This is an older story. It first appeared in the Wizard Fantastic anthology from DAW Books back in 1997. Sort of a thought experiment on the nature of affection. Or greed. It rather depends on how you look at it. As I said, an older story. Maybe with more flaws than I like to think I commit now. Wishful thinking, probably, but I’m still rather fond of this story. Dragon would like that.
Richard Parks
Author, Unrepentant Storyteller, "Relative Anomaly."
Richard Parks 
Reblogged this on The Nine Lands and commented:
I just saw that the next fiction post is up at Richard Parks’s place. Yay! (Click on “Story Time” in the right-hand menu there.)