Metamorphosis

Suddenly restless, he rose painfully and walked down the gravel path to his flower garden. He gazed at the brilliant multicolored web-things native to the region, but the sight for once gave him no pleasure. The restlessness grew stronger. It became an urgency, at once compelling and disturbing. Urgency to do something before he died. Something as important as drawing his next breath. Yet what could possibly be important to Hrlec Brey, landbound Senior Captain of the Space Fleet, the only Earthman left on Asmarad, on the evening of his death