"Well, they _are_ inferior. I believe I have proven that conclusively. You might indeed say that their lives don't weigh heavily in the scheme of things. Hm, yes--yes, Fred, we could save Terran lives with this!" "We could save our own lives," Fred said. "Who wants to punk out ahead of time?" Carver stood up and determinedly loosened his gun in its holster. "Remember," he told Fred, "we are doing this in the name of science, and for Earth." "Absolutely, Professor," Fred said, moving toward the port, grinning. * * * * * They found Deg near the medicine hut. Carver said, without preamble, "We must have some sersee." "But I explained to you," said the medicine man. "I told you why it was impossible." "We gotta have it," Fred said. He pulled his revolver from its holster and looked ferociously at Deg. "No." "You think I'm kidding?" Fred asked. "You know what this weapon can do?" "I have seen you use it." "Maybe you think I won't use it on you." "I do not care. You can have no sersee." "I'll shoot," Fred warned, his voice rising angrily. "I swear to you, I'll shoot." The villagers of Loray slowly gathered behind their medicine man. Gray-skinned, knobby-headed, they moved silently into position, the hunters carrying their spears, other villagers armed with knives and stones. "You cannot have the sersee," Deg said. Fred slowly leveled the revolver. "Now, Fred," said Carver, "there's an awful lot of them. Do you really think--" Fred's thin body tightened and his finger grew taut and white on the trigger. Carver closed his eyes. There was a moment of dead silence. Then the revolver exploded. Carver warily opened his eyes. The medicine man was still erect, although his knees were shaking. Fred was pulling back the hammer of the revolver. The villagers had made no sound. It was a moment before Carver could figure out what had happened. At last he saw the Sweeper. The Sweeper lay on his face, his outstretched left hand still clutching his twig broom, his legs twitching feebly. Blood welled from the hole Fred had neatly drilled through his forehead. Deg bent over the Sweeper, then straightened. "He is dead," the medicine man said. "That's just the first," Fred warned, taking aim at a hunter. "No!" cried Deg. Fred looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I will give it to you," Deg said. "I will give you all our sersee juice. Then you must go!" He ran into the medicine hut and reappeared a moment later with three wooden tubes, which he thrust into Fred's hands. "We're in business, Professor," Fred said. "Let's get moving!" They walked past the silent villagers, toward their spaceship. Something bright flashed in the sunlight. Fred yipped and dropped his revolver. Professor Carver hastily scooped it up. "One of those gooks cut me," Fred said. "Give me the revolver!" A spear arced high and buried itself at their feet. "Too many of them," said Carver. "Let's run for it!"