at his opponent,
appraising him. They were both about the same height but the Third had
several centimeters more reach. Probably around the equivalent of 23
years, absolute time. Certainly at the peak of physical condition.
Thane decided on his course. He would try first for his opponent's
anti-grav. Probably the other would try to cover his throat and belly,
and Thane might be able to get to the anti-grav by surprise. Then,
draw the blood that was in the rules, and get the thing over. Not much
of a plan, but at least a plan.

There was an inset ring of some cupra-alloy at each end of the
duelling court, about a meter in diameter. Thane reached his end,
watched his opponent, and waited for Pyuf's signal. Pyuf slowly poured
another drink. As he raised it with his right hand, his left arm went
up over his head. He swallowed the drink, and the left arm came down.

The Third Officer came on in all-out attack. His anti-grav assisted
leap was long and shallow, aimed at Thane's throat. At the same moment
Thane bent his knees slightly and dropped. Just before he hit the
surface he pushed up and outward with all his strength and twisted his
body sharply. With the assistance of the anti-grav he was floating now
directly above and behind his opponent. He cut off the anti-grav
completely and dropped, with all the planet's gravity. As he did, the
Third twisted and raised his knife. He lacked a fraction of a second
to complete the turn and get into lethal position. Thane hit him on
the shoulder and instantly turned his anti-grav to the "full"
position, grabbed his opponent's shoulders, and pushed against the
court surface with both heels.

They both went up and over, almost to the fifteen meter limit. As they
did, Thane worked his knife into the anti-grav pack on his opponent's
back. Three connections, at the top, left, and bottom. His knife cut
in and out rapidly, three times. Then he suddenly pushed away, slipped
his own anti-grav to zero, and dropped to the surface.

The Third, suddenly without the assistance of his anti-grav, crashed
into the fence and dropped leadenly to the metalled surface. Thane
crouched a moment watching him. Thane had a cut above one eye, and the
blood was beginning to run. He stepped forward....

... the knife in his hand ... what was it there for? He should be on
his way to the rotor meet with the rest of the boys ... he was going
to win this year ... he was going to win....

III

The first fee