DELTA BLUES
As the tracker station loomed into view across the airfield, Cherry quickened her pace. She was nervous, but determined not to show it. It seemed more and more responsibilities were being piled on her, and these tests forced her increasingly into the limelight of scrutiny. Now Colonel Cutter wanted her on the tracker team. Some kid named Delta was running it. Cutter had told her he was his nephew. Cherry growled inwardly at her past experience with relatives in positions of authority. In her colony, almost all of them had proven to be inexperienced and/or corrupt. Then again, the whole damn COLONY had been corrupt...
Seargent Delta stood with his back against the wall, notepad in hand. He had inherited much of his uncle's good looks and unconsciously charming mannerisms, with an edge of authority that caught undisciplined ants off guard. He was shy, but determined, and bore the brunt of his uncle's expectations with a mixture of love and hate. His wings buzzed involuntarily now at the sudden scent of the approaching fireant, still jumpy after the recent battle with Cherry's defeated colony. It had been his first confrontation with her race, and it had left a bitter taste in his mouth. Now here he was, under orders to train one of their queens! What was his uncle thinking? He stood there, glancing ambivalently up at Cutter's office with an increasing desire to rush in with a desperate plea for reconsideration. When his head swiveled around again to continue down the list of names in his notebook, Cherry came into view.
Too late.
She noticed his wings buzzing nervously and said, "Hey, at least it's better than your antennas crackling when you're nervous! Private Cherry reporting, Sir." She finished, fighting a smile of embarassment. She tried to control her antennae crackling, but she couldn't. She started laughing. "I'm sorry." She said, turning away to compose herself. "It's not you. Just first day jitters."
If anything, he was even cuter than Runner, and when his eyes turned toward her, it was all she could do to keep her stupid mouth from hanging open. Forcing herself to be professional, she fell silent, waiting for his response, and kept a professional distance from Delta.
The Seargent frowned a bit, then returned Cherry's salute. It was obvious that he was having a bad day. He forced himself to overcome the buzzing wing instinct and smiled.
"Why the apprehension Private?" he asked politely, but his tone was very tired. Delta was an especially observant tracker; whose sensitive nose and awareness had sensed Cherry's true mood even before she spoke. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Cherry sighed inaudibly, put off by his frown. "The Colonel sent me to you, Sir. He said I needed some training in knowing the territories we cover." She noticed the absence of other recruits. "Am I the only one here, Sir?"
"No, you're just the last for the day," Delta sighed. "We've been swamped, and I'm going to have to cut the list down. I hate doing that, but Recon 50 isn't very much an elite Wing if half the Air Force is in it, you know?" He peered at her, his antennae clacking together slowly. "You want to be a tracker, eh? Well, let's see. What do you smell right now? Tell me everything."
Cherry thought for a minute, then looked at him. "I smell the minerals in the rocks around us. I also smell the unique biochemistry and the general pheremones of your race. I know that probably sounds strange." She pauses. "I smell the lead from your pencil, and can tell the kind of tree the aper was made from..." she pauses again. "I can also smell the metallic smell of my anxiety." She finishes, thinking that Delta's unique masculine scent is enticingly musky and sweet. She wonders if he notices her own feminine smell, but gets embarassed at the thought. "Well, that's enough, don't you think? I told you I was sensitive. I can even smell emotions if they're strong enough." It felt so good to be in his presence. She hoped he didn't smell attraction, too. It was obvious the attraction wasn't mutual.
Delta's nose hardly quivers as he tests the air. "Very impressive, Private." he says. "But I can also sense that your pheromones are at a higher-than normal level as well. Whatever that may mean I'll leave to you, but I must still congratulate you. The quartz, the shale, the cedar pencil's wood. Not bad. You mustn't forget the old scents as well. I can also tell that in the last few days or so, you worked with a rare aloe poultice on someone's sore -- wing shoulder, and I correct? Then you washed your hands in water from the -- Eastern reservior -- before enjoying a drink at the bar. I can tell the Eastern's different scent by the higher level of dissolved minerals..." He smils slyly. "Am I close?"
Cherry's mouth dropped open now, and she wondered if he'd been spying on her. "Yes." she admitted, somewhat reluctantly. "All that's true." She looks at him a little dubiously.
Delta shrugs. "It's what I smell. I haven't been spying on anyone: that's Blue's job. He watches people so much he makes 'em paranoid. But yes, this little trick of mine is useful when you really want to creep someone out." He smiles dryly. "I suppose it worked, then? Good. Then I still got it." He looks at her, his face tired again. "I'll sign you up for training as soon as I get the time, Private." he said, scribbling down a few notes on his clipboard. "anything else you needed from me?"
Cherry thinks for a minute, her thoughts unreadable. "If you don't mind me asking, what was the Colonel giving you the third degree about? When I met him, he seemed like a workaholic. Of course, that's just my first impression."
Delta looks back at the door to Cutter's office for a moment. "You probably know that Cutter is my uncle...that's why he pushes me so hard." The Sargent laughs bitterly. "I know he's doing it all for my own good, but the way he thinks and acts...it just really puts me off. If I could ever live up to half the Hero's expectations, I'd be in great shape." Delta pauses and yawns.
Cherry couldn't help but feel sorry for him, and smiled in sympathy. "That must mean I can expect some of that, too." she said. "Isn't there a way he can rearrange your workload or assign someone to help you? I'd be more than glad to, since I don't have that many responsibilities yet." She sighed, and decided to tell him what had been on her mind. "Remember when you asked me if I'd seen a ghost? Well, I saw it in your eyes. I reacted to you the way I did because you remind me of someone who was once very close to me. His name was Runner, and he was killed in an ariel fight. You both had similar looks and personalities." She blushed. "Please forgive me if I sound inappropriate, Sir."
Delta fidgeted despite himself. He cleared his throat and looked at her warily. "I'm sorry to hear about your friend, Private." He was naturally nervous, but sincere. He was uncomfortable to be attracting so much attention all of a sudden from the opposite gender.
Cherry looked with equal nervousness at the ground. "Well, thank you for enlisting me, Sir. It's been a pleasure meeting you. Goodnight." She forced herself to turn and walk away. Her heart was still pounding, and she cursed herself for it. Please forgive me if I sound inappropriate Sir! She smacked her forehead. What an idiot! You made a real good impression...
He hates me now...
Delta watched her go groggily, the usual Cutter-smile on his face as he waved lazily. "Goodnight Private." With that, he turned and wandered off in the opposite direction, his antennae clacking out a weary pattern.
Sleep...what was that? he pondered absent mindedly as he returned to the Recon 50 barracks on automatic pilot. He was too far gone for any coherant thinking. But as he collapsed onto his bunk and closed his eyes, that wacko Cherry kept haunting his mind. She was pretty, he had to give her that, and perceptive. Still, she was a fire ant. The enemy. But Cutter seemed to know what he was doing. And Delta had witnessed her saving his life. There hadn't been such a stir in this colony since the Z Incident. Z had been different too. He envied his uncle's eye for discernment, among other things. He hadn't been wrong...yet. Delta knew he would still wake up with doubts. Especially since he would start training Cherry with the other recruits tomorrow. He hoped he wouldn't have to break up too many fights...
With a final cavornous yawn, Delta finally drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
As the tracker station loomed into view across the airfield, Cherry quickened her pace. She was nervous, but determined not to show it. It seemed more and more responsibilities were being piled on her, and these tests forced her increasingly into the limelight of scrutiny. Now Colonel Cutter wanted her on the tracker team. Some kid named Delta was running it. Cutter had told her he was his nephew. Cherry growled inwardly at her past experience with relatives in positions of authority. In her colony, almost all of them had proven to be inexperienced and/or corrupt. Then again, the whole damn COLONY had been corrupt...
Seargent Delta stood with his back against the wall, notepad in hand. He had inherited much of his uncle's good looks and unconsciously charming mannerisms, with an edge of authority that caught undisciplined ants off guard. He was shy, but determined, and bore the brunt of his uncle's expectations with a mixture of love and hate. His wings buzzed involuntarily now at the sudden scent of the approaching fireant, still jumpy after the recent battle with Cherry's defeated colony. It had been his first confrontation with her race, and it had left a bitter taste in his mouth. Now here he was, under orders to train one of their queens! What was his uncle thinking? He stood there, glancing ambivalently up at Cutter's office with an increasing desire to rush in with a desperate plea for reconsideration. When his head swiveled around again to continue down the list of names in his notebook, Cherry came into view.
Too late.
She noticed his wings buzzing nervously and said, "Hey, at least it's better than your antennas crackling when you're nervous! Private Cherry reporting, Sir." She finished, fighting a smile of embarassment. She tried to control her antennae crackling, but she couldn't. She started laughing. "I'm sorry." She said, turning away to compose herself. "It's not you. Just first day jitters."
If anything, he was even cuter than Runner, and when his eyes turned toward her, it was all she could do to keep her stupid mouth from hanging open. Forcing herself to be professional, she fell silent, waiting for his response, and kept a professional distance from Delta.
The Seargent frowned a bit, then returned Cherry's salute. It was obvious that he was having a bad day. He forced himself to overcome the buzzing wing instinct and smiled.
"Why the apprehension Private?" he asked politely, but his tone was very tired. Delta was an especially observant tracker; whose sensitive nose and awareness had sensed Cherry's true mood even before she spoke. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Cherry sighed inaudibly, put off by his frown. "The Colonel sent me to you, Sir. He said I needed some training in knowing the territories we cover." She noticed the absence of other recruits. "Am I the only one here, Sir?"
"No, you're just the last for the day," Delta sighed. "We've been swamped, and I'm going to have to cut the list down. I hate doing that, but Recon 50 isn't very much an elite Wing if half the Air Force is in it, you know?" He peered at her, his antennae clacking together slowly. "You want to be a tracker, eh? Well, let's see. What do you smell right now? Tell me everything."
Cherry thought for a minute, then looked at him. "I smell the minerals in the rocks around us. I also smell the unique biochemistry and the general pheremones of your race. I know that probably sounds strange." She pauses. "I smell the lead from your pencil, and can tell the kind of tree the aper was made from..." she pauses again. "I can also smell the metallic smell of my anxiety." She finishes, thinking that Delta's unique masculine scent is enticingly musky and sweet. She wonders if he notices her own feminine smell, but gets embarassed at the thought. "Well, that's enough, don't you think? I told you I was sensitive. I can even smell emotions if they're strong enough." It felt so good to be in his presence. She hoped he didn't smell attraction, too. It was obvious the attraction wasn't mutual.
Delta's nose hardly quivers as he tests the air. "Very impressive, Private." he says. "But I can also sense that your pheromones are at a higher-than normal level as well. Whatever that may mean I'll leave to you, but I must still congratulate you. The quartz, the shale, the cedar pencil's wood. Not bad. You mustn't forget the old scents as well. I can also tell that in the last few days or so, you worked with a rare aloe poultice on someone's sore -- wing shoulder, and I correct? Then you washed your hands in water from the -- Eastern reservior -- before enjoying a drink at the bar. I can tell the Eastern's different scent by the higher level of dissolved minerals..." He smils slyly. "Am I close?"
Cherry's mouth dropped open now, and she wondered if he'd been spying on her. "Yes." she admitted, somewhat reluctantly. "All that's true." She looks at him a little dubiously.
Delta shrugs. "It's what I smell. I haven't been spying on anyone: that's Blue's job. He watches people so much he makes 'em paranoid. But yes, this little trick of mine is useful when you really want to creep someone out." He smiles dryly. "I suppose it worked, then? Good. Then I still got it." He looks at her, his face tired again. "I'll sign you up for training as soon as I get the time, Private." he said, scribbling down a few notes on his clipboard. "anything else you needed from me?"
Cherry thinks for a minute, her thoughts unreadable. "If you don't mind me asking, what was the Colonel giving you the third degree about? When I met him, he seemed like a workaholic. Of course, that's just my first impression."
Delta looks back at the door to Cutter's office for a moment. "You probably know that Cutter is my uncle...that's why he pushes me so hard." The Sargent laughs bitterly. "I know he's doing it all for my own good, but the way he thinks and acts...it just really puts me off. If I could ever live up to half the Hero's expectations, I'd be in great shape." Delta pauses and yawns.
Cherry couldn't help but feel sorry for him, and smiled in sympathy. "That must mean I can expect some of that, too." she said. "Isn't there a way he can rearrange your workload or assign someone to help you? I'd be more than glad to, since I don't have that many responsibilities yet." She sighed, and decided to tell him what had been on her mind. "Remember when you asked me if I'd seen a ghost? Well, I saw it in your eyes. I reacted to you the way I did because you remind me of someone who was once very close to me. His name was Runner, and he was killed in an ariel fight. You both had similar looks and personalities." She blushed. "Please forgive me if I sound inappropriate, Sir."
Delta fidgeted despite himself. He cleared his throat and looked at her warily. "I'm sorry to hear about your friend, Private." He was naturally nervous, but sincere. He was uncomfortable to be attracting so much attention all of a sudden from the opposite gender.
Cherry looked with equal nervousness at the ground. "Well, thank you for enlisting me, Sir. It's been a pleasure meeting you. Goodnight." She forced herself to turn and walk away. Her heart was still pounding, and she cursed herself for it. Please forgive me if I sound inappropriate Sir! She smacked her forehead. What an idiot! You made a real good impression...
He hates me now...
Delta watched her go groggily, the usual Cutter-smile on his face as he waved lazily. "Goodnight Private." With that, he turned and wandered off in the opposite direction, his antennae clacking out a weary pattern.
Sleep...what was that? he pondered absent mindedly as he returned to the Recon 50 barracks on automatic pilot. He was too far gone for any coherant thinking. But as he collapsed onto his bunk and closed his eyes, that wacko Cherry kept haunting his mind. She was pretty, he had to give her that, and perceptive. Still, she was a fire ant. The enemy. But Cutter seemed to know what he was doing. And Delta had witnessed her saving his life. There hadn't been such a stir in this colony since the Z Incident. Z had been different too. He envied his uncle's eye for discernment, among other things. He hadn't been wrong...yet. Delta knew he would still wake up with doubts. Especially since he would start training Cherry with the other recruits tomorrow. He hoped he wouldn't have to break up too many fights...
With a final cavornous yawn, Delta finally drifted off into a dreamless sleep.