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captain, Mogurn-not just flight pay, but
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damages for Mogurn's coercive abuse. Still, that hardly put her in the
category of being able to acquire a ship. She thought of appealing directly
to Mariella Flaire. But it seemed absurd to think that Flaire would divert a
starship for Jael's personal needs.
That only seemed to leave ... stealing Flaire's ship the next time she and At
were sent out together. And that was almost unthinkable.
And yet ...
What was she willing to do to help her friend? She had already once risked
Flaire's ship, and her own life and her shipmates' lives, to help Highwing
when he was in need.
She had no regrets about that. But that had not been a premeditated theft.
She rubbed her eyes, staring hopelessly. The lake seemed almost incongruously
peaceful as she gazed out over its waters, thinking.
9(Miss-" She started, and looked up into the craggy face of KanKon.
"I've I've forgotten your name," the man stammered.
"But you know-I have this feeling we talked some, a day or two ago."
He scratched his stubbly chin.
Jael gulped and nodded, and gestured to the grass beside her. The retired
rigger eyed her for a moment, then carefully lowered himself to the ground,
like some ungainly, spindly bird.
"I've been looking for you," she said. "Where have you been?"
Kan-Kon shrugged. "Here-there-no place special."
He was silent for a moment, then grunted. "You were looking for me?"
Jael frowned. She was sure that he remembered perfectly well what they had
talked about the other night. Why else would he be here? "I
wanted to talk to you about the ... dragons. I thought maybe " His voice
shook as he interrupted her. "About-?"
"Dragons," Jael snapped. "Remember them?"
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"Well-" He swallowed and glanced away. "No, I@on't think I really know
anything about that, miss-" "Jael. My name is Jael. And yes you do." She
took a sharp breath. "Are you telling me you don't remember losing your
shipmate there@ And you don't remember the ifflings? And their prophecy? You
don't remember-?"
"Okay!" he hissed. "Okay, miss-Jael. You don't have to be " And he suddenly
turned his back to her, and trembled as though crying.
Jael felt sorry for him, but not sorry enough to let go.
Kan@Kon," she said, hardening her voice. Damn you, she thought, what are you
afraid op "Kan-Kon, listen to me! We may be the only two people on this
planet who know the dragons are real. And the ifflings.
"And it suddenly hit her, like a bolt-how could she not have seen it before?
The creatures who had spoken to her in the middle of the night-were they
ifflings?
"Ifflin's," Kan-Kon whispered. "Saved my life." He slowly turned back to
face her.
"I think-I saw some ifflings-e few nights ago," she said. "They spoke to
me.p' "It scared me," he said, seeming not to hear her words"talkin' to you
and knowin' that you been there, too. I
been-Aryin' to forget, ever since."
"Why? Because you lost your friend there?"
For a moment, she thought he was going to cry again. His face tightened up,
and twisted, and he nodded. "I'm justalways wondering'-if he might be " He
looked away, suddenly, and stared out over the water.
Then his chin jerked, and he gazed back at her. "Did you just' say you saw
ifflings-here?"
Jael nodded.
"Damn," he whispered. "Damn. I've been feelin' like I've been hearin' voices
lately. That same night we talked was the worst@idn't sleep a wink, not a
damn wink. 1-1
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