Explosive Epilogue
Story by fawkesish on SoFurry
The final installment of Explosive 'ness as we move into the final phase of Taalli Tales.
A big thanks to
for rapidly proof reading and providing ideas for enhancements to the story.
Riimack's large blue wings were stretched wide as he glided over the desert landscape. Blinking his eyes, he tilted his head to check the time on his issued altimeter and timepiece; his watch should be finishing soon, a blissful smile pulling at his snout at the thought of relaxing in his tent and resting his tired wings.
Pulling his hind legs close to his body, he then stretched them back out. Stimulating blood flow was an important exercise on long surveillance flights, and to prevent himself from having an embarrassing landing, he regularly clenched his toes and calves to stave off the numbness.
Riimack's eyes widened as he heard his call sign come through the large radio he carried, the familiar female voice making him straighten his posture. "Guardian Delta One Three, this is Guardian Delta Seven. On your six, playboy."
Glancing over his shoulder, his mouth opened in a broad grin as he saw the graceful white dragoness, Viina, quickly approaching. He held his direction and altitude as she came within earshot. "Oh! Hey, hey."
"Hey? Is that all I get?" Viina teased, and Riimack's heart soared as she flapped her wings to bring herself closer.
Banking slightly, he drifted sideways until one of his wings was under her. Reaching his head up, she lowered hers. Her soft lips met his in a loving kiss. Pressing up to her, he rotated his head and deepened the kiss, his tongue moving into her mouth.
Viina moaned into his mouth before pulling back and giving him a final lick on his snout. "I'm here to relieve you," she smiled.
Riimack pouted and adjusted his wings to rise alongside her, their wingtips gently brushing against one another as they rode the rising desert air. "Aww, I was hoping someone else would cover for me," he said sadly. "I was thinking we could get dinner."
Viina chuckled and looked down at the desolate wasteland below them. "I don't think there are many good places open," she mused, her powerful eyes watching a small convoy of pickup trucks in the distance kick up dust while bouncing down the dirt road.
"Oh, I was thinking of putting in a special request with the base cooks. To celebrate!" Riimack explained, his head turned to focus on her.
"Celebrate? What are we celebrating?" Viina asked, tearing her gaze from the foreign landscape to look at the silver drake who made her heart beat faster.
"Our anniversary!" Riimack exclaimed and chuckled when he saw her frown, her red neck frill perking up as she racked her brain to work out how long they had been together. "One year ago, I first met you! Remember?"
Viina snorted and laughed, her frill bouncing with every chuckle. "Oh, you are sweet," she gasped and brushed her wing against his. "I remember, I asked you if I could sit near you, and you just kinda froze."
"I did not!" Riimack blushed. "I had a mouthful of jerky."
"Uh-huh," Viina teased with a smile before scanning the landscape again. "Well, I'm glad I sat next to you." Viina added while watching the convoy of pickup trucks navigate a ruined village.
"Me too," Riimack said and rolled his winged shoulders.
"You should head back, your shift is over." Viina said sadly.
"Nah, I've got plenty left in me." He said and reached a paw into his harness to fish out the last bag of jerky his sister had made for him before he deployed. "I like hanging out with you," he added and opened the bag to offer her some.
With a smile, Viina adjusted her course and glided over him, one paw latching onto his harness for stability while she reached into the bag with another. With a peck on his cheek, she flapped once to return to her position beside him. "So, how are you finding your first tour?"
"It's not as bad as I thought, there really is a lot of just flying around or sitting, isn't there."
"Yup! Not like the movies, is it?" Viina remarked.
"No, not at all. And the food is pretty average, but better than prison food."
Viina nodded, they had been courting for weeks before the large silver drake finally confided in her the reasons why he enlisted. "Have you thought about what you will do when your time is up? Like once you have served your time, what then?"
Riimack shrugged, "depends, what are your plans?" He asked with excitement in his voice.
"Well, I was thinking of finishing up when you do," she said and saw him smile, "maybe we could hang out together on the outside?" She asked hopefully.
"Of course! I would love that!" He quickly exclaimed, "you mean like, as mates right?"
"Well yeah!" Viina retorted excitedly, her heart swelling at the thought of being with Riimack more. "I was thinking we would find a place somewhere, and maybe get to know each other more," she alluded, a smile on her face as Riimack blushed.
"Do you mean, like, what we do when our breaks line up?" He asked hopefully and smiled when she nodded, "I think I would like that very much." He chuckled.
"I think you would too." She teased, "maybe one day, we could think about a little Riimack or a little Viina?" She asked gently, looking to his face to gauge his reaction. "Like, not straight away." She quickly added when he paused.
"Of course!" Riimack said when seeing her flustered expression.
"I mean, like it's a big change, so we won't rush into it or anything." Viina backpedaled, "but I'm thinking like you know, sometime-" her words cut off as Riimack brushed his wing against hers.
"I mean, Of course I would be happy to," he said calmly and smiled as her eyes widened. "When we are out, we will make it work," he added in a reassuring tone.
Viina's heart soared as she saw the dedication in his eyes. Her smile wide and neck frill perked up before she suddenly darted under him, flicking her tail and tucking her wings to roll inverted before extending her wings again. With her paws on his harness, she leaned up and locked her jaws with his. Her whole world coming together as she pressed deeper into his kiss, she swooned as she felt his strong paws hold her shoulders and squeeze her tight in a warm embrace.
Riimack gasped for air as they broke their kiss, his turn now to give her a quick lick on the snout before she let go of his harness and flipped herself around, a few quick beats of her wings was all she needed to level off alongside him. Riimack smiled, "you know, we should probably practice a little before we try for an egg." He teased playfully.
"Of course, maybe before your next shift?" Viina suggested, and laughed as he smiled enthusiastically. "Alright then. Has anything interesting been happening out there?" She asked and looked down, frowning at the convoy of pickup trucks as they halted outside the village below.
"Just civilians evacuating, no military vehicles…" his words drifted off as he saw the convoy she was focused on. "They have something in their beds? Technicals?" He asked and glanced at Viina who was reaching for her radio.
Her voice sounded different as she transmitted. "Guardian Delta Seven to White knight. We have a convoy of unknown vehicles setting up outside the hamlet here, they look armed and-"
Riimack's eyes widened as he saw the rapid white flashes from the vehicles below.
Taalli sat in the center of the road, the hot asphalt surprisingly comfortable on her black paws as she waited for oncoming traffic. The rest of Zulu squad were all fanned out behind her in a wide arc to provide supportive fire in case a vehicle didn't stop. Stretching her wings slowly, she gave them a brief flutter, while the sun beat down on them unrelentingly, the air over the thin membranes did provide some relief to the heat.
Looking up the long road, she watched as the desert sun caused the world to shimmer in the distance. The sounds of gunfire could be heard in the distance, a soundtrack to her new life. After her fight with Mike, she had thrown herself into her training, focusing hard on her studies as an escape. After scoring the highest in her class, she had received a few offers from different units but had chosen Zulu squad.
"This is boring, Captain," complained Joker, looking back. Taalli shook her head at the human who had the luxury of resting in the shade against the side of their squad's Humvee. "How about we go for a quick fly, Taalli?" he added hopefully.
"I'm not your pet dragon, Joker," she teased and returned to looking ahead.
"I didn't say that, I just mean it would be kinda neat. I've never flown on a dragon before," he retorted. "It would be better than just standing here."
"I'm not your carnival ride either," she called back over her shoulder, smiling as he mumbled something about her being a prude.
Pulling out her notepad, she laid it on the ground and continued writing a letter she had tried to write a hundred times. Pressing the back of the pen to her chest, she exposed the nib and placed it just above the paper, finding the words she wanted to say to Michael suddenly leaving her mind.
Deep down, she knew he meant well, his actions were nothing but a desperate, well-meaning attempt to bring her home. Yet the thought of going back to her old life made her stomach tighten. She hadn't seen or spoken to him for months, yet found herself torn when trying to write to him. A part of her wanted to say she was sorry, that she wanted him back, yet when she glanced back at her new family she knew in her heart she felt more at home here.
She couldn't bring herself to change her paychecks, she had made a commitment to supporting him and his dream of the coffee shop. But she prayed he saw it as a way for her to fix the hurt she had caused, and not a message that he should wait for her.
With a sigh of defeat, she placed the pen back into her harness and retrieved her coffee flask and unscrewed the lid. The smell of the standard issue coffee was a poor imitation of the delightful aromas that came from the flask when Mike had made it, but she knew he was more than just a coffee maker. He had hopes, dreams, and deserved someone who could be with him, as much as it pained her to have to push him away.
"Wow Mike! You really did it!" Mike's former boss, Ben, exclaimed while he looked up at the large sign that hung across the storefront. "I'm really proud of you, mate."
Mike smiled weakly from behind the counter, his black long-sleeved shirt covered by the orange apron he wore over the top. "Thanks! And welcome to the grand opening," he added proudly. "And what can I get for my very first customers?" He asked as Ben and his dragon boyfriend stepped inside.
The brown drake, Geevin, sniffed the air and looked around the space, taking note of the framed photos of notable dragons who had achieved great things throughout history. "I love what you have done with the place, Mike," he said while inspecting the stack of cushions in the corner that dragons could help themselves to.
"Thanks!" Mike replied with a smile.
"You really have done well," Ben said as he retrieved his wallet. He saw Mike open his mouth to protest and held up a finger. "Nope, I'm paying you. You are a businessman now, and besides, I want to be your first paying customer." Ben smiled, "two of your finest coffees, good sir."
Mike shook his head with a smile and accepted the money. "Alright then, coming right up." Passing the change back to his former boss, he stepped behind the large coffee machine. Spinning the knobs, he adjusted the temperature and slipped a large flask under the spout for Geevin, selecting a shade that was as close as possible to the drake's scale color.
Geevin picked up a large cushion in his jaws and placed it down on the floor to sit on, testing its density with a paw before stepping onto it and sitting down. "Ben, we need some of these for the bar!" He called out loudly over the scream of the coffee machine.
Mike smiled while focusing on the filling flask until his boss asked, "so nothing from her then?"
Shaking his head, Mike's smile faded. He hadn't heard from her since she left. He had called the base she was stationed at to try and find out their graduation date but was turned away. Unlike her basic training, her completion was not one with a celebration or any fanfare.
"No, nothing. I still get the paychecks though. I'm not sure if she knows, though," he said sadly while gripping the flask tighter than usual.
He could feel his chest tighten in anger as he remembered how she had overreacted. He had tried so hard to bring her home, yet it was becoming clear to him that she was no longer the dragon he fell in love with. As the flask filled he swapped it out with a ceramic mug for Ben and screwed the flask lid on while waiting for it to fill.
Looking at the top of the coffee machine, hidden from view, was the orange crystal sculpture he had kept from the last time he truly spent time with his Leena. A silent guardian from the person he once knew.
"Zulus, we have a mission!" called Scarecrow as he emerged from the driver's seat of the Humvee, radio headset in hand. "We need you in the air," he added while pointing to Taalli. She quickly slipped her half-written note into her harness. Without hesitation, she mantled her wings and launched into the sky as the rest of Zulu squad quickly rushed towards their vehicle.
Their vehicle roared to life as the last member, Bishop, entered the back seat. "What's the gig?" Taalli asked as she scanned the desert landscape for threats.
There was a long pause before Scarecrow's voice came through her radio. "Two deltas have been clipped a few miles east. We are to get there and secure them for Medevac," he said, his voice calm with no humor in his tone.
Taalli followed above as the vehicle left the road and turned into the sandy desert plains. "Times like this, I wish we had a medic," sighed Raider over the radio.
"Our mission is to assess and secure the area; medics are on their way," Scarecrow barked. Taalli climbed higher and continued to look across the landscape for any signs of the downed dragons, only seeing faint black clouds in the distance.
"Update, two separate crash sites. Taalli, I want you to fly to the furthest one, should be at your two o'clock, 3 miles from where you are," Scarecrow ordered.
"On it!" acknowledged Taalli and adjusted course, her wings beating hard to surge forward. Slipping a paw into her harness, she retrieved one of the containers of pills she smuggled with her and popped the lid. She could hear Feerah's words echoing in her mind about others getting hurt if she failed and tossed two pills into her mouth. Swallowing hard, she grit her teeth and powered her way towards the location.
Climbing higher, she spotted a cloud of dust on the ground ahead and angled herself towards it. On the other side, she could see multiple vehicles heading towards the same location.
Flashes of white erupted from the backs of the oncoming vehicles, and Taalli quickly dropped low. Cracks rang out around her as explosions erupted and black puffs of flak filled the sky above her. Each blast sent fragments of shrapnel into the air. Roaring out in pain, Taalli dropped low to the ground in an attempt to get under the blast range. Her toes were just feet from the sandy ground as she evaded the best she could. She could feel the shrapnel impacting her scales, her strong hide protecting her body from their cuts. Her wings, however, were not so fortunate as shards tore through the delicate membranes.
Undeterred, she beat her wings harder and harder to try to reach the downed dragon. The lower she flew, the less painful the flak on her body. She knew she was getting close as she heard the sounds of the anti-aircraft guns firing getting louder. Each gun, an old relic of a forgotten war, strapped or welded to the back of civilian trucks.
Taalli climbed briefly and spotted a small crater where the downed dragon had landed. She quickly dove down with the enemy vehicles rapidly approaching.
Her heart stopped when she saw a white dragoness sprawled out on the ground, her once beautiful white wings now crimson ribbons and her tail bent at an unnatural angle. "Viina!" Taalli cried out as she landed atop the white dragoness, her black paws straddling the lithe 'ness. Using a paw, she checked for breathing and was relieved to feel the dragoness' chest rising and falling weakly.
"Where are you going?" Viina mumbled deliriously, her words slurred and slow while gazing into the distance. Her body was cool to the touch as Taalli quickly wound a tourniquet around what was left of a wing and pulled it tight with her jaws.
"I'm here Viina, I got you," Taalli called out and began unwinding the wing shear cable from her harness. "I'm going to get you out of here," she added and lifted her head to try and gauge the distance to the oncoming vehicles.
"But I need you," the white dragoness gasped while looking off to the side.
Bishop was never good with the fallen. As soon as the Humvee arrived on the edge of the crater, he stepped out and quickly moved north, keeping low with his weapon up, trained into the distance while the others tended to the injured dragon.
He could hear the panic in Taalli's voice as she called through their radio that she had arrived at the other downed dragon's location but had enemies en route.
"Can you get them out?" Scarecrow asked.
"Negative, if I fly I'll get hit," Taalli responded, "got any arty? I can't leave her here."
"Standby," Scarecrow answered.
Bishop looked back at his captain who emerged from the crater and sprinted to the Humvee to begin talking on another frequency to command.
"Artillery approved, patching you across Zulu Delta one," Scarecrow added and waved for Bishop to return back to the vehicle.
Heaving his weapon to his chest, Bishop sprinted back over to their vehicle as Taalli's voice barked grid coordinates to an artillery battery over the radio.
As Bishop got close to the vehicle, he could hear the deep Texan drawl of the artillery battery confirm her coordinates. "Received, danger close, 5 guns, 3 HE rounds each, followed by 3 smoke. Time to impact 5-0 seconds."
The look of concern in his Captain's eyes caused a chill to run down Bishop's spine. "Bishop, you and Joker mount up and back Taalli up. Keep her away from here," Scarecrow ordered and saw Bishop was confused. "Make sure she doesn't come back here," he added firmly.
"Sir?" Bishop asked and turned at the sound of deep booms from artillery being fired in the distance.
Scarecrow put his hand on Bishop's shoulder and pulled Bishop to face him. With a small nod towards the crater, he spoke firmly and with a solemn tone, "it's her friend. Riimack, he's been hit."
Note from the Author: I'm sorry
Taalli and friends will return in the next series "A Dragon Called Taalli." Which will focus on love, loss, family and will take Taalli up to the time period flashbacks of Medi-drake.