The king’s chamber was cleared of guards and all other personnel. A raised platform had been built in the middle of the chamber with a large box on top of it. Torches burned around the walls.

The Maankaari were an eternal species. The Maankaari didn’t die from old age. Every thousand years or so the Maankaari would shed their skin and be reborn - fresh and young again.

The king was at the end of the cycle. Its skin was worn and gnarled. Large lumps and warts had grown over the years, and the green was faded and flaky. Tonight the king would shed its skin.

The king had led the Maankaari for an eternity. The king’s father had led the Maankaari before for an eternity. The king’s father - the old king - had been assassinated by insurgents on a planet that the Maankari had been harvesting. The old king was burned on a funeral pyre, and then a fertilized egg from storage was incubated and the new king hatched. That was thousands of planets ago - and on the other side of the Milky Way. The king had led the Maankaari across space - always providing for its people. A new era was about to begin, and the king would lead its people to a prosperous and secure future.

But first the king had to shed its skin. The king stood naked in front of the raised platform. The lord-chamberlain walked into the chamber, and bowed.

‘Is your grace ready?’ - said the lord-chamberlain

The king grunted, and the lord-chamberlain left the chamber. The lord-chamberlain returned with the vice-chamberlain and two naked human women. The women were wearing translation and obedience chains.

Attendants walked into the chamber carrying jugs that they placed on the raised platform. The jugs contained the rendered fat of dinosaurs. The king climbed the steps to the platform, and stepped into the box. The two women joined the king in the box, and each picked up a jug and poured some of the rendered fat onto the king's body. The naked women rubbed the fat into the king’s thick, leathery skin. The women continued this process covering the king and themselves in the greasy liquid. The jugs of fat were empty, and the women helped the king down into the box. The king was laying down in the box, and the women lay down and began rubbing their naked bodies against the king’s body. The women slid and writhed all over the king, and lumps of the king’s skin began peeling off.

The lord-chamberlain nodded at the attendants, and they left the chamber. Two attendants returned carrying a large covered container. Four other attendants followed carrying a lid for the box.

The naked human women continued rubbing the king’s body with their bodies - and larger chunks of skin were peeling back. The king had its frog-like eyes closed. The two attendants carrying the container stood at the head of the box and removed the lid. They then poured the contents of the container inside the box containing the king and the two naked human women. The container housed thousands of giant scarab beetles. As soon as the beatles were poured into the box, the other attendants covered the box and secured it with latches.

For a moment there were no sounds from inside the box - and then the screaming began. The beatles were eating the king’s dead skin, but also the two women in the box.

The lord-chamberlain and the vice-chamberlain stood and watched the box. The attendants stood silently. The screaming of the women continued for another 20 minutes - a horrible screaming.

After another hour the lord-chamberlain nodded at the attendants and they undid the latches of the lid, and removed it. Inside the box the king lay - eyes closed - with all of the dead, flaky skin removed. His skin was a vibrant green, with paler green strips. Gone were the bumps, lumps, and warts. The scarab beetles scurried across the king's body, nipping and biting. Laying either side of the reborn king were the skeletal remains of the two human women. The scarab beetles were consuming what little of the flesh was remaining on the women’s bones.

The attendants helped the king to its feet, and the king stepped out of the box. The king stretched and then let out a mighty roar. The king’s new skin glistened in the torchlight of the chamber. A scarab beetle scurried across the king’s chest - and the king grabbed it and threw it in its mouth, crunching it up.

‘And how does your grace feel?’ - said the lord-chamberlain

‘Ready’ - said the king

‘Ready, your grace?’ - said the lord-chamberlain

‘Arrange a dinner for tomorrow - Colonel Hashaar, The head scientist, the human David Sterling, and yourself’ - said the king

‘Yes your grace’ - said the lord-chamberlain, bowing.

‘The time has come to travel to the future’ - said the king