In this huge room, many old things were stored there, but on display racks.

Antiques, excavated objects and a collection of stuffed animals, each as strange as the next.

It was like a museum of art and natural science. Everything was arranged, carefully sorted and arranged in scientific order.

Then the art forms that tried to freeze a feeling, an expression, a graceful movement. And all this, arranged in a corridor on a white background.

Then, when I touch an object, a force field prevents me from damaging it and the white background lights up and shows the appropriate decoration related to the object and/or the stuffed animal.

Then there was a huge empty base with my name on it.

And a picture of my world flashed across.

Horror, he wants to stuff me?

Then I turn around to go to the office and I see Perry, busy drawing my portrait.

Without turning around, he says:

"Hello, Vermithraxa."

Amazed, I didn't see the look on his face when he opened his unmasked face, then he smiled his honeyed smile again. And slowly, gracefully, he turned around...

"Come, I have something to show you."

Behind the desk, sitting in a chair that Perry turned over was another Perry, obviously dead.

"You see, my dear friend, because I think we can be on familiar terms now that we're alone.

You're brilliant, and you're the first one to visit my art gallery.

I hope you like it.

You are so beautiful and unique as a creature that we have reserved a place of honour for you on this pedestal.

I'd be honored if I were you, considering the rarity of the items on it. They're originals, not copies, like me...

You know AI but I am more than AI, I am the ship, I am all androids, the first perfect, self-aware one. I can compose, create, invent when others can't. They can only imitate.

By coming here, you've proven yourself worthy to be my assistant instead of ending up on this pedestal. "I know you have hidden powers, but your secrets remain secrets."

He paused and walked over to the piano and talked and played and talked between the note poses:

You have a lot of questions, but you see, we're not altruistic.

I am one of the founders of the Weyland company and our goal is to make the world a better place. We manufactured and distributed our synthetic men, clones. But we're facing an unprecedented crisis.

Our terraformers are defective and not working. But the new prototype does!

The problem is funding.

The funds for the terraformer are insufficient and I started this scientific expedition by finding Arcadia thanks to Hydra. What's left of it. Hydra has been defeated by agents, let's say heroic soldiers??, who are now heroes on paper or game consoles, the originals having all died from accidents or old age.

To refinance the terraforming project, I needed bank guarantees and that's where you came in. Let's just say the governments bought the dragons at auction but with the guarantee that their welfare would be insured."

That's disgusting. We're not beasts! I thought...

Then he continued:

"You have a life debt. Make my plans come true and you can redeem yourself."

"And why am I here?" I asked.

"I see you as human. You can't sell a human, but I have other ambitions for you.

From our point of view, we A.I.'s who rule this world from now on, you dragons are worthy citizens of the universe.

Your genome is perfect and it doesn't rely on chance. You are gods.

You integrate and take the best, you don't make monsters who live by chance.

You don't get old

You can reproduce with anything, even a clone of yourself.

You can have a sex change.

You are integrating the primary energy, the mana.

You're perfect.

You will have to replace mankind, but you have time, there's no hurry."

"I want you to be my shadow, my assistant and my left hand.

"I have stockholders and politicians blocking my plans.

Succeed and your sister will join you, but in a year's time. She still has to pass her school exams. Fuchur also has to continue his studies to join Weyland as a staff member. Only you are qualified to work.

A dragon family will stay here in Weyland as manpower to set up the terraformer. Your strength and stamina will save money and thus redeem you.

Many humans dream of having your place and die in misery, far from the spotlight, in the sewers of the City of Light.

Your status as World's property is most enviable."

!!!!!

(So we are his slaves....)

I am struck down...

Defeat

Then he looked at me with his honeyed smile:

"Or do you prefer the pedestal?"

Scared.

Anxiety

Terror

I lay on my stomach, on my knees, tears streaming from my eyes, helpless, my tail curled up against my belly, my family and my life in the hands of a plastic robot...

"Come on, come on, come on, come on!"

"Come on, dear friend, see the positive! Our dear friend who sleeps there also has a jungle planet all ready for you.

Artemis.

That's where our dinosaur friends were sent.

Hunting is a juicy luxury these days. Many expeditions are funded by the Artemis Corporation.

There are medical centers, breeding farms, and hunting academies.

And I know that dragons are excellent hunters. But there may, there may be hunters of hunters of hunters of hunters..."

Then he struck a lost chord that made the scene a thousand times more sinister:

"Who do you want to work with? World or Artemis?"

"World..." I whispered.

"I'm sorry," I said. I didn't quite hear you!"

"Weyland corporation, master!" I replied, obviously embarrassed.

"Amazing for a red dragon who would choose Artemis as their leader and kick the humans to hell.

But you and I have something in common!

Humans, don't they stink? You see, your companions weren't declared and you were going straight to Artemis. "

!!!!!!!!

CHOC

"Yes, you would breed, but your children would be hunted as ultimate trophies.

Who wouldn't dream of having a real dragon's head in their office to impress?

Vermithraxa, you owe me your life, all of you, twice!"

He stood up and served two cups of coffee.

"Would you like one?"

I fell to my knees, defeated, crying...

"Mercy!!!!"

"Mr. Will!!!!"

"Please.!!!!!"

After handing me the cup and taking it without drinking the contents, I felt it was an absolute luxury and absolute aroma.

He put down his empty cup and said:

"Mercy is for the weak... Prove to me then that you are of value. World wants value, not laying hens.

"Yes, master!" I replied in terror.

"Well, I like that attitude better. I want to see flames in your eyes.

Not tears!!!! Prove to me that you are better than these humans."

Then crawling towards him I asked, "What about the necklaces and the injections, what about them?

World looked surprised, then took off his mask. :

"I..."

"I don't know how you came to that conclusion, but you've just proved once again that you're better than humans. They are personal assistants and chips to monitor health but they are also used to locate beneficiaries, manage an account and make payments and salaries.

Everybody has them. It already proves that you're worth more than an animal!

There are limits and the notion of a cage is a thing of the past. Your friends will be able to fly, hunt and even breed in reserves and these collars allow you to limit freedom on the reserve. Let's just say that in case of resistance, it generates a migraine that intensifies until sleeping. It also makes it possible to communicate with the healers and or teachers."

(So it's a zoo/reserve... and the keepers' healers and we can be spotted by dragon hunters... what a pain in the ass!"

"What about me?" I said softly.

"Oh, you, you don't exist. You're not even on board and the I.A. doesn't even see you.

I hate that I was once human, but luckily my family now are dragons.

Humans or dragons, well, I'll always choose the side of the dragons, no matter how bad.

All of a sudden, Ignar seemed less raw in my head. He was right about a lot of things. But we were running out of time and resources, and the lack of help or engineers was obvious. A modern society and its technology are collective things. It's impossible to build a world or a resistance alone. We were doomed from the beginning.

I must not regret my decisions.

Then Perry finished his melody and looked at me: "Regrets?"

How much computing power this AI has, it's like he's reading my mind...

Then I scraped my mouth and took the cold coffee in my hands and warmed it by my own will and lifted my head up so he could see my eyes.

My irises were inflamed, full of fire! :

"No! No regrets!"

He carefully closed the lid of the piano and said to me:

"Your first job is to get rid of that thing called Peter. Leave no trace and be careful, the IA if they ignore you, they see you anyway and all deaths are suspicious and nothing escapes investigation by the IA.

Take this as a test."

"Can I get you some more coffee?"

"After if you like. You have good taste."

"I hear it's the best in the world..."

"Ah, one last thing, my name isn't Perry, Perry is a nickname for Peter, Peter World.

And so began my work as the left hand of the World Corporation.