User:Sturmovik/Red Sturm Rising
Red Sturm Rising
This is a little bit of a self-insert, wish fulfillment story based on myself turning into my dragon character Sturmovik (the non-Neo one;-) ). Written in April, 2001.
Vikhr sat in the ready room feeling tense about his upcoming mission. His tail was swishing back and forth and his claws were tapping uncontrollably on the hard plastic floor. It wasn’t only that the mission was risky and would demand all of his talents or that he was being sent with little or no equipment but, this mission, if successful, would mark a great turning point for his entire race.
The G’rashuns (know to humans as Dragons, Wyrms or several other different names) had just emerged from a dark period in their history and they were eager to set things right. The G’rashuns were a very old race and had achieved countless technological feats. Many thousands of years ago they had gained the ability to open doorways between any two points in space and soon after, between any two different realities. They had set out in a monumental campaign of exploration, but wherever they went, instead of finding creatures like themselves, they found pitiful beings, short lived, bound to the ground, no technological knowledge, soft and weak. Sometimes the beings could walk upright, sometimes they were capable of intelligent thought, but usually what they encountered was nothing better than animals.
Their sprit of adventure and discovery quickly turned to pity, pity turned to arrogance and arrogance turned to conquest and domination. The primitive planets they found were colonized and any intelligent races were enslaved. For thousands of years the G’rashuns lived like kings, masters of all they beheld. However, not even the G’rashuns, with all their power and greatness, could cage the free sprit of intelligent life and soon rebellions began to break out everywhere. Of course there was an impressive outlay of force and countless numbers of “lesser” life forms were slaughtered, but instead of ending quickly the wars dragged on and public support began to fade. The younger generations began to question the actions and attitudes of their predecessors and soon the great empire was on the verge of civil war. With military resources being diverted to deal with the internal problems, the safety of the colonists could no longer be guaranteed. The whole colonial system began to break down, a general evacuation was ordered and any who stayed usually ended up being killed by the “lesser” creatures they had once dominated.
After the mass retreat the days of old establishment were numbered. The military fragmented, those colonists who had gone from kings to refugees were quite angry and an underground revolution turned into an all out civil war. In less than 1000 years the war was over and a new republic was formed, but change had come at a great cost. The population had been decimated, infrastructure destroyed and the means of production had generally broken down. It had taken almost another 1000 years for the population to recover and for society to be rebuilt.
Now the decision had been made to reestablish contact with the lesser species they had so mistreated in the past. The new government wanted to enter an era of cooperation to the benefit of all parties involved. One of the first planets slated for re-contact was an “Earth” type populated with “Human” type creatures. It was chosen because the “Humans” there had advanced considerably by the time of evacuation and it had only seen a minor colony of “Dragons” instead of a full-scale conquest.
A few probes had been discretely sent into that world and the information that was returned said that these humans were now quite advanced and the environment was appropriate to support G’rashun life and technology. It was now time for real life contact and this is where Vikhr and more 12 of his brethren came in.
Like any other good explorer Vikhr had a strong scientific and technological background with a smattering of military training, not to mention he was quite resourceful and quick on his talons. Due to the high risk of something going wrong, Vikhr was being sent with very little equipment in order to prevent accidental technological contamination (or theft). All he had were a few personal adornments, a bag of precious metals (gold, silver, platinum) and gems to be used in trade, the crystal he would use to open a gateway home and his small personal knife.
The door to the ready room slid open and a female G’rashun clad in brilliant red scales walked in.
“So, how is my beloved holding up.”
“Would you like to see what I had for lunch? It wouldn’t be any problem to show you.”
“Oh, my poor hatchling. Let’s see if I can make it better.”
With that she began to run her talloned hands over his red and gold scales, massaging the worry out of him. Vikhr loved F’langa and after (if?) the mission was completed he planned on asking her to be his mate. This, of course, made him worry all the more.
“Ahhh, That feels soooo good.”
“Thank you, but unfortunately they sent me in here to get you. It’s time.”
She stopped her rubbing and helped Vikhr up from his chair. They then walked together to the room that held the dimensional gateway. The project leader, the midnight black Sh’knas, was there as well as a few technicians.
“Are you ready Vikhr? Do you have any last minute questions about the mission plan?”
Vikhr had studied the plan about a hundred times by this point. After going through the gateway, he was to quickly assess the situation from the air, if everything was ok land, then assume human form and finally begin his reconnaissance/contact mission. He was to abort the mission at the first sign of trouble and to prepare him for his human role he had spent several months in a simulation of a typical human community. He had learned several of their languages, their customs and basically how to live as a flightless, soft skinned little creature.
“Yes sir, no questions sir, I am ready.”
At the same at 12 other locations around the planet 12 other dragons were preparing to make the same journey.
“The gateway will open in a deserted area about 75 feet off the ground so get a running start and prepare to fly. It will be a few hours after sunset so also prepare yourself for darkness. Of course you already know this.”
“Yes sir.”
“I guess we should begin.” He turned towards the control booth. “Ok guys, hit it.”
The runes around the metal alloy ring began to glow and bolts of purple lightning filled the interior. Suddenly the image of the rear wall disappeared, replaced by a shimmering plane of white light.
“May the Ancestors protect you Vikhr.”
“Thank you sir.” And with that the younger dragon readied his wings and ran towards the portal. His body disappeared like he had plunged headfirst into a pool of water. The tip of his tail left a small ripple in the sheet of light and as the ripple reached the alloy ring the light fizzled out like a soapy membrane revealing the hard brick wall behind it. F’langa was unable to hold back the tears that began flowing from her big silver eyes.
To Vikhr, the bright glow of the gate room was replaced by an eerie orange darkness. He felt himself starting to fall and he spread his wings and began to soar across the landscape. Below him was a solid forest cut by small dirt roads and as his night vision improved he could make out the large river that was before him and the tree covered rising from the far shore. Within the trees were little points of light, indicating human habitation. The plan called for him to land as soon as possible, but the view was so nice and the chilly winter air felt so refreshing he thought, “How could a little extra air time hurt anybody?”
As he flew over the river he began to feel a slight chill. Vikhr dismissed it as the air, but soon the feeling spread, chilling him to the core. The chill soon turned into a freezing cold, like someone had forced open his maw and filled his insides with crushed ice. Suddenly Vikhr realized what was happening. Somebody has fucked up big time.
He made an emergency 180 degree turn and began to flap back to his point of entry, desperately trying to spot a place to land. He had gone through simulations of this exact situation in his training, but he never thought it would actually happen to him. The laws of physics in this reality had somehow become different and they were unable to support G’rashun life. His body was now eating through his natural supply of energy and when it ran out he would be in a real pile of hurt. In his training session most of his classmates had lost it when they were showed a holovid of the effects of a physical law mismatch. He needed to open a gateway NOW!
But as he looked over at his wings he realized that he was too late. The thin membranes were literally melting away, with whole strips ripping loose and dissolving as they trailed behind him in the breeze. Forget about getting home, he had to land before his wings gave out and dropped him onto the pointy rocks below.
Just as Vikhr was about to set down on a nice, level field he heard a lour ripping sound and his left wing tore out of its socket and fluttered away on its own. Muscle and tendon flapped loose as Vikhr plummeted to the earth below, crashing through the branches of a tree and feeling his other wing rip loose as it was grabbed by the woody fingers. He hit the ground and struggled to his feet trying to ignore the searing pain coming from his shoulders. The sudden sound of soft rain hitting the ground was, in actuality, the sound of Vikhr’s scales as they fell off and dissolved into gelatinous goo. Vikhr was frozen in disbelief as his body literally melted around him. He felt a sudden weight lift off his hind legs as his belly split open and dumped his entrails on the rocky surface below, leaving his stomach waving loose and his liver becoming transparent and shapeless. Unable to control the muscles, his slit opened up and Vikhr let loose a moan of anguish as his dragonhood splattered onto a small boulder.
As Vikhr watched, his mouth agape in horror, he realized that was now unable to shut it. He let loose an anguished roar, but it turned into a gurgling squeak as his vocal cords ejected from his mouth is a bloody froth. Vikhr now started to cough as something was blocking his airway. With a final “gak” his fire gland was expelled hissing and smoking as the reactive elements made contact with the air. Next he felt the muscles that operated his jaw slowly stretch and snap causing it to swing down like a trapdoor. With a plop his lower jaw and tongue broke off and fell to the ground. Next Vikhr’s hide began to slide off his frame like cheese off a New York style pizza, but he was having a hard time noticing it because the changes were starting to affect his senses. As the muscles around his eyes gelled he lost the ability to move them. Even that was soon a moot point when his right eye clouded over and burst open while his left eye felt like granting him a few more seconds of draconic vision as it dangled loose from the optic nerve before going dark itself.
Vikhr let loose a great sneeze and suddenly found himself unable to smell as what had been his sent organ was arrayed on the ground before him. His hearing faded as he felt a cool liquid running out of his ears, which Vikhr guessed had been his brain. Just as he felt his thoughts begin to fade and was making one final plea to the Ancestors, Vikhr felt a sudden shift. He could hear, smell and think clearly again, but he was encased in a warm darkness and he found himself unable to breathe.
Vikhr felt that he still had talons and, as his lungs began to burn, he fought to claw away whatever was covering his head. His claws sunk into something and there was another ripping sound followed by a snap as the darkness was torn away. He blinked several times to free the crust from his new eyes and looked down to see that in his talons he held what was left of his draconic head and neck. As they began to dissolve and ooze through his claws he tossed it aside and tried to figure out what he was becoming. As his hide slid off and his tendons snapped and popped it became clear that a human body had grown where his lungs had been and the worst part was it wasn’t just any old human body, it was HIS human body.
As the flesh slid off his tailbone like a sock, Vikhr became aware of the one last piece of living tissue left on his skeleton, his heart. He sadly watched as its beating slowed, faltered, made one last attempt and finally stopped. As soon as the blood pump fell from his chest and began to gooify there was a lour cracking sound and the still standing dragon skeleton that was cradling a fragile human body instantly turned to dust, dropping the new Vikhr into a clear pile mucous like gel.
As Vikhr coughed to clear his newly formed lungs he sensed movement in his peripheral vision to turned quickly to see a strangely dressed human staring at him. Aside from the simulations he had never met a real life human before, the closest he had come were full sized holograms and stories from some of the elders. He had been told that despite their small size humans were devious, resourceful, untrustworthy and very dangerous. This human had obviously seen everything and Vikhr believed he was about to be either killed or captured.
“Hello?”
Despite the strange accent Vikhr recognized the language as English. This human was attempting to greet him and not knowing what else to do Vikhr fell back on his training. He just had to keep telling himself that nothing had changed and things were going to be just the same as the simulation.
“Um, ::ahem:: greetings, my name is Vikhr and I represent the G’rashun Republic on a mission of peace.”
“Are you a dragon?”
“Yes, I am from the same species that your humans knew as dragons.”
“What just happened? Are you ok?”
“Your world is not able to support my natural body. I was forcibly transformed.”
“Do you need any help? Can you get back from, um, wherever you came from?”
“Sadly human I am stranded here. Now it is only a matter of time before I am killed or captured.”
“My name is Mike.”
“What do you mean human?”
“My name. You keep calling me “human” and I thought you might want to know my name. It’s Mike. Not that I have anything against being a human.”
“Name or not it is best that you either kill me or leave. I would not your others of your kind to turn against you for associating with me.”
“That’s bullshit. Nothing is going to happen to me. Here’s you look, um, cold. Take my jacket.”
Vikhr didn’t know what to do with the human’s offer of the strange garment, but at the humans prompting he wrapped it about his naked body.
“Listen, I don’t know what your plan is, but I’m going to make sure that your are NOT killed. You’re going to have to trust me. Will you trust me?”
Vikhr figured he didn’t have anything to loose. He was already dead. “Yes human, I will trust you.”
“Ok, I am going to leave you here, but I’ll be back in 30 min...um, a short period of time with a vehicle I can get you out of here with. If anybody else comes and starts looking around, run down that road there until you get to an abandoned house. I’ll know to meet you there if something goes wrong. Now, in the meanwhile stay here, I’ll be right back.”
Vikhr watched as the human named Mike rode away on a strange metal contraption with two large wheels. He was also getting an odd feeling from somewhere that he just might be able to trust this human and there was a slight glimmer of hope about him getting home. Ignoring the discomfort as he walked barefoot on the rocky surface, Vikhr began to walk amongst what was left of his body gathering what he could. All that had remained solid were his claws, teeth and personal effects. He carefully went about collecting these precious items and putting them in various piles including the most precious object of all, the glowing crystal that could open a gateway home.
A little while later Vikhr saw a bright glow coming at him from down the hill, it was accompanied by a strange rumbling. Vikhr jumped into the bushes as a foul smelling, metal machine with red and bright white lights pulled to a stop. It was obvious some sort of human vehicle, but he was nothing like he’d ever seen.
“Hey, um, dragon, are you still here.”
“Yes “human” I am here.”
“Here, hurry up and get in before someone comes up here and sees you.”
“I have some things I need to take with me. Will you help me carry them?”
“Yeah, sure. Where is the stuff?” Vikhr pointed over at the piles. “Holy shit, is that gold?”
Vikhr was puzzled by the unfamiliar curse word, but he got the general idea. “Yes that is gold, what did you expect it to be?”
By the time they had finished loading everything into the trunk, the rear of Mike’s classic 1969 Ford Mustang convertible was definitely sagging. Despite Mike’s interest Vikhr refused to let him handle the lavender glowing crystal. Finally Vikhr borrowed a plastic bag and gathered about a gallon of his former self into it and then got into the passenger’s seat, put the crystal in the back and carefully tried to hold the bag without spilling his former self all over the car’s interior.
As Mike drove down the gravel access road, he could still not believe that the naked man next to him was a real live dragon. This was the type of thing he had dreamed about his entire life and was part of the reason he hung out at cliffs, caverns, tunnels and quarries. Had he not seen the transformation with his own two eyes (or had he not seen the glowing volleyball shaped crystal) it would have been hard for him to believe that this cold, naked man was in face a page out of mythology. Sure this “dragon” had been temporarily robbed of his natural form, but even now that was probably far closer than any other living human had gotten to a real dragon.
Meanwhile, across the center console, all the recent events had really put the Zap on Vikhr’s mind. As the car pulled onto the paved road he couldn’t believe that this human was being so unconditionally kind to him after all his species had done to “lesser” species like humans. He also couldn’t figure out what was making this human vehicle work. Vikhr had extensive training in basic engineering and this “car”, as Mike referred to it, completely baffled him.
“Human, what powers this vehicle of yours.”
“An eight cylinder vee engine with 302 cubic inch displacement.”
“What type of crystal fuels this engine?”
“Crystal? It runs on gasoline.”
“How silly of me to assume that these humans have developed solid state crystal modification technology,” thought Vikhr. “What is this gasoline?”
“It’s a volatile liquid hydrocarbon.”
“??”
“It’s made from oil that you pump out of the ground.”
“Ah, so it uses some sort of “earth” based energy. Very interesting that you chose a liquid conduit for your transmission system.”
“What do you mean “earth” based energy? Oil comes from decayed plant matter that has been compressed for millions of years.”
“Ah, so it runs on the life force of plants.”
“No! It’s just a chemical reaction like when you burn wood in a fire.”
Chemical? Burning Wood? Vikhr couldn’t fathom why anybody would choose such a horribly inefficient and unsophisticated way of transmitting energy. Although it seemed that these humans were barbaric, he couldn’t help but marvel at how they had created an entire world for themselves on a completely alien set of scientific principles. As he stared out the window Vikhr saw that most things in this human world were analogous to things in his own, but it was all slightly different. The lights, the vehicles, the buildings, all basically the same, yet different.
They pulled into the parking area and Mike informed Vikhr that he would be right back. He took some items from the trunk and he returned a few minutes later with some clothes he hoped would fit. Once Vikhr was descent they managed to carry everything to Mike’s small dorm room in a single trip. It was only about 8:30 and since he had already missed the start of the Thursday night film he really didn’t have anything else to do. A small wastebasket from the laundry room was commandeered to hold the bag of dragon goo.
Once inside Vikhr stood mesmerized as Mike worked at his world’s version of a computer. Once again, Vikhr couldn’t figure out how the strange device worked or for that matter any other device on this crazy planet worked. There were no runes, no crystals, no anything. When asked about it the Mike had pointed to a small green rectangle next to a shelf that was hanging from a light gray band. Vikhr noted that it was indeed covered with many rune-like patterns, but were nothing like any runes he’d ever seen. For all he could tell everything here was run by magic.
“Magic?!” Exclaimed Mike. “You’re one to talk. My computer isn’t a big flying reptile that violates several laws of physics simply by existing.”
“First of all human I am NOT a reptile, but rather a saurian. Secondly those physical “laws” you talk about are certainly something I’ve never seen.”
Mike grabbed two books from off of his shelf and threw them at Vikhr. “Here, now you have.”
Small pebbles flew everywhere as the large black Ford Expedition skidded to a halt. Bathed in the glow from several portable lighting units, the doors flew open and several tall dark men got out. Another man ran over to meet the group.
“Good evening agent Johnson, if you would follow me over to the mobile command post for a briefing.”
“Thank you George,” replied agent Johnson, taking off his black sunglasses.
They walked over to what appeared to be an ordinary Winnebago RV that just happened to be covered with antennas and satellite dishes. The opened the door and took seats around the walnut table in the plush conference room.
Agent George McGovern, commander of the rapid response team, quickly dove right into the briefing.
“As you already know, due to an unfortunate miscalibration at the New London tracking centre they were unable to get an instant fix on this latest anomaly, which has been designated SA-5. Upon receiving a request from the National Command Authority to review their tracking logs from between 18:00 and 20:00 EST, the station discovered the error and immediately conducted an alternate search using FM radio interference logs. At 21:21 the station discovered a probable contact originating at time 19:34 and triangulated the location to 41o33’15”N and 72o35’45”W. At 21:25 my team received the call and we were onsite by 21:36. Upon our arrival we sealed off the area and began our initial assessment. We discovered no signs of foreign life forms, but we did find roughly a 50x25 square yard area that contained an unidentified clear colloidal substance. Hazardous materials teams were then called in and they are currently cleaning up the area. I have drawn up a plan to cover our operations under the guise of an illegal toxic waste dump and a plan to seal off the area incase anything escaped due to our late arrival. They just need your signature.”
Johnson briefly glanced over the plans and finding them up to McGovern’s usual high standards he signed off.
“You’ve done an excellent job here George, but as of this moment I am assuming complete command of this operation. Let’s go out there and see what he have.”
The group left the mobile command post, stood behind the red tape and watched the men in bio-suits vacing up the goo.
“I think I found something sir.”
“What is it son?”
Another agent walked up holding a large plastic bag.
“It appears to be some kind of claw.”
It also appeared to be about 5 inches long.
“Put that in high security lockup in the armoured truck.”
Vikhr sat enthralled as he poured over the Physics provided by his human friend. While classical mechanics proved to be basically the same in both worlds, when Vikhr turned to the section on electrodynamics he was completely blown off his feet (which is a lot easier in human form). It seemed that human science had gone down a completely different, yet equally valid path. After reviewing the materials Vikhr found that human physics was a completely logical system and when applied to the seemingly magical technology, it provided a completely scientific explanation.
“As you can see our two species just took divergent routes when it came to advanced sciences and because of the way each system is set up it would make the other system look like impossible magic or foofara.”
“Great! That makes everyone a winner, but you said that your kind had lived here in the past. Why would things change to the point where your body dissolved upon entering our world.”
“My theory is that it has something to do with the application of your scientific principles.”
“Are you saying that by advancing one system over the other we caused the other to be no longer valid?”
“Oh Ancestors no, our technology should work fine here, but the energy fields they depend on have been corrupted by all of your electromagnetic transmissions. That is probably why the probes did not do their job correctly, they got fooled by your faulty fields. As my species evolved we have become dependant on energy sources other than simple organic foods. When I arrived here your new energy fields were unable to meet my needs and, well, you saw it, my body just melted.”
“So do you think you will be able to get back home? Why can’t you just use that crystal thing if it still works?”
“The crystal is only a tool to open the gateway. Most of the power required to open the gateway comes from me, but now I have been robbed of that power. However, given the human right equipment, I should be able to get home. Once there it should not be much of a problem to design a conversion unit to let our kind live here with no ill effects.”
“Well we can go about trying to find your “equipment” in the morning cause right now I seriously need some sleep. Here’s a blanket, you get to sleep on the floor.”
“Insolent ape!” yelled Vikhr, suddenly enraged. “When I get my claws back I will make sure you pay for this insult,” he hissed, an evil glint in his eyes.
blink
“You humans have such a primitive sense of sarcasm. After all you have done for me I will gladly sleep on your floor.”
“I-I-I think I need to step out to the bathroom.”
“Sir.” The voice came from behind. “There’s a courier here with a private package for you.”
The courier stepped forward. “Greetings agent Johnson, I have a top secret report for you. Please sign here.”
Agent Johnson took the pad and signed it. The courier ripped off the receipt, handed it and the report over and went on. “Remember, these documents will self-destruct if not properly stored.”
Agent Johnson walked back to the command trailer, entered the private study, broke open the package and began to read it intently. The reason National Command had seemed to know about this anomaly was because SA-5 wasn’t an isolated incident. There had been three other anomalies in the US, another three in Europe, one in Japan, one in Korea, one in Russia, one in India and two probables in China all occurring at about the same time. The sites in the US, Europe, Korea and Japan had all been investigated by friendly intelligence services and at each the same strange goo had been found, just like at the SA-5 site. However, unlike the SA-5 site, they had captured what appeared to be a human male or female and recovered many artifacts. The life forms that were recovered could all speak a variety of Earth based languages and were described as generally being scared and distraught yet resistant to providing much information. Initial reports had them claiming to be from something called the G’rashun Republic on some sort of peaceful mission. Analysts said it looked more like a reconnaissance mission gone wrong and might even have been a prelude to invasion. All of the captured life forms were to be taken to a brand new isolation/interrogation/research facility (nicknamed Area 51a) located in Maine.
Agent Johnson put the report down and locked it in the special airtight safe cursing the snafu that had caused almost a two-hour delay in their reaction time. They now had a potentially dangerous life form on the loose and god knew what would happen. Civilians could be hurt or killed, the story might leak to the media and there could be a general panic. He picked up the phone and dialed a secure line to the regional command post in Framingham to place an order for 20 search teams and 5 helicopters and 2 night surveillance aircraft to be delivered ASAP.
“Human. Wake up human. Hu...I mean Mike, the sun is up and is it time to rise.”
“Umph. Hey it’s only 7:10, go back to ::yawn:: sleep.”
“What are you talking about human? It is light out, it is time to get to work and I am growing tired of your stink. You humans are such dirty creatures, not even the simulations could prepare me for what I have had to go through.”
“Fine fine, I’m getting up. You know you don’t have insult me like that.”
“From what I have observed I can insult you anyway I want because you seem to get a cheap thrill from cliché dragon insults.”
“So my room isn’t filled with human stink?”
“Just because they are cliché does not mean they are not true human.”
Mike rummaged through his dresser and threw Vikhr some clothes. “Here’s these should fit you.”
Vikhr began to cautiously sniff all of the items.
yawn “You don’t have to do that, I just washed them.”
“It doesn’t matter anyway, I can’t smell a thing with this pathetic human nose.”
“Whatever. Listen, when we go make sure you bring that glowing crystal of yours.”
“And you make sure you get me something to eat. This body is in need of sustenance.”
Mike at planed to spring his new friend on one of the theoretical physicists as they arrived in the morning, but due to his early wake up he had plenty of time to swing by the campus centre to grab a bite to eat. To avoid as much social interaction as possible he had Vikhr wait outside while he ran in and bought breakfast.
“Here, I hope you like this,” said Mike handing Vikhr a breakfast muffin and a thing of hot chocolate.
“Silly human, you think we do not have processed junk foodstuffs where I am from. Why when I was in school a started every morning for 20 years with a tub of grack.”
“You’re assuming I know what that is.”
“It is a tasty (and very fatty) arthropod that is best served sliced and fried in a dark brown sauce.”
“So you eat giant slugs for breakfast. Hey, whatever floats your boat.”
As they art they walked over to the science building to wait for Professor Rineholt to arrive. Rineholt was a German physicist who had just won a $500,000 NSF research grant and Mike felt he was the best bet to work with Vikhr to get him home. After sitting around in the lounge for half an hour reading the newspaper the he finally arrived.
“Hey Professor, I was wondering if you could help me out here. Um, you see my friend here is a traveler from another reality and he need help getting home.”
“Es he now.”
“No no, this isn’t a joke. I’m serious. Here look what he brought.” With that Mike unwrapped the glowing crystal.
“Coool.”
“I know it’s cool, can you help him?”
“I might, send him in.”
Vihkr entered the room and the two scientists immediately began talking. Three sentences in, their conversation had gone over Mike’s head and he excused himself from the room. He didn’t see either of them again until he was departing his class at 2:30 when he ran into Vikhr on the elevator.
“Um, should you be walking around unattended.”
“Calm thyself human, I have received extensive training in living amongst your kind.”
“Oh yeah, it shows. What have you guys been up to anyway? It’s been almost six hours.”
“We have been building my way home.”
Mike walked into Rineholt’s office and he saw that the previously bare chalkboards were now covered in equations and diagrams and ink-covered scraps covered the floor. Vikhr started speaking again. “I have moved everything I need into the lab, are you ready to start setting things up?”
“Yes, I vuz just finishing the calculations for the filter. Ok, let’s go.”
We all went down to the optics lab with the big argon pulse lasers.
“Is there anything I can do?” asked Mike.
“Yes, you can record the first cooperative effort between our two species for posterity,” and Vikhr shoved a Handicam into Mike’s hands.
Through the lens of his camera Mike watched the dragon and the little German physicist build a dimensional gateway. They broke down whatever experiment had been there before, placed two of the massive lasers at the far end of them table, then an array of mirrors and filters, a long stainless steel tube, the strange glowing crystal (now removed from its golden mounting and chain) and finally more mirrors and beam splitters. Tables were moved and posters ripped down, as the far wall was made bare. Then, using an odd paint that smelled like sulfur and varnish, Vikhr painted a fairly intricate repetitive circular design on the coated white cinderblocks. Finally he started to etch something into the stainless steel tube that separated the crystal from the lasers.
Agent Johnson waved to a pair of ordinary looking hunters (ordinary except that they were wearing black sunglasses and were being led by two German Shepards) as his SVU bounced along a dirt road in the forest that surrounded the abandoned quarry where SA-5 had been discovered. Almost 20 hours had gone by and they had found nothing, but he had just received an excited call from George saying that the lab boys had a lead.
“What do you have for me George?”
“The lab boys have been pouring over all the photographs taken during the initial investigation. I want you to take a look at this one, right...here.” George handed agent Johnson a large 8x10 photograph and a magnifying glass.
“It’s a tire track through the mud. So what. We had scores of vehicles in and out of there, not to mention that that old quarry is frequently visited by rock hounds and off road enthusiasts.”
“Look at it closely. It’s covered in a layer of partially formed ice.”
“Go on.”
“Well, the boys got a graph of the ambient temperature from one of the weather stations nearby. Using the time that picture was taken they were able to calculate how long it would have taken for that much ice to form. The results just came back and a car definitely went through that area sometime around 20:15.”
“Jesus, that’s only a half hour after the anomaly and nearly an hour before we arrived.”
“I’m sorry it took so long for us to find this. The lab had a lot of photos to sort through. Do you think the being was transported out of the area in that vehicle sir?”
“Given the results of our search I’d say that’s almost certainly what happened. Fuck, they could have been almost an hour away before we even knew there was something wrong. God knows where they are now and how many civilians have been involved. This could turn into a fucking nightmare.”
“Sir, I think we might be able to narrow it down a bit. There’s a good chance that Driver was from this local area. The location of this quarry and use thereof would really only be known by local residents. Either somebody saw the anomaly and came to investigate or was already here when it happened.”
“It also had to be somebody who wouldn’t panic and call the police after seeing a gateway of extra-terrestrial origin open in front of them. Naturally I would say children, but we know that somebody had to be able to drive.”
“You are forgetting sir that the car was here a full half hour after the anomaly. The Driver could have just come by and seen a naked human looking male that could have come up with a convincing story.”
“Well even that narrows it down because how many women (A: come up here in the first place) would pick up a strange naked man at night in the middle of an abandoned quarry.”
“Good call sir.”
“Ok, we have two possibly scenarios. 1: The Driver sees the anomaly or its aftermath and actively goes and hides the being. 2: The Driver finds the being as a naked helpless man wandering around, is given a convincing story, decides to help it with clothes, food, whatever and then either drops it off or keeps it around.”
“What about the possibility of physical force?”
“Well there have been no reports of stolen cars or missing persons and going by what the “report” told me the beings don’t seem prone to violence. The “report” also said that the other beings had a considerable amount of gold and precious stones on them so I don’t think we can consider our being in want of finances.”
“So what do we do now?”
“We need to think like the being. Ask ourselves, “What would we do?” George, if you were sent on a reconnaissance mission and something went wrong at the very beginning what would you do?”
“Well, if the mission wasn’t salvageable I would try to get home.”
“What if you yourself didn’t have to tools to get home?”
“I would try to find them.”
“What if you were a being from another dimension?”
“I would try to build a gateway home from available human substitute parts.”
“Bingo. So where are substitute human parts available?”
“Let’s see, high tech industry, research labs, Radio Shaque and colleges and universities.”
“Ok George, I want you to get all available units on the horn. Call off the search, but keep the area under a general surveillance. Then, I want you to send a unit down to both the power plant and the Pratt and Whitney factory. Then get a listing off all area Radio Shaque stores and sent out agents to search the sales records for anything unusual. You’d better check out the area Home Depots while you’re at it. The rest of us will start searching local establishments of higher learning. We’ll begin with the closest, Wesleyan University, over in Middletown.”
A caravan of black SUV’s snaked its way through the small Connecticut city.
“George, you take Sanders and go to the administrative offices and inform them of our search. Give them the fugitive story...no wait, use the stolen radioactive materials story. If they start giving you trouble just argue with them. We will have already started the search by that point so basically all you’re doing is keeping them out of our hair.”
The lead SUV slowed down for a light and two men popped out and walked over to the offices. When the light cleared the line of SUV’s made a left turn, then a right, sped up the hill and, in unison, screeched to a halt in the science centre parking lot. Right on cue the doors all popped open and about 20 federal agents piled out. In approximately three separate lines the jogged their way to the door and entered the building.
“Excuse me?! Who are you and what are you doing?” Asked a female administrator who had been having a conversation in the lobby.
BUSTED!!
Agent Johnson fumbled around for the correct badge and flashed it. “We’re from the NRC investigating a report of stolen nuclear materials. We just need to see your lab spaces and check the inventories.”
“Well I haven’t heard anything about that. I need to call the Vice President of Public Affairs before I can let your search the building.”
Out of the corner of his eye agent Johnson could see the lights flicker. They were out of time.
“Quickly, everybody follow me. We have a code 6 in progress.” And with that agent Johnson tore down the stairs to the basement level.
The Handicam self adjusted as the room was filled with a bright green light from the pulse lasers and Mike struggled to look through the eyepiece with the dark safety goggles he was wearing. The twin green beams of light left the boxy lasers, were joined together, passed through several types of filters and the rune-etched tube before slamming into the melon sized crystal whose steady glow had become a blinding point of white light. From the other end of the crystal emerged a intense beam of blue light what then was split into four parts and directed to the cardinal points of the circular rune design on the wall. The pattern flared to life and them melted into a solid band of energy filling the interior with a cascade of purple lighting. The blank white wall began to shimmer and dissolve into a pure sheet of energy.
At this point Rineholt down off the lasers and Vihkr grabbed a towel and started to free the burning hot srystal from its mounting before the portal began to destabilize.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
A voice boomed from outside the door. “Federal Agents, Open Up!”
The smell of burning cloth filled the air Vikhr snapped the crystal into place.
“Get that door open,” shouted another voice from outside.
“You get out of here,” said the small German physicist. “I will deal with the police.”
“Stand aside! Stand aside!” yelled the voice beyond the door.
Mike instinctively turned the camera towards the door as gunshots rang out, but suddenly he felt something grab his arm and his viewfinder filled with white light. The door burst open and agent Johnson rushed into the room gun in hand. He thought he saw a foot disappear into the light before the portal dissipated leaving a flaming ring on the now bare cinderblock wall.
An instant later Vikhr and Mike landed on a hard concrete floor.
//Lower your weapons! Lower your weapons! That looks like Vikhr in human form. Someone get Sh’knas, quick! Vikhr, are you ok? What happened to you?\\
Mike removed his dark glasses and looked around to room to see several fearsome creatures all holding what looked like cannon sized rifles and wearing thick black clothing, goggles and helmets. One of them was standing over Vikhr saying something he couldn’t understand in a harsh language of grunts, growls and hisses.
//Sivrar, the mission went horribly wrong. I’ve gotta talk to Sh’knas,\\ said Vikhr to the blue-green dragon bending over him.
//Don’t worry. He’s on his way. What happened?\\
//Physical law mismatch.\\
//Ancestors preserve us. But the probes! The probes said everything was ok.\\
//It wasn’t a true mismatch, but something slightly different. Not different enough to be detected.\\
//You’re body?\\
//It fucking dissolved Siv. What do you think happened.\\
//I’m, I’m sorry. I guess I can’t begin to imagine what you went through.\\
//Vikhr!\\ Sh’knas stormed into the room. //What the hell happened to you?\\
Vikhr went on to explain in detail what had happened to him and his theory about what had caused it. Sh’knas had to work hard to avoid blasting something with acid when Vikhr told him that he presumed the other 12 dragons had all been killed or captured.
//I don’t care what condition he’s in! Get out of my way or I’ll ram that gun up your tail!\\
//Calm down F’langa,\\ Sh’knas called over. //Raash, let her in before you get hurt.\\
F’langa ran over and got down on all fours so that the now humanized Vikhr could hug her muzzle. The sight of her miniature beloved wasn’t all that shocking, as she had seen him in human form many times.
She got up and turned to Sh’knas. //Shouldn’t he be receiving some sort of medical attention?\\
//A medical team is on its way. He’ll be back to his old self in a few minutes.\\
As size went, Mike was now something the equivalent of a squirrel and while he huddled unseen by a house-sized crate he mentally removed himself from the situation by staring through the eyepiece of his still recording camera. He had put in a new 120 minute tape just before the experiment so at least for the meanwhile his mind able to avoid dealing with his predicament.
A few seconds later, two dragons entered the room pushing a large machine and a tub of organic goop. Vikhr removed all of his human clothes and F’langa carefully lifted her future mate into the tub making sure he didn’t sink in over his head.
//We’re going to use your most recent body pattern dated two weeks ago,\\ stated one of the medics and then they activated the machine.
The room was filled with a soft hum and Mike felt hair start to prickle. Through the viewfinder he could see that Vikhr was growing larger and after zooming in he watched as lumps raced around under Vikhr’s skin like a pack of moles. His hair fell out and two red horns erupted from his skull as spikes pushed out along his spine. Large rents developed in his skin and as he grew larger the tares parted to reveal a smooth layer of red and gold scales. There was a sickening snapping sound as his face grew into a muzzle and various other bones reformed themselves. Vikhr was gaining mass so quickly Mike had to zoom back out to keep him in frame. His digits grew fearsome claws, his posture hunched over and his neck grew about ten feet longer. Two large bulges formed on his back that finally burst open to reveal two fledgling wings that quickly puffed out to cover all of Vikhr’s back. Now fully formed Vikhr raised his head to the ceiling, let loose his wings and let out a triumphant roar.
//It’s nice that you’re back, but you didn’t have to give us a weather report son,\\ exclaimed Sh’knas, wiping off the ooze Vikhr had spread around the room in his little celebration.
//It feels good to be back. Can someone get me a towel?\\
Despite his gooeyness, F’langa leaned over and gave him a long bite on the neck and Vikhr reciprocated by stroking her horns. Mike was tempted to add a little “Awwww” to the sound track of his movie when he was interrupted by the unmistakable sound of charging.
//Sir! Sir! I’ve caught one! I’ve caught one!\\
Mike stared up into a gun barrel that was as big as his head, wielded by yellow and black dragon all while this gigantic hornet looking creature hissed and snarled at him. The shock would have caused him to loose bladder control had it not been for the fact he was paralyzed in fear.
//Quick, step on it Caln,\\ yelled Sivrar.
//Oh shit, NO! NO! Don’t hurt him, he’s with me.\\ Vikhr jumped out of the tub, his gooey feet instantly sliding out from under him on the smooth floor and sending him flat on his wings. //Hold your fire! Sh’knas, don’t kill that human, he saved my ass back on Earth.\\
//Nobody is killing anything Vikhr. Sivrar, Calnas leave the poor thing alone and go take a 4-ogel kallup break. Better yet forget the kallup, you two need to mellow out.\\
//Yes sir,\\ they replied in unison. Calnas safed his weapon and they both trudged out.
//F’langa, go get our new guest some food from the human simulation area while I talk privately with Vikhr. Thank you.\\
//Yes, sir.\\
Sh’knas picked Vikhr off the ground, gave him a clean towel and then walk over to the petrified human. He took a quick sniff and filled his nostrils with the musky combination of ape and fear. He ran a claw through Mike’s hair in an effort to calm him and then turned to Vikhr.
//So you say this human helped you out?\\
//Yes, he found helpless after I had come through. He gave me shelter and provided me with the means to get home.\\
//That sounds very admirable. Do you think he would make a good Phase III candidate?\\
//What are you nuts! Phase III? Even if it was a good idea you don’t have the authority to order a Phase III.\\
//This human obviously deserves some kind of reward and with the contact schedule now pushed back what better way to make some progress while we’re away. Look at it, it didn’t freak out, it didn’t try to kill you and the most important thing, it’s here now.\\
//The council will have your horns if they find out.\\
//Don’t worry I can handle the council. The question still remains do you also think he is a good candidate.\\
//Well I’m sure he’d enjoy it and he’d probably be able to handle it. Yeah, he’s a good candidate, but he’s still a risk. This could blow up in our face.\\
F’langa walked in with a “small” (about the size of a sheet of plywood) tray of human food and set it down in front of Mike.
//I understand you’re your concerns, but that human is the only option we have. Make him the offer.\\
//Yes sir.\\
“So human, how is the food?” Vikhr asked, his english voice now rich and deep.
“It-It’s good.”
“You know I can smell when you are lying.”
“Fine, it’s barely passable. You know you guys really didn’t have to feed me, I had a big lunch before the experiment.”
“How do you like it here?”
“Oh, it’s incredible. I mean it’s like one of my wildest dreams come true.” Mike reached out and began running his hand over Vikhr’s muzzle. “So when are you guys going to send me home? I could suggest some locations you could drop me off at. Can I keep the tape I made?”
“Sh’knas had another suggestion.”
“Which one is Sh’knas? By the way I just love your names. Could I like see a duty roster or something, I could use them in my stories.”
“Sh’knas is the project leader. He’s the big black one.”
“Who was the yellow and black one who almost blasted me?”
“That was Calnas. Now...”
“Who was that other guard, the blue one?”
“You are annoying me human. Please be quiet. Sh’knas has a proposal for you. Given the current state of the mission and in light of your actions he is considering you as a candidate for Phase III.”
“What’s a Phase III?”
“In order to foster a butter understanding between our two species certain human would be given the opportunity to become G’rashun.”
Mike’s mouth dropped open.
“So human, are you interested?”
“...”
“Human?”
“...”
“Close your mouth human, bugs might fly in.”
“Me?! A dragon?!”
“We’re G’rashuns human, not dragons. Dragon is a human expression.”
“Ever thought you changing your name?”
“No.”
“Maybe you should.”
“You are annoying me again human,” Vikhr hissed, pulling Mike close to his toothy maw with a claw.
“Um, shouldn’t you be treating me with a little more respect now?”
“I’ll give you respect when I see wings on your back. Until then you are just a talking hunk of meat.”
With that the big golden red dragon opened his mouth and gave Mike a slimy lick.
“Ew.”
“Now then Meat, do you agree to be a candidate for Phase III?”
“Hell yeah, but I need to be back home in less than 48 hours. I mean I’d do it no matter how long it took, but I would really like to get back.”
“Well the change only takes a few of your minutes and if we were to cut back on training I am sure we could manage to get you home with in the allotted timeframe. Would you be so kind as to sign these documents?”
Vikhr unrolled a document what was about the size of a bed sheet and set it before the human.
“I can’t read this. I mean your writing is very pretty, but I can’t read this.”
“Scroll your self down human,” said Vikhr as he pointed from the claw mark characters to the more loopy human writing below.
“That’s French. I can’t read that very well either.”
“Just sign it in the box human. It is just a simple liability waiver like the type your species signs several times a day.”
“I don’t know about this.”
“Trust me human.”
“Fine, how big should I sign.”
“Any size you want human.”
//Did he agree Vikhr?\\
//Yes sir. Was there any doubt?\\ replied Vikhr, handing Sh’knas the signed papers.
//Not really, take him to the medical bay. The machine has been reset and they are ready to begin at any time.\\
“Come Mike, I am to take you to the medical bay. I am just going to carry you in my talon here so just emit a squeak of pain if I squeeze to hard.”
ork “Thaaas toooo haaad.”
“It is not too hard. You are just too weak.”
“Waaai aaaar yoooo doooon theeeis tooo meeeee?”
Vikhr tapped Mike’s back with his other claw. “You still do not have any wings human, but you will soon and that means no more fun for me.”
They reached the medical bay and Vikhr put mike down on one of the stainless steel tables. He still felt like a pet rodent. An ash gray dragon walked in and stared at him.
“Ha-lo hu-man.”
“Um, hello?”
The dragon just stared back at him. “You’ll have to excuse Reshkas,” Vikhr piped in, “that’s all the English she knows.”
“Um, impressive.”
“Can your mockery human. Her language of study belongs to an avian race on a Lysian type planet. I could ask her to demonstrate for you, but it would rupture your eardrums. So what type of G’rashun do you want to be?”
“You mean I get a choice?”
“Are you surprised?”
“Western silver dragon, with black highlights and 2 breath weapons, one being ice.”
“Ah, the human knows what he wants.” Vikhr flipped through a phone book sized three ring binder filled with pages full of 11x14 colour artwork of all the various dragon types. “Like this one?”
“Yeah, that looks good. Am I going to look exactly like that?”
“No, not exactly like the picture, but this will be something like your model. Be absolutely sure human, you will not be able to choose again.”
“Why can’t I just come back here again?”
“Altering a fully formed G’rashun body in this way irreversibly damages the soul. Not a pretty sight and many consider it a fate worse than death.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s the form I want.”
Reshkas made a note in her hand held computer and opened up a locked safe filled with hundreds of little translucent coloured rectangles. She carefully picked out five and loaded them into the machine.
“Ok Mike, get undressed and then in you go,” said Vikhr. After Mike had completely disrobed he dumped the small human into the vat of organic goo. Mike found himself placed on a small raised portion in the centre of the vat so that it the stuff only came up to his neck. “I need to go know young human. I will be back when you are done. Be strong. When you feel the tingle you know that it is working.”
“Wow, just like in the commercial.”
Vikhr left the room to be replaced by another draconian assistant.
“Ho-eld on hoo-man,” drawled Reshkas, “pro-ces cawn beee quiet pawin-fool fur furst tie-mur.”
Vikhr stepped out of the medical bay and into the hall. Although a conversion such as this hadn’t been attempted in several centuries he had heard that the process could be quite painful for a first timer and he didn’t feel like watching his little human friend suffer.
//How’s my beloved doing?\\ came F’langa’s voice from somewhere behind him as he saw two wrap around his neck in a loving embrace.
//Fine, I just took the human to the medical bay for Phase III.\\
She slid around in front to face him, purring softly. “Do you fee like giving your new body a test drive?”
//New body? It’s the same body I had two weeks ago.\\
//But I want to make to make sure your little ordeal hasn’t left you “damaged” in any way.\\ She started to stroke his scaly side.
//You worry about me too much. I’ll prove to you I’m not “damaged” later tonight.\\
F’langa was not willing to be put off and her stroking talon made its way between his legs and with an artful maneuver she spread his slit and carefully cupped his restored dragonhood in her claws.
oomp //F’langa what are you doing?\\ yelled Vikhr in an excited whisper. //We’re in the middle of a corridor and I’m ON DUTY.\\
//Not anymore you’re not. You have at least 24 ogels until your human’s done in there and that’s plenty of time for some fun. Do you get my “point”?\\ She started to dig her claws into the soft flesh.
//Fine, I’m not going to argue.\\
//Good.\\
Keeping her grip F’langa led Vikhr into an unused conference room.
Had it not been for the tingling Mike would have sworn nothing was happening. His body immediately developed a strong ache and suddenly Mike noticed that the goo now only came up to his chest. Next his little growth spurt stopped and Mike felt the most intense pain he had ever experienced in his short life. It was like someone had just shoved a hot poker up his ass and stabbed him in the back at the same time. He saw that the goo around him was turning read from the blood that was running in rivulets down his back and that flowed from his rear. He gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes, trying to appear strong in front of the dragon technicians.
“Scree-um hoo-man. Yoo feeeel bet-tur.”
Mike didn’t need to be told twice.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!! GOD DAMIT! FUCK THIS HURTS. SHIIIIIIIIIT!! Oh god please make it stop. FUUUUUUUUK!!
As the last “uk” faded from the air, Mike realized that he didn’t really hurt anymore. He looked around behind him and found a large silver wing blocking his vision. Had he been able to see through it, he would have seen his new tail, sheathed in pink scar tissue. He reached over and touch the silver membrane, the sensation causing his still human body to tremble. Playtime was cut short when he noticed his hair was falling out and had created a slick on the surface of the organic goo. In good order the racking pain returned, this time from all over his body. He was growing again, but his skin wasn’t growing with him. Just as he thought that the pain couldn’t possibly get any worse as his skin was stretched to cover about twice the usual surface area a large rip appeared from his neck to his belly button, reveling soft silver scaled beneath. More rips appeared in the still living skin and Mike prayed for relief as he found himself unable to pass out. The relief came when his fingernails were pushed out by sharp black claws. Instinctively Mike went to work on his shredded skin and as each strip of human flesh was ripped off, pain was replaced by welcome numbness. Soon the only skin left on his body was around hand, feet, head and crotch. He saw that both of his little fingers had not gotten claws and they looked small and discoloured. Gritting his teeth he grabbed a hold of right on and pulled. It ripped off leaving him with a complete scaled covered talon. After ripping off his other finger and both the large and small toe on each foot.
The pain them started up again, this time concentrating on his head and face. His senses became dull and distorted as he felt his bones snap, crack and distend into a muzzle. Ripping at his face with a talon the whole of what had been his human face came off, looking somewhat like an old mask. Mike felt something in his mouth and he began to spit blood and teeth as his old ones were replaced with sharper models. He then felt as if he had been punched in the gut as his genitals retracted into his body disappearing behind a scaly slit. Now looking like a small humanized dragon, all he had left to do was grow.
“Gra, ge vatra creature wariss scream k’partum loudly as they do.”
Mike shot his head up as he heard what sounded like intelligible words amongst sharp growls of the G’rashun dialect.
“I know. My grandfather said that’s what made them so enjoyable to kill.”
“Hey Resh, I think he’s staring at you.”
“Do you think he can understand us?” Reshkas whispered back to her friend.
“No,” replied Mike, “I did not just hear you tell your friend why humans are so enjoyable to kill.”
Reshkas’s eyes got a hint of red as she quietly apologized for the insult. Mike didn’t notice the lame apology though, or the fact that he was getting bigger and the goo level was getting lower. His talons had gone to his rapidly elongating throat as he tried to reconcile the fact that he had just hissed and growled like he had been doing it his whole life. He didn’t even notice that the transformation had finished as moved his eyes about the room reading things. The large book with dragon pictures was the “Phase III Body Type Index Vol. 2, the cabinet with the clips was labeled “Phase III Body Pattern Chips” and the yellow sticker under it read “Do not open without written level 8 authorization. Violators will be subject to court marshal.” No smoking, knock before entering, Danger: charged crystals, horn blunting required, wash talons, Mike found himself awash in a world of discovery. He was oblivious to the fact that the two medical techs had removed him from the tub and now were toweling the goo from his new silver body.
Vikhr had preformed well beyond expectations and he and his future mate now lay snuggling each other on the big mahogany conference table. Then, without warning the lights went on, and the door opened.
“As I will show you Elders, my decision to proceeded with a trial of Phase III is completely justifiable and...Dear Ancestors! What the hell is going on in here?!”
Vikhr watched his career flash before his eyes as he and his future mate jumped off the table and sprang to attention in front of the enraged Sh’knas. A gold dragon, even bigger than Sh’knas, was busy craning his neck in order to get a better view into the room. Sh’knas slammed the door in the big gold’s face and let out a forceful hiss in the direction of the over amorous couple. Feeling slightly exposed, Vikhr began to withdraw his equipment.
“Did I give you permission to move Captain?”
“No sir,” Vikhr let it drop.
“Now I don’t think I need to explain why you two fucked up, I don’t have time to roar and hiss at you two and given the state of this rumour mill where we work I don’t feel I need to punish you any further. However, I will quickly explain what will happen if you two pull a stunt like this again. Do you see that?” He pointed at Vikhr’s exposed member. “Do you see that?” He pointed to a kallup flask on the counter. “Now see this.”
Sh’knas skillfully propelled a baseball-sized glob of acid across the room turning the flask into an acrid puddle.
“Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir.” They both replied, Vikhr wondering how that was supposed to punish F’langa.
“Vikhr, don’t you have an ex-human to be looking after?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good, so get yourself together and GET OUT OF THIS ROOM! Both of you!”
They both ran out of the door to the astonished gazes of elder Elders and to the hoots and encouragements of the younger Elders (age no longer being a requirement to be an elder.)
Vikhr found a now dry Mike sitting in the medical bay reading the emergency exit procedure for the building.
“Why are you reading that,” he asked.
“Because I can! Look look, “Proceed to the third floor fire escape”. I just read that! I’ve never seen this chicken scratch before today and not I’m reading it! And I’m also talking to you. I’M TALKING TO YOU!”
“Jeez Mike, keep your voice down. It’s not that big of an accomplishment considering the fact that you didn’t have to do anything. We were the ones who altered the language and speech centers in your brain.”
“Can I still speak English and why do you sound so different?”
“Sure, just try to speak English. Different how?”
“You don’t sound like you have a rod up your butt anymore.”
“Because the English I learned was formal English designed to work in all realities where English is spoken. Since you can now understand G’rashian I can use contractions, slang and figures of speech when talking to you. Now if you have no more unimportant questions I need to show you to your teachers.”
“Why can’t you show me how to fly and shit?”
“While I am qualified to rebuild a star drive from spare parts, I am not qualified to instruct a Phase III’d human. However, Calnas and Sivrar are.”
“Why do all of you here seem to have eight different jobs?”
“Our society is still recovering from the great civil wars. The G’rashun population stands at slightly more than 110 million so everybody need to take on more than one role.
“Do they get two paychecks?”
“Yes, but they have to put in for the extra work done within the parameters of their secondary job. It’s a real hassle and I wish...Damit Mike, why do you keep asking these all these questions?
“I’m just interested. Wait, wasn’t Sivrar the one who wanted to step on me.”
“Yes, but I’m sure he didn’t mean it. Can you walk?”
“Yes.”
“Then move your ass and come with me.”
They walked into a large (even by G’rashun standards) room where Calnas and Sivrar stood waiting.
“Hey Vikhr. We cut the Phase III training programme down to the size your requested,” said Sivrar holding a thin binder and pointing to a recycling bucket full of documents. “Is this our new brother?”
“Yes, and it doesn’t look like you’ll be stepping on me any time soon,” hissed Mike.
“I don’t know about that,” retorted Calnas, “have you looked at your self lately?”
At this point Mike realized that he was quite a bit smaller than any other dragon he had seen here.
“Aw, the big mature human’s is all sad that he’s small juvenile G’rashun. I’m sorry to tell you, but our social ladder is a lot harder to climb.”
“Oh be quiet Caln,” said Vikhr. “You’re supposed to be helping him...remember.”
Sivrar stepped forward. “Young one, I am sorry I told Calnas to step on you while you were in human form. I hope we can put that behind us.”
“Sure thing Sivrear.”
“It’s Sivrar.”
“Sorry, I’m not good with names.”
“Ok,” said Vikhr, “I have to get out of here and you have less than 30 d’rams to teach this kid how to be G’rashun.”
He left and Sivrar stepped forward with the binder. “Ok, um Mike, we are first doing to try walking.”
“I think I can walk. I walk over here didn’t I?.”
“I mean walking on all fours. Get down and let’s see you do it.”
Mike did as he was told, dripping sarcasm from every scale.
“Now try a trot.”
“I’m not a horse.”
“You’re on all fours. Caln, show him what to do.
Calnas circled around the room in a perfect dragon trot.
“Now you try,” said Sivrar.
Four steps later and Mike was flat on his face.
“This could take all afternoon,” Sivrar muttered to himself.
Learning all of the four legged moved took much of the night and it was followed by an hour long session entitled “What to do with your tail and when not to do it.” Next they covered his eyes and ears with duct tape and forced him to walk around for two hours relying only on his sense of smell. They only undid his bonds when he could successfully identify the mess hall staff and the menu by sent. Finally, as the sun poked above the horizon, Mike found himself and the two instructors on the roof, obviously not needing as much sleep as a human anymore.
“As you might have guessed,” announced Calnas, “it is time for you to learn how to fly.”
“Wee!”
“Unfortunately, due to time constraints we must give you the super super super fast lesson...Sivrar.”
Sivrar stepped up behind the young dragon and pushed him over the edge of the roof. By about the 23’rd A in Aaaaaa, Mike realized that the parking lot was no longer rushing up to meet him and he was hovering in mid air.
“Aaaaaa Hooooo! I’m...well...HOVERING!” yelled mike as his wings made giant cuts in the still morning air.
“Great, now try flying forward,” yelled Calnas.
“Um, I can’t. I don’t know how.”
“Ok, try landing.”
“I can’t do that either.”
“Can you spin around in a circle?”
“Sorry.”
“Hey, Siv,” remarked Calnas under his breath.
“Yeah, I know, it’s going to take all morning.”
Mike wasn’t too badly bruised when he emerged from the little class “How to bathe and knowing when you need it” and was actually feeling better due to the warm water soothing his aching flight muscles. Sivrar and Calnas were waiting for him.
“Ok Mike, I’m sorry but its time for a more personal lesson.” Said Sivrar pointing down at the slit between Mike’s legs. “Would you mind popping it out?”
Mike generally didn’t like working under close supervision and he definitely didn’t like people supervising doing this, but Sivrar and Calnas were qualified Phase III instructors and that eased his fears. After spending some time trying out all the different muscles the scales finally parted and his genitals popped out.
“Lesson one,” said Sivrar, “your fingers are now tipped with extremely sharp claws so by all means handle with care. If I were you I wouldn’t handle it at all until I got some “practice”. Wounds down there can be VERY painful.”
“Should it be speckled like this?” Mike asked, his penis reminding him of a US Navy submarine periscope.
Before he could stop them they had whipped out their own and proved that his was normal.
“Hey guys, is this really necessary? You could have just told me.”
“Humans are way too uptight about their bodies.”
“I know, we’re all puritans, but could I have gotten a little warning.”
As if to mock his request, the door opened and Reshkas walked in. Mike spun around and faced the wall trying to make him self descent.
“Aw, he’s bashful, how cute.”
“This,” said Sivrar, “is a female G’rashun.”
“I know that,” said Mike.
“But how do you know?”
“I...um...just do.”
“Your brain does, but you don’t. In case anyone asks you female scales are slightly smaller, necks are shorter, her voice has some tonal differences (slightly richer with out having any different range than a male), her horns are a bit smaller, her scent should tint of sweetness...”
“…And,” interrupted Reshkas “the most important thing...I have one of these.”
She spread apart her slit to reveal a soft speckled vagina. Mike was overcome by something and despite his best efforts he bent over and sniffed at her nether reaches. As the smell hit his brain his vision got blurry and his legs turned into jell-o. Up turned to down and all thought became incoherent. A few minutes later he heard Sivrar talking and felt someone shaking him.
“You see, he’s ok, he’s coming out of it.”
“W-what happened to me?”
“G’rashun sex haze,” replied Sivrar. “It is an old evolutionary mechanism that protected females during intercourse with aggressive males and that let them mate with large loner males who didn’t want to have anything to do with anybody. There’s no need for it nowadays and you can go through a training class to start eliminating its effects, but even today young G’rashun males will venture out for a night on the town, get incapacitated by some unscrupulous female and wind up waking up in a bad part of town devoid of their money and personal effects. Since you can’t take the class now be careful of any “friendly” female you might run into.”
“I think it’s just because all you males think with your dicks and the haze is something that just demonstrates our superiority,” responded Reshkas.
“Hey, what about the other thing, “asked Calnas.
“Yeah, if your not careful you can loose more than just your money. With just a few simple medical tools a crafty female can steal your manhood.”
“You’re making us sound so evil Siv,” protested Reshkas, “anybody can do it.”
“What!” exclaimed Mike.
“It’s not that big of a problem anymore. Shit like that was rampant during the great wars, but now there are tough laws in place regarding theft of body parts. However, just be careful with who you sleep or get drunk with or you might get stuck spending the next few months saddles with some uncomfortable equipment down there trying to grow one back. It’s much worse than loosing let’s say an arm or a horn cause you’ll always be wondering what the new owner is doing with it. There are some technologies that help prevent this kind of thing, but the best prevention is a little common sense.”
“ Yeah, it gives new meaning to “Safe Sex”,” added Calnas.
There was a longish pause as all three got quiet and stared at Mike as if waiting for him to do something. He had a sinking feeling as he reached down and peered inside his sheath and found it bare and empty.
“Missing something?” said Reshkas and she with Calnas and Sivrar broke into laughter.
Mike looked up as a flash of light stung his eyes.
“Jeez,” said Sivrar, “it took him long enough.”
As Mike’s vision came back he clearly saw that Reshkas was holding his limp cock and balls in her outstretched talon. The size of her talon made his pride and joy look pitifully small.
“We didn’t think you’d learn your lesson without an appropriate demonstration,” clucked Calnas.
Mike didn’t know what to say as Reshkas began to gently stroke his equipment with her claws and, like nothing was different, his disembodied sex became fully erect.
“Hmm,” said Reshkas looking at it, “in about a hundred years you might make a good lover.”
Mike chose to take that as a compliment. Finally regaining the ability to speak he said, “So what do I do until then.”
“Try a magazine,” she replied and they all started snickering again.
She then gave his cock a small lick. “Don’t you wish you could feel this?”
Normally this would have turned Mike incredibly on, but now, unfortunately, he didn’t have anything TO turn on.
“Could I please have my dick back now?” Mike half expected her to make him sing for it.
“Sure, we’re not trying to be mean, this is just a teaching aid.”
“A very effective one,” replied Mike.
After detaching a small silver disk from the back of his penis she reached down and slid his genitals back into their little cave and then inserted another one of those strange glowing crystals. A warmth filled his groin as all his missing feeling came back.
“Now you behave yourself,” said Reshkas pointing at Mike. “Bye everybody.”
“Now before you start yelling,” said Sivrar, “keep in mind that had this been the real Phase III training programme that little demonstration would have lasted a whole day and had you been a real G’rashun youth you could have gone sexless for any number of years depending on how hard up your parents were.”
“Ok, ok, I’m not freaking out. I’m calm, I’m calm as a summer day,” chanted Mike. “Do you have anything else to tell me? Any more surprises?”
“Yeah, we need to warn you about having sex with humans while you’re back on your own planet,” said Calnas.
“If you impregnate a human female,” continued Sivrar, “first she’ll give berth to an egg, second, a half human half G’rashun hybrid will hatch and third you’ll be in deep shit.”
“Any more bad news?”
“No, that’s basically it. So, do you think Reshkas is hot?” asked Calnas
“I don’t even know what hot is.”
“Sorry, we had to cut that from the programme,” added Sivrar. “Now hurry up, we have less than a d’ram and a half to teach you how to use your breath weapons.”
Vikhr walked into the large room. “Are you two clowns done giving Mike all your bad habits?”
“Take him, please,” said Sivrar.
“What happened to your arm,” asked Vikhr pointing to a large bandage.
“Breath accident, I’m going to loose a lot of those scales.”
“That’ll teach you to step on humans.”
“Shut up Vikhr.”
Vikhr grabbed Mike took him back to the medical lab.
“Why am I back here?”
“We need to perform a quick operation that will let you exist in your own world. I got mine yesterday and I assure you it was quick and painless.”
Mike was put on the table and a different Medical tech wheeled up another odd looking machine. A beam shot out and numbed everything below his neck then the beam changed to a reddish colour and Mike could hear it cutting through his flesh and scales. The beam shut itself off and the tech reached inside his chest and began to move some things around. Once everything was to his satisfaction the tech turned the beam on again and this time the air was filled with the definite smell of burning flesh. The beam went off again and the tech went over the counter to prepare something.
“Hey, do you want to see something cool?” asked Vikhr.
“Not really.”
“You’ll thank me later.”
With that Vikhr lifted Mike’s head up and let him gaze into the gaping hole in his chest. Right in the center of the hole was Mike’s beating heart, pumping the dark red blood all over his body. The source of the burning smell was evident now, a rune had been etched into the heart’s living flesh. Vikhr put his neck and head back on the table and the tech came back and rubbed something into the rune to make the technology take effect. Once the pattern had set the tech closed up Mike’s chest leaving only a dull ache. As Mike was trying to stretch the ache out Vikhr handed him a satchel full off stuff.
“Here are all your clothes, your camera and some books you might find helpful. When you get back to your own world you will be able to shift to human form and anything you have on your G’rashun body will change with you. Don’t try that trick beyond 25% of your body weight though. It gets painful.”
Vikhr then took a large oval turquoise crystal on a tough gold chain and attached it around Mike’s neck.
“While the rune on your heart will preserve your true from destruction this crystal is required for you to be in your true form for more than a few minutes. It’s basically an energy absorber and converter.”
He then showed him a smaller lavender crystal that glowed softly against the room’s sterile light and placed it in his bag.
“This will open a gateway back here. Use it if you get into trouble or get sick or something. Whatever you do, don’t loose it.”
When Vikhr wasn’t looking Mike swiped the Phase III Body Type Index vol. 1-3 and dropped it in his bag. He couldn’t pass up the chance to add to his dragon art collection. They then went back to the gat room where Sh’knas clasped his shoulders and told him not to fuck things up...or else. The portal was activated and they stepped through.
Instead of arriving at the quarry, they came out near an abandoned corporate site west of town. After landing Mike unpacked his human belongings to carry back to his room.
“Well my friend,” said Vikhr now speaking in English, “It is time for you to go, quickly now, before the authorities arrive. Just remember that you are no longer human, but G’rashun and everything you do shine upon us. Go now and be safe until we meet again.”
Vikhr laid a hand on Mike’s chest and there was a slight burst of energy. Mike’s vision became clouded as his draconic body evaporated into fog and then blew away in the light breeze. Now a human once again, Mike crouched naked on the cold grass a large silver tattoo covering his left shoulder. He quickly dressed and looked up at Vikhr.
“So, what are you waiting here for?”
“I have a message to deliver. You need to leave now before the police arrive. Go!”
Mike took off across complex into a nearby farmer’s field, but he soon got tired of running, reached inside his shirt and touched his left shoulder. The rule flared to life and where a human had been a young silver dragon was not sitting on his haunches. Grabbing the now unimportantly light sack of clothes he spread his wings and decided to take the air route back to campus.
Meanwhile, Vikhr sat where he was, waiting for the Fed to arrive. Four minutes later about ten black SUV’s pulled up and about 80 men got out all armed with M16’s and M136 rocket launchers. Agent Johnson got on the megaphone.
“You are surrounded dragon. Surrender now or your will be killed.”
“Quiet human! I hope you are recording this because I have a message for your leaders.” Vikhr bellowed at the top of his lungs. “I represent the G’rashun Republic on a mission of mutual understanding. As of now out effort to make first contact has not gone without its problems and mistakes have been made on both sides. Now it is time for a choice to be made to erase out past problems and start down a path to a better world or to enter into a conflict that will probably consume both our races. You have 12 of our brethren in your care. When we return we expect that we will find them in good condition having been treated as your honuored quests. This concludes my message.”
Vikhr turned his back and began to open the return portal and George ran over to agent Johnson.
“Sir, what should we do? He’s getting away.”
Agent Johnson’s orders were clear. The being was not to get away. He was empowered to use any method to stop the being’s escape, even if it meant the being’s death. In his mind he envisioned giving the order to fire, the dragon’s body being riddled with bullets and rockets. Then he saw the night sky lit up as millions of portals opened and a retaliatory force of dragons swept over the Earth. His flesh dissolved from his bones as he was consumed in a wave of flame that would go on to circle the planet, cleansing it of all the vermin that had infested it.
“Sir??? What should we do, he’s opening the gateway.”
“No,” thought agent Johnson, “the human race could never fall that easily.”
His vision changed and as the portals open the invaders were greeted with thousands of attack helicopters. They were shredded my millions of bullets and blown to bits by laser guided missiles. The humans then turned the dimensional technology against its former owners and several years later soldiers from a united Earth, stormed the last dragon lair, smashing the un-hatched eggs with their rifle buts on live TV. Soon the word human would evoke fear and horror across the multiverse.
“Sir??? It’s opening! What should we do?”
“Let him go George.”
“But sir, the orders.”
Agent Johnson took out a sheet of paper, ripped it in two and dropped it in a puddle.
“Violence is not the answer here, tell the men to safe their weapons.”
“Sir?”
“TELL THEM!”
“Sir...yes sir.”
As Vikhr disappeared through the gateway, agent Johnson made a silent pledge to forward his message and personally see that its requests were carried out.
Meanwhile, on the football field of a nearby university a sudden bank of fog had rolled in. As it dissipated in the early spring breeze a lone figure could be seen walking into his new life.