newsmen turned to his partner. "What's going on down
there?"

"I think it's all over.... Yes, look, they're opening up the booths.
Somebody must've scored a victory."

They watched intently while the other newsmen quickly filed back into
the gallery.

"There's Odal. He looks happy."

"Guess that means--"

"Good Lord! Look at Dulaq!"

II

Dr. Leoh was lecturing at the Carinae Regional University when the
news of Dulaq's duel reached him. An assistant professor perpetrated
the unthinkable breach of interrupting the lecture to whisper the news
in his ear.

Leoh nodded grimly, hurriedly finished his lecture, and them
accompanied the assistant professor to the University president's
office. They stood in silence as the slideway whisked them through the
strolling students and blossoming greenery of the quietly-busy campus.

Leoh remained wrapped in his thoughts as they entered the
administration building and rode the lift tube. Finally, as they
stepped through the president's doorway, Leoh asked the assistant
professor:

"You say he was in a state of catatonic shock when they removed him
from the machine?"

"He still is," the president answered from his desk. "Completely
withdrawn from the real world. Cannot speak, hear, or even see--a
living vegetable."

Leoh plopped down in the nearest chair and ran a hand across his
fleshy face. He was balding and jowly, but his face was creased from a
smile that was almost habitual, and his eyes were active and alert.

"I don't understand it," he admitted. "Nothing like this has ever
happened in a dueling machine before."

The university president shrugged. "I don't understand it either. But,
this is your business." He put a slight emphasis on the last word,
unconsciously perhaps.

"Well, at least this will not reflect on the university. That is why I
formed Psychonics as a separate business enterprise." Then he added,
with a grin, "The money was, of course, only a secondary
consideration."

The president managed a smile. "Of course."

"I suppose the Acquatainians want to see me?" Leoh asked academically.

"They're on the tri-di now, waiting for you."

"They're holding a transmission frequency open over eight hundred
parsecs?" Leoh looked impressed. "I must be an important man."

"You're the inventor of the dueling machine and the head of
Psychonics, Inc. You're the only man who can tell them what went
wrong."

"Well, I suppose I shouldn't keep them waitin