Free Chess With a Dragon by David Gerrold Page B

repaid.”
    â€œIndeed it has.”
    â€œI have not asked reward, Egg-Master. I never shall. It is reward enough to serve. Thank you for letting me have the honor of this duty. I stand forever ready to serve the Greater Trrrl-t Nest.”
    â€œYou have done only what was expected of you, Hnaxx,” whispered the Egg-Master. “That requires neither thanks nor acknowledgment. No reward could be asked in such a situation; and no reward shall be given. The only acknowledgment of your usefulness is that you shall continue to be used. But you understand that, of course.” The Egg-Master rattled its mandibles and added, “There is still much to be done. May I speak plainly?”
    â€œMaster—?”
    â€œWe have not the time for the usual painless abstractions of courtesy; otherwise, your clever devices will not distract the guests long enough for us to say what we have to say to each other. Besides, the matter I would discuss with you is of such grave import that neither of us could risk the consequences of a communication that is less than precise. So I shall speak to you like a lover. Do you understand me, young Hnaxx?”
    â€œI understand, my Master. I shall die before I compromise your candor.”
    â€œI expect nothing less. Now, listen to me carefully—for I must tell you of a matter that affects every Ki! alive today, and every Ki! that will ever follow after us.”
    Hnaxx wondered if it should prostrate itself before the seriousness of this topic, but the Egg-Master reached over and touched its fore claw. “This is a great burden, young Hnaxx. We are indentured to our own history. And there is a price we are still paying for that indenture.
    â€œThis world is not fully our own. It was settled first by the Fn-rr. They sought a new world, a warm land in which to nourish their roots, a place where their dreams would be peaceful and fat. They made a contract with the Dhrooughleem, the same aliens who sold you your pretty lights of distraction. It was a very expensive contract, but the Dhrooughleem promised to find a safe world for the Fn-rr. They brought the Fn-rr to this world and the Fn-rr were pleased. They found here a warm red light which bathed them and made them strong; and they thought they had found paradise.
    â€œBut after the first few summers, as they began to spread their seeds, they began to discover that this paradise was infested by vermin, by brain-eating parasites that preyed upon them in their dream time. They were horrified and enraged. As hard as it is to imagine one of the Fn-rr demonstrating any kind of emotion, they were hysterical with fear and anger. They had invested too much time and too many generations in this world, and now it had turned into a hellacious place of terror. The Fn-rr demanded that the Dhrooughleem make good on the original contract. The Dhrooughleem postulated what seemed to everyone a much better solution . . . symbiosis.
    â€œWe, the Ki!Lakken, were invited to share the expenses of colonizing this world. We would take a full third of the financial burden of the Fn-rr and in return we would bring them protection and security.
    â€œIt should have been an ideal partnership, sweet Hnaxx. The Fn-rr-detested grubs are a tasty resource to us. Their flesh is sweet; their bodies are warm; we can plant our eggs in their bellies and watch our children grow large and healthy. So, the agreement was made and the slobbering off-worlders brought our ancestors here to this planet. The contract was simple. While the Fn-rr slept, we would care for their pavilions, we would eat the grubs, we would plant our eggs. During the summers, they are afoot and we are swarming. We would grow strong, the Fn-rr would grow strong. Only the grubs would suffer.”
    â€œYes, my Master. And to all appearances, we have done that well.”
    â€œToo well. We have done well even beyond appearances. Do you know the rest of this contract?”
    â€œNo,