Astra Puts Together Some Pieces of the Jigsaw

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 30847

Now that is interesting, Astra thought. For when Belboz had first imprisoned her, and revealed himself to her as being the dragon, he had also told her that his name was really Minestus. He was evidently not of the school that believed that knowing someone's true name gave you power over them. If he had been, then surely he would never have allowed his name to have been inscribed on the medallion? Besides, the name must have been widely known, if there was to be any point in it appearing on a badge of safe conduct.

She knew that "Tragami" was not a personal name but was the Dolomite word for dragon, for Checkers had earlier told her: "Tragami, which in the Common Language means 'dragons' are considered glideri, and are expected to be both intelligent and virtuous, although we both know of one that isn't."

She guessed from the context that Vitinae must have been some servant or emissary of the dragon's. Most likely a human, if it wasn't a Glider name. Given what Checkers had told her of how Gliders viewed humans, it would make sense that he (or she) would require a badge of safe conduct.

Celestial Mountain she knew, from what Checkers had told her earlier, to be the nearest thing that the Gliders had to a centre of government. So Minestus had sent his emissary there, having somehow arranged for that personage's safe conduct, to negotiate with them or discuss something.

Why would Minestus want to deal with the Gliders, though? After all, he was their enemy, just as he was of humankind, was he not? Why else would Checkers have been sent on a quest to kill him? But this must have been very long ago. Perhaps the Gliders had still regarded Minestus as their friend back then, if they were predisposed to look favourably on dragons as fellow flyers? (In fact the very first encounter of the Gliders with Minestus had meant that they would never look on him as a friend, [22984] but Astra was not to know that.)

Astra had been silent for so long, as she thought through the implications of the inscription, that Checkers began to worry that she had had a relapse and was once more unable to speak. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." Well, fine is something of an overstatement, she thought wryly. She went on: "I was just mulling over what you told me about the inscription. You said before that 'Tragami' means 'dragon'. Are there any tales of an emissary of a dragon ever visiting Celestial Mountain?"

Checkers thought for a moment. She had always taken a keen interest in the old lore of her people. [23266]

  1. "Yes," she said.
  2. "No," she said.
  3. Instead of answering Astra's question, she said: "If this medallion belonged to a servant of a dragon, how did it find its way into Belboz's possession?"

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JH

7/27/2003 1:22:54 PM

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