Sam's Dragon

            It was a dark still night in the mountains.  The planet had no moon to brighten the night and no civilization to illuminate the ground.  Out of the clouds came a giant space ship.  It slowly descended toward a ledge on the mountain’s western slope.  As it neared the ledge the ground slid away and a large black tube rose toward the ship.  The ship produced a tube of its own that descended and linked to the ascending tube.  The ends sealed together and the lubricant began to flow.

            Inside the mountain an automated facility mined the trycolent deposit, refined the raw material, and produced the lubricant trycoleen.  Trycoleen was the main lubricant used in all Solarian Defense Directorate ships and shuttlecraft.  It was an amazing stroke of luck to find a planet with an abundant supply of trycolent just outside Takelvee space.  The lubricant could be supplied directly to the ships on the line saving a great deal of time and keeping more ships ready to face any Takelvee incursion.

            In the heart of the mountain, Samantha Lesniak monitored the process.  Her job was simply to make sure that everything went smoothly.  She was to make any adjustments necessary to keep the process on schedule.  She also was to protect the facility from any curious primitives.  The planet Kalas Four had a sentient population at the level equivalent to humans in the late Stone Age.  Sam was required to scare the primitives away from the mountain anytime they got too close to the facility.  The Solarian Defense Directorate created a unique and very impressive tool for Sam to use.  It was a replica of a giant mythical dragon.  One hundred feet long from nose to tale and equal that in wingspan.  Its motions were hydraulically controlled and looked very natural.  Hidden jets in its body controlled its flight but it was so well made that it could actually fly using its wings.  It's weapons included lasers in its eyes and a flamethrower in its mouth.  In addition it had four very maneuverable claws.

            Sam was on a six-month rotation at the facility.  She worked there alone, but she wasn't lonely.  She was in constant contact with her family on the hyper-link and she had plenty of holo-vid entertainment.  Sam spent most of her time on her side job.  The Solarian Space Agency was paying her extra to monitor the primitives in the valley.  Micro probes were setup around the primitive's village and flying probes darted around the village of the unsuspecting residents.  Sam found it fascinating to watch their daily lives and their flight to survive in such a primitive age.  The valley wasn’t very fertile and food was not in abundance.  Sam wished she could help, but she was well aware of the rules against such interference.  It also bothered her that the mountain pass that she was required to keep them away from may be their only path to a better life.

            One villager caught Sam's attention.  They called him Morob.  He seemed different than the others.  He was more thoughtful.  He looked at things and Sam could see the wonder in his eyes when he did.  She became fascinated with him.  She looked up articles on prehistoric development and on genetics and found that Morob was likely to be a mutant.  He may be the forerunner of the next version of this species.  That may be good for Morob or it may be really bad.  Mutants, even mutations for the good, were generally feared and often shunned or killed in primitive societies.  If Morob was careful he may use his new found curiosity and intelligence to lead his people down a new path.  If he wasn’t careful he may frighten his fellow villagers with his speculations and turn them against him.  Sam watched him carefully and rooted for him to make the right decisions.

            Everyday Sam watched as Morob tried to get people to listen to his ideas.  One day Morob started saying something that bothered Sam.  He started telling the villagers that there was more to the world beyond the mountain.  He said that they might live much better if they would travel out of the small valley.  To Sam's relief the villagers did not listen to Morob's talk.  The village elders had had enough of Morob's speeches.  As punishment they assigned him to night watch until he learned to hold his tongue.

            The dragon was employed just two times during Sam's first three months on the job.  One pass over the curious villagers had them scurrying back into the valley.  On a dark night near the end of her third month Sam was awakened out of a sound sleep by the intrusion alert signal.  She got to her monitor in time to see a Takelvee raider shuttle break through the clouds.  Sam immediately got on the hyper-link to the directorate.  She was told that the battle group had detected the raider's ship and dispatched the destroyers Venger and Raven to deal with it.  Sam was to use the dragon to keep the Takelvee away from the mountain.  If the Takelvee discovered that this planet was a source of trycolent they would be put it on their target list.  "If they're not here for the trycolent, then what are they hear for?"  Sam asked the directorate officer.

            "They are likely to be after the primitives.  Intelligence reports indicate that the Takelvee have a mining installation just over the line in their space.  They probably have been raiding this planet for a work force."

            "Not this time," Sam said, "I'm beginning to like those stubby green people, even if they do have three arms."

            "Remember Sam, you are defending the facility, not the primitives."

            "From where they are landing, they're likely to spot the S. S. A. probes when they enter the valley."

            "OK Sam, use the dragon.  Do what you have to do to keep them away from the facility.  The destroyers can send marines to support you if necessary.  However, it would be best if there wasn't a real ground battle between the marines and the Takelvee.  Report when the incident is over, or if you need assistance."

            "Will do."  Sam jumped out of her seat and headed for the dragon hangar.  She climbed into the head of the beautiful green and brown beast, and fired up the systems.  In a smooth motion the dragon ran out of the cave and leaped into the sky.

            Morob stood watch at the edge of the village.  His eye caught a strange set of lights coming out of the sky.  Curious, he moved toward the mountain and the source of the light.  As the neared the mountain he saw lights moving toward him. Frightened by the moving white torches, the warrior hid in the bushes.  His eyes widened as he saw the giant four-armed Takelvee raiders approaching.  He panicked and ran back toward the village.  The Takelvee spotted him and opened fire.  Bushes burst into flames on either side of the running warrior then suddenly he was struck by something.  He fell and he couldn't move.  The Takelvee approached.  Morob knew his life was over and steeled himself for its end.

            Sam spotted Morob and the Takelvee and sent the dragon into a dive, "Oh no you don't you four-armed bastards; Morob is my buddy." 

            Sam made the dragon roar above Morob.  The Takelvee stepped back and shot pulsed lasers at the dragon, but it was well armored.  Sam used the lasers in the dragon's eyes.  Some Takelvee fell and the others backed away shooting as they went.  The dragon then let out its breath of fire destroying several more Takelvee.

            Sam pursued the Takelvee back to their shuttle, and chased the shuttle into the sky.  Once the Takelvee were aboard their ship, Venger and Raven escorted the ship out of human space.

            Sam turned the dragon around to search for Morob.  He had lost the probe that Sam was using to track him, and Sam wanted to make sure he returned to the village safely.

Sam used the dragon's low light and life form detectors to find Morob in the darkness.  The primitive alien was just getting to his feet.  Sam could see him looking up at the dragon and putting his arms in front of his face in fear.  Seeing that Morob was OK, Sam programmed a new micro-probe and released it from the dragon.  Once she was sure that the probe would follow Morob, Sam turned the dragon and headed for home.

Sam could see Morob staring at the dragon as she flew it away.  She thought to herself, "I sure hope I haven't caused a problem here."

During the next few days Sam watched as Morob tried to explain what had happened.  A few of the villagers actually saw the flashes of light and the column of fire during that night, but none believed that Morob was saved from giant four-armed creatures by the beast from the mountain. On the third day of Sam's observations, a female stepped forward and took Morob's side.  She to was unable to convince the villagers, and she joined Morob as an outsider.  Sam had seen this female before and thought she might be a bit taken with Morob.  Now she was sure.  The female had put her own life in danger to stand at his side.  Sam admired her courage, but Morob’s new preaching disturbed her.  He was now claiming that the beast from the mountain was actually their friend and would guide them beyond the mountains to a new and wonderful land.

                        Still no one listen to Morob.  Finally he said what Sam feared he might say.  He told the villagers that he would go over the mountain to the new land and the beast would not harm him, and to make it worse, the brave young female volunteered to go with him.  Morob announced that he would prepare and that he would leave in ten suns.

            Sam leaned back in her chair and said out loud, "What the hell am I going to do now?  My duty is clear in the rules governing this job.  If the primitives can't the frightened away, they must be killed.  The facility must keep running and if killing a few primitives will keep them away, then it is justified.  Not only is it justified it is required.  The security of the facility is most important.  Sam knew Morob would not be frightened now.  He was convinced that the dragon was his friend, and in a way it is.”  Sam would not let go a column of fire onto that brave primitive and his lady.  She just would not do it.  Now see must find a way to avoid killing them and still protect the facility from discovery.

As Sam stared at the monitor, her hyper-link buzzed.  When she opened the communication she heard the voice of her close friend Valerie Olson.  Valerie was first officer on S.D.D Raven.  The destroyer swung back by the planet before returning to the duty “Sam, are you ok?  How did it go down there?”

“Everything went great Val, well almost everything.”

“What do you mean, almost everything?”

Sam explained her dilemma to her friend, and got silence for a moment.  Then Valerie said, “You know how important that facility is to us.”

            “I know Val, and I know what a mess the primitives could cause not only to the facility, but to also to their own development.  I understand that certain parts of this facility have to be open to the outside air and that no barriers could be present to protect them.  Their only protection is in the knowing that the primitives would not venture into the area.  Logically I know its better to make it seem that two were killed by some powerful beast than it would be to contaminate the development of their entire tribe and risk damage to the facility.  That’s logically, emotionally and morally; I cannot harm these two people.  They’re no more than four feet tall, they have three arms, and they are green, but they are still people, people who live on this planet.  We’re the aliens here we’re the invaders.  Just because we invade quietly and steal their natural resources in a clever manner, doesn’t mean we aren’t alien invaders.”

            “Come on Sam, the primitive have absolutely no use for trycolent. Taking it won’t affect them in the least bit.  It’s true, technically we’re alien invaders on this world, but you know how careful we have been not to disturb them.  If we can’t defend this area of space, the Takelvee will take this planet.  If that happens, what will become of these people?”

                        “I understand that Val, but killing Morob and the female is simply something that I can’t do.”

                        “Would you like me to find a replacement for our crew, and get you out of this situation?” Val asked knowing what the answer would be.”

                        “Hell no Valerie, that would be the same as killing them myself.  No, I’m going to find a way to avoid harming these people, and still protect this facility.”

                        “Can you lead this Morob to a path through the mountains that doesn’t take them near the facility?”

                        “No, the only mountain path leads right passed the mining level.  The large ledge above the pass was the only suitable tanker access area anywhere near the deposit.  That’s why they came up with this dragon thing.”

            Val just muttered, “Great.”

                        “Yes Val, I know.”

                        Val thought a moment then said, “Anywhere that trycolent is found, there are usually subterranean caverns.  At times the caverns can be used as passages through mountains.”

                        “Yes I know, and there are but they don’t . . .”

                        “Don’t what Sam?”

                        “Ah, never mind Val.  I think things will work out.”

                        “Workout how Sam?”

                        “Val, trust me on this one, please.  I’ll make sure no harm comes to the facility, I promise you that.  I’ll send a full report in a few days.  I’m sure you can get it from the directorate then.”

                        “OK, Sam, but be careful.”

                        “Will do Val, now get out there and watch for the bad guys.”  With that Sam closed the link and went to her geological data.

After several hours of study Sam proved her theory.  The large cavern being used as the dragon’s hangar was part of a series of caverns that did lead to the valley beyond this mountain.  The problem was that the passage was sealed.  Sam needed the equipment to open up the passage.

                        Sam was frustrated.  She had contacted very official within the Solarian Space Agency that she could possibly think of and none of them would authorize the acquisition of a tunneler.  They either refused to take the responsibility or they didn’t believe the acquisition was warranted.

                        Sam made one more call.  This time it was to S.D.D Raven.  She got Valerie back on the line.  “Val, I have an answer, but I need a little help.”

                        “What can I do Sam?”

                        “Isn’t your captain married to a fairly important person inside S.S.A?”

                        “Yeah, Linda Merriel is one of the highest decorated and most accomplished ship captains in the entire federation.  Since making first contact with the Trylings, she has become deputy director of the human/alien relations branch of the agency.”

                        “Is there any chance that I might be able to speak with her?”

                        “God, why didn’t I think of that?  You don’t need my help for that Sam.  Linda is very open and she is interested in anything relating to the way humans and aliens interact.  Just contact S.S.A. and add the code DEP/HUM-ALIEN.   I’m sure she’ll help if she can.”

                        After several tries Sam did get through to Linda Merriel.  The former ship captain was convinced that Morob was a mutant and of value to the species.  She listened to Sam’s plan and authorized the acquisition of a tunneler on a priority basis.  Sam could expect it in two days.

The tunneler came on schedule with a crew to handle it.  Sam showed them just where to burrow and they got to work.  At the same time Sam got to work on the hologram projection.  The holograms outside were ineffective because variance in temperature and wind speed made them unstable, but inside the hangar they would work perfectly to conceal all of the construction in the cave.

The tunneling crew broke into shifts and worked around the clock.  Sam’s plan had peaked Linda Merriel’s interest and she put her considerable influence into getting Sam everything she needed.  Sam moved from hologram creation to the complex effort of advancing the translation capability to the point that would allow her to converse with Morob.

It took eight days for the workers to burrow and stabilize the tunnels.  The series of caverns led through the mountain to a large fertile valley on the other side.  The crew packed up and left as quietly as they came.  Sam refused their offer of assistance in the next step of her plan.  Now all Sam had to do was to convince Morob that the underground passage was the best way to go.

The sun rose on the tenth day and Sam was ready.  She made sure that the facility was running smoothly; then she headed for the dragon. After she left, the monitor snapped on with a picture of a hunting party leaving the village.

Once inside the mechanical beast, Sam checked the probes.  Morob and his lady were just leaving the village.  The entire tribe turned out to see them go.  Some jeered, some laughed, and some begged them to not go.  Morob ignored them all, and he and his lady bravely marched out of the village, and into the unknown.

Sam watched Morob so intently that she failed to see the light indicating a probe was tracking the hunting party that had left the village earlier.  Sam engaged the dragon’s systems and it began its run from the cave.

The hunters dove for cover when they saw the dragon run out of the cave and leap into the air.  As it did, the curious hunters carefully moved toward the cave.

Sam took the dragon over the mountain pass.  When she saw Morob, she brought the dragon down and waited for him to come into view.

Morob and his woman rounded the bend and stopped in their tracks.  Sam kept the dragon still and waited for Morob to approach.  The primitive female held on to Morob’s arm as he squared his shoulders and marched toward the beast.

That was Sam’s signal.  She thought, “I sure hope I did enough testing on the translation program.  It wasn’t expected to translate from Earth Common back to the primitive tongue.”  Sam took a breath and began to speak through the dragon, “Morob, the hunter, I know what you plan.”

Marob stared at the beast and the female screeched in fear.  The primitive hunter stared for so long that Sam was afraid that the translation wasn’t working.  Then ,to Sam’s relief, he answered, “Beast of the mountain.  I know you mean no harm to me.  Our village is poor.  Hunting is bad, and the ground gives us little grain.  We search for a better place for our people.  I beg you to let us pass.”

“You cannot follow this path.” Sam said through the dragon’s powerful voice.  “I guard this path because it leads to the land of the dead.  That is where the giant four-armed beasts came from.  You are right Morob, the hunter, I mean you no harm, but I must guard this path.”

“Then I have failed.” Morob said hanging his head.  “I told the elders that I would lead them from the poor valley to a land of plenty.  They laughed, and they were right.”

“No Morob, you are right.  There is another way.  I have a companion, a female a bit larger than you.  She will look strange to you. She only has two arms and she wears strange skins.  She is waiting in my cave to show you the way.  It is time for my sleep period.  Follow me to my cave.  While I sleep the female will guide you along the path to a valley of plenty.”

“Thank you great beast.” Sam could see the joy in the alien’s face.  “We’ll do as you say without fear.”

Sam led the two primitives to the cave keeping far enough ahead to give her time to get out of the dragon before they entered the cave.

The curious hunters had poked around in the cave for several minutes.  The cave was safely detached from the facility.  Their intrusion did not set off any major alarms.  When they heard the dragon approaching they hid in fear.  They saw the dragon lay down, and the saw the fire go out of its eyes.  The beast looked dead.  There was no sign of breathing or movement.  They jumped back when the head of the beast cracked open.  When the odd looking two-armed creature climbed out, they cringed.

Sam slung the translator over her shoulder, and snapped her pulse laser to her hip.  She liked Morob, but she wasn’t going to take any chances.  Her path to the cave entrance took her passed the hidden hunters.  She assumed the proximity warning she was getting was from Morob approaching the cave.

When Sam came close the hunters panicked and grabbed her.  In the struggle Sam’s translator flew from her shoulder and skidded across the ground.

The hunters were far stronger than Sam had imagined.  In a few minutes she was on the floor of the cave staring up a four spears with sharpened stone heads.  The hunters seemed to be arguing about what to do next.  Without her translator Sam could not understand them.  Then she heard Marob’s voice echo in the cave.  Sam could only hope that whatever Morob was saying would get these creatures off of her.

Morob called out, “Rakis, what is your party doing in the cave of the beast?”

“We have captured the soul of the beast!” Rakis said triumphantly.

Morob and his woman stepped in to see what Rakis meant.

Sam suddenly realized another point about late stone-age people.  They had a distinctive order.  Knowing that they didn’t understand her she said, “Boy, you guys stink.”

“Let that creature go!” Morob yelled, shocked at what he saw.  “The beast told me that the female creature is its companion.  The beast will kill us all!”

“The beast can do nothing without this creature.  We watched it come out of the beast’s head.  Without this creature the beast is dead.  Look at it, the beast does not breathe.”

“If she is the soul of the beast,” Morob countered, “then it is she who saved my life, and it she who warned me about the land of the dead.  If you kill the beast by killing her, you will be killing our friend and our protector.”

“Protector from what?” Rakis asked, “This beast keeps us in the valley.  Kill it and we are free.”

“Kill it and the giants from the land of the dead will devour your women and children.  They almost devoured me but the beast saved me.”  Finally Morob said what he knew he had to say. “Rakis, I stand by that creature.  Cross your spear with mine before you harm that creature.”

Rakis looked at the creature on the ground, then he looked the beast, then at Morob.  He signaled and the four hunters stepped away from the Sam.

Sam got to her feet and eased over to pick up her translator.  From Morob’s position, she knew he was protecting her.  Once she had the translator Sam was able to speak for herself.  “I understand what you have done.  You must understand me.  I can show you the way to a better place.  Morob is my friend, and the friend of the beast.”

“The beast is dead!” Rakis shouted,  “It does not breathe.”

Sam reached into her pocket and put her hand on the remote.  “The beast is not dead.  Watch as it rises.”  She clicked the remote and the dragon’s eyes lit up and its head rose off the ground.”

The hunters coward in fear thinking the beast might make them pay for their sins against its companion.  Morob and his woman stood tall.  Morob called out, “Now you know I speak the truth.  The beast is my friend.  Follow its companion and she will lead us to a land of plenty.”

Rakis, put his party and himself behind Morob and said, “We follow Morob.”

Than all four hunters in unison said, “We follow Morob.”

Morob said, “I follow the companion.”

Sam thought to herself, “Morob, if you weren’t so damn ugly I’d kiss you.”

A moment later she overheard Morob talking to his woman when he thought Sam couldn’t hear, “No Conra, you will have my children.  The companion is my friend, but she is too ugly to touch.”

Sam laughed and led the primitives through the passage and into the connecting caverns.

By the end of Sam’s tour Morob had led the entire village to a new, much more fertile valley.  The mountain pass did not lead to the same valley.  This fact made the directorate add an additional step to Sam’s plan; a step that saddened Sam though she understood that it was best for everyone.  She had to say a final goodbye to Morob.  Then she used the dragon to seal the passage.

Morob would lead the tribe onto a new path, and Sam got far more out of her tour on Kalas Four that she ever imagined.

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