you can't! I mean--"

"Why not? I'm not accomplishing anything here. Whatever it is that
this Odal and Kanus have been doing, it's basically a political
problem, and not a scientific one. The professional staff of the
machine here will catch up to their tricks sooner or later."

"But, sir, if you can't find the answer, how can they?"

"Frankly, I don't know. But, as I said, this is a political problem
more than a scientific one. I'm tired and frustrated and I'm feeling
my years. I want to return to Carinae and spend the next few months
considering beautifully abstract problems about instantaneous
transportation devices. Let Massan and the Star Watch worry about
Kanus."

"Oh! That's what I came to tell you. Massan has been challenged to a
duel by Odal!"

"What?"

"This afternoon, Odal went to the Council building. Picked an argument
with Massan right in the main corridor and challenged him."

"Massan accepted?" Leoh asked.

Hector nodded.

Leoh leaned across his desk and reached for the phone unit. It took a
few minutes and a few levels of secretaries and assistants, but
finally Massan's dark, bearded face appeared on the screen above the
desk.

"You have accepted Odal's challenge?" Leoh asked, without
preliminaries.

"We meet next week," Massan replied gravely.

"You should have refused."

"On what pretext?"

"No pretext. A flat refusal, based on the certainty that Odal or
someone else from Kerak is tampering with the dueling machine."

Massan shook his head sadly. "My dear learned sir, you still do not
comprehend the political situation. The Government of the Acquataine
Cluster is much closer to dissolution than I dare to admit openly. The
coalition of star groups that Dulaq had constructed to keep the Kerak
Worlds neutralized has broken apart completely. This morning, Kanus
announced that he would annex Szarno. This afternoon, Odal challenges
me."

"I think I see--"

"Of course. The Acquatainian Government is paralyzed now, until the
outcome of the duel is known. We cannot effectively intervene in the
Szarno crisis until we know who will be heading the Government next
week. And, frankly, more than a few members of our Council are now
openly favouring Kanus and urging that we establish friendly relations
with him before it is too late."

"But, that's all the more reason for refusing the duel," Leoh
insisted.

"And be accused of cowardice in my own Council meetings?" Massan
smiled grimly. "