CHAPTER VI: LONG CHATS
Groaning, I re-awoke again. Looking around, I saw that I was still in the sick bay. There was still some food next to me, so I snacked on some of that while I thought about everything that had happened thus far.
Queen Maula had been truly evil, the most evil insect I had ever met. Seeing as I had peed on her, she would probably stop at nothing to get me. Of course, I was afraid of her, but who wouldn't be – even king Palpatine seemed to be afraid of her. There was no telling what the hornet's next move would be. As their plan, along with mine, had been scuppered, they were most probably formulating a new one. If I could, I would never go back to that hornet's nest ever, ever, ever, ever again. I truly wondered what we would do next. They most probably still wanted to enslave us, and they would stop at nothing for that. Of course, Queen Maula was their one weak spot – without her that small colony of hornets would be doomed. It was only natural, therefore, that she was always escorted by about a dozen guards, at least.
My thoughts were broken by Berry coming in. She smiled at me and I smiled back.
'So, how do you feel?' she asked.
'A lot better, thanks,' I said. 'How much longer do I have to stay here for?'
'Just one more day,' she said. 'That cut on your abdomen will have healed by then. Speaking of which, I should probably check it.'
She moved around me and carefully peeled off the leaf covering my rear abdomen. I waited patiently.
'Well?' I asked. 'How is it?'
'Not bad,' she said. She folded the leaf back down and came around again. 'It's stopped bleeding. But, you should probably keep it on for the rest of the day.'
'All right,' I said. I lay back and relaxed. One more day and I would be out of here.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Berry and I looked up.
'I'll get it,' said Berry. She got up and went to the door.
I waited. I heard some talking outside. A few seconds later, Berry poked her head back inside.
'Dim, you have a visitor,' said Berry. She looked somewhat anxious.
'I do?' I said curiously. Berry stepped in. A second later, she was followed by Weaver. I froze in horror.
'Well, here he is,' said Berry. She stepped outside, and I was left alone with Weaver.
I didn't know what to say. Dozens of feeble ideas about why he might be here raced around my mind. My mouth was half open when he spoke up.
'Is it true?' said Weaver curiously. 'Did you manage to take down 11 hornets all by yourself?'
'Well...' I began. 'Technically, it is true, but...'
'Really?' said Weaver. 'That's brilliant! Rock on, dude! I always thought you were a bit of a weakling myself – especially as I almost beat you in that fight – but taking down eleven hornets and staying alive? The most I ever managed was four, and I'm a soldier. But a worker taking down eleven? That's a really rare occurrence. Good on you!'
He came over and clapped me on the back. I wobbled somewhat, as he was quite strong.
'Oh, sorry about that,' said Weaver. He stepped back. 'I forgot that you were a bit crippled. But, that's alright. After all, every so often, a fair few of us soldiers get killed. You survived those hornets, and you should be congratulated on that.'
'Thanks,' I said. 'Um, can I ask you a question, Weaver?'
Weaver looked puzzled and curious. 'Yeah, go on...'
'Are we...,' I paused briefly, careful about what words I chose. 'Are we still... you know... enemies?'
'What?' said Weaver. 'Us – Enemies? We were never enemies. I suppose I just couldn't control my temper and took it out on you. In many ways, I was somewhat jealous. Being a soldier is a tough life, you know. But no, we're not enemies. More like... acquaintances. Yeah, acquaintances, that what you could call us!'
'Really?' I said. If this was true, and Weaver and I were no longer enemies, then life in the colony, at least for me, would be much better – assuming I was able to stay in the end, of course.
Another question struck my mind. Were he and Cora together? I was a little afraid of asking.
'Hey, Weaver, did you...' I began.
Out of nowhere, a blow horn echoed through the tunnels.
'Oh,' said Weaver quickly. He got to his feet. 'That's a call for us soldiers. Gotta go.' He ran to the exit. 'See you around, Dim!' He ran out of the room, leaving me alone.
That had been the first time Weaver had ever addressed me by name. Surely, he must respect me now, at least marginally? That must be the case. What else could it be?
Shrugging off the feeling, I munched on several more snacks. Berry came back in.
'You don't need anything, do you?' she asked
'No, but thanks anyway,' I said. I lay back and relaxed.
Berry was re-tending to my wound. I waited patiently.
'Well?' I said. 'How is it?'
'Healed,' she said. She peeled on the leaf fully and tossed it aside. 'You can go in a half hour.' She went back to mixing food substances to make medical drinks over in the corner.
Suddenly, there was another knock on the door. Berry immediately got up and went over. Again, I heard voiced talking. Berry poked her head back inside.
'Dim, you have one more visitor,' said Berry.
'I do?' I said again. Was Weaver back?
Berry came in, followed closely by Cora. Just like with Weaver, I froze.
'Well, here he is,' said Berry. There was an odd tense moment. Berry nervously edged herself towards the exit.
'Uh, I'll leave you two to uh... have a chat,' said Berry quietly. She ran out the exit, looking a little agitated.
Cora and I just stared at each other. I tried to speak, but I seemed to have left my voice back when she was in the corridor. She spoke up.
'Uh, Dim, they're saying in the colony that you met the hornet queen, overheard her plan to enslave us, escaped her by the skin of your teeth, and made it back here, subduing 11 hornets, but suffering a deep cut and holes in your wings. That is true, isn't it?' whispered Cora timidly.
'Uh, yeah,' I said. 'The cut's healed, and I can leave here in a half hour. 'But the holes aren't going to heal for quite a while.'
'Oh,' said Cora quietly. 'That's a pity.' Her gaze wandered off me – she appeared to be lost for words. She looked around the room, and her eyes fell on the food next to me. I saw her eyes light up as big as car headlights.
'That's it!' she said excitedly. She jogged over to the food, and picked up a raspberry. She smashed it, scattered the shell everywhere, leaving a small puddle of raspberry juice.
'Uh, what are you doing?' I asked. 'I was supposed to eat that...'
Cora did not answer. She then squished a kernel into a semi-solid state, and mixed it with the raspberry juice.
'Open your shell and hold out your wings,' she said.
I did not know what she had in mind, but I hastened to obey. I opened my shell and held out my wings. She stepped forward and carefully spread the mixture over the holes in my wings. I took in the relief – it felt great, her tending to me! She then stepped back.
'There,' she said in a satisfied way, 'that'll speed up the healing of those holes considerably.'
'Wow,' I said. 'How did you know that would help?'
'Oh, we Earth Moulders get cuts all the time while we're digging. We have to know basic healing remedies. But, I discovered that one by accident, and that's the first time I've used it. You should feel kind of honored, I guess.'
I did, but not for that reason. I was burning to ask that one question, and, somehow, I managed to overcome my persisting shyness.
'Uh, Cora, do you... you know... happen to have a... mate?'
'What?' said Cora timidly. She looked exactly like I felt. 'Um, no, why?'
I felt like I could fly even though my wings were broken. I still had a chance!
'Well,' I said slowly, 'I just thought that you might have already had one. After all, the mating season had just happened...'
'Well,' said Cora, 'that soldier you were fighting did ask me after you were briefly banished, but I turned him down. He wasn't right for me. And, well, you seemed really eager to beat him and win me. Was that the case?'
'Um, well,' I stammered, 'yeah, it was. It still is.' Somehow, I forced myself to look into her eyes – she looked so beautiful, almost like a princess, though of course she wasn't – if she was, I would never have a chance, no one would!
'That's very sweet,' she said kindly. She leaned closer. 'I like you a lot.'
'You – you do?' I whispered. She nodded.
'I – I like you a lot too,' I said. The mood was going uphill, both for me, Cora, and the colony's safety!
She leaned even closer. I was almost there... The true sign of being in a permanent partnership...
Then without any warning, without any warning at all, as both Cora and I were so focused – Berry re-entered the room. Cora jumped backwards. Had Berry seen? If she had, the whole colony might soon know! The sorts of things neither me nor Cora would want anyone to know!
'Oh, I'm so sorry, I...' stammered Berry.
'It's no problem,' said Cora, 'I was just about to leave...' She quickly got up and made for the exit. 'I'll see you around, Dim,' said Cora. She left.
Berry and I briefly glanced at each other. The look on her face told me that she knew what had been going on. However, I didn't dare ask, as then she would definitely know what was going on.
Without saying anything, Berry went back to mixing food substances in the corner. I purposely didn't look in her direction, now actually eager to get out of here...
About 25 minutes, later, Berry came up to me.
'Alright,' you can go now,' said Berry. 'Remember not to fly until those holes are healed. Oh, and the king and queen want to see you in their chambers first thing tomorrow.'
'Right,' I said. With barley any more effort than normal, I hoisted myself off the bed onto the ground. I could walk absolutely fine – in fact, save the holes in my wings, I was physically fine.
I walked over to the exit and out into the corridor. It was late, so I reckon that I should probably go to bed. I made my way through the tunnels, passing only a few beetles. I noticed most of them gave me a look of glowing admiration as I passed. Did the whole colony know by now about how I had escaped?
In no time at all, I was at my room. Of course, I shared it with 199 other beetles, and many of them were bound to notice me.
I walked inside. I was halfway to my "bed" when I was first noticed by the beetles.
'Hey, it's Dim!' said one beetle. They broke into applause, stomping their feet, clacking their horns together, and buzzing their wings as one.
Approximate Chapter Running Time: 00:16-00:19