Being the co-founder of an esteemed institute and director in charge of the portal jumps can give someone a reputation among the newer recruits. A reputation that one wants to keep.
It is only a matter of time when the wackiness of the man in charge comes to light.
Ao3
If someone had asked him, when he was in college, where he had thought he would be in twenty-five years he probably would not have said ‘standing on the shores of an alien beach in another dimension’. Yet, here we was Fiddleford Hadron McGucket was standing out on a black sanded beach staring at lilac waves as they rolled up onto the shore. What added to it was he was leading a team of young researchers across the worlds in hopes to connect their dimension with others.
This was the third world they had visited. It was no less breath taking. While the last one they had visited had been lush forest of blue, this one was greys, blacks, and purples all merging together wonderfully.
Fidds closed his eyes and let the other senses take over. The sounds of the waves was peaceful, with every crash he got a sense of peace. The normal salt smell of a beach was replaced by the faint scent of lavender. It just was the perfect picture of relaxation.
“Sir.”
Fiddleford’s eyes opened quickly as the moment of peace left him. His mind going from the musings of how wonderful this new place was to high alert in case of trouble. He turned in the direction of the voice and looked at the woman that had called him.
“Yes?”
“The research team has found something over the hill. They think you should take a look at it.”
She pointed over the large sand dunes that cradled the small shore they had landed on. The southerner glanced around the black sand beach to find that most of the research team had already left the water’s edge where they had been gaining samples and was gone.
Placing a hand on the hidden gun at his side he nodded.
“Lead the way, Ms. Frias.”
She gave a nod and turned to lead him up the large dunes. Fiddleford took his time to follow as he observed the way the sand barely felt like anything as they walked across it. It felt as though they were walking on air.
“Did the team get a few samples of this sand?”
“Yes, sir,” Frias confirmed, “They collected a few samples from different parts of the beach and took some water samples.”
“Good. We will need to take a closer look at them once we get back to the lab, I want to know what the sand here is composed of to give the feeling of walking on air.”
She nodded and climbed up a dune quickly and easily. Fiddleford tried to follow her example and almost ended up falling on his face as the sand slipped out from under his boots. The woman moved down some from where she stood at the top of the hill and offered a hand.
Fidds gave her a sheepish smile and took the hand.
“You didn’t see that,” he mumbled.
Frias just sent a smile to him, “Didn’t see what, sir? I just remember you telling me how you want the sample sent to testing as soon as we get back home as we both successfully climbed up this dune.”
Fidds paused in brushing the sand off his jacket and looked her over with a raised eyebrow. He tried to keep an unimpressed and stern expression on his face but it failed miserably as a chuckle escaped him.
“Good,” he said, “Because that is all that happened.”
“Of course, sir. Consider it forgotten.”
“No idea what you are referring to, Ma’am.”
“Me either, sir.”
“Doctor McGucket!”
Fiddleford’s attention was brought back to the task at hand with the call for his name. He looked down at the young intern that stood at the base of the dune.
“Yes?” Fidds asked.
“We found life forms, sir,” the man said happily, “They appear to be friendly but we did not want to approach without your say so.”
Fiddleford nodded, “Thank you for telling me. I will be down in the moment to assist.”
The intern gave a mock salute and scampered off leaving the two on their own. Fiddleford sighed and looked down at the steep slope he would need to travel down.
“Do you need assistance, Doctor McGucket?” Frias asked.
“No. No,” Fidds waved off her hands as he stepped near the edge, “I can do thi-AAAAHHH!”
Fiddleford lost his footing and went tumbling down the dune. He slid down the soft sand and came slowly to a stop at the base of the dune with a huff. His clothes were covered in the small particles of the sand.
Frias moved to catch up with him. She was more in control with the journey down then the senior member of this expedition.
“Sir, are you alright?”
Fidds sighed deeply and nodded slowly.
“I’m fine.”
The woman didn’t look convinced but she was not going to push it. She just held out her hand for him to take and helped him back to his feet.
“You are not to mention this, either.”
“No idea what you are talking about, Doctor.”
“Good.”
Fiddleford took the offered hand and let her pull him back to his feet. He did not have time for laying around. After all, he had life forms to examine, sand to get out of his boots, and some of his pride to fix after that whole spectacle.
