Read Online Dragonback 01 Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Timothy Zahn
Ads: Link
me?"
The intercom gave a soft sigh. "We find it hard to believe for the
simple fact that it sounds unbelievable," Uncle Virge said candidly. "I
mean, come on . A weapon that goes straight through a ship's
hull without damaging it, yet kills everyone inside? How can that be
possible?"
"I do not know the science," Draycos said. "It is said that the
Death is a vibration of space itself, which seeks out the center core
of all living beings and destroys that connection and their harmony
with the universe."
"That must be the poet part of the poet-warrior coming out," Jack
murmured, sipping his fizzy-soda.
"I do not know the proper words," Draycos said impatiently. "I
know only the reality. If the Death has come to this region of space,
your people are in great danger. Why can you not understand that?"
"We understand just fine," Uncle Virge said quietly. "Trouble is,
there's something you're holding back. Something important that you're
not telling us."
For a moment Draycos lay as unmoving as a statue. Then, the tip of
his tail twitched again. "Very well," he said. "Let us trade secrets."
His tongue flicked out between his teeth. "You may start, Jack
Morgan. Tell me why you pretend there is another human aboard this
ship."
Jack felt his throat tighten. "What are you talking about?" he
asked, the automatic caution of long habit kicking in. "I already
explained that Uncle Virge is an invalid and can't leave his cabin."
"Do not lie to me," Draycos warned. "All beings, whether K'da or
Shontine or human, leave traces of their scent in the air. There is no
second human here."
"Oh, really?" Uncle Virge said huffily. "Let me tell you, my
gold-scaled friend. You have a lot to learn about us humans—"
"No," Jack cut him off. After a year of deception, he was suddenly
tired of the lies. Tired of all the lies. "No, it's all right.
He's got us. I mean, he's got me."
"Jack, lad—"
"No," Jack said firmly. "He saved my life. He deserves to know."
He turned to Draycos. "Uncle Virge is a computer program," he told
the dragon. "It's the standard ship's computer interface; only before
he died, my Uncle Virgil imprinted it with his own voice and speech
mannerisms."
"Interesting," Draycos murmured. "Is it alive?"
"Not like us, no," Jack said. "He can mimic a person when he
talks, and he can think and reason a little. But not very much, and not
outside his programming."
"I see." Draycos was silent a moment. "How long have you lived
this way?"
"About a year," Jack said. "Uncle Virgil died in a . . . well, it
was sort of an accident."
"And you have been alone ever since?" Jack shrugged. "It's not so
bad. I don't get lonely much. Anyway, it wasn't like he had a lot of
time for me even before that."
Draycos's ears twitched. "And why is it important that this be
kept a secret?"
"Because I'm only fourteen years old," Jack said, hearing the old
bitterness creeping into his voice. "According to the all-wise,
all-knowing Internes fusspots, that's too young for someone to be
flying alone out here. If they found out, they'd take the Essenay away from me and put me in some group home somewhere."
"Would that not be better for you?"
"I don't want it," Jack snapped. "And I don't need it. I'm
fourteen—practically an adult. I don't want some governmental group
home leader on my back ordering me around."
"You do not like being told what to do?"
Jack bit down hard. "I can take care of myself."
Draycos cocked his head once, as if studying him, then
straightened up again. "How do you survive?" he asked. "Surely you
cannot simply take what you need from others."
"Yeah, well, I could," Jack muttered. "Matter of fact, that's
mostly what Uncle Virgil and I used to do."
"Pardon?"
Jack hesitated. But as long as he'd gone this far, he might as
well lay out the whole ugly story. "Uncle Virgil was a safe-cracker and
con man," he said.
"I do not know those terms."
"A safecracker breaks into safes and vaults and takes the things
people have stored
The intercom gave a soft sigh. "We find it hard to believe for the
simple fact that it sounds unbelievable," Uncle Virge said candidly. "I
mean, come on . A weapon that goes straight through a ship's
hull without damaging it, yet kills everyone inside? How can that be
possible?"
"I do not know the science," Draycos said. "It is said that the
Death is a vibration of space itself, which seeks out the center core
of all living beings and destroys that connection and their harmony
with the universe."
"That must be the poet part of the poet-warrior coming out," Jack
murmured, sipping his fizzy-soda.
"I do not know the proper words," Draycos said impatiently. "I
know only the reality. If the Death has come to this region of space,
your people are in great danger. Why can you not understand that?"
"We understand just fine," Uncle Virge said quietly. "Trouble is,
there's something you're holding back. Something important that you're
not telling us."
For a moment Draycos lay as unmoving as a statue. Then, the tip of
his tail twitched again. "Very well," he said. "Let us trade secrets."
His tongue flicked out between his teeth. "You may start, Jack
Morgan. Tell me why you pretend there is another human aboard this
ship."
Jack felt his throat tighten. "What are you talking about?" he
asked, the automatic caution of long habit kicking in. "I already
explained that Uncle Virge is an invalid and can't leave his cabin."
"Do not lie to me," Draycos warned. "All beings, whether K'da or
Shontine or human, leave traces of their scent in the air. There is no
second human here."
"Oh, really?" Uncle Virge said huffily. "Let me tell you, my
gold-scaled friend. You have a lot to learn about us humans—"
"No," Jack cut him off. After a year of deception, he was suddenly
tired of the lies. Tired of all the lies. "No, it's all right.
He's got us. I mean, he's got me."
"Jack, lad—"
"No," Jack said firmly. "He saved my life. He deserves to know."
He turned to Draycos. "Uncle Virge is a computer program," he told
the dragon. "It's the standard ship's computer interface; only before
he died, my Uncle Virgil imprinted it with his own voice and speech
mannerisms."
"Interesting," Draycos murmured. "Is it alive?"
"Not like us, no," Jack said. "He can mimic a person when he
talks, and he can think and reason a little. But not very much, and not
outside his programming."
"I see." Draycos was silent a moment. "How long have you lived
this way?"
"About a year," Jack said. "Uncle Virgil died in a . . . well, it
was sort of an accident."
"And you have been alone ever since?" Jack shrugged. "It's not so
bad. I don't get lonely much. Anyway, it wasn't like he had a lot of
time for me even before that."
Draycos's ears twitched. "And why is it important that this be
kept a secret?"
"Because I'm only fourteen years old," Jack said, hearing the old
bitterness creeping into his voice. "According to the all-wise,
all-knowing Internes fusspots, that's too young for someone to be
flying alone out here. If they found out, they'd take the Essenay away from me and put me in some group home somewhere."
"Would that not be better for you?"
"I don't want it," Jack snapped. "And I don't need it. I'm
fourteen—practically an adult. I don't want some governmental group
home leader on my back ordering me around."
"You do not like being told what to do?"
Jack bit down hard. "I can take care of myself."
Draycos cocked his head once, as if studying him, then
straightened up again. "How do you survive?" he asked. "Surely you
cannot simply take what you need from others."
"Yeah, well, I could," Jack muttered. "Matter of fact, that's
mostly what Uncle Virgil and I used to do."
"Pardon?"
Jack hesitated. But as long as he'd gone this far, he might as
well lay out the whole ugly story. "Uncle Virgil was a safe-cracker and
con man," he said.
"I do not know those terms."
"A safecracker breaks into safes and vaults and takes the things
people have stored
Similar Books
