Dalmanish

There was no reason to believe that Dalmanish was anything other than he appeared, when he showed up at Carramba High's orientation a year ago. A new student, with basically no credentials and no history.

The school had seen hundreds of those, particularly after wars or during unrest around the galaxy. He barely knew English but it seemed to be something he learned very quickly. Expert with receiving telepathic signals, less so with sending them, Dalmanish established himself as a clever young student residing in the Alien dorms with two similarly wet room mates.

Likely because he adapted quickly to Twoarth's environment he is able to gain friends very quickly, though it can't be said that many adults like him automatically. He's not a bad boy in the slightest, but for some reason, even people who aren't parents seem to think they'd protect their daughters from his advances.

But at the end of his first year, during a demonstration from the Dragon hatcheries nearby, one of the riders Searched him - he'd be a good friend or at least sponsor material. So to that end, Dalmanish has selected some classes he thinks would make him better for sponsoring his own draconic friend.

Dalmanish, for the record, doesn't believe he's anything like a dragon. However, he's hardly been able to come up with any good description of what his species is, if not - other than 'amphibious'. Indicating that perhaps he started out as a tadpole.

***

Dalmanish bobbed through the hallway and could easily see over most of the other students' heads, though every few yards there would be a giraffemorph or a dragon kin that towered even over his own finny head. He was on his way to his Latin class after lunch, and wishing that he could put the Latin and his Archaeology courses one after another instead of being on different days. Ah well, he pondered, plopping down onto the wide bench seat once he reached the class. Maybe next year.

He really enjoyed school, Dalmanish was assertive enough in class that he always had a reasonably good extra credit grade, and quiet enough that he didn't get chastised too much for being disruptive. Of course, for Abdul-Razi's Latin class even his singing a perverse Latin song didn't get a bad grade - no one else could sing it half as well as he had.

It was half an hour into the two hour block class when one of the Dragonry tech people came into the room and asked that Dalmanish come along to his seminar class - that wasn't due until tomorrow, so he knew something was up.

"Looks like you're going to have a good excuse to be late," Abdul said, "good luck," and Dalmanish waved to his friends in the room as he followed the rider outside. They went to the dragonry training area, something of a hike across the football and track fields, where there was a big semi-artificial hillside with dragon dens and classrooms built into it.

A few others had been assembled for this event, but Dalmanish didn't know any of them personally. He'd seen one or two around, of course - but they were all rather distracted with the information that was being handed out.

"Several clutches," the attendant was saying, "sired by one male, and they're all probably going to be very interesting indeed..." She handed a pamphlet to Dalmanish and he glanced over the information. Since he also had a Genetic Engineering course halfway under his belt, he could take one look at those parent-images and decide that it was absolutely true: they would be stunning.

"But do they have to fly?" Another of the students said, she was biting her lip, looking at the information. "I really ... I don't even know why I was chosen, I hate heights..."

"You'll do fine," the other assistant told her, putting on a smile and quietly assuring her that things would be better than she imagined.

Of course, Dalmanish wondered that too - but more because he was at home in the water, not in the air. He liked catching air in the pool diving area, of course! Flips and stunts were easy for him. Maybe one of these amazing snakey-bodied dragons would enjoy joining him or even being trained! They could have a diving team!

***

Dalmanish could feel the excitement growing, as the group was being assembled for these nests that Briski had sired. There he was, and Dalmanish was pretty impressed with the females too. He was confident but quiet, content to watch for a while before taking any actions. He didn't want to appear too eager... But he really was. They were gorgeous! He could totally get dates with a dragon like that by his side...

The hatching at Akelara was quick, and interrupted lunch. Figured. After several other long, slinky, beautifully colored hatchlings went to their respective people - a mottled blue dragon from Ohrazah's clutch had staked his own claim, sauntering around Dalmanish and sniffing at the amphibious alien. "I think I like you. Mmm. Yes. You're perfect. I'm Tamalan." The dragon grinned mischievously up at Dalmanish, "Pleased to meet you, Dal-man."

Laughing, Dalmanish nodded, "pleased is the word!" Dalmanish replied. "Let's get you some eats! And me, too, you guys interrupted our lunch!"