“You found me.”
“Well, the way it is, Gnat, I think I owe you an apology.”
“An apology?”
“Yeah. I’ve been thinking about what happened, and the truth of the matter is, I was out of line. Not that I meant any harm, mind you, but I guess I never stopped to consider how much the teasing really bothers you. Heck, if anyone should know what it’s like to be needled about size, it’s me. Anyway, I should know better, so I want to apologize. I’ll try to watch it in the future.”
“I appreciate that, Brandy. I really do. I think Tusk is the one you should be apologizing to, though.”
Brandy flashed a quick grin.
“I was down there first. He kept insisting I owed you the apology, not him.”
“Oh. “
“Anyway, I’m apologizing to you both. No hard feelings?”
Super Gnat accepted the extended hand and they both shook solemnly.
“Well, that’s all I wanted. Maybe when you get done here you can come on down to my room, Gnat. I have a few tips on handling size jokes I’d like to share with you over a brew.”
“I’m pretty much done here,” the little Legionnaire said, raising her eyebrows in question at the commander.
“Just one more thing while you’re here, Gnat. Sorry to jump subjects on you, but what’s your opinion of Sergeant Escrima’s classes on stick fighting?”
Super Gnat chewed her lip slightly before answering.
“Truth to tell, Captain, I don’t think they’re doin’ much good at all. The sergeant knows his stuff, but he’s not that good an instructor. He just plain goes too darn fast for most of the folks to figure out what he’s doin’ … ‘cept the ones like me who have had some martial arts training before and are just watching for the variations.”