Dragon and Judge

"Prove first that you're a friend of Jack Morgan," the suspicious Jantri countered.

This was getting sticky. "How do you suggest I do that?" Alison asked.

"Tell us something about him," Stronlo said.

Alison lifted her hands helplessly. "Like what? Most of what I know about him you won't know and can't confirm. Anything you do know, the Brummgas back at the big house probably know, too. That means nothing I can say will really prove anything."

"Then repeat for us the poem he spoke to the human Noy," the Jantri said.

"You must be joking," Alison protested. "That dragon has hundreds of poems swimming around his brain. I have no idea which one he hauled out for Noy."

"Then perhaps you do not know him after all," the Jantri growled.

"The poem begins this way," the Compfrin beside her offered helpfully.

"The night was calm, the battle near,

The enemy was set with fear.

Their eyes had hearkened,

The sky had darkened

Memories we held so dear."

"No," came a quiet voice from behind them.

The entire group spun around, their weapons snapping reflexively up into ready positions.

And there they froze as a muffled gasp rippled through their ranks.

Taneem was crouched above them on a large tree limb, her silver eyes shining like tiny moons in the darkness. "That was incorrect," she said into the taut silence. "This is the correct poem:

"The night was calm, the battle near,

The enemy was wet with fear.

Their ears were hearkened;

They had darkened

Memories we held so dear."

She twitched her tail, her eyes shifting to the Jantri. "I am not the black dragon," she said. "But perhaps I will do."

"You will, indeed," Stronlo said, and Alison could hear a trembling of excitement flowing into his voice. He turned back to Alison. "The dragons have returned. The time is right."

"Right for what?" Alison asked.

"For hope," Stronlo said. "For freedom." He glanced back at Taneem. "For rebellion."

Alison felt a chill run up her back. "Rebellion?" she repeated carefully.

"It has all been planned," Stronlo said. "We are many, and we are ready."

"And the Chookoock family has all the weapons," Alison countered.

Stronlo gave a wide Eytran smile. "We have you and the dragon."

Alison hissed between her teeth. Two months ago, Draycos had single-handedly cleared out an entire layered Brummgan defense across these grounds. Clearly, Stronlo and his fellow rebels were hoping for a repeat of that victory.

But Draycos was a trained poet-warrior. Taneem was a child in an adult's body.

Even worse, the element of surprise had been lost. The Brummgas had seen Draycos in action once. They would know how to deal with those tactics this time.

But Alison could see that none of that mattered. Stronlo and his people were so hungry for the freedom they'd missed out on once that they would brush aside any risk to avoid missing it again. Even if it meant their deaths.

"All right," she said with a sigh. "But not yet. There are people coming who can help us."

"More friends of the dragons?" one of the Eytras asked hopefully.

"Not exactly," Alison hedged. "But they'll be good allies just the same. They should be here in two to three days."

"That is a long time to keep her hidden," one of the Parprins said uncertainly.

"We can do it," Stronlo said firmly. "We will do it."

"Great," Alison said. "Then we'll stay here, and hidden, and you'll get everything ready from your end."

"How will we know when these allies are here?" one of the Compfrins asked.

"Don't worry," Alison said grimly. "If it works out the way I expect, everyone for ten miles will know they're here."

They talked together for another half hour, mostly about the slave compound and the Brummgas' patrol routine. By the time they were finished, Alison had a pretty good idea of what she was up against.

After that, the slaves made their farewells and slipped away into the night, leaving a fresh supply of food and water behind.

"A rebellion," Alison commented grimly as she and Taneem went back into the hut. "Sticks and kitchen knives against lasers, slapsticks, and machine guns. What have we gotten ourselves into this time?"

"You don't approve," Taneem asked, her voice oddly cool.

"I don't approve of people getting themselves killed for nothing, no," Alison countered, sitting down on the bed. "Because that's what's going to happen."

"You said the Malison Ring would help them."

Alison snorted. "I said that to try to stall Stronlo off for a couple of days," she said. "The strike force isn't going to care if a bunch of slaves get themselves slaughtered."

"The Malison Ring approves of slavery?" Taneem asked, her tail lashing.

"The Malison Ring has its own agenda, and that doesn't include playing white knight to every downtrodden group of people they run across," Alison said. "That's more Jack's and Draycos's style."

The tail lashed a little harder. "But not yours?"