“The tea will be fine,” said Bevris. 

The woman walked back to the kitchen to fetch the order.  While she was gone, three men dressed in leather and armed with pistols and swords approached the table.  One of the men had shoulder length dirty black hair and a few days of beard growth. 

“Are you men or rodents?” the man asked. 

“That should be fairly obvious,” said Bevris. 

“Brandishing swords and pistols don’t make you men,” the man complained.  “Have you killed anyone?”

“Not lately,” joked Bevris.  The two other men smiled. 

“Oh, a funny man.  Why don’t you want to drink a manly drink like what me and my mates imbibe?”

“No thank-you, sir.  Tea will be fine,” said Bevris calmly. 

The man whistled toward the bar keep who had a jug of rum delivered to the table with two glasses.  They were placed on the table between Bevris and Terj. 

“Since I offer you my hospitality, I expect you to honor it by drinking some of the rum.”

Bevris looked at Terj and said, “Since he went to the trouble of ordering it for us, I guess the least we can do is enjoy the beverage.”

Bevris reached across the table and grabbed Terj’s hand.  They bowed their heads and closed their eyes. 

“Heavenly Father, thank-you for what we are about to receive.  Amen,” said Bevris in front of the amazed men. 

“What was that all about?” asked the man. 

“Before we have our meal, we always ask grace.  It is our custom.”

“Strange custom.  What if you had food in front of you and I stole it while you had your eyes closed?”

Terj pulled a knife from a sheath on his belt and slammed it next to the jug of rum.  The men backed off and walked away.  Luckily the rum’s alcohol was neutralized by the catalyst that had been implanted in Bevris’ body years before when he had some problems with his liver.  So he didn’t worry about getting drunk.  They drank some of the beverage as the men were watching.    

Terj detected something in the rum that wasn’t supposed to be there and reached toward Bevris’ hand to inject him with micromachines to take care of the problem.   Bevris realized seconds later that some sort of sleeping potion had been placed in the rum.  But the micromachines took care of the potion and prevented him from becoming unconscious.