Small and Nasty

From the 'Maybe it was better before we messed with it' file...

It's summer.

And we have mosquitoes.

Have I mentioned that I really don't like mosquitoes?

I'm sure I have.

But
things could be far worse...

“Oh, crap! The mosquitoes are out!” Lucy reached into her beach bag and pulled out a large bottle of bug-repellant. Uncapping it, she looked around at her companions. “Have I mentioned how much I hate mosquitoes?”
“Frequently,” Marie said.
Darius frowned. “Is there a word that means more-than-frequently?”
“How about ‘constantly’?” Frank asked.
“Perfect!”
Lucy made a face at them, then proceeded to rub repellant onto every exposed surface.
There weren’t many. The temperature was in the eighties, but Lucy was kitted out in long-sleeves, long pants, thick wool socks and ankle-high hiking boots.
She put down the bottle and grabbed her beekeeper’s hat. “There.” She adjusted the net. “I’m ready.”
Darius rapped on her hat. “Hello?” he said. “Can Lucy come out to play?”
Everyone, except Lucy, laughed.
“Shuddup!” Lucy folded her arms.
Marie looked around. “Honestly, Luce, they’re not that bad.”
“Believe me, Mare, even one is bad!” Lucy peered out through her screen. “If I could have my way, I would go back to the day the first two mosquitoes appeared and SMASH THEM FLAT!”
Darius laughed. “Stop beating around the bush, Luce, and tell us what you really think!”
Lucy glared at him. “Think of what I would save all of you from! Think of the service it would be to mankind if they never had to contend with those little, evil blood-sucking parasites!”
“When did we start talking about politicians?” Frank asked.
“I hate you all,” Lucy said.
Everyone laughed again.
“But think of all the companies that would fold if mosquitoes were eradicated from our world,” Marie said. “Every company that manufactures repellant in all its myriad shapes and forms.”
Lucy sniffed. “Well, they’d just have to find other things to repel. And sucks to be them.”
Marie laughed. “You’re a hard case, Luce. A hard case.”
“So now that you’ve got me up here as mosquito bait in the wilds, what are you planning to do with me?” Lucy asked.
Frank took a deep breath. “Well, if we could unwrap you, we were planning on a swim in the lake,”
“And maybe a hike and a nice wiener roast around the campfire,” Darius added.
Lucy patted her hat. “Sorry guys. But the wrapping stays on. I’ll just watch.”
Frank looked at Marie and Darius. “Why do we keep on doing this to ourselves?”
Marie laughed. “What is the definition of ‘insane’? When you keep doing the same things expecting a different outcome.”
“I guess we’re all insane,” Darius said.
“Well I am,” Lucy said. “I keep coming out here, expecting a quiet, mosquito-less experience.”
Darius made a face. “Yep. It’s official. We’re all insane.”
* * *
“So how was your weekend?” Jen asked.
“Well, most of us had a great time,” Marie said.
Lucy stuck her tongue out at her friend.
Jen laughed. “Let me guess. You tried to get Lucy-the-mosquito-hater out of her armour.”
Marie sighed volubly. “It was hopeless. Hopeless.”
“Did the rest of you enjoy yourselves?”
Marie smiled and nodded. “Yeah. The lake was warmer than I ever remember it being. The hike was wonderful and the campfire—a great end to a great weekend.” She looked at Lucy. “If we hadn’t had to drag Luce’s sorry butt around all weekend, it would have been perfect!”
“Hey!” Lucy glared at her. “I didn’t ask you to haul me out to ‘mosquito haven’!”
Marie laughed and turned back to Jen. “Really, we had a fun time. I think even Lucy enjoyed herself, once we moved inside.”
Jen shook her head. “Luce, you really have a thing about mosquitoes.”
“I think there is a word for it,” Marie said. “Phobia.”
“A mosquitobia?” Jen asked.
“Or a phobosquito,” Marie suggested.
Both women laughed.
Lucy shook her head and stomped off to her lab.
* * *
“Who’s to pay today, Lare?” she asked.
Her lab assistant, Larry turned to look at her. “Oh, Hello, Boss! Have a good weekend?”
“Why does everyone keep on asking me that?” Lucy muttered.
Larry stared at her. “I guess…because they’re wondering if you had a good time?”
Lucy sighed. “Yes. I had a nice weekend. It would have been better if a few less mosquitoes had showed up, but still, we had a good time.”
Larry shook his head and grinned. “You and your mosquitoes.”
Lucy made a face. “Can we please start our day?”
Larry coloured slightly. “Sorry, Boss.” He turned and picked up a delicate instrument from the cluttered workbench in front of him. “I have been thinking and thinking all weekend. Going over the results of that final test we did on Friday, and I think I’ve figured it out. Initially, everything works. But we always seem to come to grief when we try to increase the power. The damper field erodes, spilling energy and causing the entire process to break down, system by system.”
Lucy nodded.
He went on. “I filmed that last attempt and went over it frame by frame.” He held up the device. “I observed two weak joints in the whole process, here and here.” He indicated. “I have reinforced the shielding in those two places.”
Lucy carefully took the device from Larry’s hands, cradling it gently in her own. “You think it could be that simple?”
“I do,” Larry said. “Who was it who said that the simplest solutions are often the right ones.”
“I don’t know, but I think he – or she – is a genius.” Lucy grinned. “Or an idiot.”
Larry raised his eyebrows. “I’m going to vote for genius. Shall we give it a whirl?”
“Lead on.”
The two of them crossed the lab.
“Oh, I had them replace the door in the booth,” Larry said. “Again.”
Lucy grinned. “We are rather hard on doors.”
“Well, I think replacing a few is a small price to pay.”
“And I agree with you,” Lucy said. “But I don’t know if the powers that be agree with us.”
Larry sighed dramatically. “Lack of vision, Boss. Complete lack of vision.”
Lucy laughed and stood to one side as Larry opened a heavy glass door, then crossed a small inner chamber and pressed a recessed button in a console on the wall. A square panel lowered slowly, revealing intricate and delicate wires and connectors.
Lucy placed the instrument she held into the only clear spot and fastened it carefully while Larry attached several connectors.
Then they both ran through the checklist mentally.
“One more time, and I think we’re ready to try again,” Lucy said.
“I’ll get the list. Let’s do this right.” Larry ran to his workbench and came back with a clipboard.
The two of them checked off each item.
“Well?” Lucy looked at her assistant.
Larry nodded. “Let’s do it!”
“I’ll get the camera,” Lucy said.
Larry followed her from the booth and moved to a console across the room. “Starting the countdown.”
“Give me ten seconds.”
“Right.”
Lucy picked up a small video camera and carried it back into the booth. “How much time should I give it?”
“Oh, I think we need at least thirty seconds.”
“Okay, I’m going to set it for thirty.” Lucy pressed some buttons, then looked at Larry. “We can always increase it later.”
He laughed. “Yeah. If there is a later.”
“Hey! No pessimism allowed!”
“Sorry!”
“Ready?” Lucy set the small camera on a pedestal that she pulled to the centre of the booth. She smiled down at it. “Ready.”
“Okay,” Larry said. He paused. “Maybe you should join me on this side of the glass,” he added.
“Oh. Right.” Lucy stepped out of the booth and carefully closed the door. She took a deep breath. “Here we go again.”
Larry flipped a switch and spoke into a small mike. “July 19. Process 486.2B. Trial 46.” He looked at the large clock on the wall. “Time: 9:49 AM.”
“Do it,” Lucy said.
Larry pressed the large, brown button in the centre of his console. “We’re away!”
Lucy reached out and gripped Larry’s hand as ribbons of orange light began to swirl about the small booth. More and more. Faster and faster.
The booth began to glow.
“This is as far as we’ve come before,” Larry said.
“I know,” Lucy whispered, tensely. “Turn it up.”
Larry reached for a dial on the far right side. “Ready?”
Lucy nodded jerkily, not taking her eyes from the glowing booth in front of her.
Larry slowly began to twist.
The glow brightened. A high-pitched hum began.
And then, with a faint ‘pop’, the camera disappeared.
The glow died suddenly and completely.
Lucy looked at Larry, her eyes wide. “Did it…?”
“I don’t know,” Larry said. He had his eyes on the clock.
For several seconds, both of them watched the sweep of the second hand as it made its way silently around the clock face.
Finally, Larry pushed a second button.
With another ‘pop’ the camera re-appeared. Sitting innocently on its pedestal, looking as though it had never left.
Lucy caught her breath, and gripped Larry’s hand even harder. She started forward.
“Wait,” Larry cautioned, pulling her back. “Let me shut everything down first.” He pressed several buttons and turned a couple of dials. “Okay. That should do it.”
The two of them made their way slowly to the door of the booth.
Lucy reached for the doorknob. She looked at Larry and grinned. “Ready?”
He grinned back. “Ready.”
“And remember, Lare, it’s our secret!”
Larry nodded jerkily, eyes on the door.
She turned the knob.
* * *
“It is with great pleasure that we present this award to the team of Doctors Lucy Snow and
Lawrence McGovern.”
The applause was thunderous as Lucy and Larry made their way to the podium. Breathless and
smiling, they stood there in the spotlight and waved to the crowd.
“Dr. Snow? Dr. McGovern?”
They turned.
“The Scintell Company is proud to present you with this award of astounding achievement,” Dr.
Rogers said, holding out a large, silver plate. “In recognition for your amazing contributions this
year.”
Lucy reached for the heavy trophy. “Thank you, Dr. Rogers,” she said.
“We are honoured,” Larry added.
Dr. Rogers laughed. “It’s so nice to be able to come out from behind the president’s boring desk
once in a while and mix with the people who do the real work in this company.”
He waved for silence and, after several long seconds, got it. “I have one other announcement to
make at this time.” He smiled at Lucy and Larry. “Another rather momentous one, in fact.”
The room was so still, the sound of a green bottle fly buzzing against a window echoed loudly.
Dr. Rogers took a deep breath. “I just got off the phone with a person representing the Nobel
Committee and your work has been recognized as the most significant of this year in your field.”
He looked at his two doctors. “You have been awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics!”
The applause and cheering were deafening.
Dr. Rogers put a hand on each doctor’s shoulder. “Thank you both for your achievement,” he
said quietly as the noise went on around them.
Lucy, feeling slightly breathless and more than a trifle faint, said, “Well, Dr. Rogers, we have to
return the thanks. If it weren’t for the support and the faith of this company, even as we carried
on our experiments in absolute secrecy, Dr. McGovern and I would never have been able to
achieve this milestone.” She stepped to the edge of the dais and looked out at the crowd, who
slowly quieted. “And thanks to all of you!” She held up the trophy. “This is for all of us!”
Dr. Rogers was back at the mike. “So, what’s next?” he asked.
“Oh, we have many plans,” Lucy said, her eyes glowing. “Many, many plans.”
* * *
Larry tipped his head to one side. “Is that what you’re going to wear?”
“Lare, this is all about functionality, not fashion,” Lucy said.
“Okay.” Larry grinned. “If you say so.”
“Oh, shuddup and get on with it,” Lucy said, grinning back.
Larry laughed. He twisted a couple of dials. “Okay, I’m ready. Got your scanner?"
Lucy pulled the strap of a small bag over her shoulder and buttoned her heavy, cotton jacket.
“Yep. I'm ready, too.”
“You’re sure you’ve got it right this time?”
“Lare, haven’t we done this enough times that you can stop asking me that?”
Larry shrugged. “You keep looking and looking. And you haven’t found them yet.”
“I’m feeling lucky this time,” Lucy said. “My research was just a trifle off before. I’m sure I’ve
got it right this time.”
“So…how long do you want me to give you?”
“Oh, say…two days?”
“You think you can find them and finish the job in that short amount of time?”
“Lare. I told you. I’ve done my research this time.”
Larry shrugged. “You’re the boss.”
“I am.” Lucy grinned. “And don’t you forget it.”
“Well, I guess we should get on with it.”
“Wish me luck,” Lucy said, stepping into the booth.
“You don’t need it. You’ve got research!”
Lucy stuck her tongue out at him.
“But, good luck!” Larry pushed the brown button.
An orange glow filled the booth. With a slight ‘pop’, Lucy disappeared.
Larry set some controls and glanced at the clock. He pressed a button. “Trial 238, proceeding.
Time: 2:59 PM.” Then he left the room.
* * *
Marie took a bite of her sandwich. “So what have you decided? Are you going to come with us
this weekend?” she asked.
“I can think of nothing I’d like more,” Lucy said.
“Really?” Marie stared at her. “‘Cause you usually don’t like going into the outdoors. You
always complain about how dangerous it is.”
Lucy smiled. “Well, maybe I’ve got a little secret.”
“A secret?” Marie looked at her. “Something that makes it less dangerous?”
Lucy smiled. “Maybe.”
Marie shrugged. “Well, anyway, we’re planning on leaving after work on Friday.”
“Meet you at the front doors?”
“Sounds good!”
* * *
“Oh, I’ve waited all week for this!” Frank said, relaxing back into his chair.
“Just look at that sky!” Marie said. “You simply can’t see a sky like that when you’re stuck in
the city!”
Lucy smiled.
“Lucy! You’re not smothering yourself in repellant!” Darius said.
He handed a bottle to Frank, who squirted some into his hands and started rubbing his head and
arms.
“No need,” Lucy told him.
“What?” Marie stared at her. “This from the girl who bathes in the stuff?”
Lucy’s smile grew wider. “I just happen to know something you don’t.”
“What can that be?” Marie asked. “Frank, hurry up. There are people in line.”
Frank handed her the bottle.
She popped the lid and poured a line down one bare thigh. Then held it up and shook it slowly
from side to side. “Lucy. Last chance. Want some?”
Lucy shook her head. “No, I’m good. I happen to know that no mosquito will ever bite me
again.”
The others stared at her.
“Mosquito?” Marie asked, rubbing her thigh absently. “What is that?”
Lucy laughed. “Of course you don’t know,” she said. “I killed the first one. Snuffed the entire
species out before they even got a toe hold.” She leaned back in her chair and sighed. “Best
moment of my life.”
Marie blinked, then shrugged. “I have no idea what you are talking about,” she said. She pushed
the top back on the bottle and dropped it under her chair.
Lucy was watching her. She frowned suddenly. “Wait. Why are you…? Marie, hand me that
bottle.”
Marie picked it up and tossed it to her.
Lucy turned the bottle and stared at it. There was a picture of the lizard on the front.
“T-spray? T-Spray!” she looked at her friends. “What is this?!”
They stared at her.
“This from the woman who has been basting in the stuff for the past how many years?” Frank
asked.
Darius pointed to the picture. “I assume that the person who discovered time travel and has spent
the past year trotting through the eons can read?”
Lucy glared at him. “Of course I can read,” she snapped.
Darius pointed to the words under the picture.
Lucy frowned and drew the bottle closer. Repels tyrannosaurs and most species of carnivore.
Not effective on water beasts.
Just then, a loud roar split the silence.
“Oh, crap,” Marie said. “The tyrannosaurs are out.”


It's 'Fly' time!
The best day of the month!
When my sister bloggers and I share with you what is happening in our lives, minds and hearts.
This month, my focus was on those winged blood-suckers 

(as opposed to the suit-wearing kind...)
Now go and see what my sisters have created.
You'll be glad you did!
Karen at Baking In A Tornado
Marcia at Menopausal Mother