agreement with them. Their
minister of trade objected most strenuously. One of the Kerak
negotiators--a certain Major Odal--got into a personal argument with
the minister. Before anyone knew what had happened, they had
challenged each other to a duel. Odal won the duel, and the minister
resigned his post. He said that he could no longer effectively fight
against the will of Odal and his group ... he was psychologically
incapable of it. Two weeks later he was dead--apparently a suicide,
although I have doubts."

"That's ... extremely interesting," Leoh said.

"Three days ago," Massan continued, "the same Major Odal engaged Prime
Minister Dulaq in a bitter personal argument. Odal is now a military
attache of the Kerak Embassy here. He accused the Prime Minister of
cowardice, before a large group of an Embassy party. The Prime
Minister had no alternative but to challenge him. And now--"

"And now Dulaq is in a state of shock, and your government is
tottering."

Massan's back stiffened. "Our Government shall not fall, nor shall the
Acquataine Cluster acquiesce to the rearmament of the Kerak Worlds.
But"--his voice lowered--"without Dulaq, I fear that our neighboring
governments will give in to Kanus' demands and allow him to rearm.
Alone, we are powerless to stop him."

"Rearmament itself might not be so bad," Leoh mused, "if you can keep
the Kerak Worlds from using their weapons. Perhaps the Star Watch
might--"

"Kanus could strike a blow and conquer a star system before the Star
Watch could be summoned and arrive to stop him. Once Kerak is armed,
this entire area of the galaxy is in peril. In fact, the entire galaxy
is endangered."

"And he's using the dueling machine to further his ambitions," Leoh
said. "Well, gentlemen, it seems I have no alternative but to travel
to the Acquataine Cluster. The dueling machine is my responsibility,
and if there is something wrong with it, or the use of it, I will do
my best to correct the situation."

"That is all we ask," Massan said. "Thank you."

The Acquatainian scene faded away, and the three men in the university
president's office found themselves looking at a solid wall once
again.

"Well," Dr. Leoh said, turning to the president, "it seems that I must
request an indefinite leave of absence."

The president frowned. "And it seems that I must grant your
request--even though the year is only half-finished."

"I regret the necessity," Leoh said; then, with a broa