K is for Kamabo (Splatoon)

Chapter 11

Saturday, 12:31 a.m.
Cephalon HQ

She tried her best to blend in, though it was more for the comfort of her subordinates than the operational camouflage that NSS training had prepared her for. Clad in all black, she wore the traditional military-style uniform that all Octarians donned for professional matters. It was a leather, two-piece affair, complete with decorative metal plates and an exposed midriff. Upon closer inspection, however, there were telltale signs that she was not originally from the Canyon. Her hair was black with pink highlights—a rarity in the region where deep red was the norm—her ears were pointed instead of round, and above all else, her eyes were a golden yellow color with star-shaped pupils. She tended to keep those characteristically Inkling eyes concealed behind a pair of square, shield-style sunglasses.

Callie made her way toward the back of Cephalon HQ. She was running late again. Staying on time had never been easy for her. There was just so much to keep track of, and last-second meetings like this one didn't help at all. A uniformed Octoling stood about-face outside her office. The Octarian cop snapped a quick salute upon sighting the director. Unlike most of the other Octolings who roamed the halls during daylight hours, this one wasn't a soldier. Her uniform was made of cloth, not leather, and a police officer's cap sat atop her deep red locks, denoting her occupation. Callie acknowledged her presence with a silent nod, just as Octavio would have done, and opened the door to her office. The cop followed her in, then Callie closed the soundproof door behind them. Here, they could speak without being disturbed or overheard.

"Shika, thanks for coming out so late," Callie piped. "How's it going?"

The Octoling stared at Callie, looking somewhat bewildered.

Callie took a seat behind her desk and removed her shades. "The police are finally launching a formal investigation into the disappearance of that missing inspections officer," she said. "And I've pulled some strings to make sure you're on board."

The young police sergeant in front of her grinned and flinched at the same time, which Callie found amusing. Especially during late night, one-on-one meetings, most Octarians seemed to be deathly afraid of the ex-NSS agent. They acted friendly enough, but Callie's past exploits and current position never failed to put them on edge. At least Shika makes eye contact with me, she thought.

"You're gonna pay Kamabo Corporation a visit when the sun rises. You know the drill by now, right, Shika?" Callie asked.

The Octarian cop tensed her shoulders, then said, "Don't talk too much, don't ask too much, yeah."

Much like Eight, Shika worked for Callie in secret. Unlike Eight, though, Shika had an official cover, having been with the police force for several years. Callie had only recently recruited the policewoman. For the right price, of course. Everybody turned if you offered them enough money. "Report directly back to me as soon as you find anything unusual, yeah?" Callie ordered more than asked, narrowing her golden yellow eyes. "Anything... what's the word in your language, suspicious?"

Shika nodded and continued giving Callie that toothy, distinctively Octarian grin.

The military director sighed, resisting the growing urge to massage her temples. In light of recent events, recruiting a pair of eyes and ears in the police was the right call. Callie needed someone who could handle domestic affairs, someone who had jurisdiction within Octarian borders. But as a relatively new name on the payroll, Shika was not yet comfortable with everything. She was unaccustomed to meeting with the military director in person, and unfamiliar with how Callie did things. Shika's loyalty was not guaranteed, either, and there was a chance that she might misinterpret the director's words. To make things more explicit, Callie said, "Any good reason you can find to get rid of Commander Tartar, you'll give it to me. Good luck."