Page 30 of The Dragon's Pet
He loved showing his pet these wonders of the dragon world. They were simple, cheap tricks really, the sort one might amuse a whelpling with, but she responded with even more enthusiasm.
“None of them are as beautiful as you,” he said, leaning over to kiss her deeply, running his hands over her body in a gentle,almost worshiping adoration of her form. She was so beautiful to him, he loved how very soft and delicate she was. He loved how she…
There was a heavy knock at the door.
“Come!”
The door opened and the dark grey eyes of Eldor seared through the gap. “I need to speak with you, Vyktor. Immediately.”
Vyktor slid his hands reluctantly from Aria’s delicious form.
“Be good,” he warned her, dropping a kiss on her nose. “I will return soon.”
He left his pet sitting on the bed running her hands through the jewels with an enchanted expression on her face, and followed Eldor. Eldor was rarely in a good mood, especially when he was reminded that Aria was still in their base, but on this occasion he was even more terse than usual.
He followed Eldor to the meeting chamber, where every dragon in the base had already assembled. Their expressions ranged from excited to angry to stoic, and there was an energy of anticipation in the air.
“What is it, Eldor?” He pulled the general aside before they ascended the plinth. Something was happening, and whatever it was, he did not want to be surprised by it in front of his men.
“You would know, if you did not spend so much time toying with that pet of yours,” Eldor snarled.
Vyktor’s eyes narrowed. Not this again. Eldor was beginning to sound like a spurned woman with how often he brought upAria whenever they were trying to discuss matters of military importance.
“Your precious humans have surged into the remnants of the machine which created the portal. They have been seen working on the machinery under the portal, and documents recovered from their presses suggest that they are close to finding a means to closing it.”
“That is the same aim our technicians have been working toward.”
“Yes, but if the humans do it first, we will be trapped here.”
“Are you thinking of a strategic retreat, Eldor?”
“I am thinking that is an excellent way to get torn to shreds. They have moved heavy artillery around the portal site, and they have planes stationed at bases nearby. Retreat may be the most dangerous mission we have undertaken since that portal opened.” Eldor shook his head. “You were right about the humans, Vyktor. They are very intelligent. And they are working on fixing their mistake. That is why their aggression has been decreasing over their last lunar month aside from occasional strikes in which they risk little. Instead of fighting us, they have been preparing to cut us off. They have set a trap right under our noses, one which we will have no choice but to fly into.”
“Smart,” Vyktor noted grimly. Eldor was likely correct in his assumption. It made sense that the humans would want to shut the portal to prevent reinforcements from arriving. The militarization of the zone was probably for their protection first, but he agreed that they were likely to open fire if they had the chance to take life. The hostilities were bitter and vicious and there were no rules or conventions to depend upon.
“We need to negotiate,” Vyktor said. “It’s time we made contact with their leader.”
“Their king,” Eldor agreed. “An audience with him.”
“Their president,” Vyktor corrected him. Aria had been helpful in clarifying some of the finer points of political interaction in the human realm. It seemed to him to be a facade of equality under which the same hierarchies that existed in the rest of nature operated as strongly as ever. Aria had spent hours explaining presidential races and other such things, the fanfare and pageantry of the entire enterprise. It seemed to Vyktor to be a great deal of energy to waste, but the humans of this particular region of the planet at least were very taken with the concept.
“They have no king?”
“They have a leader they choose, well, or at least, they seem to choose. There is some debate. At any rate, that is the man who makes the final decision.”
“That is the man who leads their armies?”
“No. That is a different man.”
“Their leader does not lead their armies?” Eldor shook his head. “For simple creatures, they delight in making complex systems.” He let out a sigh. “You seem to enjoy contact with these humans and may be able to form some kind of bond with them. I will leave negotiations in your hands.”
Vyktor looked at Eldor, and then again at his men. A fatigue was settling in. It wasn’t only that the battle was being fought long and hard, it was that it was being fought in a very alien environment against a foe none of them truly understood. Even Vyktor wasn’t sure he understood people, and he had dedicatedalmost every minute of spare time to doing so since the portal opened.
“What terms were you thinking of?”
“If they close the portal, we will leave. No further life need be lost. They can keep their little planet with its weak sun and low radiation, and we will return to our realm. I confess, I am much looking forward to seeing the shores of home again. This place makes me cold to my very bones.”
He saw Eldor’s sentiments reflected on the faces of every man in the room. Earth had a weak physical sun. It made maintaining their flight forms difficult, and the longer they were away from their homeland, the harder it was. There were rumors that if they stayed long enough, they may lose the ability to take flight entirely.
