Author has written 1 story for Sci-Fi. I really have nothing to say here, other than the fact that I exist. And the story I've got going at the moment is a typical crossover between fantasy and science fiction, heavily inspired by Anne McCaffrey's Pern series and Star Wars. Warning: do NOT read the following unless you have read the story, as it contains many, many spoilers! APPENDIX A (see review for Chapter 2) The dragon-riders flew through space (how they do this will be explained later) from perun (the cluster of stars originally settled by the dragon-riders) outwards, in order to find new planets to colonize. Their home planet is becoming severely overcrowded. Archtrumas is fairly big. Chardos is about 6’ 1” and he can reach her back easily. She is about 6’ wide and 12’ long. But keep in mind that she is a small dragon, since she’s still very young. A side note: all dragons have a bony dorsal ridge that is much narrower than their sides; this is what the saddle sits on. Chardos is not heavy; he weighs about 160 pounds. The cloud of dust is due to the fact that he is moving rather quickly and kicking up the dust behind him as he goes (Aeruti is very dry). One “bounces” to a halt by jumping in the air at the end of a stride and skidding to a halt upon landing. Cantankerous means “temperamental” or “apt to become grouchy”. Misola is a fairly old dragon (compared to Archtrumas, anyway) and is inclined to act much like a grumpy old man, hence the word choice. Mostly, Misola is a bit of a loner. Even though he’s been with Kaldee from birth, he is still not that comfortable being handled by humans, and finds it disturbing. Archtrumas is lying on a small, fenced dust plain on the outskirts of the village; the village situated in an enormous valley. Picture brown dust as far as you can see and that’s basically it, aside from a few cliffs and rocks here and there. Dragons use their wings to raise themselves into the air and get their legs under them, then settle lightly to the ground again. The motion is very much like a small hop, and does not cause earthquakes. Standard mounting procedures involve jumping onto the dragon’s back as they are taking off. Mostly, this is born from a need for quick starts. And it’s much easier to leap onto a dragon’s back than climb, and easier still when the air currents caused by the initial wingbeat gives the rider an extra boost. Dragon wings are similar to bat wings: very delicate-looking. Even though they are very large and powerful, they are still thin enough to create a motion similar to fluttering. Misola’s eyes are green-blue, more of a dark teal color. Dragons, when communicating a warning or a threat, will often bugle. Although slightly melodic, it is more like a cross between a brass instrument and a horse whinny. The rope used for capturing errant dragons is more of a soft, flexible metal cable than it is a fibrous substance. As such, it possesses enough strength to snare a dragon, especially when used in significant quantities. The yeftrog, or protective will-shield created by the dragon, keeps riders alive by constantly producing conditions that are conducive to human survival. Jutra means “go” or “start”, and it is Skawndi (the language of the dragon-riders) Dragons are never wild. They fall as hatchlings from the birth-star to the home planet below to find their saamal, or bonded human. For the three or four days that they are riderless, dragon hatchlings are unable to fly and therefore cannot break atmosphere. Bonded dragons have an undying loyalty to their saamal, and will not abandon them at any cost. However, they sometimes experience varying states of dementia as they grow older. Breaking atmosphere without a rider is the most obvious symptom of advanced madness, and is caused by a desperate desire to return to their birth-star. Usually, dementia of this type means the dragon must be killed, as they will no longer acknowledge anything but their basest instincts to fight and return to perun. Misola, although he has escaped many times, has never attempted to break atmosphere. His behavior led the dragon-riders to think that it was merely a personality flaw and not madness. Therefore, Chardos did not think Misola was in a state of dementia until he actually witnessed the dragon go interstellar. Dragon-ridership is not inherited. “Dragon-rider by blood” refers both to the culture, which is passed down from parents to children, and also to the process of a dragon hatchling finding its saamal. Usually, the first interstellar flight is made at the age of eighteen, as a rite of passage. Chardos is seventeen and therefore has not been into space aboard his own dragon yet. In dragon-rider culture, responsibility for one’s actions is a primary value. As it was Chardos’ responsibility to track Misola down, therefore it also became his responsibility to go after the dragon upon atmosphere breach. Dragons do travel faster than light, although it is not like the concept of hyperspace. The stars do not blur and planets do not rush by; it merely seems like a short distance traveled at normal speeds. Sound waves carry to Chardos through the yeftrog. Dragons can perceive sounds in space and relay them to their riders. When Misola screams, Quefi perceives that he is doing so and relays the sound through the yeftrog, where there is air and Chardos can hear the scream. The mind-shield is protection for the rider. If a dragon does not have a rider, it does not produce a yeftrog. And even if Misola did have a mind shield, it would serve only to protect him from impact or bludgeoning attacks. The shakra, as it would most likely be used in a stabbing attack, would not be impeded by the yeftrog. Chardos is a young man of seventeen. “Boy” is used at that particular point to emphasize how little experience he has in what he is currently undergoing. Wiping the blood on his tunic was the only available option, as he is riding his father’s dragon. The usual gear was foregone in favor of a speedy take-off, and therefore Quefi is only equipped with a saddle and bridle. Quefi, and all dragons, have vividly-colored, extremely shiny scales that reflect light very well. As there is always light coming off their skin, it appears that their scales are glowing. |