Starquake.pdf

As if to punctuate his offer, there was a rising whine in the crust and the gravity catapult threw the scout
ship back into the sky.
Faced with a barrier she could not overcome, and awed by the technology around her in spite of herself,
the Taker decided to retreat.
"I leave to report your behavior to the Emperor," she said. "He will decide what you will do next."
Crust-Crawler had the barrier around the herding pens lowered, and the porters, now reloaded with
Slink eggs, drove the docile herds off on the long journey to Bright Center. Before the Taker left,
however, she and her warriors used the treads of their riding-Swifts to push over all the low walls
outlining the clan living areas and tread the meager contents into the crust.
"I hope the Emperor is more reasonable than the Taker," said Metal-Bender.
"If the Emperor is the original Attila," Crust-Crawler replied, "even two dozen rejuvenations wouldn't be
enough to make him reasonable. I think we had better work on our defenses."
The Taker got back to Bright Center just as Attila finished his latest rejuvenation. His compact, muscular
body was stronger than ever and just as speckled as before. He had a holding pouch of golden yellow
crystals and was popping them one by one into an eating pouch.
"Good haul, Crazy-Eyes," he said, looking at the food Slinks flowing past. "I want one of those striped
ones."
"I will have the servers prepare it for turnfeast, Terrible One," said the Taker.
"I want it now!" demanded Attila. "I'm hungry." He waved at a nearby server. "That stupid rejuvenation
robot kept feeding me mush and telling me to eat slowly. Had to dent it with my sword before it would let
me go."
"I had some trouble in the eastern provinces," the Taker said after a long silence.
"Some slaves holding out on you?"
"No. They not only gave us back all the food Slinks they were supposed to, but they even refused to
take their dozeth."
"I thought the herds looked bigger. What's the matter with them?" Attila asked. "They can't survive long
on just groundnuts."
"They have also refused to eat your groundnuts or plant fruits," said the Taker.
"You sound like your brain-knot has stopped working, Crazy-Eyes," said Attila. "If I didn't know you
better, I would say you are getting too old to be the Taker."
"I am still the strongest of your warriors, O Terrible One," said the Taker fearfully. "But I have even
worse news, O Terrible One."
"Stop that 'O Terrible One' nonsense, Crazy-Eyes. I'm feeling great in this new body, and you know and
I know that no other warrior of mine would be as good as you are for Taker-of-the-Emperor." He