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FLASH! (a second take)

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FLASH!

A soft and excited voice cut through the darkness. It was obviously overjoyed at something. "Quick! Adjust the lighting and get more heat over here, Bryant. He's hatching!"

The hatchling pressed against the confines of its small little world, aching for the light that was beginning to shine through the small crack that was created. Even as it strained against its prison, the hatchling heard a powerful, rumbling voice that nearly made the egg shake, even as it mumbled disinterestedly. "It's about time."

The first voice, softer and more feminine than the second spoke flatly in rebuke. "Quiet, Bryant. I told you this one would be good."

The baritone grumbled blandly in response. "Out of fifteen; it had better."

The hatchling shoved against its confines, and felt its whole world tip. Finally, it felt the cool, outside air with a free limb. The female spoke excitedly. "Look... there's an arm!"

Moments later, the rest of the egg broke away, and the hatchling could begin to make out blurry forms in the bright light. He saw a big blur of brownish red shift position, and he hissed at it. The deep voice rumbled from that brown blur. "I don't think it likes me."

The hatchling blinked at it, then the whitish and gold blur spoke up. "No... he's just tired."

Although it didn't understand the words, it could still sense intent, and the light colored blur favored him. He favored it back, offering up the only sound it knew how to make. "Hhhsssssssssssss..."

The brown blur didn't seem impressed. "So it's a 'he' then, huh?"

The light colored one sounded joyous. "Yes he is... you can tell because--"

*FLASH!*

Zasik sat at the meal dispensory table and stared down at the mostly-congealed of meat-like goop placed before him. Before so much as touching it, he looked up at the woman standing across from him; her golden hair framed her light-skinned face and attentive eyes; he liked those eyes because they were always looking at him. "What is this, Cynthia?"

Doctor Cynthia Garret, his primary handler responded. Her vocal sounds were familiar to him and he could tell that something was irritating her. "It's your dinner, Zasik."

He looked down at it, then back up at her. "What happened to the IRS?"

Although he was curious to find out the answer, he was also ravenous, and so he started eating the log of food; it did not taste bad at all, and the speed of his chewing increased, even as he listened to her response.

"Your Instant Ration Stew was done away with."

He continued eating, pausing only to swallow before speaking (she didn't like when he talked with food in his maw). "Oh."

She put a hand on his snout, shoving his nose off of the food dish. "Don't eat so fast. Dr. Lars decided that it your usual food costs too much and he wanted you to learn how to eat full solids. I told him that I thought you should have the IRSs for a few more-- what did I just tell you?"

Zasik paused in his chewing, having gone right back to scarfing it down once she'd pulled her hand away. She repeated the gesture, forcing him back from his meal. Zasik considered whether or not he should give her hand a good-natured nip but decided better seeing how his mouth was full and because he'd probably remove a few of her fingers thanks to his razor sharp teeth. Instead he offered a simple comment, "Mmm... if iff of fhat bab."

He realized too late that he'd spoken with food in his mouth but, rather than rebuke him, Cynthis just smirked. "Zasik... swallow, then try that again."

The scaled experiment did as she requested and repeated his earlier statement. "It is not that bad."

She sighed, her hand playing across the scales on his back. "I know... you should probably be eating it anyway, but I just can't help-" he looked up at her, curious, pausing to hear what she had to say, "No... you can keep eating."

"Okay."

He leaned over and took another huge mouthful of the loaf, even as Cynthia continued her musings aloud. "I just feel that sometimes Dr. Lars doesn't respect me very much."

Zasik carefully swallowed his most recent bite before asking his question. "Because you are the only female on base?"

He immediately took another bite as she took a seat on the lab chair opposite him. "No... maybe I'm just being egocentric, but I think maybe he's jealous that I'm twenty six, he's fifty, and the research board respects me more."

Once again he forgot his manners. "Whab bos 'ebosenphric' een?"

She stared off at the wall. "It means I'm being overconfident and raising my view of myself. ... and swallow next time."

Zasik swallowed, "I think you are a great doctor."

Her eyes returned to him, a bemused expression splitting her lips. "And how many other doctors have you met?"

"Um..." he thought for a moment, "Other than you and Dr. Lars? None... but I turned out okay, right?"

"Yes..." she started cracking up, "...yes you did."

He tilted his head questioningly at her levity. "Why are you laughing?"

Stiffling a fresh chuckle, she responded. "No reason... it's just that you're so good at noticing things I don't."

The food he'd been given tasted better than any of the IRs he'd eaten in the past, so he offered only a single syllable response before digging back in. "Yep."

Cynthia let out a soft sigh before standing. "That's a good thing too. You could use the extra nutrition since your training starts tomorrow."

**FLASH!**

Cynthia walked just ahead of Zasik, the dinosaur following obediently after her before she even spoke the familiar command. "Zasik, follow me please."

"Okay... but what is down this way, Cynthia? You never brought me down this hallway before."

Her response was spoken in the usual official way she sounded when she was busy during her work day with him. "We're going to go run another test."

He glanced over his shoulder down one of the other corridors toward the usual lab she used, but offered only a token objection. "But the testing chambers back down the other way."

His caretaker didn't even slow. "I know... but we're not giving you a combat exam. I need to make sure your genetic cohesion is secure. The upper-echelon scientists want to know that you're viable."

Cynthia pressed on a wall panel and the door opened, allowing them both entry. He followed obediently after her. "That I am 'viable'? 'Upper-echelon'?"

She walked inside and stepped to the left to provide him room to enter. "Mmm-hmmm. The site administration-- Dr Lars' bosses."

Zasik stopped in the doorway, glancing around the room. It was filled with electrical equipment, a metal slab, glass jars, and floor padding. "Hey... this room looks a lot like the medical bay."

She walked further into the room, moving towards a metal examination table. "That's right, it is. You're developing combat skills quite well, but we need to make sure that your physiological and anatomical components are functioning, so they asked that I check your biologic systems.

Zasik moved to follow her, idly listening to the sound of his talons as they clicked on the stone while he walked, "Oh... well I guess that is f-" he jumped nearly three feet high as the door closed and a loud metallic clamp sounded. The Dinosaur turned and hissed.

As usual, Cynthia remained calm; she was good at that. "Don't worry... that was just the pressure seal on the door."

He glanced back at it, then to her. "The 'pressure seal'? Why does this door have a 'pressure seal' and the others do not?"

She offered an explanation in the same, patient tone she always used whenever he had a question. "This room is designed to keep out contaminants and make sure that any bio-hazards stay inside." Not liking her explanation, Zasik didn't realizing he was rubbing his fore-talons together until Cynthia called him on it. "Why are you fidgeting?"

He aired his concern. "WE are on the inside. Any bio-hazards stay in here with us."

She took several tools from the cabinet and set them on a tray next to the table as she spoke. The dinosaur watched each of them, identifying one after the other in turn as she did so: a syringe without needle, latex gloves, a small jar, a pen-light, and numerous other tools that weren't familiar to Zasik. Cynthia motioned him over. "Zasik... when they mean bio-hazards they mean things like body fluids of the test subjects-- like you."

He walked even closer to her, watching as she put one of the gloves on. "So you mean I am a bio-hazard.

He took one of her hands in his hand-talons and turned it over looking at the glove she wore. Unlike some of the lab aides, she was not intimidated. "Watch your claws."

"Sorry."

She finally addressed his statement. "You are not a bio-hazard in any scientific sense, but protocol indicates that we have to treat you like one... now,put your talons here on the table," she motioned to a hand-rail of sorts connected to the slab, "and your feet on the pad." She pointed to the rubber mat on the ground next to the metal examining table.

He did as she directed, he placing his feet where directed then moved his fore-talons to grip the rail. "Alright... there."

Cynthia knelt down next to him. "Thank you."

"So this is just a regular examin-ahgh!" he jumped when her hand found its way to the base of his tail between his legs.

She didn't recoil at his surprise start, but she did provide him a firm request. "Hold still, Zasik."

The dinosaur did as she requested, fore talons clenching the metal bar as he felt a tingle run down the length of his tail; he'd had dreams before in which his body felt something similar, but he knew what was happening wasn't a dream, and the sensations were so much more real. Her fingers quickly coerced a response out of him.

He tried to speak, but his words quickly devolved into animalistic sounds. "Wha-what are-ahgh...sssssssss..."

His attempt was followed up with a deep rumble in his chest as a thrill ran through his body at her touch in his most sensitive of areas. Kneeling down beside Zasik, her hand continued its ministrations on a portion of him which had no scales, allowing him to experience her touch exponentially; he barely managed to take stock of what she was saying. "I have to get a genetic sampling to make sure your chromosomes are paired and divide properly."

"I thought you take blood for-" his sentence was interrupted as a new rumble escaped him, eyes half closing, "medical tesssstsss? That is what-" he let out an extended hiss as his thighs started to twitch, causing him to make short thrusts against her hand, "...you do usually, right?"

She chastised him immediately. "Stop moving so much, and concentrate on your speech... you're going back to hisses."

Clenching and unclenching his talons on the metal table, Zasik managed to limit his movement, but his attempt at controlling his words were to no avbail. "Oh... urghnnn... but it feelssss... it feelssssssssssssss..." his sentence ended, cut off by a deep rumble as he spread his legs wider apart.

"My supervisor wants to know that you'll be capable of reproducing and-"

Zasik stretched his body, moving his talons to Cynthia's arms as he lowered his head, eyes closed, "Ohhh...."

The most pleasurable sensations immediately stopped. "Talons on the table, Zasik... not my shoulder."

Obediently moving his talons back to the metal slab, grabbing the railing in a death-grip, he was rewarded with the continued ministrations and he hissed happily."Oh...ssssssssss... sssssorry. Ungh...Sssssssynthia-oh... yesssssssssss..."

Cynthia continued her explanation as if she hadn't been interrupted. "And checking motility count is the best way to determine your ability to reproduce. Hold still."

Zasik shifted his feet, clenching and unclenching them, drawing large grooves into the rubber padding beside the table. His talons scraped along the metal of the examination table and he rumbled deep in his chest. He breathed, wheezing against the urge to move wildly, trying to compose himself as Cynthia's ministrations drove him closer and closer towards losing control. He felt a tightness building between his legs.

Again, she gave him a warning. "Stop moving... or you'll hurt me with your claws."

Zasin let out a light hiss between his rumblings, forcing the words through his throat. "Ungh... ungh...can... not... help it...handssssss...your handsssss...ssssssso good..."

He lowered his head onto the table, gripping the metal in his mouth, and his talons slowly shifted to the doctor's shoulders again. Zasik clenched the metallic slab in his teeth, grasping Cynthia's shoulders tightly as he began to thrust in time with her motions. Once more, she gave him firm direction. "Talons on the table, Zasik."

He did as directed, not releasing the metal with his mouth, and latching onto it tightly with his talons, the claws puncturing the half inch thick metal. "Ungh... ungh... all-" he grunted, interrupting himself, "alright... there... sssssssssssss..."

"Good." she answered, speeding up her movements, "Stop moving."

Zasik exerted all of his willpower, clenching the rubber mat with his feet, driving his toe spurs into it. He was not ready for what came next. Feeling something about to happen, all he could do was over an enigmatic announcement. "Almossst..." he hissed rumbling deep in his chest, "Almosssssssssss- ssssssss -GH-AH!"

The dinosaur's talons clenched, tearing several chunks of metal free from the examination table. He threw his head back and let out a roar as he felt his whole body spasm. In the next breath he let out a high pitched screech as he felt shock wave after shock wave flow from the tip of his tail up to his abdomen and from his chest down to his toes.

Beside him, Cynthia cringed, using her shoulders to cover her ears since her hands were occupied. Even in his haze of euphoria, the dinosaur heard her grimace at the sound he made, and only then, when his mind came back into focus did he realize that he might have overstepped his boundaries with the screech, looking to her timidly, knowing her rules about screeching.

"Are..." he panted, "are you alright, Sssynthia?"

She set a specimen jar full of milky fluid off to one side, stripping off her surgical gloves before running a finger along the inside of one of her ears. "You know what that screech does to my ears, Zasik."

"I am sssorry, Cynthia... I am sssorry... but... but... wow!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm, flopping down onto the floor next to her smiling hugely.

Cynthia looked at him, started snickering, then broke out into a chuckle. "You look like... geez... I don't even KNOW what you look like, but it's hilarious."

He made sure to quickly erase the last vestiges of a hiss from his speech before he questioned, "Was that... why are you laughing?"

She slowly stood, tossing her inside-out gloves into a seal-able bag, turning to make several annotations to a tablet next to her by the counter. "Nothing... just your expression right now." she answered, standing up.

Still lounging on the rubber mat, he looked up at her. "Was that mating, Cynthia?"

Cynthia coughed in surprise then turned to regard the dinosaur, "No, no, Zasik, that was not mating." she turned back to her work, attempting to hide a smile from him, "That was called manual semen collection. I need to make sure you'd be able to impregnate another of your species."

He rumbled out his approval. "Oh... I like it."

Cynthia's response seemed to be all too common that day, and Zasik frowned, making sure she was aware of the situation. "Cynthia, you're laughing again."

***FLASH!***

Doctor Cynthia Garret grabbed at the lab coat of her supervisor. "But Dr. Lars, the mechanics crew said that they were experiencing trouble with the pulse rounds. I'm not sure it would be safe to-"

He cut her argument off. "Are you implying you doubt the in the abilities of the experiment, Dr. Garret?"

Edward Lars, the second ranking scientist on Project Raptor yanked his sleeve out of her grasp. No longer willing to stand apart from the conversation, Zasik drew closer and the two of them turned once they heard the sound of hiss talons clicking across the floor. Cynthia took a step back, resting her arm on hiss shoulders. "His name is Zasik, Sir."

Dr. Lars rolled his eyes; Zasik could tell it was for Cynthia's benefit or, more precisely, in a show of disinterest in her objections. "You can name him what you like, Doctor, but it is an experiment nonetheless, and the schedule has Raptor 43 on the blast range in twenty minutes time."

Zasik was not the least bit concerned, and he wanted to reassure his handler. "Do not worry, Cynthia. You know I am good at combat exams."

Dr. Lars gestured toward him even as he spoke to Cynthia. "You see, Dr. Garret? Even the experiment is confident that everything will go well."

Although Zasik wanted to hiss at the man who did not value Cynthia, the dinosaur worked hard to retain a neutral tone as part of the conversation in his response. "As Dr. Garret explained, my name is Zasik, Dr. Lars."

Edward Lars rubbed his temples with his fingers. "Now you two are even starting to sound alike."

Although Zasik was still focused on Dr, Lars, he did see that Cynthia glanced toward him as she spoke. "Well he does have a personality of his own, Sir. As you know, that was part of the experiment."

Waving away the objection, Dr. Lars changed to rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I can't help but think that it'll still cause problems, Dr. Garret, but Dr. Iisakson put you in charge of the project so it was your call."

The statement was accompanied by a completely open look of disdain clear on his face-- one that Zasik never failed to notice when speaking with Cynthia. The dinosaur did not like it one bit but, as usual, Cynthia handled it better than he did; she fired right back. "Yes he did... and I think giving Zasik a personality also gives him a change to understand emotion. I doubt that the military representatives are looking for a mindless killing machine."

Zasik was happy to back up his favorite doctor. "I like being able to think. It gives me a chance to-"

He was spoken over by Dr. Lars whose voice was near a shout. "For goodness sake, Cynthia... now you're bringing morality into play? We're not supposed to question their desires, just present the goods--" he glanced towards Zasik, who made all attempts to avoid frowning, "--and does the experiment have to be here?"

Cynthia let out an exasperated sigh, "Zasik... please return to your quarters and get ready for the combat exam... it looks like Dr. Lars intends to carry it out."

Zasik offered her his most confident acknowledgement. "Of course, Cynthia. I will see you soon."

Edward Lars was not done belly-aching. "And for god's sake, have it address you as Doctor!"

Zasik did not wait around to hear more of the conversation, far more eager to fulfill Cynthia's request than stress his tolerance for a man he wanted to eviscerate; the dinosaur knew he was a 'thing', but he would not stand Cynthia being undervalued.

****FLASH!****

When he was alone with Cynthia, Zasik was not very good at hiding his emotions and no small amount of disdain snuck into his words as he obediently followed her down the hallway. "Am I getting ANOTHER shower, Cynthia?"

Although he'd been undergoing combat exercises for over a year, the dinosaur was always astounded at how much they made him wash. Cynthia was likely used to his objections by that point, and her answer came as if by rote. "Yes, Zasik, you need one after that last training exercise."

He offered a rebuttal. "I do not mind the dirt... it keeps the bugs off of my scales."

"We have cream for that... and the doctors don't like the mud tracked in all around the halls."

He had heard the whole lecture before but intended to make her work for his cooperation. He stopped in the hall, letting a little mud drop down onto the clean floor. He knew that Dr. Lars would throw a fit about it later... and the thought made him smile. "Humans are picky... and that cream smells bad."

Ignoring his latest argument, Cynthia Opened the door to the shower room. "I know... now come on. I have to get your harness off of you."

The doctor unclasped several different parts of the harness designed just for the dinosaur and took it off of him. The harness, what Zasik had come to know as the bane of his existence, was an interlaced plastic polymer contraption that fitted over his shoulders and clasped around his waist, offering many pockets and holsters in which he could store items for easy retrieval. Despite Dr. Lars' constant reference to it as a high tech marvel of engineering, Zasik certainly didn't mind when Cynthia dropped it casually to the floor.

He rotated his small arms and shrugged his almost non-existent shoulders, then gave the pile of straps a flick with the largest talon on his right foot. "Ah... that feels better. I hate that thing."

Cynthia rolled her eyes, and gently urged Zasik toward the shower. "I know, but it holds important things for you so your talons can be available for other tasks."

"I know... I know..." Zasik stood obediently as the doctor turned on the hot water, and he waited there for many long moments, letting the water from the high powered nozzle spray him all over, "Ahhh... I like warm water."

Speaking up from outside the stall, Cynthia's words were accompanied by a mirthful chuckle. ""Of course you do... almost everyone enjoys warm water."

Turning to regard her through the transparent stall door, Zasik suddenly froze in spot; she was getting undressed too! He stumbled over his speech. "Cynthia, wh- are you going to ssshower too?"

She leveled him a steady gaze. "No... I just usually walk around naked in my spare time."

He could never recall her doing so, but he was willing to accept her statement as truth."Oh. I see. So do I."

Opening the door enough for her to step in, she gave him a light shove out of the way."That was sarcasm, Zasik... now move over."

The dinosau blinked his transparent eyelids and took a step to the side in the large shower stall. "Oh... sar...cas...m. I see."

Still maintaining her commanding tone, Cynthia held out a hand to him. "Alright... now hand me your talon."

He placed his right talon in it and she started to wash it carefully with a sponge, cleaning out the dirt beneath his claws and the dust within the cracks in his scales. In order to try and distract himself from observing the intracacies of her naked body, he brought up a rumor that he'd heard spoken between two technicians earlier during training. "There is another military exercise tomorrow, Cynthia?"

She finished with his right talon and gestured to his left as she answered. "Yes there is, Zasik. Hand me your other talon."

He did so obediently, still trying to create a dialogue. "I like sponges."

When Cynthia started laughing he rotated his head in query. "Why are you laughing"

"Nothing. It just seems like a funny thing to say."

Zasik tried hard to mimic her clinical tone as he defended his assessment. "Well I do. They are soft and they clean off my scales."

As expected, she had no rebuttal. "True... that IS true, yes."

His inquisitive, curious nature took as he watched her work with the sponge. "Can I try using it?"

She benevolently surrendered it to him. "Alright, here. I'm not sure how far you can reach with your arms. You probably won't be able to clean yourself ve-"

He pressed the sponge against her arm and started moving it up and down. Although his scaled lips were nowhere near as expressive as a Human's, Zasik tried his best to offer up a smile. "I think I am getting the hang of this."

Cynthia failed in trying to fight back a smile. "I thought you were talking about cleaning yourself, Zasik."

He didn't realize up until that moment that what she said was precisely what he was doing, and he quickly had to come up with an excuse for his behavior. "Well... you always clean me."

As usual, her retort was spot-on. "Yes, but that's because I can do a better job of cleaning you than you're able to do."

He attempted to clean her hand in the same way she had done with his talon. "I could probably clean you better than you can."

Although she objected, he was pleased that she didn't interrupt him, apparently content to let him work while she observed. "I don't think so. I have arms and hands that are shaped better for using a sponge."

Unsure of what compelled him in that moment to try and win the argument, Zasik nevertheless committed to pressing forward, and went for a shock factor. He brought her hand up to his muzzle and extended his forked-tongue, encircling her fingers, mumbling out "Dere. 'otfs eafier."

"HEY! I didn't mean for you to use your tongue!"

He was willing to concede the battle, but not the war. "But my tongue works better. You are right... I am not as good with a sponge."

"Hold on a minute..."

He skewered the sponge on the shower floor with a hind-talon and brought it up to the much smaller talon on his arm. "Turn around... I will sponge your back and lick your neck at the same time. We will finish with the shower faster and then we will have more time to spend together before 22:00-lights-out. You can finish reading the book to me."

He offered another smile, holding the sponge up in what he hoped was an inviting manner; despite being committed to proving he could be useful, he was not about to act without her approval. "Zasik, I have no idea where this idea came from, but it-"

He cut her off. "You are always washing me, so I want to wash you too. That is fair... right?"

Surprisingly, Cynthia caved. Sighing, she turned around. "Alright. There. Just be careful with your claws, please."

He placed the sponge lightly against her back making slow circles with it. "Okay... is that good?"

The doctor leaned back against his ministrations. "Yes. But press a little harder or the sponge won't do any good."

He pressed more firmly. "Like this?"

Cynthia let out a faint sigh. "Yes... like that. I'm not sure this is supposed to be a skill that you need to learn, though."

Zasik slowly extended his tongue, leaning towards her and brushing it across the nape of Cynthia's neck. The doctor went rigid at the touch then slowly melted into it as the dinosaur began caressing her skin, tasting the traces of dried sweat. The raptor huffed in a great breath of her fragrance, smelling her hair as he worked, commenting with a soft "Sssss."

He felt a little giddy at her close proximity and the smell of her body right up next to his. Zasik's muzzle slowly traveled down her spine, tongue trailing as he went. She objected about the time he reached the small of her back. "Zasik, sponge my back and lick my neck... not the other way around."

The dinosaur continued the downward movement of his muzzle, feeling light headed at the scent of the doctor. "Sssss...."

"Zasik, what are you- ah!" she began, but Zasik cut her off as his muzzle planted itself firmly between her thighs.

"Sssss..."

Cynthia spun away from the dinosaur, turning to face him. "Zasik... wait. Hold on!"

As always, he obeyed, but he felt a warm feeling slowly radiating out from the center of his being as he sniffed the air. He felt repressed urges begin to swell within him. Repressed urges began to swell within him as thoughts, images, and desires started to dance within his head. He held them at bay only by asking one of his many questions. "Why do humans wear clothes?"

She took a half step back from him. "Because we do."

"Why?"

He could hear her heart beat increasing. "Because we have a degree of modesty."

Zasik took a step closer, sniffing at her again. "Why?"

She took another step away, and he watched her stop when her back brushed the shower wall. Despite her retreat from him, Zasik didn't smell any fear from Cynthia. "Evolution theorists think it's because we feel it provides protection against... uncomfortable intimacy."

He took another step closer, resting the end of his muzzle on her stomach right above her navel and began sniffing her, slowly working his way down in his exploration. "Why are you not wearing clothes now?"

"Because I'm taking a shower, Zasik... same reason you don't have your harness-" she batted his snout away before it got too much lower.

The Dinosaur crinkled his nostrils and looked back up at her face, cocking his head to the side. Although his mind wanted to focus on other things, he kept his attention on the discussion. "So you do not mind uncomfortable intimacy with me?"

She rested a hand on his head between his eyes. "Zasik, I don't feel uncomfortable around you. I've known you for several years now."

"I have known you all my life."

Words concluded, he finally succumbed to what other things his brain wanted, and his head trailed down even lower, taking a large wuff of her scent in, and he pressed his muzzle between her legs. Cynthia was apparently caught by surprise, speaking and stopping several times in the course of just a few words. "Zasik... AHH... oh.... your-"

His head spun with the exhilaration of her scent. "mmmsssssssss..."

He had to taste her. The dinosaur's tongue pressed out from his muzzle, exploring the space between her legs, and he slid his tongue out. She gasped, and he felt her thighs shake against either side of his head even as she murmured. "Your.....your.... tongue.... Zasik..."

He merely rumbled in response, pressing his tongue further, deeper as the sweet taste encased it. She shuddered softly beneath his ministrations. His tongue continued its movements, eliciting another shudder from the doctor. Her thighs clenched slightly around his muzzle, finally forcing him to take stock of the situation and speak anew. "Cynthia... you... are squeezing my head..."

She turned, maneuvering herself away from the wall and disengaging. "Zasik... I'm sorry."

He turned to follow, reaching out one of his small arms, talon splayed. "No...I am fine. Do not run. Wait...please?"

Although she didn't leave the shower, Cynthia clung to the door, looking away from him. "You shouldn't do that, Zasik."

He took a tentative step closer. "Why?"

"Because I'm a Doctor, and you're-"

He cut her off. "An experiment?"

The words came out as a hissed, his eyes narrowing at the title; he never expected her of all people to say such a thing. She immediately spun around, face full of concern. "No! I was NOT going to say that!"

He looked down, anger dissolving right away, knowing full well and realizing she'd never use such a label on him. He took a breath to steady himself, his heart racing faster than it ever did on the combat courses. Letting out a second, deep exhale, Zasik pushed forward, needing to understand. "Then what is wrong? You do not have a mate... and-- and I am here..."

Letting out a soft sigh, Cynthia stepped closer, pressing her hand against his scaled cheek, raising his face so his eyes could look into hers. "Zasik... I'm not your race... I can't be your mate."

She was everything to him, so couldn't she be his mate too? He tried to keep the accusation out of his voice. "Why?

She held his gaze but, eventually, her eyes cast downward toward the floor of the shower. "Because I'm not supposed to form a bond with you... Dr. Lars said so."

Zasik placed his talon beneath her chin and raised her face to meet his eyes. The question was easier to speak a second time. "Why?"

Her eyes began to tear up anew. "Because I'm not."

The third time he asked the question his tone had changed. "Why?"

His muzzle slowly descended once again, eyes not leaving her face as his scaled lips gingerly brushed between her breasts... down her sternum... across her belly... down... down... down... as she failed to answer. Ultimately her excuse started "Bec--"

Her response was cut off as the dinosaur extended his tongue once again, pressing it between her thighs. Zasik gave her one strong, firm lick before withdrawing it, speaking against her feminine opening in response. "You do not like him... I do not like him. I like you. I will not hurt you, Cynthia..."

The tone of her voice as she spoke his name sent a shiver from the tip of his tail to its base, and up his spine until it lodged in the back of his skull, ORDERING him to act. "Zasik..."

He gently grasping her wrists with either talon, muzzle trailing up her body, tongue following, making a thin line of saliva across her soft flesh, "I will not hurt you."

She spoke his name again; it felt like a plea, but whether it was for him to stop or to keep going, he honestly didn't know. "Zasik..."

The dinosaur didn't answer, moving himself closer to her, and raising his head up so his muzzle hovered two inches from her face as water from the shower head cascaded around them. "Tell me to stop, Cynthia... I will. But-- but if you.... if you do not..."

She whispered his name again. "Zasik..."

His forked tongue flickered out of his muzzle as he spoke hers, tongue brushing across her lips, like silk. "Cynthia... Please..."

She pressed her lips against his snout softly, adn he could feel her tension and resistance slowly fading in his grasp as she relented. "Alright... alright..."

As if it were waiting for permission as ardently as he had been, Zasik felt the sensation of his member leaving his slit in response to her approval. The dinosaur shivered as warmth spread through his being. Cynthia had granted that freedom to him. He pressed his body up against her lithe frame, feeling the flawless silken skin of her thigh against his shaft as he backed her up against the shower wall. He pushed her hands against the tile, talons encircling her wrists, supporting himself against the wall on his knuckles as he spread his legs apart, leaning against her.

Water flowed off his body feeling like hands rubbing him all over, but not as good as her skin against the scales of his chest and abdomen. She winced, first against the coldness, then again, but explained the sound with her next statement. "Too tight... your talons, Zasik... they're too tight." she commented

He quickly loosened his hold of her arms and curled his tail up between her legs, creating some much needed leverage as he aligned himself, feeling her warm opening against the tip of his member. No further objections forthcoming from her, Zasik shivered, finally reveling in what he wuold finally be able to do. Straightening his tail, he pushed his pelvis forward, and her opening spread as if it were eagerly awaiting him; in one smooth motion he was completely within her moist, slick, warm depths and he stopped onloy once his hips met hers.

Shuddering as the heat from within her suffused his entire, aching length, Zasik purr-rumbled out his elation. "Rrrrr... Warm... ssssssssssso warm..."

The dinosaur hissed softly, and he began sliding in and out of her slowly, a rhythmic rocking of his hips as his tail moved in counterpoint. She moaned his name. "Zasik..."

The mere sound of her words brought more warmth to his body from somewhere deep within him. Grunting, he withdrew then pressed deeply into her, grating his scales up against her flesh. "Urrrrrrrhhhh... It feelssss... it feelssssssssssssss..." he issued a low, reverberating moan, causing water to spray out into the air off of his body as the powerful rumbles shook it away with his words "sssso good..."

Cynthia moaned, squirming on his shaft, pressing her own hips out to meet his. "Zasik... Zasik... yes."

Zasik grunted and hissed in pure bliss, pulling the doctor off the wall. He used one of his arms to knock aside several shampoos and soaks before laying her down onto a waist-high shelf, her legs straddling his hips as he hunched over her. Now, mounted, he let out a rumble and pressed his feet against the wall of the shower, thrusting into her with more power. He hissed in pure ecstasy as her insides pulled and stroked his shaft with each movement from his his hips. "Oh... Sssssssynthia... yessssss..."

The doctor screamed in ecstasy, and the sound brought a shiver of pleasure that almost set his scales on end. Her hands clenched onto the Dinosaur's arms with a vice-like strength as she shuddered beneath him. She moaned out, "mmmmm" and Zasik could feel her insides spasm around his member. His hips responded, shakily thrusting into her contracting tunnel and he spoke in broken words. "Sssynthia... your handsss... uhgh... they are hurting my-uhaarmsss."

She spoke, murmuring out half-intelligible sentences he couldn't understand, her breaths coming in labored gasps. She let out a scream, body going rigid, head thrown back as her she bit into her bottom lip, muffling further cries of passion. Zasik felt her grip his shaft firmly within her as he continued to work away, feeling his whole body begin to tingle.

Cythia shuddered, taking hold of his shoulders and pressing her head against his chest as he continued to undulate, slamming himself into her again and again, supporting her with the assistance of the shelf against his body as she continued to cry out "Oh... oh god.... Zasik... god..."

The Dinosaur felt it coming, a blast of warmth followed by an incredible pressure within him. He gritted his teeth, shutting his eyes against the power of it, forcing himself into and out of Cynthia again and again, repeatedly as water cascaded down from the shower nozzle onto the two, still caught up in the moment. He hissed through his clenched maw. "Agh... can... nott-ung...sssssssssss...ssstop-umph...ssssso-rrrrrrrhhh... clossssse..."

He felt himself teeter over the edge, lowering his head and burying his flared nostrils into Cynthia's hair. He shoved again, then again, and one more time as an explosive surge blasted through his member, and he growled out his release. "Ghuurrrhhhhhhunggggg!"

The sound quickly turned into a roar, and he finally felt release as wave after wave of pressure escape him and he felt a new warmth on his thighs as fluid began to escape from Cynthia, his shaft still buried deep in her. Zasik hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until, ultimately spent, he collapsed with Cynthia onto the shelf, gasping for air as his head swam.

He laid there atop her for many long moments, both of them panting from the exertion, while warm shower water rained down upon them, soothing as they lay in each other's embrace. Slowly, Zasik rolled over, carrying Cynthia with him so that she could rest atop him. He offered his own observation, pointing out quietly that he'd behaved himself "I did not screech."

Gazing down at him, Cynthia smiled, brushing her fingers along his face. "I know... thank you."

The dinosaur rubbed his tail along her thigh, gently curling the tip around her ankle."You are really light, Cynthia. I like the feel of your body."

She answered with a smile. "You're just getting stronger, Zasik."

Closing his transparent eyelids against several stray drops of water, he lowered his head back against the shelf. "Can I hold you for awhile?"

Cynthia leaned forward, pressing her lips against his muzzle. "I think that sounds nice."

Her hair draped across his face, nearly tickling the small lines of skin between his scales. The doctor's presence warmed him in more ways than just physical. He had an announcement to make. "Cynthia..."

Her voice soft, and distant, she let out a yawn. "Hmm?"

Zasik reached up to brush several wet strands of hair out of her face. His member slid free of her. It's work done, it retreated back into its spot beneath his scales and licked her face. He wasn't done with his announcements. "I like the feel of your hair... and your skin."

She folded her fingers among the claws on his right arm talon. "I like the feel of your scales, Zasik."

He had one final announcement, which he spoke into her ear. "And I love you."

Cynthia didn't respond... going very silent as she looked at his talon and her hand intertwined. He repeated the statement. "I love you, Cynthia."

His lover slowly turned to look at him, her eyes brimming in tears of happiness, "I love you too, Zasik... you're the only dream I ever had that came true."

Their kiss was a long one.

***FLASH!***

Zasik hissed at the lab tech who was responsible for sewing up his latest injury. Although some amounts of damage was normal during his field tests, the dinosaur's mind had not been on the practice rounds since he wasn't as focused as usual. Ever since he had been hatched, Zasik could not think of a time where he'd gone more than one cycle without seeing her and yet, all of the sudden, she had been absent from his life for the better part of seven. It made no sense to her... especially after how close they had become. All of Zasik's instincts told him that she was his mate. Mates were supposed to be together. Had he done something wrong? Had something happened that he didn't understand?

He hissed again when the lab tech gave another rough pull and the young man recoiled in alarm. Zasik hadn't bothered learning the man's name; he was a poor substitute for Cynthia, and he always smelled strongly of fear. The dinosaur grunted at him "You are not good at what you do."

The human fidgeted, stepping back. "I-- I'm just an intern. I'm not a surgeon."

Zasik reinforced his sentiment with another hiss, causing the lab tech to draw further away. Grunting, the dinosaur reached out for the medical kit and began tending to himself; his talons were not the best thing for fine work like stitching closed a wound, but he was confident that he would do a better job than the meek little human who couldn't so much as look at Zasik without giving off the impression that he wanted to turn tail and run. "You can go. I will do this myself."

The lab tech seemed only too happy to oblige, but paused at the door. "You-- you won't tell Dr Lars that I didn't finish patching you up, will you?"

Zasik was ready to offer a harsh rebuke but he paused. "I will not... if you tell me where Dr Cynthia Garret is. She usually takes care of me."

It was mostly a truthful statement; he didn't usually get anywhere near as injured during testing, but he was admittedly distracted. Regardless, the intern didn't need to know that, so he let the statement stand on its own. Although Zasik didn't expect an answer, he was surprised when he got one. "Oh... the lady who was running the program? I... I heard she was let go."

The dinosaur cocked his head to the side. "What is 'Let go'? What does that mean?"

The lab tech inched closer to the door. "She was told to leave?"

Zasik did NOT like the sound of that. "Leave? For how long?"

On the other side of the door, the intern closed it before answering. "Forever."

That night, Zasik's designation changed from Raptor 43 to Demon.

**FLASH!**

A month without Cynthia was far more torturous to Zasik's will than the continued testing was to his body. He occasionally heard some of the lab techs talk about how Dr. Lars was insane for risking "the asset" on continuing training despite Zasik's obvious continued decline. Between no longer caring and the additional bodily injuries, the raptor's combat capabilities were in free-fall, and every day resulted in yet another wound that wouldn't have time to heal before the next.

Each day had blended into the next; days without Cynthia-- his creator-- his confidant-- his lover-- his mate. That morning, however, was different from the rest; it was the first time that Dr Lars came to visit him in the lab since Cynthia had been banished from the installation. Zasik didn't notice him at first, content to be flopped on the floor of his holding cell, ignoring his newest wounds, but the immediately recognizable voice brought him around immediately. "You're a disgrace, Raptor 43."

Rather than address the insult, Zasik brought his head up immediately. "Dr Lars?"

The man smirked. "Well... apparently the reports of your incapacity have been greatly over-exaggerated."

The dinosaur standing in moments, moving to the edge of the impermeable glass separating his holding area from the observation room; back when Cynthia was with him she always joined him in the room, but, ever since he'd told off the intern, nobody had bothered to enter the room. Gazing out of the window toward his visitor, the raptor asked "Why are you here?"

Expression neutral-yet-severe, Dr Lars stated "I AM the lead on this project, and you are one of its assets, so it is my responsibility to look in on you. I've heard that the attendants have taken to calling you Demon... and, based on the damage you caused to your room a few weeks back, I can see why. I would not be doing my job if I didn't try to discover why you are acting up so much, why you're doing so poorly with your combat testing and why you are so... out of sorts."

Zasik was not interested in being questioned by Dr. Lars. "Why is Cynthia gone? Why is she not here anymore?"

The doctor leaned closer to the glass. "She was fired."

The dinosaur had to restrain a hiss. "I heard that she is no longer allowed to be here. Why is that?"

Dr Lars raised an eyebrow. Rather than say a word, the man pulled a small plastic tube out of his coat pocket and pressed a button; a screen emerged from the far wall and when he pressed another button Zasik was treated to what appeared to be a visual recording. He was looking at him mating with Cynthia. The dinosaur had no words.

The doctor provided some of his own. "What she did was inexcusable, both from a professional perspective, and a scientific one. As soon as these tapes were reviewed she was relieved of duty and expelled from the program."

Zasik felt a warmth flow through his body; it was not the same one as he felt when he was with Cynthia... it was something entirely new. It made him hurt, but it a way that made him want to hurt even more... to let go of everything, and make everyone hurt. Heeding the words of Cynthia, he worked to maintain logical thought and he carefully and purposefully enunciated his words. "I love her, and she loves me."

There was no humor to Dr Lars' laugh. "You are an experiment, Raptor 43... and she was deluding herself. I can imagine that she loved what you represented-- you were the culmination of her work, and her life's goals... but she wasn't in love WITH you."

The dinosaur had a tentative grip at best of his thoughts; the heat within him was blazing, and threatening to tear away any chance at reasoning with the man who stood on the other side of the glass like some kind of jailer. "I love Cynthia... and she loves me. And my name is Zasik.... Edward."

Dr Lars' smile disappeared. "Dr Garret is not here anymore, Raptor 43, and she no longer has any sway with the administration. This is my project now. You're welcome to hold onto whatever fantasies you want, but either you are going to figure out how to perform, or I'll let the training kill you. Dr. Garret's notes are clear enough that I'm perfectly content to start again if you don't shape up. And you will NEVER call me Edward. Ever. Do I make myself clear?"

Zasik glared at him through the glass. "I understand perfectly clearly. I am not stupid... Edward."

The raptor watched with destructive glee as the man's eye twitched, but was confused when Edward smiled. Glancing behind himself, back at the monitor, the scientist set the remote on the counter near it. "I'll leave this on so you can have some company... she may not be here physically, but maybe letting you see her, and knowing how you destroyed her life will help you put things in perspective."

Throwing himself against the reinforced glass, Zasik's talons were on full display. No longer able to hold himself back, he screeched and roared, hissed and gnashed, but it was to no avail. He was wounded enough that his blood started to smear against the barrier and it wasn't long before he had exhausted himself. Dr Lars remained in the doorway of the observation long enough to witness it, much to Zasik's shame.

The man left with a large smile on his face, and a condemnation on his lips. "You were bio-genetically engineered, 43... shame you had to learn one of the harshest lessons out there: Love rarely goes unpunished."

Edward turned off the light as he left.

*FLASH!*

A soft and excited voice cut through the darkness. It was obviously overjoyed at something. "Quick! Adjust the lighting and bring the trauma kit, Bryant. It's bad!"

Zasik had lost the number of days since he'd last seen Cynthia, but he would never mistake her voice. His last combat exercise had been several days prior and he was unable to stand up to go out for any since then; Dr Lars had seen to it that he had been sedated to have his wounds treated the prior day, but he felt no better, and presumed that it was substandard care... not like Cynthia... SHE cared.

He remembered hearing about false sensory input, and rationalized that he was hearing tings; Cynthia was gone, and would not be coming back. Even as he tried to shut the outside world out so he could die in peace, Zasik's peaceful decline into oblivion was disrupted by a a powerful, rumbling voice that nearly made the egg shake, even as it mumbled disinterestedly. "Here... a fresh load of stem cells and R42 serum."

The voice that couldn't possibly be Cynthia spoke quickly. "Go keep an eye out, Bryant... I have to act fast."

The baritone grumbled. "Right. I could be shot for this."

A soft touch somehow managed to lessen the sting of the thick needle jabbed into the loose skin where his scales bunched up along the inside of his arm. None of the lab techs ever thought to give him injections there, and none of them were able to calm him with a soft stroke to his neck like Cynthia had-- his mind snapped out of its haze as her divine scent wafted into his nose. He jolted upright, and very nearly fell over from the dizziness that overtook him as he called out "Cynthia?!?"

It took several seconds for his vision to clear, and he felt an overwhelming surge of emotions as his eyes finally settled on Cynthia's face. She had tears streaming down her eyes, and her expression was completely and unabashedly one of concern. "Oh god, Zasik... I... I can't believe what they did to you..."

He fough through the weakening relief that threatened to make him collapse anew. "They... they took you away."

Her longed-for embrace comforted him like nothing else could as she slid her arms around his head, crying fresh tears. "Just... just rest for a few minutes. We need to get you out of here, and--"

Her words were cut short as angry shouts filtered in through the door from the hallway beyond. Cynthia tensed and, sensing that she was in danger, Zasik's body did the unthinkable: it stood. Speaking slowly and purposefully, he addressed her. "Cynthia... I need my harness."

The doctor shook her head. "You're not in any condition to fight, Zasik."

He locked gazes with her. "I have never had a better reason to fight, Cynthia. If you are going to be in trouble for coming to see me, then we are going to leave. I will not let them take you from me again."

Even as she moved to provide what he requested she still objected. "This won't be like a training session, Zasik... you might get killed."

He huffed in objection, feeling his body begin to grow stronger the longer he stood and the more committed he was to the course of action. "I was already to die, and they had their chance to make it happen. Now I want to live, and I will not make it easy for them, Cynthia. You are going to be safe."

She helped him secure his harness, which was, thankfully, still equipped with some of the equipment he came back with from his last training session. Cynthia worked to secure the last strap. "Fighting is going to be a last resort. I have an extraction ready if we can get out of here and down to the--"

The loud retort of a sidearm being discharged a closed space interrupted her statement and Zasik stumbled when she fell against him. He reached out to grab her in his arms and immediately felt warmth and wetness on her back. Looking out into the observation room through the open door he saw Dr Lars standing with a pistol in his hand, four security officers standing on either side of him. He spoke clearly and coolly. "Secure the asset and recover the intruder."

Zasik had once thought that he'd lost all control when he first heard that Cynthia had been removed from his life. He learned, however, that he had a lot more control to surrender, and his blood lust was not sated until Edward Lars' head was laying in a pool of blood separate from his disembodied body. The security guards fared little better, and not even their body armor was able to ensure an open casket funeral.

FLASH!

A sharp and excited voice cut through the darkness. It was obviously overjoyed at something. "She's waking up! Bryant! She's waking up!"

Cynthia groaned, the light striking her face causing her small, dark world of blessed oblivion shatter into a plethora of stabbing pins threatening to lobotomize her. "Huh?"

As she sought to collect her wits, she recognized a second voice. It was deep and powerful, and caused her headache to worsen. There was a hint of humor to the usually dower tone with which Bryant spoke. "Well... looks like you decided to hang in there after all, Doc. You never told me that 43 knew first aid."

Slowly cracking one eye open, she was provided blessed relief from the light as a large, fuzzy brown shape loomed over her, and Bryant's unmistakable ursine face slowly began to take shape. She spoke, and a second voice announced in unison from off to the side "Zasik."

A talon ever-so-gently interlaced claws with her fingers and the raptor's breath washed across her ear. "I got you out, Cynthia. I promised I would protect you if you stayed alive... you stayed alive, and I got you out."

Wincing as she tried to raise her left arm, Cynthia remembered the final moments before she lost consciousness. "He... he shot me."

Bryant's tone returned to pure, bland business. "You snuck onto a top secret installation. He was within his rights."

Cynthia had known Bryant for years, and certainly didn't expect anything less than pure honest input from him, but she also knew he could handle any shit she flung his way. Considering she'd been shot, she was happy to send a lot. "Fuck off, Bryant."

She winced when Zasik gave her a fresh hug, and he quickly recoiled. "I am sorry, Cynthia... I... missed you, and I was worried you would die."

Bryant responded simply "I grabbed some modified stem cells and a stim pack on our way out... I knew you'd pull through... even if you're not a vat-bred soldier."

Cynthia had spent a large portion of her life around genetically modified organisms, many of which being created by humanity to serve a specific purpose. Her contribution to the study was to uplift test subjects into capacity for sapience, which was far different than how most vat-bred were handled... which consisted of building on top of a human framework. When she had been scooped up by one of the many mega-corps studying evolution advancements, Cynthia had thought her world would finally be recognized for what it could mean to society-- instead, her employers were interested only in the military application.

Fortunately for her, after being fired, she had found a new mega corporation would not only put that science to better use, but were actively interested in monkey-wrenching her old employer. It worked out well, and the caring, loving, empathetic dinosaur fussing over her was proof of that. "I'm so glad you're safe, Zasik."

The raptor surprised her with his next words. "This love is going unpunished."

She had to think a moment before his statement made sense and then, it only created more questions. "What? Why would love be punished?"

Zasik huffed. "It was something I heard. Someone said 'Love rarely goes unpunished.'."

Cynthia shook her head, and regretted it as vertigo threatened to make her sick. She breathed steadily for a few moments before speaking. "I feel sorry for anyone living with that kind of outlook."

The dinosaur offered a very self-satisfied smirk. "There is no need to feel sorry, Cynthia... he is not living any longer."