ch is softer
than steel, and could catch an opponent's blade, rather than allowing
it to slip off and away.

Joe balanced the weapon he had selected, and shrugged. "This one will
do," he said.

Kossuth clicked the case with the remaining knife shut. He could see
no difference between the two. The selection of weapons had been a
formality.

Max saw him to the door and returned to the living room. He said
worriedly, "Major, sir, you sure you're checked out on that thing?
I've been asking around, like, and they put these duels on Telly here,
just like we got fracases back home. This here Captain Rakoczi's got
one whopper of a reputation. He's quick as a snake. Kinda like a
freak. He can move faster than most people."

"So they've been telling me," Joe mused, balancing the frontier weapon
in his hand. It had a beautiful balance, this knife so big that it
could be used as a hatchet or machete.

* * * * *

He was still contemplating the vicious looking blade when Nadine
entered. He smiled up at her, put the knife aside on the table, and
came to his feet.

She looked at Max, and the little man turned and left the room.

Nadine said, "Joe, a plane is leaving this afternoon. A West-world
plane for London."

Joe looked at her speculatively. "I won't be on it."

"Joe, listen. A year ago you were an individual, trying to fight your
way up to Upper caste. You weren't able to make it as an individual,
Joe. But now you're a member of an organization, pledged to a high
ideal. Joe, the organization doesn't need martyrs at this stage. It
does need good, competent, highly trained members such as Joe
Mauser."

He said nothing.

Nadine stepped suddenly closer to him. Her perfume, he noted, vaguely,
was new, some sweet scent found here in the Sov world, undoubtedly. It
had a heady quality, or was that merely the close presence of Nadine
herself?

She put her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to her
level. He had never realized that Nadine Haer was this much shorter
then he. She pressed the softness of her lips to his.

Then she held back a foot or two, and said into his face, desperately
serious, "Does this make any difference, Joe?"

He licked the edges of his lips, carefully, "It makes a great deal of
difference." His voice was thick. His arms came up behind her.

"Then you'll be on the plane?"

He shook his head.

She wrenched herself suddenly free and stood back from hi