s all to the good because the Karna _are_ plotting
against him. No matter what they put forth, Braynek is convinced that
there's a trap in it somewhere, and he digs to find out what the trap
is. Even if there isn't a trap, the Karna can't satisfy Braynek, because
he's convinced that there _has_ to be--somewhere. As a result, all his
advice to Nordon, and all his questioning on the wildest possibilities,
just serves to keep Nordon from getting unconfused.

"These two men are honestly doing their best to win at the peace
conference, and they've got the Karna reeling. The Karna can see that
we're not trying to stall; our men are actually working at trying to
reach a decision. But what the Karna don't see is that those men, as a
team, are unbeatable because, in this situation, they're psychologically
incapable of losing."

Again the Secretary of State nodded his approval, but there was still a
question in his mind. "Since you know all that, couldn't you have
handled it yourself?"

"Maybe, but I doubt it. They might have gotten around me someway by
sneaking up on a blind spot. Nordon and Braynek have blind spots, but
they're covered with armor. No, I'm glad I couldn't go; it's better this
way."

The Secretary of State raised an eyebrow. "_Couldn't_ go, Mr.
Ambassador?"

Malloy looked at him. "Didn't you know? I wondered why you appointed me,
in the first place. No, I couldn't go. The reason why I'm here, cooped
up in this office, hiding from the Saarkkada the way a good Saarkkadic
bigshot should, is because I _like_ it that way. I suffer from
agoraphobia and xenophobia.

"I have to be drugged to be put on a spaceship because I can't take all
that empty space, even if I'm protected from it by a steel shell." A
look of revulsion came over his face. "And I can't _stand_ aliens!"

THE END

Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ March
1960. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and
typographical errors have been corrected without note.

End of Project Gutenberg's In Case of Fire, by Gordon Randall Garrett

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