The Experiment

“There weren’t always dragons in the Valley.”

KatLynd leaned back in the saddle, knowing this was going to be another one of JelDarian’s unprompted lectures.

JelDarian, also sitting astride a dun-colored EquidBeast, went on. “Nope. This was once a desolate rock. Almost uninhabitable. A dead world.”

KatLynd knew this much. They had been here for several rotations, patrolling the ridge along the immense Valley, working off their FedDebt. They were about as far as one gets from Neila One, the center of civilization and the Known Universe. Neila One, home of the Federation, with its seven moons, 28 developed outworlds, and Outer Reaches.

KatLynd knew this from their nightly MagWork, dutifully monitoring ObservPanels which collected data for transmission to FedLabs and Federation Beauro Headquarters for processing, interpretation, copying, and filing. KatLynd was an intellectually curious FedBeing, raised on Moon Four—a lush, green satellite of Neila One. KatLynd had read through the archives most evenings, usually while pretending to listen to another of JelDarian’s lectures on the subject of the day.

“This was once a forgotten, desolate outworld weigh station for Unknown processing,” JelDarian continued, as if reading KatLynd’s thoughts.

More likely, JelDarian had read through the same archives of magnetic plates of information that were formatted, cataloged, and stored on the Known Worlds and beyond—while JelDarian pretended to listen to KatLynd wax on about the flowering species and utter tranquility of Moon Four. JelDarian was also an intellectually curious FedBeing stationed here for 12 Rotations as part of the FedDebt to civilization. They both preferred patrolling their part of the ridge along the Valley during the day on their EquidBeasts to MagWork, monologues, even archive-skimming.

“This outworld housed an IsoProtect, basically a holding station for alien creatures of no discernible intelligence, on their way to a FedLab or NutriProcessing station,” JelDarian lectured, as if reading directly from an archived MagPlate. “It ended badly,” JelDarian droned on.

KatLynd also knew that Unknowns were basically just about any living creature that had not been identified by a FedLab, and given a SpeciesClearTik: as Being, Beast, or Other.

“There were some unexpected deaths, a few Beauros had been reassigned, and the facility was abandoned. This outworld was marked for terraforming…” JelDarian paused for effect.

They rode on together during the brief silence—slowly along one side of the huge Valley, behind an energy barrier keeping what was in the Valley in the Valley. Protecting them.

KatLynd and JelDarian were bipedal, carbon-based Beings of known origin, FedBeings at birth. Of similar height and weight, they were assigned to this station at the same time. Protected by EnviroSuits from albeit weak solar radiation and temperature fluctuations outside the Valley, they spoke into each other’s heads through standard Comms fitted into their helmets. The EquidBeasts they rode were bred to survive many environments and were fairly easily replaceable if damaged.

A large, winged dragon flew over the Valley—keeping just beneath the energy barrier. The dragon watched Beings and Beasts from the air seemingly with interest. All four, a familiar sight along the ridge, were on its menu. If only it could find its way beyond the dome…

KatLynd knew from nightly reading and previous JelDarian monologues that during the vegetation and infestation phases of terraforming this world, some error had occurred. An anomaly. A type of beetle-like insect had grown to the size of one-person transports. Quite large, quite unexpected. The FedLab responsible for the engineering and genetics of this project was only mildly interested, at first. However, the MegaBeetles soon proved to be quite a nuisance—throwing off the balance of the carefully engineered plant and animal life in the newly-terraformed world. Luckily, the anomalous behemoth bugs had not gotten past the natural ridge of the Valley before the energy barrier could be installed.

SeedVaults were maintained at every FedLab throughout the Known Universe, storing the genetic addresses of every organic life-form known and some Unknown. Harvested from every place a FedBeing had ever been, primarily, the vaults of information were available to most scientists and GenTechs for study and experimentation. Some of the genetic information and samples had even been found floating in primitive capsules, theoretically launched from ancient worlds beyond the Outer Reaches. But that was just a hypothesis.

At about the time the beetles were wreaking havoc in the Valley, an ambitious GenTech was researching and cataloguing just such a tranche of genetic data, found floating aimlessly through space, and was fascinated by a variety of apparently reptilian genes. SilManion had nicknamed this unknown family of reptiles “dragons,” which may or may not have been a correct translation of some of the hieroglyphics found accompanying the data. One of the smaller versions of the reptiles had been replicated, and observed to prefer to dine primarily on hard-shelled insects, worms, and some gourd-like vegetation—based on preliminary research and study. Some of the larger versions may have more aggressive predator traits. SilManion was aware of the MegaBeetle problem from terraforming reports, standard reading in most FedLabs, and had some influence with certain Beauros and Diplos. Well. SilManion’s family on Neila One had influence, if we are being honest. A plan was hatched.

SilManion’s plan was to combine and manipulate the genetic data of the “dragon family,” with a few extra bits of some filler genetic material. “The Experiment” was green-lit. A few breeding pairs of large, beetle-eating dragons were created; their growth accelerated; and the small “thunder of dragons” was quickly introduced to the Valley.

AssignOfficers contacted JelDarian, KatLynd, and others schooled and ready to work off their FedDebts and here they all were—in the Valley—watching each other.

What could go wrong?

The MegaBeetle population slowly diminished.

KatLynd and JelDarian continued their assigned patrol, turning back towards the station along the ridge at about midday. Their suits had provided IntraSustenance Injects at “lunchtime,” saving them the trouble of removing their helmets to eat and then dying of exposure.

JelDarian continued random exhortations of knowledge while they rode their circuit. KatLynd watched a dragon gliding effortlessly over the Valley.

“Looking for beetles?” “Looking at them?”

“Magnificent creatures,” JelDarian commented on the Comms—interrupting KatLynd’s thoughts.

“I wonder if I might ride a dragon one day,” KatLynd blurted out loud.

JelDarian stopped the mount and just stared at KatLynd, mouth agape…

At the nearest FedLab in the sector, SilManion studied the latest Screens of data from the Valley. The dragon’s development went beyond expected parameters. It could not be completely explained. SilManion went back over the original genetic information, reviewing the replication processes and previous iterations of genetic mutation experimentation—not all of which was specifically authorized, exactly. SilManion went back to studying the Screens, again, chewing on a lip.

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