The rear door banged open and two bodyguards came through it, talking loudly, laughing. "Hey, cook! Set out meat for--" The heavy in the lead stopped short, gaping at me. I gaped back. It was Torbu. "Drgon! How did you...?" He trailed off. The other bodyguard came past him, looked me over. "You're no Brother of the Guard--" he started. I reached for the cleaver the kitchen-slave had left on the table, backed against a tall wall cupboard. The bodyguard unlimbered his club. "Hold it, Blon," said Torbu. "Drgon's okay." He looked at me. "I kind of figured you for done for, Drgon. The boys worked you over pretty good." "Yeah," I returned, "and thanks for your help in stopping it." "This is the miscreant we immured!" Blon burst out. "Take him!" Torbu shifted. "Hold it a minute," he said. He looked uncomfortable. "Listen, you two!" I said. "You claim to believe in the system around here. You think it's a great life, all fair play and no holds barred and plenty of goodies for the winner. I know, it was tough about Cagu, but that's life, isn't it? But what about the business I saw in that Audience Hall? You guys try not to think about that angle, is that it?" "The noble Owner's gotta right--" Blon started. "I didn't like the caper with the wires, Blon," said Torbu. "You didn't either; neither did most of the boys--" "And I don't remember getting much of a show myself," I said. "There are a couple of your buddies I plan to look up when I have some free time--" "I didn't lay a hand on you, Drgon," said Torbu. "I didn't want no part of that." "It was the Owner's orders," said Blon. "What was I gonna go, tell him----" "Never mind," I said. "I'll tell him myself. That's all I want: just a short interview with the Owner--minus the wire nets." "Wow ..." drawled Torbu, "yeah, that'd be a bout." He turned to Blon. "This guy's got a punch, Blon. He don't look so hot but he could swap buffets with the Fire Drgon he's named after. If he's that good with a long blade--" "Just lend me one," I said, "and show me the way to his apartment." "The noble Owner'll cut this clown to ribbons in two minutes flat," said Blon. "Let's get the boys." "How could we explain it afterwards to the noble Owner?" said Blon. "He ain't gonna think much of guys he thought was immured nice and safe turnin' up in his bedchamber ... armed." "We're Brothers of the Guard," said Torbu. "We ain't got much but we got our Code. It don't say nothing about wires. If we don't back up our oath to the Brotherhood we ain't no better than slaves." He turned to me. "Come on, Drgon. We'll take you to the Guardroom so you can clean up and put on a good blade. If you're gonna lose all your lives at once, you wanna do it right." * * * * *