If You Asked Me To (UWOC)

Ten

"Please!" I begged. "Please don't tell anyone. They will kill the flock!"

Sebia leaned over and picked me up, holding me to her chest and rocking me like a baby. I realized quickly that I was crying. My science would finally kill us.

"Basil, please calm down. No one will hurt the flock. You have my word," she said.

"Do you remember the conversation in the park? Anything said here is secret," Thorn added. "We would never hurt you, Basil."

"We were told the originals would be killed if any race ever discovered the truth about us. It wouldn't matter that we were not at fault."

My voice was coming out as almost a whine because I was petrified out of my mind.

"Can you please explain how it happened? I know you are terrified. I can feel it coming from you, but please understand you are safe. The flock is safe. We will not share your story, or that we even know," Sebia promised. "You conquered your fear to help us. To save a race you are frightened of. We would never harm you, nor would we let anyone else harm you."

Her words were the truth. I could see it in her mind. She would do anything to protect us.

I took a deep breath and took a minute to calm down. It was a true leap of faith that my new friends would keep my secrets.

"A rogue band of Votaks kidnapped Tessa and Soranto a few years ago." I started the story there. My life was my secret.

"I remember that," Thorn said.

"That's how we found out what happened. When the humans still inhabited this planet, those same Votaks sent a spaceship down with a formula to change a human into an animal while keeping its memories and intelligence. The human scientists took that formula and tested it on us. They would choose people based on their intelligence and drive, then kidnap them. When the subject reached the lab, they would inject them with the formula and change them into what we are now. They kept us in cages and ran more tests on us. None of us consented or knew what happened until we hatched after the metamorphosis."

Both Sebia and Thorn were dumbfounded. Their brains had more trouble processing this information than when they learned I could talk.

"Are you saying they gave you no choice? They just experimented on you?" Thorn's voice showed his feelings. He could not believe this had happened.

"Yes. If we survived the process; most did not. For every 500 kidnapped, about three survived. If we showed signs of intelligence, they would kill us. So, we didn't. We told all new hatches to never talk to the scientists and to act like animals. When the other Votaks took over the planet, there were over 100 dragonets."

"That is beyond anything I have ever heard of happening. Every race, including the Votaks, outlaws experiments of that type," Sebia stated.

I could see her horror of the situation and Thorn's, too. So, I finished the story.

"Close to thirty dragonets died in the wild before we came to the park. Since then, we have lost only two from foxes before the Kymari removed them. The young dragonets would never survive in the wild, which is why I agreed to help you. We can't let the Kymari abandon the planet."

Their reactions calmed me down. This turn of events genuinely horrified them. I believed they would keep this secret. Sebia continued to rock me while they both just stayed in stunned silence. Eventually, I fell asleep.

I woke to the warmth of Sebia's body as she still held me. She was murmuring to Thorn, who was typing into a laptop.

"We can say that the fire lizards knew where some books were, and they helped us translate them," Thorn stated.

"We would have to produce the books, so I don't think that would work."

"Maybe they can help us write the books? We can say they were in such bad condition that we got some pictures before they disintegrated...?"

"I like the train of thought, but I'm still unsure if it would work. They would still want to see the remains of the books," Sebia said. "How about we stick close to the truth? We say that the fire lizards just told us the information. No need for evidence that way."

"That may work, as Elder Dairno knows they are aware. They could have just relayed information about the humans. Each race knows the others, and even though they have no technology, they would have long memories."

"Since it took us over a week of constant talking to pinpoint this virus, that would work," she said.

"Sebia?" I included Thorn in the mindlink, too, even though I was talking to her.

"Are you okay, Basil?" she asked soothingly as she looked down at me.

"I'm scared," I stated, even though I knew they felt it through the link.

I knew they were helping me. I knew they would never tell on me. I knew they would protect me and the flock. But I was still scared.

"Let's get some food in you and give you a good scrubbing. You will feel better after."

She was right. I did feel better after.

We spent the next few days writing down everything I could think to tell them about humans, from our wars to how we entertained ourselves. Elder Dairno was thankful for the information I gave them and for saving the Kymari from the virus.

He came by to offer me the option of becoming a bonded animal. Sebia explained that while I was happy with the Kymari, I had no interest in hunting Sicora.

Elder Dairno explained that a bonded animal somehow had to help their race, and I had already done that. Even though Sebia and Thorn were not guards, he would allow them to be my handlers.

The news thrilled them both, and while I could read their reactions, whether I wanted to or not, I didn't need to. It was obvious the three of us had bonded. I was closer to Sebia, but Thorn also had a special place in my heart.

I agreed.

*******

My life has changed so much.

Yet again, my love for science has taken over my life, and my handlers feed that love as much as I want. Not to mention the scrubbings!

I am slowly letting the guilt leave me for fixing that formula. I only visit the dragonets every so often, but I still talk to them regularly.

I have come to believe that everything happens for a reason. Even though my science was my downfall, the history of the human race lives on because of it.

The end.

*******

A/N: Thank you for all the support my fanfictions have gotten!

Bonus Chapter!