Dragon and Judge

Six pieces of machinery, in fact. There were two self-propelled diggers on tanklike treads, a rock crusher, something that looked like a giant pump, and two machines with large vats that Jack couldn't identify. All of them were wrapped in clear plastic, the soft glint of lubricating oil visible on their treads and drive wheels and other moving parts.

"I could smell the lubricating oil," Draycos said as Jack gingerly ran a hand over one of the diggers. "I thought perhaps it was evidence someone was still working the mine."

"Not yet, but they're sure ready to," Jack said, peering into the empty vat on one of the unidentified machines.

"But why?" Draycos asked, sounding bewildered. "If the ores here are valuable, why wait to mine them?"

"Could be any of a dozen reasons," Jack said. "Maybe they're still fighting to get the mining rights away from the Golvins. Maybe they're waiting for the market value to go up."

He shined his light at the tunnel face, the beam sparkling against a glittering array of metal bits embedded in the gray rock. "Or maybe after murdering a couple of Judge-Paladins they thought it would be smart to shut down and lie low for a while."

"A wise move on their part," Draycos said grimly, looking around. "But I've still not seen any evidence of any explosion."

"Me, neither," Jack admitted. "Must be down one of the other tunnels." He peered back the way they'd come. "But we don't have time to go looking now. Thonsifi's probably tearing her ears off worrying about me."

"Or worrying about what the One will say about letting you come down here alone."

"That, too," Jack agreed. "By the way, while you were sniffing out lubricating oil, did you happen to smell any water?"

"None," Draycos said. "I suspect that part of the story was told merely to ensure the Golvins stayed out of the mine."

"Probably," Jack said. "Stupid lie to tell, though, here in the middle of the desert."

"Perhaps," Draycos said. "Still, there is a river not too far below us."

"Yeah." Jack frowned suddenly at him. "Hey, I was just thinking that a while back. You been eavesdropping on my mind?"

Draycos's tail curved in a frown. "Not consciously," he said slowly. "But perhaps we are beginning to share other thoughts on a subconscious level."

"Maybe," Jack said. The thought of someone poking around inside his skull made his skin crawl. Even if that someone was Draycos. "Or maybe we're just thinking the same direction. The river is a pretty obvious thought."

"True," Draycos said. To Jack's ears, he sounded a little relieved by that thought, as well. "But as you say, we should leave." Touching Jack's hand, he slid back up his sleeve. "I'll guide you out."

CHAPTER 17

With the marks of their footsteps easily visible in the dust, Draycos's guidance wasn't really necessary. A few minutes later, they rounded the last curve in the main tunnel to find Thonsifi and Sefiseni standing together in the entrance. Their faces, at least what Jack could see of them in the faint beam from his light, looked anxious. "It's all right," Jack called. "I'm here."

"We were worried about you," Thonsifi said as Jack emerged into the staging room, relief evident in her voice. "Eithon has been calling from outside. Another air transport has arrived in the canyon."

Jack felt the breath catch in his throat. The Essenay'? "How big was—? Never mind," he interrupted himself. No point quizzing them when he could go look for himself. "Let's get back."

A minute later they were in the air again. Jack eyed the network of stone arches and guy wires as they approached the canyon, hope fading as he realized again that a ship the size of the Essenay could never make it in there.

Sure enough, as they flew over the edge and started down he could see, far below, a small two-man aircar squatting on the landing pit. "Any idea who that could be?" Jack asked.

"I do not know for certain," Thonsifi said, her voice trembling a bit.

Jack peered at her face. Jack was safe, and they were away from the mine. Yet her face was still anxious. "I didn't ask if you knew for sure," he said. "I asked if you had any idea. That means any thoughts or guesses."

She didn't answer. "Sefiseni?" Jack invited. "Eithon?"

"I saw a picture on the side of the transport," Eithon admitted reluctantly. "It is the same as the picture of those who stole the mine from us."

Sefiseni rumbled something in their own language. "Good," Jack said, trying to hide his own sudden uneasiness. Was this the response to Foeinatw's late-night InterWorld call ten days ago? "There are some questions I want to ask them."

As it had been the first time, the flight through the Golvins' aerial obstacle course was interesting to the point of occasional terror. But again they made it safely, and Eithon set them down more or less gently beside the visitor.

And now, up close, Jack could read the name beneath the stylized pick-and-shovel logo on the aircar's side.

Triost Mining Group.