they might not die, cast them scraps of food as though they
might have been pet sleen.'
My old hatred of Vika now began once again to enfuse my
blood, and my hands ached to grip her and shake her until her
bones might break and then throw her to my feet.
'What became of them?' I asked.
'They were used as Muls,' said Misk.
My fists clenched.
'I am glad that such a creature,' said Misk, 'is not of my
species.'
'I am sorry,' I said, 'that she is of mine.'
'When you broke the surveillance device in the chamber,' said
Misk, 'I felt I had to act quickly.'
I laughed.'Then,' I said, 'you actually thought you were
saving me?'
'I did,' said Misk.
'I wonder,' I said.
'At any rate,' said Misk, 'it was not a risk we cared to
take.'
'You speak of 'we'?'
'Yes,' said Misk.
'And who is the other?' I asked.
'The greatest in the Nest,' said Misk.
'The Mother?'
'Of course.'
Misk touched me lightly on the shoulder with his antennae.
'Come now,' he said.'Let us return to the chamber above.'
'Why,' I asked, 'was I returned to Earth after the siege of
Ar?'
'To fill you with hatred for Priest-Kings,' said Misk.'Thus
you would be more willing to come to the Sardar to find us.'
'But why seven years?' I asked.They had been long, cruel,
lonely years.
'We were waiting,' said Misk.
'But for what?' I demanded.
'For there to be a female egg,' said Misk.
'Is there now such an egg?'
'Yes,' said Misk, 'but I do not know where it is.'
'Then who knows?' I asked.
'The Mother,' said Misk.
'But what have I to do with all this?' I demanded.
'You are not of the Nest,' said Misk, 'and thus you can do
what is necessary.'
'What is necessary?' I asked.
'Sarm must die,' said Misk.
'I have no wish to kill Sarm,' I said.
'Very well,' said Misk.
I puzzled on the many things which Misk had told me, and then
I looked up at him, lifting my torch that I might better see
that great head with its rich, disklike, luminous eyes.
'Why is this one egg so important?' I asked.'You have the
stabilisation serums.Surely there will be many eggs, and
others will be female.'
'It is the last egg,' said Misk.
'Why is that?' I demanded.
'The Mother was hatched and flew her Nuptial Flight long
before the discovery of the stabilisation serums,' said Misk.
'We have managed to retard her aging considerably but eon by
eon it has been apparent that our efforts have been less and
less successful, and now there are no more eggs.'
'I don't understand,' I said.
'The Mother is dying,' said Misk.
I was silent and Misk did not speak and the only noise in
that paneled metallic laboratory that was the cradle of a
Priest-King was the soft crackle of the blue torch I held.
'Yes,' said Misk, 'it is the end of the Nest.'
I shook my head.'This is no business of mine,' I said.
'That is true,' said Misk.
We faced one another.'Well,' I said, 'are you not going to
threaten me?'
'No,' said Misk.
'Are you not going to hunt down my father or my Free
Companion and kill them if I do not serve you?'
'No,' said Misk.'No.'
'Why not?' I demanded.'Are you not a Priest-King?'
'Because I am a Priest-King,' said Misk.
I was thunderstruck.
'All Priest-Kings are not as Sarm,' said Misk.He looked
down at me.'Come,' he said, 'it is late and you will be
tired.Let us retire to the chamber above.'
Misk left the room and I, bearing the torch, followed him.
To be continued…