me explain something to you, Jernau Gurgeh,” the drone said. “The game of Azad is a gambling game, frequently even at the highest levels. The form these wagers take is occasionally macabre. I very much doubt that you’d be involved on the sort of levels you’d be playing at if you did agree to take part, but it is quite usual for them to wager prestige, honors, possessions, slaves, favors, land and even physical license on the outcome of games.” Gurgeh waited, but eventually sighed and said, “All right… what’s ‘physical license’?” “The players wager tortures and mutilations against each other.”
