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"I will take 132 Slinks from each herd for the Emperor," said the Taker. "The Emperor magnanimously<br />
gives you the rest to feed your clan." She waved her eyes at the porters, who started to unload their<br />
cargo of Slink eggs from their pouches.<br />
"Here are the eggs for your next herd. They are the Emperor's property, guard them carefully. You<br />
know the penalty."<br />
Dented-Shield's tread hesitated as she spoke, but she finally'trummedout the reply.<br />
"We do not wish to have the remaining food Slinks. We willingly give them to the Emperor."<br />
"You do notgive things to the Emperor, slave," said the Taker angrily. "The Emperor takes! For your<br />
insolence I shall takeall of the food Slinks, and your Clans can grub for groundnuts. Now pick up those<br />
Slink eggs and take care of them."<br />
"We do not wish any more of the Emperor's Slink eggs." Dented-Shield sounded braver this time.<br />
"Insolent slave!" the Taker roared. 'The Emperor owns everything. Every food Slink, every groundnut,<br />
every fruit on every plant, even the meat on the wild Swifts he owns. Pick up those eggs, or I shall banish<br />
you all from the Emperor's lands and you shall starve."<br />
"We give to the Emperor all that which belongs to the Emperor. We have no need of the Emperor's<br />
food. We have the food machines to feed us."<br />
"I will take the food machines, slave. Everything belongs to the Emperor. Even you." Taker pulled out<br />
her whip-sword and flicked it menacingly. "When I am through with you, insolent crust-slug, there will be<br />
no more talk of refusing to raise the Emperor's food Slinks."<br />
Dented-Shield raised her shield as Taker urged her riding-Swift forward. Crust-Crawler rapped a short<br />
command into the crust and a nearly invisible magnetic barrier sprang up across the road. The<br />
riding-Swift slowed and reared as its tread touched the magnetic barrier. The ultra-strong magnetic fields<br />
stretched the molecules in the tread of the Swift to the breaking point. The Swift roared and backed off,<br />
favoring the burned edge of its tread.<br />
Crust-Crawler moved forward to stand next to Dented-Shield.<br />
"There is no need to raise food Slinks anymore," he said to the Taker. "The food machines can now give<br />
us Slink meat as well as all the other foods it did before. Now that we have nearly finished our task here,<br />
we would like to meet your Emperor. We will give him many, many food machines, cargo-gliders,<br />
personal gliders, road pavers, and other machines, as well as the power plants to run them. All of Egg<br />
can become prosperous, and there will no longer be a need for slaves."<br />
Crust-Crawler noticed that Taker's eye-wave pattern almost stopped as she contemplated the thought<br />
of not having slaves to do her bidding.<br />
"If the Emperor will guarantee me safe conduct," said Crust-Crawler, "I and my machine makers will be<br />
glad to visit him in Bright Center. Otherwise, he may come here. As you notice, we have not attacked<br />
your party and have given you more than you came for. We would welcome the visit of the Emperor. If<br />
he wishes, he can ride in our starships and look down on all of his domain at one time."
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