Leoh shook his head.
“As for the dueling machine,” Massan went on, “Kanus has turned it into a political weapon. . ..”
“But that’s impossible. Your government passed strict laws concerning the use of the machines. The dueling machine may be used only for personal grievances. It’s strictly outside the realm of politics.”
Massan shook his head sadly. “My dear Professor, laws are one thing, people are another. And politics consists of people, not words on tape.”
“I don’t understand,” said Leoh.
“A little more than one Terran year ago, Kanus picked a quarrel with a neighboring nation—the Safad Federation. He wanted an especially favorable trade agreement with them. Their minister of trade objected most strenuously. One of the Kerak negotiators—a certain Major Odal—got into a persona) argument with the minister. Before anyone knew what had happened, they had challenged each other to a duel. Oda! won the duel, and the minister resigned his post. He said he could no longer fight against the will of Odal and Kerak … he was psychologically incapable of it. Two weeks later he was dead—apparently a suicide, although I have my doubts.”
“That’s … extremely interesting,” Leoh said.
“Three days ago,” Massan continued, “the same Major Odal engaged Prime Minister Dulaq in a bitter personal argument. Odal is now a military attache of the Kerak embassy here on Acquatainia. The argument grew so loud before a large group at an embassy party that the prime minister had no alternative but to challenge Odal. And now. …”