Jack 14, with honorable K'da warrior-poet Draycos 30s, symbiote 2D dragon on host's back for six hours, hope their spaceship intelligence Uncle Virge (for dead inspirational selfish real Virgil) can convince the human slavemaster Grazen of the wealthy Choochook family in their Brummgan fortress, to buy the boy thief. But a hotbox punishment, electrocuted "frypan" pen, taser-like pain prods, spoiled toddler "Your Thumbleness" who requires her demands (in her language, not his) obeyed immediately, fevered boy Noy who recalls every word the goldern dragon sang - ballads of bravery, and an skill demonstration auction attended by the "Snake Voice" aka Braxton's ousted Neverlin, add up to a danger requiring every bit of human ingenuity and warrior skill from the symbiotic heroes.