Free The Crucible of the Dragon God by Mike Wild

with a sudden jerk of his limb he realised it was free of the connection, though the panel behind him continued to throb with the charge it had built up. Slowhand took advantage of this, making his body buck as if it were still part of the circuit, but secretly concentrating on the effort involved in freeing his right leg. It, too, broke free, though for a second the archer held it in place, making Fitch think he was as much constrained as he had always been.
    "Hey, Fitch," he gasped. "Shouldn't I be dead by now?"
    The threadweaver's eyebrow rose in surprise that his victim was able to speak, let alone breathe. Suddenly Slowhand felt a resurgence of the power, Fitch forcing him further onto the panel and, teeth gritted, he fought against the push with all of his will.
    "Threadweaver. I'm starting to think you couldn't weave your way out of a papyrus bag."
    Below him Fitch growled.
    "Querilous Fitch," Slowhand taunted further. "You think maybe that should be Querilous Oh-There's-A-Hitch?"
    That did it. As Slowhand had hoped, Fitch was the kind of man who, despite his power, couldn't resist venting his anger in a more physical form. The threadweaver lurched towards him with a snarl.
    As he did, his mental hold on Slowhand relaxed and, feeling his body untense against the panel, the archer made his move.
    He dropped to the floor and, as he impacted, threw himself into a forward roll, hands snatching behind his back for Suresight and an arrow from his quarrel. He came upright, the bow readied. Slowhand could have killed Fitch there and then but, without knowing exactly why, he didn't. Instead he fired off, in quick succession, four arrows aimed at Fitch's arms and legs. Flitch tried to deflect them, but he had no chance. The threadweaver was suddenly picked up and carried off his feet by their speed and power, thudding into the packing crate behind him. Fitch roared with anger, trying to pull away from the arrows that held him, but they were so solidly embedded in the wood through the folds of his cloak that he was trapped.
    Slowhand took a deep and satisfied breath and walked towards Fitch, pausing only to offer a hand to help the still prone Jenna up. She snatched it without thanks - without even a smile, of relief or otherwise - and rounded on the pinioned threadweaver, pointing at the control panel where Slowhand had been trapped. It buzzed now with a release of energy that, despite Slowhand not knowing what it should sound like, didn't seem quite right.
    "You're action was irresponsible and stupid," she shouted. "Have you any idea of the amount of power contained in those things?" She pointed at Slowhand. "Inserting him into the circuit has destabilised the entire system and -"
    Jenna broke off, ducking, as the upper left corner of the panel exploded.
    "I think she's trying to say you broke it," Slowhand pointed out. He studied the panel as another section detonated, lighting up everyone's faces. "If you ask me, I reckon this whole place is going to go up."
    "You fool!" Jenna yelled at the threadweaver.
    Fitch actually looked chastised. "He shouldn't have done what he did. Shouldn't have been able -"
    "He's my brother . He's a -"
    She's going to say it, Slowhand thought. The name. And when she did, then the world would know the truth. But at the same time he considered this, the panel behind him detonated once more and the conversation abruptly ceased. Because, this time the explosion set off a chain reaction that spread to more panels next to it, and then more after that, and suddenly one entire side of the waystation was aflame.
    "Yep, I was right," Slowhand said, smugly.
    "Fark," Jenna shouted, and she began to move among her people, shouting orders. "Get everyone back on board, now! You, do as I say! And you! Leave everything not already loaded! Mister Ransom, loose the umbilicals and prepare for immediate departure!"
    "Ma'am, we haven't finished refuel -"
    "It will have to do , Mister Quinn! If we don't get out of here