The Hatchery Manager

Your name is Mivida.

Since finding Surdolv beyond sick in the Wasteland and stumbling upon Nowhere Hospital, you've been home. Surdolv is your adopted daughter. You protect her with your life even though she's perfectly capable of caring for herself now. But it wasn't always this way.

You found her on her own, a hatching maybe a week old, cold and alone in the Abiding Boneyard. You weren't doing too well yourself, driven away from your old clan in the Everbloom Gardens, wandering in your exile through the most dangerous landscape on the planet. How you got to this point, you will never tell. You were ill, but this hatchling was doing worse and she was native to these lands! You feared for her and even in your weakened state, vowed to care for her.

You'd been wandering in circles carrying her, completely lost and without much hope until you saw strange movement in the distance; a massive thing striding slowly along. You approached it and discovered it was very tall, a couple times taller than the biggest dragons. It looks like a creature, but also a walking piece of land. You flew upwards and landed on the creature's back, which was largely flat and felt just like the land below.

You were met by an Imperial who didn't seem very friendly, telling you to state your business. You pleaded with him, explaining that you were ill and that this poor hatchling desperately needed help, more help and more urgently than yourself. To your surprise he went against what you'd been told about the Wasteland being full of dragons who didn't care and would only help themselves and their kin. He led you to a massive tent-like structure and told you to talk to the Pearlcatcher sitting at a desk on the other end of a large open room full of nests and perches.

Upon seeing the hatchling, the Pearlcatcher gasped and took her, yelling as he rushed down a corridor. You were confused and didn't follow until he screamed back for you to do so.

By the time you found him again, he was with a Wildclaw who was now holding the hatchling, closely looking her over. Within just a few seconds of you catching up, the Wildclaw ran off with her. You started to follow, but the Pearlcatcher stopped you. "Wait," he said, "do not follow. That hatchling needs intensive care. I'm sorry, you must stay away until they are stable. We will allow you access again when it is safe." You felt tears welling up in your eyes. Just how bad was it? "Hey," the Pearlcatcher gently touched your shoulder, "it's ok. You made it to the best surgeon this side of the Wyrmwound. They're in the best hands you'll find out here, some of the best in the world. He's a miracle worker. Your hatchling will be fine, I promise, just give it time. Now you, you don't look too great either."

"I'm not," you explained through sobbing, "I need help too." The Pearlcatcher let go and told you to follow again through the fabric enclosed corridors. Soon, you came upon a room. He opened the door and motioned for you to go in while he wrote something on the chalkboard hanging on it. It wasn't a very big space, but comfortable enough with a nest already made, a radio on the table beside it, and a few other unfamiliar devices around the space. "You'll stay here until you're back on your feet so to speak. Rest. I'm about to tell the nurse about all this, they'll take care of you from here and alert you when that hatchling is doing better if Dr. Krova doesn't do that himself. He'll be with you as soon as he can." The Pearlcatcher explained, peeking through the door. "Rest." He repeated before shutting it.

---

The next few days went well. Both you and Surdolv were doing better. You were allowed to see her again and when you were both doing well enough, the two of you moved over to the inn portion of this strange camp.

No one had asked for payment or even brought it up until then. You had nothing to offer. You'd been left in the Wasteland with nothing. That led to the discussion of services, was there anything you could do to return the favor of helping you and your found hatchling recover?

That's when you revealed that in your old life in Nature's lands, you were a nest tender. You cared for the nests instead of the parents. Your banishment was unrelated to your work. Nowhere Hospital's nests are handled similarly.

Parents who are permanent residents have other things to do than keep eggs warm and hatchlings out of trouble. Parents who are guests often seek out the hospital because they are travelers in need of a safe nest for their eggs or are sick and just so happen to have eggs with them they aren't well enough to care for. Bottom line: they needed someone who could dedicate to managing the nests and caring for hatchlings in their first few weeks.

You agreed and found yourself feeling at home with the wanderers. Your debts were paid, but you had nowhere else to go and no real desire to seek another home. You got a tent to yourself and your adopted daughter, who you are fiercely protective of to this day.

As she grew, you were always by her side and now the two of you are inseparable.

Upgrades: Neural link to hatchery surveillance system.