Cruel and Unusual

Author:

Niven, Larry

Publication date:

1977-05

Publication type:

Short Story

Published:

Cosmos, May 1977, as Three Vignettes

Opus No.:

Setting:

Draco Tavern

I.U.C.:

D.T. 20

Characters:

Rick Schumann

Summary:

A Draco Tavern story. After a member of a Chirpsithtra crew is kidnapped and accidentally killed by her abductors, the Chirpsithtra enact the same fatal punishment on the kidnappers themselves. Rick Schumann has to close the Tavern due to lack of customers and explain to the aliens why world opinion is suddenly so anti-Chirp.

Notes:

Four Vignettes, along with:
Subject is Closed, The
Grammar Lesson
Assimilating Our Culture, That's What They're Doing!

Reprints:

anthology, Aliens!, edited by Gardner Dozois and Jack M. Dann (as Four Vignettes);
Convergent Series;
Draco Tavern, The;
Niven's Laws