Chapter 3
General Rai Razook
We made our way into the northern territories just east of the Willow Springs human colony. Our fleet was moving slowly high in the sky so as not to be detected by cyborgs.
“I think it is time that we lower our altitude. Let's go low and scan with the heat radar,” I said to the pilot.
“Yes, General, ” he said. The ship started to fly lower and lower until we were over a wooded area.
“I am detecting a significant amount of heat in this area,” he said.
“Good, take as many readings as you can. Get the smaller scout ship ready for me. I am going to go down there and see if there are humans. I will make contact,” I said.
“Yes, General, right away.”
I went to the back of the ship and unplugged my gun where I had it charging. I put it in my belt. I checked my weapons belt for all of the fun toys I had at my disposal, like bombs. I was good. I was ready. I was going to make contact with a human colony no matter what.
“The scout ship is ready, General,” Lieutenant Qon said to me.
“With the ten?” I said.
“Yes, they are waiting for you by the ship,” he said.
“Good.”
“Pilot, I want you to take the fleet five miles outside of this heat signature and wait for us there. You ten soldiers, let's go to the cargo bay and get in the scout ship. We have work to do,” I said.
“Yes, General!” they shouted in unison.
Minutes later we were in the smaller ship headed toward the heat signatures. I set the ship down outside a vast complex of houses. There looked to be a lot of gray stone walls in the area surrounding the complex. On one side was a wooded area. I set the ship down near the trees.
“Remember, they have not seen anything like us before. It is possible they may have a reaction of shock. Be prepared for it. No matter what, you do not shoot the humans,” I said to the soldiers. “We are here to establish contact and have a friendly conversation.”
“Yes, General.”
The door of the ship opened, and I stepped out. It was strangely quiet for a human colony. We stepped out onto the ground covered with leaves.
“Humans! My name is General Razook! We come in peace!” I shouted very loudly. There was no answer.
“If we get separated, the first of you to get back to the ship will start the ship and put it in the air. The rest of us will shift and fly to the ship; is that understood?” I whispered it to them. They all nodded their heads, sensing my tension.
We continued walking away from the ship. We walked past large houses. I gestured for a team to go around to the left and one to go around to the right. Then two soldiers followed behind me.
“Hello! Anyone here? We bring you news from the human colony Haven Brook!” I shouted. Still, there was no reply. We continued walking.
“Now!” we heard a shout from a human voice.
Boom! A bomb went off somewhere to our left.
“Don't shoot the humans!” I shouted as we all ran for cover. It was obvious these humans were hostile, but even though they were hostile toward us, the king had ordered that we could not be hostile back. He said to expect this kind of reaction. We were invaders to them, after all.
“Shift! Shift!” I shouted.
We all shifted into weredragon form. My wings spread out from my back. “Get on the roof!” I shouted into my radio communications.
I flew up onto the roof along with the two soldiers that were with me. I could see other weredragons getting on the roof.
"Get our ship in the air. Retreat! Retreat!” I said into the radio. I looked behind us to see a large group of about thirty human men coming toward the houses, and they were armed.
“Fly into the woods. They have an army!” I shouted into the radio.
“I am in the ship. I will hover it over the woods,” I heard a soldier say.
“Good, retreat, retreat!” I shouted.
I ran and jumped off of the roof, spreading my wings wide and flying into the air towards the woods. I could feel my other soldiers doing the same thing. Shots were being fired at us.
“Shots! Spread out!” I shouted.
We are all spread out heading toward the woods, going different directions so that the gunfire would not be concentrated in one area. I flew low between the trees. I flew fast and hard, perhaps faster than I should have been. To the human eye, we were nothing but a blur when we wanted to move at our top speed. So it wasn't necessary for me to be so fast. I was sure that I was already out of the range of the humans. It did not go the way I had wanted it to. Of course they were frightened upon seeing us. They had every right to be.
Then I remembered the strategy that the king had used. He had revealed himself to one human female while she was alone. Then once he convinced her that he came in peace, she was the one that then spoke to the humans on his behalf. It was a subtle move that made all the difference. That's what I needed. I needed to speak with one human that would be able to speak to the other humans.
As I flew, something caught my attention. There was a bright reflection, and then another, as though the sun was hitting shiny metal. I suddenly realized that I was coming upon a band of cyborgs. Shit. I stopped and hovered in the air. I landed on a branch high in a tree. There were about thirty of them, and they were marching away from me. Then I noticed something else: they were dragging a human female. I couldn't believe it. I had to save her. It was my responsibility to do it. But I couldn't take on thirty cyborgs. I would have to use my super speed skills. It was now or never. I grabbed my dagger from my boot.
I flew toward her and landed directly beside her. The cyborg that was dragging her stopped. But before it turned completely toward me, I had the human female scooped into my arms, and I cut the rope at her feet. The cyborg was grabbing his blaster gun and turning to face me.
With superspeed I flew straight up into the air and then over the trees. I could hear the sound of blaster guns, but it was too late. I was already far away from them.
“What are your coordinates, ship?” I said into my radio.
“What the hell is going on?” I heard the human female say in my arms. But I didn't pay any attention to her.
“I see your position on radar. We are straight ahead of you. Keep going in that direction,” a soldier said from the ship.
“I am coming. Do not come towards me; I just ran into a band of thirty cyborgs.”
“Copy that, General,” he said.
“What the hell are you?” the human female said weakly. I didn't have time to look at her or to answer her. I was scanning the area for hostile activity. It could be from the hostile humans or the cyborgs.
A few moments later, I saw the ship. The door was open. I flew directly inside of it and landed.
“Is everyone accounted for?” I asked.
“Yes, ten soldiers on the ship. You were the last,” the pilot said.
“Good, get us back to the fleet,” I said.
“Copy that,” the pilot said.
Then I set the human female down on her feet. I squatted down next to her and cut the rope around her ankles. I pushed the dagger back into my boot and then I stood up to face her for the first time. Looking at her face took my breath away. She was the most beautiful human female I have ever seen. She was breathing hard. She was looking around with her eyes very wide; obviously, she was completely confused by what was happening and who we were. I didn't blame her.
She had brown hair that was tied in a braid down over her shoulder. She was very slender and petite with a very tight shirt with no sleeves hugging her ample breasts. She had on pants and boots that were tied very high. Her brown eyes looked at me with confusion, and her delicate mouth was trembling in fear.
“Do not be alarmed, human female. I do not wish to hurt you. My name is General Razook. We have come in peace to speak with humans. We were sent here by other humans from a colony known as Haven Brook. Are you hurt? Did the cyborgs hurt you?” I asked.
“What… What are you?” she said looking at me.
“Can I get some water,” I said to one of the soldiers looking on.
“Yes, General.”
“We are called the Veruka. We come from another planet called Tivoso. We are a race of weredragons. I do not want you to be frightened of us. You have no reason to fear us,” I said.
The soldier returned with the water and handed it to her. Her hand was shaking as she opened the container and drank the water. She looked at us and was silent. I could tell that she did not trust us. My plan to use her to talk to the other humans was not going to work if she didn't trust us. But the poor thing had just gone through hell being with the cyborgs, so I didn't doubt that she was still shaken. Now I was putting her through this.
“General, we are approaching the main fleet,” the pilot said.
“Good, land in the main ship at will,” I said.
“I don't understand. Is this really happening? Am I dreaming? Have I been drugged by the cyborgs?” she asked.
“No, you are not dreaming. This is real. We are real. Tell me your name, human,” I said.
“My name is Hannah,” I said.
“Do you come from a human colony, Hannah?” I asked.
“I don't understand. What are you? You look like a man… but you have wings. You have scales. You shine in the sun like glitter. I have never seen anything like you,” she said.
“No, you have not. That is because we are new to your planet. The other humans called us aliens,” I said.
“Aliens…” she said. I could tell that she was weak. I wondered how long they have been dragging her.
Just then a soldier that was standing behind her came to my side. He whispered into my ear. I didn't like what he had to say.
“Hannah, it seems that you are hurt. Maybe you cannot feel it in the state of shock that you are in,” I said to her as I walked around her. I looked at her back. There were many long cuts, and they were bleeding. It must be from being dragged.
“I do feel… a little…weak…” I caught her just before she fainted on the ground.
“Prepare a room in the main ship. This human needs medical attention,” I said as I picked her up.