Freedom Is...........

POSTED BY: SHINYGOODGUY
UPDATED: Wednesday, July 11, 2018 10:11
VIEWED: 5182
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SHINYGOODGUY

Tuesday, July 3, 2018 1:25 PM

Speaking your mind without fear.


SGG

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WISHIMAY

Wednesday, July 4, 2018 3:39 AM

Living your life the way you want as long as your decisions don't physically hurt anyone else.

Also, having no in-laws

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BRENDA

Wednesday, July 4, 2018 3:49 AM

I agree with both of you.

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6IXSTRINGJACK

Wednesday, July 4, 2018 7:00 PM

F - I. W.

Quote:

---

Leaning on the counter, Gleed gazed absently at a large can of pork.’ Seeing that I’m out of uniform and not on duty, I sympathize with you though I still shouldn’t say it. I wouldn’t care myself to be taken over body and soul by a gang of other-world bureaucrats. But you folk are going to have a mighty tough time beating us off. That’s the way it is.’

‘Not with what we’ve got,’ opined Jeff confidently.

‘You haven’t got much,’ scoffed Gleed, more in friendly criticism than open contempt. He sought confirmation from Harrison. ‘Have they?’

‘It wouldn’t seem so,’ said Harrison.

‘Don’t go by appearances,’ warned Jeff. ‘We’ve more than you bums can handle.’

‘Such as what?’

‘Well, just for a start, we’ve got the mightiest weapon ever thought up by the mind of man. We’re Gands, see? So we don’t need ships and guns and similar playthings. We’ve something better. It’s effective. There’s no defence against it.’

‘Man, I’d like to see it,’ Gleed challenged. Data concerning a new and exceptionally powerful weapon should be a good deal more valuable than the mayor’s address. Grayder might be sufficiently impressed by the importance thereof to arrange a fabulous reward. With some sarcasm, he added, ‘But, of course, we can’t expect you to give away precious secrets.’

‘There is nothing secret about it,’ said Jeff, very surprisingly. ‘You can have it free, gratis and for nothing any time you want. Any Gand would give it to you for the mere asking. Like to know why?’

‘You bet.’

‘Because it works one way only. We can use it against you but you can’t use it against us.’

‘Nonsense!’ declared Gleed. ‘There is no such thing. There is no weapon inventable that the other fellow can’t employ once he gets his hands on it and learns how to operate it.’

‘Are you sure about that?’

‘I am positive. I’ve been in the space service for twenty years and you can’t be a trooper that long without learning all about weapons of every conceivable kind from string bows to H-bombs. You’re trying to kid me. Nothing doing. I’m too grey in the hair and sharp in the tooth. A one-way weapon is impossible. And that means im-poss-ible.’

‘Don’t argue with him,’ Harrison told Baines. ‘He’ll never be convinced until he’s shown.’

‘I can see that.’ Jeff Baines’ face creased into a massive grin. ‘I’ve told you that you can have our wonder-weapon for the asking. Why don’t you ask?’

‘All right, I’m asking.’ Gleed put it without any enthusiasm. A weapon that would be presented on request, without even the necessity of first planting a minor ob, couldn’t be so mighty after all. His imaginary large reward return to indexshrank to a hand-full of small change and thence to nothing. ‘Hand it over and let me look at it.’

Edging ponderously around on his stool, Jeff reached to the wall, removed a small, shiny plaque from its hook and passed it across the counter.

‘You may keep it,’ he said. ‘And much good may it do you.’

Gleed examined it, turning it over and over between his fingers. It was nothing more than an oblong strip of substance resembling ivory. One side was polished and bare. The other bore three letters deeply engraved in bold style:

F.—I.W.

Glancing up at Baines, his features puzzled, he said, ‘You call this a weapon?’

‘Certainly.’

‘Then I don’t get it.’ He passed the plaque to Harrison. ‘Do you?’

‘No.’ Harrison examined it with care. ‘What does this F.—I.W. mean?’

‘Initial-slang,’ informed Baines. ‘Made correct by common usage. It has become a worldwide motto. You’ll see it all over the place if you haven’t noticed it already.’

‘I have seen it here and there but attached no importance to it and thought nothing more about it. I remember now that it was inscribed in several places including Seth’s and the fire depot.’
‘It was on the sides of that bus we couldn’t empty,’ put in Gleed. ‘It didn’t mean anything to me.’

It means plenty,’ said Jeff, ‘Freedom-I won’t!’

‘That kills me,’ Gleed responded. ‘I’m stone dead already. I’ve dropped in my tracks.’ He watched Harrison thou

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