This time it was unit 84’s turn to be chosen for summons. Considering the Hive was so near, they had only a short trip to it. Yet Xe looked back with concern and uneasiness at the Scouts left behind to look after the pasture area. Various bad scenarios were running in his head and he dreaded what he might discover when they got back.
Fortunately, his concerns were without grounds. Returning with gathering swarm number three he found everybody not only safe and sound but in high spirits also.
“We saw a Relative a while ago,” bragged some youngsters. “Plodding that thick section over there where the thorny creepers grow. It was probably a Hep, though we can’t be sure as he vanished deeper in the herbage immediately after noticing us.”
Under the vigil eye of the Watchers, the Gatherers commenced their work in a relatively pleasant atmosphere. The beckoning flowers got sprinkled with industrious Eeols, with rivers of tasty nectar running into their greedy suction pipes. Nobody was getting close to the water and the first day passed peacefully.
By the next Morning Rally, reports from the previous day were summarized and supplies brought into the Hive tallied, and the final result appeased the Supremes. BeraX7719 glowed with satisfaction while parading pompously over the waxy prominence.
“Excellent, Eeols, excellent! If we keep up this pace, it is going to be a very successful year for the Swarm indeed!”
His words frustrated Xe, and he barely managed to restrain himself. To call a year as horrid and tragic as this one very successful? What would an unsuccessful year look like?
“The Queen thanks you all for the extraordinary results,” added the Supreme.
Exactly what I needed to hear now, thought Xe cynically.
The next announcement was good, though. “As rich pastures are to be found almost everywhere in the Puddle area, there’s no need for Scouts to do any seeking. Hence, when going there, each scouting company is to fly together with its gathering swarm until further notice.”
That arrangement meant a significantly lesser risk for Scouts, and Xe shed a breath of relief.
A little later, the Scouts were already flying out on their quests. Today it was company one’s turn to deal with the Puddle anyway.
The Mission Commander took company three into the Ridge area where the security situation was rather easy. While not particularly rewarding in terms of nectar harvest, local pastures were quiet and safe. Almost nothing stirred in those thin-grown groves and Eeols could do their work undisturbed.
For the next two days their destination was the Grasshopper Stone and the meadows around it, and the Flyers enjoyed those missions; but then time came again for gathering swarm three and its Scouts to handle the perilous zone by the Puddle. Still, no serious incident occurred so far, and tensions surrounding the dubious quests have eased a bit.
The apprehensive swarm tightened its lines as it neared the treacherous place. Nothing seemed to change over the last three days. The infinity of still dark water neither increased nor shrunk in size and its muddy banks remained engulfed with blossoms. No threat could be spotted anywhere, and the Gatherers spread out to engage in their work while Watchers together with Scouts patrolled the edges of a feeding area.
Unit 84 buzzed slowly in a simple formation. Se and Se were flying just underneath their Scoutmaster, and the rest of the unit at the rear, anxious but watchful.
Xe spoke little today, wondering when and if unit 84 would get its reinforcements. He even pondered the idea of asking his two former Scouts to rejoin him. Surely that would be a good solution for Go who was arguing a lot with her current Scoutmaster. On the other hand, Te did more than fine in his new unit as he was having a way with everybody, but regardless of that, he would certainly be glad to come. The thing was, Xe didn’t have the slightest wish to go to see BeraX7719 over this, and it was doubtful the Supreme would agree with his suggestions anyway.
Then something moved in the dark shadows under the metallic leaves.
A large and swift object flashed out of some secret hideaway, and a hungry Common Rocky Grabbing Fly black as night pounced savagely at the Scout unit.
Yet Xe remained calm. Their position was good as it was just a single Fly that they noticed in time, posing no problem for the combined blaster power of the entire unit. Not to mention the backup was just a buzz away in case they would need help, and hence the Scoutmaster reckoned there was nothing to worry about.
Unfortunately, he didn’t factor in the inexperience of his Starters.
Terrified by the appearance of an ugly insect, the young Scouts panicked and broke the formation. Screaming, they forgot the importance of keeping together and scattered across the land in chaos and disorder, careering blindly in all directions.
“Retain position! Hold the line!” Xe howled in vain as the Starters were unresponsive to his commands.
Some backup was promptly by their side; an experienced troop of Watchers whose keen eyes didn’t miss a thing, and in the commotion that followed, the Fly was shot down. But youngsters failed to note it and just continued to run senselessly.
“No! Not toward the water!” Xe shouted desperately trying to stop Bo and Se 41 who were just crossing the mud-spattered bank of the Puddle.
The youngsters seemed deaf to his calls, and he accelerated as much he could, ignoring the painful groaning of his air-screw straining to the end of its powers. Now all three of them were bolting over the somber water surface, and there was a movement in the deep.
With horror, Xe glimpsed the huge shadow rising through the dark water in the direction of the two ignorant Starters.
He stretched reaching out as far as possible and seized both of them, pulling them back simultaneously as the atrocious larva sprung up in the air. The warping olive form flashed before their horrified eyes, and for one terrible moment it seemed like time has come to a halt. A giant armored Waterworm hung upon the water surface, displaying many pairs of tiny legs going down its belly and a disfigured head with monstrous metallic jaws, which bit into Bo’s ankle.
And cut it off like a twig.
One second later, the wormlike abomination splashed back into black depths from whence it came and disappeared.
With cracks from his overloaded air-screw, Xe was carrying the unconscious youngster who was bleeding profusely to the dry land. Pale-faced and shuddering, Se 41 trailed him barely capable of flight herself. Once on the bank, the other Starters gathered around them, scared and breathless yet sound, and several skilled Watchers rushed to help.
Bo lost his foot, but he stayed alive.
23.
Lost!
That night Xe dreamed of the winter of his Internalhood. Confined inside his armor, he saw the familiar faces from his past again, working and playing happily throughout the vast green-lit areas of Hive as he had once done.
Xe was very young then and many things were new to him. He didn’t spend much time musing as these were the simpler times. Being born in late spring, the curious Internal was very busy at first, but with the end of the warm season came the extended period of a gorgeous leisure. There were so many long breaks during that pleasant winter, and in his dream, Xe played catch with his old gang again; chasing them lightheartedly in the endless network of waxy corridors. He could even hear the dull voice of old To 10 yelling at them with no effect whatsoever as his former Master of Internals was such a good-natured fellow that nobody was afraid of him.
Winter was basically an inactive period for Eeols. The majority would spend it in hibernation, sealed comfortably in their red armors and waking only to feed from time to time. Yet it didn’t mean cessation from all activities in the Hive as there was still some work to be done and small portion of the Swarm had to stay vigil to carry it out.
The bulk of the winter working force consisted of Internals who cleaned and made repairs and took care of the brood. Mature Eeols mostly patrolled the Hive, making sure everything was in order, and they also minded the Gate which had to be kept open constantly for the ven
tilation sake; only when the cold was truly severe, the Gate would be partly blocked by wax rubble.
One of the Supremes had to be up as well, together with several Commanders and many Pages, to provide all the necessary services to the Queen who never stopped her egg laying or emitting of the community-binding Song. None of them bothered much with Internals, leaving them in the care of their Masters who gave a lot of freedom to thw youngsters.
Yes, the repetitive duties of Internals were droning and often monotonous, especially in the warm season, but their life was sheltered and peaceful and laden with merry moments. In a way, these were indeed the golden days, just as MedaM0075 claimed.
When Xe woke up, he regretted that he had. The sweet pictures faded away, letting the harsh reality back in. He left his sleeping chamber grim and dejected.
It was gloomy in the Commanders’ Area that morning. Everybody was mourning the death of Commander Bo 626 from unit 25 who fell the day before. The fastest Scout in his unit, he had just been promoted to a Green when he got killed by a stray Dragonfly which unexpectedly bumped into the Scouts surveying the west banks of the Puddle. Although they usually kept away from stagnant water, there were always exceptions.
His Scoutmaster TeraX8891 took it hard as Bo 626 was his favorite and also a close friend. He wasn’t around at the moment because the Superiors granted him a leave, and it looked like he was determined to spend it in his quarters.
Xe has been worrying about him as this was the second Scout unit 25 has lost in a short period of time. Several days ago, one playful Starter got jumped by a Great Black Beetle prowling the dense Lily Creepers, and all the rescue troop found of him were traces of dried yellow blood. At the same time, Xe was grateful that none of his Starters perished so far. The luck seemed to cling to unit 84. Tt was about time, he thought bitterly.
Today the scouting company three set their course toward the Stream. The weather has been gorgeous and flying conditions were perfect, but the Scouts knew they had to be extra careful as one of the most dangerous parts of year was at the door.
The Greater Grabbing Flies were to show up in the plains. The huge nasty guests from the south visited Eeol meadows during their swarming season, which was luckily brief, and every year the Supremes would cancel all quests until the giant insects returned to their remote homes. Still, they were not eager to do it too early.
The swarming was definitely about to start. The great plains echoed with distant high-pitched sizzles, different from the vocalization of other species of Grabbing Flies. However, none of them was close by and the wary Scouts spotted only several Peaceful Flies along their route, glistening golden-green in the bright sun.
When the Stream came into view the company discovered it has widened considerably. The water level rose with recent rainstorms swallowing the thick vegetation previously thriving at its margins. The usually mild current turned wild and destructive, rolling huge rocks and plant stalks in the roaring waves crested with white foam.
Yet away from the Stream, Eeols were greeted by a more pleasant sight; cute brassy groves in full bloom. They consisted mainly of Pimma plants accompanied by various smaller herbs, and a colorful multitude of flowers was just opening for the new day.
“Left turn and prepare for landing,” Xe commanded to his Scouts. “You two, who called you here?” Fe and Jo were again overly eager in fulfilling their duty. “Back to the rear!”
Spreading across the lesser patch of land, Scouts carried out the routine procedures for securing the area. The Pimma grove they had picked was promising a rich harvest. The ground here was ochre-colored clay with a hard and dusty surface harboring no cracks that could serve as hiding lairs for hostiles.
“We are in position, Sir!” reported Fe to Xe. “Everything is in order!”
But nothing was in order.
Out of nowhere, the rain clouds appeared gray and heavy and just dimmed the sun above the Eeol heads. Then lightening tore the skies. It was one of those sudden summer storms so common in this part of season. The first raindrops already began to fall when startled Commanders sounded the alarm.
“Scouts, take cover!”
The company scattered and everybody rushed to look for a shelter.
Xe spotted a large brassy leaf lying on the ground, its metallic veins showing in clear details, and dashed to it. He glanced over his shoulder to discover there was nobody behind him; his Scouts probably fled toward the huge Pimma plant on the left. Not watching where he was going, he approached the leaf too fast and crashed into it.
To his bewilderment, the leaf moved.
It wasn’t a leaf at all but a Mimic; one of the hulking beetles whose bodies imitated pieces of plants almost to perfection. While these creatures weren’t carnivores, they were bad-tempered and of considerable size, and Xe found himself in grave danger as one of the segmented metal-bound legs grabbed him tightly around the chest. The clumsy insect spread its broad metal wings and buzzed four powerful air-screws, getting itself and the hapless Scout airborne.
Xe fought desperately to wrestle out of its grasp but he couldn’t. The Mimic simply carried him further and further from his company, flying through the intensifying rain which seemed not to bother him in the least.
On the verge of despair, Xe forced himself to think. Every part of the insect’s body was protected by a solid brassy armor, everything except its boggy eye. The woeful Scout finally saw his chance. Extending forward, he drew out a sharp red spike and stabbed the Beetle in the eye.
The wounded insect balked and screeched, instantly releasing the rebellious Eeol from its grip and tossed him through the air.
Xe found himself free again, but he was now caught in a deadly cloudburst. What was worse was that the Mimic released him right above the wide waters of the Stream. The white-foaming current boiled and walloped relentlessly beneath the ill-fated Scout, and there was no place to take shelter here.
He used the last bit of strength he had to dodge the huge globes of raindrops, spinning and whirling like mad. To his misfortune, downpour was just getting worse. In a flash he glimpsed one shiny drop plunging his way. The exhausted Scout got bashed on the head and blackness overtook him. He plunged down to be swallowed by raging waters of the Stream, with the wild torrent dragging him away.
But it was not the end.
Xe regained consciousness again, gulping for air in the shallows. His head felt as if it would split open, yet the rain has ceased.
Splashing around, he struggled through the floating debris and crawled upon the nearby rocky bank where he staggered to his feet. A sharp pain lanced him, and he checked his waist. Thick yellow blood was dripping from deep cracks in his belt where two batteries were missing; ripped out by the force of the crash. He pressed the wound tightly and looked around.
The surroundings were completely unfamiliar. The Stream was very wide at this spot and the landscape quite rough with only a few giant blades of some kind of coarse grass sprouting here and there along the banks. On his side there was also a dark thicket looming in the distance. A line of low hills has risen on the west, being nothing more than bare cliffs whipped by the angry wind. It was a secluded and remote place, evidently unoccupied by any Swarm. Xe was lost and totally alone.
He shivered.
After gathering some courage, he tried to spin his air-screw, but its fans weren’t responding. Peering over his shoulder, the Scout couldn’t tell what was wrong, and in terror he wondered if he would ever get out of here alive.
Convincing himself to get rid of such ideas, Xe popped out his spikes and blasters. His weaponry was working fine and that consoled him a little. He then scanned the surrounding area for a possible shelter for the night. The day was almost over and darkness drifted upon the banks of the Stream. It was getting colder with each passing moment.
There was some huge dull-colored boulder with a concealed hole at its base looking good enough to creep in. Xe toiled along the harsh terrain, advancing dauntingly slowly over the unstable
and rock-strewn ground. Yet there was no sign of hostiles anywhere, and Scout managed to reach the shelter safely.
The hole led to a cramped void underneath the boulder. Sleeping down on the hard floor rendered him unable to seal in his armor, which was extremely uncomfortable and distressing. The Scout was in pain and cold too, but no unwanted visitors disturbed him in his stony hide-away, and the night passed peacefully.
The next morning was cloudy and windy with scenery looking even gloomier than yesterday.
Besides not having a good nights’ rest, Xe suffered with a bad headache. His stiff fingers discovered a crack on the back of his helmet he wasn’t aware of the day before. However, he felt a little better, and when he tried out his air-screw this time it spun successfully. Even though it still couldn’t achieve a lift-off, it was a good sign, suggesting his flying gear would probably recuperate with time. If he would stay alive, naturally.
In the meantime, Xe was forced to travel on foot, which was strenuous and most unpleasant for an Eeol. At least the orientation wasn’t a problem as he knew the Stream would take him home if he followed it. That led in direction of a thicket he noticed yesterday, but it was just a narrow streak easy to bypass so he didn’t worry much about it.
Using foots of rocks and passages between boulders as hiding places, Xe skulked forward, carefully checking the situation each time before moving from one cover to the next. Unfortunately, this system showed to be not only agonizingly slow but also dangerous. The sudden appearance of a pair of Hunting Flies barely gave him time to find cover, withdrawing back into the shadows at the last moment.
There were two Stripped Hammerheads. The carnivorous Flies circled across the beige sky, but they weren’t aware of Scout’s presence and all he had to do was to keep quiet until the ugly insects flew away.
The Call of the Swarm Page 24