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nd ached in every muscle。 It must have been the massive dose of shots； he finally decided； that and the brutal gravity。 That didn't take the taste of fear out of his mouth； though。
Brucco stuck his head in the door then and looked Jason up and down。 〃Thought you were dead；〃 he said。 〃Slept the clock around。 Don't move； I'll get something to pick you up。〃
The pickup was in the form of another needle and a glassful of evillooking fluid。 It settled his thirst； but made him painfully aware of a gnawing hunger。
〃Want to eat？〃 Brucco asked。 〃I'll bet you do。 I've speeded up your metabolism so you'll build muscle faster。 Only way you'll ever beat the gravity。 Give you quite an appetite for awhile though。〃
Brucco ate at the same time and Jason had a chance to ask some ques… tions。 〃When do I get a chance to look around your fascinating planet？ So far this trip has been about as interesting as a jail term。〃 …
〃Relax and enjoy your food。 Probably be months before you're able to go outside。 If at all。〃
Jason felt his jaw hanging and closed it with a snap。 〃Could you possibly tell me why？〃
〃Of course。 You will have to go through the same training course that our children take。 It takes them six years。 Of course； it's their first six years of life。 So you might think that you； as an adult； could learn faster。 Then again； they have the advantage of heredity。 All I can say is you'll go outside these sealed buildings when you're ready。〃
Brucco had finished eating while he talked； and sat staring at Jason's bare arms with growing disgust。 〃The first thing we want to get you is a gun；〃 he said。 〃It gives me a sick feeling to see someone without one。〃
Of course Brucco wore his own gun continually； even within the sealed buildings。
〃Every gun is fitted to its owner and would be useless on anyone else；〃 Brucco said。 〃I'll show you why。〃 He led Jason to an armory jammed with deadly weapons。 〃Put your arm in this while I make the adjustments。〃
It was a box…like machine with a pistol grip on the side。 Jason clutched the grip and rested his elbow on a metal ioop。 Brucco fixed pointers that touched his arm； then copied the results from the meters。 Reading the figures from his list； he selected various ponents from bins and quickly assembled a power holster and gun。 With the holster strapped to his forearm and the gun in his hand； Jason noticed for the first time they were connected by a flexible cable。 The gun fitted his hand perfectly。
〃This is the secret of the power holster；〃 Bnicco said； tapping the flexible cable。 〃It is perfectly loose while you are using the weapon。 But when you want it returned to the holster…〃 Brucco made an adjustment and the cable became a stiff rod that whipped the gun from Jason's hand and suspended it in midair。
〃Then the return。〃 The rod cable whirred and snapped the gun back into the holster。 〃The drawing action is the opposite of this； of course。〃
〃A great gadget；〃 Jason said。 〃But how do I draw？ Do I whistle or something for the gun to pop out？〃
〃No； it is not sonic control；〃 Brucco answered with a sober face。 〃It is much more precise than that。 Here； take your left hand and grasp an imaginary gunbutt。 Tense your trigger finger。 Do you notice the pattern of the tendons in the wrist？ Sensitive actuators touch the tendons in your right wrist。 They ignore all patterns except the one that says hand ready to receive gun。 After a time the mechanism bees pletely automatic。 When you want the gun； it is in your hand。 When you don't； it is in the holster。〃
Jason made grasping motions with his right hand； crooked his index finger。 There was a sudden； smashing pain against his hand and a loud roar。 The gun was in his hand…half the fingers were numb…and smoke curled up from the barrel。
〃Of course； there are only blank charges in the gun until you learn control。 Guns are always loaded。 There is no safety。 Notice the lack of a trigger guard。 That enables you to bend your trigger finger a slight bit more when drawing so the gun will fire the instant it touches your hand。〃
It was without doubt the most murderous weapon Jason had ever handled； as well as being the hardest to manage。 Working against the muscle burning ache of high gravity； he fought to control the devilish device。 It had an infuriating way of vanishing into the holster just as he was about to pull the trigger。 Even worse was the tendency to leap out before he was quite ready。 The gun went to the position where his hand should be。 If the fingers weren't correctly placed； they were crashed aside。 Jason only stopped the practice when his entire hand was one livid bruise。
plete mastery would e with time； but he could already understand why the Pyrrans never removed their guns。 It would be like removing a part of your own body。 The movement of gun from holster to hand was too fast for him to detect。 It was certainly faster than the neural current that shaped the hand into the gun…holding position。 For all apparent purposes it was like having a lightning bolt in your fingertip。 Point the finger and blainm； there's the explosion。
Brucco had left Jason to practice alone。 When his aching hand could take no more； he stopped and headed back toward his own quarters。 Turning a corner； he had a quick glimpse of a familiar figure going away from him。
〃Meta！ Wait for a second！ I want to talk to you。〃
She turned impatiently as he shuffled up； going as fast as he could in the doubled gravity。 Everything about her seemed different from the girl he had known on the ship。 Heavy boots came as high as her knees； her figure was lost in bulky coveralls of some metallic fabric。 The
trim waist was bulged out by a belt of cannisters。 Her very expression was coldly distant。
〃I've missed you；〃 he said。 〃I hadn't realized you~ were in this building。〃 He reached for her hand but she moved it out of his reach。
〃What is it you want？〃 she asked。
〃What is it I want！〃 he echoed with barely concealed anger。 〃This is Jason； remember me？ We're friends。 It is allowed for friends to talk without 'wanting' anything。〃
〃What happened on the ship has nothing to do with what happens on Pyrrus。〃 She started forward impatiently as she talked。 〃I have finished my reconditioning and must return to work You'll be staying here in the sealed buildings so I won't be seeing you。〃
〃Why don't you say with the rest of the children…that's what your tone implies。 And don't try walking out； there are some things we have to settle first…〃
Jason made the mistake of putting out his hand to stop her。 He didn't really know what happened next。 One instant he was standing…the next he sprawled suddenly on the floor。 His shoulder was badly bruised； and Mete had vanished down the corridor。
Limping back to his own room； he muttered curses under his breath。 Dropping onto his rock…hard bed； he tried to remember the reasons that had brought him here in the first place。 And weighed them against the perpetual torture of the gravity； the fear…filled dreams it inspired； the automatic contempt of these people for any outsider。 He quickly checked the growing tendency to feel sorry for himself。 By Pyrran standards； he was soft and helples