Fate of the Dragon
The Little Fire Book 1
Richard Lovegood
Contents
Prologue
1. My Identity
2. Solitary Confinement
3. A New Hunger
4. Everything in Working Order
5. Appetite Alteration
6. Communication Breakdown
7. Brains over Braun
8. Embarrassment
9. The Real Bully
10. Delirium
11. Where There is Smoke…
12. Heartless
13. Load Up and Move Out
14. An Unwelcome Solitude
15. Code Black
16. Joy Comes in the Morning
17. And Then There Was One
18. The Dragon Revealed
19. Transformation
20. A Little Mold on the Onion
21. Cute Is Not What I Aimed For
22. Not Exactly Sweats
23. Peregrination
24. A Callous Exodus
25. Dream Sequence 001
26. Where One Tail Ends, Another Begins
Dear Reader
Copyright (C) 2020 Richard Lovegood
Layout design and Copyright (C) 2020 by Next Chapter
Published 2020 by Shadow City – A Next Chapter Imprint
Edited by Eric Pound
Cover art by Cover Mint
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author’s permission.
Prologue
Nobody likes a code blue. A code blue means chaos and disorder. A code blue means rioting. Most of all, it means pain! The captain closed his eyes, determined he wouldn’t let that happen…not while he’s in control. Of course, control may only be an illusion, and the captain knew that! The vessel was his responsibility, and for the most part, the captain realized what a heavy responsibility it was. Heavy, because he knew there’s always someone higher up the chain of command, and he knew that he would have to answer to the Superintendent for the success or failure of the mission. Thoughts of whether he was indeed in control swept in and out of his head, but he fought them back. Wondering about these things could cripple your ability to stay in command. Besides, he would know if he was really in control of things as soon as he stepped onto the bridge.
The crew instantly jumped to their feet as the captain walked onto the bridge. A slight smile of satisfaction crept up on the Captain’s face. His crew was obedient; he could say that much. Whether that meant he was really in control was still to be determined.
“Carry on. What is the status of the city?” asks the captain.
“We are checking now, sir.”
The captain surveys the bridge. He swivels his head from one side to the other to take it all in. All hands are present and accounted for; that is always a good thing. They all seem to be in healthy working condition; also, a good thing. “I want a status update each time I come onto the bridge. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes sir. The reason for the delay, sir, is that the city has become crowded and the population continues to increase. We need to schedule a launch time, sir. However, without guidance from the Superintendent, we can do nothing.”
The captain nods his head as there was no arguing with the Superintendent. He paces back and forth on the bridge as he rubs the side of his face and lets his finger slide off the edge of his chin. The captain knows that if the city population grows any larger, it could result in a code blue. The captain closes his eyes and tries to think of a way to keep all the citizens of his vessel happy.
“Sir, status update is as follows: 61,346,453. The latest batch, sir, is not scheduled to be released until noon tomorrow.” says the crewmember.
“Excellent. Thank you.” the captain says. “Inform the factories to slow down production to avoid overcrowding. Otherwise, we’ll have a small crisis on our hands. The last thing we want right now is a code blue.”
“Roger that, sir. Contacting the factories now.” The crewmember furiously typed a memo of notification to send down to the manager of the factory. The captain knew that once he sent the memo, a response would be almost immediate. Another good thing. For the captain, there was never any time to be wasted… especially now. “Sir, the report is ready to send.”
“Very well. Send it.” says the captain.
“Roger that, sir.”
The captain again surveys his crew. “While we wait for the reply, I need a status update from everyone else please.”
A member walks briskly up to the captain, clicks his feet together and straightens his posture. He reads aloud from a compiled list, “All sensors are online. Optical, audio, and contact initiator sensors are currently active. Other sensors are on standby.” The young member clicks his heels together and moves back to his station.
The captain stands on a small dais, and places his hands on the waist-high railing in front of him, as he again surveys the bridge. In front of him on the main wall, two large monitors continuously carry a live stream of the outside world. To the left and right of the monitors, are a series of heads up displays that have varying percentages. The majority of the meters are all above 90%. Anything below 50% would require immediate action to rectify the situation before it becomes a problem. In all of his years in command, he has never had his vessel undergo emergency protocol due to 50% or below reading. He intended to keep things that way! In front of the monitors, in a semi-circle formation, sits the entire crew. Every function of the vessel is managed at individual stations, right here in front of the captain’s eyes. Just as it should be.
As expected, the response to the memo had already been received by the communications specialist. The captain could tell by the look on his crew member’s face that it wasn’t the kind of response he wanted. As the communications specialist turned in his chair to face the captain, he swallowed hard in preparation, and reads the response out loud for the captain to hear; as well as the rest of the crew. “Sir, the factory manager refused the memo and stated in return to ‘not worry’ and ‘that everything is under control.’”
“I don’t care if he thinks that ‘everything is under control’. I am the captain of this entire vessel! I am responsible for every course of action that this vessel makes, and I certainly will not accept any form of mutiny while I am in charge. He and his little factory workers obey my commands, regardless of what they think or feel.” The captain tried to control his temper, but the pacing from one end of the bridge to the other and the clenched teeth muttering was an obvious tell. He was furious, and the crew knew it!
“Prepare the com-unit.”
“Yes, sir! Right away, sir!”
A metallic tube lowers itself from the ceiling above the captain, and a circular hatch opens to reveal a microphone transmitter. He takes it in his hand, clicks the transmission trigger, and begins to speak, “Attention all personnel aboard the H.B. Charley Ray Duncan, this is the captain speaking. We are undergoing some population control measures, and will need your full participation. Gentlemen: man your battle stations!” The sirens echo throughout the bridge, as the crewmembers prepare the vessel for its departure. The captain, trying not to show panic, turns to the helmsman and commands in a firm tone, “Set your course for sector 2.”
“Roger that, sir.” The helmsman, who is positioned just in front of the captain’s
railing, immediately begins turning the large wheel at the helm.
“This will teach that blasted excuse of a factory manager to defy my orders. Since he does not want to cooperate, he leaves me no choice but to evacuate some of the citizens.”
“Sir, where are we going to do that? We don’t have clearance from the Superintendent to dock in any harbors. On another note, there aren’t any harbors in sector 2, sir.”
The captain furrows his brow as he turns to the crew member who questioned his order, and speaks through his teeth, “I am aware of that. When we reach sector 2, we will have to switch to manual override. We will not remain in the sector for too…”
“Sir!”
“Don’t interrupt me! Like I was saying, we will not remain in the sector for…”
“But sir! We have an…”
“AT EASE! If you value your occupation and your life you will not interrupt me again. Now, as I was saying…” The captain waits. Nobody says anything. “As I was saying, we will not be in the sector for too long. The evacuation should only take a few minutes. After that we shall proceed on course to the rain sector. Now, what was it you were going to say?”
“Sir, we have an incoming transmission.”
“Oh really? Has the factory manager changed his mind and finally decided to obey my orders? It is amazing what a mere mention of battle stations will do to the other occupants of this vessel.”
“I’m afraid not, sir.” says the crewmember. “It’s from the Superintendent.”
The captain gulps. “You should have told me when you first recognized where the transmission was coming from!”
“Yes, sir. But you said…”
“Never mind that! It’s worth the interruption if it’s from the Superintendent!” says the captain in a forced whisper.
“You would do well; captain, to be more patient with your crewmembers.”
The captain winces. It is beautiful and frightening at the same time whenever he hears from the Superintendent. “I only wanted to follow through to sector 2 in order to perform a manual override, Sir. It was the only method that we could come up with at the moment. We are a bit scattered up here. And besides, I just want to prevent harm to the vessel, Sir. I meant no disrespect.”
“If you remember my words, you will remember that I do not allow that kind of action.”
“But what about the citizens that are now facing overcrowding? What shall my solution be to that?”
“"You forget this is MY vessel. I designed it from the ground up! I have designed your vessel to operate in a certain way, and that particular issue will resolve itself. Trust Me. You have nothing to fear. Your job is to make sure that nothing inappropriate enters in through any of the sensors. Do I make Myself clear, captain?”
“Absolutely, Sir. You have my word.”
1
My Identity
Today is creation day! I move down the unloading ramp of the factory and into the masses that had left the factory prior to me. It wasn’t painful. It just happened. I leave the factory thinking a whole bunch of thoughts at the same time. They are fresh, and always in the form of a question. Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? All of those and in all variations, seem to flood my thinking at the same time. I am in a state of awe. Coming down off of the unloading ramp of the factory and into the city for my first time is honestly intimidating. Why is everything so fuzzy looking? My hands find their way to my eyes and I begin to rub. I make contact with a thick goopy substance that still remains on my face. It wipes off rather easily, and I sling it to the ground. Everything now has become clear in my sight. I look down and around in all directions. I am covered from the base of my neck to the bottom of my feet in a white suit. Rasping my hand against my chest gently, I can tell that the suit is rather thick and sounds very dense. My arms have light diodes all over them, but the left arm in particular has a black digital screen running the length of my elbow to wrist. I touch the pad, and it lights up with words. Basic information: download successful. That’s pretty cool. I touch it again, and a menu scrolls up and around the screen. Basic information, directive, exit. Talk about not being impressed, because there is hardly anything in there! I glance over my shoulder and notice that there is a weird box attached back there! My hands grasp at corners, and I can feel a button or two. Right before I touch that button, a loud whooshing noise releases in front of me. One of the other guys must have found that button too, because he just launched himself into the air! I lift my legs and wiggle my feet as I head through the crowd. We all are dressed in the same suit, with the same backpack thing, and with the same pad on our arms. The only thing that differs us from one another is our unique appearance that is beneath the suit. I’m taller than most people here, but there are a select few who are taller than me. Some have long hair and funny bumps on their chest. I touch my arm screen again. As it lights up, I type in a question under the basic information section. What are the funny bumps on the chest? Send. The screen rolls to black, and then rolls back with the white letter response. Breasts are collections of tissue on the chest of the female making a clear distinction between male and female. Well ok then. Define female features I type in. Basic female features normally include: softer voice, longer hair, and breasts.
Apparently, I’m not the only one who is taken aback by everything. Is this what I’m supposed to feel? Strange; the floor bounces. The walls seem to be made of the same material, and same color too. Not sure if I sure be disgusted or joyful, but the reddish hue of both walls and floor are pulsating with a subtle thump. The factories have a very contrasting color. They both are white, and oddly oval shaped with conveyors coming out of both near the front. The doors that are located at the front are very large and appear to slide open and closed. After I became aware of my surroundings, there was a loud voice directing all of the newly created citizens to form a line so we could attend our initial welcome brief.
A man with very curly red hair thumps his knuckles on the back of a clear square, that he is holding in both hands. He is dressed in a red cloak that covers his whole body and just hangs off the floor by a few inches. His shirt and pants are a matching crimson color, with a black belt. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please step this way. Yes, thank you. Thank you. Welcome. That’s right, sir. Right this way, if you please. Thank you. Please file into a single line, thank you.” He is very polite, but also seems to be in a hurry. I suppose it’s necessary. “The briefing room will open up shortly. Please remain in a single file line, thank you.” Then he moves closer to the factory as more citizens come out. He tells them all the same thing, and they form up right behind me.
So here I am; in a very long line. I can see the building up ahead, and the distance between me and the building makes it seem very tiny…or huge…what do I know? I just came off the factory conveyor after all. Comparatively speaking, it appears to be the size of my head. Then I take into account the amount of newly created citizens that are standing here with me. I attempt to count them so as to pass the time. I lose count around 400. Other citizens keep shuffling from side to side, swaying this way and that. I will just leave that issue alone, remain content that there are a lot of them, that counting them is pointless, and that the building, therefore, is huge.
I look behind me to see if any more citizens were coming, and there are only a few that trickle out of the factory. They, too, are guided over to join the rest of us in the enormous line that seems to be going nowhere. At that time a very loud, female voice thunders throughout the entire city.
“Daily batch 5,021 is complete. Factories will resume production tomorrow at noon. Repeat. Daily batch 5,021 is complete. Factories will resume production tomorrow at noon. Thank you.” Steam hisses as the large doors come to a close, and the factories wind down as a humming sound slows in pace and then stops.
Well that was weird. I motion to the line guide. He approaches me with an inquisitive look.
“Yes? How can I help you? Oh, and do make it quick. The auditorium is about to o
pen for your briefing.”
“Well, what was with that voice? I’m a little confused and am unsure as to what my purpose is.” That was the best I could come up with at the time. I have tons of more questions.
He replies in a hurried manner, “Any and all questions will be answered while in the auditorium. What I can tell you is that you will receive your first briefing from headquarters. Upon completion, you are free to roam about the city until the selection board lights up.”
“The what?”
The guide sighs. “Again, sir, all of your questions shall be answered momentarily while you are in the briefing.”
Fine. I suppose I can wait a little longer. I have so many questions. I want to know who I am. I want to know what purpose I have. I want to know why I have a jet pack attached to me, or whatever this thing is! I want to know why I am slightly bouncing when I walk! “Any and all questions will be answered while in the auditorium” echoes through my head as I silently nod… and wait.
Just then there was a significantly loud buzzing sound. Everyone turns in the direction of the auditorium. Sure enough, the doors are opening. The guide begins to speak again, even though I am starting to grow tired of hearing his voice. I roll my eyes as he speaks, “Ok, everyone. May I have your attention please? The doors to the auditorium are now open. Please fill the seats from left to right and from front to rear.”
I try to imagine about how much room must be inside that auditorium as we went closer. If there are well over 400 citizens within this line, and that wasn’t anywhere near the half way point, how much more space would be inside the auditorium? Is it just one large room? Does it separate into an additional section that is blocked from view of the main room? Does it have some sort of subterranean level underneath the initial structure? Granted, there’s no harm in asking, but I can’t ask the guide. He’s not going to answer any more of my questions. I’m afraid that if I do ask something, he might progressively become more irritated with me and become less polite. So, I chose not to ask him anything else.
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