History
Part 3. The
Recordkeeper
Knux let his
fingers go over the keyboard, rapidly typing a report on the hatching of
Gaia. Personally he preferred paper, but the military didn't approve of
books. Too much to burn in case of a hostile take over. Erasing computer
files was much easier. Maybe the exact same reason why Knux preferred
Paper.
A persistent beeping of the incubator in the next room got his attention
and Knux made his way to the waiting egg. Three had been placed in the
incubator. One had hatched to a stunning small metallic dragoness, the
second had not hatched at all. What would the third egg do?
Automatically handling the needed procedures, Knux was already composing
the introduction of a book entitled 'Dragons: From Myth to Reality'. The
military could do what they pleased, people would know of this discovery.
Knowledge was not something you should keep hidden.
Opening the oval hatch, Knux gripped inside and held a feebly squirming
dragon in his hands. the creature was even smaller than Gaia had been,
grey from head to toe with some sickly green patches on it's hide. The
hatchling squealed pitiful and then closed it's eyes with a tired sigh.
A tear ran from the edge of his eye to his mouth. Tasting the salt, Knux
wiped it away. He had seen dead animals before, but never had he felt like
he did now. It wasn't right for the small dragon to die like this.
Somehow, Knux thought, the dragon had to have made it's presence known to
the world.
Wrapping the dragon in some towels Knux decided to bury it somewhere safe
in stead of turning it in to the lab for a post mortem. That too, didn't
feel right.
"Rest in peace." he whispered as he put the dragon in his
briefcase and went back to the computer. Tonight...
***
Iyru and Fairlight
were sitting on a large field of grass, sheltered by a few stray trees
from the forest around the base. With the sun on their heads, the blue sky
above them and a cool breeze to play with their hair, it felt almost like
they were just two women enjoying a picnic, talking about some random
things. But looks and feelings can be deceiving.
"I say we just not return any messages we get from the military. Let
them think the dragons have barbecued us all." Fairlight said with a
defiant look in her eyes.
"They'd come look... and have you forgotten Tasrin? We can't get
around him." Iyru answered, "I doubt he's just going to roll
over and stay down."
"With the right leverage he might." Fairlight grinned, looking
at Iyru.
"Oh no! I can't stand being in the same room as that man! Let alone,
trying to get him to run over to our cause."
"Yeah, he doesn't seem fond of you either." Fairlight said,
"It could have worked though."
"There must be another way." Iyru said, "Something to get
the odds on our side."
"Well we could attract more people to our cause. What else do we need
for this mission? If you are to lead, I imagine you can pick the
candidates." Fairlight turned from laying on her back to her stomach,
leaning on her arms to stay up.
"I imagine I can." Iyru said and looked at the passing clouds,
"This has all been so exciting I haven't even thought about it much.
What would we need?"
"What do we have?" Fairlight asked.
"Biologists we have aplenty; you, me and Knux. I think Knux will be
easily swayed to our side. I've asked him once, why he joined the mission.
'To make sure the knowledge wouldn't fade' he said." Iyru smiled at a
yellow flower bravely sticking it's head up from the neatly mowed lawn,
"You can get him to do everything for knowledge."
"What else?"
"Well Tasrin will be in charge of the military personnel already on
the Cyatri base. So you could call him head of defense and offense."
"That leaves quite a few open places." Fairlight mused, "I
reckon we need someone to record progress on the dragons."
"I assumed we would do that..." Iyru started, "Oh, of
course we'll be too busy with recording useful plants. Though how they
expect us to know which ones are poisonous...impossible."
"Maybe Tasrin will Volunteer." Fairlight shrugged, "He's
expendable."
"No... I really want to, but we can't. But we'll be too busy to
record progress."
"We certainly will be." Fairlight nodded, "We'll say so at
least. Let's start with the record keeper."
"Got anyone in mind?" Iyru asked.
"I sure do." Fairlight laughed, making the laugh seem friendly
and a threat at once.
