Free Dragonback 01 Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn Page A

decision."
    Jack chewed his lower lip. He honestly couldn't see what good it
would do them. Still, they had to start somewhere, and Vagran was
probably the last place anyone would expect him to show up. "Sure, why
not?" he said with a sigh.
    "Then it is decided," Draycos said firmly. "We must change course
immediately."
    "Not so fast, friend," Uncle Virge said. "I seem to remember you
saying something about trading secrets; but so far Jack and I have been
doing all the talking. It's your turn now."
    The tail tip was making slow circles again. A sign of the dragon
thinking? "Very well," Draycos said at last. "You know that our ships
were attacked and destroyed. What you do not know is that we were only
an advance team."
    The skin at the back of Jack's neck prickled. "Advance team for
what?" he asked carefully.
    "For the K'da and Shontine peoples," Draycos said. "Refugees from
our war with the Valahgua."
    It took Jack three tries to get any words out. "Did anyone know
about this?" he asked, trying to sound casual. "I mean, anyone
official?"
    "In any Orion Arm government, Internes or otherwise?"
Uncle Virge added.
    "We dealt with representatives of a people called the Chitac
Nomads," Draycos said. "They assured us that world was not being used,
and would be available for purchase."
    "Uh-huh," Jack muttered under his breath. "Uncle Virge?"
    "I don't know, lad," the other said hesitantly. "On official
records, Iota Klestis belongs to the Triost Mining Group. Still, they
don't seem to have done anything with it for thirty years or more. I'm
afraid I'm not up on current land-use law, so I can't tell you when a
claim like that lapses."
    "Either way, I doubt the Chitac Nomads had the rights to sell it,"
Jack concluded. "Typical Chitac stunt."
    Draycos had gone rigid, his green eyes shimmering. "Do you say we
were cheated?" he demanded, his voice suddenly an octave lower.
    "Easy, easy," Jack cautioned, holding out a calming hand as he
pushed himself further back in his chair. He hadn't yet seen the dragon
get really mad, and he didn't want to start in a cramped dayroom. "The
Chitac aren't swindlers, really. They're just a bit . . . uh . . ."
    "A bit casual concerning matters of law and regulation?" Uncle
Virge offered.
    "Yeah, that's it," Jack agreed. "They probably knew about the
planet, knew it wasn't being developed, and figured no one wanted it
anymore. I'm sure it was all in good faith."
    "Their faith is of no value to us," Draycos growled.
    "I'm sure something can be worked out," Uncle Virge assured him
hastily. "Really. Iota Klestis is in human-claimed space, and the
Internes government has always had a soft spot for refugees. How many
of you are coming?"
    Draycos hesitated, then dipped his head slightly. "Four million
K'da and fifteen million Shontine," he said.
    Jack whistled softly. "That's a lot of refugees."
    Draycos's eyes bored into him. "No," he said quietly. "Not when
you consider that there were once a billion K'da and ten billion
Shontine."
    "Wait a minute," Uncle Virge said. "Are you saying they're all coming?"
    "All that remain, yes," Draycos said. "Rather than let the
Valahgua destroy us, we made the decision to flee from the lands we
loved."
    His mouth opened slightly, his sharp teeth glittering in the
subdued light. "The world where my comrades died was to be our new
home."
    Jack swallowed hard. No wonder Draycos was scared. "Except that
the Valahgua know they're coming."
    Draycos's tail twitched. "Yes," he said. "And despite our caution,
they have somehow learned our precise destination."
    "And now that the advance team has been eliminated?" Uncle Virge
asked.
    "There is a meeting arranged before the fleet reaches their new
home," Draycos said. "I do not know the location. If the advance team
does not send an escort to meet them, the refugee leaders will know
something is wrong."
    An unpleasant chill ran up Jack's back. "But the Valahgua and
their allies have three of your ships now," he said.
    "Yes," Draycos