by Bruce Marcom
“More like a lab experiment. The result of humans trying to play god.”
“Interesting. I assume you escaped the clutches of the evil scientists, since you are here.”
“Fortunately.”
“And yet you travel with a scientist. How ironic,” Grimace teases.
“Heh. Never thought of it that way. Doc is my friend even though she pokes and scans me constantly.”
Doc says, “Sorry. I can't help it.”
Eve says, “It’s okay with me. I would ask before scanning any of these other dragons, though.”
Grimace is quick to assure Doc. “They don’t care if you scan them.”
“Awesome,” Doc says with excitement.
Grimace says, “I will teach you everything I know about Space Dragons.”
Eve immediately offers a question. “How is their government chosen?”
“I wouldn't call it a government. Most dragons belong to a clan that is usually ruled over by the biggest and strongest dragon. Notice I didn’t say smartest.”
“That sounds rather barbaric. It should be run by the smartest.”
“Change isn't something that happens too often with dragons.”
“I see.”
“So you have a bunch of clans being ruled by the biggest bully or bullies that do not really care what happens to the clan. They are only worried about how they can benefit by exploiting the clan.”
“No wonder the size of dragon space has been reduced so much.”
“Yup! And since the males are larger, there aren't any female leaders.”
“How many dragons are in a clan?”
“About 20 to 100 but if the leaders totally suck, 20-50. Most fall in the 10-30 range now days because our numbers have thinned out.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“How are mates chosen?”
“Usually by the clan leader.”
“What? Who came up with that stupid system? So, if you get stuck with some lame ass, you just don't have a choice about it?
“Yeah, that is one of the reasons our population has dropped so low. Females are refusing to mate with their chosen mate.”
“I don't blame them.”
Doc offers her own question. “What about dragon powers? The abilities a dragon gets are based on their color, correct?”
“Yes, for the most part. Usually the same colored dragons mate, but two different colors can mate. In that case, the female color is the dominant as far as determining the abilities their hatchings have. They can have a few of the male traits sometimes. Since clan leaders pick mates, you don't see cross color mating very often.”
“Are all dragons Metallic?”
“Nope. There are Metallic, Rock, Water, Crystal, Earth, and others. Dragons are usually made up from the climate they live in normally. The more metal content in their make up, the smarter they are. That is why Metallic dragons are the more dominant ones.”
“Can the less intelligent ones speak or communicate with other dragons?”
“All dragons can speak if taught how, but usually clan leaders don't teach their clan members anything. They want to keep them as dumb as possible to ensure their position as clan leader is not threatened.”
“That has to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard.”
Doc says, “I have to agree with that. Keeping your own race ‘dumb’ prevents them from progressing or advancing as a whole.”
Grimace says sadly, “Unfortunately, the system has been that way for eons. It will never change and we will all become extinct because of it.”
Some of the other dragons who are listening in start voicing their agreement.
“What if all the clans were united under one leader? One who changed the system and created a new one that included education and the freedom to choose their own mates?”
Grimace laughs ruefully. “That would have to be the most powerful Space Dragon in the universe. He would have to defeat every clan leader or convince them to accept being ruled over.”
The other dragons agree loudly with Grimace. The area they are talking in is getting more and more crowded with curious dragons listening to the conversation. A dragon that is larger than the others flies over and lands as the other dragons clear out of the way. A sense of fear immediately arises in the other dragons.
The new dragon, Jare, speaks. “What is going on over here?” he demands.
“Nothing, O great clan leader almighty. We lowly females are just having a conversation,” Grimace says with obvious, intentional sarcasm.
“Are you mocking me again, Grimace?” Jare’s tone is a clear warning.
“No, Your Highness. I am paying you respect,” Grimace says even more sarcastically.
Jare sees the small strangers and says with an ominous tone, “Outsiders are not welcome here.”
Eve snaps back, seemingly unconcerned with her own safety. “I don't recall inviting you to our conversation.” Eve sends a telepathic message to get in the shuttle and leave. Doc runs over to shuttle.
Jare says, “How dare you talk to me that way, little dragon.”
The other dragons are backing away in haste.
“Eve is a stranger and doesn't understand our ways, mighty one.” Grimace does not understand what is about to happen, and her nervousness shows.
“It’s okay, Grimace. I can speak for myself. I am used to dealing with jackasses,” Eve says.
“I will crush you like a bug, you little useless dragon!” Jare’s loud voice indicates his rising temper. He tries to step on Eve.
Eve grabs him telepathically and knocks him backwards; he crashes into a pile of large rocks.
“Grimace, I suggest you go back to your cave. This isn't going to be pretty,” Eve says.
“Okay,” she says, not want to feel Jare's wrath.
Jare gets up and roars as he charges Eve. Eve grabs him again, telepathically catching him in midair and throwing him back against the base of a mountain that lies a short distance from where she is standing.
“You think that my being small makes me weak for some reason. It is time to teach you a lesson and some manners. First lesson: Never attack an opponent without knowing her strengths and weaknesses.”
Jare gets up, sort of dazed. Eve picks him up again and slams him into the mountain with such force the mountain's top comes crashing down on Jare. Eve moves up toward Jare. He is getting up off the ground.
“Let’s see what you got big boy. Let’s go fist to fist.” Eve accompanies her challenge by putting her little fists up.
The 50-foot tall dragon is slow getting up, but towers over Eve, who stands about 9 feet tall. He roars and launches his breath at Eve in a mass of fire and magma. The lava and fire shower the area where Eve is standing and decimates the ground around her, but Eve is unaffected.
“That the best you got?” Eve taunts sarcastically.
Jare picks up the boulders behind him telepathically and fires them at Eve. Eve catches them and sends them back. She had already had a sense of his telepathic abilities, but knows they are weak. Jare swats the boulders with his wings. Suddenly, with lightning speed, he tail whips Eve and sends her flying backwards about 50 feet, landing on her back.
Eve says in a daze, “That is going to leave a mark.”
Jare growls, “Little one is going to die now.” Jare runs and jumps up to pounce on Eve. Eve barely rolls out of the way, in between his legs.
“Okay the gloves are coming off now,” Eve says as she begins morphing into her dragon form.
Her already massive form grows and grows and grows until a gargantuan dragon emerges and towers over the valley. Eve's immense wingspan blocks the sun from the entire area. Four arms and four legs made out of pure metal and spikes stand strong and menacing. Rainbow colored scales shimmering from Eve pierce through the shadows covering the valley below. Eve lets out a deafening roar that causes the surface of the earth to shake for kilometers in every direction. The dragons in the area flee in fear at the sight of Eve.
Jare is knocked over by Eve's roar, but recovers quickly, getting up and standing next to one of Eve's enormous toenails. Fear sets in as he tries to escape. But Eve catches him, pinning him down to the ground with a toe.
Grimace yells out from her cave, “What’s the matter, Jare? You lose your balls? Who is laughing now, jackass?”
Jare is squirming under Eve's toenail trying to get free, but Eve scoops him up in one of her claws. Without much pomp and circumstance, she eats him whole, swallowing and burping nonchalantly.
“Jare will probably give me the squirts for a few days, I bet,” Eve says.
Laughter echoes from Grimace's cave.
Grimace agrees. “I wouldn't doubt it.”
Eve calls out to Grimace. “You can come out of the cave now. It is safe.”
Grimace replies, “Only if you change back to your bipedal form. I am still crapping lava all over the place every time look at you.”
Eve laughs and returns to her bipedal form. Grimace comes out of the cave. Doc also comes back and lands. Doc gets out of the ship and walks over to Eve.
Eve says, “Hmm... Odd, I can now sense every dragon on the planet—their location, age, name, type, abilities, and how intelligent they are.”
Grimace is surprised. “Really? That is impressive. And, no. That is not a normal dragon ability. You said you were artificially made?”
“Yes, in a laboratory. Her DNA contains up to twelve different species of dragons, but Fire Serpent Dragon makes up the largest percentage,” Doc says, scanning Eve again.
“Woah, that is crazy. That explains a lot of things. Except her size; there are no dragons anywhere close to that size. I am 3,000 years old and I have never seen any like Eve,” Grimace says, still trying to absorb all of the information that has just been hurled at her.
Doc says, “I have no idea why she is that big, at least no scientific reason. Eve, your senses are maturing, that would explain why you can sense so much about the dragons around us. The distance over which you can sense them is growing by the second. I wouldn't be surprised if you could sense dragons through vast areas of the universe, much like Draca communicates with androids and telepaths. But she has physical bodies spread out across the universe. You do not, so the range won’t be as far.”
“Yes, I can feel other dragons in the distance on other planets close by, and I can see celestial bodies as well,” Eve says.
“Seeing celestial bodies is how dragons navigate in space,” Grimace says.
Doc replies, “Makes sense.”
Eve sends out a telepathic message to all the dragons on the planet to come her. A couple hundred Lava Dragons show up after some time passes.
I am Evella Noctu. I have slain your herd leader because he was not worthy to lead such a fine bunch of Dragons. You do not have to fear me. I have come to this region to unite all Space Dragons and form a Society of Dragons. This society will prosper and get back the territory we have lost. No longer will leaders be picked because they are the strongest, but because they are the wisest and because they actually care about progressing the dragons they lead instead of benefitting only themselves. Every dragon under my rule will get an education, will be able to choose their own mates. In addition to building dragon cities, I will develop a military and home defense to take back and hold our homes. I want to increase our population, not by hundreds but into the millions, so we can create one of the greatest races ever to exist.
Eve makes the careful choice to deliver her rousing speech in Ancient Dragon.
The dragons all roar their enthusiasm.
“But first, I need to at least attempt to learn how to fly,” Eve says with embarrassment.
Laughter rings out in a cheerful way.
“Oh that is easy to teach. In gravity there is a bit of a learning curve. In space it is very easy,” Grimace says.
“I know how to fly in space; not in gravity, though. I need to learn in both forms,” Eve requests.
A smaller dragon morphs into a bipedal dragon and flies over to Eve. He is a mature male, about 500 hundred years old.
The new dragon introduces himself. “I am Ujima. I can show you how to fly in bipedal form. Since you are a telepath like me, it will be easier to learn and a lot less painful, because you can catch yourself with levitation if you mess up.” He winks.
Grimace agrees. “Very true.”
“Grimace is better at teaching dragons to fly. She has considerably more experience.” Ujima clearly gets joy out of poking fun at Grimace.
“Very funny. At least I am not fresh out of the egg, youngster. Eve, this is my grandson, and a pain in my butt, always getting into mischief,” Grimace chides.
Eve laughs. “It’s nice to finally meet another morphic dragon. You are about to be scanned no doubt.”
Doc had already begun scanning Ujima before Eve started talking.
“At least I have a baseline of what a natural morphic dragon is like so I have something to compare to,” Doc mumbles out loud.
“Must be a scientist,” Ujima says.
“I surprised she hasn't started poking and prodding you yet,” Grimace adds, trying to scare Ujima.
“Ha ha. Remember, I can fly.”
Doc laughs. She continues reviewing her medical scanners. Ujima and Grimace start to show Eve how to fly in gravity. They spend the whole day on flying exercises, as Eve practices over and over again. By the end of the day, she has gotten it down pretty well and can fly unassisted. The other dragons start flying with her when she is in her dragon form; they have become less afraid of the huge dragon the longer she is in their presence. Flying with her gives them a sense of inspiration, pride, and fearlessness.
After staying there for several days, Eve gains a lot of knowledge about the fifteen planets that house the major dragon species, about general dragon leadership structure, and the names of each heard leader. Dragon world was the largest in population, having nine clans being ruled by six bullying leaders.
“So there are six of them that tell everyone what to do?” Eve asks.
“Yep, the six biggest of all the bullies. They are a few feet taller than the average dragon. Nothing that you have to worry about, though. They are fat and have many female mates each. They only allow the other males to have one mate each. They make the other dragons forage food for them, while they sit on the butts and get fatter,” Grimace says.
Eve says, “Sounds like a change of management is in order.”
Grimace wants to be sure Eve understands the challenges facing her. “Talking them is a waste of time. They just kill anyone the challenges their authority.”
Eve is skeptical. “I highly doubt they can kill me.”
“Hah. You could kill them all at the same time,” says Grimace, trying to encourage her to do so.
“Yes, but how would the populace would react to such a thing?” Eve ponders.
“I know you want to show them a different way, which I agree with, but in order for you to seize power you will have to do it using the same brutal system currently in place. That is the only way to earn respect and be feared. That is the only thing they understand right now. After you’re in power, you can make changes. I just don't see any other way to do it,” Grimace says.
“It seems hypocritical to say I am going to change things and yet use the very system I am fighting against to seize power,” Eve says, scratching her head.
Doc chimes in. “I have to agree with Grimace. There is no such thing as a bloodless revolution. That is a pipe dream. Especially in a society that has been ruled by brute force since it came into existence. You will have to rule with an iron fist for the first few years to set up the new system and make sure everyone complies. Any sign of weakness will be exploited, so you have to be unusually cruel to those that don't comply. You must instill enough fear for them to understand the penalties for disobedience. Because you are radically changing th
eir way of life, you have to expect dissenters and insurgents.”
Eve says in surprise, “I didn't know you were into politics, Doc.”
“I’m not. Wolfkin history unfolded in the same manner. Our society was very much like the Dragons are today. We had a strong, intelligent leader who took up a rebellion that succeeded, and he laid down the foundation of what our society is today. It was not easy; in fact, it was very brutal in the beginning because much of the populace could not understand why we needed to change. After the populace got an education, they finally understood what being civilized meant.”
Eve asks, “Do you have any history books that cover that time period? I want to examine what he did, and how he changed the system. Maybe I can learn something from it. Maybe I will be able to avoid some of the pitfalls he had.”
“Sure. I’ve got that information in my shuttle if you want to study it,”
“Yes, please. I want to read it and go over it with Grimace to see how it would apply to Dragon society,” Eve says.
“I will go get it now and bring it to you.”
Doc goes into the shuttle and comes back out, handing a pad to Eve. Eve starts reading it out loud to the group of dragons huddled around her. As she reads each chapter in Ancient Dragon, the group discusses it.
Chapter 3
Eve and Doc spend two months living on this volcanic planet, Ferna. They have been staying on the side of the planet that is not very active in regards to volcanic activity. Over the two months, Eve and the other dragons develop fifty dragon laws, a government structure, an efficient economical system, and military and police model designs for the dragon society. They have also come up with an education system, design plans for dragon cities, systems of law and punishment, ideas for foreign consulates, a hospital geared toward dragons and their needs, and egg hatchery plans for dragon and hatchling health and survival. Dragon clans from nearby planet systems, asteroids, and moons begin to come to listen to Eve. Her ideas bring much needed hope to the dwindling population of dragons. About 3000 dragons now follow her; she has not even left the planet to visit the other eleven planets in Dragon territory.
Eve says, “It is time to eliminate the leaders who follow the old ways. We must consolidate all of our kin into one solid nation of dragons, acting as one big clan. I will be your Empress and guide the whole Dragon Empire throughout our new endeavor.”
Eve has given Doc a bunch of instructions to fulfill as she leaves to return to Wolfkin space. Eve's powers have matured to the fullest, and she is learning and mastering all of her new abilities. In dragon form, the massive creature takes off with all of her followers. They travel to the first three planets, where Eve kills the leaders and gives her speech. Each new population of dragons chooses to follow her. Then they arrive at a planet called the Dark World, where several species of Shadow Dragons live. They are all ruled by Keridor the Black.
