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.It was as though they were expectingtrouble and had no desire to remain in the vicinity.Seldon wondered if his newfriend, Hummin, was leaving too, but he felt it injudicious to take his eyesaway from the young man who was confronting him.He teetered back on his chairslightly.The young man said, "You an Outworlder?""That's right.Hence my clothes.""Hence? What kind of word's that? Outworld word?""What I meant was, that was why my clothes seem peculiar to you.I'm a visitorhere.""From what planet?""Helicon."The young man's eyebrows drew together."Never heard of it." "It's not a largeplanet.""Why don't you go back there?""I intend to.I'm leaving tomorrow.""Sooner! Now!"The young man looked at his partner.Seldon followed the look and caught aglimpse of Hummin.He had not left, but the park was now empty except forhimself, Hummin, and the two young men.Seldon said, "I'd thought I'd spend today sight-seeing.""No.You don't want to do that.You go home now."Seldon smiled."Sorry.I won't."The young man said to his partner."You like his clothes, Marbie?''Marbie spoke for the first time."No.Disgusting.Turns the stomach.""Can't let him go around turning stomachs, Marbie.Not good for people'shealth.""No, not by no means, Alem," said Marbie.Alem grinned."Well now.You heard what Marbie said."And now Hummin spoke.He said, "Look, you two, Alem, Marbie, whatever your namesare.You've had your fun.Why don't you go away?"Alem, who had been leaning slightly toward Seldon, straightened and turned."Whoare you?""That's not your business," snapped Hummin."You're Trantorian?" asked Alem."Also not your business."Alem frowned and said, "You're dressed Trantorian.We're not interested in you,so don't go looking for problems.""I intend to stay.That means there are two of us.Two against two doesn't soundlike your kind of fight.Why don't you go away and get some friends so you canhandle two people?"Seldon said, "I really think you ought to get away if you can, Hummin.It's kindof you to try to protect me, but I don't want you harmed.""These are not dangerous people, Seldon.Just half-credit lackeys.""Lackeys!" The word seemed to infuriate Alem, so that Seldon thought it musthave a more insulting meaning on Trantor than it had on Helicon."Here, Marbie," said Alem with a growl."You take care of that othermotherlackey and I'll rip the clothes off this Seldon.He's the one we want.Now-His hands came down sharply to seize Seldon's lapels and jerk him upright.Seldon pushed away, instinctively it would seem, and his chair tipped backward.He seized the hands stretched toward him, his foot went up, and his chair wentdown.Somehow Alem streaked overhead, turning as he did so, and came down hard on hisneck and back behind Seldon.Seldon twisted as his chair went down and was quickly on his feet, staring downat Alem, then looking sharply to one side for Marbie.Alem lay unmoving, his face twisted in agony.He had two badly sprained thumbs,excruciating pain in his groin, and a backbone that had been badly jarred.Hummin's left arm had grabbed Marbie's neck from behind and his right arm hadpulled the other's right arm backward at a vicious angle.Marbie's face was redas he labored uselessly for breath.A knife, glittering with a small laserinset, lay on the ground beside them.Hummin eased his grip slightly and said, with an air of honest concern, "You'vehurt that one badly."Seldon said, "I'm afraid so.If he had fallen a little differently, he wouldhave snapped his neck."Hummin said, "What kind of a mathematician are you?""A Heliconian one." He stooped to pick up the knife and, after examining it,said, "Disgusting-and deadly."Hummin said, "An ordinary blade would do the job without requiring a powersource.-But let's let these two go.I doubt they want to continue any further."He released Marbie, who rubbed first his shoulder then his neck.Gasping forair, he turned hate-filled eyes on the two men.Hummin said sharply, "You two had better get out of here.Otherwise we'll haveto give evidence against you for assault and attempted murder.This knife cansurely be traced to you
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