h. One was fiftyish, tall,
solidly-built and well-dressed on the conservative side. His face was
strong, square and oddly pale, as if someone had taken finest white
marble and roughly hacked a face into it. Pell had seen that face in
faxpapers often. The man was Theodor Rysland, once a wealthy corporation
lawyer, now a World Government adviser in an unofficial way. Some
admired him as a selfless public servant; others swore he was a
power-mad tyrant. Few were indifferent.

"I'm sure you recognize Mr. Rysland," said Chief Larkin, smiling. "And
this is Dr. Walter Nebel, of the World Department of Education."

Dr. Walter Nebel was slight and had a head remarkably tiny in proportion
to the rest of him. He wore cropped hair. His eyes were turtle-lidded
and at first impression sleepy, and then, with a second look--wary. Pell
remembered that he had won fame some time ago by discovering the
electrolytic enzyme in the thought process. Pell wasn't sure exactly
what this was, but the faxpapers had certainly made a fuss about it at
the time.

He shook hands with the two men and then said to Larkin, "What's up?"

"Patience," said Larkin and shuffled chairs into place.

Rysland sat down solidly and gravely; Nebel perched. Rysland looked at
Pell with a strong, level stare and said, "It's my sincere hope that
this meeting tonight will prevent resumption of the war with Venus."

Larkin said, "Amen."

Pell stared back in some surprise. High-level stuff!

Rysland saw his stare and chuckled. "Chief Larkin tells me your
sympathies are more or less Universalist. Not that it would be
necessary, but it helps."

"Oh," said Pell, with mild bewilderment. The difference between the
Universal and Defense parties was pretty clear-cut. The Universalists
hoped to resume full relations with Venus and bring about a really
secure peace through friendship and trade. It would admittedly be a
tough struggle, and the Defenders didn't think it was possible. Forget
Venus, said they; fortify Earth, keep the line of demarcation on Mars,
and sit tight.

"But there is, as you may know," said Rysland, "a third course in our
relations with Venus."

"There is?" asked Pell. From the corner of his eye he saw Chief Larkin
looking at him with an expression of--what, amusement? Yes, amusement,
largely, but with a touch of contempt, too, perhaps. Hard to say.

"The third course," said Rysland, not smiling, "would be to attack Venus
again, resume the war, and