If the kid had been badly damaged, the comp would note it and call medical. The warden would be upset if the med comp recorded the kid had been thrown in with his hands and arms immobilized. Not that it was done, just that it was recorded. Harim said, "Quick-heal salve and anti-bio inoc." A squeeze tube of salve and slap inject of full-spectrum inoculant dropped into his corner.

Yes, the kid made the guards nervous. That made two of them. He knew why he did. He wondered why the new one did. He intended to find out. The kid stirred and moaned.

"It's over. I couldn't do anything until it was, but they won't try it again. I killed the one who led the bunch who welcomed me. I enjoyed it."

"There was a leader?"

"Yeah, but this time it was a guard. They don't get close enough to kill. You got made pliable before they tossed you in."

"Yes, I remember it quite well. I'd been made 'pliable' several times before I was dropped three meters into a mob. I like the way you dealt with it. I took note of who enjoyed it, but I won't hunt them out. I'll just kill them all. Starting with the one who runs the place. Of course, if one of them volunteers to be first, I'll kill him second, or third. Bard."

"Harim. I'm an assassin. Why are they afraid of you?"

"Oh, I'm a genius, big, good-looking, and several others. I'm also extremely aggravated they hurt a large number of people taking me. It frustrated them a great deal when they found out someone managed to keep them from killing them and I didn't have what they wanted."

"A rebel?"

"I wasn't. I was a student. There weren't supposed to be any witnesses they grabbed me. I imagine they made a lot of rebels when they blew the physics lab. I thought it was humorous they blew up the work on the shield that saved the others. They didn't. I was convicted of doing it. That's why I'm here and not in with rebels. The crime was attempted murder of a professor. The motive was a bad grade. The judge didn't ask why the professor and my grades were not presented as proof at my trial. I intend to kill him too. All men. I rather like that. I'd kill a woman if she deserved it, but I'm rather glad none of them were. I'd just really begun to notice how nice they are."