irected were seizing and shaping
material, as well as other forces. The Norlaminian physicist, set up one
integral, stepped upon a pedal, and a new red-topped stop precisely like
the others and numbered in order, appeared as though by magic upon the
panel at Seaton's left hand. Rovol then leaned back in his seat--but the
red-topped stops continued to appear, at the rate of exactly seventy per
minute, upon the panel, which increased in width sufficiently to
accommodate another row as soon as a row was completed.

Rovol bent a quizzical glance upon the younger scientist, who blushed a
fiery red, rapidly set up another integral, then also leaned back in his
place, while his face burned deeper than before.

"That is better, son. Never forget that it is a waste of energy to do
the same thing twice with your hands and that if you know precisely what
is to be done, you need not do it with your hands at all. Forces are
tireless, and they neither slip nor make mistakes."

"Thanks, Rovol--I'll bet this lesson will make it stick in my mind,
too."

"You are not thoroughly accustomed to using all your knowledge as yet.
That will come with practice, however, and in a few weeks you will be as
thoroughly at home with forces as I am."

"Hope so, Chief, but it looks like a tall order to me."

Finally the last torpedo was dispatched, the tube closed, and Seaton
moved the projection back up into the council chamber, finding it empty.

"Well, the conference is over--besides, we've got more important fish to
fry. War has been declared, on both sides, and we've got to get busy.
They've got nine hundred and six vessels out, and every one of them has
got to go to Davy Jones' locker before we can sleep sound of nights. My
first job'll have to be untangling those nine oh six forces, getting
lines on each one of them, and seeing if I can project straight enough
to find the ships before the torpedoes overtake them. Mart, you and
Orlon, the astronomer, had better dope out the last reported positions
of each of those vessels, so we'll know about where to hunt for them.
Rovol, you might send out a detector screen a few light years in
diameter, to be sure none of them slips a fast one over on us. By
starting it right here and expanding it gradually, you can be sure that
no Fenachrone is inside it. Then we'll find a hunk of copper on that
planet somewhere, plate it with some of their own 'X' metal, and blow
them into Kingdom Come."

"May I vent