Pestilence

There weren't always dragons in the valley. Granted, "dragons" is really just how they’ve come to be known. A colloquial calling, if you will. Nobody cares to talk about what they really are. I don't blame them. Nobody likes to talk about how it all started. And again, I truly don't blame them. They don't want to accept the part they play in the chaos they create. 

The government had warned us that resistance management programs were crucial in this line of work. You spray, and spray, and spray some more. You tell your clients that half the work is on them. You tell 'em til you're blue in the face. And then, you tell them some more. But they don't do the work and the problem persists. That's when resistance starts to build. Mutations occur. They get stronger against our products and protocols. The trouble calls keep coming, but all we can do is shake our heads and tell them that, this time, there’s nothing to be done until they’ve upheld their end.

Sometimes, this sparks an understanding. Clients get to work. They start making the changes and fixing the problems. Sealing access zones, clearing debris that’s been left to rot for ages prior to them finally taking action, whatever condition we’ve been noting in their documentation for months on end by this point. The clients seem to finally get the idea that these creatures, dragons, however you call them, will not just up and leave while they’ve sat here giving them points of entry, a place to hide, food to fill ravenous stomachs. Took ‘em long enough.

Other times, nothing changes. These clients are notoriously difficult. They have high expectations yet do nothing to help us make the “situation” go away. If I had a penny for every time I’ve gotten a call about a particularly resilient species and a particularly lazy client… well I can guarantee I wouldn’t be in this line of work much longer. These jobs require us to continually go above and beyond the call of service, whether we want to or not.

Unfortunately the job is neither glamorous nor does it pay very well. Most of us do it for the adventure. The thrill. The satisfaction of clearing out an infestation after a grueling and overly drawn out battle. No thanks to the client, most of the time. Usually, they’re either totally useless or they’re actively and inadvertently worsening the presence of these pests. It’s not really their fault, they don’t ever realize how quickly the circumstances can shift from an occasional intruder to a full blown invasion. No matter how much we tell them, they don’t get it.

But back to the topic of infestations. I get sidetracked so easily. Bear with me here. There’s several species, there’s Orientus, Armerelius, Germaine, Aurelian, the list goes on. Few species are known for their ability to invade and infest a structure as quickly and efficiently as the Germaine. Small, tan, slender. They come in on a package or perhaps they’ve hitched a ride on your pet. Doesn’t really matter how they got in because by the time you see one, there’s hundreds waiting.

The time to worry about how these creatures can get in, was before they ever made it into the building. Once they’re in, it’s too late. Good luck trying to get rid of them by yourself. That’s when people typically turn to us. They expect us to swoop in and cure what ails them in the course of an afternoon. Never plays out that way, much to their chagrin and ours. The valleys of Mazerack used to be so peaceful. But that was then, and this is now. Now, shall I continue?