round 6 PNPC Puncdor - New Beginnings

[Kali Nicholotti]

((Bridge - USS Columbia))

::Perhaps someone is reading this and thinking that it is horrible for
Puncdor to have lost the use of his Teth A gland. Actually I believe it
would be best to call the gland what it is in the tongue of one
civilization in a nearby galaxy that has from time to time had dealings
with dragons. I believe I would be straying too far from my present
concern were I to tell you how it was that this civilization came to know
of the organ, much less what civilization I'm talking about. In any case
they called it the igel.

Now from a certain point of view it really is true that the loss of the
igel gland was a tragedy for Puncdor. For example it is a coming of age
among the older of Dragonkind to transition to adulthood and to dine on the
Evastock and the Korbastik. But by wanting to remain young Puncdor shunned
this transition, opting for one form of end over another -- and it really
would have been an end to his childhood had he kept his igel and now, as he
decided to give up the igel, it was an end to his ever becoming an adult
dragon. I should like to say that had he returned home Puncdor probably
would not have been shunned by his own kind. Perhaps he would have been
seen as a minor, able to move from one place to the next in relative
freedom. Dragons like their space and they roam far and wide, civilizing
all manner of pockets of space.::

::But let's return to our present corner of this true story of how Puncdor
came to be discovered. If anything could be said of Puncdor's igel its
loss posed for him an excruciating pain that I can assure the reader lasted
not more than an hour. For the igel is an organ rather akin to the
appendix in a human being. It swells, makes quite a fuss, and in humans
simply bursts and threatens to kill the organism. In dragons it doesn't
quite burst but rather turns the organism into something much fiercer. But
losing the igel is in no wise fatal.::

::Elaine LeBlanc was quite correct however when she summed up the loss of
the igel thus:::

LeBlanc: Uh well... I suppose it would be like being kicked in the
testicles.

Nevarass: I'd imagine that is putting it mildly.

::And it certainly was putting it mildly. As I have mentioned in a
previous instalment of this history Puncdor was in a pain so profound that
it felt akin to the end of dragonkind, rather than just to the end of the
world as one individual in a different universe suggested the pain of being
injured in the male gonads was like.::

Nicholotti: Then let's see if there is both a permanent solution and something
we can do to help him with that discomfort.

Nevarass: Yes, sir. I think we should monitor Puncdor for now to ensure he
remains stable. But what about the adults, out there?

LeBlanc: Could Puncdor help?

::And indeed the "Maternal Figure" of Kali Nicholotti suggested that
perhaps Puncdor could get the others to follow them back through the black
hole to lead them home.::

::By now the pain was easing slightly, mostly on account of Puncdor's lying
on his back and giving the hollow left in the wake of the igel a chance to
rest.::

Puncdor: Uh well... It would be easy to suggest that the food supply here
is soon to run out. And not only that but civilization. The younglings
won't have any civilization to protect. They'll be alone out here in this
odd galaxy of yours.

Nevarass: That’s a good notion. Of course, if that fails, maybe we could convince them to
follow us. We are food, after all.

Nicholotti: Alright, Ensign Nevarass, if you would work with Puncdor and
Miss LeBlanc on finding a permanent solution.

::It was at this point, as she was looking with some amount of sympathy
toward the permanently young dragon, that Elaine came upon an idea.::

LeBlanc: Could we drop the force field?

Nicholotti: Very well. Someone needs to stay with him, however.

::Shortly thereafter the maternal figure left Puncdor to his own devices,
to think on what he would do with the rest of his life now that he had been
granted this perhaps not eternal but rather prolonged youth. The first
thing he decided he would do was to stand. Doing so was less painful than
he had thought it would be. He moved his tail slightly and [...]ed his head
this way and that. Decided that this should remain the extent of
his callisthenics so as not to alarm the rest of the bipeds he walked
rather than flew over to where the two science officers were.

However, as is normally the custom with curious creatures like bipeds of
the Milky Way Galaxy a new face came along wishing to speak with this new
and wonderful discovery.

Puncdor eyed the peculiar large-eared alien with great delight and
curiosity. He had seen him a few times before when he'd been back inside
his force field.::

Brek: You are safe with us, Puncdor. As you must have realized, we are not
a violent community. All those weapons you see around us are for our
protection.

Puncdor: Yes. Yes, the children of your species are also the adults,
defending you.

::The alien scratched its arm for a moment and then said,::

Brek: I can see you are curious about us, and if you want, there are many
things you'll be able to learn about us: music, culture, games... But
first, we need to ensure our safety. Can you ask the adults in your
community to leave us alone? We can give them food, we can even treat their
injuries. But for this to happen, we must be treated as equals.

::Puncdor tilted one side of his mouth in concern and uncertainty.::

Puncdor: Well.. As I said earlier I can probably tell them that there is
not much food out here, or civilization. I hope they will listen though...

Brek: I understand. If nothing you say to your elders makes a difference,
then we'll have to rely on our technology to continue to protect ourselves.
You, on your side, will have to decide whether you want to stay with us, or
would rather go back to your species.

::Puncdor was quickly realizing this, but I dare say that his decision was
one which I cannot easily summarize for you yet.::

TAGS
TBC

Kli'bits'querz''aa*em
affably known as
Puncdor The Dragon
Now Permanently Juvenile Male Creature

as narrated by
The Narrator

as simmed by
Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Breeman
Chief Engineer
Starbase 118 and USS Columbia