ain that many of you have used the machine. You have,
general, I'm sure."

The general blustered. "That has nothing to do with the matter at
hand!"

"Admittedly," Leoh conceded. "But I do not understand how a
therapeutic machine can possibly become entangled in a political
crisis."

[Illustration]

Massan said: "Allow me to explain. Our Government has been conducting
extremely delicate negotiations with the stellar governments of our
neighboring territories. These negotiations concern the rearmaments of
the Kerak Worlds. You have heard of Kanus of Kerak?"

"I recall the name vaguely," Leoh said. "He's a political leader of
some sort."

"Of the worst sort. He has acquired complete dictatorship of the Kerak
Worlds, and is now attempting to rearm them for war. This is in direct
countervention of the Treaty of Acquatainia, signed only thirty Terran
years ago."

"I see. The treaty was signed at the end of the Acquataine-Kerak war,
wasn't it?"

"A war that we won," the general pointed out.

"And now the Kerak Worlds want to rearm and try again," Leoh said.

"Precisely."

Leoh shrugged. "Why not call in the Star Watch? This is their type of
police activity. And what has all this to do with the dueling
machine?"

* * * * *

Massan explained patiently, "The Acquataine Cluster has never become a
full-fledged member of the Terran Commonwealth. Our neighboring
territories are likewise unaffiliated. Therefore the Star Watch can
intervene only if all parties concerned agree to intervention. Unless,
of course, there is an actual military emergency. The Kerak Worlds, of
course, are completely isolationist--unbound by any laws except those
of force."

Leoh shook his head.

"As for the dueling machine," Massan went on, "Kanus of Kerak has
turned it into a political weapon--"

"But that's impossible. Your government passed strict laws concerning
the use of the machine; I recommended them and I was in your Council
chambers when the laws were passed. The machine may be used only for
personal grievances. It is strictly outside the realm of politics."

Massan shook his head sadly. "Sir, laws are one thing--people are
another. And politics consists of people, not words on paper."

"I don't understand," Leoh said.

Massan explained, "A little more than one Terran year ago, Kanus
picked a quarrel with a neighboring star-group--the Safad Federation.
He wanted an especially favorable trade