Стража! Стража!

           "ThewayIseeit,"saidoneoftherevellers,halfwaythroughahugegreasylumpofhalf-rawmeat,"adragonaskingmightn’tbeabadidea.Whenyouthinkitthrough,iswhatImean."

           "Itdefinitelylookedverygracious,"saidthewomantohisright,asiftestingtheidea."Sortof,well,sleek.Niceandsmart.Notscruffy.Takesabitofaprideinitself."Sheglaredatsomeoftheyoungerrevellersfurtherdownthetable."Thetroublewithpeopletodayistheydon’ttakeprideinthemselves."

           "Andthere’sforeignpolicy,ofcourse,"saidathird,helpinghimselftoarib."Whenyoucometothinkaboutit."

           "Whatd’youmean?"

           "Diplomacy,"saidtherib-eater,flatly.

           Theythoughtaboutit.Andthenyoucouldseethemturningtheideaaroundandthinkingaboutittheotherway,inapoliteefforttoseewhatthehellhewasgettingat.

           "Dunno,"saidthemonarchicalexpertslowly."Imean,youractualdragon,it’sgotthese,basically,twosortofwaysofnegotiation.Hasn’tit?Imean,it’seitherroastingyoualive,oritisn’t.CorrectmeifI’mwrong,"headded.

           "That’smypoint.Imean,let’ssaytheambassadorfromKlatchcomesalong,youknowhowarrogantthatlotare,supposehesays:wewantthis,wewantthat,wewanttheotherthing.Well,"hesaid,beamingatthem,"whatwesayis,shutyourfaceunlessyouwanttogohomeinajar."

           Theytriedoutthisideaformentalfit.Ithadthatcertainsomething.

           "They’vegotabigfleet,Klatch,"saidthemonarchistuncertainly.