The blazing torch inscribed a wobbly arc across the afternoon, and landed with a sparkling splat square in the middle of the shingled church roof.

"Yippee, that's going to burn real good."

"Not going to fizzle out like the other ones."

"Hurry up and get that brick walkway ripped up.  We'll bust some more windows."

"I get first try at the window with all the angels."

"Excuse me, gentlemen," said Palma, "merely passing through."  He was mounted on a black stallion he'd rented several towns back.  He attempted to guide the animal around the crowd of churchwreckers who were blocking the width of Louton's principal street.

"Wowee, here comes the preacher!  Let's roll him in the muck!"

"Now, let's roll him in ####!"

"Both, both.  Muck and ####."

"Hey, yowee, let's shoot this stranger's horse."

"Gentlemen, this beast is the property of the Ace Stables in nearby -"

Bang!

The horse toppled over sideways, with Palma in the saddle.  He kicked free of the stirrups, and rolled out from under before the dead stallion smacked the muddy street.

"Goody, did you see the look in his eye when the horse fell down?"

"Sort of surprised you, huh, Mr. Baldybean."

Palma brushed mud off himself, inspected the cameras hanging around his neck.  He skirted the dead horse and walked up to the catman who'd shot it.  "I have a terrific sense of humor," he said, smiling.  "I'm noted throughout the galaxies for being receptive to all types of whimsy."

"Good enough, skinhead, then stick around," urged a lizardman.  "We're going to roll the preacher in ####.  That's always whimsical."

Palma ignored him, concentrating on the catman. "However, some things are not funny."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Take, for instance, setting a church on fire.  That is not funny," the bald photographer continued.  "Shooting my horse out from under me, to give you another example.  That is not funny."

"Sure it -"

Palma suddenly jabbed a fist deep into the catman's middle.  Before he could straighten up, Palma gave him two chops to the neck and then tripped him over.  The catman splashed flat out in the mud and stayed there.

"That was funny," laughed the lizardman.  "You got a keen sense of the absurd, cleanhead."

"Thank you." Palma bowed slightly at the crowd, stepped on the back of the sprawled catman and over to the sidewalk.