Robert Asprin - Dragons Wild

“Well, before we start talking about our setup here in the Big Easy,” Mose said, “I expect you have some questions about being dragons. As I understand it, this is all pretty new to you.”

“Very new,” Griffen said. “Questions? Oh, only a couple dozen off the top of my head.”

Mose smiled.

“Fire away. I probably can’t answer them all, but maybe we can make a start of it.”

Jerome reappeared with a tray laden with coffee, cups, and the condiments including a small plate of croissants. The conversation paused while they all helped themselves.

“Well, for openers,” Griffen said, settling back, “everyone keeps talking about our ‘secondary powers’ starting to show as we come of age. What can you tell us about these ‘secondary powers’?”

“Not much,” Mose said. “Don’t think I’m trying to hold back information, though. It’s just that the powers have been diluted over the centuries, and now it’s hard to separate what’s fact from what’s brag or legend.”

“You mention centuries,” Valerie put in. “If you don’t mind my asking, just how old are you, Mose?”

The old man laughed.

“There them that say everyone calls me ‘Mose’ because I’m as old as Moses. Truth to tell, I’m not that old…and they’ve been calling me ‘Mose’ even when I was young. Say I’m over a hundred and fifty years old and you’ll be in the right neighborhood. But don’t start asking me about the old days or I’ll never shut up. Nothing as boring as an old man talking about how things used to be. You’ve got to realize, though, that a lot of what you learned as history to me are memories…and I got lots of memories. Mostly these days I try to keep focused on the here and now. That’s enough to keep me busy.”

He cocked his head at Griffen.

“But you were asking about the ‘secondary powers.’ Again, it’s hard to tell for sure, because even those that have some tend to try to keep them secret. Draws less attention that way.”

“My uncle Malcolm lit a cigar just by blowing on it,” Griffen said.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that some can do that,” Mose said. “Of course, Mal is a half blood. Folks like Jerome and me who are lesser bloods don’t have as many powers.”

He picked up a cigarette lighter from the coffee table, lit it, then held his hand in the flame as he continued.

“I’ve always been good with fire. I could hold my hand here all day and it wouldn’t burn me. I’d feel some heat, but it wouldn’t hurt.”

He extinguished the flame.

“Dragon skin is one of the secondary powers that pops up in varying degrees. I don’t burn and I don’t bruise. Now, if you was to stick me hard with a knife, I’d bleed like a human…but even then, it wouldn’t penetrate too far. It would be like trying to stick a human through a thick leather coat. You could get through, but not as easily as if you were just dealing with bare skin.

“Some say that the closer to pure-blood you are, the tougher your skin will be. I’m not sure you could get through Mal’s skin with a knife at all. A true pureblood is supposed to be able to shrug off bullets. Of course, even though the skin doesn’t break, I’m not sure what it would do to the bones underneath if you got hit with a big enough caliber.”

While he was considering trying the flame trick, Griffen mentally decided holding off testing whether or not he was bulletproof for as long as possible.

“There are all sorts of things some say dragons can have as secondary powers.” Mose continued. “Dragon skin and breathing flame are both pretty well-known and documented. Size changing and shape-shifting are talked about, but you don’t actually see it very often.”

“How do those work, exactly?” Valerie said. “I mean, is it like the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four ? Do you say ‘flame on’ or ‘shape-shift’ to trigger it?”

“As I understand it, it’s kind of like your voluntary muscles,” Mose said. “I mean, the dragon skin, if you get it, will always be with you. As to the others, once you discover you have it, you have to train it and learn control.”

“How do you do that?” Griffen said.

“Like I say, it’s like a muscle you just learned you have. Imagine if you were just learning to use your arm. With a little practice, you can learn to make it reach out without thinking of exactly how you’re doing it. You also learn how far it reaches, how fast, and how strong it is.”

“And with exercise,” Griffen said, “you can make it stronger.”

“To a degree,” Mose said. “But it’s more complex than that. Sticking with the arm example, if someone hits you unexpectedly, your arm will flinch away without your thinking. Boxers and karate artists learn to control that reflex. If you develop some of the stronger secondary powers, you have to learn to control them as well. An unthinking flinch with a secondary power can not only be noticeable to the humans around you, the actual immediate effects could be disastrous.”

“I can see where that could be a problem,” Griffen said, winking at his sister.

Mose leaned back in his seat and looked at them both.

“It’s no laughing matter,” he said. “Now, I want both you young dragons to listen to me real close. I’m answering your questions about primary and secondary powers as best I can because you’ve asked and I don’t want you to think I’m holding back on you. The truth of the matter is that, for the most part, the various powers don’t mean squat. It’s how you handle yourself that counts. People should do what you want them to because they’re convinced you’re right, not because they’re afraid of what you’ll do to them if they don’t go along. Sure, dragons have powers to some extent or other, but mostly it’s frame of mind.”

Griffen frowned.

“Please excuse me, sir. I didn’t mean to act like I’m taking all this lightly. It’s just that it’s all so new to me that I automatically drop back to old defense patterns…like laughing…to keep from showing how confused I am. Some of this stuff you’re telling me I just don’t understand.”

“Like what, for example.”

“Well, like what you were just saying. I understand that one doesn’t use these powers without a good reason, and even then only use them very carefully. It’s just…well, I keep being told I’m getting this generous offer because of my power potential, but then you say it’s a frame of mind, not the powers. If it isn’t the powers, or potential powers, and just a state of mind, then what do you need me for? What is it exactly that you expect me to do?”

Mose heaved a sigh and ran his hand through his hair.

“That’s a fair question,” he said. “It’s the answer that’s not so easy. Let me try to cover this in pieces. First of all, as you say, you’re new to all this. Part of why I wanted you down here is because I’ve got some things I can teach you.”

He held up a restraining hand.

“Let me get through this. I know what you’re thinking. How is that different from what Mal offered when he asked you to sign up with him. Well, the big difference is that you don’t have to be subservient to me to learn. This is going to be your operation. We’re joining you, not the other way around.

“As to what you’ll be doing, first of all we have to teach you the operation. I understand from Jerome you’re no stranger to betting or bookies, but I don’t think your real familiar with the ins and outs of how it all works. It’s going to take you a while to learn what we do and to meet the people who do the day-to-day work.”

“Once you get the feel of things, though, you probably won’t be that involved in the actual work. You’ll be management, and most of what you do will be setting policy and making decisions.”