 Why does the bowman shoot a soldier during the Viceroy's procession?
A pair of guards, their purple hides smoothly polished and gleaming with oil, crossed their ceremonial pikes in front of him as he approached the entrance. An elegant courtier, with elaborately jeweled harness, bustled from inside the palace, obviously trying to present an air of strolling nonchalance. The two guards withdrew their pikes and froze into immobility at the sides of the entrance. "It's customary to genuflect when you enter the Viceroy's presence," said the standing one at last. "If you wanted someone from Earth to come here to see you, why did you put the cordon around Earth? They provide sixty-eight of the hundred Viceroys; we provide only seventeen.
 To demonstrate what would happen if someone who was not a guest of the Viceroy viewed the procession.
 To demonstrate what would happen if someone who was not a guest of the Viceroy viewed the procession.  The soldier was attempting to stage a coup against the Viceroy.  The soldier tripped and made the procession look sloppy.  To demonstrate the Vegan's knowledge of antiquated weapons.