gs.

But he couldn't even talk the same language as the relative handful of
trained men who built and operated the unbelievably intricate
robomachinery which activated and maintained the complex cities of
Earth.

* * * * *

Nedda's soft voice broke into his thoughts. "Al--Dan Halgersen's coming
up behind us on a single. He's one of Jeff's--"

"Hold on." Allen swung the scooter hard right and adroitly darted across
traffic toward an emblazoned theatre entrance. Here, now, was a
situation he knew how to deal with. He said rapidly, out of the side of
his mouth, "Jump off when I stop at the entry and kiss me like good-by.
Register your plaque in the ID slot and head for the door--then look
back. If I'm down, go on in and lose yourself. If he's down, come back."

He made a wrenching stop at the very edge of the crowd, swung Nedda
through the opening between front and side rails and gave her a hard,
sterile kiss.

She clung to him a moment. Without letting her eyes stray she said,
"Slowing down right behind you. Luck, lover." Then she turned and
started to pick her way across the walk.

Allen swung the scooter in a fast, tight circle to the left. Assuming
his opponent to be right-handed, this would help avoid a knife slash
from the rear if the other rammed his scooter--further assuming the man
had _not_ been tricked into thinking his presence was unnoticed.

He hadn't. When Allen whipped his head around to look at him, there was
barely time to brake the heavier double to avoid a shrewdly planned
collision. Halgersen, Nedda had said. He was thick-set, with heavy brows
and large jaw. The type Allen had learned to associate with power and
endurance but not too much speed.

Halgersen was holding a knife in his right hand. Allen quickly slipped
his own blade from the sheath conveniently held at the front of his
belt. They cut intricate patterns of feint, attack and withdraw, using
passing vehicles as buffers. But not for long.

A voice from the crowd called, "Fight!" and space grew miraculously
about the combatants, leaving a huge clearing in the street rimmed
solidly with scooters and pedestrians. A few shouts of encouragement
began to be heard as individuals selected one or the other of the men as
a likely winner.

Allen dodged a sudden attempt at a side-swipe collision and the
attendant vicious swipe of Halgersen's blade--and then drew first blood
by a lightning riposte to the arm. L