On a planet orbiting Betelguese lives a large creature that appears to be a grotesque combination of horned toad and lobster. They are extraordinarily tough and exceptionally vicious
Though its intelligence is only that of a dog, the kergillians can implant themselves and raise the thing’s intellect to the level of a human child. Since normal kergillians do not wish to lose their intellect, only kergillian convicts are bonded to betelguesans.