Farthington craned his neck this way and that, frantically searching the skies for the blue dragon that had been on radar only moments before. Patrick had had a secure lock-on with a heat-seeker when the dragon van- ished. Eagle Flight was scattered all over the sky; the two new pi- lots had let their adrenaline get the better of them. ” Eagle Flight this is Eagle One. Reform.”
"Scott, form on me,” Far- thington ordered. ”We’ll fly cover until Two and Four get back to
us.”
"Right with ya, boss.”
Farthington banked left and headed north after his two stray pilots. He picked them up visu- ally within seconds, one aircraft coming from the northwest, the other from the east.
"Eagle Two, this is Eagle One. Jenkins, you screw up like that again and I’ll kill you myself. This isn’t a game.”
"Major, it was runnin’,” Jenkins protested. ae don’t give a-
Jenkins! Break right! He’s right above you!”
The huge blue had reappeared above and slightly to the left of Eagle Two. The dragon was gliding and that meant only one thing; the dragon was preparing to use its magic. Patrick willed Jenkins’ aircraft to turn, to get away from the dragon. But Jenk- ins panicked and the dragon had him. A ball of flame burst inside Jenkins’ cockpit, rapidly expand- ing, reducing both pilot and air- craft to flaming debris.
” Bastard!”
Farthington squeezed off a burst from his 20mm cannon as he sped past the monster. He brought his aircraft around, intending to fin- ish the dragon before it could do more damage.
The dragon was centered on Farthington’s Heads-Up Dis- play. Patrick paused, savoring the dragon’s death. His thumb pressed down on the firing stud and his aircraft was struck by a lightning bolt from below.
»Shit!” Sparks danced across Patrick’s instruments, filling the cockpit with smoke. His HUD blanked out and his radar soon followed. The warning lights
were lit like a Christmas tree. Weapons systems were down and he had difficulty controlling the aircraft. The F-15 continued earthward.
The sudden increase in G forces had Patrick on the verge of blacking out. Somehow, he made his arm reach for the ejec- tion mechanism. Slowly, ever so slowly, his hard inched towards it.
The ground wes approaching rapidly now. Farthington knew the situation ‘vould soon ke tx- solved, one way or the other. He was never filly aware when ihe canopy tisw. He felt his shoul- der impaci with something, felt warm blood #9 his face. There was pain, intense pain, ana then nothing but blackness.
** *
” Patrick,” a vcice said. No response. ”Patrick,” the voice again called, more insistently this time. One part of Patrick’s mind wanted to respond, the other wanted to remain in the darkness where the pain was less. ” Patrick! Awake!” Finally, he could igrere the voice no longer. He climbed up frozn the soothing darkness into the werld of light 2nd pain. And saw a figure svc.iting over him.
There was souething famil- iar ebout the man, Sut Patrick coul.: ’t quite remember what it was. ”Gcod,” the man said. ”Your wits seem una:'dled.” The man stood to his tull height. That was when tiie voice in the back of Patzick’s mind got through. he eyes, it screamed. Look at the eyes. Patrick studied his benefactor’s eyes more cicsely. The man’s irises were golden. Come to think of it, his eyes were wrong. They weren’t human,
Patrick’s face must have be- trayed him, for the ’man’ said, ”Excellent. You recognize what, if not who, I am.”
”You’re—” Patrick croaked out.
” A dragon.”
”Then why-”
"Are you still alive?” The man’s—dragon’s Patrick corrected himself-eyes narrowed. ”You really don’t remember me, do you?” The dragon sighed. ”You mortals do have short memories.
by John Doucette
Think back, Patrick. Think back four years ago.”
"You?! That was you! It wasn’t a dream?!”
"No, Patrick, it wasn’t 4 dream.”
”Why have you saved me?”
"Now or then?” the dragon replied. ”I saved you because I am not like those of my kind that have invaded your world.”
”You mean-”
”Yes. Not all dragonkind are of one piece. And no, those of us who are not like the blues and reds and whites and blacks and greens will not fight against them. At least not in this world.”
”Why?”
” Because that would undo all this war has accomplished.”
” All it’s accomplished? All it’s accomplished!? You sound like you had a hand in all of this!”
"I did. I aided the evil drag- ons to come to your world. I
my word. Of late, it had been on the deciine and we couldn’t stop the slide. We searched for years until finally we found the cause.”
”Us.”
”Yes. You. We knew some- thing had to be done, or our world would die. And so would yours if your new technology were misused.”
” And so the war.”
"And so the war. We grieved for the innocents that would die, Patrick, but there was no other alternative. Your world’s capabil- ity for science had to be reduced. The war was the only way to do it before time ran out.”
"Why are you telling me this?”
"The time has come,” the dragon said, "for the war to end. The war’s goals have been achieved and the excesses of the evil ones must be curbed. The
balance must be restored in both worlds.”
”How?” :
”We must cause the Gates to close.”
”Won’t that trap the dragon’ here?” -
"Yes and no. Yes, some of them will still be here. No, they will not be trapped perma- nently. The Gates could still be re-opened.” s
”What do you mean, ’we’?”
”T need your help.”
"You? Need my help?”
"In order for the balance to be restored, a large portion of the evil ones must be driven back through the Gates. I alone can- not do this. But you can convince your people to mount an attack designed to do what I cannot.”
»T don’t know...”
”You are tired. Rest. Tomor- row morning, you will decide.”
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helped the human ists to open the Gates that alkeied the MEN’S dragons to travel from our world to yours.” The dragon pulled pe up a chair and sat next to 2 “8 vs Patrick. "You see, your scientists Mic Gita were about to achieve things that hon ston ce could threaten both our worlds. Hayek No, let me finish. Magic is real in : “00 : syie be Dra SSS ce Congratulations go out to Jef- ee Bs x fery Nelson, last week’s winner a of the Officer Bob contest. All gee See weekly winners qualify to win a Pinesiters. of nt ny tape or album. Prizes for the top ae five quotes will be given. Se
A limited number of lockers are available for rent to non— resident students. The lockers are located in the entrance lobby to the Main Cafeteria in the Steele Building. The cost for locker rental is $5.00/semester plus a $5.00 key deposit whih is refund- able at the end of the term. Keys
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