Dragons By Any Other Name ...

Reader reference : ve(he/she), ver(him/her), vis(his/her/hers), verself(himself/herself)

”There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. Is that what you are telling us?” The question drifts down from the raised central platform of the tribunal chamber. Lead Council Member Raeloss and his glare loom ominously.

“Yes … and there are now.” The tone of this response provides sub-text that reads something like; “yes and we have already established this, as has my report which was quite clear on this matter.” Rico is old for vis age now, and has become quite balanced in vis self confidence. Rico’s biggest challenge is to remain patient. Ve knew being questioned in this Truth Tribunal was the logical next step of vis adventure.

***

“What do you think we will be doing a revolution from now, when we are level 3 learners?” Tucc has joined Rico in their usual spot at the end of the 3rd floor hall. Guided sessions have ended for the star-light. Rico and Tucc are solid friends, and as such Rico will say just about anything without filter. “I’ll know a lot more and be that much more trouble.” Ve pauses and a smirk crawls across vis face. “I’ll be changing everything, tipping this place on end. Tearing down the almighty attitude of the System.” Ve would have no way of knowing all that Ve would learn during this intervening time. Or how.

“Ooooookay, there is a lot in that statement.” Tucc sounds intrigued and concerned. “Sometimes you make me regret asking.”

“Look gang, it's Rico-Freako.”

A familiar voice. One that spawns dread, frustration, and disdain. Even the tone hurts Rico’s ears as it echoes off the old stone walls. Rico turns to see Buck and gang approaching from the other end of the hall. Rico rolls his eyes and adds an applicable vocalization.

“You know Rico, you should really just stop discussing your theories with, or even in ear shot of Buck. Let’s just go.” Tucc heads for the stairs. Rico delays, ve is prone to stay and stand strong.

“So you continue your dribbling on about dragons.” Buck can really speak with such a flair of assholery. Buck, and his guided-group buddies live for rooting out any non conformists - if they even know what the means. Such judgment of Rico is not their own, rather they just amplify subtle statements heard from guides. Not that Buck and buddies conform to all the rules either or for that matter even really grasp the System’s goal of higher intellect. So perhaps judge not lest thee be judged. So it goes.

Buck is now arms length from Rico, who begins to set a superior tone to speak to the big oaf. But Buck is having none of it, he is done with Rico’s “unique perception of reality and clever logic.” Buck always telegraphs his intentions, however. Giving Rico time. Verbally putting the half-whit in his place will have to wait, Rico instead dodges a push, ducks and weaves and hops rather uncontrollably down to the next landing of the stairs. Momentum from the missed shove just about pulled Buck off his feet. Rico now with a bit of relative safety shouts, “You’re an idiot Buck, maybe try using your brain so you're not such a disappointment!” Tucc, from the floor below began his departure without delay, advising that now is not a good time to make a point. “Let it go Rico! Live another day conscious of this world.”

Ve is stubborn and will stand to make a point. At present that would be poor strategy. Out numbered and out sized. Buck, as his name might suggest, is big. Not the brightest light in the sky and resorts to bullying and physical intimidation. His family bought his way into guided-group.

To further set the scene for Rico’s current situation, something else of Rico’s character should be mentioned. Ve is kind of obsessed with the possible. To ver something is possible in the abscess of empirical, repeatable research and observation to the contrary. And ve will point out the assurance of gravity yet birds fly, soooooooo, “yha” ve says, “there is that. There is always a way.” Such statements can’t be argued for their own sake, but are to others, questionable as strong supporting arguments to Rico’s logic. Besides, no one has yet proven there are no dragons, thus Rico will say “yha, there is that.” And ve is thus encouraged to settle the truth about dragons in the valley. Translated: that there are dragons in the valley and “I will prove it.”

Tucc, being the good friend he is, will provide constructive arguments to Rico. Sometimes, in an attempt to get his friend to quiet down about dragons. Just to avoid a face beating. Tucc has said; “Well, if dragons are indeed living in the valley and no harm has come to person or property, then why bother worrying about them. Why bother trying to convince the entire community that another perhaps intelligent category of creature lives among them?”

Ah, dear reader, did I notice you tilt your head as if caught by a word out of place or perhaps a word written in assumption. Intelligent. Remember, as any quest for knowledge begins, assumptions arise. Assumptions can guide, they can mis-guide the knowledge-quest hero. As we shall see. Rico holds a more open minded and curious perspective of dragons than other tatorians. Residents of the valley that even entertain the idea of dragons, might make assumptions based on dragon lore. Assumptions of what dragons look like and how they behave and the trouble they might make for tatorians. Much of dragon lore, old scrolls and cracked spine books of stained pages, is considered of questionable origin. Folk lore, fantasy. Good for entertainment, not serious research. (Another point of contention in Rico’s mind.) The lore available represents dragons as cunning, deceitful, arrogant, and at times wize. But intelligent? Tatorians certainly would not accept that dragons are intelligent like they are. Lore basically leads them to believe dragons were just large scaly wild animals. And what proof is there either way? The intellectual ability of dragons may not even be the point for many. Though for council members, that should exactly be the point to consider if (or when) dragons are found to be in the valley.

Rico assumes they are intelligent, in fact of much greater cognitive ability than your average reptile. Rico also has reason to doubt that dragons could be classified as reptiles. Rico believes dragons are in the Valley, the very same ve lives in (though ve knows not of another valley). Rico loves to read dragon lore. Such lore is now only found in obscure dark and dusty manuscript shops far from the high tower libraries of the System. It is this lore that Rico’s friends claim is the reason Rico is bound and determined to find proof of dragons in the Valley. They also claim Rico sees what Rico believes. To be fair, this judgment can be said for just about anyone. Thinkers and guides would attest they do not submit to assumptions as they have been trained to recognize and set aside such cognitive distractions. Assumptions are sneaky.

“Fine! Sweating hog-worm!” Reluctantly but with haste Rico descends to the next floor and takes off running. Vis closest friend at vis side. They begin to laugh and release the tension of the narrowly avoided face pounding altercation.

Rico may break the rules but no-body could call ver stupid. Ve breaks the rules of thought and reason. Departing from what is expected in the System’s guided-group. Challenging order and rule sometimes with respectfully strong logic - enough to gain serious attention from a few guides. Buck and his gang break the rules because they have not a clue. They also rarely get in trouble for it. Two main reasons for this exist. First, Buck and gang pose no real threat to the establishment’s order and rule. Second, Buck’s family has donated heavily to that same establishment.

Stomps and geers get louder as the chasing gang makes its way down the stairs. Rico and Tucc continue scrambling through the halls. And there it is again. Yes, Rico has made such observations before, such fuels vis hunt for dragon knowledge. Almost imperceptible, like when looking directly at a star makes it harder to see than if viewed in the periphery. So Rico adjusts vis gaze left and right with a slight shift of vis head. The shadowy hall to the right reveals no secrets. But ve would swear a shadow moved with no one to claim it. Ve also distractedly slows vis pace until Tucc calls for ver to hustle up. No sooner than Rico resumes escape mode pace, ve and Tucc must stop dead in the middle of the hall. A rather impressive deceleration in fact, an observer might say it defies known physics. Had they not stopped and thus plowed thru one of the senior System guides they might forever be cleaning waste basins - of all sorts. Senior Guide ne-Haag had suddenly emerged from another shadowy side passage to stand dead in the middle of Rico and Tucc’s path.

“Ahhhh, not surprised. Rico. I deduce that this ruckus is another side effect of your unconventional perception and propensity to convince others of it.” It is a statement, but somehow it sounds like a question. So Rico begins to defend verself until Tucc’s boot contacts vis shin. Between breaths Rico instead manages to say, “Yes, Senior Guide ne-Haag. That might be fair to deduce.” From behind at a distance, Buck and crew whisper as they gather. They watch and anticipate the trouble about to befall their lost target. Senior Guide ne-Haag waves them away then glares at Rico.

“Rico, the possible is what drives discovery, I will give you that.” ne-Haag continues as he is fully aware of Rico’s thought tendencies, “We tatorians have a strong intellect and, without careful training, such can be put to misguided tasks and can lead to ideas of the possible born from … fantasy. Dragons after all are the stuff of legends, romantic stories of ages past. And proof, well, it is hard to come by. Enough about dragons, understood?” Rico has heard this proclamation before. It is exhausting, the continual bombardment of vis curiosity and perception. Rico acknowledges that ve views the world from a different angle. This truly makes Rico proud of verself. However, in this instant, Rico is reminded of vis strategic decision, made just the other day and shared with Tucc. A decision to be resolved not to upset the balance when in guided-group while also not letting the doctrine of the System discourage vis creativity and unique vision - which ve is sure will change the world one day. For now ve will walk the line of being Rico the mild-rebel, and not stray into heresy or System-dissenter territory. Being labeled as such would likely get ver ejected from guided-group and thus assigned into non-intellectual community support roles. However, ve is increasingly having difficulty maintaining the facade of an ideal learner and wonders if there is real value in being a System intellectual. The calling to venture into the proclaimed not-possible is getting louder. The making of a name for vershelf will be built from vis intellectual side-angle of the world. In Rico’s mind alone are plans for such. Plans to know more than the System’s order and rule permit. With a break between guide cycles just two star cycles away, ve will have the perfect opportunity to begin lifting the veil maintained by the System and to track down shadows.

“Rico, you're going to get yourself tossed out. What would your mom think of that? Huh, her being a guide and all?” Tucc asks as they leave the building headed back to their assigned bunk following a path across the central quad. The question brings more emotional anguish than Tucc knows. The star cycle’s light is fading, a purple and crimson hue hangs in the cool humid air.

Rico responds after a delay that would have been awkward for anyone but vis closest confidant. “She has probably always considered it a strong possibility. Huh, guide, yes, but not like the others. I’m different and she loved my dad for being different. Remember he was tossed out too?”

“Yah and now he works his hide off, puts up with sweating jerks. She wouldn’t want that for you.”

“I don’t think my mom was … is happy working for the System. They sent her away. Why!? Some sweating junk excuse that she was best suited to guide citizens in the flat-expanse at the West location. I think it was more about her liberal tolerance for alternate perceptions … more liberal than the System preferred to have here at Prime location.” Rico is silent for a moment, sad thoughts. He continues in a tender and reflective tone, “Besides, she always encouraged my individualism, my curiosity. She said it was the most valuable thing anyone can have.”

The two friends, confident knowing they have each other's back and aware of their shared experiences, walk in silence. They have been friends for many revolutions. A bond that began in orientation camp, a required three star cycle program for eligible rev-6 citizens entering guided-group.

A growing primal sensation grows in Tucc’s core. “I just got hungry, time to fill up.”

“Won’t argue with that,” replies Rico.

They turn off the main cross-quad path to head to the dispensary for night-fall meal. The delicate scent of early season flowers wafts on the breeze. The path they now walk is generally less trodden, somewhat less direct to anywhere, but far more pleasant. Essentially a garden path bisecting an alley some 5 arms wide (unit of measure approximately 4 ft) and lined with both ornamental and edible plants. On either side of the alley are buildings built during the Second Rising of Intellect, some 50-60 revolutions ago. The same movement saw the establishment of the System’s Guided-Group West (most tatorians just say GGW) location in the less populated flat-expanse. A region Rico intentends to venture to, to reconnect with vis mom. She will have answers, she can help ver. But she is not close, the flat-expanse begins at the western edge of the valley and stretches for star-cycles beyond. Rico would require wheeled transport to reach the valley’s end. A powered-quad could make it in one and a half star-cycles, a bi-wheel in, well, a few more than that.

The flat-expanse is a region devoid of topographical undulations and sparsely covered with vegetation. It is home to an ethnically and culturally different group of tatorians, ruhe-lics; considered tough, resourceful and of less cultural sophistication than those living in the valley. The System promoted the creation of its GGW location as an effort to bring prosperity and higher learning to the region. It stressed a consensus of social responsibility. Most inhabitants of the flat-expanse did not buy this propaganda and considered the GGW location more of an expansion of influence for the System’s benefit. Especially when considering the growing economic potential of the flat-expanse with the advancement of ruhe-crystal mining. A crystalline mineral of value for material engineering and energy collection. Of course the pair of friends are thinking of none of this as they pass stones stacked into architecturally rich walls in the belief that higher intellect and rigid logic were the only way forward for the growing population.

Rico and Tucc are passing the last of these buildings before reaching another open area. When again, without warning - perhaps another random occurrence coincidentally observed only by Rico - a shadowy movement. Rico with little thought takes off running perpendicular to the path in an effort to keep this elusive moving shadow in sight. Ve leaps over the planting bed and onto a stone walkway lining the building exterior. Then turns abruptly into a breezeway leading to a small courtyard. Tucc catches up to Rico in a narrow, covered and stone column-lined walkway between buildings and finds vis friend frustrated for having lost sight of vis quarry. “What is ... was it? … That you saw?”

Rico holds up a hand as if to stop the moment in time. Ve is thinking, observing. “Do you notice it is slightly warmer, the air feels dryer here, just here?” Gesturing with vis hand, “a shadow moved, back there at the corner. But there was nothing casting the shadow. I’ve seen such before, but always so elusive. I followed what I could see …” Rico speaks with urgency and excitement, but at a whisper. “Quick, let’s follow this trail of warm air.” Great observations, the right idea, they move slowly, sensing the air temperature on their faces and outstretched hands. But the growing night-fall’s breeze denies the chase. Rico knows that this effort to discover the mystery of moving shadows plaguing vis peripheral sight is done for now. Though ve knows just a bit more. They linger for a moment. Both scan the shadows of each building doorway and looking pane. Nothing more is revealed than expected. “Forget it for now, let's go eat. Maybe one of these times I’ll do more than kind-of see it.”

Above easily resting on the stone shingle roof, its form no longer blurred. Its temperature dropping and features revealed. But no one has eyes on it. It hides, it watches. It waits, for now.