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close enough to see if they could poke anything into them. The big gun on a thick belt round One Chance’s waist would have put them off for a start. Will wondered if it was a ray gun. Must be, surely?
    â€œI will reconsider my previous statement if I am correct in recognising that whispering voice as belonging to the one who calls himself Spiv. Had the blaster been up to the specification that was promised, you would not have survived the shot.”
    Before Spiv could reply (
and make matters worse
, Will thought) Drych interrupted. “I am Drych of the dragon ship
Brenda
. We have superficial damage but no injuries.”
    â€œI know of Drych and have no reason to cause you injury. You would be wise, in future, not to follow so closely behind any ship that is intent on interfering with the conduct of my business.”
    Spiv whispered again into Will’s ear, “Old One Chance is a trader. Been everywhere in that old ship of ‘is, ‘e ‘as. Fair, but you wouldn’t want to cross ‘im.”
    â€œWhy is he called One Chance?” Will whispered back.
    â€œBecause that’s all he’ll give you. If you’re lucky, that is.”
    â€œWho was trying to interfere with your business?” Drych continued.
    â€œA vessel which came out of hyperspace just before you. It fired on me. I returned fire. We both suffered damage, it more than me. It fled. I did not pursue. To do so would have taken me out of my way.”
    â€œI believe that we were chasing the vessel that you describe,” said Drych. “There is a ninja with me. She wishes to speak with them. Where did they go?”
    â€œTowards the centre of this planetary system. They did not enter hyperspace. I may have damaged their systems. Now follow them if you wish. I have delayed here too long.”
    With that the image of One Chance disappeared from the screen and was replaced by the view outside the ship. Will could see now that the thing he had seen but not recognised before One Chance shot at them was, in fact, One Chance’s ship. He imagined that spaceships should look like spaceships – long, thin, shiny cigars with fins and boosters. It did look like that. A bit. But it also had lots of pointy bits and lumpy bits. It was fatter than he thought it should be, at least at one end it was. And it wasn’t shiny; it was a sort of dull orange. Beyond One Chance’s ship was a bright red star. It looked about as big as a marble. Will guessed that it was at the centre of this solar system. He was a bit disappointed that he couldn’t see any planets but he supposed that they must be too small or too far away.
    As Will watched, a blue glow appeared at one end of One Chance’s ship (not the fat end, surprisingly) and it accelerated away. At the same time the red sun started to move across the screen and will realised that
Brenda
was moving too.
    â€œWe’re moving. Who’s driving?” Will asked.
    â€œDrych,” answered Mavis. “Remember we told you that dragons weren’t entirely in this dimension? Drych can think where he wants
Brenda
to go and the message, sort of, gets through. That’s why dragons are good at this sort of thing.”
    Drych was sitting serenely on the floor, a far-away look in his eye. In the starlight shining from the screen he looked distinctly red. In a few moments his eyes closed and he seemed to be asleep.
    â€œApart from being grey, ‘e looks just like the red dragon on that Welsh flag, don’t ‘e,” chuckled Spiv.
    Despite himself, Will couldn’t help asking, “What is the story behind the red dragon?”
    â€œWell, Will, it’s like this. It started with some ancient relative of Drych’s; great grand uncle or some such. Dragons live a long time so this was a very long time ago. Anyway, Draig, that’s what this dragon’s name was, was a Welsh dragon. It was summertime and very hot. I don’t