Part 04: Mosasaurs | Part 05: Departure
Of course dragon meant a great deal many different things on the Refugium, and Eukith found the Glittering Scale's immense openness perturbing as she perched on the base of her brother's pearlescent horn. It was the only club in which he could comfortably fit and had become a regular haunt for them both. 'Night' and 'day' were arbitrary in Janos city and almost everything was perpetually open with a rotating staff. The club was no exception. Music pounded into the street carrying the deep bass of drums and the bellowing croon of dragon song. The Glittering Scale's entertainment was often live and varied, hosted equally by regular employees and the myriad of visitors to the station. Eukith didn't recognize this evening's singer, but found her voice invigorating as the beat thrummed through Eukith's many legs.
:: You're late. :: Valii-Durus' mind voice was like swift water over gravel, energetic but weathering. :: Sorin's already gone into a story. ::
Alarm flickered through Tiax's mind, and second-hand through Eukith. :: I hate missing his stories! ::
:: We got caught up helping a visitor with... far too many questions. :: Eukith replied, making certain her irritation bled through.
They hurried through the club. Tiax was large even for a dragon at nearly twenty feet to the shoulder, but he was a scrawny, gangly thing, and wound through the crowds with a litany of mental 'excuse me's' and 'pardon just a smidge' until the twins spotted their group of friends near a back corner, laughing around a table. A bench graced one side of the table in lieu of chairs, where Valii-Durus and Sorin (the smallest of the group) sat. Bolbec and Alys remained standing on the opposite side, a bright flash of whimsical color in the shadowy pocket.
Cheers of 'you're here!' erupted as Tiax and Eukith approached. Eukith flung herself from her brother's horn, landing with a muted thump on the table between massive mugs and a platter of finger food. Eukith was considered tiny in the company of humans, barely a handspan in length, and here, surrounded by dragons? She was downright minuscule.
:: I hope we didn't miss much! :: Tiax cried.
"Just catching up," Sorin replied with a sheepish smile.
:: That's the best part, though. :: said Eukith.
While every one of them had the opportunity to leave the Refugium when they pleased, they almost never did. Too much paperwork involved asking for leave and getting transport sorted out. Honestly, where would Eukith go if she did want an off-world location? The Refugium was a mosaic of people and cultures and places, she could see as many rare plants and wonders here as she could anywhere else. She'd much rather live vicariously through Sorin's search rider stories.
:: Where were you off to this time?:: Eukith pressed.
The other dragons rumbled agreement.
"Alright, alright." Sorin raised his hands, placating. "Nowhere knew this time, I'm afraid. Interdimensional adventures are lovely, but I can only handle them so often!" He described his comings and goings of the last few weeks, hauling in cheerful candidates from various corners of the universe, He was right to keep their hopes lowered, though, the worlds he described were mundane, familiar from web dockets or new residents of the Refugium.
"I did find out something rather interesting while I was on Syl'Neriss!" Sorin's face lit up and he leaned conspiratorially over the table.
The others leaned as well, while Eukith scuttled a little closer, her wide eyes transfixed. She was passingly knowledgeable about Syl'Neriss, mainly regarding the isle of Lantessama which hosted a few dragon species. She'd processed several nekrats into the Refugium and understood the planet to be a hot spot for candidates. But again, she'd never visited, only viewed pictures of the deep green woods and the long stretches of sandy beaches.
"Have you guys heard of gem dragons?" Sorin asked.
"Gem dragons?" Alys repeated, her back spines twitching.
"Oh, they sound stunning!" Bolbec clutched at her chest.
:: Aren't they extinct? :: asked Eukith, pedipalps fluttering as she chewed her thoughts.
"I think they were..." Sorin paused, considering. "Lost. They're certainly not a common sight and I'm not sure their home exists anymore."
"That sounds an awful lot like many of the species here," said Alys.
The others muttered agreement and Sorin continued recounting his tales, but Eukith was no longer listening. She'd learned of gem dragons during her initial orientation when she and Tiax joined the Refugium's staff. Having a basic understanding of some of the (known) draconic species in the Nexus was important. Eukith had been thrilled to see that, while powerful and considered true dragons, gem dragons were rather small. Only a few feet long and built like a snake.
They'd intrigued her on multiple levels, but it was their size that grasped Eukith's attention in a vice.
Eukith wanted to have a bond of her own. As much as she adored the twin bond she shared with Tiax she longed for the mind-pairing from a hatchling. Eukith's diminutive form had kept her from applying to stand at any clutch. She'd be trampled by an eager hatchling, barely visible next to the average adult dragon. It seemed an insurmountable task to take care of a being that would grow so much larger than herself. But a gem dragon was reasonable. The perfect size for her, in fact. She'd thought they were lost to time and the cruelties of the universe.
But they weren't. They were only a ship ride away.
:: Have you mentioned gem dragons to the directors? :: Eukith had no idea where the conversation turned, but Sorin stuttered and stammered, clearly removed from his stride.
"To the- No, I hadn't really thought of it. I know they're rare, but Lantessama has a large enough population that they've been affecting the local fauna. I didn't think it was worth mentioning to the directors." Sorin frowned, his ears flipped back against his mane. "Gosh, I probably should have."
Eukith waved a leg dismissively. :: I'll handle it in the morning. I think... I think I'd like to bond one. ::
Glee erupted shining bright from Tiax' mind. He swung about in an excited circle, the club's lights dancing off his pearly hide. :: That's magnificent!::
The others professed their agreements. Those who could, lifted their glasses and toasted her. Eukith beamed under their glee for her.
Eukith sent her request for time off (along with an identical form for Tiax, who had to come along to cheer his sister on) with an attached general alert regarding the presence of gem dragon clutches on Lantessama. It seemed unlikely that the Refugium directors wouldn't want to send an ambassador or two along to better their relationships with the isle. Beyond lending the information, the matter was out of Eukith's many hands. The clutch wouldn't be ready for weeks yet and all Eukith needed to do was ready some belongings and wait for her request to go through.
It was an unusually quiet day at the front desk when Eukith's datapad pinged to alert her of an important message. She flicked it open idly, expecting approval for her days off. The missive instead made the fine hairs of her body stand on edge.
:: What's wrong? :: Tiax sent her, shooting her a sidelong glance while his attention appeared to remain on the customer before him.
:: I've been asked to head to the director's office. Immediately.::
Worry sparked between them. Eukith shut her diminutive datapad and slid it under her desk. Her pedipalps wavered. :: I'll be back soon. ::
Tiax' tail twitched, his ears folded back. :: Let me know what's going on? ::
:: Of course. ::
Eukith wasn't fond of traversing the Refugium on her own. She kept to the walls, where she was both safe from trampling and unlikely to be noticed. It was a precariously long journey for such a small individual. Thankfully the access panels were sensitive enough she only had to tap them and retinal identification worked in lieu of a key card.
She'd never been called to the director's office before. She;d interacted with many of the directors on an impersonal level but knew none of them well. Publicity functions and well-wishings, occasional visits to clutches to settle parents into their new homes. Eukith worked customer service. Had someone complained about her? She and Tiax often worked as a team, so it made no sense at all for her to be called away but not her brother. Was this about vacation days? It couldn't be. Tiax requested exactly the same time.
Eukith's legs were near twisted with worry when she finally made it outside the office.
The door slid open with an ominous whoosh before Eukith could attempt knocking. She swallowed her nerves and scuttled inside.
Kutoth was the only person in the room, seated at the head of the director's table with his many hands folded together and a polite smile whisking his face into sunny cheer. The table was empty except for a single datapad set before him, screen lit but at such an angle Eukith couldn't read it.
The founder of the Refugium. Eukith had rarely even caught a glimpse of him! What could he possibly want with her?
"Eukith Li'Multigenus?" Kutoth asked.
:: Yes, sir, the very same. ::
"I apologize for not approving your time off request just yet, which I'll most certainly get to shortly, only I feel we might make a trip of it."
Nothing he said made any sense. :: A trip, sir? ::
"Gem dragons." Kutoth's voice trailed off, he drummed his fingers across the datapad. "They're certainly an uncommon species, aren't they? Definitely something we'd like to invite to the Refugium on a permanent basis. I think it might be worthwhile to make a public announcement and gather up any additional residents that would like to come along to Lantessama. Goodness knows how many eggs were laid, but if there are dragons in need of bonds - and homes - our doors are open."
:: A.. a public announcement? ::
"I mean, certainly our PR team can take care of that, but I thought you might want to head it? Give us a voice clip or something of the sort? To be quite frank I think I'd rather like to attend this clutch myself. This was very excellent work, Eukith."
:: Me? ::
"I know it's quite a lot all at once. If you don't mind being the spokeswoman for the Refugium trip to Lantessama, I'll get the PR team together for you. It shouldn't take too long to put together an announcement."
Eukith had no expectations when she'd arrived, less so when she requested leave to acquire a bond, but she hadn't intended to start a movement. She felt a momentary flicker of selfishness creeping up her nerves. If so many people attended this clutch, would that reduce her chance to bond? It was rare enough for a clutch of small dragons to appear.
But... even if she didn't bond, if lots of people from the Refugium attended, their gem dragons would likely breed and clutch here. There would be more opportunities, for herself and others.
:: I'd love to! :: Eukith said, when her pause had drawn out long enough to become uncomfortable. She was an oft overlooked face of the Refugium and while Eukith had no desire for popularity, being seen and important for once would be lovely. :: When do we start? ::
The announcement was unobtrusive but engaging, utilizing a few old vid clips of gem dragons obtained from the remnants of their homeworld and what information was available from Lantessama itself. Eukith informed the Refugium's residents that free transportation to Lantessama would be provided a few days before the clutch was due to hatch, and anyone interested in standing was welcome to attend the launch of the Refugium's flag ship, The White Serpent. Any and all species welcome, already bonded pairs permitted as well as these Lantessamen gem dragons were quite capable of multi-bonding.
It proved to be an exciting affair and soon Eukith and Tiax were swamped with interested parties hoping to catch a ride and meet the gem dragons. An overwhelming amount.
:: I didn't expect this to become such a hullabaloo! :: Eukith sent privately to her twin, while her many legs danced over her datapad, entering names and preferences as quickly as she good.
:: I think it's wonderful! :: said Tiax. :: Do you think everyone will get to come along to Lantessama? ::
:: I have no idea. ::
The Refugium hosted a great deal of clutches on its own, often with excellent numbers of candidates. That myrmex clutch not long ago had been a tad frightening, what with hundreds of eggs lining the cavern walls, but their search riders and advertisements had managed to gather more than enough candidates to satisfy queen Gleam. Hopefully the gem dragons would be as pleased with this outcome. Eukith's legs ached, cramping at every joint each night she finished her paperwork.
But the pain mattered very little compared to the growing elation she felt each day drawn nearer to the date of departure. Sometime soon she might meet a bond of her own!