Which meant he could not permit Braxton to know of his existence.
Even if it cost Jack his life?
Draycos felt a knife-point of guilt digging beneath his scales as he raced along the hanging walkway toward the door. What had Jack intended him to do just now, he wondered? Had he expected him to leap onto Raven and the others as they came around the corner?
Because he could have done exactly that. Jack's risky break for freedom had startled the enemy into carelessness, causing them to bunch together. He could have taken all three of them without trouble. Probably before any of them had even known they were under attack.
But then Braxton would have seen him. And if he had, the K'da race might have died.
So instead Draycos had hidden out of sight on top of the boxes. Jack had been recaptured, and would now suffer whatever punishment Raven demanded for his action.
Soon, perhaps, he would die.
What did Jack think Draycos was doing now? Did he think Draycos was preparing a trap? Did he expect to suddenly have a K'da warrior drop into their midst, slashing and clawing?
Or did he think Draycos might be running away?
Thoughts of Uncle Virgil flickered through Draycos's mind. Uncle Virgil, and his ghostly echo inside the Essenay's computer. That human had taught Jack to think only about himself, to do only that which benefited him. Was the boy even capable of thinking about higher things? Would he understand the idea of sacrificing something you valued, or someone you cared about, for something even more valuable?
Even if he did, would he think the K'da and Shontine worth the sacrifice of his life?
Probably not. Given time, Draycos knew he could teach the boy about such things as honor and integrity and justice. Jack had the potential to stand with the very finest of the K'da and Shontine.
But he wasn't there yet. Would he be able to find the strength to calmly die so that the K'da and Shontine might live? Draycos didn't think so.
But if he did his job right, neither of them would have to find out.
He reached the end of the walkway above the door. Fastened to the wall just below the ceiling was his target: the now-familiar square box of an emergency lighting system. From the battery pack a thick wire rose to each of the system's two lights. Two quick slashes of his claws, and the wires were cut.
He spun around on the walkway and headed back. There were four other clusters of emergency lights on the ceiling, each of the groups arranged in a circle with the lights facing outward. Moving along the grid, he made his way to each cluster in turn. Slashing systematically at the wires, he quickly disabled them.
And with that, everything was ready. He headed for the far end of the room, hoping he would be in time.
The sound of the humans' footsteps had stopped, but his view of them was still blocked. He sped along the walkway, blood tingling through his muscles and scales with his fear of what he would see. He passed the last stack of boxes and looked down.
The humans had reached the far wall and were standing near a heavy door with a control panel and status board beside it. Jack and Braxton stood together with their backs to the wall near the door. Raven stood facing them, his weapon pointed at Braxton. Vance stood a few paces away in guard position, his weapon also ready, while Myers worked at the control panel.
Draycos slowed to a silent trot, studying the lights overhead as he moved toward the humans. The power wires weren't buried inside an outer wall, as they were in the public areas of the ship, but were merely fastened in plain sight against the ceiling.
He wondered how much electrical power those wires contained. But it didn't really matter. Whatever was necessary, he would do it.
Below him, the airlock door swung open. 'This is it,' Raven said. 'Get in.'
Braxton took a step toward the door. Jack didn't move. 'What, already?' the boy asked. 'No chance for last words? A blindfold? Anything?'
Raven stepped over to him. Draycos couldn't see the human's expression, but his voice was suddenly vicious as he pressed his weapon into Jack's throat. 'I hear death by asphyxiation isn't a bad way to go,' he bit out. 'Death by laser is. Now get in.'
Jack still didn't move. 'I think you're forgetting one thing, Raven. Mr. Braxton's DNA cylinder—well, the fake one, but you know what I mean. It's still in the purser's safe. If he disappears now, aren't they going to wonder why he didn't take it with him?'
Draycos smiled grimly. That was Jack, all right. Comments, complaints, objections, questions—the boy was stalling for time. Squeezing out every extra heartbeat he could to give his companion time to act.
And in that moment it occurred to Draycos that he could search far and wide throughout the Orion Arm and not find a better host and ally than he had in Jack Morgan.
He reached the end of the walkway. Jack and Braxton were almost directly below him now. 'So he left the cylinder for his wife to use,' Raven said with a snort. 'We'll just make sure the story reads that he was planning to catch up with her on Parsonia.'
'What about the fake cylinder?' Jack persisted. 'Don't you think they'll find it a little suspicious that there are two of them?'
One of the power wires was directly over Draycos's head. Bracing himself, he lifted a paw and extended one of his claws.
'Who's going to know?' Raven countered. 'Once we get your uncle, we'll have the other cylinder, too.'
He put a hand on Jack's shoulder and shoved him roughly toward the airlock. 'Now get in.'
