public static long checkedPow(long b, int k) {
    checkNonNegative("exponent", k);
    if (b >= -2 & b <= 2) {
      switch ((int) b) {
        case 0:
          return (k == 0) ? 1 : 0;
        case 1:
          return 1;
        case (-1):
          return ((k & 1) == 0) ? 1 : -1;
        case 2:
          checkNoOverflow(k < Long.SIZE - 1, "checkedPow", b, k);
          return 1L << k;