"Sandkings" (George R.R. Martin) *****

[livingbyfiction]

"Cute," said Kress.  "And common.  I have no use for either, Wo.  I want something exotic.  Unusual.  And not cute.  I detest cute animals.  At the moment I own a shambler.  Imported from Cotho, at no mean expense.  From time to time I feed him a litter of unwanted kittens.  That is what I think of cute.  Do I make myself understood?"

Wo smiled

Comments

[lesliesage]

I'm fascinated. And fortunately, I know all about hive-minds from Ender et al.

How big can the sandkings get?

[livingbyfiction]

I don't want to give too much away because xenobiology is all part of the fun. At the time of purchase, however, Jala Wo specifically mentions that sandkings can shed their exoskeletons in order to grow larger. (The square-cube principle says that exoskeletoned creatures will eventually collapse under the weight of their exoskeletons at large volumes, but you knew that.)