hirty?"

    "Iguessso."Withasigh,Itooktheshotgunandrolledbacktheblaalittle.Thethingwasasheavyasasandbagandasblackasadarknight.

    "Dowereallyhavetodothis?"Iasked,halftoherandhalftomyself.

    "Ofcoursewedo."

    WearingaMaldshat,thegirlbehindtheterflashedmeaMaldssmileandsaid,"WeletoMalds."IhadntthoughtthatgirlswouldworkatMaldslateatnight,sothesightofherfusedmeforased.Butonlyforased.Icaughtmyselfandpulledonthemask.frohthissuddenlymaskedduo,thegirlgapedatus.

    Obviously,theMaldshospitalitymanualsaidnothingabouthowdodealwithasituatiohis.Shehadbeenstartingtoformthephrasethatesafter"WeletoMalds,"buthermouthseemedtostiffenandthewordswouldnteout.Evenso,likeacrestmooninthedawnsky,thehintofaprofessionalsmileliheedgesofherlips.

    AsquicklyasIanage,Iunedtheshotgunandaimeditinthedireofthetables,buttheonlyerstherewereayoungcouple--students,probably--andtheywerefacedownontheplastictable,soundasleep.Theirtwoheadsandtwostrawberry-milk-shakecupswerealighetablelikeanavant-gardesculpture.Theysleptthesleepofthedead.Theydidntlooklikelytoobstructouroperation,soIswungmyshotgunbacktowardtheter.

    Alltogether,therewerethreeMaldsworkers.Thegirlattheter,themanager--aguyale,egg-shapedface,probablyinhislatetwenties--andastudenttypei--athinshadowofaguywithnothingonhisfacethatyoucouldreadasanexpressiooodtogetherbehindtheregister,staringintothemuzzleofmyshotguouristspeeringdownanInwell.Noonescreamed,andnoonemadeathreateningmo