"What have you found, Mage?" "I have found out why the dragon lost flight, M'Lord, but an explanation of it would require that I leave character."What have you found, Mage?" "I have found out why the dragon lost flight, M'Lord, but an explanation of it would require that I leave character." Aaden sighed and said, "People seem to be doing that a lot these days. Okay, Mezlo, give it to me straight." "Well, Dragon's aren't terribly aerodynamic. Apparently, even though they qualify as a full Pendor race, they're at least partially cybernetic in their own right. When I leave BackWater, first thing I want to read is on Dragon reproduction." "How so?" "My guess is that Dragons are born with a trans-generational angstrom-level mechanism installed by the previous generation's mechanism in the womb. The mechanism builds an array of energy- scavenging Corran-field cascades." "Millions of nanotech-sized gravitics generators." Mezlo nodded. "And they're solar powered." Mezlo nodded again. "Does this mean all dragons can't fly at night?" "No, M'Lord. This dragon apparently had been flying all day; any store he had reserved had burned out immediately upon nightfall. Also, I can think of some magic and some science that could keep them airborne." Aaden cursed under his breath. Kitty was asleep; it would have been useful to ask her how long she and Pendor had been airborne. "Very well, Mage, you have cleared one mystery. We have others. I must speak with The Captain." "Yes, M'Lord. Come." Mezlo led Aaden back to where he had left his saddlebags and dragged out a small golden sphere. As the Mage muttered under his breath, Aaden could feel the air coming alive, could feel the breath stirring in his chest. He felt just a little jealous of the power Mages wielded, he admitted to himself. "It is ready; I am in touch with Mara, M'Lord. She has sent for the Captain." "Thank you. Greeting, Mara." The voice from the sphere said, "Good evening, M'Lord Degranni. How is your journey, that you wake me so late at night?" Aaden scowled slightly at her tone. Mara and he had had an encounter he would sooner forget; it had been that night he had realized his lust ran towards males. |