alked out the building, followed by the Cascellans. Four carriers
lifted the chief, who was barking orders. The narrow street outside was
suddenly jammed with armed natives. No one tried to touch them yet, but
at least a thousand knives were flashing in the sun.

In front of the cache was a solid phalanx of Cascellans. They stood
behind a network of ropes that probably marked the boundary between
sacred and profane ground.

"Get set for it," Fannia said, and stepped over the ropes.

Immediately the foremost temple guard raised his knife. Fannia brought
up the paralyzer, not firing it yet, still moving forward.

The foremost native shouted something, and the knife swept across in a
glittering arc. The Cascellan gurgled something else, staggered and
fell. Bright blood oozed from his throat.

"I _told_ you not to use the needler yet!" Fannia said.

"I didn't," Donnaught protested. Glancing back, Fannia saw that
Donnaught's needler was still holstered.

"Then I don't get it," said Fannia bewilderedly.

Three more natives bounded forward, their knives held high. They tumbled
to the ground also. Fannia stopped and watched as a platoon of natives
advanced on them.

Once they were within stabbing range of the Earthmen, the natives were
slitting their own throats!

Fannia was frozen for a moment, unable to believe his eyes. Donnaught
halted behind him.

Natives were rushing forward by the hundreds now, their knives poised,
screaming at the Earthmen. As they came within range, each native
stabbed himself, tumbling on a quickly growing pile of bodies. In
minutes the Earthmen were surrounded by a heap of bleeding Cascellan
flesh, which was steadily growing higher.

"All right!" Fannia shouted. "Stop it." He yanked Donnaught back with
him, to profane ground. "Truce!" he yelled in Cascellan.

The crowd parted and the chief was carried through. With two knives
clenched in his fists, he was panting from excitement.

"We have won the first battle!" he said proudly. "The might of our
warriors frightens even such aliens as yourselves. You shall not profane
our temple while a man is alive on Cascella!"

The natives shouted their approval and triumph.

The two aliens dazedly stumbled back to their ship.

* * * * *

"So that's what Galactic meant by 'a unique social structure,'" Fannia
said morosely. He stripped off his armor and lay down on his bunk.
"Their way of making war is to suicide