“So,” Odal commented. He gestured them to be seated. Hector and Leoh placed themselves on a plush couch while Odal drew up a stiff chair, facing them. “Now, why have you come to see me?”
“I want you to postpone your duel against Minister Massan tomorrow,” Leoh said.
Odal’s lean face broke into a tight smile, “Has Massan agreed to a postponement?’*
“No.”
“Then why should I?”
“To be perfectly frank. Major, I suspect that someone is tampering with the machine used in your duels. For the moment, let’s say that you have no knowledge of this. I am asking you to forgo any further duels until we get to the bottom of this. The dueling machines are not to be used for political assassinations.”
Odal’s smile faded, “I regret, Professor, that I cannot postpone the duel. As for tampering with the machines, I can assure you that neither I nor anyone of the Kerak
Worlds has touched the machines in any unauthorized manner.”
“Perhaps you don’t fully understand the situation,” Leoh said. “In the past week we’ve tested the dueling machine here on Acquatainia exhaustively. We’ve learned that its performance can be greatly influenced by a man’s personality and his attitude. You’ve fought many duels in die machines. Your background of experience, both as a professional soldier and in the machines, gives you a decided advantage over your opponents.
“However, even with all this considered, I’m still convinced that no one can loll a man in the machine—under normal circumstances. We’ve demonstrated that fact in our tests. An unsabotaged machine cannot cause actual physical harm.