The Fangs of Oannos

A short novelette about Hadrian in the years he spent on Jadd. A prince of another star system approaches the ruler of Jadd to seek an alliance. He's brought gifts, genetically engineered birds who can sing with human voices. Some of them have hidden talents, and the prince himself has a trick or two up his sleeve.

I didn't think this the best of Ruocchio's short fillers. There's a lot of description of beautiful plumage but his gift of telling stories of political intrigue is not having its best showing in this one.