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"Children have no religion," said the stranger "That's e take the--before they have been fully indoctrinated in any ideology"

"So you can indoctrinate them in yours," said Father

"Exactly," said the man

Then the an We've set up the examination in your parents' house"

Zeck turned his back on the man

> "He does not choose to take your test," said Father

"And yet," said the man, "he will take it, one way or another"

The congregation murmured at that

The man from the International Fleet looked around at them "Our responsibility in the International Fleet is to protect the human race from the Formic invaders We protect the whole human race--even those who don't wish to be protected--and we draw upon the most brilliant minds of the human race and train them for command--even those who do not wish to be trained What if this boy were the most brilliant of all, the commander that would lead us to victory where no other could succeed? Should everyone else in the huation can remainpure?"

"Yes," said Father And the congregation echoed him "Yes Yes"

"We are the leaven in the loaf," said Father "We are the salt that must keep its savor, lest the whole earth be destroyed It is our purity that will persuade God to preserve this wicked generation, not your violence"

The ainst our violence" His hand lashed out and he seized Zeck by the collar of his shirt and dragged him sharply backward, toward him Before anyone could do more than shout in protest, he had torn Zeck's shirt from his body and then whirled him around to show his scarred back, with the freshest wounds still bright red, and the newest of all still beading with blood from this sudden moveainst children"

"Don't you?" said Father "To spare the rod is to spoil the child--God has told us how to make our children pure from the moment they achieve accountability until they have mastered their own discipline I strike my son's body to teach his spirit to embrace the pure love of Christ You will teach hieror dead, for his soul will be polluted and God will spit him out of his mouth"

The man threw Zeck's shirt in Father's face "Come back to your house and you'll find us there with your son, doing what the law requires"

Zeck tore away frohtly, but Zeck had a great advantage: He didn't care how o with you," said Zeck