"We don't," Jason said. "Some dragons we make with genetic manipulations. They're pretty limited though, because there's only so much you can do with living tissue even with some tech augments. I mean, powerful muscles and armored scales and strong forearms and flying ability and breathing fire and all the other stuff? Can't be done. But they've also made mech dragons with living cultures for skin. Those can do just about everything, but they work best on Mars because of the lower gravity."

She stared at him. "Then you make dragons for weapons, too."

"Weapons?" Jason laughed. "They're not weapons. They're just for fun. Toys."

"Toys?" Kira wondered if her voice sounded as bewildered as she actually was.

"Yeah. Just fun. Throw in some humanoid mechs to fight them and it's quite a pageant. Or dragon on dragon. They have tournaments to see whose dragon can win. The death matches can be pretty gory because of the living cultures." Jason noticed Kira's expression. "What's the matter?"

"Toys?" she repeated.

"Yeah. What about it?"

"You create living creatures for toys?"

"Uh . . ." Jason seemed taken aback by the question. "They're not really living."

"That what Mages say about dragons, and trolls. You said living cultures."

"Well, yeah, on the outside, but they don't even have a pain mechanism. They just have a damage feedback cycle so when they get hurt they react defensively or with anger or whatever."

"When they get hurt? That sounds like pain."

"No!" Jason appeared bothered by her questions. "They're just toys. I… That does sound sick, doesn't it?" He looked ahead. "Is that a road?"

Kira looked as well, recognizing that Jason was trying to change the subject and granting him that. "Yes. Not a heavily traveled one, from the looks of it. The sun's near setting. We can't keep walking in the dark, and I don't want to bed down on that road." She pointed. "Let's go up that small hill and make camp on the top. When we lie down we'll be hidden by the grass, but if we look around we'll be able to spot anyone coming our way."

As she climbed the slope, she felt the weariness of the day's labor settling on her like a heavy cloak. Jason had to pause before finally joining her at the top, where both of them sank down gratefully.

Kira eventually sat up, bringing out her water bottle and drinking half before digging out a bag of the trail mix she had bought at Sima's Crossing.

Groaning, Jason sat up, too. "Kira, I need to, uh, do some business."

She frowned at him, then understood. "Oh. Use the south slope. We won't walk back down that way. There should be some paper sealed into a bag in your pack. Don't use too much."

"I'm too tired to be mad about you saying that," Jason said, stumbling down the slope in the gathering twilight.