Ben's Find, by Mercenary Blade!
Hi Guys!
It's Andrew the Bee checking in with another short-but-sweet tale from Mercenary Blade! We're going back to Caligula to see what happens when a young hunting guide gets together with his boss to show off his latest off-world score. It's a case of buyer beware, but not quite in the way you might think!
It's Andrew the Bee checking in with another short-but-sweet tale from Mercenary Blade! We're going back to Caligula to see what happens when a young hunting guide gets together with his boss to show off his latest off-world score. It's a case of buyer beware, but not quite in the way you might think!
*******
Red
regarded the young human who was in her office area. Her ears twitched back and
forth ever so slightly. He had blonde hair that was turning brown, a weathered
vest and complexion. He was fellow hunting guide, Ben.
“I’m telling you Red you never know what those off world merchants are peddling! I got some good deals.”
A toothy grin showed on Red’s canine muzzle. “Really, now? Are you sure you got a good deal? Or did they get a good deal?”
Ben grunted, “Even if I did pay more for what this is worth, I still spent less than I was prepared to. I call that a win.”
Red stood from her desk, she was wearing her work attire, a khaki coat, tank top and shorts. Rugged boots completed the look. So far there’d been no one inquiring for her services, just her young human friend.
“Well I suppose that’s one way to look at it.”
Ben was showing off his finds: books, a poster of a starfighter and lastly a whistle.
“Look at this! This could come in handy on hunts; you know, if someone gets separated from me I could blow this and they’d know where to find me. Can’t believe I don’t have something like this already.”
“Mm-hmm,” Red replied as she straightened up some furniture.
Experimenting Ben put the whistle to his lips and blew. Nothing happened. So he blew harder.
“Gaaaahhhh!” Red exclaimed as her ears flattened to her head. She fixed Ben with an emerald stare.
“What?” Ben asked confused.
“Did you have to blow that in here? Or so loud?” Red moved closer her clawed hand clenching.
“Huh, this thing doesn’t even work! Look!” He blew again.
Red suddenly was inches from her face, Ben faced an angry Daedalian. He felt his legs go weak even though he doubted Red would hurt him. She was so much like an older sister to him, but at that moment he was scared. He felt like prey.
“Don’t. You. Ever. Blow. That. Again!” Red growled.
Realization dawned on Ben then. “Oh, I know what this is now!”
Red swiveled an ear back, “What,”
“It’s a dog whistle! Its frequency is too high for us to detect. But you being Daedalian, you’ve got hearing as good as a dog’s.”
Red shrugged, “Whatever, keep that thing away from me.”
“Actually, I was thinking of keeping it.”
Red glared at him and folded her arms, “Really? So you can annoy me with it?”
Ben shook his head, “No because it could come in handy. Caligula has a majority of humans living on it. So bandits and outlaws we run into out in the badlands are usually human. So imagine I’m hiding from a group separate from you, I can’t signal you for fear of alerting them.”
He hefted the dog whistle, “But if I have this, I can signal you just fine! So if you hear its sound you know I need help.”
Red’s gaze softened, “That could be a good idea.”
She drew closer and ruffled his hair, “Just don’t blow it near me again.”
Her hand went to the back of his neck and clamped down, “Or I’ll make you eat it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ben replied.
“I’m telling you Red you never know what those off world merchants are peddling! I got some good deals.”
A toothy grin showed on Red’s canine muzzle. “Really, now? Are you sure you got a good deal? Or did they get a good deal?”
Ben grunted, “Even if I did pay more for what this is worth, I still spent less than I was prepared to. I call that a win.”
Red stood from her desk, she was wearing her work attire, a khaki coat, tank top and shorts. Rugged boots completed the look. So far there’d been no one inquiring for her services, just her young human friend.
“Well I suppose that’s one way to look at it.”
Ben was showing off his finds: books, a poster of a starfighter and lastly a whistle.
“Look at this! This could come in handy on hunts; you know, if someone gets separated from me I could blow this and they’d know where to find me. Can’t believe I don’t have something like this already.”
“Mm-hmm,” Red replied as she straightened up some furniture.
Experimenting Ben put the whistle to his lips and blew. Nothing happened. So he blew harder.
“Gaaaahhhh!” Red exclaimed as her ears flattened to her head. She fixed Ben with an emerald stare.
“What?” Ben asked confused.
“Did you have to blow that in here? Or so loud?” Red moved closer her clawed hand clenching.
“Huh, this thing doesn’t even work! Look!” He blew again.
Red suddenly was inches from her face, Ben faced an angry Daedalian. He felt his legs go weak even though he doubted Red would hurt him. She was so much like an older sister to him, but at that moment he was scared. He felt like prey.
“Don’t. You. Ever. Blow. That. Again!” Red growled.
Realization dawned on Ben then. “Oh, I know what this is now!”
Red swiveled an ear back, “What,”
“It’s a dog whistle! Its frequency is too high for us to detect. But you being Daedalian, you’ve got hearing as good as a dog’s.”
Red shrugged, “Whatever, keep that thing away from me.”
“Actually, I was thinking of keeping it.”
Red glared at him and folded her arms, “Really? So you can annoy me with it?”
Ben shook his head, “No because it could come in handy. Caligula has a majority of humans living on it. So bandits and outlaws we run into out in the badlands are usually human. So imagine I’m hiding from a group separate from you, I can’t signal you for fear of alerting them.”
He hefted the dog whistle, “But if I have this, I can signal you just fine! So if you hear its sound you know I need help.”
Red’s gaze softened, “That could be a good idea.”
She drew closer and ruffled his hair, “Just don’t blow it near me again.”
Her hand went to the back of his neck and clamped down, “Or I’ll make you eat it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ben replied.
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