Стража! Стража!

           Rightnowthedragonseemedamuchsaferprospect.

           "AndIdidabitofworkingout,too.I’lltellyouthis:it’saveryoddbeast.Itshouldn’tbeabletogetairborne."

           "You’rerightthere."

           "Ifit’sbuiltlikeswampdragons,itshouldweighabouttwentytons.Twentytons!It’simpossible.It’salldowntoweightandwingspanratios,yousee."

           "Isawitdropoffthetowerlikeaswallow."

           "Iknow.Itshouldhavetornitswingsoffandleftabloodygreatholeintheground,"saidLadyRamkinfirmly."Youcan’tmuckaboutwithaerodynamics.Youcan’tjustscaleupfromsmalltobigandleaveitatthat,yousee.It’sallamatterofmusclepowerandliftingsurfaces."

           "Iknewtherewassomethingwrong,"saidVimes,brighteningup."Andtheflame,too.Nothinggoesaroundwiththatkindofheatinsideit.Howdoswampdragonsmanageit?"

           "Oh,that’sjustchemicals,"saidLadyRamkindismissively."Theyjustdistillsomethingflammablefromwhateverthey’veeatenandignitetheflamejustasitcomesoutoftheducts.Theyneveractuallyhavefireinsidethem,unlesstheygetacaseofblowback.""Whathappensthen?"

           "You’rescrapingdragonoffthescenery,"saidLadyRamkincheerfully."I’mafraidthey’renotverywell-designedcreatures,dragons."Vimeslistened.

           Theywouldneverhavesurvivedatallexceptthattheirhomeswampswereisolatedandshortofpredators.