Zygotic Rush

Prompt: Dragon

Goddamn poachers! Dr. Camila Serrano fumed as she tapped the communicator on the wrist of her groundsuit. “Zygotic party active raid advancing on nest site B0112-4.” Despite her fury, her voice was calm. She waited for the response from the crew aboard the Dakota.

“Zygotics, B0112-4.” A voice confirmed. “How many?”

“At least four. I can’t see the whole nest from here, I haven’t reached the observation site yet. I can see their shuttle, though, about three klicks south of the nest. Looks like a Satron make.”

“10-4. Hold your position, Dr. Serrano. We’re sending a response team.”

Camila sighed and slumped against a gray columnar rock. So much for today’s data. The response team likely wouldn’t arrive before the nest was disturbed. If they were lucky, they might recover the eggs and return them in time, but it was risky. Camila turned her face to the skies reflexively, checking for the Draconis lychnus. But the mother left for a hunt less than an hour ago. It would likely be two more before she returned. “Now's a good time to come home, mama.” Camila muttered into her helmet.

As one of the astrobiologists assigned to this region of Irides, Dr. Serrano was supposed to be learning more about these magnificent reptilian natives. But at every turn her research was thwarted by smugglers trying to get the eggs off world. Proteins in the amniotic fluid of Draconis eggs were a key ingredient in the medicine that could treat Menistivirus; a common plague on multiple human colonies. The vaccines for Menistivirus were not being mass produced quickly enough to inoculate everyone in need. Thus, the eggs sold like hotcakes in the underground markets, and could bring a pretty penny to Zygotics brave or stupid enough to enter a Draconis nest. High risk, high reward.

Camila understood the desperation in a way. But these poaching practices were unsustainable for the Irides population, and if things continued the way they were going, there wouldn’t be any eggs left at all…