said then, studying a
sheet of paper covered with symbols, "the Stretts haven't attacked yet
because they found out that we are stronger than they are. They found
that out by analyzing our defensive web--which, if we had had this
meeting first, we wouldn't have put up at all. Unlike anything known to
human or previous Strett science, it is proof against any form of attack
up to the limit of the power of its generators. They will attack as soon
as they are equipped to break that screen at the level of power probable
to our ships. We can not arrive at any reliable estimate as to how long
that will take.

"As to the effectiveness of our cutting off their known fuel supply,
opinion is divided. We must therefore assume that fuel shortage will not
be a factor.

"Neither are we unanimous on the basic matter as to why the Masters
acted as they did just before they left Ardry. Why did they set the
status so far below their top ability? Why did they make it impossible
for the Omans ever, of themselves, to learn their higher science? Why,
if they did not want that science to become known, did they leave
complete records of it? The majority of us believe that the Masters
coded their records in such fashion that the Stretts, even if they
conquered the Omans or destroyed them, could never break that code;
since it was keyed to the basic difference between the Strett mentality
and the human. Thus, they left it deliberately for some human race to
find.

"Finally, and most important, our physicists and theoreticians are not
able to extrapolate, from the analysis of our screen, to the concepts
underlying the Masters' ultimate weapons of offense, the first-stage
booster and its final end-product, the Vang. If, as we can safely
assume, the Stretts do not already have those weapons, they will know
nothing about them until we ourselves use them in battle.

"These are, of course, only the principal points covered. Does anyone
wish to amend this summation as recorded?"

* * * * *

No one did.

The meeting was adjourned. Hilton, however, accompanied Sawtelle and
Kedy to the captain's office. "So you see, Skipper, we got troubles," he
said. "If we don't use those boosters against their skeletons it'll boil
down to a stalemate lasting God only knows how long. It will be a war of
attrition, outcome dependent on which side can build the most and
biggest and strongest ships the fastest. On the other hand, if w