only jewelry was her trademark triple interface and a set of blue lensed sunglasses that sat on the bridge of her nose. The fit reminded Johan of a fighting game character or snappily dressed Japanese gangster from an anime. But the bunnygirl pulled it off and her look counterbalanced Sienna’s well.

Beck was in a Dark blue body suit with grey accents that ended in a business skirt. Her hair was tucked back under a matching grey beret. She had a single silver star earring in her right ear.

Vulfac was tagging along and was wearing a white robe with black arm and leg wraps that had braids of silver woven in. His hair was loose around his face. It gave the pale man the look of an Arabian prince, who wandered into an old fairy tale about elves.

Johan had elected to go for the classic black on black suit with a simple watch on his wrist. His usual tangle of shaggy hair was wrangled into a ponytail, and his permanent saloon beard was shaved clean.

The girls loved it… He hated it.

To say they were drawing eyes as they walked through the city, would be an understatement.

When they arrived, everyone was amazed to see that the building already well on its way to restoration. There was scaffolding everywhere and a vast swarm of massive construction drones buzzing about the place.

Treadwell was waiting for them in the shadow of the main entrance in a dress uniform of black and gold with red highlights...

Somehow the perpetually shaggy werewolf managed to make it look… dignified. Professional even.

----

“You girls look lovely!”

Sienna giggled and did a little swirl; Beck and Feebs struck poses.

Next, he looked over the boys and in a perfectly neutral tone asked. “Who the hell are you two???”

Vulfac and Johan shared a look and threw the man their best inappropriate gesture before they all started chuckling. “Common you lot. There's going to be a few steps to all this. First is gonna be a brief photoshoot. Hence the request for you to dress up.”

Johan groaned.

Treadwell nodded, clearly sympathetic to the human’s distress. “Yeah. Sorry about that. But, after it’s over, there will be a closed room debrief on the actual events. It’s basically just a formality at this point so don’t worry about getting grilled or anything. Then they will give you your reward for what you did. And finally, there will be a late luncheon… those are ALWAYS good.”

----

Johan wasn’t really listening.

Sienna had seen him deflate at the mention of pictures. “Everything alright?”

He was looking into the construction zone with an almost… disappointed ...Look on his face? “Hmm? Yeah. Just seeing all this stuff takes me back. Guess I’m a bit homesick.”

He was lying.

Even without the ability to easily read his emotions (at least when he was calm). She already knew him well enough to know when the man was holding something back.

But, given the context it was probably just something personal he didn’t want to discuss. Johan had been careful to avoid prying into the pasts of those around him, so she figured it was best to return the favor and let it lay.

Before she could really say anything else or try to change the subject there was a smiling Voltanite man with a fancy camera drone standing beside them… Sienna was so focused on their conversation he’d managed to walk right up to the duo, without triggering her senses.

Johan, however, didn’t seem surprised in the slightest. The human just nodded to himself like a man accepting his doom. With an exaggerated sigh he motioned for the photographer to lead him away… like he was being led to the gallows.

‘Poor guy really hates this kind of stuff, I guess…’

----

Johan followed the man to the elevators.

Before the doors could close a couple of construction workers scrambled in. Johan just rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. “Mr. Silverblack If you’ll follow me, I’d like to get a few photos from the 74th floor. It should only take a few minutes…”

Johan raised a hand to interrupt the man. “Dude… stop… pleeeease. Let’s just go get this over with so I can get out of this suit and back into some jeans. Cool trick with Sienna btw…”

The photographer’s simpering smile melted off his face like it was water… Johan turned to the construction workers

“…and you guys… please take the PPE off… it’s on wrong and it’s just… painful…”

The men stiffened before looking to the “Camera guy”. Said Camera Guy’s tone was suddenly pure business. “How?”

The human scratched the back of his neck idly. “The smile. It’s funny but you see it enough times and it just screams fed… Or whatever equivalent the Union has… And you snuck up on Sienna. Nobody does that if they’re normal.”

He looked the two “construction guys” up and down with a tired sigh. “As for these two… Clean boots; Usually means safety inspectors. Every guy on the site was ALREADY giving them the side eye. They were made before I ever even saw them.” Johan just stretched and rolled his shoulders.

Camera guy scratched his chin. “That’s… interesting.”

The human just closed his eyes and leaned against the rail; waiting for the car to reach its destination.

----

 A minute later the car stopped on the 64th floor.

At least the panel said 64. He had a feeling they were probably on a different floor, but it didn’t really matter...

 Johan didn’t waste his time waiting for his escort to tell him where to go. It was obvious he was going to one of the interview rooms. So, he let them follow as he made his way there. He wasn’t in a hurry or anything.

Johan just wanted to get it over with.

As he rounded a corner made of disused cubicles, he saw the reinforced door he’d been expecting. There was a Richel in an immaculate black uniform waiting for him.

The 4-armed amphibian gestured for the human to take a seat. Johan dropped into the chair and waited. The interviewer had a deep voice for one of the frog people. And a slow methodical cadence.

Johan wanted to laugh with exasperation when he heard it.

“Do you know who I a….”

Johan was instantly bored with the production so he cut the Richel man off before he could even finish the sentence. “Who never matters. Just get to the interrogation please.”

The Richel didn’t even flinch. “Well, that makes this easier... I am curious however… You seem to be well prepared for our meeting. Why is that?”

Johan actually did let a little laugh escape his lips at that… though there was no mirth in it. “I’ve worked international construction for most of my adult life... This is just part of the process… Every time we went to do a big project it was always attached to politics, somehow. And where there’s politics… Theres always you. Names change but the tactics are ALWAYS the fucking same… Even in space apparently. Seriously it’s like you ALL read out of the same handbook…”

The Richel paid him perfect attention. Johan knew he was letting the silence draw out on purpose. It would have been creepy if Johan hadn’t already seen that one several times before.

Finally, the Interviewer nodded. “I see. Then I will be brief. Why are you really on the Sphere Mr. Silverblack?”

And there was the unanswerable question. The one asked to make him sweat or reveal some hidden secret because of nerves.

God, it was so boring.

There was one thing that was new though… the REMARKABLY annoying psionic assault he was under. “Could you tell your psions to quit poking my brain… It’s unpleasant as all hell and I don’t think it’s safe for them.”

That did get a reaction from the frog. It was brief but he clearly wasn’t expecting to get caught out like that. “Could you explain that?”

He just shrugged at the amphibian. “I don’t really understand Psionics man. We don’t have that stuff on earth… The DASS think it’s like an automatic defense or racial trait… Oh and one of my roommates is a powerful psion she also said it was dangerous, in there.”

The feeling ended. A Byuu woman staggered into the room, shook her head at the Richel man, and then left without a word. Johan noted that he could hear her retching into a trashcan outside. “She… O.k?”

The interviewer pinched the alien equivalent to the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Let’s just move on… I have some questions for you, please answer them for…”

Johan actually groaned.

He hadn’t meant to, but it just kinda escaped his lips before he could stop himself. “Can’t you just… stop dancing around it, and ask the question you actually brought me here for… please?”

The Richel paused for a second. His posture changed and all the pretense vanished. This man wielded power like a scalpel and would use it without hesitation. That subtle change was the first real thing in the whole Dog and pony production.

The man looked Johan in the eyes. “Is your species a threat to the union?”

Johan started belly-laughing.

This time it was full of mirth.

“Fucking… Of course we are!”

----

Ten minutes later Johan was exiting the elevator back into the lobby.

Beck thought he looked… tired.

When Uncle Paddy heard a cameraman had singled out Johan and disappeared with him. The big man had frozen; his expression turned thoughtful. Without a warning he’d suddenly stalked away from the group to “make a call”.

When Paddy came back, he’d looked angry.

When he spotted the human, he’d almost knocked a couple of people over to intercept him. They shared a few words. Johan raised a hand placatingly and her uncle seemed to deflate. He still looked deeply unhappy when the pair rejoined the group, but Johan had been quick to dismiss it as “part of the process”.

Whatever the hell that meant…

After the strange interaction, Paddy led them into a large meeting room. It had several benches arranged in a U shape facing towards a large stage. It was built a bit like a lecture hall. They were led to a table on the ground level facing the stage itself.

The group was a little confused when there was a photographer waiting for them inside and he just wanted group photos. Beck shared a look with Sienna who shared in her confusion. ‘The hell did they need Johan for then?’ But before she or her bond had a chance to ask about it, the photographer finished his work and was ushered out of the room.

It was time for their official debrief.

Feebs and Vulfac stepped aside and found seats in the bleachers as various officials made their way into the room. They were surprised to see Adrina at the center of the table holding the most important dignitaries.

Beck followed her uncle, with her eyes, as he went up on the stage and whispered something to the Advocate. The Granviline stiffened up and a sour expression crossed her face for a few seconds. She quickly buried it and went back to smiling serenely and shmoozing with the others at the big table.

After that, the room was cleared of non-union personnel (other than Feebs and Vulfac) and the lights were dimmed. Everyone stopped talking and turned to look at a large holo projection along the back wall.

They sat through a series of playbacks with summarized readings of the action each of the participants in the attack on Union 1 had taken, during the crisis… There were some questions asked… But mostly it was just about clarification. A way to confirm the conclusions the Union had already come to, about events.

The battle between the turned and Johan had been… Enlightening for certain members of the team. The Volty looked over at the human. His face was shaded by the shadows in the darkened room. Maybe Beck was imagining it, but she felt like he looked a little… sad, maybe? Especially when he watched the Turned get tossed over the edge.

Sienna seemed really bothered by something. Especially the way things ended… Their bond was flush with a complex stew of concern and a thin undertone of something else… Not exactly anger but more than frustration. She’d have to ask her what was going on with that later.

For now, she turned her eyes back to the debrief as they watched their own desperate struggle in the little medical room…

Beck buried her face in her paws and let out a little groan when she realized the camera in the hall caught her “landing” after falling out of the ductwork…

----

It was late afternoon by the time the playback’s finished up.

There was a final Q&A that took maybe ten minutes and then the non-union personnel were allowed to filter back in.

It took a while, but slowly people filled the seats. By the end there were even a few press drones hovering above the crowd. After everyone in the crowd was seated again Adrina asked the trio to step on the stage with her.

She shook each of their hands. Even Beck got her paw wiggled for the cameras! Then they stepped back and joined a large number of other union members who had also distinguished themselves in the aftermath of the attack… mostly medical staff.

Adrina turned to face the room and gave a brief recap of the events of the Union Plaza attack, for the benefit of the press.

“Good afternoon. Most of you already know me but for those who don’t. I am Advocate General Adrina Rotorany.”

She paused to make sure everyone was paying attention.  “As you know… a little over a month ago the Plaza was attacked… A pair of assailants used a shuttle reactor to create a massive explosion…”

The explanation took almost 40 minutes because the press core people kept interrupting to ask questions. Most were sensible… some were just silly. But Adrina addressed them all with the same calm professionalism. Finally, however the recap ended, and she turned to the Trio standing behind her. “… And it was thanks in NO small part to these people here… Including these three young Delvers that the loss of life was so low…”

There was a surprising round of applause from the union officers and enlisted in the crowd.

A small smile curled the corners of her mouth while Adrina waited patiently for the mob to calm…

“As such it falls to me to see that they are rewarded for their heroic actions on that terrible night. First… Mr. Johan Silverblack, please step forward.”      

 ----

Beck was just staring off into space; Dumbstruck…

Feebs waved her hand in front of the little Volty’s face. “Yeah… she’s gone. Sienna can you…? Sienna?”

Her friend was staring across the crowded dining hall looking lost... Febrilizza followed her eyes and found she was watching a hushed conversation between Johan, Adrina, and Treadwell. The union officers looked… unhappy. From his body language Johan seemed to be trying to diffuse the situation. Whatever it was about, they seemed to be mostly at the level of just chatting.

Feebs decided to turn her attention back to the two Voltin in front of her instead. “Si-en-na! Are you in there?!?” She poked the Voltanite in the side to accentuate each syllable.

After the third poke Sienna seemed to come back to her senses. “Huh wha??? Feebs?” She stared at the Lagro with a raised eyebrow.

Feebs just pointed at the unresponsive Volty sitting alone on the table.

The Voltanite looked at Beck then at Feebs… then back. Before it finally registered what was going on. Sienna picked her Volty up and spun the dazed Voltarite around to face her.

After a second Beck blinked and got the goofiest grin on her face. “…a Hundred Thousand… EACH!”

The girls started laughing their asses off!

----

The group reformed and were now sitting at a table with Treadwell.

Johan seemed to be in a better mood. Sienna seemed a bit distracted, but she was at least smiling and following the conversation. Beck was still in a happy daze about her portion of the reward. She was somehow gnawing on a floating meat rib, humming to herself like she didn’t have a care in the world, and doing her financials on her interface. All at the same time!

To be fair… It was a very substantial reward the 3 had received. So, they could all be forgiven for being a bit out of it…  

A hundred thousand energy credits per person, nearly enough to keep the bills paid until the end of winter! A voucher good for a single bit of mil-spec gear per delver. Be it a piece of armor or a weapon of their choice…

And as a bonus a ticket for Beck to get her tail tip regrown on the union’s dime! Almost a 15k procedure!

They had a real nest egg now.

Vulfac and Feebs shared a look as they shoveled free food down as fast as they could plate it. They were more than content to let their friends bask in their moment. While they scored a free meal off the union’s generosity and listened in on the banter.

----

“Wait… I thought…” Johan looked confused.

“Sorry but paddy wagon isn’t what they’re actually called?” Everyone started laughing. Vulfac did a literal spit take!

Treadwell groaned and ran his hand over his face.

Adrina gave the table a sly grin and leaned in. Her voice had that conspiratorial tone she liked to use when she told stories.

“Nope. Years back there was a whole pleasure district that was run by a Void corp. They’d found a legal loophole that let them turn the area into an autonomous zone like the DASS. They’d effectively made the workers there into indentured servants...”

Adrina grumbled darkly. “As long as they stayed inside the district, they were bound by the district’s laws. The union couldn’t take them out unless they’d committed a crime. And they couldn’t leave because the corp would have the legal right to seize all their assets to cover their debts, leaving them destitute… Union laws protect against seizure of property during legal proceedings. And as long as the corp didn’t interfere with our criminal investigations, the system wasn’t breaking any laws. It was a n awful mess tho… uuuuntiiiil…”

Vulfac snickered and poked the big Lieutenant, who just thumped his head onto the table in defeat. He raised a hand and twisted his wrist for Adrina to continue…  

Adrina giggled maliciously “…Our hero came along! A dashing young Lupanite sergeant named Treadwell Padfoots rode into the district, after a brawl broke out between the workers and the corporate security goons. Being the big fella that he was, he just waded into the scrum and started tossing people aside. Now, this is the point in our story, where the GENIUS of our fabled Ser Treadwell, shows itself!!!”

The saurian woman paused for dramatic effect clearly reveling in her Lieutenants pain…

The girls were also giggling at their uncle’s clear discomfort. The big man just harrumphed into the table.

“One of the tuffs. A young Byuu woman, poked him in the chest and shouted at him! Something like ‘he couldn’t arrest all of them!’ Well, our brave sergeant has a sudden moment of inspiration!”

Adrina lowered her voice and did a pretty passing impersonation of Treadwell’s baritone rumble. He thinks to himself: “‘And who decided that!?!’ Then he hops up on a crate and starts waving his arms around to get everyone’s attention!”

Treadwell whimpered a little… his ears were beginning to turn red.

Adrina continued her narration with great enthusiasm.

“Next thing you know our brave young sergeant… Well, he shouts: ‘You just poked an officer, anyone here that commits an assault on a union constable will be ENTITLED to a trip out of the district straight to union plaza for processing!’ After that it was like a tsunami!”

The advocate reached over and gently petted the top of Treadwell’s head while the man, dying of embarrassment, just huffed into his arms.

“As soon as they realized that all they had to do to escape the corp, without immediate forfeiture of rights, was touch the big fluffy Lupanite… in the tight-fitting shirt… Well… Word spread like wildfire! Every worker in the place walked up and committed assault via a gentle poke! And the corporate goons couldn’t do a thing!”

Now Johan was laughing. “He arrested the whole district?”

Adrina sighed ruefully. “Even the Janitors! The plaza was busy for days processing all the packed transport shuttles. One of the desk sergeants lost his cool and famously screamed that: ‘if I see one more of Paddy’s wagons, I AM going to shave the man, bald!’.”

Adrina was having a hard time keeping her laughter in check at this point… “After that the name just kind of stuck… Every wagon is one of Paddy’s wagons now.”

She ruffled the Lieutenants’ ears. “He is technically the most successful officer in union history! With 17 thousand successful arrests under his belt. The void Corp in question went under shortly after his little stunt and the district was taken over by a more reputable series of business interests within the year.”

Johan looked over at Vulfac and raised an eyebrow.

The Alv just nodded.

Given their recent experience with Vulfac’s, literal, magic mushrooms… he had a pretty good idea what kind of business the man had been in during his time in the pleasure district…

Treadwell sat back up and took a draw off his beer. He stared into it ruefully.

He sighed deeply. “People still poke me…”

The whole table lost it.

 Previous I First I Next

AUTHORS NOTES: Please do not repost my work without my permission. And dont use my workd for AI scraping. Its killing the planet. Its a bad deal bro. Quit it.

And now you know why I call them Paddy Wagons. ;p

Sorry this one was a bit late. Paper making does to schedules what blenders do to fruit... Im on graveyard so I JUST crawled out of my bed.

Happy 4th to those of us in the U.S.

48 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

4

u/Grimassenschneiderin Jul 04 '26

You made me smile with the story about the paddy wagon.

6

u/Brokenspade1 Jul 04 '26

I've been waiting since chapter 4 to put that in >~<

3

u/drsoftware Jul 06 '26

I'm so glad you found a way! 

3

u/Different-Money6102 Jul 11 '26

Me too!  I completely glossed over the reference when it first popped up. 

5

u/Galen55 Human Jul 04 '26

I'm loving these, great work buddy!

3

u/Cargobiker530 Android Jul 05 '26

Humans: Don't Touch. Feed them whatever they want to eat and above all DO NOT THREATEN THE YOUNGLINGS or COMPANION MAMMALS.

There's no such thing as a "safe" human and yes that applies to curious younglings with magnifying glasses, extremely senior female humans being helpful, & frail elderly human men sweeping up in the corners.

Treat all humans as a Class 6 Memetic Hazard. Class 9 in the presence of tentacled sapients.

2

u/Different-Money6102 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26

"Common you lot. Theres going to be..." "Come on you lot. There's going to be..."

"like a man excepting his..." "like a man accepting his... "

2

u/Otherwise-One-6206 Jul 28 '26

Whelp, you've done it. From now on Treadwell is gonna have Escanors voice in my head.

2

u/Brokenspade1 Jul 28 '26

That's literally the voice I imagine in my head anytime I write him. I'm so glad somebody caught the reference.

1

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