We Work to Earn The Right to Work

The journey to the expedition site had been thankfully uneventful - a small miracle that Hart was all too happy about truth be told. Lobo had stepped away from their group after reaching the expedition site which was a bit of relief for Hart as that also meant that Rex was keeping to himself. Still though.. Now he was paired with yet another Euoplocephalus. This female’s features were not as kind - or as old - as Lobo’s has been. No, instead her gaze was stern and her body seemed hardened in comparison. 

“You’re my partner?” She said gruffly and unentertained.. Hart wished he could go back to the surprisingly friendly and intuitive Lobo.

“Y-yes ma’am I am.. ”

The eyes of the Euo female scanned Hart up and down as though determining if she should return him and ask for a new one. One shot over his shoulder though at the juvenile recruits - the only other options in other words - seemed to send the female’s eyes back on him. Hart was surprised that he hadn’t seen this Euo before, but also that her bald scales seemed almost sunburnt from the sun’s rays. He had heard about sunburn before but never seen it himself- it looked like small red sores across her body that had her scales peeling up. It seemed deeply uncomfortable and Hart briefly thought of recommending her to see a doctor.. Until he saw her icy blue gaze digging into him.

“Whats your name?” She said gruffly.

“H-Hart.. ” He stammered out feeling himself straighten up at her commanding presence.

“Well Hhhhhh-hhhhart-” She mocked,”There is something you should know about me.”

‘Oh boy’ Hart thought to himself as he felt an existential dread wash over him. He could already tell that no matter what this female Euo said he was not going to like it.

“My name is Opal and Queen Rhys has assigned me a task. A very important task.” The Euo lifted and then slammed her tail down with emphasis,”And that is to DIG. From dawn to dusk. By our Queen’s word you are allowed two fifteen minute breaks and a thirty minute lunch. You are to alert me exactly when you are starting and finishing your breaks. Unless we are attacked I do not tolerate a moment’s reprieve from WORK.”

‘Oh tropeos please come pick me up and drop me from the sky. Better yet, Alberto come and bite my head off.’ Hart thought to himself as he almost collapsed from the thought of it already. He could already tell that this Euo was gonna be one of THOSE types. The next coming time until his next assignment was going to be a living Hell. 

“... alright… ” Hart said already defeated,”... I’ll make sure to get a good nights rest in so we can start first thing tomorrow morning.” He said and turned to make an exit before he heard a loud and aggressive snort from Opal behind him.

“TOMORROW?” She all but snarled at him in such a tone that made Hart want to collapse then and there on the spot,”We still have a few hours of sunlight left TODAY!” She slammed her clubbed tail down dramatically,”I already have taken plenty of time off TODAY to wait here and welcome you!” She stomped one of her feet into the ground like a threatening bull,”We start digging and we start digging NOW.”

Hart just stared at her. He had just finished a two day journey babysitting a bunch of juvenile Oviraptors on their first expedition. Technically, being a Euo her orders completely outranked him.. But he wanted nothing more than to scream and whack her upside the head. For now though.. He bit his tongue.

“... okay…”  He said almost forlornly as the Euo turned around and began pacing back to the tilling area. 

A Euo’s primary job was protection and guarding Atlantis- that was a part of their caste system at least. Oviraptors were quick and could ferry small tasks and act as servants and the Euos protected the upper class Iguanadons who ruled over them. It didn’t seem fair though.. As he waddled behind this Euo he looked at the scabs along her back. Why was she pushing herself so hard for someone who probably didn’t even know her name? Had she ever even met Queen Rhys.. ? Hart sure hadn’t, and he hoped to keep it that way. 

Hart watched as the Euo twisted and slammed her clubbed tail into a pile of rock with such force that it went shattering across the soil. Hart was quick to step forward and kick aside the rubble and take a beak-full of seeds to plant in its place. By the time he was done he realized Opal had already dug several more feet forward and was swinging at yet another rock. It was only now, looking at the tilling field, that he realized just how intensely crowded this location was with rocks and rubble.. 

“Do we--” He started and then he paused as Opal’s swing came down right on top of another large rock sending pieces flying.

“Do we what?” She said veering around to stare at him,”Were your instructions not clear enough?” She snarled.

Hart stared at her for a couple of seconds. How could someone be so.. Complacent? The Queen had her out here on the surface smashing rocks for so long that the Euo had blisters on her back. She was happy to do so with all the dangers and all of the pain.

‘But I’m not happy to do it.’

Opal stared at him, letting out an indignant snort. 

“I am not working today.” Hart said with a tone that astonished even him,”I am not scheduled to work until tomorrow. You are more than welcome to move forward with the tilling- I won’t stop you- but I’m exhausted from my journey and--”

“Oh OF COURSE they sent me ANOTHER LAZY Oviraptor partner.” Opal snorted as she turned around,”Fine. If you want to be lazy go be LAZY.” He swore she growled more fearsomely than an acro.

“Is being lazy the reason you have sunburns on your back?” Hart said before his brain could stop his thoughts.

Opal stopped and turned. She stared at him. She stared at him for a long time.

“What did you just say to me.. Oviraptor?” She said, staring daggers at him. 

“I said if you were more lazy you wouldn’t have blisters on your back.” Hart said as his heart raced,”How can you expect to serve the queen if you work yourself into an early grave? “ He added with enough confidence that it seemed to give the Euo pause long enough for him to continue,”And more so.. What if your burns get infected? Then you’d be taking up important medical assistance as well.” He said as he gestured towards her back scales.

There was a long silence for a while between the two. Opal’s mouth opened and closed not unlike a blubbering fish out of water, but eventually she shut her mouth and kept it shut. The Oviraptor had several points that she could not deny. She didn’t want to impede the mission by any means.. Did that mean occasionally resting? The rocky terrain of this patch needed to be tilled so that their seeds could grow but.. Had she been over doing it? 

She turned and looked at the expanse of land- much of it completely tilled already. They were way ahead of quota. So why didn’t she feel okay stopping?

“... You can go.” She said,”... But I’m going to keep working. I’m going to keep digging.”

Hart frowned at her weary but persistent words.

“You’re going to work yourself into an early grave.” He said as he turned and started to walk away.

“... I know.” Opal said when she was alone.