Dragonback 03 Dragon and Slave by Timothy Zahn Page B

would
drop any bully flat on his rear. Out of sight at his waist, he curled
his right hand into a fist and braced himself.
    And then, he felt the warning touch of K'da claws against his arm.
He hesitated—
    "Stop," a flat Brummgan voice ordered.
    Jack turned his head, letting his hand drop back to his side. One
of the Brummgas standing guard over the berry collection process was
striding toward them, a slapstick clutched in his hand. "You," he said,
jabbing the slapstick toward Fleck. "Release him."
    Fleck did so. Jack reached up and rubbed the back of his neck
where the strap had dug into his skin. "It's all right," he said. "We
were just—"
    Without a word the Brummga slashed the slapstick across the side
of his face.
    Jack spun around and tumbled to the ground, a flash of pain arcing
through him. His bowl bounced against his chest as he hit, spilling the
berries all around. "Wait!" he managed as the Brummga lowered the
slapstick toward him. "I didn't—"
    The end of his protest bubbled into a groan as the tip slashed
across his chest, this second tingle rattling his teeth. The weapon was
on its lowest setting, without enough juice to knock him unconscious.
But it had more than enough to hurt.
    "You not argue with Red Stripe," the Brummga growled, pointing at
Fleck's red sash. He raised the slapstick for emphasis; in spite of
himself, Jack winced back in reaction. "You understand? You not argue
with Red Stripe."
    "I understand," Jack said, his teeth chattering together with pain
and shock and fury.
    The Brummga waved the slapstick again, apparently just to see
Jack's reaction. "Good. Don't forget."
    He looked at Fleck and pointed the slapstick at Jack. "Hotbox," he
ordered.
    "Yes, Your Commandary," Fleck said, bowing his head. Reaching
down, he grabbed Jack's arm and hauled him to his feet. With his free
hand, he unlooped the now nearly empty bowl from around his neck and
handed it to the Brummga. "How long?"
    The other eyed Jack as if measuring him. "One night," he decided.
"He will work tomorrow."
    Fleck glanced at Jack. "Tomorrow is Tenthday, Your Commandary," he
said.
    "He will work regardless," the Brummga said. "He will bring a full
bowl, or he will not eat."
    Fleck bowed again. "Yes, Your Commandary. It shall be done."
    For a moment the Brummga continued to watch Jack, as if expecting
an argument. Maybe even hoping for an argument.
    But Jack had learned his lesson, and remained silent. With a
rumble from his chest, the Brummga turned away and plodded back toward
the collection table.
    As he did so, something else caught Jack's eye. Another car was
approaching the slave colony, carrying two Brummgas and a wildly
painted Dolom. Lisssa had been right: Crampatch's daughter got bored
quickly with her private slaves.
    "Come on," Fleck growled, turning Jack around and giving him a
shove toward the hotboxes.
    "What about my berries?" Jack asked, looking back at the berries
lying on the ground, many of them smashed. A hard, tiring day's work,
all gone.
    Fleck gave him another shove. "You didn't want dinner tonight
anyway, did you?" he asked sarcastically. "Think of it as a lesson
learned cheap."
    "The guy with the big stick is always right," Jack murmured. "I
already know that one."
    Five minutes later, he was back in the hotbox. "Here we go again,"
he muttered. "Our home away from home. Looks just the way we left it,
too."
    "I am sorry, Jack," Draycos murmured from his right shoulder.
    Jack shrugged. "It's not like there was a lot you could have done
to help," he pointed out reasonably. "Besides, you already did. If you
hadn't stopped me from decking that big jerkface, I'd probably have
drawn a week in here."
    "Still, I am sorry I could not prevent it," Draycos persisted.
    "Forget it," Jack said, trying not to let his anger at Fleck and
the Brummgas spill over onto Draycos. "Tell you what. As soon as your
people get settled in on Iota Klestis, we'll bring a few of your
buddies in and make Fleck pick up every berry he