To Abide with Strays

➥ 07 ⦙ OFFICIALY MET OBSIDIAN ORBS

"New faces will join our crew, today," Zech states while munching his Khinkali.
"Who are they?" Hazel, Tech enquired. "An Oceanographer and Alyona, the Marine Biol."
"We already knew Alyona.. but who's another one?" Esfir added further.
Hazel's eyes glint in excitement "ANDREIII.." 'Another Marina in my crew.'

"Don't make it too obvious, he is not that much worth." Zech snapped at her. Not only Esfir is annoyed by Hazel.
"Do I know him?" Esfir's question made Zech angry.."He is the one that escorted you after the interrogation." Realization hit like a bucket of ice, Esfir recalling their encounter in the elevator. "How come?", Esfir struggled to put on the courage to meet him.

"They came!" All stood up to welcome the Marine crew. They were having lunch near the site. "Hello, My name is Zech the Tech."
"Andrei Agapov, Oceanographer"
"Another Agapov?..."
"That's my brother--Garry."
"Agapov brothers have this charm," Alyona elbowed her friend, Andrei.

He comes back with a smack--"Ahh..!".
Alyona got hit.
"I was just formally introducing you guys." "Yeah, I see."
She responded back with a cheeky smile.

The former crew is awestruck by the interaction except for Esfir, who is still wondering--'Do I want to greet him? or not? '

She starts turning back..."Oh! Esfir Volkova...Assis..." His words choked as he immersed in that black orbs. Can't escape. "Associate Archaeologist," Zech completed the sentence for him. Andrei comes to sense after that. Black obsidian is the culprit. Esfir saw the hanging hand in the air and tried to ease the situation. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Agapov." Warm collision of hands gave him tingling sparks on his backbone . 'Nice to meet you too, obsidian orbs'.

"Andrei! You can call him that," Alyona enters the chat as always. Warm hands are gone. 'Can someone get rid of this ' Andrei wished that his friend vanishes for good.

"Oh! Andrei then let's get started," Zech puts a full stop.

Esfir find that both brothers have one thing in common- All girls falling head over their heels for 'em.

"Batona, can I ask some doubts?" Hazel speaks for first after getting her conscious. "Yes..?" Zech rises his eyes at her offical word.
"Why Oceanographer is here with us?"
"They call us."
"Who?", Hazel emphasis further to make small talk--which made Zech annoyed. Esfir wondered why they need them, someone has to answer. "We're near the Black Sea, Eldar kinda believes it's an abandoned submarine," Zech answered. "Orelse parts of shipwreck?" Hazel summed up.
"Guys, stop. Let'em speak." Esfir wants to hear from the new duo.

Esfir is in charge of the appendix stuff of the Batumi site. "First, they asked us to report to the approval staff of Batumi--Who is it?" Alyona wants to complete their procedure, and so, cut the crap too.
"It may or may not be submarine or ship..but as we are near sea shore--we might be here for an emergency call of duty," Andrei explains politely.
'Huh?' Alyona and Zech eyed him in unison.

"Sounds good," Esfir opens her folder while the two techs shared a look in disbelief. Zech felt left out as all the other four are immersed in this marine stuff.

"Here is the clearance sheet sign it off. you've to sign two times for yesterday's schedule too." 'So, you're the approval staff for appendix? That too... A foreigner?' Alyona murmurs as she signs.

Zech rushed them to their cabins and further tasks.

"I thought you won't come today, Nadya,"
Can't believing her own eyes, Alyona blinks several times--Nadya is in the cabin, feeding a stray pup.
"Then who will torture Zech?"
Nadya stood with glee. Zech is getting annoyed already-- Why I have to maintain these brats?

"Nadya, give 'em the folders. Go through it..We will take you to the site after you are done." Zech abid bye for now.

"Nad.." "Ms.Alexeyeva for you." Both eyes met just to loathe more.
"Err" Andrei just enjoys the drama unfolding with curiousity.

"BOTH OF YOU, BEHAVE!" Zech's voice boomed through that small cabin.
"I thought you went," Andrei guessed he is dissolving the situation. But not.

"I need my supplies."

"Get out."
"Get off."
Both women snarled.

Zech and Andrei eyed each other and decided to go for the greater good.

Few minutes passed. Andrei came for additional documents.
"Are you reading the B-3?" Nadya asked while taking notes.
"I am doing B-2 right now," Alyona answered.

"Oh, girls, when did you stop bickering?"

"Bargi, Quiet!" Alyona ordered.
"Use the next cabin, Batono." Nadya requested him.

"OKAY," with that Andrei ran towards a peaceful cabin--"Uff, they are unpredictable, Thank god..I'm out."

What made Andrei fascinated was, he officially met obsidian orbs, amidst the commotion going on around him.

"Obsidian." With a smile, he opened the folders and entered into the cabin.

He ran into the nearby chair while skimming the file. "Focus, Andrei." He reminded himself.