Free Chess With a Dragon by David Gerrold Page A

always were. As they wound to their inevitable and hilarious conclusions, many of the guests found themselves in extraordinarily revealing and indecent postures. Of course, they hurried to redress themselves, they always did; but there would be many embarrassing anecdotes to be told in the days to come. After that, the pheromone sprays delighted almost everybody and even caused Old Yll!br to leap onto the table and attempt to mount what was left of K!rikkl’s body in a (so Old Yll!br claimed) bawdy demonstration of northlander mating techniques. Of course, there were those who suggested otherwise, that this was not a demonstration of northlander mating techniques at all, that instead Old Yll!br had actually been overcome by the giddy sprays of hormonal influences. It sometimes happened in the elders, you know . . . when they reached that time of life.
    But the big surprise of the evening was reserved for the darkness after the moons set. It happened when the guests began to filter out into the night to chew their aromatic herbs. Abruptly, there was a chorus of chirruping fanfare and the night was flooded with brilliant light of all colors.
    Hnaxx had caused to be erected a huge tower of incandescent electric lights. They coruscated up and down through the entire visual spectrum; they glittered and flashed with brilliant intensity, illuminating the darkness with colors never before seen on this red-lit world. The guests all gasped with delight and horror. Their bright skins shone with multiple reflections that crawled across their carapaces like neon parasites. They stood and basked in the light and giggled with embarrassment at such juvenile displays of wonder. The whole thing was terribly gaudy and obviously very expensive. The perfect delight. Beautiful and impressive both. The guests circled the tower in fascination. Several of the younger ones even tried to climb the tower; but it had been deliberately constructed to prevent them from climbing too far.
    Even Hnaxx was surprised at the intensity of the delirium induced in the guests. The vendors had warned of this profound hypnotic effect, of course; but it was one thing to hear a fact and another to experience it. Indeed, Hnaxx found it quite difficult to resist the light itself. The urge to climb the tower was nearly irresistible.
    Fortunately, Hnaxx had been warned of this phenomenon and had stayed a respectable distance away from the tower when it was illuminated. To some degree, this diluted the tropic power of the display. Without the warning, Hnaxx would have been as eager to succumb as the guests.
    The off-world vendors had also warned not to leave the tower lights burning for too long, or it might risk burning out the eyes of the guests. Consequently, the machinery had been designed to flicker and flash for a short while only and then gently fade to a quiescent glow and finally back to darkness. It could not be triggered a second time.
    It was during the loudest part of this distraction that Hnaxx, obedient and honorable young Ki! that it was, reluctantly broke away and slipped quietly back into the festival pavilion where the Great Egg-Master waited patiently. The Egg-Master was still sitting impassively at the table.
    Hnaxx approached on its belly, bowing its head to acknowledge Master’s great age and wisdom.
    â€œYou have done well, young Hnaxx.”
    â€œIt is a privilege to serve the Nest. I am grateful for the honor.”
    The Egg-Master blinked slowly and turned its head sideways to study Hnaxx. It swiveled its glittering multi-faceted eyes up and down as it focused. “You may speak.”
    â€œThank you, my Master. I am pleased to report to you that the secret of the grubs is safe again, my Lord. We have tracked down every one of those who came into possession of our sacred knowledge and dealt with them appropriately. K!rikkl was the last of the last who knew. Tonight, K!rikkl’s debt to this Nest has been well