ho spilled the drink? The one you took the blame for?"

"That's him, all right. He doesn't seem nervous any more, I notice."

"You saved him from serious punishment," Magnan said. "He'll be
grateful; he'll let us go."

"Better check with the fellows with the knives before you act on that."

"Say something to him," Magnan hissed, "Remind him."

* * * * *

The lead man fell back in line with Retief and Magnan.

"These two are scared of you," he said, grinning and jerking a thumb
toward the knife-handlers. "They haven't worked around the Nenni like
me; they don't know you."

"Don't you recognize this gentleman?" Magnan said.

"He did me a favor," the man said. "I remember."

"What's it all about?" Retief asked.

"The revolution. We're taking over now."

"Who's 'we'?"

"The People's Anti-Fascist Freedom League."

"What are all the knives for?"

"For the Nenni; and for all you foreigners."

"What do you mean?" Magnan gasped.

"We'll slit all the throats at one time. Saves a lot of running around."

"What time will that be?"

"Just at dawn; and dawn comes early, this time of year. By full daylight
the PAFFL will be in charge."

"You'll never succeed," Magnan said. "A few servants with knives! You'll
all be caught and killed."

"By who, the Nenni?" the man laughed. "You Nenni are a caution."

"But we're not Nenni--"

"We've watched you; you're the same. You're part of the same
blood-sucking class."

"There are better ways to, uh, adjust differences," Magnan said. "This
killing won't help you, I'll personally see to it that your grievances
are heard in the Corps Courts. I can assure you that the plight of the
downtrodden workers will be alleviated. Equal rights for all--"

"These threats won't work," the man said. "You don't scare me."

"Threats? I'm promising _relief_ to the exploited classes of Petreac!"

"You must be nuts," the man said. "You trying to upset the system or
something?"

"Isn't that the purpose of your revolution?"

"Look, Nenni, we're tired of you Nenni getting all the graft. We want
our turn. What good would it do us to run Petreac if there's no loot?"

"You mean you intend to oppress the people? But they're your own
group."

"Group, schmoop. We're taking all the chances; we're doing the work. We
deserve the payoff. You think we're throwing up good jobs for the fun of
it?"

"You're basing a revolt on these cynical premises?"

"Wise up