people.…”
“I understand the question,” Leoh said. “I’ve added three new circuits to the machine. The first psychonically isolates the duelists inside the machine; it’s now impossible for Odal or anyone else to contact the outside world while the machine is in operation.”
The newsman turned up the volume control on his wrist recorder. “Go on.”
“The second circuit,” Leoh continued, “monitors the entire duel. If either side requests, the dueling machine’s chief meditech can review the tape and determine if any rules were broken. Thus, even if there is foul play of some sort, we can at least catch it”
“After the fact,” the newsman pointed out.
“Yes.”
“That wouldn’t have helped Dulaq or Massan, or the others that were killed.”
Leoh could feel irritation growing inside him. “After one duel, we could have found out what Odal was doing and stopped him.”
The newsman said nothing.
“Finally, we have added an automatic override to the medical monitoring equipment, so that if one of the duelists shows the slightest sign of actual medical danger, the duel is automatically stopped,”
The newsman thought it over for half a second. “Suppose a man gets a sudden heart attack? He might be dead before you can get the door to his booth open, even though you’ve stopped the duel immediately.”
Leoh fumed. “And if there’s an earthquake, both duelists and much of the city may be destroyed. Young man, there is no way to make the world absolutely safe.”
“Maybe not.” But his round, puffed face showed he didn’t believe it absolutely.
They talked for a quarter-hour more. Leoh showed him the equipment involved in the three new safety circuits and tried to explain how they worked. The newsman looked professionally skeptical and unimpressed. Leoh’s exasperation mounted.
“Frankly, Professor, all you’ve told me is a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo. There’s no guarantee that the machine won’t kill people again.”
Reddening, Leoh snapped back, “The
“In the machine.”
“Yes, but it can’t happen again!”
Shrugging, the newsman said, “All I’ve got to go on is your word.”
“My reputation as a scientist means something, I should think.”
Hector interrupted. “If the Acquatainian government is satisfied that the dueling machine’s safe.…”
The newsman laughed. “Both the government and the Professor claimed the machine was absolutely safe when it was first installed here. Two men died in this gadget, and who knows how many others have been killed in Szarno and other places?”
“But that…”
Turning back to Leoh, he asked, “How many people have been killed in dueling machines in the Commonwealth?”
“None!”
“You sure? I can check, you know.”
“Are you calling me a liar?”
“Look, it boils down to this: you told us the machine was safe, and two very important men were killed. Now you’re saying it’s safe again.…” He let the implication dangle.
“Out!” Leoh snapped. “Get out of here, or by all the ancient gods, old as I am…”
The newsman backed off a step. Then, “Suppose I
Hector stepped between them. “Now wait… if you can’t.…”
“Suppose,” the newsman went on, ducking past Hector, “suppose I challenged you to a duel.”
“I’ve used this machine many times,” Leoh said.
“Okay, but I still challenge you.”
Suddenly Leoh felt absolutely calm. “Very well. I accept your challenge. And you can do whatever you want to during our duel to try to prove your point. But I insist on one condition: the tape of the duel must be made public knowledge immediately after the duel is finished.”
The newsman grinned. “Perfect.”
Leoh realized that this was what he had been after all along.
9
Odal sat in his cell-like room in the Kerak embassy, waiting for the phone message. The room was narrow and severe, with strictly functional furniture—a bed, a. desk and chair, a view screen. No decorations, plain military gray walls, no window.
Kor had explained the plan for Leoh’s destruction before Odal had boarded the ship for Acquatainia. Odal did not like the plan, but it seemed workable and it would surely remove Leoh from the scene.
The phone buzzed.
Odal leaned across the desk and touched the ON button. The newsman’s chubby face took form on the small screen.
“Well?” Odal demanded.
“He accepted the challenge. We duel in three days. And he wants the tape shown publicly, just as you thought he would.”
Odal smiled tightly. “Excellent.”
“Look, if I’m going to be made to look foolish on that tape,” the newsman said, “I think I ought to get more money.”
“I don’t handle the financial matters,” Odal said. “You’ll have to speak to the embassy accountant…
Pouting, the newsman replied, “All right. But I’m going to be finished for life when that tape is shown.”
“We’ll take care of you,” Odal promised.
Geri Dulaq walked briskly out of the sunlight of the university’s campus into the shadows of the dueling machine’s high-vaulted chamber.
“Hector, you sounded so worried on the phone…”
He took her hands in his. “I am. That’s why I wanted to talk to you. It’s… well, it’s happened again. First Ponte argues the Professor into a duel, and now this newsman. You think Ponte might be working for Kerak, so… I mean.…”
“Perhaps the newsman is too,” Geri finished for him.
Hector nodded. “And with Odal back… well, they’re brewing up something.…”
“Where is the Professor now?” Geri asked.
Pointing to the office behind the dueling machine chamber, Hector said, “In there. He doesn’t want to be disturbed… working on equations or something… about interstellar ships, I think.”
Geri looked surprised.
“Oh, he’s not worried about the duel,” Hector explained. “I told him all about Ponte… what you said, I mean. But he thinks the machine can’t be tampered with, so he’s not, uh, worried. And he beat Ponte pretty easily.”
Geri turned toward the massive, looming machine. “I’ve never been here before. It’s a little frightening.”
Hector put on a smile. “There’s nothing to be frightened about… that is, I mean, well, it’s only a machine. It
