The Dueling Machine

by Ben Bova

these is the oxygen valve, and theother, I think, is the emergency rocket pack ... now, which is which?"Odal felt the Watchman's hands searching for the proper valve. "Ishould've dreamed up suits without the rocket pack ... confuses things ...there, that's it."

  Hector's hand tightened on a valve and turned it sharply. The rocketroared to life and Odal was hurtled free of the boulder, shotuncontrolled completely off the planetoid. Hector was bowled over bythe blast and rolled halfway around the tiny chink of rock and metal.

  Odal tried to reach around to throttle down the rocket, but the painin his body was too great. He was slipping into unconsciousness. Hefought against it. He knew he must return to the planetoid and somehowkill the opponent. But gradually the pain overpowered him. His eyeswere closing, closing--

  And, quite abruptly, he found himself sitting in the booth of thedueling machine. It took a moment for him to realize that he was backin the real world. Then his thoughts cleared. He had failed to killHector.

  And at the door of the booth stood Kor, his face a grim mask of anger.

  XVI

  The office was that of the new prime minister of the AcquataineCluster. It had been loaned to Leoh for his conversation with SirHarold Spencer. For the moment, it seemed like a great double room:half of it was dark, warm woods, rich draperies, floor-to-ceilingbookcases. The other half, from the tri-di screen onward, was theaustere, metallic utility of a starship compartment.

  Spencer was saying, "So this hired assassin, after killing four menand nearly wrecking a government, has returned to his native worlds."

  Leoh nodded. "He returned under guard. I suppose he is in disgrace, orperhaps even under arrest."

  "Servants of a dictator never know when they will be the ones who areserved--on a platter." Spencer chuckled. "And the Watchman whoassisted you, this Junior Lieutenant Hector, what of him?"

  "He's not here just now. The Dulaq girl has him in tow, somewhere.Evidently it's the first time he's been a hero--"

  Spencer shifted his weight in his chair. "I have long prided myself onthe conviction that any Star Watch officer can handle almost any kindof emergency anywhere in the galaxy. From your description of the pastfew weeks, I was beginning to have my doubts. However, JuniorLieutenant Hector seems to have won the day ... almost in spite ofhimself."

  "Don't underestimate him," Leoh said, smiling. "He turned out to be anextremely valuable man. I think he will make a fine officer."

  Spencer grunted an affirmative.

  "Well," Leoh said, "that's the complete story, to date. I believe thatOdal is finished. But the Kerak Worlds have made good their annexationof the Szarno Confederacy, and the Acquataine Cluster is still verywobbly, politically. We haven't heard the last of Kanus--not by a longshot."

  Spencer lifted a shaggy eyebrow. "Neither," he rumbled, "has he heardthe last from us."

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