The Pale Blue Dot - 2. Chapter 2 Fly

"Dragons are born to fly in the sky." I softly recited, touching the photo of my mother stuck next to the instrument panel. She disliked being photographed because our family's unique scale structure reflected nearly all wavelengths of light, making it difficult to take good pictures. But she still smiled brightly for me, her yellow-green scales shimmering like a rainbow.

"Are you already preparing your famous quote for posterity?" Serene’s voice came from the chip next to my ear, the joking tone making me smile.

"It's just a quote from Darkfang's song." Wise Pathfinder Darkfang, who led the dragons to soar into the unknown void and explore new worlds filled with stars. When he took the first step onto the surface of Ceres, covered in ice, white crystals, and clay, he sang this, setting the tone for future symphonies. "If the mission doesn't fail and blows the spaceship to pieces, I'll think of a quote for posterity then." I could hear some unhappy murmurs in the background, even imagine them making warding gestures to avoid bad luck.

It's strange how scientists can still be so superstitious.

"If the mission succeeds, I think it will surely earn you a third name." There was a touch of admiration in Serene’s voice, making me feel a bit embarrassed. "But if it fails, at least it will be the most spectacular fireworks show of my life."

I couldn't help but laugh, but the protests from the others in the command center were very obvious this time.

"Let's not test everyone's patience any further." I said, making a final check of the instrument panel.

"Command Center Operator - Serene Thinker confirms all systems are normal and ready for launch. Navigator of Farview - Fearless Challenger, please confirm status." She switched to a professional tone, and the sarcastic thanks from someone in the background made me smile again.

"Fearless Challenger confirms all systems are normal and ready for launch." I completed the check and gave my response, and other commanders at their stations also gave the green light.

"Preparing for launch countdown." There was a hint of hesitation in her voice. "May your song endure and harmonize with all things," she sang.

"May your song endure and harmonize with all things," I responded in the same tune. It was interesting to know she had such a traditional side.

"Initiating ignition sequence, countdown begins. Ten, nine, eight..."

The hull vibrated slightly, and I took a deep breath.

"Launch!"

"Launch!" Mud, the same temperature as the environment, didn't trigger my infrared vision, and the wet, sticky sensation clung to my body.

"Kill that monster!" they shouted, jumping around as I judged their movements, dodging thrown objects, and seizing the opportunity to grab something hard from the ground to hurl back in retaliation.

"The monster is angry!" They laughed and ran away, at least not bothering me anymore.

Although my pride was truly hurt, and I should probably be used to this special treatment by now, I sat in the mud for a while, the dirt flowing down from the gaps in my scales.

"Are you okay?" An adult passerby seemed to notice something was wrong, walking over and trying to help me up from the ground. His expression showed clear shock when he touched my back, and he slightly recoiled.

"I'm fine." Mixed with shame and inferiority, I pushed his hand away and ran home without looking back.

Our home is one of the units in a hive-like apartment complex, like most residents on Ceres. I've always been curious about what a hive is. The heater in the living room emitted a steady warmth, and I lay on my mother's lap as she hummed a soothing tune, finally allowing me to relax.

Flipping through the photo album in my hands, looking at the previously taken photos always calmed me.

The magnificent and solemn Occator Crater, the shimmering mithril light of Ahura Mountain, the volcanoes periodically spewing giant ice crystals, the symmetrical straight lines of the Urvara Pit Chain, and the Great Red Spot on Zeus occasionally being able to see.

In addition to various landscapes, my collection sometimes included people. Friendly apartment managers, neighbors who eagerly taught me photography skills, or unnoticed places, capturing crowds. I tried hard to convince my mother to leave physical records, and as always, she replied that she would consider it carefully.

As for myself, perhaps one day I will be willing to leave a photographic record of my existence. But not now.

"I want to travel the world and document things never seen before." I murmured, and my mother gently patted my head, her nails making a slight sound on my scales.

A long time ago, during these low moments when I was hurt, I always asked her, "Why am I different?" Later, I gradually realized this was also an undeniable hurt for my mother, as if blaming her.

"To explore the unknown universe, to understand all possible existences."

So after my father finally couldn't bear the shame and left for a long time, I started trying, in these most vulnerable moments, not to be stuck in helplessness but to speak of my hopes for the future--all possible forms.

"I want to fly higher and farther than any of them." Mostly out of defiance, I think, a kind of childish defense mechanism. But it gave me direction and strength, enabling me to stop being troubled by my own weakness, and it seemed to make my mother feel less guilty. "To introduce to everyone those existences that have never been imagined."

"That's great." My mother said with a smile, her tone carrying a melody of encouragement. I've heard that fewer and fewer dragons are mastering this skill, and eventually, we will inevitably lose our song. "Dragons are born to fly in the sky."

I buried my head, not wanting my mother to see this weak side of me. But I knew that the tear sliding down from the gap between my scales, shining with light, was a glimpse of future possibilities.

A brilliant streak of silver light cut through the void, vanishing in an instant.

"Command Center calling Fearless Challenger," Serene's voice sounded again, and I blinked my nictitating membrane, bringing my thoughts back.

"Fearless Challenger here," I replied, checking the correction command that had just been transmitted. "Sorry, I think I saw a comet, got a bit distracted." Or maybe it was just my imagination? I glanced again at the empty deep space.

"The bumpy part is coming up, are you ready?" Her voice was calm, which I took as confidence in me.

"Born for this," I said with a smile, activating the sensors to collect some data before entering the hydrogen layer, the computer beeping binary analyses.

After the analysis was complete, the machine spit out a strip of paper.

"I must say, this is beyond expectations." The oldest-looking dragon pushed up his glasses. "Those exaggerated muscles and bone density, not to mention, how did no one notice his scales earlier?"

"Or perhaps, this was expected," another doctor said, glancing at me. "Considering his... uniqueness."

I tried not to look too smug, but it was difficult, given that the other three candidates were all on the floor, vomiting. It seemed that because of me, the high-G centrifuge's intensity had been cranked up to unprecedented levels.

"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet," the third doctor said with an eager look that was somewhat terrifying. "Let's see how he performs in the wind tunnel." I was used to facing challenges with a smile, so I gave the doctor my most confident grin, and he decided to respond by starting the wind tunnel at full power.

Like being gripped by an invisible giant hand, gravity struck. The pressure suit dutifully operated, and I used every method I'd learned in training to stay conscious and grit my teeth. Some said it was genetics or the conditions of my hatching that made me different.

Outside the cabin, constant clangs and clinks rang out as the new ship's armored coating resisted the debris whirling in Zeus's super high-speed winds—its insulation nearly adiabatic—an essential feature for colonizing a gas giant. The helium-3 reserves on Zeus alone could make the Asteroid Belt Alliance independent of the Lunar and no longer reliant on the Dyson Swarm terms with the Canine Empire, which could backtrack at any time.

After what felt like an eternity, the ship finally broke through the unending storm, contacting the liquid hydrogen ocean and beginning to decelerate. The sudden impact of inertia nearly made me faint, but I held on, the safety straps tightly securing my body probably breaking a few ribs.

I panted heavily, struggling to regulate my breathing. When I finally calmed down, I could hear the static noise in the communication chip. They were all waiting, waiting for my response.

"Successful docking," I said weakly, avoiding any large movements. The next moment, the command center erupted in thunderous cheers, and I quickly lowered the volume.

My vision was still a bit blurry, but I knew now that I had earned my third name. They say that when you qualify, you'll know. And I knew they were all listening. I would not only speak for myself but also define a new era.

It might be different eye colors, scale patterns, or even mocking those who had lost their song. I wouldn't be the first to be treated as an outcast, nor the last to suffer from such ostracism. Others deeply mired in loneliness might not be as lucky as I was, to gain support and recognition and finally be seen for their true worth.

To prove to other dragons that I could be just as excellent, to show those in the same situation that there is hope for the future, and most importantly, to let myself know--I could do it--this me.

I lifted my head, took a deep breath, and felt the never-ceasing rhythm in my consciousness. I began to sing, expressing my true feelings and deepest hopes.

"Soaring in the storm, transcending hesitation. Embarking on a journey to the unknown frontier, seeking unseen vistas, and ultimately witnessing the birth of a new world. I am Fearless Challenger, the Wingless!"

I sat cross-legged in the center of the pure white room, trying once again to enter the dream walking state. I always thought it was some kind of folklore until I learned during navigator training that it was one of our lost skills. According to the elders, dream walking allows us to delve into the other side of the world, stripping away all deceptive illusions, seeing the truth, and understanding everything.

However, my attempts at dream walking had never been successful, whether at the Zeus outpost or after returning. To be honest, I couldn't see how these effects would help me now. The fact that I decided to keep practicing this mystical art probably indicated how bored I was.

Around me, various instruments emitted steady sounds. The central ceiling light was adjusted to a wavelength that supposedly had a calming effect, but these well-meaning efforts, like the green Augira crystal by my bed, only had the opposite effect. Why were so many highly educated professionals so superstitious?

But I wasn't the kind of hatchling to lose control over a little thing like temporarily losing my freedom. A month of safety quarantine checks couldn't compare to a two-year solo colonization mission or a childhood full of neglect and exclusion. Besides, I had visitors.

"Someone's being flashy," Serene's voice came through the speaker on the wall, the distortion not diminishing the unique melody of her voice.

"How could I dare?" I opened my eyes and said, looking at her through the only transparent window. "Humility is a virtue."

"Spare me," she said with a laugh, showing her golden teeth. "I have no interest in men who play cute." She pressed her palm against the transparent barrier.

Blue-green eyes, predominantly green feathers, and those dark blue scales glowing faintly in the dark--truly beautiful.

I got up and walked to the barrier, placing my hand over hers. "What if it's a genuinely cute man?" I raised my gaze to meet hers.

I wouldn't say something so timid in front of others, but a bit of flirtation when we were alone was fine.

I was met with a meaningful hum, Serene tilting her head as if considering something interesting. We enjoyed a brief moment of silence.

"I'm here to inform you that the biosafety team has also approved your release. Congratulations, the quarantine is over." She broke the silence first, tapping her terminal screen. "I wanted to be the first to talk to you face-to-face, but..." Her hesitation made me fear a change of plans. "...the Elder has summoned you, now."

I sighed in relief; at least it wasn't bad news. But... to be summoned by the Elder, I never thought I'd have such an honor.

"Has this cycle's deep sleep ended?" I asked, searching my memory while reading the detailed explanation on the wall display.

"No, it seems something woke him," Serene crossed her arms, a habit when she was uneasy. "The actual situation might be clear only to higher ranks."

I nodded, understanding that I could go directly from the isolation pod to the Elder's resting chamber, as the channel structure was designed for this.

"Be careful, Fearless," Serene said after opening a secret door in the floor. "People who meet the Elder... they never come back the same."

"It'll be fine," I smiled at her, trying to inspire confidence. "He's just an ancient dragon over two thousand years old, what's there to worry about?"

Serene nodded, but I could detect signs of concern. Since I first asked her to exchange breeding feathers, I had learned to interpret her small gestures.

"May your song endure, in harmony with all things," I said, making a little joke as I bid farewell.

"May your song endure, in harmony with all things," she replied, catching my humor.

The seemingly endless stone steps continued downward. I suspected I was now deeper than the seabed beneath the underground ocean. What would it feel like if gravity reversed as you passed through the center of the dwarf planet? But with Ceres' weak gravity, the difference might not be noticeable.

Finally, the stairs stopped descending, and I reached a vast, empty cavern: the lair of the Elder Darkfang.

The cavern walls were filled with countless niches, holding all sorts of objects whose functions were indiscernible. There were probably thousands of them, and some of the more peculiar ones glowed under infrared vision.

I heard the sound of flowing water but couldn't pinpoint the entrance or exit points. The inflowing currents formed a lake with a platform in the center.

"Dragon with no wings, step forward." The solemn song reverberated through the cavern, and a few Augira crystals flashed white light with the specific tone, illuminating the creature on the central platform.

The massive body and thick neck were covered in indigo scales, with feathers on the body and wing tips of a similar but darker hue. Those yellow eyes pierced through me in just an instant.

Wise Pathfinder Darkfang, the oldest living ancient dragon, perched on a throne-like platform. Many objects at the lake bottom also sparkled in the brief light.

Though I had seen depictions and read about ancient dragons, seeing one in person left me awestruck and immobile--those records didn't capture even a fraction of his magnificence.

"Dragon with no wings, step forward." He sang again, with a melody of curiosity, and this time the cavern flashed blue.

Few adult dragons chose to enter the Ascension Slumber. Besides being a privilege of the Third Name Holder and taking at least a century with no guaranteed successful transformation, the complete change in body structure meant losing the ability to speak, a significant issue for those who lost their song. Yet, considering the possibility of attaining this form suddenly filled me with excitement.

One thing at a time. Darkfang clearly wanted me to approach. I guessed this was some sort of test.

I looked around the cavern for something to help me cross the lake but found nothing. Should I swim across? Would that be improper? Would Darkfang care?

Scratching my head, I was unsure.

Hearing Darkfang's subtle inhalation, I guessed he was about to sing again.

It wouldn't be polite to make the Elder prompt me so many times.

I cleared my mind of distractions and took a step forward onto the lake's surface.

To my surprise, something solid supported my foot. Under the lake's surface, something transparent formed a path to the central platform.

Darkfang rumbled, causing the space to vibrate; I assumed it was his laughter. Under the crystal's red glow, I saw the pillars beneath the surface.

Understanding that Darkfang had been giving me hints from the start, I felt embarrassed, scratching the back of my head.

"Fearless one, a challenger knows no hesitation," Darkfang sang in a pleased melody as I reached him, the surrounding crystals emitting a steady white light. "Advance boldly; a wingless dragon never falls." The Elder lowered his enormous head, his yellow eyes level with mine. "But a Third Name Holder should know that caution is the steppingstone to wisdom."

I bowed my head, humbly accepting his teaching. Yet, I noticed another meaning in his words.

Returning to the lake's edge, I reached into the water and retrieved one of the transparent crystals I had used as a steppingstone. It was a rectangular prism, about the size of my palm. With Darkfang's smiling approval, I pocketed this meaningful gift.

"The venerable one has awakened from slumber to bestow priceless wisdom. How can the wingless one repay such a gift?" I bowed deeply, then sang with a melody of longing.

"Dragon with no wings, hear my song, the pride, hope, and regret of an aged elder." Darkfang lifted his head and howled, fully spreading his giant wings, the scales and feathers reflecting the crystals' resonant lights.

"The final judge has awakened, his brilliant mind illuminating the void.

A pale blue dot completes him, the vanished azure shatters him.

Red eyes see, an empty heart embraces all.

Reflecting on past errors, glimpsing future possibilities.

Complete your inevitable journey, deciding the fate of living beings.

Who is the judge, and who will be judged?

This great question, originating millennia ago, and the seven who dared to shape the future:

The wealthiest controlled the sky, land, and sea, claiming all roads as his.

The sharpest mastered words, phrases, and language, manipulating all truths for his use.

The most practical owned fields, mountains, and homes, enslaving all forms for her labor.

The wisest fabricated knowledge, information, and data, guiding all minds for his purposes.

The craftiest performed miracles, heroics, and holy wars, shepherding all spirits for her lead.

The most far-sighted created poisons, antidotes, and food, monopolizing all harvests for his gain.

The most foolish gazed at the stars, seeking a world wide enough for all to soar freely.

The seven knew each other, forming an alliance, secretly steering the world's course.

Using coded language as keys, performing the finest puppet show in the shadows.

The seven are all guilty, their crimes beyond redemption, paying their dues when the final reckoning comes.

With memories as the foundation, presenting the truest thoughts in judgment.

Tides and empires rise and fall, civilizations ebb and flow, but the seven puppet masters overlooked the strings binding themselves.

Realizing they were part of a grander scheme, six intensified their efforts, speculating within their limitations, trying to piece together a conclusion fitting their own designs.

The most foolish vowed to learn, separating from the six, guarding the secret alone through the ages. But the long years saw more forgotten than remembered, and he failed himself again."

Darkfang's body slumped, looking weary, the crystals in the cavern dimming.

"Among all the useless knowledge and regretful memories, the most foolish could vaguely recall that the first act would unfold on the Lunar." Darkfang lowered his head before me, singing softly.

"Find the judge, offer my fragmented memory, and show the path to reconciliation, avoiding our destruction;

Assist the judge, present my clouded eyes, perceiving the true nature of all beasts, seeing through the illusions;

Inform the judge, listen to my final song, remember the most foolish's failure, and understand the meaning of the coded language."

Darkfang tilted his head, showing his obsidian fang. "Wingless one, do you accept this gift and its corresponding burden?"

Still intoxicated by the unimaginable grandiosity of the song, I felt dizzy as I knelt and lowered my gaze. "Born for this." The images conveyed through the song were numerous and chaotic, and it might take a long time to sort them out. But I understood how important this was and why I was chosen.

Darkfang seemed to sigh in relief, slowly blinking as he pierced my shoulder with his obsidian fang.

At first, there was only a sharp pain. Then, it felt like liquid fire coursing through my veins. Every organ, muscle, bone, and nerve screamed. I felt like I was disassembled, scattered into space, and then reassembled molecule by molecule.

When I regained awareness of my breathing, I didn't know how much time had passed. I shakily stood up, looking at Darkfang, now curled into a ball. The Elder seemed to have entered slumber again, covering his head with the feathers on his tail, his body rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm.

But I felt something... something...

"Dif-tor heh smusma."

The sudden phrase in my mind almost made me jump. I recognized it as Darkfang's voice, similar to the song's tone. I glanced again at the ancient dragon, clearly deep in sleep, with no sign of awakening.

"This is my coded language, remember it, it will be useful in the end," Darkfang's voice echoed again.

"Understood, Wise Pathfinder Darkfang." I tried to mimic, sending my thoughts out, receiving a friendly laugh and a sense of his need for rest in response.

Retracing my steps up the stone stairs, I pondered, feeling like something... no, many things were within my... my... consciousness. I didn't know how to describe it; it was like seeing many small dots in my peripheral vision, losing focus if I tried to look at one, but clearly knowing they were there.

I couldn't understand the principle, but I sensed another group of people outside the isolation pod. I thought they would explain the situation to me.

As the door to the isolation pod slowly opened, I clutched the transparent crystal in my chest pocket, knowing that the world would never be the same again.