it differed in that
the Giant could control, through another Skin, the powerful neural
shocks.

After a few shocks Pierre admitted he was the foster-son of the
Amphibian King and that, incidentally, Lusine was his foster-sister.
He further stated he was a messenger between the Amphib King and the
Ssarraror's Ill-Will Minister.

More shocks extracted the fact that the Minister of Ill-Will,
Auverpin, was an Amphib-changeling who was passing himself off as a
born Landsman. Not only that, the Human hostages among the Amphibs
were about to stage a carefully planned revolt against the born
Amphibs. It would kill off about half of them. The rest would then be
brought under control of the Master Skin.

When the two stepped from the lab they were attacked by Lusine, knife
in hand. She gashed Rastignac in the arm before he knocked her out
with an upper-cut. Later, while Mapfarity applied a little jelly-like
creature called a _scar-jester_ to the wound, Rastignac complained:

"I don't know if I can endure much more of this. I thought the way of
Violence would not be hard to follow because I hated the Skins and the
Amphibs so much. But it is easier to attack a faceless, hypothetical
enemy, or torture him, than the individual enemy. Much easier."

"My brother," boomed the Giant, "if you continue to dwell upon the
philosophical implications of your actions you will end up as helpless
and confused as the leg-counting centipede. Better not think. Warriors
are not supposed to. They lose their keen fighting edge when they
think. And you need all of that now."

"I would suppose that thought would sharpen them."

"When issues are simple, yes. But you must remember that the system on
this planet is anything but uncomplicated. It was set up to confuse,
to keep one always off balance. Just try to keep one thing in
mind--the Skins are far more of an impediment to Man than they are a
help. Also, that if the Skins don't come off the Amphibs will soon be
cutting our throats. The only way to save ourselves is to kill them
first. Right?"

"I suppose so," said Rastignac. He stooped and put his hands under the
unconscious Lusine's armpits. "Help me put her in a room. We'll keep
her locked up until she cools off. Then we'll use her to guide us when
we get to Kataproimnoin. Which reminds me--how many gallons of the
wine have you made so far?"

X

A week later Rastignac summoned Lusine. She came in frowning, and with
her lower lip protru