Dragon and Judge

He had to travel about a quarter mile upstream before he found a good spot to climb the cliff. Keeping a wary eye on the guards below, he made his way up and then crossed over to the line of caves.

He was still a hundred feet short of his target cave when he picked up the prisoner's scent. Directly over the opening he paused for a moment, tasting the air and listening. He could hear no movement or other signs of wakefulness from inside. With one final look at the guards below, he slipped inside.

The cave was dark except for the moonlight slicing across the entrance. But there was enough light for Draycos to see the signs of the Golvins' hasty conversion of a storage cave into a prison. Several large bags were still stacked against the back wall, and there were a few scatterings of loose grain here and there against the side walls. In the center of the cave were a cot, a single chair, and a compact toilet/sink setup similar to the one in Jack's apartment. There was no galley, no shower, no battery-powered lights.

Lying on his side on the cot, the blankets wrapped tightly around him and pulled up to his ear against the night chill, was the prisoner.

Silently, Draycos padded across the cave for a closer look. The man, as near as he could tell from half a face and an angled lump beneath the blankets, was around thirty years old, though not much taller or heavier than Jack. He had long, tangled dark hair and a beard to match. Draycos leaned over him for a closer look.

And abruptly the man's breathing changed and his eyes snapped open.

Instantly Draycos dropped out of sight to the side of the bed. "Be quiet and don't move," he ordered in a low voice.

"Who is it?" the man asked tentatively, the cot shaking as he rolled over onto his back.

Draycos crouched lower. "I said don't move," he said again. "I merely wish to talk to you."

The movement stopped. "Who are you?" the man asked, a new wariness in his voice. "Is this some kind of stupid trick?"

"It's no trick," Draycos said. "I'm with the Judge-Paladin who arrived in the canyon nine days ago."

"Yeah, I saw him," the prisoner said. "What do you mean, you're with him?"

"I'm his associate," Draycos said. "He wishes some information about you."

"Then let's do it right," the other said. "I hereby formally request a hearing before Judge-Paladin—what's his name, anyway?"

"Jack McCoy," Draycos said, giving a name Jack had used before.

"I formally request a hearing before Judge-Paladin McCoy," the man said.

"I accept your request," Draycos said. "Unfortunately, it may not do any good. Judge-Paladin McCoy has already asked to see you and been refused."

The other grunted. "Not surprised," he said. "So what, he sent you instead to take my statement?"

"That's essentially correct," Draycos said. "Let's begin with your name."

"And the guards down there just decided to let you in?" the prisoner growled. "Come on—what kind of a fool do you think I am?"

"This is not an attempt to trick you," Draycos said, annoyance starting to stir within him. He'd come all this way and risked his life for this? "The Judge-Paladin was intrigued by the One's refusal and wished to investigate." His lashing tail slapped softly against one leg of the cot. "But if you don't wish to cooperate, I can leave."

"No—wait," the prisoner said. His own frustration had disappeared, replaced by puzzlement. "You're not Golvin, are you?"

"No, I'm not," Draycos confirmed.

"Because their voices go all funny when they get mad," the other continued, as if talking to himself. "But you're not human, either. Are you a Brummga?"

"I came here to ask questions, not answer them," Draycos said. "What's your name?"

"Well, the Golvins call me Naught-Naught-Naught Among Many," the prisoner said, a little bitterly. "But hey, you sound like you want to be my friend. Tell you what—you can call me Naught. Are you the one who made all that noise in the air shaft a couple of days ago, right before they stormed in and hauled me out of my nice high-rise?"

"Did you kill four Golvins?" Draycos asked.

Naught sighed. "Yes, I killed them. No, it wasn't on purpose."

"Self-defense?"

"Accident," Naught said. "The vehicle I was flying had a problem, and I crash-landed. Unfortunately, they were standing where I came down. Well, more crouching, actually. But you get the picture."

"When did this happen?" Draycos asked.

"About five years ago," Naught said.

Draycos felt his tail tip curve in a frown. Five years? "That seems far out of balance for a simple accident."

"I agree," Naught said. "So would your Judge-Paladin, I'd guess. But try telling that to the Golvins."

Draycos winced. Naught was right—the One's attitude had made it abundantly clear that he had no interest in hearing anything more about the case. "Where exactly did this crash happen?" he asked.

"Just outside the canyon, over on the east side," Naught said.

The side with the old mine Draycos had seen from the air. "Near the mine?"