376 Rock and Rumors (1/2)
UN, Orwell's Point, Forward Fortifications
A dragon's cry attracted the attention of the soldiers under the fortifications. The size of the flying dragon grew larger and larger as it dropped its altitude and landed with surprising gentleness on the paved square behind the lines. The crew unbuckled themselves while the blue red dragon laid its whole bulk down flat and the crew climbed down the dragon harness expertly.
”Priority message to the Ground Commander!” A fresh faced lieutenant wearing a jacket over his Air Force overalls jogged over to the guards at the entrance of the command post while the rest of the dragon crew see to the dragon's needs.
The lieutenant disappeared into the tent after his identity was verified. Blue Thunder released a tired sigh as he stretched out one wing and gestured with his claw to his crew, ”Scratch there, please? Ahhh.... yes...”
”I miss Boss Stamford...” Blue Thunder grumbled. ”The new boss is... too easily excited...”
”You meant eager for action?” retorted Dek the radioman as he used a blunt spear they kept together with the stores for Blue Thunder to scratch his scales. The spear was supposed to be used to kill and remove parasites that leeched on to the dragons' scales.
”Ah huh...” Blue Thunder rumbled with his throat, his eyes half rolling upwards. ”That's the spot!”
”Well, the Chief got posted to Airforce Academy,” Barkley said as he appeared with a barrel of water for Blue Thunder. ”Actually I am finding it strange... I heard from a friend in the Marines that there seems like there were a lot of transfers and restructuring among the ranks, but most of the transfer orders involved the hoomans.”
”You meant to say that after the fark up at that city,” Luth the other crew member added in as he dumped piles of protein blocks into the feed tray for Blue Thunder. ”High Command doesn't want to lose any more of their precious hoomans, that's why they are all being transferred to a safe and cozy post?”
”Really?” Blue Thunder hearing the gossip, turned his head and blinked his great big eyes rapidly in attention. ”Are they playing favoritism?”
”Shhhh!” Both Dek and Barkley hissed and looked around their surroundings to make sure no one heard their talk. ”Keep it down you big dummy lizard!”
”This is just hearsay! We don't know if it's true!” Barkley glared at Luth and spoke in a low voice. ”Don't anyhow spread these rumors! It will affect morale!”
Luth gave a shrug as he continued opening boxes of protein blocks and retorted. ”Well, isn't it true? Chief Stamford got posted away somewhere safe while we are here risking our lives in the front lines. I am sure the hoomans are protecting themselves while letting us go die!”
Everyone stared at Luth with displeasure, ”You really should keep your opinions to yourself. Don't forget what they did for us!”
”Yea,” Luth rolled his eyes. ”Freeing us from slavery? Only to fight and die for them later? Should I be grateful for that?”
Even Blue Thunder felt unhappy at the words his crew member Luth was saying and he spoke in a serious tone. ”If you think that way, you should just quit and leave the force!”
”Yeah,” Dek nodded, agreeing with Blue Thunder's words. ”Just quit, no one is forcing you to stay and fight, you coward!”
”I am not a coward!” Luth paused at his work. ”You think it's fair for us to just die for the hoomans while they sit in their silver thrones?”
”I don't know if it's fair or not,” Blue Thunder cut in. ”You were given a choice to join the Air Force, and you agreed to the terms and danger that was offered. Yet now, you are grumbling like a child!”
”Whatever,” Luth replied and returned to filling the feed tray. ”You just eat your damn protein blocks and watch your stupid dramas. You are an asset to the hoomans, but us? We are just numbers on a piece of paper or in that 'tek no logee, corn put er' of theirs!”
”The hoomans won't care about if we live or die,” Luth continued. ”See how many Marines had died already? Did they pull our kind out of combat?”
”Yet when only one of their own died, what happened?” Luth spoked heatedly, tears threatening to fall. ”You see hoomans get pulled out of combat roles! And we continued to remain to fight!”
”Hey, chill,” Barkley said. ”You okay?”
”No!” Luth lowered his head and clenched his fists tightly. ”My brother died in that damn place! But what did our mother get? Just a piece of useless metal and ribbon!”
Bek and the rest nodded silently and they patted Luth's back in comfort. Even Blue Thunder swept his wing around and rubbed Luth with its tip. ”Hey, we all lost something in this war. Some of us, homes, others like you, families. But if you want to blame somebody, blame the Imperials.”
”I can't say what the hoomans' decision was for,” Bek tried to comfort Luth. ”But all I know is that the hoomans gave us a fighting chance to fight for our new homes and families!”
”Yes!” Blue Thunder thumped his tail in agreement. ”Bek family! Barkley family! Luth family! Chief Stamford family! New Boss family too! So don't be sad! We all grieve together for your bro!”
Luth nodded as he silently wept in their hurdle. ”Thank... you...”
”Hey?” A voice called from the side. ”What are you all doing? Have you all feed and watered the dragon?” The new Lieutenant called out sharply. ”Get working!”
”Okay... new Boss not family!”