"I hope you don't mind," said Greg. "I've been wanting to have a talk with you." Craven leaped to his feet, his eyes shining. "Three dimensions!" he whispered. "How did you do it?" Greg chuckled. "I haven't patented the idea, Doctor. I'd rather not tell you just now." "You will accept my congratulations, however?" asked Craven. "That's generous of you. I really hadn't expected this much." "I mean it," said Craven. "Damned if I don't." Chambers was on his feet, leaning across the desk, with his hand held out. Greg's right hand came out slowly. "Sorry, I really can't shake hands," he said. "I'm not here, you know. Just my image." Chambers' hand dropped to the desk. "Stupid of me not to realize that. You looked so natural." He sat back in his chair again, brushed his gray mustache. A smile twisted his lips. "So you've been watching me?" "Off and on," Greg said. "And what is the occasion of this visit?" asked Chambers. "You could have held a distinct advantage by remaining unseen. I didn't entirely believe what Craven told me, you know." "That isn't the point at all," declared Greg. "Maybe we can get to understand one another." "So you're ready to talk business." "Not in the sense you mean," Greg said. "I'm not willing to make concessions, but there's no reason why we have to fight one another." "Why, no," said Chambers, "there's no reason for that. I'll be willing to buy your discovery." "I wouldn't sell it to you," Greg told him. "You wouldn't? Why not? I'm prepared to pay for it." "You'd pay the price, all right. Anything I asked ... even if it bankrupted you. Then you'd mark it down to loss, and scrap material energy. And I'll tell you why." * * * * * A terrible silence hung in the room as the two men eyed one another across the table. "You wouldn't use it," Greg went on, "because it would remove the stranglehold you have on the planets. It would make power too cheap. It would eliminate the necessity of your rented accumulators. The Jovian moons and Mars could stand on their feet without the power you ship to them. You could make billions in legitimate profits selling the apparatus to manufacture the energy ... but you wouldn't want that. You want to be dictator of the Solar System. And that is what I intend to stop." "Listen, Manning," said Chambers, "you're a reasonable man. Let's talk this thing over without anger. What do you plan to do?" "I could put my material engines on the market," said Greg. "That would ruin you. You wouldn't move an accumulator after that. Your Interplanetary stock wouldn't be worth the paper it is written on. Material energy would wipe you out." "You forget I have franchises on those planets," Chambers reminded him. "I'd fight you in the courts until hell froze over." "I'd prove convenience, economy and necessity. Any court in any land, on any planet, would rule for me."