How to make a dragon

Posted on Monday 2 August 2021 @ 15:32 by Commander Caroline Miller

Mission: A Cry from the Darkness
Location: Unknown sky island
Timeline: MD10
1416 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

In due time, a winged man came to collect Caroline and the other scientists, and herded them to the lab where artificial wombs were being kept. Tall cylinders with tubes, linking to consoles monitoring the life signs and progress of embryos in various stages of development.

He could have been deemed handsome but that scowl upon his face and the scar above his right eyebrow marred his good looks. He had his dark brown hair pulled back into a small ponytail.

"How long will it take before it can breathe air!" he snapped out stopping in front of one that seemed to have the most progress of them all. "Can there be accelerated growth?"

"Are you sure it breathes air?" Caroline asked. "I mean this is a creature that was extinct am I correct?" she looked around. "How long has it been extinct? Environmental conditions could have been very different back when it walked ... erm flew your planet."

The winged man's frown deepened. "it flew and walked, it breathed air. it has been eons and technology has now just gotten to where we can bring them back." he looked at the embryo then looked back at Caroline. "Can it be accelerated in the growth?"

"If its been eons the atmosphere could have been very different. You don't know for sure it flew, walked and breathed air," the blond stated. "And we would need to run tests. Accelerating its growth might end up upsetting things."

He growled and grabbed Caroline roughly his nose against her, his breath very rank. "It is written in our texts, in our history." his fingers gripping her arms very tightly, enough to leave bruises. "How dare you question our history, you will make it work"

“I will try but your delving into science that’s in its infancy here with lots of variables unknown. And I would like to see your texts. Read your history. Your quite right it may help,” she told him ignoring the pain as his fingers dug into her skin.

“And if you break my arms I cannot have use of them to work. To run the tests.”

He glared, his eyes cold, then the pressure released and he stepped back. "If you require the texts then i will have someone get them. And you treat them with honor, otherwise you will find yourself over the edge. He stepped close to her once more. "Do not try any trickery other wise, your companions will suffer the consequences as well."

He turned and strode off pausing to glance behind him, towards Caroline his eyes narrow and filled with hatred. Later, another winged person comes in with not as much of an attitude, she is carrying a small armful of texts. "I have brought these to you." almost cringing when she gets near Caroline. She looked definitely younger than the one who had been there first.

"Thank you," Caroline informed her. "You look concerned. Are you okay?"

"Y-you aren't going to hurt me are you?" she almost whispered the answer. "I was told you would." there was a slight panicked expression in her eyes as well. "I don't know why he told me to come here." she squeaked out.

"Its you who have kidnapped me against my will and imprisoned me, basically saying if I do not comply you will throw me off this ... floating island." And for what to .. grow your ..." her arms flailed round at the lab ... "Your prehistoric creatures. I'm a Federation officer. This could be construed as an act of aggression against the Federation," she said firmly.

"Caroline they won't listen,"

"Well they will have too when the Merlin comes and finds me," the blond stated sharply. "My captain and crew will come find me. They won't give up."

The young woman squeaked, when Caroline was gesturing around, accidentally dropping the books. When she heard the solid thump of the books hit the floor, she whimpered. "No, no, no. I dropped them. I will be going over the edge." kneeling down and scrambling to pick them up. "I am sorry they, we, took you. Its not right." dusting off the books and cradling them in her arms. "Please don't tell them I dropped the books." she rose to her feet. "I am glad you are trying to bring them back to life. They were so beautiful and yet terrifying."

"I'm not sure its a good plan to try birth these creatures to be honest," Caroline said coolly flicking through the first book. "I can't read this. Will you translate?"

The young winged woman nodded, "I shall do so, do you want the very beginning of how they came to be or how they flew? How we came to be? I do know there is a lot of information inside. And maybe you want more specifics?" the translator asked, relaxing as she started talking about her favourite subject.

"I need to know what it says about the abilities of these creatures. But how your people came to be would be helpful. I'm willing to do that in any spare time they do not have us here," Caroline suggested. "Getting a feel for your people will help when the Federation turn up here demanding us hostages all back."

The young winged woman looked around then whispered. "I don't like what is happening to you and your people." she then said in a more audible voice. "The creatures were like large or giant lizards that could take flight due to the fuel that they held inside their bodies. This was after they had eaten. Some of them could breath fire. Not all could fly though. There had been those that could only live in water. But things do change. " she gesturing towards the window. "We are in the sky now."

“Do those books state what they need to eat?” Caroline asked darkly. “Did your people live alongside them or were they higher on the food chain?”

She really wondered if these people had seriously thought this through. If they managed to birth one, what was the temperament of these things going to be? What if they were their food source what then? How intelligent were these things?

She was reminded of an ancient Earth movie _ Jurassic park where humanity thought it a great idea to regrow dinosaurs from ancient DNA and used them for entertainment. Yes that movie worked out well.

"They lived alongside them, depending on the bonding, others were just predatory. Being free to be flying amongst the clouds or landing on solid ground." the young winged woman spoke quietly. "I wish I could help you out of here. You are not the primitive monsters as my so called leader had said. You are kind, my name is Sylvie."

“Caroline,” the blond replied. “No we are not primitive. We are a member of Starfleet, in the Federation. An organisation and alliance of many worlds and races.”

Something she had said fluctuated in Caroline’s mind, “what does that say about bonding. How would you do that with .. “ she looked at the creature, “with that?”

"When they hatch, people gather around and see if they are chosen by the creature. The creature will bond, but with what you are doing now, there is no egg to hatch from but, there could be a bonding of a sort." said Sylvie.

"Well you hope," Caroline said darkly. "They might just try eat you."

Caroline caught the looks at her other floxaid colleagues. She was however forming a plan. If they were stuck there, one possible thing to do was take a chance on these creatures they were going to be forced to artificially birth. If they could get one to bond with them, they had a rather powerful ally to help get them off this floating island.

"Sorry," she forced herself to smile. "Its the shock of everything. I don't mean to lash out at you. Lets sort some proper time, assuming I'm allowed it to go through the whole of those books."

"that is why I am here, Caroline, to help out. In anyway that I can." the latter part said in a lower tone to where only Caroline could hear. "I am willing to help you out."

Caroline nodded to ensure she had understood and heard her. It was possible there might be a way out of this hellhole of a floating island after all.

OFF:

Sylvie
NPC: Mathias McPhee

Cmdr Caroline Miller
Chief Counselor, USS Merlin