Though All the Mountains Lie Between — Jeffrey A. Carver

When star pilot Jael rebels against an abusive captain and flies the "mountain route" through the Flux, she dismisses a legend claiming that dragons lurk waiting for unwary riggers. But appear they do, challenging Jael to a fight to the death. This short story is the basis for the novel Dragons in the Stars (available in the omnibus Dragon Space). 9000 words, plus excerpt from Dragon Space. Also appears in the ebook collection Going Alien.

"Though All the Mountains Lie Between" spawned two novels, Dragons in the Stars and Dragon Rigger, both published in print by Tor Books. They are available in the omnibus Dragon Space (in the author's edition), or individually (in E-Reads editions).