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flaccidity and thinning hair.
    So I waited. Ellen was off insulting Lorel now, and Diane had turned to read the titles on the book-shelves.
    Finally, "I've developed a new strain ofslishi/'he panted confidentially.
    "Say, that's really great!"
    Then, "What are slishi?" I asked softly.
    "The slish is a Bakabian parasite," he explained,
    "rather like a large tick. Mine are about three-cithths of an inch long," he said proudly, "and they burrow deep into the flesh and give off a highly poisonous waste product."
    "Fatal?"
    "Mine are."
    "Could you lend me one?" I asked him.
    "Why?"
    "I want to drop it down someone's back. On second thought, make it a couple dozen. I have lots of friends."
    "Mine won't bother people, just spiderbats.
    They discriminate against people. People would poison my slishi.^ (He said "My slishi" very possessively.) "Their host has to have a copper"
    rather than an iron-based metabolism," he ex-I plained, "and spiderbats fall into that category.
    That's why I want to go with you on this trip."
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    ROGER ZELAZNY
    "You want me to find a spiderbat and hold it for you while you dump slishi on it? Is that what you're trying to say?"
    "Well, I would like a couple spiderbats to keepI used all mine up last month-but I'm already sure the slishi will work. I want to go along to start the plague."
    "Which plague?"
    "Among the 'bats.-The slishi multiply quite rapidly under Earth conditions, if they're given the proper host, and they should be extremely con-tagious if we could get them started at the right time of year. What I had in mind was the late southwestern spiderbat mating season. It will begin in six to eight weeks in the territory of California, in an Old Place-not real hot anymore, though-called Capistrano. I understand that your tour will take you out that way at about that time. When the spiderbats return to Capistrano I want to be wait*
    ing for them with the slishi. Also, I could use a vacation."
    "Mm-hm. Have you talked this over with Lorel?"
    "Yes, and he thinks it's a fine idea. In fact, he wants to meet us out there and take pictures. There may not be too many more opportunities to see them-darkening the sky with their flight, nesting about the ruins the way they do, eating the wild pigs, leaving their green droppings in the streets-it's rather beautiful, you know."
    "Uh-huh, sort of like HaUoween. Whatll happen to all those wild pigs if we kill off the spiderbats?"
    "Oh, there'll be more of them around. But I figure the pumas will keep them from getting like Australian rabbits. Anyway, you'd rather have pigs THIS IMMORTAL 33
    than spiderbats, wouldn't you?"
    "I'm not particularly fond of either, but now that I think of it I suppose I would rather have pigs than spiderbats. All right, sure, you can come along."
    "Thank you," he said. "I was sure you'd help."
    "Don't mention it."
    Lorel made apologetic sounds deep in his throat about then. He stood beside the big desk in the middle of the room, before which the broad viewscreen was slowly lowering itself. It was a thick depth-transparer, so nobody had to move around after a better seat. He pressed a button on the side of the desk and the lights dimmed somewhat.
    "Uh, I'm about to project a series of maps," he said, "if I can get this synchro-thing . . . There.
    There it is."
    The upper part of Africa and most of the Mediterranean countries appeared in pastels.
    "Is that the one you wanted first," he asked Myshtigo.
    "It was-eventually," said the big Vegan, turning away from a muffled conversation with Ellen, whom he had cornered in the French History alcove beneath a bust of Voltaire.
    The lights dimmed some more and Myshtigo moved to the desk. He looked at the map, and then at nobody in particular.
    "I want to visit certain key sites which, for one reason or another, are important in the history of your world," he said. "I'd like to start with Egypt, Greece and Rome. Then I'd like to move on quickly through Madrid, Paris and London." The maps shifted