Dragoons

Sometimes you have to help yourself, but when the time comes when you can no longer help yourself, you must trust all you love to the care of others.

The night was exceptionally dark as the large creature strode toward the lake. The stars seemed to hide themselves beneath a black sheet, and the five moons of the planet were all dimly lit. The creature's features were very similar to that of a human but also unique. He had two legs, two arms, and a head however, he was much larger than the normal man. His height reached almost ten feet high and his muscular build gave him a powerful air. His dark brown hair hung in dreadlocks reaching below his shoulders and his teeth were a mixture of a shark and a wolverine. His nose was nothing but four holes on his face protected by small flaps of skin. 

The most frightening part of the beast however was not his overbearing height or his razor sharp teeth, it was his eyes. His eyes were purely black. There was no normal ring of color or whites of his eyes, only black. Not only were they black by they reflected evil. Even if a child were to look into his eyes he would see all the bad he has done, or will do. 

The creature had finally made it to the lake and began walking along the shore as though looking for something. He had been sent here by the head counsel, a great honor for his race. He was to confront the creatures of the water on their project.  

The project is essential to the life of the entire creature’s race. They called themselves Dragoons and their culture was very different than humans. Their children are unable to live in the atmosphere of their planet from age 1 to age 19. The dragoons enlist the help of the water creatures to help them build a ship to carry their young to another planet. They will stay on the planet until they have fully matured so they can survive on their home planet. 

The adult dragoon had finally found what he was searching for. An old shack made of wood, such a building was rare on this world for the people normally lived in a metal home. He opened the creaky door and stepped inside the dim room.  The wooden floor was covered in dirt due to years of not being cleaned, and the walls had cobwebs hanging from them. 

The most peculiar part of this shack was in the center was a small pool of liquid. It did not look like the normal purple water that made up the rivers and lakes on the planet, it was a silvery substance. The large figure reached out and put his hand on the liquid. At first it was a little tough, as though he was pushing through a jelly-like substance, then it began to feel cold. He began to feel apprehensive but, before he could do anything about it, it sucked him in. 

                His vision was impaired and he quickly became disoriented. His lungs felt like they would burst from holding his breath and he was becoming dizzy. Just when he thought he had failed his assignment he began to experience a new feeling, the frigid substance he had been floating in, was beginning to warm up. He could take it no longer and accidently inhaled, to his surprise he found he could breathe. It was a strange feeling, his lungs felt heavy and every time he inhaled it felt cold and dense.

                The creature tried to calm himself by taking deep breaths and once he succeeded began to try to swim. Since he could no longer see and was disoriented, he did not know which way was up. Eventually he felt the same jelly-like film that he felt when he was sucked in. He pushed against it and felt himself being freed.

                He collapsed in a small airtight room under the pool of silvery liquid. He looked around and saw he was surrounded by water. He also saw a tall creature standing in a corner in the room, it was waiting for him. The creature was taller than the Dragoon, but in no way would one say he was larger. He was very thin and had scaly skin; his hands and feet were very large and were webbed. His eyes were small and beady with a film that was covering them. He had no nose, however, he had gills that were on the side of his neck.

                The Dolphinian studied the large man in front of him for a moment before handing him a small devise. He signified for the Dragoon to place it over his face then placed his hand on the wall and was sucked out of the room. The Dragoon brought the small object to his face and jumped when it began to stick to him. There were no straps on it yet in was firmly placed on his face. It had two transparent substances which protected his eyes, and small coverings that were placed over his mouth and nose to allow him to breathe once he left the room.

                Once the Dragoon was sucked from the room into the depths of the lake he was escorted to a large underwater building. The Dolphinians that lead him to the building showed him where to place his hands to enter but stayed outside themselves. When he entered the building he was surprised to find it was not filled with water. One of the workers in there told him to remove his mask and went back to monitoring a strange machine.

                After he removed his mask he noticed all the workers were wearing a strange band around their neck allowing them to breath. He followed the directions he had been given by the council and found the man he was looking for.

                “Chagram, it is good to see you again old friend.” The two men embraced in the formal greeting of the planet. “How is the progress on the ship?”

                “Always straight down to business, Morgrem,” chuckled the elderly Dolphinian, “walk with me and I will show you.” The two men strolled through a series of hallways before coming to a large room with a spacecraft in the middle.

                “It will be completed within three rotations,” said the man, referring to the days, “Then we will bring it out of the water. Once it is on the surface you will need every pregnant woman to board. There will be three women in each quarter and there in one medical bay on each deck. The fathers will not be allowed to join the mothers in dropping off the children but they may pick them up when the nineteen years are up.” At this moment the man grew very serious and turned to look Morgrem in the eyes.

                “My friend, if any woman who, is with child, is not on the ship when it takes off there is no hope for the baby. We can also not guarantee the safety of the children who will be on the other planets. All we can do is give them the drug when they are born to change their likeness and hope they survive the other world.”

                Morgrem took a few moments to think about what he had been told, then he replied, “We know fully what the consequences may be, I only wish there was another way.”

                “As do I my friend, as do I.”

                Morgrem returned to the surface to report what he had seen, and been told, to the council, then he would go home to spend time with his mate. There was little time before she would embark on a journey to deliver their unborn son to another planet. He only hoped the child would not be too affected by the culture where he would grow up. When the time came he would go collect him and train him the way a Dragoon must be trained, to be a warrior. 

Author's Note

This idea came to me based off of something me and my brother would play with our friends when we were younger. I am always open to your opinion, thanks!