huge golden
beard. When he spoke it sounded like the bass viol section of the Los
Angeles Symphony tuning up.

He said to Mr. Untz, "Where are these monsters I hear about? I'd like
to see the monster that isn't just a big kitty, like all the rest. Big
kitties, that's all they are. You gotta know how to handle them."

Mr. Untz led Flaubert to the cage and said, "There."

Flaubert gasped. Then he steadied himself. The monsters had been
maneuvered into the bigger cage by now--Dr. Mildume had enticed them
with broken electric light bulbs and slammed the drop-doors behind
them by a remote-control rope. They had finished their meal of glass.
They were curled in a corner of the cage now, tentacles wrapped about
each other, squeaking contentedly.

Flaubert recovered a bit.

"Kitties, just big kitties," he growled.

Eddie Tamoto called, "Hey, Max, we'd like to get 'em in the center of
the cage for a shot." He was gesturing from the camera boom seat.
"Only moving around. You know--looking fierce."

"Can you do it, Flaubert?" said Mr. Untz, turning to the big trainer.

"Just big kitties," said Flaubert.

He had brought his own whip and blank cartridge pistol. His assistant
stood by with a .30-30 rifle. Dr. Mildume opened the door quickly and
Flaubert slipped into the cage.

"Okay--get set, everybody!" yelled Mr. Untz. People scurried. An
attendant switched on the warning light and rocker arm that warned
people outside of the stage not to barge in. "Quiet!" yelled Mr. Untz.
"Quiet--_quiet_!" yelled several assistants. The order went down the
line. Through channels.

And there stood Etienne Flaubert, huge and more or less unafraid, in
the middle of the cage. The monsters in the corner began slowly to
uncoil their tentacles from about each other. Their eye-stalks rose
and began to wave slowly. Their red saw-toothed mouths worked into
pouts, gapes and grins.

The smaller of the two suddenly shuddered all over. Its angry
chirping noise shrilled through the sound stage. Its tough skin
vibrated--blurred. It sprang suddenly to its multipods and charged
Flaubert.

Flaubert screamed an unholy scream. He threw the chair and the whip
and the gun at the monster and dove from the exit. Dr. Mildume opened
the cage door with his rope and Flaubert went through it--himself a
blur. The monster, in his wake, slammed into the door and stayed
there, trembling, still chirping its rage.

"Hully gee, what kitties!" said Flaubert, pale a