“What the hell do you think you’re doing Wolf-bait?” Eyrn held the frightened Private Reese Jones by the scruff of his shirt collar. He kicked his legs nervously. A crowd had started to gather, nobody was sure what to do.
“I…I…I was just…I didn’t! I mean…oh god…” He stumbled over his words.
Private Jones had been working on the high overhanging walkway on a light fixture when three members of his platoon thought it would be funny to play a practical joke on him. Eyrn was occupied below towing a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules across the hangar. As she slowly passed underneath, the three soldiers pushed Reece off the edge of the walkway into her cleavage below.
Reece was still suspended from the ceiling by his safety harness so he was in no real danger had they missed their mark. Unfortunately for him…they hit dead on!
From across the aircraft hangar, Master Sergeant Darren Avery nearly choked over his lunch as he spotted the growing escalation. “Gat’danget! The hells going on over there?!” He threw his lunch down and approached the gathering crowed.
“Well? Speak up! Did you think that you could crawl on me like I was some sort of oversized piece of playground equipment? Climb all over my junk like a squirrel in a tree!” Her voice tore into the soldier, echoing around the large hanger.
“No…you don’t understand…” Reece stumbled over his words as he trembled from the anxiety. His eyes shifted quickly to the C-130 she had just been towing…pulling as if it was a little red wagon! He looked back to her fierce brown eyes, his composure was degrading quickly.
“Eyrn!” Darren yelled as his running stride picked up. He had to stop her before she did something HE would regret.
“Well come on Wolf-Bait! Speak up! Say something!” Eyrn’s voice grew louder and more irate.
“P…please I was just…I mean I didn’t mean to! I..I..was working up on the ledge…a…and…” The frightened soldier stuttered as he attempted to explain himself.
“You decided you’d go for a round of bungee jumping? Tell me Wolf-Bait do you just go up to any ol’ girl and grope them? Would you go up to Izzy over there and grope her!” Eyrn motioned to a female soldier who was standing alongside a group of other soldiers of mixed genders. Her arms were crossed, and she looked to be goading Eyrn on silently.
“N…no ma’am…” the soldier began to quiver.
“What would she do to you if you did?” Eyrn was livid, her face was distorted by anger, her brow lowered, her cheeks red and her nostrils flaring.
“I’d deck him that’s what!” Izzy Ibanez spoke up briskly.
“Maybe that’s what I should do!” Eyrn brought her forefinger up and held it back under her thumb as if she was about to flick the small pervert in the face.
“Oh God please don’t!” The frightened soldier cowered! A wet stain began to form near his crotch, much to the jeering and amusement of the onlookers.
“EYRN! Put Private Jones down!” Darren pushed his way through the mob, standing near Eyrn with his arms crossed.
“But sir she’s just…” A lower rank soldier spoke up in Eyrn’s defence.
“I don’t care WHAT he did! Put the man down! And SOMEBODY tell me what the fuck just happened!” Darren shouted pointing to the ground to emphasize his point.
Eyrn released her hold on Reece, who quickly fell the reaming length of his safety harness and dangled helplessly above the ground. Eyrn pushed off the ground to her full height. She had to tilt her neck as she was a little too tall for the aircraft hangar. “What a bum-rap! You’re such a pushover Darren Avery!” She grumbled as she easily stepped over the crowed making her way to the large parting doors.
It had been a few hours since the altercation in Hangar 4. The sun was starting to set, bringing relief from the oppressive mid-day sun. Darren pulled the cigar from his lips and scratched the burnt end against the side of the towering green warehouse. The impressive structure stood a whopping 212 feet from ground level to the roof, and from side to side was about as wide as a Football Field. There were two immense sliding doors that if opened manually took over 40 strong men (or women!) to open.
The unmistakable mellow twang of Hank Williams could be clearly heard through the thin structure walls over the constant roar of the industrial strength AC cooling system that was mounted to top of the structure. “Bleed’n Christ!” Darren groaned as he shoved the cooled cigar into his front shirt pocket. “Someone’s gotta get this twat into sum’then decent.” Darren approached the smaller bay door that sat on the south end of the building. There was a buzzer and a com system set up, he thumbed through his pocket and pulled out a small key card, swiping it over the door’s lock mechanism. A solid red light blinked three times and turned green, with a click.
Eyrn took hold of the sleeve of the long hand knitted gown and spun around in a quick circle, keeping the other sleeve pinned to her side. Her left arm supported the dress from behind and gave it a “life like” appearance.
As the song moved from one verse to the next Eyrn began to belt out the lyrics along with the Jukebox high on a chest level shelf. Her own voice easily drowned out the hand held 60’s style Jukebox. “The SILENCE of a FALLING STAR lights up a pppuuurrrple sky” She sang slowly along with the tune, keeping pace and pitch perfectly, as if she had listened to this song a hundred times and knew every word as if it were engraved into her mind. “And –AS- I wonder We’hur you are! A’h’m so lone’sum a’h could cry!”
Darren finished his assent up the long ladder to the walk way that hugged the walls of the structure. Eyrn had insisted they be installed as she didn’t want people walking around in her room where they could be hurt, lost or found underfoot. Her room was her sanctuary, a place she could escape to and feel normal, without looking down, or walking on egg shells. The only way into the center of the structure without being carried in was through the large sliding doors. As the song winded down, Darren took his chance, cupping his hands over his mouth to shout.
“If yer so dang old’n wise why’n the hell do you listen ta that shit.” There was a playful tone to his gruff voice. The sort of tone he only used when the right time called for it.
Eyrn quickly dropped the red satin gown, her eyes snapping to the walkway. “There is a buzzer you know.” Her voice was melancholy and calm as she reached over to the book shelf which held the jukebox, turning it off carefully.
“Like ya could’ve heard it over that ruckus anyhow!” Darren chuckled, moving down the walkway closer to Eyrn.
The giantess flopped down onto her bed and stared up at the slowly spinning fans atop the ceiling high above. “Did you really come all the way here to berate my taste in music Sam?” Eyrn often called him Yosemite Sam, or just Sam for sort. It was a nickname his tough accent, fierce voice and rough spirit had earned him around the base.
Darren kicked his foot idly against the grated floor of the walk way and rested his hand on the iron rail. “Now don’t go make’n me regret follow’en ya back here kid. Ya know I didn’t have to!” His voice maintained its softer frustrated tone.
Eyrn pulled her pillow from beside her and roughly smashed it against her face, burying it in the soft downy pillow. “Go away! I’m still mad at you!”
“I just might wit that attitude ya friggen twat.” Darren’s soft tone fled, replaced by a more gruff and smug air.
There was silence, Eyrn’s sly smile was hidden under the pillow. Quickly she sat up and flung the huge pillow towards where he stood on the walkway. She held her breath until the pillow landed a ways away, not even close to hitting him. She let out her breath slowly and shrugged. “Aww drat…I missed!” She grinned, knowing full well she didn’t HAVE to miss.
“Gat’danget kid ya wanna kill me?!” Darren watched the larger than life pillow flop against the wall below and land in a heap on the floor. With the right force that thing could easily down half of the walk way he stood.
“I’ve half a mind…” She teased.
“Don’t flatter yourself!” Darren responded quickly. It was enough to draw a smile out of the grumpy giantess.
“Why do you always have to come and do that?!” Her tone rose, picking up a sarcastic charm.
“Do what?” Darren simple smiled.
“Come here all smug and cheer me up like this!” She narrowed her eyes, standing so she could move towards where he stood on the walk way.
“Because if I let ya cry and moan all night none’ve us’ll get a dang bit’a sleep!” Darren rested his arms on the rail and leaned over. Eyrn’s face was level with him as she stood close to the walk way. It was the only time she felt she could have a face to face with another person. It just didn’t feel the same if she had to hold them in her palm. Somehow this made her feel equal.
“I don’t cry!” Eyrn defended quickly.
Darren motioned to her eyes, which were slightly red around the edges. “Oh?”
Eyrn quickly turned from his gaze and ran her hand along her eyes one after another. “It’s the air around here. It’s dry!” She grumbled, looking back to face him, a vulnerable look on her soft features.
“Right, whatever makes ya feel better kid.” Darren grinned. “So what was that back there eh?” His game face had returned, he was in work mode now.
Eyrn’s arms crossed over her chest roughly and she turned her face from Darren with a huff. “You already know what happened do I really have to go into it?” Her voice was snappy.
“No…don’t suppose you do.” Darren’s game face softened, his looked at his feet. “But it ain’t like you’t get all hot’n bothered like that kid…something gettin’t you?” Darren stumbled over his words. He could scream and yell at soldiers, shoot a man square between the eyes in the name of guts and glory…but dealing with emotions, not to mention the complex emotions of a woman a hundred times his size…it was truly frightening.
“No.” Eyrn’s response was quick and abrasive, like steel wool. She a moment she held her proud expression, but like a balloon she deflated. “Oh! I hate you Darren Avery!” Eyrn huffed and set her hand beside the walkway, an invitation for him to step on was given in the form of a half nod motion.
Darren braced his arms against the railing and leapt over the side onto the awaiting palm. Eyrn kept her arm still as can be as he walked along her palm and up her arm to her shoulder. Once he was secure she shuffled over to her bed and sat down roughly, Darren nearly falling if not for the locks of long brown hair he had used to steady himself. Eyrn reached over and slapped her jukebox until jumped to life. “Rum and Cola” by The Andrews Sisters began to play.
“What’s on yer mind?” He sat against the curve of her neck, his eyes wandered around the immense bedroom. On the outside she was a giant living in a world built for tiny people. But in here was her world. Everything was built for her, the bed, the book shelves, the chair and all the furniture. Most of it she had built herself. While the humans in her life slept their day away and scurried about from one task to another, she spent her 150 years learning to make things, focusing her skills on just a few hobbies. She was driven by some unknown natural force to find the best, most logical and well working path…no matter how meticulous and time consuming, going about things to quickly just felt unnatural to her.
“I’m just bored Darren.” She sighed, leaning against her immense oak headboard. ‘Sing, Sing, Sing” By Benny Goodman was the next song to play. She found it nearly impossible not to snap discreetly along with the tune. Eyrn was mocked for her strange style, vernacular and taste in music. But she had gone through her ‘teenage’ years during the 1930’s and 40’s. To her, the soldiers were the strange ones!
Darren’s eyes fell to an old hand made crate in the far corner of the room. An old toy chest full of things she no longer played with. Among the pile visible from the top was an old Ford Model T with the engine removed, a life sized hand carved wooden horse, a few store display mannequins and a bulldozer with the shovel removed. “There’s loads’t do if yer bored kid.” He joked, resisting the temptation to nod his head to the beat as well.
“It’s not that Darren. There’s a lot of stuff to keep me busy…I’m bored…not lazy.” Eyrn paused, trying to figure out the best way to word how she felt. “I want to go places Darren…see things…meet people.” Her voice carried a faraway mist as she looked off into the distance.
Darren didn’t respond, he simply nodded and let out a gruff ‘mmmhm’.
“And don’t even say it because I know what you’re gonna say and I don’t wanna hear it!” She rang in cleverly cutting him off before he could even think.
“One day I’ll take ya ‘t’ New York City? ‘ow bout that?” He smiled, his voice grew soft.
“Golly! That would be swell!” She teased, clasping her hands together.
Darren coughed slightly and let his eyes close. “I know it ain’t, right a kid growin’ up around a shit hole like this…they dun you wrong in my eyes kiddo…” He stumbled over his words, but he spoke with conviction. “Kids need stuff…ya know…friends’n pets’n beaches’n all that crud.”
“Why do you always call me Kid? I’m like four times your age right?” Eyrn mocked, her voice growing confident. “You’re all a bunch of babies really.” She crossed her arms.
“A’h dunknow. Ya jus’ don’t seem like no dang 162 year old is all. It don’t really make sense if ya’ask me.” Darren sat up; the easy going music of the jukebox was starting to lul him to sleep.
Eyrn let out a long sigh. “Somedays I just feel out of place, Darren. Like you’re all zipping about at a hundred miles an hour and I’m crawling through molasses.” She shrugged, jolting Darren slightly.
“Makes sense.” Darren responded simply.
“Guess I just took my frustrations out on Wolf-Bait…he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Eyrn’s voice went shy, like a small child being scolded.
“Hehehe, kid you really scared the piss’n vinegar outta that boy!” Darren laughed a hearty belly laugh.
Eyrn held her giggle in, sinking down a bit on the bed. She set her hand next to Darren and he hopped on. “I figured somebody else put him up to that little stunt…doesn’t seem like something he would do on his own accord.”
“Yea…he had nothing t’e do wit’it.” Darren sat in the center of Eyrn’s palm as she pushed herself up and let her feet rest on the floor.
“I…should maybe apologize to the poor guy…eh?” She spoke, sheepishly.
“Gaw’knows the boy’s scared’t death of ya. Might help ease’is nerves.” Darren motioned towards the door. “Ya know e’s gonna be coming again tomorrow.” Darren’s voice hardened.
“Oh?” Eyrn lit up, standing she began to make her way towards the walkway. “Tomorrow’s my turn right?!” There was excitement to her voice.
Darren groaned and looked away.
“You promised!” She shouted, her eyes going wide.
“Aww hell.” Darren ran his hand over his face and faced her slowly. “Yer gonna get somebody killed the way you rush about! Ya better not make me regret this kid!” He sighed.
Eyrn lit up with exuberance; she brought Darren close to her face and nestled him against her cheek. “I won’t! You’ll see!” She pulled him from her face and set him carefully on the walk way. The disgruntled Sergeant grumbled and swatted her hand away, gruffly regaining his composure.
“It’s nothing’t joke about! Them are training exercises NAT silly games!” He scolded. Tomorrow was Eyrn’s turn to hunt for the soldiers. Every weekend they engaged in war-games in the desert. Often Eyrn would take part, acting as the “target” for the soldiers to hunt down. Growing sick of her role, Eyrn had petitioned a chance to be the assaulting part for a change. Tomorrow night was her chance to hunt for Darren and his men.
The jukebox began to play ‘In the Mood’ by The Glenn Miller band. Eyrn winked with a coy grin. “Better rest up then Sarge…yer gonna need it!” She turned on her heel, snapping and swinging to the out dated music. “Night!”
Darren chuckled, pulling out the second half of his cigar and throwing it in his mouth. “Try not’eh slaughter my men kid. Remember it ain’t exactly a level play’n field!” He nodded, heading towards the ladder down.
“I’ll do my best not to break any of your little men Sam!” She threw her head back, winking once more.
ISS Gyfjon
High Mars Orbit
Captain Aertimus Bass sat quietly in his ready room, sipping a medium brown tea from a clear mug. He arched his back and leaned in against his padded black chair. In his hand a small pad displaying various coordinates and instructions.
“No, that won’t work. It will bring us too close for comfort.” Captain Bass spoke down to the com screen to his right.
“You should be able to approach from the far side of the Moon. That will shield you from visual detection.” A smaller voice spoke in response after a lengthy pause.
“Yes, I know, Niall…I’ve been pushing this fat lady through space since your mother was in diapers.” The disgruntled Captain sat back and threw the pad down before him. “Ten years ago I could have just flew by and dropped the dang message off at her door, you know.” Aertimus chuckled. “Your people have come a long way in a short time Niall.”
There was silence on the other end of the radio. When Niall eventually did speak, his voice was soft and distant. “… And be sure to maintain radio silence once you are in high orbit. There’s a lot of satellites up there capable of picking up your transmissions.”
“Listen, I’ll figure something out, alright?” Captain Bass half smiled as he looked down to the com screen. There was a buzzing sound that cut him off before he could say another word. “Niall, I have to go…I will keep in touch, alright?”
“Aye, keep your nose clean mate.” Niall’s voice was low and downcast.
“Take care of my sister eh? Keep her out of trouble!” Captain Bass closed communications and pressed the flashing red button on the screen. “What is it?”
“Third Sensor sweep of the North Western hemisphere is complete. Sir…you are going to want to take a look at this….”