A Study of Dragons Pt 2

Posted on Wed Aug 19th, 2026 @ 9:34am by Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson & Lieutenant Kate Kono & Lieutenant James Phoenix & Chief Petty Officer Aaron Geiger

1,587 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Here There Be Dragons
Location: Draco IV

The away team materialized on the planet. They were in an open field, filled with green grass and wildflowers. The sky was quite clear, a deep blue in color with a slight purplish haze, as if a volcanic eruption had recently occurred. Behind them, some 150 ft. or so was a large forest, and before them were beautiful green foothills that seemed to provide a natural barrier before the large mountains that were beyond.

Deanna took in the scenery as she opened her tricorder and began to take readings. She looked to Kuzma, "Take a few botanical samples and a soil sample. We will transport them up to the ship for further analysis." She then looked to Steve, "Since you are here, start catalogue the local wildlife. These dragons are clearly not the only lifeforms here." Both junior officers nodded understanding of their orders and got to work.

Deanna looked to Jon, "We'll make our way towards the mountains in due course, see if we can get a closer look at these creatures. But I want to gather as much data about the planet and the various environments as we can before we encounter them. So, I guess, most of you can enjoy the beauty of this place in the interim."

“It is beautiful” Callie smiled as she looked at Jon. “I’m sensing so much here, it’s teeming with life.”

“Have a look at this, mate!” Steve Irwin’s voice boomed with a thick Australian drawl as he slapped on a pair of heavy-duty gloves and bounded toward a towering, reeking mound. Kate trudged after Ensign Irwin, her steps slowing as he neared the mass that rose nearly to his shoulder.

“Oh!” Kate said, catching up but keeping her distance. “Right. A mountain of… that. Just lovely.” She forced a weak smile, then her throat tightened as she watched him plunge both hands wrist-deep into the soft, seething heap. The smell hit her like a physical blow; wet and sour and overwhelmingly alive.

Ensign Irwin, with his thick Australian accent, knelt down beside the mound of strange alien excrement uncovered. He rolled the dark matter around in his gloved hands while Kate did her best not to puke. Irwin inspected it closely before speaking with pure fascination and no regard to how Kate was turning a shade of green.

"Righto, mates, what we've got 'ere is no ordinary bog. See, the texture's a bit fibrous, almost like it's got bits of crystalline matter in it. That tells me the creature's diet's rich in some kinda mineral, probably 'cause it's munchin' on rocks or metallic stuff. Now, the color… a deep green-black with hints of iridescence… suggests there's some kinda bioluminescent bacteria or symbiotic critters at work inside its gut. That light show could be how it communicates internally or maybe even wards off predators."

Kate scanned it from a distance with her tricorder, "The composition is registering trace elements of titanium and vanadium. That's not something you'd find in any Earth-based digestive system."

Irwin nodded, prodding the mass again. "And the smell's off too, isn't it? Not the usual sulfuric stench you'd expect from methane-producing bacteria. More like... ozone after a thunderstorm, mixed with something almost sweet."

Kate swallowed hard and twitched backward a little. "I can tell it’s fresh. Wishi it wasn’t but… How fresh is it, Ensign? I'd rather not run into whatever blew this out of its ass…"

Irwin tilts his head, studying the vegatation around the excretion in the open field. "Hard to say for certain, Lieutenant. We don’t know how the weather out here affects biological materials. But given that this place has similar temperatures as Earth climate…” He scrapes a small sample into a collection vial. “No lesser than a few hours…”

“Great,” Kate said with a sigh.

Jon watched and listened as the ensign gave a detailed analysis of the excrement he had come across. "Super." He deadpanned as he looked to Callie and Deanna and gave an eyeroll.

“May I suggest one thing” Callie added. “I’m no expert but on every dinosaur movie I’ve seen loud noises or voices attract predators, I suggest we keep our voices down and stay together.”

"I'm all for following that suggestion. Good idea Callie. I'm not all that keen as being eyes as dino chow." Jon replied evenly.

Aaron stood looking around, hands on his tool belt, drinking in the scenery. The recent repairs had taken up most of his time and being out here was a welcome change. Excrement aside, he was enjoying the fresh air and sound of the wind whistling through the tall grass. Early on in his career he wasn't able to distinguish the difference between artificial and real gravity, but he found now he could feel the subtle difference and thought that it felt reassuringly comfortable.

"If it wasn't for the giant lizard adjacent creatures, this place would make a fantastic camping spot." Aaron said, returning his attention to the group.

Phoenix stood quietly, in awe. Even if there wasn't dragons on this planet it was still beautiful. He wished Ash could be on the team to see this. He kept his eyes peeled for anything that might be of danger to the team. Nothing yet.

"So you learned they like to eat things that aren't always organic," Kate said.

"Too right! Not exactly carnivorous, but they aren't picky eaters, I'll tell ya that much. Heaps of meat content padding out the other elements in the excrement. Whatever they can get, really."

Kate crouched and picked up a flat, dark rock from the ground, then stood and sent it sailing out over the field in a long, lazy arc.

"Gravity is almost Earth's, but you get a bit more hang time here," she said, watching it land far out in the brush. "No wonder the mountains are so tall."

“Maybe we could find a cave to set up camp in?” Callie offered. “We’d have to check it out well first make sure there’s no owners, but then we could camp if we wanted to.”

"That's a possibility Callie. Have to make sure it isn't easy access for the wildlife around here." Jon pointed out.

Deanna had remained quiet. She was engrossed in data collection. Kuzma was her gopher essentially here and was just as enthusiastic about everything. Deanna was scanning some of the samples when she suddenly stopped and looked around. She hurried over to Jon and Callie. "We are being watched, and the natives have mixed feelings" she said with an air of concern. "From the forest, and from the mountains. These creatures are highly intelligent, and I would hazard a guess and say possibly even sentient. We need to move to a more defensible position. Your choice, the forest or the mountains. Forest is closer, but we'll encounter something either way."

Jon didn't turn his head to look around as Deanna said they were being watched. "Mountains offer clear line of fire but we would be out in the open getting there. Forest offers cover but field of fire is narrower." He paused and weighed the options. He wasn't going to put anyone at risk over a survey. "We'll go to the forest." He told Deanna and Callie.

“Agreed” Callie nodded. “I’ll keep my senses alert as well, that way we may be able to avoid any trouble.”

"Good deal Callie. With you and Deanna we should get plenty of warning if trouble is coming our way. Right now let's get this moveable feast into the forest and see if we can find a suitable shelter at the same time." Jon replied.

Deanna looked to Callie, "Remember what we practiced. Allow your mind to pick up on the sentient thoughts, beyond just the emotion. You'll pick up the primal aspect of these creatures, and you'll begin to hear some interesting thoughts which may provoke certain emotions in you. These creatures seemingly evoke fear and they know it."

Deanna rushed over and grabbed Kuzma and then yelled at Phoenix, "Take point! Tactical withdraw to the forest!" She began running with Kuzma towards the ancient trees. Many of the trees were massive and towering, like seeing the forests in California filled with the redwoods and sequoias. This forest looked beautiful from a distance, but these massive trees cast looming shadows as well which might be an omen.

Callie nodded to Deanna, she had to admit she used her senses more to sense emotions rather than thoughts especially around others.The only person she was truly open with was Jon.

"Callie, you get up there with the rest of the team. I'll bring up the rear." Jon stated in a no nonsense tone.

James immediately took point as ordered as they took a hasty retreat into the tree line. He turned to Ensign Baldwin. "Ed, I want you to take the center point" he ordered before turning to Lieutenants Granger and Weasley. "I want you two to watch our flank."

Granger and Weasley nodded, though Weasley looked quite frazzled. "Ronald, are you paying attention? Get to the flank and keep your eyes open and glued upward."

The ginger security officer quickly composed himself. "Right, I can handle this."

The away team raced towards the forest, the shadows of the giant trees looming larger with each step. Suddenly, Deanna felt something, heard something in her mind and she stopped and looked upward behind them towards the mountains. "Dragon!" she exclaimed.


TBC

 

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