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as bad； because he was thirsty。
Pouring on the flattery。 Rock ingratiated himself to the dictator for more than an hour。 Finally； Stafford said； 〃Perhaps you would like to see more of our wondrous city。〃
〃I would be honored；〃 Rockson replied。 Now this was more like it。 Perhaps he could find some way out … maybe if they got careless he could still instigate his original plan。 Seize Stafford； and order the patrols to lay down their arms。
But Stafford was a cunning sort； well used to intrigues and treachery。 When he and the Doomsday Warrior set out on their brief tour of Eden； they were acpanied by ten guards。 And Rockson was not unbound。 However； his elbow bindings were removed to make him more fortable； though his wrists were still held in check behind his waist。 Ah well； some progress is better than no progress。
The two…bit 〃king〃 started pointing out the 〃grand〃 sites。
Always the watchful phalanx of Civil Guards with drawn weapons kept a close eye on them。
〃First； Rockson； I will show you the new sources of food。 I realized that we were exhausting the canned and preserved foods provided in abundance over a hundred years ago。 I have instituted bold new measures to produce more food。 We do not need the poisonous surface soil to raise food。〃
〃What is your new means of production； King Charles？ Is it hydroponic gardening？ If you intend to do that you need grow lights。 Your sun is not sufficiently full…spectrum；〃 Rockson stopped and smiled broadly。 〃Of course； I am being foolish。 You have some pletely new revolutionary method of food production in mind。 Am I right？〃
〃Yes；〃 the king said。 〃We will have no need for water and minerals and grow lights。 There is an easier way than hydroponics。。。 e along； I will show you。〃
Soon they had passed through a blasted…away rock wall into the most foul…smelling place Rockson had ever encountered。 Machines similar to big Soviet bulldozers were moving around piles of fecal matter and garbage。 The air … if it could be called that … was filled with little gnats that insisted on buzzing his face。 What was all this mad activity about？ The cacophony of grinding gears； the smell of the fecal rot was hardly endurable to the Doomsday Warrior。 But evidently the Edenites； including the king； had less sensitive sensory apparatus。
The King boasted； 〃Here； the fecal waste of four generations of Eden has lay wasted。 We are in the so…called 'disposal cave'；〃 Stafford said。 〃This precious resource has been lying here sealed off； wasted。
〃I have decided to use this precious resource。 The excretions of the past can be processed into tasty replicas of all the necessary proteins； minerals； and fiber necessary to the human body。 It can be shaped by machinery into what appears to be steaks； potatoes； and such。 Coloring can be added。 People would hardly know the difference。 I venture to say that they won't know the difference between this new food supply and their old canned and preserved real foods。〃
In his wildest nightmare Rockson couldn't imagine this。。。 People would be forced to eat … 〃Shit；〃 Rockson blurted out。
〃What？〃 asked Stafford。
〃I said I am awed。 This is very interesting。〃 Rockson tried to turn his attention from the bulldozers moving the excrement piles to the metal hoppers； where a conveyor belt carried the matter through a wall … presumably a processing plant lay beyond that wall。
The flies were getting to him； he wanted to leave。 But Stafford wanted Rock's attention on a set of fifty long slender poles hanging from high above。 〃Note that the flies are congregating； swarming around the poles？〃
〃Yes；〃 Rockson said； brushing at his face； trying to keep the little gnats from his eyes at least。 Indeed the flies were droning around the many hanging poles。 The poles seemed to have a sticky surface on them。 Flies were massed in some places inches deep on the stickiness。
〃I see you're trying to do something about the fly problem；〃 Rockson said； not knowing what was expected of him。
〃Do something about them？〃 the king said； as if incredulous at the stupidity of the ment。 〃My dear fellow； we are collecting them； they will be the source of the flavoring of the new food。〃
Rockson was happy he had a strong stomach。 Still； the remark was almost too much。 He watched in mute horror as special 〃skimming〃 vehicles crawled up to the most fly…clogged poles and a cylindrical device slid up over the poles and sucked off the dead flies。 The trucks； once this was acplished； deposited their flies in a hopper next to the fecal conveyor belts。
〃See；〃 bragged the king； 〃we have no need of returning to the surface to make food。 With these innovations； we will have enough food forever。〃
〃Fascinating。 King Charles。。。〃 muttered the Freefighter。 〃Now； could we perhaps see that park you mentioned？ The one that doesn't need maintenance？〃
〃Yes； yes； of course；〃 the king said。 They exited the abominable scene； and Rockson was never so glad to leave a place in his life。
The 〃park；〃 which was two blocks from the fecal cavern； consisted of thirty brown…metal poles painted with barklike graphics。 They were supposed to be the maintenance…free trees of Eden。 Rockson leaned against one。 It was cold and steely to the touch。 The grass below their feet was the kind of matting they'd used to use in football stadiums … when the pollution of the 1980s made it impossible to maintain real grass fields。
Several backless benches in the park； among the evenly distributed 〃trees；〃 were occupied by oldsters。 The withered men and women； sacklike forms that drooled out on their tunics； were watching a group of painters repaint a peeling 〃tree。〃
〃Nice park；〃 Rockson said。 〃I dont see any children playing； though。〃
〃We have … reproductive problems；〃 Stafford admitted begrudgingly。 〃It's our one negative。 But I have teams of my best scientists working on the problem。 Years ago we had some experiments in genetics that resulted in the three strong leaders of the Guard。 I am hoping to reproduce those successes without the necessity of sexual intercourse； which is； of course； a filthy animal practice。〃
〃Of course；〃 Rockson agreed。 What else could he say？ 〃Well； it's a very nice park。。。〃 Rockson glanced up … the homogenously green painted boughs above had no individual leaves； just a mottled texture created by paint brushes。 〃I see there's no troublesome leaves to rake up in the fall。〃
〃Leaves？ Fall？〃
〃On the surface； parts of the trees … er … peel off at a certain time each year； and have to be raked up。〃
〃We don't have any such problems in Eden。〃 Onward they walked。 Rockson never had a chance to seize a weapon from the eternally watchful guards。
The king was tired； though the tour was less than a half…hour old。
They went back to the Government Building。 Stafford said； 〃Rockson。 I have decided not to kill you surface people。 You will be exhibited。 I fancy that I will create a zoo。 Danik will die； of course； and most painfully and publicly。 You and your pany of freaks will be well fed； with the best of the new food。〃
〃That is kind of you。〃
〃It is not kindness。 The one thing that Danik has said that seemed to be right is the fact that our genes have suffered somehow from