His bond, on the other hand, didn't have any excuse other then that he was completely different from most (if not all) of the dragons that had ever stepped foot within the space-port. A xenomorphic dragon, he resembled his more traditional brethren only in that he had two wings, a tail, four legs and a head. Everything else about him was completely alien. Now he trotted, his black, padded, resinous paws clicking distinctly over the main floor grate, his sightless, elongated head held high, and his toothy mouth revealed in a particularly predatory grin. People who saw him coming took pains to get out of his path, and to stay out of his drool-trail, though he would never have attacked them without the permission of his bond.

And right now, his bond was focusing solely on getting food of a more civilized manner.

So where are we going today, Lin'? Can we go to that place where you serve yourself? Please?

The Archivist rumbled low in his throat, creating a noise somewhere between a growl and a chuckle. Tax, if you want to go to the slaughterhouse, you be my guest. Just remember that the food is food, not... whatever it is that you try to make out of it.
I told you, I can't help that...
You can't help playing with your food? Sticking it to the wall like some piece of art?

No... Taxoness hung his great, red-tinted head. I can try, though.

The wolf-like creature shot his bond a look, or whatever passed for one out of those red-glowing, inorganic eyes. Just try not to scare the other customers. The Archivist would have kept walking, but the xenodragon had stopped in the middle of his tracks. People would have bumped into him from behind, if they weren't so intent on keeping away from him in the first place. What? What is it?

I smell... I smell... Tax threw back his elongated head (which was in fact devoid of olfactory organs), and folded his wings tightly to his exoskelatal frame, I... smell...

What? the lupine creature accompanied his query with a bark.

The dragon stood taller suddenly, his long, segmented tail whipping frantically behind him. Gotta go! He bounded off, taking Linaeas completely by surprise, and was in a heartbeat lost in the crowd.

Wait! Where are you going!? The Archivist called, but got no answer. After several more attempts, he finally gave in. Don't go killing anything! he rumbled after, and shook his head. He'd never seen his dragon do anything like this... and they'd been together for a great deal of time.

Before they had parted, Shalazan had told her to keep out of trouble. Lacass had rebutted that she had better not kill anyone who gave her a funny look... it would be a supreme waste of time if they had to face the authorities of this place.

Hello!

Lacass jumped, then swung her shiny head from one side to the other, as if trying to see her surpriser. The voice had been very 'near', as far as telepathic speech could be measured... but no one seemed to be paying any heed to her, save for those who were attempting to avoid her.

Up here!

She swung around, now, and tilted her head up to face a ledge jutting from one of the plastic-concrete-metallic buildings which she hadn't noticed before. A creature--similar in appearance to herself, though covered in red plating rather then steel--sat, his paws clinging to the ledge-edge, his head hunched out between his shoulders as he 'looked' down at her.

The dragoness was not impressed. What do you want?

The smaller, less spiny xeno flared his wings (causing passers-by to give startled glances, and Lacass to hiss at the attention he was drawing) and leapt from the platform to the floor, making surprisingly little noise as he landed near the warrioress. He was grinning madly, and his head bobbed from side to side as he settled his wings. I'm Taxoness, and I thought I smelled something--

How flattering...

and I had to find you and see if you were who I thought you were, because if you weren't then I'd have been disappointed, but you are who I thought you were, so now I'm here to meet you! the drone-like male paused, still grinning like crazy, the drool running from his chin in torrents.

Lacass was still not impressed. And who did you think I was?

The red-black would have blinked if he could. Why... someone like me! There aren't a lot like me around here... but you're like me, and I wanted to know where you came from!

The warrioress turned away from him, then in a moment was walking again, forcing the smaller of the two to follow along behind her. What does it matter to you?

I've never smelled a dragon as pretty as you before...

Lacass stopped flat, then gave a little hiss. Don't get any ideas, she sent, glancing back at him under one half-outspread wing.

Taxoness wasn't so easily dissuaded. He took the moment that the dragoness had stopped to come up alongside her, so that he was now shoulder to shoulder with her. What? What ideas? he asked, his voice managing to sound innocent.

Lacass settled and unsettled her wings, giving him a good raking over with her senses. Go back to where you came from, drone. I don't have time for you. When in fact she had nothing but time, at the moment.

The red-black stayed put, refusing to leave. Can't we just sit around for a while? Please? And then with an almost puppyish lowering of his forelimbs, Pleeeeease?

Lacass started walking again, and Taxoness leapt after her. You're certainly the optimistic type. Fine... but first you have to catch me! and with that, she leapt into the middle of the street, much as her pursuer had done only a short time ago.

Where have you been? I haven't been able to get a hold of you for ages!

I... know. I kind of did a bad thing...

Shalazan looked up from the current metallic arm that she'd been studying. Her dragon's voice was still disembodied... the steel-black was nowhere to be found. What kind of bad thing? Did you kill someone? Was it messy? I was hoping to save my money for the arm...

There was a long pause, and then, Well, it'll certainly leave a lasting impression... but the bright side is, you'll have more time to consider your purchase.

Lacass... where are you?

I'm with Taxoness... he says he wants plenty of time to prepare the hatching grounds...

Shalazan dropped the arm, which clattered to the floor. "WHAT?!"