Fell Dragon
Greetings Readers!
I hope the week wasn't too long for all of you. It has been a doozy of a week out my way. Busy, busy with a new project. Hoping for a more relaxed weekend because I need it!
I was wondering if I should post the next update or not, but then decided since I am posting for Mortis Custos so I may as well post on Fell Dragon. Here is the next part. I hope you enjoy.
Doran hadn’t been home when the message arrived for him. He had been warring with Karesh for a few weeks and only returned home for some rest from several broken ribs. After sleeping a few days his wife had urged him to take notice of a message that had arrived for him from the Queen. Wearily he rolled from the bed and went to have a shower to wake himself.
Once cleaned he had made his way to the Queen's castle. After all these years she had lived separately from her husband, not happy with what he had become but too afraid to step up to him with her forces. He was after all, finally, the king of all humans. Doran had a soldier announce him before he made his way to where he knew the Queen would be. The throne room was smaller than he remembered but he ignored it as he approached her throne where the twin three-year-olds were playing at her feet.
Myla clapped her hands and Kristen and Barbara jumped to their feet to look up at Doran. They bowed swiftly and ran from the room. Sadly, the soldier looked on after them before saying. “That wasn’t necessary. I follow your husband because he is my friend. I don’t share his ideals.”
“You follow him because you hope you will be punished for your sins.” She said softly.
“Right to the heart, Myla.” He said.
Myla sighed heavily and said, “You did not deserve that. I am sorry. I miss them.”
She tapped a letter on the throne’s armrest before picking it up and handing it to Doran. “That said, Saseric has contacted me.”
“You?” Doran took the letter confused. “I thought he was communicating with Karesh.”
“I’m under the impression he may have found something he doesn’t want Karesh to see, and I don’t have the courage for another sighting that leads to nothing. I know you are my husband’s right hand but…”
“I’ll leave immediately.” Said Doran as he scanned the letter.
It was short and to the point.
Come.
“What would you have me tell Karesh?” asked the Queen.
“Nothing. I am on break, and I don’t think his heart could stand to be broken any more than yours can.”
“And what of yours Doran? How many false leads have you followed up on? How many times must your heart break before you bury her?”
“I will never bury her until I either hold her hand again or bury a corpse.” He said harshly. “Arrange the transport and I will go to the Lizards.”
“It leaves in an hour.”
Saseric couldn’t believe the change in the soldier. He was still of able body, but his eyes were haunted by guilt that was slowly killing him. The Lizard Lord had come to the spaceport to welcome the man with no entourage as he wanted this to be kept quiet until they were sure of who they had rescued.
“I am glad it is you.” He said as he welcomed the human with a scaly hand pushed forward.
Doran looked at the hand, sighed and grasped it tightly. “Cut to the chase. I am tired and don’t think I have much more left in me for more disappointment.”
The lizard shook his head and had the man follow him to the transport that would take them to the castle.
“It is somewhat drier and hotter in the castle so you may be uncomfortable with a jacket.” Saseric motioned to the thick black jacket the man wore.
The human wearily pulled the jacket from his frame and folded it in his lap. Saseric noticed something in the inner pocket. “What did you smuggle onto my planet?”
Doran grinned a little and showed two apples. “They were her favourite treat as a child.”
Saseric saw the hurt in Doran’s eyes and hated what he had to do next. “As pleased as I am that it is you that came, I wish you had brought the doctor Jarah with you.”
“What did you find?” Doran sounded so hopeful that Saseric almost debated telling him but paused.
“Human, you need to understand something before I show you. I need you to realise what has happened these past four years.”
“Did you or did you not find Saita?”
“S-AY-8-A.” He muttered as he crossed his scaly arms.
“Why are you saying her name like that?”
“It was never a name. It was a serial code. She must have misheard it as a child and convinced herself that it was her name. That is what we found.” He produced a data pad from his coat to hand to the human. “I assume you know how to use this.”
The human took the data pad and touched one corner to see if he could use his fingers to operate it. It lit up and the screen opened with several files. Each with a number and a date.
“What is this?”
“Watch one of the single-digit videos and... turn the volume down.” Saseric looked out the window.
Unsure of what he was going to see he chose the first video and double-tapped on it. The first thing that happened was a scream that chilled his core.
“I warned you.” Whispered Saseric.
“Experiment S-AY-8-A is secured but very irate. Seems the enhancements to the liver cause it to metabolise most narcotics, anaesthesia, and pain killers far faster than it should. Surgery will be difficult but with the correct bindings and restraints it shouldn’t move too much.” came a voice that seemed to be directing the video. “I told the assistants to make sure to put a bit in its mouth so that it can’t bite its tongue while I work. I need it alive at the end of this.”
The video showed an unclothed Saita strapped to a table, struggling to pull herself loose.
“Seems that they forgot a bit. I can’t have it moving this much while I work. The last thing I need is for it to move as I make a crucial incision.” The voice said again. “Bring me a paralytic. That should work, it worked on it when it was a child, so maybe it will work now.”
Doran’s stomach turned when the video showed someone pushing a needle into the screaming girl’s neck. Her struggles ceased soon enough but she managed to have some control over her eyes and her head, but it was slow and then a gag was shoved into her mouth and her head restrained.
“Finally, some quiet. Right, ah, this is video one. The subject is close to its 17th birth year; this series of operations will introduce various components that will make up the ancient system which needs to be built inside of its living body. The first time I tried this with a younger clone it died screaming. Here’s hoping the second time is the charm.”
The voice sounded so excited, but the girl looked terrified. She could only stare at the camera with wide eyes.
“Step one is an easy enough surgery. The start of the wires and discs in the upper shoulders and arms. I rate the pain level should be about a six, maybe it’ll pass out, maybe it won’t. Guess we’ll see. Set up a drip with the paralytic, this is going to be a long night.”
Doran’s mouth dropped as the mad man’s assistants started cutting into Saita’s shoulders. She screamed but her voice was stopped by the gag and her head was firmly held in place by an assistant. On the verge of vomiting, Doran threw the datapad from him. He had to open a window to get some air. The humid, sticky air invaded his lungs, but nothing calmed him as his entire body shook with shock.
Saseric reached for the data pad and killed the video. He then said softly. “I have seen all 28 of her main surgeries. Each worse than the next. From what we have gathered it has taken four years of this to make God knows what. We don’t understand it.”
“He did that to her for four years?” asked Doran in a shaking voice.
“Eighty percent of the time yes. When he started on her brain,” Saseric paused. “He had had something to keep her asleep or found someone with a technique who mercifully made her pass out.”
Saseric returned the data pad to his jacket. “There are additional videos explaining what was done, how she reacted and other things I cannot bring myself to say.”
“Is she dead? Can I take her home and bury her?” That was all Doran could say when he wound the window up and took a deep breath. “Can I tell her parents that all this has ended?”
“You can tell them it’s ended but no, you cannot bury her.” Saseric handed him a stack of papers that had been between them. “This is the planet where we found everything. It has enough ash on it to make us think millions of humans were killed in various experiments. All done by Doctor Sellious. He’s dead though but his work lives on.”
“What do you mean I cannot bury her?”
“Doran,” said the Lizard sharply. “A plane crashes on the border of two states. In which state do you bury the survivors?”
“You don’t bury survivors.” He said quickly.
“Exactly.”
“Are you telling me…”
Saseric raised a hand and said. “You saw the videos. Don’t hold out too much. We haven’t gotten much from her.”
“But she’s…” The relief in the man’s voice was apparent and the tears in his eyes were those of happiness.
“Breathing.” Finished Saseric.
“I need to tell Myla and Karesh!” Doran reached inside of his jacket to get his phone, but Saseric stopped him.
“You need to realise what was done to her. The severity of the torture she went through consciously as she was torn open again and again with no comfort. No one came to her aid for four years.”
“God damn it we tried!” Doran roared.
“As did I but it doesn’t change the fact that it happened, and she had no comfort for four years. Don’t tell her parents anything until we know if Saita is still in there and she isn’t just S-AY-8-A.”
And that is all I am willing to share for now. I hope you of you return for Tuesday's update! It can only get more interesting from here on out.
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