Conspiracy 6

PART ONE: ICE WORLD

Chapter 3: Rebellion

The light was constant, it threw a white haze above his eyes and he was utterly blinded as the dragon felt his limbs being locked into position. There were voices…all around him…talking, deciding how they would operate. The dragon struggled but his movement was constricted as he could move only a fraction.

"M….m…." He tried to talk but a muzzle was placed over his mouth and his mumblings were silenced.

"Sir, his growth rate is progressing I advise we not continue this operation."

"You will continue this or I will have you relived of your command…" Kariston moved closer to the tech and whispered in his ear. "And your life." The tech hurriedly nodded and they began the operation; blood flowed onto the floor and the group worked harder installing modifications to the dragon.

He had grown from the small form to a now six foot and a half dragon in the matter of a month or so. Kariston was even amazed at his progress but was not worried since his parents were at least ten feet each; he had been cruel to the dragon since he had to show who was boss. Kariston had used various methods, starvation, forced beatings, injections, isolation, and images of his parents dying and then Kariston would walk in and comfort the dragon. The dragon now knew that Kariston was higher than him and would obey without question, if the dragon misbehaved, he would be punished severely.

"Careful with that armor, if you place it wrong it will kill him." Kariston said and the armor was grafted under his scales; it was a defensive measure and the reinforcements would shield him. More plating was grafted around his body and soon he was almost completely covered. Kariston had made sure that he was not completely shielded as if the dragon ever rebelled, he could be put down.

"Sir, I'm reading complications under section 3-A." A tech said. That was over his lungs, heart and ribs.

"Fix it, make sure that you keep that spot strong but section 4-C leave weak." The tech nodded and more blood spurted onto his visor.

4-C was the top of his head, parts of his shoulders and neck. Kariston smiled as the dragon was operated on and he relished the animal's pain; the jackal had always loved seeing others in pain and this was satisfying for him.

After an hour or so of grafting new parts, upgrading past operations, and making sure he didn't lose all his blood, Kariston finished the operation. The techs cleaned all the excess crimson liquid off the body of the hybrid lizard and they left him with Kariston as the dragon slowly came out of the foggy haze he was in.

"Dragon…dragon…" He whispered and the lizard opened his eyes, the deep jade irises stared into the golden ones of Kariston and the jackal smiled. "So now you are complete…but I am STILL YOUR MASTER!" Kariston yelled and slammed his fists on the dragon's head, the dragon leap against his restraints and a strangled, agonized, muffled, yell ripped into the mask on his muzzle. "I CONTROL YOU AND YOU DO NOT BEND TO ANYONE'S WILL BUT MINE!" The jackal screamed and slammed him over and over. The dragon took the pain although he could not suppress it as his body continued to throw itself against the restraints.

Kariston stopped beating the hybrid and he stroked the dragon's muzzle, trying to ease the pain. The jade eyes burned at him but the dragon did not try to attack his Master as the paw gentry eased the pain that he had inflicted.

"Shh my little pet…I will not hurt you again unless you break my rules. Do you understand?" He loosened the bonds on the dragon's head and took off the muzzle as the lizard nodded. "Do you understand?"

"Yes…Master…I do." The dragon replied and Kariston smiled.

"So, you have regained your speech patterns. My little pet can speak."

"I am not your pet." The dragon said and as soon as he said it, he regretted it. Kariston slammed him again and he screamed in pain as the jackal exerted his authority.

"YOU ARE WHAT I SAY YOU ARE! You are not capable of free will; you only know my will, dragon. Now you even try to fuck with me and I will have you killed, slowly and painfully as through you will scream to me for death." Kariston said and the dragon remained passive as Kariston growled. "Dragon…you will obey me."

A nod was his response but in his eyes he hid a deep inner hatred for the jackal, a hatred that burned through all rules, all rational thought. Once he was free he would take down Kariston, the lab, everything until he was the Master.

Kariston's Comm rang.

"Yeah, what is it?" The jackal asked as he flipped it open.

"Sir, the lupine Markal is ready."

"Good, send the technicians back in." Kariston flipped the Comm shut and the four techs came in, they were shrouded in a white lab suits that covered them from head to foot paw but Kariston was dressed differently. He had one a green suit, but he had taken his visor off and his golden furred head was exposed. "Take him to room 426A." The techs rolled the dragon off down the hallway and Kariston walked over to a transporter, he dialed coordinates and stepped in.

Markal sat in room 426A in the corner, shivering. His experience at the lab had been nothing but questions, harsh treatment and isolation. His clothes had been taken away but his black fur had not been sufficient enough to keep in the warmth as he was freezing.

"Why…Jack…cold…Jack…." He mumbled and the door to this cell opened, the techs rolled the dragon in and they loosed the clamps, the techs quickly left and bolted the door as Markal shuddered again not with cold but with fear this time. The dragon slowly slid off the gurney as he stood up, his six and half foot frame towered over Markal as the lupine felt horror creep into him. The dragon unfolded his wings and stretched them as he tried to move every muscle of his body.

Then he caught sight of Markal. Markal shuddered even harder as the dragon walked over and bent down near him, claws gently raked his fur and the dragon looked him over. He could sense Markal's fear and the dragon gently pulled Markal over to him, he tried to seem like he would not hurt the lupine but Markal shook even harder.

"Please don't hurt me…please." Markal whimpered and the dragon knew they were being watched. He pulled his muzzle close to Markal's ear and whispered a few words.

"I will not hurt you; just act like I will and I will get you out of here." Markal looked up and he saw in the dragon's eyes that it was true. Markal began to cry and the dragon let a small smile creep on his muzzle, he was playing just fine.

"Please…don't kill me." Markal whimpered again and the dragon thought about his options; he could try to use his new strength and armor to bust his way out. Or he could use a few weapon systems that were also ingrained in him to try and blast his way out; the dragon shook his head none of them would work.

He needed to wait for the right opportunity.

Kariston was observing this and he rubbed his muzzle, deep in thought at what was unfolding before him.

"Sir, the dragon is not performing as we thought he would. He has not inflicted any wounds to the lupine Markal. He seems to be friendly to the lupine."

"Why is he doing this? I'm going in there."

"Sir, the dragon could still hurt you." The tech said as he grabbed Kariston's shoulder.

"Don't you touch me." Kariston growled as a knife appeared in his paws. The tech quickly let go and Kariston slammed him across the face with the handle, the tech screamed as he fell to the floor. Kariston walked out of the room and into 426A, he pulled out a heavy blaster pistol and the dragon whisper back into Markal's ear.

"Just be still, I will get us out of here."

"DRAGON!" Kariston yelled and the hybrid turned his head. "Why haven't you killed him?" His head turned and jade stared once more into golden.

"The question that should be asked is why haven't I killed you?" Kariston faltered and the dragon slapped the gun away as he slammed his other paw into the jackal's stomach. Kariston was floored by the blow and he hit the ground as the alarm sounded. "Markal, come on." The wolf stood up and the dragon pulled him close as he slammed the door, it broke off the wall and the dragon burst out into the hallway.

He had found his way out.

Markal kept close to his friend and the dragon unleashed his power as one of his paws flew out; destructive electricity flew into the control room and it fried the electronics as another alarm blared.

"Get us out of here." Markal asked quietly and the dragon nodded. He would protect his friend even if it meant losing his life; Markal had to survive to tell of the horror of this place. The dragon dashed down the hallway and his foot paw claws scored the ground as they cut deep into the metal.

"STOP HIM!" A tech yelled and the dragon ran past him, the tech was frozen as he slowly slid apart as the claws cut him in two. The dragon looked all around for an exit and he saw it in the form of a sign that said Docking Bay.