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Doc Webster produced a hipflask from somewhere on the south slope of his belly； upended it and slapped it down empty。 On all sides of us； people drank and chattered and laughed； oblivious to the drama in their midst。
The Doc found his voice someplace； it sounded rusty。
〃What do you want from us？〃 he croaked。
〃Absolution。〃
I looked at Tony and Jerry and Finn； winced as I thought for the first time in months of my dead wife and child； killed years ago in a crash when the brakes I installed myself to save a buck failed in traffic。 This was the place for absolution； all right … it was Callahan's stock in trade。 And this seemed like our greatest challenge。
The brawny Irishman's voice shocked me when he spoke： it was as cold and hard as an axe…handle in February。 〃That word has another word in it；〃 he said。 〃Solution。 First let's find a solution； and then absolution will take care of itself。 How can you stop this pogrom？〃
Raksha's fur bristled； he looked flustered。 〃I cannot；〃 he wailed。
〃Can't you talk your people out of this？〃 Sam Thayer asked。 〃Won't they listen to you？〃
〃Impossible；〃 the alien said flatly。 〃They could not conceivably understand my words。。。 I am not sure I do myself。 Have vegetarians made any real impact on your planet？〃
〃They have wherever they could convince folks that a cow might have a soul；〃 the Doc asserted。
〃But you do not have the attribute；〃 Raksha insisted。
〃I don't know what the hell this 'attribute' is；〃 Callahan growled； 〃but I get the idea we have the potential for it； the symptoms； I believe you said。 Could it be we never developed it because our people have been under the。。。 protection of yours since our infancy？〃
〃No Krundai would believe that；〃 Raksha replied。 〃If I voiced such an opinion； I would be judged insane and induced to suicide。〃
〃Can you sabotage the campaign？〃 Telasco asked。 〃Join our side and do the guerrilla？ With you to help we might。。。〃
〃No；〃 Raksha said violently。 〃I cannot betray my people。 It is unthinkable。〃
〃It was unthinkable for me once；〃 Tony persisted。 〃But when I saw what I had bee； I repudiated what my people were doing； worked to stop it。〃
〃Me too；〃 Jerry chimed in。
〃You do not understand；〃 Raksha hissed。 〃You are not…Krundai … and this Finn may belong to a powerful； warlike race for all I know。 I have mitted an unthinkable crime by relying on your discretion and telling you all this … I can do no more。〃
Tony had a soldier's tactical mind。 〃Can you tell us where and how to locate your people？ We'll stop them。〃
Finn spoke up before Raksha could answer。 〃That is not。。。〃
〃Possible；〃 Callahan finished quickly； and I got the funny idea he'd kicked Finn's shin under the table。 〃If these boys led us by the hand to the atom bomb； there ain't a lot we can do to stop 'em； Tony。〃
〃But。。。 ouch；〃 said Finn； and shut up。
〃No；〃 Callahan went on； 〃if anyone can help us； Raksha； it's you。 Or did you just fall by to make a headsman's apology？〃
〃I can do nothing for you；〃 Raksha said miserably。 〃I seek only absolution。〃
〃Brother；〃 I said sympathetically； 〃you're caught between a falling rock and a hard place。〃 Sam and the Doc also began to make noises of miseration； and Bill Gerrity started to ask Raksha what he was drinking。 Just the men of Callahan's； offering understanding and help； as always。
But Callahan raised a hand。 〃No；〃 he said quietly。
We stared at him； stunned。 Callahan withholding absolution？
〃You can't drink in my bar； brother；〃 he said； staring Raksha in the eye； 〃and you can't have our forgiveness。 There's a price for absolution on this planet； and it's called penance。 Tony here gets arrested for joining demonstrations； Jerry has chucked away a pot full of money he was making in real estate and started lobbying for green…belts and cluster housing； Finn here exiled himself among a lot of obnoxious； smelly humans for the sake of the ones worth saving。 Buddhist monks who couldn't influence their governments any other way set themselves on fire； by Christ； and for their souls I pray on Sunday。 What do you figure to do for atonement？〃
Raksha closed his eyes … they were double nictitating … and knotted his brow。 He was silent for a long time。
〃There is nothing I can do；〃 he said at last； his voice hollow and bleak。
〃Then there is no absolution for you；〃 Callahan said flatly； 〃here or anywhere。 Get out o' my joint and don't e back。〃
Raksha's face fell； and for a timeless moment I thought he was going to cry； or whatever Krundai do that's like crying。 But he got a hold of himself； nodded once； rose and left the bar； shouldering party…people aside as he went。
There was another silence when he had gone； and we all looked at Callahan。 His jaw was set； and his eyes flashed； challenging us to criticize his judgment。
〃Were。。。 weren't you a little harsh on the guy； Mike？〃 Doc Webster asked after a while。
〃Hell； Doc；〃 Callahan exploded； 〃that clown was Adolph Hitler！ You want me to pat him on the head and say it's all right； you were only following orders？ Christ on a minibike； if it wasn't for him and his kind； I might not have to run this goddamned bar。 And my bunions give me the dickens。〃
〃I grieve for him；〃 Finn said tonelessly。 〃I too was once in a similar position。〃
〃Save your grief； Finn；〃 Callahan spat。 〃You had the same choice； but you followed through。 And you weren't gutless … you were counterprogrammed。 If you could figure out a way around the sheer physical limitations of your machinery； why the hell couldn't he overe his conditioning？ Conditioning isn't an excuse； for Krundai any more than for humans … it's an explanation。 Thanks to you and the work you're doing； the Gaspe Peninsula may be prosperous farmland some day。 You're still paying your dues。 But that guy didn't want to atone； just apologize。 He and his kind made this sorry old world what it is today； and maybe I could forgive that。 But I don't give absolution free。 It costs； costs you right in the old will power； and he wasn't willing to ante up。 Fuck him； and the horse he rode in on。〃
〃I still think we should have jollied him along and tried to pump him； Mike；〃 Tony said insistently。 〃How are we going to find them to stop them now？〃
Callahan looked tired。 〃As Finn started to say before I tromped on his toes； that ain't necessary。 Now Finn knows they're here； he can find 'em for us as easy as you could spot a wolf in a chicken coop。 That wasn't the prob。。。〃
There came a shattering roar from outside。 The building rocked； glass sprayed inward from the windows and bottles danced behind the bar。 Everyone began to shout at once； and most of the boys made a bee…line for the door。
Only Callahan of all of us failed to jump。 〃Like I said； no guts；〃 … he said softly。
He rose quietly； walked through the suddenly uncrowded bar the chalk line before the fireplace； picking up someone's drink as he went。 He looked surreally absurd in that damned bear…suit he still had on； balding red head sticking out the top like a partially digested meal。 He stood gazing into the flames for a moment； gulped the raw liquor and spoke in a clear；