Dragon walker; a new start

Being awoken by a drill Sergeant in 6 o clock in the morning was unpleasant but not as unpleasant as sitting in a class without breakfast, without coffee having to pay attention to the sergeant going on about the details of how dragons fly. Allen did not know what he would should expect from the class. His notebook was open in front of him, he copied the drawings almost perfect but the information was not sinking in.

“Walker!” the drill sergeant shouted. “You are leading a formation into battle. What formation will you use; vee, battle spread, wall or trail?” Allen looked at his notes before he looked back at the chalkboard. He was drawing in blind, From his scrolls he could see that it was best to push trough and disrupt an enemy formation. “Walker! It’s war time to get a move on.”

“I don’t know sergeant.” The Sergeant still looked awaiting to him “but, I will figure it out” The Sergeant gave a nod to Walker. “Silk!” he shouted “What formation.” Another recruit stood up signalling Allen to sit down. “Arrow head Sir. Maximize flexibility.”

The Sergeant looked at the recruit with a frown on his head. “you killed your squad Silk.” The Sergeant hit his fist on the table. “You all know nothing of the enemy, what dragons they fly, how many. Light of bombers? Your first formation should always be a fighting block!”

While Allen tried to take as much notes as possible and try to at least understand what they were talking about by the end of the day his head was abuzz. He was familiar with some sort of drill Sergeant, the kind that let you run laps and push-ups while shouting to numb you to service. This was more like college then an army training. In just one day he started to learn about flight dynamics, military doctrine and how to maintain a gun. He looked at the clock while the drill Sergeant talked about how to navigate at night by use of the stars. The math that was involved was intimidating. The Sergeant finished off the class with “And always maintain your watch, at night, between the stars, flight speed and time are more important then your gun. The ocean takes no prisoners. Dismissed!”

Allen wanted to stand up but was kept. “Walker, stay. I want to have a word with you” Allen swallowed and sat back down again, seeing the looks of the other recruits. The drill Sergeant walked to Allen “Note book.” He commanded with outstretched arm. Allen gave him his note book, he remembered to put question marks at each subject he had questions about to learn and ask Tanith about if she had an idea.

The sergeant gave the book back with a quick scroll. “At least you are not illiterate, those are a lot of question marks walker. Are you sure you are up to the task?” Allen gave a small nod “Sir, yes sir.” He said, trying to force as much confidence in his voice as he could. “The free world relies on you walker” The sergeant says “The corps. Is like a chain, only as strong as its weakest link. Are you that link Walker?” He leaned into his questioning. “No Sir.” Allen could feel sweat forming in his neck but he tried to keep his resolve. He wished he Tanith would talk to him but she didn’t do so for a whole day. He could use the help, even trough  he did not know what kind of help she would be offering.”

“Well Walker” he said “You have come catching up to do.” He Sergeant walked to his desk. “Walker!” he shouted, signalling Allen to follow. Allen stood up quickly, scrambling his stuff and standing at attention at the sergeant’s desk. The drill Sergeant gave him a dirty brown, fire damaged book. “Walker, this is everything I know about dragons.” The sergeant continued. “I want you to remember this, know it from front to back. You say you are determined and unless you are determined to know this, I care not to teach you. Make your country proud walker, or I will personally kick you so hard that you will feel my boot up your arse for the rest of your life.”

Again Allen swallowed but gave a short nod. “Sir, yes sir!” he said again and was dismissed. Outside the classroom Allen looked at the time, he had some time to kill before dinner was served. He could use this time to learn weapon maintained or…

He looked at the burned book and decided that it was best to learn as much about dragons as he could. What could a hand gun do when faced with dragons? He walked to Tanith’s pen. He slipped inside without being seen and smiled when he saw the dragon sleeping. “wake up” he nudge her. he received a growl. He nudged again, trying to get her to open a single eye. “come on Tanith, stop being lazy.”

Tanith’s eye shot open and gazed at him. “I like you but don’t ever call me lazy again” she growled, baring his teeth. “What?” Allen was a bit puzzled at her sudden mood. “It was just some friendly banter.” Tanith rolled her eyes. “yeah, easy for you to say. You are not locked up for days at end.” She growled at him “Sleeping until I see you again.” Allen scratched behind his head, putting the books on a small chair just outside the enclosure of Tanith. “I should have realised” he started “yes you should have” Tanith growled again, but her face started to soften again. “I am sorry Tanith, I will see what I can do to get you out more.”

“apology accepted” Tanith spoke to him and slightly uncurled to allow him to sit at her flank. Allen took the small burned book and opened it next to Tanith’s side. “that book smells of death and fire. Where you got that?” Allen surghed “The drill Sergeant gave it to me” He did not expect the silence that fallen after he spoke. Not just Tanith but all the dragons in the stall seem to hold there breath. Maximus was the first to speak, his eye gazed trough the bars separating the two stalls. “The drill Sergeant” he started slowly “you are, like my pilot sometimes say, In deep shit or you are about to have the biggest luck you could imagion”

Allen looked at the dragon puzzled who continued “the drill Sergeant lost his dragon in a dragon deck explosion. She was being loaded with a new experimental weapon. Some fire bomb type, If I recall my pilot said it was a substance called white phosphorus. He watched her getting coated with the chemical and burn alive. I met some dragons from that deck, they say her flesh was melting and her pained roars broke hearts like fragile bones. By the time they sprayed water to safe her, she was nothing but scarred bones. After that day he never was the same, he grew cold. You have to be careful Allen.”

Allen remained silent to process the mental image of that horror, Tanith bowed her head low, he could feel her heart beating quicker and her breath become feverish. Before Allen could ask anymore, Tanith roared out to “Make it stop!” Allen had to dive out the way to avoid a claw. “Tanith!” he called to her “What on earth is happening.” He dodged another claw and a talk. “Make it stop!” she hissed again.

“Allen. Do the trick you did the other day” Maximus told him. Allen avoided the last claw before diving at her head. He pushed himself against the one spot she did not dare to claw and hold to her horns, slowly rubbing her head. At first Tanith tried to throw him off but eventually she just let her muscules relax and turn into a pudding. Allen moved to rest against her flank with her head on his lap. He could feel a warm liquid on his legs. “blood?” he wondered but when he looked down he could see it where large draconic tears coming from Tanith.

“Not good” Maximus said to Allen. “Heed my warning, if the Sergeant gave you his note book, it means he likes you. Even trough he doesn’t show, maybe because you rescued a dragon. Now that is a feeling he never shows, if you disappoint him, he will turn all that into anger and hate.” Maximus looked at  Tanith and stopped watching. “On top of that…Tanith needs you. She is not alright, I can hear her scream for help at night.”

Allen just glared at his dragon. With one hand he scratched her head just behind the horns with the other he started to look trough the note pad. He scrolled written chapter by written chapter. It was oddly setup, part was like a diary, others parts like an instruction book. In the end he found a small scribble called ‘Dragon emotions.’

I learned that dragons have just as much emotions as we do. I wonder if they are really that different then us humans. I am not alone in this I am sure. Most pilots I meet talk about their dragons as if they where equals. My Lilith seems to be especially bright when it comes to bombing. She will give me a heart attack and properly laugh at it. I wish we could speak more, I am sure Lilith can teach me more about dragons. But traditions demand I only talk with my dragon as duty demands.

A lot was scribbled out and some burned out by candle, but some was readable at the bottom of the page with great difficulty.

I dread how Lilith has become so cold to me. I should have done more, I should fly with her more. Tomorrow after the test of that fancy new bomb, I will mend our bridge. Now I am Sergeant I am sure I can take her for flights under the disguise of training.

Allen turned the page but there was only one line written. Rest in peace Lilith, you deserved more. Allen closed the book and turned to look at Tanith on his lap. “what happened?” he asked her softly. “Nothing.” She said decisive. “Nothing? You nearly clawed me to death.” Tanith wanted to pull head away but Allen hold it on his lap, getting slightly dragged away. “Tanith. You want me to be your pilot?” He asked her, trying to sound stern and commanding but mostly he sounded worried.

Tanith stopped pulling herself away, she did not answer right away but took a deep breath. “Yes I do want you to be my pilot.” Allen risked to rub her behind her horns again “If you want me to be your pilot, you got to trust me, I got to trust you. So just tell me.”

“Just don’t laugh” Tanith said softly, Allen responded that he would not and swore to his name. “I am afraid Allen. Afraid of the war…afraid of what happened to Lilith, afraid what happened to my brother. I was sure I was going to drown or burn or both.” Tanith buried herself into his lap. Allen himself could feel the memories of that day resurface, the sounds of people burning alive, the sight of dragons blasted to bits. “I am also afraid” he confessed “I lost most of my friends on the goliath, before I met you I crawled trough blood and fire and pain. Without you I would have died on the ship or in the waters around it.” He smiled softly at her, trying to cheer her up a bit. “I am going to try and keep you as safe as I can. But sadly we are both prisoners or this war, the only thing we can do is keep each other happy”

Tanith did not say much but kept close to Allen. He scrolled back to the start of the book and started to read the notes and stories about the Sergeant training his dragon and getting to know her. He was called away by the dinner bel. Tanith pried herself lose from his lap. His pants where soaked. Dammit he thought to himself. Hoping no one would see it. “Thanks Allen” Tanith said, slowly coiling up on herself again “thank you for everything you did.” Allen gave her a small rub “you are welcome dear” He smiled at her.

He rushed with his books to the canteen, entering he was greeted with the same silence that fallen over the canteen when he first entered. The same recruit that gave him hell on the first night looked at him and laughed “What’s the mater Walker, pissed in ya pants? Bloody chicken” Allen snorted “Just some water.” He said, he did not add an insult trough he wanted to say sweat from working trough it wouldn’t have been appropriate for someone who assented the ranks on his first day.

He took his food and sat down, chewing the tasteless food. He could hear the other recruit going on about “just some water, right and I am the bloody queen” He would ignore it, it was all like bootcamp all over again, but with added jealousy.

He retreated quickly after dinner not wishing to stick around, his table mates did not speak to him, no one would. So he found it best to take his time to study more, both out the drill sergeants book and others to at least understand some of the subjects before tomorrow. Trough after the lights turned off he headed to bed out of shear despise of the strict sleep regime.

His sleep was broken with the howl of an air raid sirine. “god dammit” He swore and got out of bed as quickly as his sleepy mind could do. “Allen!”  Tanith shouted, she sounded afraid “Help me” she called out. Allen joined the buss in the barracks and made his way to the pens where pilots geared up their dragons with the help of the crew. He got strange looks but everyone ignored him further in trying to gear up their dragon. “Tanith” Allen huffed when he entered her pen and started to untie her chains.

“Walker!” Corporal smith shouted “What on earth are you doing” he rushed to Allen and stopped him to unchain Tanith. “Trying to help and fight Sir.” He said out of breath. “Dammed you do. You are not taught to control your dragon. If you set her lose you help us from the pan into the fire.” He said pulling Allen away from the dragon and into a corner. “sit here walker.” He commanded and rushed to look over the pilots.

With the pilots done the sirines stopped. “Pilots!” The corporal said, stopping his own timer. “this was a test. You took one minute and two second longer then necessary to get ready. You better get this time down or I will all make you clean the toilets with your dammed toothbrushes! Now clean up and be quick about it!”

The corporal turned to Allen “And you Walker. If I ever see you trying to unchain your dragon again without a crew and training to manage you dammed beast, I will personal feed you to Maximus understood!?” Allen nodded a small “Sir, yes sir”

“I will not let him” Tanith snorted “I will eat him first” then Maximus spoke, and for the first time Allen could hear a dragon speak to his pilot. “Corporal sir.” Maximus started “Tanith listens to Allen, pray not be angry at him” Maximus tone was odd, he acted totally submissive not like when he was around him or against Tanith. The corporal stormed to his dragon. “Who the hell do you think you are” he shouted to Maximus “sir, sorry sir but…”  Maximus defended himself but eventually stopped. “Sorry arse excuse for a dragon. Do not ever talk to me like that”

Allen felt an bad taste in his mouth, both from a potential problem he could have and sorry about Maximus for trying to help him. “Walker! You are dismissed!” The corporal said angrily. “I am sorry Allen” Tanith said “I did not mean you harm” tomorrow Allen would talk with her again, saying it did not matter but for now, he tried to get some sleep again.