005 | video

[dracobin]

[The feed opens on Temeraire's apartment, which looks a great deal gaudier now thanks to the recent yard sale and the salvage found in Sinbrilee. Rich tapestries hang from the railings surrounding the central open space, and piles of interesting metal are neatly arranged within sight. Temeraire, for his part, seems oblivious to his growing hoard; he looks determined, if not a little worried.]

I am not going to ask you if you have found any turtle eggs; it is better, I think, if that is kept a secret. If--our enemy does not know who has one, it would be stupid to tell him; if he already knows, there is no point in telling him again, and refreshing his memory. Nor do I need to tell you how important they are; that, I think, is obvious enough.

[He shifts a little, looking down for a moment and collecting his thoughts before he begins again.] Turtle eggs are not the same as dragon eggs, of course, but I should think there are enough similarities to offer some advice, and if you have never taken care of eggs before, there can certainly be no harm in what I am about to tell you.

It is best to keep your egg warm at all times. At Loch Laggan, we used old Roman bath-houses, such as you might have seen in Sinbrilee, but covering your egg with blankets may suffice. Care must be taken so that the egg does not grow too hot, and the temperature should be constant throughout. Pray do not jostle your egg, or move it overmuch; it is very uncomfortable, and you run the risk of cracking the egg.

Dragon eggs harden, just before they hatch, and I cannot say the same will be true for these eggs, but it may be something to look out for, all the same. I do not think it will be very long before they do hatch, if they are already beginning to communicate from within the shell: half a year at the most. But since they can hear us, it is therefore very important that you speak to your egg, or play music to it, or read to it: anything which you yourself might like to hear, if you were cooped up in a small room with nothing to do, and could not come out for a very long time.

And of course you will feel very protective of the egg, and you ought to, but it is also very important to remember that it is not your pet, nor some unthinking beast; if your turtle does hatch, pray give it an opportunity to choose its own name before offering your own suggestions, and do not take advantage of it. If you do, I shall find you, and I shall sit on you, and it shall be very unpleasant for everyone involved.

[Pause as he realises, perhaps a little belatedly, that he might have crossed a line there. Hurriedly he adds:] And if you have any further questions, you may of course ask me--or any of the other dragons here--at any time, [and cuts the feed.]

Comments

video: 30% filtered because bean showed her how.

[victoria_stay]

Is our egg okay?

video; leaving it at 30% filtered because what are computers

[dracobin]

Oh, yes, of course--you might come and keep it company, if you like.

video;

[victoria_stay]

I can do that after work.

video;

[dracobin]

I have been thinking, we might perhaps all gather together and read to it, in turn? I am sure there are a great many books from our worlds that each of us has never heard of before.

video;

[kelpful]

[The problem with being a son of Poseidon without being able to read all that well is that most of your knowledge tends to be gained on the fly. Percy has never had to look after turtle eggs before]

Oh man, this is a good idea. Thanks, Temeraire. [a beat] Uh, talking to them is definitely something they'd like. They're really curious. And if anyone wants to know like, a general idea of how their turtle's feeling, I don't mind talking to them. [There's an understatement. And Percy hasn't spoken to the dragon as much as he might have liked since his arrival, so he has no idea if Temeraire actually knows that he can talk to sea animals or not. DETAILS]

video;

[dracobin]

[He leans forward, immediately interested.]

Percy! You can speak to them, as well? I know there are a few foreigners who can, I saw a few messages on the network to that end, but I was not certain--

video;

[kelpful]

Sort of. They're definitely the same kind of turtles as Asti is, so their minds are kind of...complicated is probably the easiest way of putting it. I can't really talk to them like I can talk to horses or other sea creatures [yes, horses] but I can get impressions from them. I guess they're still too young to really blow me over like Asti did.

video;

[dracobin]

Oh, yes, I should imagine so--but even some manner of response, however vague, is certainly better than none at all. You must be sure to inform me if they contradict anything I have said, whether by emotion or by specific response; advice aside, I cannot assume these eggs will behave the same as dragon eggs, at all.

[angermanaging]

[It takes a moment for Bruce to adjust to the idea of talking to a dragon about getting advice on his adopted giant mystical turtle egg, but once he does, he doesn't miss a beat. He can appreciate such a factual, no nonsense delivery.]

Thanks. That's pretty helpful. [He actually has a pencil and paper in front of him beside the console, where his notes on what Temeraire had said are visible, his cheap dime store glasses discarded beside them.]

Do you have an idea of what the ideal temperature is? I can rig something up to keep it constant. [Then he adds, lightly self-mocking,] Talking, uh, talking to it I might have more difficulty with.

video;

[dracobin]

[Oh, this person is taking notes! That makes Temeraire feel terribly important and learned, and endears the man to him considerably.]

The baths at Loch Laggan were close to thirty-five degrees Celsius, at their warmest, but I hesitate to prescribe the same for the turtles, given the obvious differences between us. I should think perhaps thirty degrees might be nearer to the mark? It is a great pity we cannot just ask Asti directly, with the barrier shrunk so.

[He pauses, considering.] You might of course read to it instead, if you have found any interesting books in Keeliai? Poetry, perhaps, or mathematical treatises?

Re: video;

[angermanaging]

[Wow, this is a precise dragon that cares about things like degrees Celsius. Bruce can't help warming to him a little, inasmuch as he warms to anyone.]

Thirty degrees. I can manage a warming lamp. [It's laughably simple for him, actually, but Bruce isn't about to brag.] Maybe one of the... telepaths can check in and see if they like it warmer.

[That's actually not half bad advice. Bruce generally dislikes talking, but talking without emotional content is much less of an issue. Hence the way he starts to get abruptly wordy on scientific topics.] So it's just the voice they like? [he clarifies. And then, in a light joke,] I could go over what I remember of the Feynman lectures. [Wait. Do dragons know physics references?] Uh, a famous physicist.

video;

[dracobin]

Oh, that is right, I had not thought of the telepaths. [He looks faintly embarrassed at the omission.] We have not got them in our world, you see; I think it should be a great deal easier to plan for hatchings, if we did.

It is more the knowing that someone is there; it is dreadfully boring in the egg, particularly during the last few weeks, and in any case it is never too early to contribute to the turtle's education. [Earnest head-bobbing, which pauses momentarily as he recognises a name from the occasional science party with Annabeth.] I have heard of Feynman here, I think, but only in passing; what sorts of things does he study?

video.

[traitre]

Out of curiosity-- how long is the incubation period of one of your dragon eggs?

[ specifying "your dragon eggs" implies there must be a "my dragon eggs" as well... ]

video.

[dracobin]

Well, it depends on the breed; Yellow Reapers may hatch in a matter of months, for example, while I have heard some breeds may take as long as a decade.

video.

[traitre]

Aah, that's good to hear! I've known some to take as long as a thousand decades to hatch. The proud parents may not be able to wait around quite that long.

video.

[dracobin]

A thousand decades! I cannot imagine it; how could one possibly maintain an aerial corps, or even a stable population of dragons? Do you think perhaps these eggs--

[Beat.] No; if anything, they have waited long enough. They must be ready to hatch soon.

video; 80% encryption

[brokenweapon]

Thanks for the advice. I don't know the first thing about eggs, and I don't think most people here do either. I'll have to think of some stories to tell so it doesn't get bored. [Maybe not, since he also doesn't want to scar the turtle for life.]

I have a question, but it's not quite related to the care and keeping of eggs...mind if I ask? [It's always good to stay on a dragon's good side, and anyway it can't hurt to be polite to Temeraire. Or at least more polite than Bourne usually is, which is not very.]

video; 80% encryption

[dracobin]

I assumed not, considering how many people here have heard of dragons; it is a little worrying, to say the least. [If he had the choice, he would have packed up all the eggs to raise by himself by now, but common sense dictates he would never have the time to. And people might protest, of course, but that is only a minor detail.]

Why--of course, if you like.

video; 80% encryption

[brokenweapon]

[Oh, Temeraire. Please never change.]

Thanks. As I understand it, you're reasonably familiar with Javert. Like, you know the man better than I do. I've met him a couple times, but...we might have ended up entrusted with an egg.

Do you think he can be trusted to keep it safe?

[Bourne's very protective of the egg, and would probably kick Malicant itself in the face to keep it safe, given the chance.]

video;

[wintershepherd]

This is really great advice, Temeraire.

[ Jack isn't involved with the care of any of the eggs, but he can appreciate someone whose expertise is hard to come by. ]

video;

[dracobin]

I only hope it may be of use; there is no guarantee that turtle eggs will hatch the same as dragon eggs, of course.

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

Well, no but most of us have like... zero experience with eggs of any variety other than, uh, the edible type.

[AUDIO | basic encryption because paranoid]

[anything_it_takes]

[Leo might have a minor species advantage, but he's never raised an egg and really doesn't know the first thing about it. So this? Is awesome input. Also, he really likes what he's seen of Temeraire on the network and this is a really good excuse to open up conversation. Good topic too.]

Have you… Ever seen one hatch? [What's that like? He can't help but wonder, having a bit more personal interest than the mammals around here. Hence, why this reply is locked; his strict sense of personal space and privacy allows for no less.]

But, what do you mean, "take advantage of?" [Naturally, the idea of mis-treating a hatchling goes against every grain in his body. Hence the need to know as much as possible about such potential villainy.]

video;

[dracobin]

[Sob sob sob in his excitement Temeraire completely forgot about learning that there were actual...other sentient turtles...aboard the sentient turtle...]

Yes, I have. It was very sudden, even though I told her to wait; we were in enemy territory, and trying to stay hidden, because there was a patrol coming. [Pause.] She made a great mess, and there were all over bits of eggshell.

Well-- [He hesitates, tail twitching slightly. It is something he feels quite strongly about, after all, but putting it into words for someone who might not know about dragons is a little difficult.] In much of Europe, at least, a hatchling is paired with a human captain almost immediately out of the shell. I have heard it likened to imprinting, here: one cares very much for one's captain, sometimes at the expense of one's better judgment, if one does not know any better. I have known dragons--

--well, I do not intend for anything to happen to these hatchlings, in any case.

[AUDIO | basic encryption]

[anything_it_takes]

[Well, anonymity is the way the turtles like it. If Temeraire missed Raphael's video posts, that's fine by Leo.]

Me either.

[Leonardo has overheard some of Temeraire's political talk, and although a bit if it does go over his head (or he simply becomes absorbed in the fact that he's watching a large, black, incredibly cool-looking dragon) he's heard enough to like what he sees. The dragon is an information hound and a bit of an over sharer, but has passionately-held values and strong morals. Especially knowing that he put his life on the line and suffered for it during the recent incursion, Leonardo comes heavily predisposed to deepen lines of communication, now that he's had an excuse to start talking.

And that's the reason he contemplates sharing the idea that springs to mind, besides the fact that it is only of value if he addresses it with the dragon who knows what he's talking about. But he doesn't like using consoles for sensitive conversation, and between Malicant's enthusiastic response to a transmission plus the fact that Alderwood is undoubtedly monitoring these lines, he thinks he should keep the idea that the Emperor might have a relationship with Asti similar to a dragon and their captain off the network. Just in case he's right.]

Do you think…

Hm.

Look, do you mind if I ask a few more questions – in person? After dark somewhere?

[Wow, how many people actually want to introduce themselves to a dragon for the first time after dark? Truly, there is no accounting for ninjas.]