:Heironymous, Heironymous!:

:What is it, 'Bosch? I'm a bit busy. This program is being a real b--:

:I want to go off-world!:

:What?!:

Heironymous Everand-- more commonly known as Mouse, as it was much, much easier to pronounce-- slid back from his computer after a quick save of the file, pulling his mind out of the equations and coding he'd been working on. Such was not at all hard, considering the shock his dragon had just given him. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, taking off his glasses and sending the world into indistinct, blurry shapes.

:I said, I want to go on a trip! Off the station, even off-world!:

:Yes, yes, I heard you-- but-- why??:

:Because we've never done it before! It'll be an adventure! Come on, Heironymous, you work too much, you deserve a break. It's been a whole year and a half since Ignis left, it's time we went somewhere fun.:

:'Bosch, we can't afford an off-world trip right now. I'd have to save for months to be able to do a vacation like that, you know that.:

:No, it's all right, really. I've got that all taken care of.:

Over the twenty-two years he'd been paired with Zionibosch, Mouse knew when there was something he wasn't being told-- and after twenty-two years he was quite comfortable just coming out and saying it. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, giving the unfocused shape of the monitor an unseeing frown, directed at the physically absent dragon.

:There's something you're not telling me, 'Bosch.:

:Of course there isn't!:

:Out with it.:

There was a long pause before Zionibosch sent, in a very small and humble voice, :There's this really big, really rare kind of flight, you see--:

:You're kidding me. You want to go participate in another flight off the station. What, the dragons here not good enough?:

Not that Mouse minded that his dragon hadn't taken a fancy to any of the dragons on the station; he did not particularly want to get involved in another flight. True, the last one-- the only one Zionibosch had wanted to participate in so far in their life together, thankfully-- hadn't turned out too badly, for all the girl was so young he could have been her father. She'd been a kind child, though, and they'd maintained sporadic contact since via those annoying mini-dragons that hopped between worlds since the hatching-- it turned out that not every world had e-mail and inter-galactic communication. Even so, he was reluctant to try it again: he knew he was hardly a catch, and he was probably older than most of the riders who went to such things. Zionibosch was very, very good at persuasion, though, so despite his resolve to say no, he was still worried.

:Oh, no no no!: 'Bosch exclaimed with some shock. :I mean, I haven't found any here I really like, not like Ignis, but-- this flight is special, Heironymous!:

:What do you mean... "special"?:

:It's backwards! You know, the girls chase the boys, instead of the other way around!:

:Oh God, you're kidding--:

Mouse could picture it now: a whole hoard of females whose dragons were supposed to chase 'Bosch, all beautiful of course-- it seemed like when dragons chose humans, they invariably chose the pretty ones, Mouse himself being one of the few exceptions-- and all with varying expressions of disappointment upon seeing the homely, bespectacled red-head in his thirties waiting there nervously for them.

:Oh, Heironymous, it won't be so bad! Fyr liked you fine, didn't she?:

:But it wasn't the same-- she wasn't there for me, I was there for her-- or, more appropriately, for you.:

:It won't be so bad! Honestly, Heironymous, you worry way too much. I've told you over and over you do. Besides, it isn't really like that, anyway. There's a whole lot of dragons, all going at once. It's called a frenzy! So you'll hardly be singled out.:

If anything, that was even worse. Mouse was not a bold man, nor was he particularly open with his private life, nor was he interested in orgies!

:I'm sure it won't be so bad as you're envisioning. Really.:

:'Bosch, you don't have as good of an imagination as I do, so you know, it really could be as bad as I'm thinking. Besides,: he said, changing the subject gratefully, :I said I couldn't afford it, and I still can't.:

:Oh, that doesn't matter.: Mouse knew it wasn't his imagination when he heard pride in his dragon's voice. :I told you, I've gotten that all taken care of.:

:You care to explain how you did that?:

:Ithate's going, as well-- I'm actually the one who told him about it-- and his bond is--:

:God, yes, yes, I know. The Communications and Trade Minister. How many people do you know?:

:Lots! And he already knows we're going, and we get to hitch a ride with him, for free, as part of the Star City delegation! Isn't that great? Doesn't it sound important?:

:'Bosch-- you-- oh God.:

:Heironymous... it'll be okay. Really.:

:'Bosch--:

:We're going in two weeks. I'm sure if your boss won't give you the time off when you ask, the Minister can talk to him and tell him how important it is.:

:Important-- 'Bosch, you-- you--:

:Don't thank me now. Really, it'll be fun!:

:'Bosch, dammit--:

:Pleeeeeeeeeease?:

The complete about-face from cheerful adult to pleading child in Zionibosch's tone broke the last of Mouse's resistance, already worn thin by reasons and shock.

:Okay, okay... but just this once! Then we are staying on the station, no matter how special the flight or beautiful the dragon!:

:Fine! Perfect! Sounds great to me! Thank you!:

And then 'Bosch's attention was gone, focused elsewhere, and Heironymous Everand dropped his head into his hands. This was not going to be fun, no matter what his dragon said....