HSU: Appointments, Anyone? (Or... Answering Phones is no fun!)
Author: DebLei
Rating: XITH (Xani in the House)
Archive: Yes
TimeLine: "After Home again, Home Again" and "Screensaver or Bust"
Summary: Someone is hogging the General and then the Appointment book comes up missing...
General Kenobi strode into his office after his morning jog, a devastating smile brightening his face and nearly everything in the room. Making his way to his office door, he stopped at the desk of his new Assistant Secretary.
"Good morning, DebLei. You're up early, I see."
"Morning swim. How was your jog?"
"Invigorating. I'm ready to face the day."
"Good! You're first appointment is in your office." DebLei flashed him a smile.
"Already? It's 7 am!"
"Yes, sir, I know. This one doesn't sleep much."
"Shana?" the General guessed.
"Yup! Now get your tush in there; she's been very patient." No sooner had DebLei spoken the words than Shana's voice came from behind the door.
"Is he back yet?" she called.
The General shook his head, a wry grin on his face. "Looks like it's going to be a busy day." Obi-wan retreated to his office, closing the door behind him. A minute later, the door opened and he peeked back out at her. "If you're not doing anything, Emmy wants the hallway de-iced," he told her.
"Sure thing!"
As the General disappeared behind the door once again, DebLei picked up the phone to call Maintenance.
~~
Caeryn eased onto the ice. It'd been there for a while, so naturally, by now people were getting the hang of it. No sudden moves and you can get virtually anywhere without crashing into the wall. She was * this close * to reaching the President's office when a furry tiger cub came bounding after her. The playful kitty hit the ice at a dead run and went skittering towards the Dean.
Caeryn, in turn, slid across the ice and smacked into the Maintenance man as he scrapped ice away from the office doorway with a shovel.
The tiger kitty mewed in distress.
Caeryn sat up, trying to disentangle herself from Vocab Man's arms. "Ow!" she rubbed the spot where her hip had impacted with the ice. "It's a good thing you're clearing this floor," she warned Vocab.
"Grrrrrr"
"Whatever!" Caeryn dismissed the Maintenance man and slipped inside the office. "Hey, Deb!"
"Hey!" DebLei hit the mouse, making the screensaver blink away in an attempt to look like she was doing more than drooling. "Here for an appointment?"
"Naw! I'm doing official Dean Stuff right now." Caeryn grinned at her. "I need to speak to the General, though."
"Oh... " DebLei's eyes shift to the door. "He's in with Shana right now. I could take a message?"
~~
The computer beeped, alerting DebLei to the in-coming e-mail. At the same time, the phone rang. She grabbed up the phone and opened her e-mail in one fluid movement. "Office of the President. How may I direct your call?" she greeted the caller, at the same time scanning the e-mail message. "Judy... yes..." she grabbed the leather-bound appointment book from the top drawer of her desk. "He has an opening once he and Shana are finished breaking in the new desk. Yes... I'm writing you in now. You're welcome."
The e-mail was from Emmy, also requesting an appointment.
As she hit
The phone rang again...
Then the intercom buzzed and the General's voice patched through to her.
"Deb, honey, are you busy?"
"Only slightly," was her reply.
"Good... Shana and I could use some refreshment... could you be a dear and find us some wine?"
"Right... wine... gotcha..." DebLei picked up the phone and dialed over to the bar.
"Judy? This is DebLei. I know you're busy, but could you send over some wine for the General? Yes, chilled. Yes, I know you're busy... I'm well aware... I * did * waitress for a few years, after all... no it's not the same, technically... " DebLei sighed heavily...
The General was right... it wasn't even noon yet and she already knew it was going to be a loooonnnnng day.
~~
It was late when the black-clad figure slinked into the office. DebLei sat at her desk, head resting against the computer screen, fast asleep. A brown leather book was wedged between her body and the keyboard; it's constant pressing against the keys cause it to make an annoying humming sound.
Sounds of furniture scraping against the floor came from the inner office.
Xani chuckled. He had to give them credit; the Ho's had such energy.
Sidling up to DebLei, he put an arm around her, pressing her sleeping form against his chest. Then he eased her back in the chair. The book fell to the floor at his feet with a dull thud. DebLei shifted in her sleep.
"Jas..." she mumbled aloud...
Xanatos paid her no attention as he scooped up the book to examine it.
His eyes widened, and a smile formed on his face. If this was what he thought it was... Obi-Wan's appointment book... "Oh, this * could * be fun..." he whispered in the darkness. Leaning over DebLei, he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you, my dear," he purred at her before slipping out the door.
Once outside the building, Xani pondered the book in his hand. What to do with it now, he wondered. Then the Greysider's eye lit up when he saw Emmy's name written in pencil in the margin of the book. His lips took the shape of a mischievous grin...
Yes... this * would * be good...
~~
DebLei awoke to the ringing of the phone. Sitting bolt up right, and then regretting it as every muscle in her body clenched in pain, she grabbed the phone and spoke, "Office of the President..." It was Kendra, calling about an appointment. "Sure thing, Kendra. Just let me get the appointment book."
Deb reached for the book, only to find the corner of her desk where she normally kept it completely empty. "Where?" she muttered. "Hang on Kendra," she spoke into the phone. "I'm having trouble locating my appointment book."
"Would it be better if I call-" "Yeah, sure! Later... " DebLei hung up before the Frosh could finish her sentence.
Where the Force was that book?!? It had been there last night. Right there-she pointed to the desk beside her keyboard.
~~
Hours later, a rather large crowd of Ho's had assembled around DebLei's desk.
The phone rang incessantly.
Her INBOX was full of unread mail.
And she'd logged off IM until further notice.
"What about my appointment?" Kendra asked.
"And mine?" came another voice.
"And mine?"
Just then, Judy walked in to the office. "Is it time for my appointment yet, DebLei?" She asked.
DebLei shook her head. "Shana's still in there with him."
"Well, when is she going to be done?" the Bartender inquired.
"I don't know..."
"DebLei lost the appointment book," Ellie informed Judy.
"I * didn't * lose it! It... disappeared." It sounded bad. Deb knew it sounded bad and so did the angry Ho's in the office.
"Well, what are we supposed to do?" Ky whined.
Oh, that was it. Whiney Ho's were one thing the Padawan Secretary could not abide. Grabbing a ream of computer paper, which she slammed on the desk where the appointment book used to be, she snapped back at Ky, "Here! Write your name on the paper. Everybody. Make a list. If the book comes back, I'll add you all. If not, we'll just use the list as a sign-up sheet. And once you've signed up, get out of my office!"
"And what about me?" the Bartender asked, trying to be polite. It was clear that the Padawan Secretary was going to go have a major melt down any minute now.
"Take it up with Shana!"