His Majesty's Dragons: The Battle of Britain

[General Havoc]

The American Reaper eyed the uppity Smoke Devil as he declared his willingness to fight to prove his courage, and slowly a small smile spread across the Reaper's face. The middleweight dragon chuckled and shook his head. "Would that I could, little one," he said slowly, shaking his head. "Would that I could." And then the Reaper sat up and chuckled, as though remembering something from a long time back. He showed neither anger, nor any inclination to fight the Smoke Devil and his captain, and in fact looked rather amused by the reaction.

Before the American Reaper could say another word though, a Malachite Reaper wearing spectacles walked into the area. The American's good eye raised slightly at the sight, but he neither commented nor reacted other than this.

"Yes, you people do need all the help you can get, I suppose," said the American Reaper to the Malachite with a nod of the head. "But I don't mean to berate anyone for being the size they are. It's a dangerous war out there, and people who aren't prepared for it tend to wind up dead. But if these two say they're ready... well... what right does a beat up old codger like me have to stop them?" He flashed a predatory grin to the Smoke Devil as he said so, not an entirely re-assuring one.

The American Reaper glanced at the German-sounding Bonetail as it arrived, and at the two men sliding off the Malachite, before finally introducing itself.

"My name is Fulminatus," he said evenly. "I'm known to some."

Perhaps not to all... but it was no idle boast to those who had been around the block more than once. Fulminatus was a name that had been echoing around for more than seventy years, tales and whispers of a Middleweight beast from the heartlands of America who had participated in nearly every war since the Crimea on one side or another, a dragon whose exploits were if not legendary, at least spoken of with some degree of respect. As alays, 90% of the tales were most likely rubbish, but all of them agreed on one odd thing.

According to the rumors, Fulminatus was a dragon without a captain.

A rush of wings, and a puff of wind, and a bleached-white Heavyweight beast touched down in the clearing nextdoor. Fulminatus raised his head and his good eye widened as he stared up at the monolithic Wendigo dragon that landed.

"Good god..." he said, and his voice was not reverent or horrified but surprised... unpleasantly surprised. "What in the hell is that doing here?"

*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*

"Magnificent colors," muttered Aequitas, and Rankin nodded in agreement.

"Er... yes, Captain Taggert, that will be all." said Rankin as he walked towards the Wendigo and its Captain.

"Captain Reynolds, I presume," said Rankin as he approached, still glancing up at the snow-white heavyweight. "And this would be Frostfell? I'm Captain Michael Rankin, squadron commander here at Tangmere. This is Aequitas, my Malachite. We're very glad to see you here Captain. Does your dragon require anything?"

*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*

"I'm Cap!" squeaked the little Aussie dragon, smiling proudly at having remembered its name. He glanced around with wide, unblinking eyes, before whispering in a conspiratorial tone. "D'you like cows?!"

He seemed to think this worthy of much excitement.

"Cap! Cap, c'mere!" came a shout from the other side of the clearing, and a short, tanned man in the uniform of the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Forces) emerged from the trees, waving his hat in his hand. Cap turned and bounded over to him, nearly knocking him over, babbling about "Jake Calling, and something involving cows and green dragons. The man laughed and grinned, and patted the small dragon on the muzzle, before walking over to introduce himself.

"Nick Kelly," he said in a familiar, friendly tone with a thick Australian Outback accent. "No relation to Ned 'm afraid. This here's my mate Capricorn, I call 'im Cap for short. 'e's a Venomspitter, but don't worry, 'e knows not to cough on yez."

"Good ta meet another Aussie" said Nick. "Yours a Victorian? Bit smaller'n the ones I've seen about..."

[SirNitram]

"I know of you, Fulminatus." Semmemnon replied calmly, sizing up the American. "Your stories do you some credit. I am Semmemnon Tahalshia, as I introduced myself." The British dragon was respectful.. If not given to overawe. The presense of the Wendigo seemed to catch his attention.

"Ah. The cleaving blade of winter, to scatter the Jerries before us. Never seen a Wendigo before, young one? Just don't look appetizing. They are somewhat crude in their methods, but never in their intellect."

[Agent Fisher]

Jack Taggart fired off a salute then shoulder his bag, walking towards the huts with a limp. He winced everytime, his leg stil in pain from his last run in with the enemy. He walked across the field, looking at the dragons and the captains that had arrived. Passing by the Smoke Devil and spotting the female redhead, Jack smiled. He whistled loudly and gave a jaunty little wave before continuing to limp onto the huts that contained the bunks.

[Cynical Cat]

"He's fine, thank you," replied Reynolds. "Wounded over Dunkirk and gotten used to being fussed over because of it. That and his high opinion of himself. If he needs anything, he won't be shy about letting my crew know about it." He inclined his head towards Aequitas. "A pleasure to see you again. We met briefly in the Great War, albeit very briefly. I doubt you will remember me. How can we be of service, sir?"

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Indeed" said Richard as he raised his eyebrow in its general direction "Ve can only hope it does not focus its ferocity and generaal preydrive in our general direction. Espezcially vit ze rumblings of "ve should lead!" when it landed" Richard did an imitation with his face of someone fuming and shaking their fists angrily. Richard's hearing was very good, and the bone-white monstrosity was hardly quiet about its desire to usurp power.

"A pleazure to meet you Vulminatus. I apologize if I butscher your name, my accent can be pretty bad. I vas raised in a german speaking household in ze mittle of nowhere... und a pleasure to meet you az vell Judith und Jeb" he said politely, his js sounding like ys

"It is odd" said Waldwanderer "he raised me from the time I was a hatchling, but I dont have his accent. A pleasure to make both of your acquaintances as well. If you ever need someone to translate german, come to either of us. If you need someone to translate him, come to me"

[General Havoc]

Fulminatus nodded slowly to Semmemnon, but did not take his eyes off of the Wendigo for an instant. "I've heard of you as well," he said. "But since more than half the stories they tell about me are lies and drunk's tales, I tend to assume the same about other dragons'. Good to meet you."

He nodded to the german-sounding Bonetail Captain. "I'd be careful about speaking like that around here. The British have been learning what German hospitality means for some months now, and they're out for blood."

Fulminatus sat down again and glowered at the Wendigo. "They're ferocious, sadistic monsters," he said evenly, with JUST a touch of bitterness to the words. "I didn't know the Limeys were desperate enough to import one."

*----------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

"A pleasure," said Aequitas politely, still snatching glances up at the larger Wendigo.

"Well I hope he's ready for more, Captain," said Rankin. "He's the only Heavyweight that we've been assigned here, and I have a feeling the Germans aren't as strapped as we are. See to him, let the ground crews know if he needs anything, and report to... whatever passes for my office around here once you and your crew are stored. I'll want everyone to meet one another and to figure out just how we're going to hold the hun off with the dragons available to us."

He tried to put the next bit delecately. No use offending his lone heavyweight, but damnit, these things had a reputation that he was not going to ignore.

"Should... we keep him in his own clearing, or is he all right with company from the other dragons? He's the largest, but we've got two special weapons here and three middleweights, as well as the lights."

[Cynical Cat]

Reynolds smiled, which was barely visible through his mask's mouth slit. "Oh, by the way the other dragon's are eyeing him he'll be fine in with the others. Might be best for the rest of the flight if he has his own clearing. For the sake of the rest of the flight's morale. You might not believe it, but he is a good team player. He's also hungry for more kills. I take it this is a punishment squadron?"

[Comrade Tortoise]

He nodded to the german-sounding Bonetail Captain. "I'd be careful about speaking like that around here. The British have been learning what German hospitality means for some months now, and they're out for blood."

" Unfortunately zer ist nozing I can do about it... Ze British Government knows my actual background.. or better considering ze hell I have gone srough. Outzide of zis unit Waldwanderer vill speak vor me"

"I have been trying to learn ventriloquism so he can move his mouth and I can speak without being noticed..." the bonetail quipped in

[General Havoc]

"Not at all," lied Rankin. "This is a frontline squadron tasked with preventing the annihilation of London by the Jerry formations. I don't need to tell you Captain, we're short on dragons and we need every available wing in the air to stop the Germans. We're underweighted in this squadron, but we've a fair mix of veterans and new people, and we have a vital task assigned to us."

It was perhaps a lie, but not entirely, and he had the impression that the punishment was meant only for him. The rest were merely auxiliaries for it.

Meanwhile, Aequitas had approached the blindingly-white snow-dragon.

"Greetings," said the Malachite Reaper. "My name is Aequitas. Captain Rankin there is my captain. It's a pleasure to meet you."

[SirNitram]

Blackthorne, the one with two sabres, studied the German for a long time. Then he spoke. "I can only hope that atrocious accent is rattled out of you by gunfire." He sighed, shaking his head. "The glory of the family service this isn't."

A glance was sent at the Wendigo, and then back to the German. "Spooked, Jerry? Should be. The Wendigo is named for a cannabalistic critter with the strength of ten men. All accounts is that the dragon was underestimated when named."

[LadyTevar]

Jeb and Judith were listening to the elder dragons and the Bonetail's rider talking, looking from them to the Wendigo and back. So deep was their concentration, neither heard the wolf whistle, or paid any attention to it or the man waving at Judith.

"Ah'm guessin' these Win-dee-go aint nice company?" Judith asked cautiously, feeling her way blindly into what most avators would know about them. "Jebediah an' Ah ... we've n'er heerd o' one. Dragons jis' don' grow tha' big in Wes' Vaginah."

Jebediah, for his part, was picking up on all more subtle hints the elder dragons were giving off. They were knowingly or unknowingly protecting their Captains from the huge beast. One of the oddly clawed wings was stretched out, blocking Judith's view of the monster. "Ah'm a might peckish, Judith... let's go huntin'."

[Cynical Cat]

Frostfell yawned, stretching his mouth wide to show his fangs to maximum advantage. "Frostfell," the Wendigo drawled. "I'm sure we'll get along famously. For the record, the only captains I've eaten were German."

"Well that explains it then," said Reynolds. "Desperate. I owe Jones five quid. I was sure it was a punishment group we would be sent to. Act as the whip hand of the squadron leader and get some good use of bad garbage and all that. They're taking younger men for special operations these days. Well, we'll do our part, don't fear. That or the Jerries will kill us, of course. Any other experienced men in the outfit? They told me absolutely nothing, just telling me to report here. I think someone upstairs might not like me. Must be my lack of a winning personality."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"No, not particularly spooked by zem." Richard responded "I am all too familiar wis ze Wendigo, did a research project ven i vas in graduate school on the trophic level interactions of various dragon breeds. Wendigo's among zem. Zat required getting raser close, uncomfortable und close... but zat one, az unpredictable und dangerous is unter some control.. Alzo, no member ofmy family haz zet foot on german soil since Otto Von Bismark vas Chancellor of ze German Empire, zat is about 60 years, my family vas just isolated foresters. I am hier becauze zer are more atrocious zings about germany right now san ze accent."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Look" Waldwanderer piped in

"We are not your enemy here. Save your hatred for the invading Nazis, not the ethnic german who is trying to help you out."

[Agent Fisher]

Limping into a small hut, Jack set his bag down on a cot. He winced as he sat down, rolling up his pant leg and looking at the bandages on his lower left leg. A German lightweight had slashed him there, thankfully it simply hit the meat, not doing any permanent damage. Dropping his the cloth of his pants, he stood, walking out of the hut and back towards the other captains, trying to hide the limp in his leg.

Meanwhile, Godfrey was over near the livestock, finishing up a snack, his harness and equipment already removed. He spotted his captain and moved over towards the young man.

[Charon]

"I'm Cap!" squeaked the little Aussie dragon, smiling proudly at having remembered its name. He glanced around with wide, unblinking eyes, before whispering in a conspiratorial tone. "D'you like cows?!"

He seemed to think this worthy of much excitement.

"Cap! Cap, c'mere!" came a shout from the other side of the clearing, and a short, tanned man in the uniform of the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Forces) emerged from the trees, waving his hat in his hand. Cap turned and bounded over to him, nearly knocking him over, babbling about "Jake Calling, and something involving cows and green dragons. The man laughed and grinned, and patted the small dragon on the muzzle, before walking over to introduce himself.

"Nick Kelly," he said in a familiar, friendly tone with a thick Australian Outback accent. "No relation to Ned 'm afraid. This here's my mate Capricorn, I call 'im Cap for short. 'e's a Venomspitter, but don't worry, 'e knows not to cough on yez."

"Good ta meet another Aussie" said Nick. "Yours a Victorian? Bit smaller'n the ones I've seen about..."

Jake grinned as he reached out his hand to shake his fellow Aussie's. "Jake Collington, yes there's a relation to Francis, he's my father." It was a question he was often asked by other Australians, as well as a few Brit's. His father was an excellent dragon breeder and was on the forefront, much as it was rather backward, of Australian breeding. "I don't mind your spitter, spent a few years tending to one, and it taught me how to dodge pretty quick." The young pilot grinned.

Jake then waved a hand back to his other dragon. "And this is Jack Kunja, special breed of Victorian, decided we needed a bit more native bite among the lights."

Kunja lowered his head in a nod to Nick. "S'a pleasure to meet you."

Jake turned and looked over at the other riders now. "Geez, they've put us in a bit of a ragged formation huh? I mean, I don't have much experience, but it looks like half these folks are fresh off the boats with no experience even bein' around other dragons, let alone fightin' em."

Jake took note of the Wendigo first. He'd heard horror stories, but it couldn't be much worse than dealing with a 'spitter that had caught a case of the sniffles. At least it looked like the Wendigo and it's pilot knew what they were doing though. There was a rather studied looking pair, more Americans, it looked like a Bonetail, yeah, a Bonetail, and they were definately fresh off the boats, probably untrained too. He heard that that happened a lot in the Americas. A Malachite was there too with it's crew, the first damn English breed that he could see. Oddity of oddities though, was the American Reaper sitting pretty by it's lonesome. Again, more proof of Americans lazy Dragon breeding, didn't even have captains for some of their dragons. Another Malachite, with someone he could only assume was the leader of this band was on the grounds. Jake continued looking around, and spotted a dragon he couldn't quite place. It was definately an American breed, but it wasn't something he was quite familiar with. Was it an Emerald? He couldn't quite tell.

Jake looked back at Nick with a smile. "I'd better go present myself to our fearless leader, assuming he can keep from getting eaten by the Wendigo. I'll catch ya later Nick."

With that the disheveled Aussie and his Victorian turned and walked towards Rankin.

[SirNitram]

"Look" Waldwanderer piped in

"We are not your enemy here. Save your hatred for the invading Nazis, not the ethnic german who is trying to help you out."

Blackthorne glanced at the dragon. "Any particular reason I should trust that?" He asked simply and bluntly. "Jotunmeisters are ethnic Germans too, they don't seem to be staying out of this or moving to our side."

[LadyTevar]

Judith looked from Blackthorne to Richard, to Waldwander, and sighed, turning away. "Yeah, Jeb ... time ta go." Then she did something that would shock the British and 'traditionalist' Captains -- climbed onto Jeb's unharnessed back.

Wearing nothing for her to even remotely hook onto, Jeb nonetheless was backing up, giving himself room to coil back on himself and walk a polite distance away before taking to the skies. "Ah'd like ta see how th' deer in these heer parts taste, m'self," Jeb said to Jude, easily overheard by any close enough to care. "Ah've seen 'nuff pork ta last me a month o' Sundays."

"You n' me both..."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Look" Waldwanderer piped in

"We are not your enemy here. Save your hatred for the invading Nazis, not the ethnic german who is trying to help you out."

Blackthorne glanced at the dragon. "Any particular reason I should trust that?" He asked simply and bluntly. "Jotunmeisters are ethnic Germans too, they don't seem to be staying out of this or moving to our side."

"let us examine the depth of your false analogy. First you say that Jotunmeisters are ethnic germans" the dragon responded

"In reality they are native across northern europe, and the ones that live in say... Sweden are hardly your enemies. They fight for the sake of fighting, so the reason they are your enemies is incidental because the germans just to happen to breed them. If you got your hands on a few eggs you could easily do the same. The resulting offspring would still be Jotunmeisters, but they would be British Jotunmeisters. People of German ancestry did not get up one day and decide to declare war on Europe. They were goaded into it by economic depression and very skillfull rhetoric. Richard was not subject to that. I know, I am not german, and he raised me in the US. If it helps, think of him the same way you would a British raised and bonded Jotunmeister, or in this case a yank"

"Danke" said Richard

"I vould like to ask you ein qvestion very quickly if you do not mind.."

[SirNitram]

Blackthorne just quietly stared at the dragon, and rolled his eyes. "Wow. You sure showed me." He said, in sarcasm dripping thick enough to swallow a Lightweight into it's depths. "However, stuff the self-righteous prattle about how you know a few things about dragons. We're all bonded, we all know these things. And I still have no reason to trust the captain, which means I have no reason to trust you."

A roll of his eyes and a shake of his head. "Because no matter how much you go on about your ancestry, you bonded to a German. And I have no reason to trust a German, particularly aboard a dragon. I can show you the craters that lead to this distrust, if you absolutely, positively require it. Twice, Germany has sallied forth to war against all of Europe. You won't exactly get me buying this line of 'Oh, it's all because the Yanks were idiots at Versallies'."

[Cynical Cat]

"Excuse me," said Nathan as he noticed the growing disturbance. "It appears the Boche might not need to kill some of our captains. He walked rapidly towards Richard and Blackthorne. Frostfell caught his gaze and began to stir, sending a wave of unease through those around him. Nathan waved the dragon off.

"Gentlemen," said the Canadian, "there appears to be some kind of problem. Can I be of assistance?"

[Charon]

Jake was walking by the group of other dragons with Kunja when he came to a stop to say hello.

Then the dragon went on some kind of talk that seemed far too intellectual and useless. Jake's hand dropped from his wave before it had even begun.

"Oh Lord have mercy we are all going to die..."

The Aussie shook his head as he walked by. Kunja only looked briefly at the dragons and their riders, raising an eyebrow before the uniquely small Victorian followed it's captain. The dragon glanced to his right, spotting the odd dragon before and whistling to Jake.

Jake glanced over to Kunja, then at what he was indicating. "Well I'll be damned. England does have ladies in distress."

The Australian quickly hopped up on Kunja's back and the two walked over to the woman and her dragon, trying to put on his most winning smile as he yelled over. "There's always the beef in the pasture toots!"

[Comrade Tortoise]

"My American 'captain'" Waldwanderer replied "Is of german descent and was raised in what amounts to a german speaking enclave in south dakota. My english friend Blackthorne, naturally and understandably takes umbrage and I am trying to assuage his distrust, to no avail I am afraid"

[SirNitram]

"Armed Germans in our airstrip strike me as a considerable problem, sir." Blackthorne said, at least showing respect to the Canadian. "The fact he's largely relying on his dragon to speak for him is not exactly reinforcing the idea he's trustworthy."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"I am not german Blackthorne, I am American. He speaks because he ist besser at it, were I to do it, I vould stumble over my vords or say somesing foolish."