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Category:
Science Fiction
Publisher: F.J. Hansen
ISBN-10: B00QZ27W1C
Type: Fiction
Pages: 374
Copyright: Dec. 13, 2014
ISBN-13: 9781311716552
Price: $2.99 (eBook)
The Treaty between Draconia and Earth was in shreds, and enemies were everywhere. Varthikes and Audwin, through the power of their friendship, must ensure their home survives the Norseen invasion to be rehatched.
The Treaty between Draconia and the Earth Union was in shreds. The experimental colony of Hatching, a product of that Treaty, was to be removed from Draconia. Varthikes and Audwin's dream of a peaceful co-existence between their two kinds seemed lost. Forces from Earth were closing in to avenge what was believed to have been an unprovoked attack on the colony. Norseen forces were also closing. Renegade Draconians still remained to ensure all aliens are repelled from their world. Enemies were everywhere.
Hope still exists, however. Captain Mark Johnson of the United Earth Space Fleet is determined to defend Draconia against all threats--Norseen and Human. Malcon Ambassador Cairleeta has devised a plan to save Draconia and the colony. But, ultimately, it is up to Varthikes and Audwin, and the power of their friendship, to ensure their home survives the Norseen invasion to be rehatched.
Excerpt
It was time. The hatchling was now fit to emerge from the incubator. Varthikes kept an eye on his stripling while, with the other, he watched Doctor Le’Firnn prepare a makeshift nest on the metal floor beside him. Two other Malcons worked to set up three peculiar devices around the bed, each featuring a lighted panel facing the nest. Le’Firnn explained that they would provide a target point, allowing them to teleport the hatchling from the incubator to the nest.
“We are using packing foam to simulate the nesting sand in your lair,” Le’Firnn further explained as she arranged the dull yellow material. “We use it to protect delicate equipment in these containers.” She waved a hand to indicate the objects that occupied the shelves of the chamber they were in.
I much appreciate your effort, Doctor Le’Firnn, Varthikes said, dipping his head.
The door behind her slid open to reveal another Malcon healer. The male named Irentin, pushing a platform that hovered above the floor at his waist. On the platform were the shell fragments from the egg, which had been kept in stasis since the pre-hatchling was transferred to the incubator. With gloved hands, Irentin and Le’Firnn transferred the fragments to the bed.
Varthikes turned his full attention to the incubator. Doctor Schmeisser was there with two other Malcon healers monitoring the youngling’s condition. “We’re ready for the transfer on this end,” Schmeisser told them, turning first to Varthikes, then to Irentin and Le’Firnn.
“As are we,” Irentin replied. The Malcon doctor stepped over to the com-speaker near the incubator’s monitoring console. “Teleport Chamber, lock onto the lifeform within the incubator. Transfer him to the target grid that we have provided.”
Schmeisser picked up a hand scanner from near the console and turned to the nest. A moment later, a burst of light emanated from the incubator, followed instantly by a second burst on the makeshift nest. Varthikes turned his full attention on the nest just as the light faded. His stripling was now on the nest, his golden scales glistening in the dim light of the cargo chamber.
Varthikes dropped his lower jaw slightly in a Draconian smile. His tail slapped the metal deck in delight. But then, a wave of panic assaulted his mind. His tail froze; his smile vanished as the youngling remained oblivious to his new surroundings. Instead, Vruthes' forequarters shook, his nostrils flared, and his scales appeared to be sucked in around the ribcage. In the instant Varthikes noticed all of this, an alarm went off on Schmeisser’s device.
What is happening with him?
“He’s having trouble breathing!” the Human doctor told them, his eyes on the scanner. “Looks like tachypnea. His lungs are having trouble absorbing the albumen fluid.” He turned to Irentin. “We need to begin giving him CPAP stat!”
“What?” a baffled Le'Firnn asked.
“Continuous positive airway pressure!”
Irentin nodded once and rushed to the com-speaker, connecting the line to the infirmary.
For what reason is he having this problem?
The question echoed in Schmeisser's mind. “Uh... I’m not sure,” he finally said as he recalled what he knew of the condition as it occurred in Humans — mostly in infants delivered prematurely, or by cesarean section. The lung fluid is not squeezed out as it would if the infant was delivered normally. But, in young hatched from eggs, he recalled from his studies in the past seven years — so to have something to work with in the event of having to treat a Draconian — a period exists during the hatching process where the hatchling’s lungs begin to exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen directly from the environment, rather than relying on the diffusion of the gases through the shell. He went over this with Varthikes. “It could be that we brought him out of the incubator too quickly. His lungs did not have time to adjust to the transition.”
As Schmeisser presented this possibility, Varthikes noticed Le’Firnn stepping up to the nest and kneeling before the hatchling with an unfamiliar contraption in her hands. She started placing one end of it — a clear, hollowed-out part — over the youngling’s nostrils. At once, Vruthes tried to cry out but succeeded in only a gurgling grunt with his high-pitched voice. The young dragon struggled with his legs, using them for the first time to try to pull himself away from the Malcon healer. “Keep him calm, Varthikes. This might help improve his breathing,” Le’Firnn said when he asked what she was doing.
Varthikes reached out with his mind and touched his stripling. He blinked at the pain that gripped his own chest. With the pain, waves bewilderment came from Vruthes with all these strange creatures around him. It is safe, young Vruthes, he said softly, accompanying his thought-voice with a croon. These creatures are friends. They will help you. You will be safe.
Vruthes’ head fell back. The pain and panic that had gripped Varthikes suddenly ceased. Vruthes! he cried through a panicked roar.
“We’re losing him!” Schmeisser cried, his attention on his own hand-held scanner. The Human doctor barely had the words out before Le'Firnn resumed placing her device over Vruthes’ nostrils and began to squeeze the other, bulbous end of the device.
Schmeisser stepped around Le’Firnn and knelt beside the hatchling’s heaving chest. “His vital signs are stabilizing,” Schmeisser said at length, his eyes still on his scanner. “Heartbeat becoming regular. Lungs beginning to work, but he is yet out of danger.”
Varthikes kept part of his mind on Vruthes while Schmeisser reported the youngling’s improving condition. Through his mental connection with the hatchling, Varthikes once again felt the painful grip on his chest, signifying Vruthes’ return to consciousness. But the pain was not as much as before, and the panic was mostly gone. As the pain faded, a new feeling from the hatchling replaced it — one of recognition and entreaty. I am here, young Vruthes, he said. Continue to allow the bipeds to help you.
The doors leading to the rest of the ship slid open. Varthikes turned an eye on the door to see another Malcon healer enter with another device similar to the one Le’Firnn currently had, except this new one had a box-like machine instead of the bulbous contraption that Le’Firnn squeezed on hers. Ambassador Cairleeta and Ketian L’Kirt followed.
Le’Firnn and the new healer switched the hatchling over to the new device. Meanwhile, Irentin and Schmeisser informed Cairleeta and L’Kirt what had happened and of the hatchling’s current status. Then, Cairleeta stepped toward Varthikes. “How is your hatchling feeling, Varthikes?”
He is feeling better now than he was before. Varthikes dipped his head in acknowledgment. I thank you, Ambassador Cairleeta, for your concern.
“I would like to keep him here for a bit longer,” Schmeisser said, “to be sure he’s stable.”
I agree, Doctor Schmeisser.
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