Chapter Forty: Going In

Howard and Bridget prepare for and begin their expedition to Jabberwocky's dragon civilization. After receiving cultural files from the Gamers and uploading them to their dragon bodies (drannies), they fly to a large floater named the Hunter and land in one of its villages to begin their research on the local warlord and the dragons' society.

Howard and Bridget conduct a strategy session in their apartment on Trantor, reviewing maps and cultural information about Jabberwocky. They decide to visit a floater with multiple villages to blend in while investigating a warlord figure known as Alexander. They don their dragon bodies (drannies) equipped with frontpacks and attempt fishing, with mixed results—Bridget succeeds while Howard struggles initially. During their flight westward, they observe the landscape and discuss the floaters' biology and vulnerability to natural disasters like volcanism and lightning. They spot their target floater, the Hunter, which has a central water reservoir and supports three villages: Heaven, Rest, and Glory. Upon landing, they encounter a squad of five dragons led by a spokesdragon who questions them about their origin and purpose. Bridget deftly handles the interrogation by claiming they're from a distant college town called Nirvana, seeking only to rest and catch fish. The squad leader, apparently a Sooth Hunter (lie detector), seems satisfied and allows them to pass. They explore the ramshackle but ingeniously designed medieval village built in three dimensions through the trees, featuring suspended pods and gravity-fed hot water systems. They secure lodging at a hotel run by a cantankerous proprietor and settle into their pod for the night. Howard notes the engineering cleverness of the dragons despite their medieval-level technology. As they prepare to sleep, Bridget mentions wanting to investigate the floater's tendrils tomorrow. They then return to their main bodies (mannies) on Trantor.