into walkways and alleys or else had taken refuge inside
buildings not held by the enemy. Those outside the immediate battle
zone were running in all directions, their brightly colored outfits
bouncing like flowers in a stiff wind.
And then, as Draycos looked over the top of the planter, his eyes
caught a horrible sight. Three Parprins, one tall and two very short,
were huddled together in obvious terror against the side of Jack's
building. A mother and her cubs, trapped in the middle of the
firefight. "There," he said urgently. "Civilians."
"What?" Jack asked, not moving a muscle.
"Civilians," Draycos repeated, lifting a claw through the open
shirt and pointing.
Reluctantly, Jack untucked his head far enough to throw a quick
glance over the planter. "Okay, yeah, I see them."
"Stop merely seeing and give them aid," Draycos snapped. "Get them
to cover."
"What? Look , Draycos—"
"Do not argue!" Draycos cut him off.
Small objects were starting to rain down from the enemy buildings'
rooftops now, objects that exploded on impact. Popcorn bombs, he
remembered them being called in Jack's mercenary manual, thrown by
something called a popcorn machine. The three Parprins huddled even
tighter together in response, the mother wrapping her arms protectively
around her cubs. "You are a soldier," Draycos said. "The job of a
soldier is to protect those in danger. Now, protect them."
"How?" Jack demanded, sounding scared and miserable. "I can't even
protect myself. What do you want me to do?"
Draycos leaned out from Jack's shirt as far as he dared. On the
far side of the planter, between Jack and the Parprins, was a set of
steps leading upward into an alcove. He couldn't be certain at his
angle, but it looked like the alcove led up into a doorway. "That
opening to your right," he told Jack. "Move them in there. It may be a
doorway that will allow you into the building. If it is not, it will at
least provide cover from the popcorn bombs."
Jack shook his head. "I can't," he said. "It's too far."
A shot slammed into the far side of the planter, nearly toppling
it over onto Jack. The boy jerked, then curled even more tightly around
himself. "Listen to me," Draycos said, keeping his voice quiet and
steady. "The enemy is not trying to shoot civilians. If they were,
those three would already be dead. We may assume they will therefore
not deliberately shoot at you if you are merely trying to help them."
Jack shivered. "But if no one's shooting at them, why should I do
anything?"
"Because a random shot may still find them if they stay where they
are," Draycos said. "And because it is your duty."
Beneath him, he felt Jack's muscles tense. "All right," the boy
said, taking a deep breath. He hunched his shoulders, taking another
careful look over the top of the planter.
And then, so suddenly it startled even Draycos, he was on his
feet, running a zigzag path toward the Parprins.
Draycos had just enough time to flatten himself onto Jack's skin
before they were there. "Come on," Jack urged, tugging at the mother's
arm. "Come on. We've got to get inside."
For a second the Parprin female just stared blankly up at him.
Jack tugged at her arm again, pointing toward the stairs and the alcove.
Then, just as suddenly as Jack had made his decision, the mother
made hers. Scrambling upright, she grabbed her cubs' hands and raced
toward the alcove.
Jack stayed right behind them until they reached the steps. Then,
bounding up past them as they climbed, he pushed the door open and
hurried them inside.
The room they found themselves in took up the entire front of the
building. Small round tables were laid out in what seemed to be a
random pattern, with tiny colored disks neatly arranged on them. The
windows were large, facing onto the street and also to both sides. None
of them had curtains or barriers of any sort.
Near the center of the room was a wide staircase leading up to the
second floor, with a set of curved metal railings on both sides.
buildings not held by the enemy. Those outside the immediate battle
zone were running in all directions, their brightly colored outfits
bouncing like flowers in a stiff wind.
And then, as Draycos looked over the top of the planter, his eyes
caught a horrible sight. Three Parprins, one tall and two very short,
were huddled together in obvious terror against the side of Jack's
building. A mother and her cubs, trapped in the middle of the
firefight. "There," he said urgently. "Civilians."
"What?" Jack asked, not moving a muscle.
"Civilians," Draycos repeated, lifting a claw through the open
shirt and pointing.
Reluctantly, Jack untucked his head far enough to throw a quick
glance over the planter. "Okay, yeah, I see them."
"Stop merely seeing and give them aid," Draycos snapped. "Get them
to cover."
"What? Look , Draycos—"
"Do not argue!" Draycos cut him off.
Small objects were starting to rain down from the enemy buildings'
rooftops now, objects that exploded on impact. Popcorn bombs, he
remembered them being called in Jack's mercenary manual, thrown by
something called a popcorn machine. The three Parprins huddled even
tighter together in response, the mother wrapping her arms protectively
around her cubs. "You are a soldier," Draycos said. "The job of a
soldier is to protect those in danger. Now, protect them."
"How?" Jack demanded, sounding scared and miserable. "I can't even
protect myself. What do you want me to do?"
Draycos leaned out from Jack's shirt as far as he dared. On the
far side of the planter, between Jack and the Parprins, was a set of
steps leading upward into an alcove. He couldn't be certain at his
angle, but it looked like the alcove led up into a doorway. "That
opening to your right," he told Jack. "Move them in there. It may be a
doorway that will allow you into the building. If it is not, it will at
least provide cover from the popcorn bombs."
Jack shook his head. "I can't," he said. "It's too far."
A shot slammed into the far side of the planter, nearly toppling
it over onto Jack. The boy jerked, then curled even more tightly around
himself. "Listen to me," Draycos said, keeping his voice quiet and
steady. "The enemy is not trying to shoot civilians. If they were,
those three would already be dead. We may assume they will therefore
not deliberately shoot at you if you are merely trying to help them."
Jack shivered. "But if no one's shooting at them, why should I do
anything?"
"Because a random shot may still find them if they stay where they
are," Draycos said. "And because it is your duty."
Beneath him, he felt Jack's muscles tense. "All right," the boy
said, taking a deep breath. He hunched his shoulders, taking another
careful look over the top of the planter.
And then, so suddenly it startled even Draycos, he was on his
feet, running a zigzag path toward the Parprins.
Draycos had just enough time to flatten himself onto Jack's skin
before they were there. "Come on," Jack urged, tugging at the mother's
arm. "Come on. We've got to get inside."
For a second the Parprin female just stared blankly up at him.
Jack tugged at her arm again, pointing toward the stairs and the alcove.
Then, just as suddenly as Jack had made his decision, the mother
made hers. Scrambling upright, she grabbed her cubs' hands and raced
toward the alcove.
Jack stayed right behind them until they reached the steps. Then,
bounding up past them as they climbed, he pushed the door open and
hurried them inside.
The room they found themselves in took up the entire front of the
building. Small round tables were laid out in what seemed to be a
random pattern, with tiny colored disks neatly arranged on them. The
windows were large, facing onto the street and also to both sides. None
of them had curtains or barriers of any sort.
Near the center of the room was a wide staircase leading up to the
second floor, with a set of curved metal railings on both sides.
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