as of now than both of them together. We know that Uighar's
super-sonic jobs are ready. We don't know exactly what Norheim has,
since they cut my Intelligence line a while back, but I'm sending over
another operative--my best man, too--tonight. If he finds out that we
have enough advantage in speed, and I'm pretty sure that we have, I say
hit both Norheim and Uighar right then, while we can, before they hit
us. And hit them hard--pulverize them. Then set up a world government
strong enough to knock out any nation--including Atlantis--that will not
cooperate with it. This course of action is flagrantly against all
international law and all the principles of democracy, I know; and even
it might not work. It is, however, as far as I can see, the only course
which _can_ work."

"You--we all--perceive its weaknesses." The Faros thought for minutes.
"You cannot be sure that your Intelligence has located all of the danger
points, and many of them must be so far underground as to be safe from
even our heaviest missiles. We all, including you, believe that the
Psychologist is right in holding that the reaction of the other nations
to such action would be both unfavorable and violent. Your report,
please, Talmonides."

"I have already put my data into the integrator." The Psychologist
punched a button and the mechanism began to whir and to click. "I have
only one new fact of any importance; the name of one of the higher-ups
and its corollary implication that there may be some degree of
cooperation between Norheim and Uighar...."

He broke off as the machine stopped clicking and ejected its report.

"Look at that graph--up ten points in seven days!" Talmonides pointed a
finger. "The situation is deteriorating faster and faster. The
conclusion is unavoidable--you can see yourselves that this summation
line is fast approaching unity--that the outbreaks will become
uncontrollable in approximately eight days. With one slight
exception--here--you will notice that the lines of organization and
purpose are as random as ever. In spite of this conclusive integration I
would be tempted to believe that this seeming lack of coherence was due
to insufficient data--that back of this whole movement there is a
carefully-set-up and completely-integrated plan--except for the fact
that the factions and the nations are so evenly matched. But the data
are sufficient. It is shown conclusively that no one of the other
nations can possibly win, even