Free Dragonback 01 Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn Page B

said quietly, his eyes looking oddly haunted. "And
from the ships, they surely have learned the location of the meeting.
They need only mount the Death aboard one of them, and they will be
among the refugee ships before the leaders realize their danger."
    He lifted his head up again. "And almost within sight of the world
where they had hoped to find peace, the K'da and Shontine races will be
destroyed."
    Jack took a deep breath. "How long before they get here?"
    The dragon's tail twitched. "Six Earth months."
    For a long minute the dayroom was silent, with only the distant
rumbling of the drive in the background. "Okay, I'm convinced," Jack
said at last. "As soon as we get to Vagran, we'll go to the Internes
liaison office. Someone there can take you to Earth and StarForce
headquarters."
    Draycos cocked his head. "You will not take me yourself?"
    Jack frowned. "I thought you were all hot to get this to someone
official," he said. "Riding a government or StarForce agent is the
fastest way to do that. Trust me."
    "I do trust you," Draycos said. "That is the point."
    Jack blinked. "You've lost me."
    "I trust you, Jack Morgan," the dragon said. "You have proven
yourself to be a friend and ally. I do not yet trust anyone else in
this region of space."
    Jack opened his mouth; closed it again. "Look, Draycos, I
appreciate the vote of confidence," he said. "Really I do. But this is
a job for someone who knows what they're doing, not me."
    "Tell me then who betrayed us to the Valahgua," Draycos countered.
"Was it the Chitac Nomads? Was it the human who then met with us for
the actual purchase? Was it the Triost Mining Group? Was it your
Internes government itself?"
    Jack spread his hands helplessly. "I don't know."
    "Nor do I," Draycos said. "Until I do, I cannot afford to trust
anyone else."
    Jack sighed. "Uncle Virge? Help me out here, will you?"
    "Unfortunately, he's got a point, Jack lad," Uncle Virge said. "I
vote we go along with him."
    Jack made a face. At least until Draycos had helped clear him of
the phony theft charge? Was that when Uncle Virge's vote would suddenly
change?
    Probably. He'd noticed a lot of conniving and persuasion coming
out of the Essenay 's computer since Uncle Virgil's death. Could
the old scoundrel have somehow imprinted it with more than just his
speech patterns? "Fine," he said with a sigh. "If that's the way you
want it, I'll play along."
    Draycos bowed his head again. "In the name of my people, I thank
you, Jack Morgan."
    "Your people are welcome," Jack said, yawning. "And just call me
Jack, okay? Go ahead and change course, Uncle Virge."
    "Computing now," Uncle Virge said. "Do you want me to increase
speed, too?"
    "Might as well," Jack said. "Not much point in saving fuel if I'm
going to wind up in prison anyway. Come on, Draycos, let's catch some
sleep. You can have Uncle Virgil's old cabin if you want."
    "Thank you," Draycos said. He stood up and stretched catlike, his
head and forelegs close to the floor, his tail high up in the air. "I
would prefer to stay with you."
    "Oh—right," Jack said. He'd almost forgotten the dragon's need to
stay close to his host. The whole idea still made his skin crawl a
little. "Well, come on then. It's been a long day."

    Jack woke suddenly from a dream where a giant gold boulder had
rolled down a hill made of smoky dirt and was doing its best to crush
him. He opened his eyes, and in the faint light from the display screen
he got a glimpse of Draycos's tail as the dragon disappeared silently
out his cabin door. "Uncle Virge?" he murmured, glancing at the clock.
He'd been asleep for only three hours.
    "I'm on him lad," his uncle's voice came back softly. "He's headed
for the cockpit."
    Jack felt his stomach tighten. Was Draycos planning to hijack the
ship? "What's he doing?"
    There was a short silence. "Nothing," Uncle Virge said at last.
"He looked over the control settings, checked the monitor station, then
left. Now he's headed for the galley."
    In succession,