now. I got a place in the Smoky Mountains in
Tennessee. First thing in the mornin', I'd go feed the livestock while
Suzy cooked breakfast." A faraway look came into Jacob's eyes. "Guess
she took the kids and went to live with her mammy when these here
animals grabbed me...."

"Continue," commanded the Weapon.

"Huh? Well, then we'd eat breakfast. Come to think of it, I ain't et
yet this mornin'." Jacob got up and went to get himself some
breakfast.

"But this matter--" protested the Weapon.

"Not on an empty stomach," Jacob said calmly, eating without haste.

* * * * *

When he returned, the Weapon questioned him further about his life on
Terra. Hours of ill-tempered conversation passed.

"Such drabness!" the Weapon finally exclaimed. "Creatures who lead
such dull lives as yours should welcome extinction. Not once have you
mentioned an appreciation of the wondrous exaltation that comes from
an esthetic feel for beauty. With the labor of providing for your
grotesque body's animal cravings is your whole life spent. Not in
anger, but as an act of mercy, can I exterminate your defective race!"

Jacob's mouth hung open. "So _that's_ what your monkey's brung me out
here for--fixin' to kill us! 'Y God, you better look out! We got atom
bombs on Earth an' we'll use 'em on you if you try anything!"

"Toys!" sneered the Weapon. "Be assured, Jacob, that I have nothing to
fear from any childish mechanisms your Terrans can contrive!"

Jacob sat stunned. "But you said a minute ago you couldn't kill
nothin'!"

"I can kill only when I'm convinced it is best for my own repose or
for the health of the Universe. Long ago, I could go forth at battle
with thoughtless joy at the command of my masters of Zoz, but now I
must have reasons, must converse at length with my aberrated emotions,
must prepare myself as for an ordeal."

"Them Zozes must've been the Devil's minions," argued Jacob. "The
Commandments says, 'Thou shalt not kill' and when you go against that,
you're goin' against the word of God."

"Poor, futile creature!" sympathized the Weapon. "You actually strive
to pit your naive superstitious mind against my highly developed
mentality in argument. You actually associate my supreme masters of
old with your puny mythological villain! Lowliness should know its
place. But I feel no anger--merely a pitying desire to relieve your
kind of the burden of living."

Silently, Jacob replenished the