he had never seen a woman behave in such an abnormal manner. He resolved to discuss the matter with the Eugenics Counselor as soon as he reached Earth, if he did. Flim's intention to devitalize him seemed but an impossible threat since Jak had never seen anyone go through the strange process nor reviewed any remains afterward. He said, "I can't walk a plank in space. I would just drift back to the plane unless you made a sudden change in velocity. Besides, I can last for weeks with the purifier in my suit."

"Who mentioned a spacesuit?" Flim sneered.

"Without it, I couldn't walk at all."

Flim frowned ferociously. "True. Too true. Avast, how I wanted to see you walk the plank. We could take you to Earth and land on a Pacific island."

"That would take too long," Jak objected. "Let me speak for a minute." Jak placed a hand over his heart. "Captain Flim, my indoctrination makes your methods repellant, but, in my unconscious, I've a certain admiration for you. There may be some of the old romance in me. I know a way of--uh--of devitalization that you may not. I've always wished that when my time comes to--uh--go, this way would be used. It's even more romantic than Walk the Plank. It's called the Firing Squad."

"The Firing Squad," Flim mused. "Never mind, Ger. Return the plank." Ger, carrying a one-meter length of red cedar, shrugged and drifted back to the passage. Flim stroked the mass on his upper lip and said, "Interesting. How does the Firing Squad operate? Do I soak you in alcohol and ignite it?""No!" Jak gasped quickly. "The Firing Squad was men with weapons. Rifles, I think. The person to be treated stood before a wall and performed a rite called Smoking the Cigarette, whatever that was. Then an officer gave commands, and the person was perforated by the riffles or rifles."

"What a manner to death!" exclaimed Flim.

Exhibiting great self-control, Jak did not wince at the word, although Drusilla giggled. Flim inexpertly dragged the 6 mm Morgia from the clip holster and smirked at it. He said, "We have but the single weapon, although I will have Ger and Looge stand by to simulate a complete group. I have wanted to test this pistol ever since Ger pickpocketed a Patrolman in Mars Base. It is but an advanced model of the flintlock used by noble pirates of old."

"Let me show you," Jak said. His fingers barely touched the knob of the optical sight before Flim slapped them away.

"I am expert in these matters," the 

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