More Than Words

By Karen Heslop

Delaney peered through the window at the cloudless sky. The relentless morning sun was beating down on a planet already scorched into submission. She wondered when the Martians were going to deliver on that ‘climate control breakthrough’ they had been promising for the past five years. She also wondered if Imperial Ruler Jackson had the balls to withdraw from the Earth-Mars agreement if the Martians didn’t do something soon. They had managed to calm the blistering sandstorms on their own planet so Delaney suspected the Martians were simply delaying the delivery. Chances were they feared Earth would stop protecting them from attack once they delivered. They would be right.

Her air conditioning unit wheezed as it struggled to fill the small living area with temperate air. She needed to replace it so she hoped the scheduled meeting with the Lieutenant Colonel resulted in the promotion she deserved. She switched the unit off and returned to the door. Steeling herself for the sun’s wrath, she pulled the front door open and slipped out before too much hot air got on the inside.

She pulled her dark green military-issue cap as far down on her forehead as it would go and immediately got lost in her thoughts as her legs traced the familiar route. A large bare tree cast a shadow across her path. Had it been up to her, the tree would have been torn out when it dried up a year ago but the City Council still held out hope of the tree reviving itself. Instead it only became a darker shade of brown while its branches hollowed out and littered the streets.

She kept up a brisk pace as sweat soaked her shirt and plastered her short hair to her scalp. The stickiness was unpleasant but being late for the meeting would be even more so. If a Captain’s salary was as good as she’d heard she might even be able to buy one of those solar-powered cars she had been yearning for.

Soon she was trading the burdensome humidity outside for the crisp, cool air of the Department of Interplanetary Defense. A middle aged man greeted her from the guard post.

“Morning Del. ID please?”

Delaney grinned at the security guard. Dray was one of the few persons she trusted at the Department. She didn’t know how he managed it but he never spoke an untrue word to her. Whenever he spoke, his words dripped from his lips like melted brown sugar poured over caramelized apples. Talking to him soothed her spirit but also made her a little hungry. She slipped her ID from her pant pocket and held it aloft. He smiled and buzzed her in.

“Thanks love. Have a good day now.”

“You too Dray.”

She slipped the plastic covered card into her pocket and strode towards Lieutenant Colonel Darryl’s office. Boisterous laughter sifted through the closed door. Delaney slowed so she could hear them better. Snippets of conversation fizzled through the thick wood.

“…funny Lieutenant Colonel. What…meeting?”

“…time now. Delaney…probably…job.”

There was a smattering of subdued laughter. She recognized the voice and her blood singed her veins. Pushing the door open, she locked eyes with the man in charge. A searing look of disapproval skimmed across his face.

“Good day sir.” She looked sideways at the other man present, “Jarrod, I thought you had off-planet security duties this week. We wouldn’t want the Martians thinking us Earth dwellers can’t honour our commitments now would we?”

She saw his cocky façade slip as his mouth slid into a frown. Bastard. How did the amoral weasel keep getting out of mandatory security duties? Lieutenant Colonel Darryl interrupted the exchange before it grew into another one of Delaney’s and Jarrod’s disruptive arguments.

“Morning Delaney. Since you’re here, we can start the meeting. Jarrod, if you’ll excuse us, Delaney and I have much to discuss.”

Delaney noted the Lieutenant Colonel’s use of short statements with no emotional attachments. He had adapted well in the years they’d known each other. She had told him she had an instinct for sensing lies and it was partly true. Most of her team mates kept her at a distance because of it but she could still ferret out dishonesty. They didn’t know it only took the intent to deceive to taint the words loitering on the tip of the tongue.

She kept still until she heard the door close then took a deep breath before settling into the chair closest to the Lieutenant Colonel.

“Well Delaney, as you know your name has come up again for a promotion to Captain. You may also know that this would result in a salary bump in line with the increase in responsibilities. You would still be out in the field but in more of a supervisory role instead of the grunt work you’ve been doing.”

She held his gaze while he spoke, controlling her breathing. A faint aroma of strawberries filled the room but she knew it wouldn’t last. The Lieutenant Colonel continued, unperturbed by the unease that burdened most of Delaney’s social interactions.

“Based on your supervisor’s appraisal of your work over the past few years, I can see he holds you in high regard.”

The aroma sharpened stinging her nostrils. She interlaced her fingers into a tight ball and waited for the pain in her hands to dull her sense of smell.

“However, the main concern is your ability to be a part of a team and work well with others. A number of your team mates have voiced their displeasure with…”

“Me calling them on their bull?”

The Lieutenant Colonel scowled.

“It may seem that way to you but all you have accomplished is making them uncomfortable.”

Delaney frowned. The air in the room remained sickeningly sweet. He may be angry but he wasn’t lying…yet.

“In any case, it is integral for a Captain to inspire comfort in his or her team mates and you lack the…finesse for it.”

Delaney pinched her nose as the room filled with a miasma of decay. Lies.

“Jarrod on the other hand has the same exemplary appraisals from his supervisor as well as the full support of his team mates. You could do well to learn from him.”

The words spilled from his lips in a blackened cloud reeking of sulfur. Now he’s just being plain mean.

“So what are you saying Lieutenant Colonel?”

“Well…”

She broke in before he could finish.

“Because what I think you’re saying is that it’s more important to get along with people than run missions effectively and efficiently. What I’m hearing is that you would prefer to promote the guy who plays Mr. Popularity but hasn’t logged any successful retrieval operations instead of the woman who has exceptionally completed all missions she has been assigned.”

“I never said that…”

“Well what you also haven’t said is the fact that First Lieutenant Jarrod Supplen has been avoiding planetary defense duties with your blessing. A blessing that has been given because he uses those days to do some business for you. I do believe skipping the mandatory duties required by the Earth-Mars agreement of 2267 is a crime. Even if it weren’t, I’m sure you wouldn’t want another bloody invasion from the carnivores biding their time on Saturn plaguing your conscience.”

She still had no proof but the stench that surrounded Darryl and Jarrod whenever they were around each other told her something rotten had to be going on between them. She decided to take a risk under the assumption specifics wouldn’t be necessary to inflame the Lieutenant Colonel’s paranoia. The man’s cheeks reddened and he clenched his teeth before grounding out a rebuttal.

“I don’t know where you came up with that idea but I can assure you no such relationship exists between me and First Lieutenant Supplen.”

Delaney fanned her hand before her nose dramatically. The action was purely for flair and did nothing to dispel the malodour of rotten eggs filling the room. Dear God, I’m actually right.

He leaned back and folded his arms slowly across his thick chest. His chair protested with a long high squeal at his exaggerated motions. She took advantage of his silence.

“You know how people talk sir and should word reach those in authority…”

“There’s nothing to say,” he huffed.

He spoke with surety but uncertainty slipped from his lips in nutmeg-scented words tinged with yellow. Delaney plastered a thin smile on her face. I’m qualified and yet I still have to play these games.

“Even so sir, just the hint of impropriety is enough these days. I mean you remember Chaplain…”

Of course he remembered Chaplain. The young man had been accused of physically assaulting an unarmed Uranian who he had been interrogating and his military career had come to a screeching halt. There had been no proof and after an intense investigation the alien had admitted to lying but it hadn’t mattered. Chaplain’s reputation had never recovered from the manufactured blight.

The Lieutenant Colonel sighed and rested his elbows on the desk.

“What are you getting at Delaney?”

“I want my shot. Whether or not my team mates like me is immaterial. I’m not running for Imperial Ruler of Earth. Ask them who they would trust to get their asses into enemy territory and back to their families. See what they say. I’m the woman for the job and you know it.”

“And what happens if I appoint Jarrod instead?”

Delaney sighed. Probably nothing. Maybe.

“I don’t know sir but do you want your legacy tainted by appointing someone who doesn’t deserve it? I can’t be the only one who questions your relationship with Jarrod. If you were to appoint him…”

A grave look crossed the man’s features and he was silent for a moment. Finally, a faint smile tugged at his lips.

“You sure you didn’t miss your calling Delaney? I hear the United Planet Alliance is always looking for mediators. In any case, you’re right to a point. I hadn’t done anything with Jarrod but I won’t pretend I wasn’t thinking about it. I won’t pretend his promotion wouldn’t have been linked to certain…potential activities.”

He sighed before continuing.

“I’ll put the call through to HR and you should receive the requisite paperwork within the week. Congratulations First Lieutenant Delaney Morris.”

He shuffled some papers on his desk and Delaney knew the meeting was over. The abrupt dismissal didn’t bother her because the Lieutenant Colonel had done the right thing. She took a deep breath, savouring the milk chocolate aroma of the Lieutenant Colonel’s acceptance as it flowed through her. It wasn’t a fragrance she got to enjoy very often in the Department.

“Thank you Lieutenant Colonel. I look forward to receiving them.”

“And Delaney…”

“Yes sir?”

“If you speak to me like that again, you won’t have a military career to worry about. Are we clear?”

“Yes sir.”

She had wondered if she’d gone too far. Thankfully, she had gone just far enough.

Karen Heslop writes from Kingston, Jamaica. Her stories can be found in Apparition Lit Mag, The Weird and Whatnot and Flash Fiction Online among others. She tweets @kheslopwrites.