with his own.

The two ships smashed together and exploded.

Abruptly, Leoh found himself in the cramped booth of the dueling
machine, his body cold and damp with perspiration, his hands
trembling.

He squeezed out of the booth and took a deep breath. Warm sunlight was
streaming into the high-vaulted room. The white walls glared
brilliantly. Through the tall windows he could see trees and people
and clouds in the sky.

Hector walked up to him. For the first time in several days, the
Watchman was smiling. Not much, but smiling. "Well, we broke even on
that one."

Leoh smiled back, somewhat shakily. "Yes. It was ... quite an
experience. I've never died before."

Hector fidgeted, "It's uh, not so bad, I guess--It does sort of, well,
shatter you, you know."

"Yes I can see that now."

"Another duel?" Hector asked, nodding his head toward the machine.

"Let's get out of this place for a few hours. Are you hungry?"

"Starved."

They fought seven more duels over the next day and a half. Hector
won three of them. It was late afternoon when Leoh called a halt to
the tests.

"We can still get in another one or two," the Watchman pointed out.

"No need," Leoh said. "I have all the data I require. Tomorrow Massan
meets Odal, unless we can put a stop to it. We have much to do before
tomorrow morning."

Hector sagged into the couch. "Just as well. I think I've aged seven
years in the past seven days."

"No, my boy," Leoh said gently. "You haven't aged. You've matured."

IX

It was deep twilight when the groundcar slid to a halt on its cushions
of compressed air before the Kerak Embassy.

"I still think it's a mistake to go in there." Hector said. "I mean,
you could've called him on the tri-di just as well, couldn't you?"

Leoh shook his head. "Never give an agency of any government the
opportunity to say 'hold the line a moment' and then huddle together
to consider what to do with you. Nineteen times out of twenty, they'll
end by passing your request up to the next higher echelon, and you'll
be left waiting for weeks."

"Still," Hector insisted, "you're simply stepping into enemy
territory. It's a chance you shouldn't take."

"They wouldn't dare touch us."

Hector did not reply, but he looked unconvinced.

"Look," Leoh said, "there are only two men alive who can shed light on
this matter. One of them is Dulaq, and his mind is closed to us for an
indefinite time, Odal is the only other one who knows