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station with much dignity. The occasional malfunction or-as we might say, breakdown, of the creatures is not intentional. They do get sick, as do others. This is not intentional though it does cause hardship. The intent here is what is important, but there is alack ofintent. There is only striving toserve. Because oftheir bestial nature, if they are overworked or prodded, they have the ability ¢ to become violent and so have to be tended carefully. -toomer tl a re However, even this is notintentional. This is an emotional reac- tion to circumstances. The stimulus needs only to be removed at o wo rea waa and the over-reaction will disappear. If they are not prodded or antagonized, they will not show this reaction. What I am speak- ing ofare possibilities. These are very rare, but they are possible. They do not happen that often, as I have said, because for the most part the race has "cleaned up its act," so to speak. Then you haveno needfor weapons ofany sort? There is no such thing as weapons for person-to-person combat. But there are reptiles in the woods which are ofenormous pro- portions, approximately 30 feet fall, similar to dinosaurs on this planet. Ifone is in the wild on the planet, they would need pro- tection from these. Under certain circumstances, if someone is disturbing their nest, they will attack in defense of their young. They can be repulsed by electric charges. The stunning device isround and tubular with a control on the end of it to vary the charge. It is carried by the shaft (uncertain ofthat word) and one end is pushed onto the body of the animal which one wishes to repel. This particular device is for protection, a defensive weapon, not offensive. It would not kill the animal: it would repulse it. They learn quickly not to mess with the rod. They learn that they would not care to be any closer after they have been stunned. After being that close to something that generates that much pain, the animal immediately turns the other direc- tion. But not all the creatures are so huge. Most are not much larger than the people using the rod. These live in the dense, unpopulated areas away from the cities. Most are reptilian in nature, but not all. There are furried or hair-covered creatures as well. And these rods work quite well on fur or reptile. : Butyou would never have to kill anything? We could reach that point. Ifit did, it would be done but it is always tried to repulse the creature. The charges do not have _ The Social Structure ofthe Alien Planet 39