Hoddan thought it over. He looked up suddenly.
"Some of them," he said wryly, "probably figure there's nothing to do but go through with it, eh?"
"Yes," said Thal dismally. "Then we will all die."
"Hm-m-m," said Hoddan. "The obligation is to fight. If you fail to kill me, that's not your fault, is it? If you're conquered, you're in the clear?"
Thal said miserably:
"True. Too true! When a man is conquered he is conquered. His conqueror may plunder him, when the matter is finished, or he can spare him, when he may never fight his conqueror again."
"Draw your knife," said Hoddan. "Come at me."
Thal bewilderedly made the gesture. Hoddan leveled a stun-pistol and said:
"Bzzz. You're conquered. You came at me with your knife, and I shot you with my stun-pistol. It's all over. Right?"
Thal gaped at him. Then he beamed. He expanded. He gloated. He frisked. He practically wagged a nonexistent tail in his exuberance. He'd been shown an out when he could see none.