They walked, with Leoh leaning on Hector’s arm, from the dueling machine to the office.
“That was … an experience,” Leoh said, easing himself onto the couch.
“What happened? What did Odal do? What made Dulaq go into shock? How does. …”
The old man silenced Hector with a wave of his hand. “One question at a time, please.”
Leoh leaned back on the deep couch and told Hector every detail of both parts of the duel.
“Six Odals,” Hector muttered soberly, leaning against the doorframe. “Six against one.”
“That’s what he did. It’s easy to see how a man expecting a polite, formal duel can be completely shattered by the viciousness of such an attack. And the machine amplifies every impulse, every sensation.” Leoh shuddered.
“But how does he do it?” Hector’s voice was suddenly demanding.
“I’ve been asking myself the same question. We’ve checked the dueling machine time and again. There’s no possible way for Odal to plug in five helpers . . . unless….”
“Unless?”
Leoh hesitated, seemingly debating with himself. Finally he nodded sharply and answered, “Unless Odal is a telepath.”
“Telepath? But….”
“I know it sounds farfetched, but there have been well-documented cases of telepathy.”
Frowning, Hector said, “Sure, everybody’s heard about it… natural telepaths, I mean . . . but they’re so unpredictable … I mean, how can. . . .”
Leoh leaned forward on the couch and clasped his hands in front of his chin. “The Terran races have never developed telepathy, or any extrasensory talents, beyond the occasional wild talent. They never had to, not with tri-di communications and star ships. But perhaps the Kerak people are different….”
“They’re human, just like we are,” Hector’ said. “Besides, if they had, uh, telepathic abilities . . . well, wouldn’t they use them all the time? Why just in the dueling machine?”
“Of course!” Leoh exclaimed. “Odal’s shown telepathic ability only in the dueling machine!”
Hector blinked.
Excitedly, Leoh explained, “Suppose Odal’s a natural telepath . . . the same as dozens of Terrans have been proven to be. He has an erratic, difficult-to-control talent. A talent that doesn’t really amount to much. Then he gets into the dueling machine. The machine amplifies his thoughts. It also amplifies his talents!”
“Ohhh.”
“You see? Outside the machine, he’s no better than any wandering fortuneteller. But the dueling machine gives his natural abilities the amplification and reproducibility that they could never attain unaided.”
“So it’s a fairly straightforward matter for him to have five associates in the Kerak embassy sit in on the duel, so to speak. Possibly they’re natural telepaths, too, but they needn’t be.”
“They just, uh, pool their minds with his? Six men show up in the duel . . . pretty nasty.” Hector dropped into the desk chair. “So what do we do now?”
“Now?” Leoh blinked at the Watchman. “Why … I suppose the first thing we do is call the hospital and see how Dulaq came through.”
“Oh, yes … I forgot her … I mean, him.”
Leoh put the call through. Geri Dulaq’s face appeared on the screen, impassive.
“How is he?” Hector blurted.
“It was too much for him,” she said bleakly. “He is dead. The doctors have tried to revive him, but….”
“No.” Leoh groaned.
“I’m … sorry,” Hector said. “I’ll be right down there. Stay where you are.”
The Star Watchman dashed out of the office as Geri broke the phone connection. Leoh stared at the blank screen for a few minutes, then leaned far back in the couch and closed his eyes. He was suddenly exhausted, physically and emotionally. He fell asleep, and dreamed of men dead and dying. Sometimes it was Odal killing them, and sometimes it was Leoh himself.
Hector’s nerve-shattering whistling woke him up. It was deep night outside.
“What are you so happy about?” Leoh groused as Hector popped into the office.
“Happy? Me?”
“You were whistling.”
Hector shrugged. “I always whistle, sir. Doesn’t mean I’m happy.”
“All right.” Leoh rubbed his eyes. “How did the girl take her father’s death?”
“Pretty hard. She cried a lot. It … well, it shook us both up.”
Leoh looked at the younger man. “Does she blame . . . me?”