The Hell Desk.

This is set in the "Tales from the Blind Pig" universe.

I worked the night shift at a 24 by 7 help desk. The night shift works a 10 hour by 4 day shift, with the 5th day overtime optional. Being a full-morph tiger, I usually went for the 5th day, as I really did not have a social life. The night shift was good, as no one really cared what you looked like, as long as the job got done. I usually had no problem with customers complaining about my 'voice', which is generated by a rather expensive piece of equipment known as a voder. I was probably the most experienced person there, having had years of work experience before the Flu put me on four paws full time. It was a typical Friday night, getting the overtime.

I always arrive to work a bit early. This allows me to get everything I need for the long night shift instead of having to take a lot of small breaks, I can only take a longish lunch break, and restroom breaks. I got the computer started, and adjusted to something I was comfortable with. My muse and assistant for tonight was Tom, one of the guys who had interviewed with me for this job. Fortunately, they had two positions open on this four man crew, a level one and two position. Poor Tom got the level one position, with me as his backup. We make a good team, though. Tom arrived a few minutes later, and helped me get the voder's adapter connected to the phone. The voder has an adapter which has a number of plugs to plug in with a large number of various systems. Unfortunately, most of the plugs were designed with a human hand in mind, and not the paws I was equipped with. We managed though, and I was ready to take calls at seven-thirty. :: We have a long night ahead, Tom. Hope you went before hand.:: Tom turned around and gave me a nasty look after seeing me, tongue hanging out in what could be considered laughter. "Laugh it up, fuzzball. You're the one with the kitten sized bladder." I stuck my tongue out in response, which looks rather funny in and of itself. Humor keeps us sane. The phone rings. 10 hours to go...

::... And that should do it.:: pause. ::Thank you for calling, have a nice evening.::
I clicked off the phone with a light touch of a paw. I carefully pressed the break button on the phone, and disconnected the adapter's quick disconnect. The voder chirped once to indicate the switch from line out to speaker: ::Tom, you have the fort. I am heading out for a minute.:: I quietly pawed out to the empty smoking area. Making doubly certain that the door was shut behind me, I commanded the voder to mute for the next minute. The voder stated simply in it's metallic voice ::acknowledged:: and said no more. After a quick look around, I was quite alone. Good. One standard ear-shattering roar of frustration that echoed through the night later, I was back inside, and carefully re-attaching myself to the phone. My co-worker, Tom, looked over the short wall, grinned, and said, "tough call, eh?". I nodded, the voder still off for 5..4..3..2..1 ::unmuted::. Free to speak now. ::I wish people would read the bloody screen. Drives me nuts, but that is life, I guess.:: "Don't I know it. Need a hand with that?" he pointed a finger at the assembly. ::No, I have it.:: I pushed the last connection in with a quiet click, commanding the voder to the line out port now, instead of the speaker, and into the mixer box that the headset attached to. I un-paused the phone, and started reading the e- text on the computer while I waited for the next call...

The venting session made me feel good. Tom had gone out for his venting about an hour ago. During our lunch break, he had asked me if I had any talents. In response, I sighed, and, concentrating, slowly forced a front paw into human shape, then the other. I then pulled my throat up into a humanoid throat, and took the voder off and spoke. "Only this. I can not do it very long, and it hurts a lot during the shift. But I can make the throat do just about any voice I want." I then pulled it into a form I had used during a party once. My voice came out deep, like Darth Vader from Star Wars. "If only you knew the power of the Flu Bug. It must reshape your body." As I was shifting my throat back, I put the voder back on, and dropped back to all fours. Tom got a good laugh out of this. :: Well, break time is over. Lets get this done with.:: Four more hours...

It was close to quitting time. I had finished up with the last call, and I had logged out of the phone. My boss, who came in early just to make sure that we were there, pulled me aside after I un-plugged myself. He lead me to his office. "I like how you handle the calls during the night shift. Would you be interested in working day shift? It would be 6 am to 4 pm. It's also involve a pay raise." I thought about it a bit. It'd be a much worse effort, and frankly I didn't need the pay raise. ::Unfortunately, boss, I would like to stay on the night shift for as long as possible. I don not need a pay raise, and the night calls are pretty reasonable.:: The boss nodded. "ok, Would it be ok if I pulled Tom over?" I nodded. ::As long as he is ok with it. It does not matter a whole lot to me.::