"Don't underestimate yourself, Caddo," he said. "The hot beam was only a warning--something to let you know that I could kill you anytime I wished. Even now, before you could squeeze the trigger on the weapon, I could cause certain things to happen--no, no! You are safe, Caddo--I could cause you to die if I wish, but you are interesting, a dangerous man. It would be a better accomplishment for me to give you a punishment you deserve." The fear that shone in Caddo's eyes faded away. For a moment he watched Oridin. Then he laughed. "So it's that kind of a game, is it? I can play it too! Your threats do not frighten me. Nor am I afraid of your hot beam. Look!" Caddo thrust his arm forward into the path of the beam. There was a puff of smoke as the tremendous heat vaporized particles of dust on the leather sleeves. Then nothing happened. "I have a neutralizing force, powered with a small battery in my clothing," Caddo said. "Foolishly, I did not have it turned on a moment ago. But you can't hurt me now." Oridin shrugged. "I am still not afraid of you Caddo. If you had come here to loot, you would have killed me long ago. But what you want is something you cannot gain by killing me. What is it?" "You are going to give me the secret that will make me the master of the earth, and the master of the universe," Caddo announced. Oridin poured himself a mug of coffee. "I knew you did not want gold, although Azair is filthy with the stuff," he said. "But what secret have I that is so powerful?" "The _Discovery_!" Caddo said. "I have many." Oridin nodded toward the wall, and the pinhole of light blinked out. "I want the secret of the universe!" Caddo spoke tensely. "Come! Don't be so melodramatic," Oridin chided. "The universe is full of secrets." "You're stalling. You know what I mean!" "I think I do," Oridin agreed. "My erratic experiments have revealed a certain mathematical function, _J_, which theoretically opens the door to action without probability. Is that what you want, Caddo? The value of _J_?" "The mathematical bombsight!" Caddo said. "It removes probability and makes certainty of everything. With my calculations based on certainty, I'll be fate itself! I can conquer the world, chain the universe and govern creation." Oridin laughed quietly. "Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, Genghis Khan and Hitler spoke those words and they were willing to bargain with the devil himself to make them come true," he said. "I suppose I am the devil, for I know the answer and I can tell you the answer--for a price." "You'll give it to me for nothing!" Caddo patted the blister, now in the holster at his side. "Is that your only offer?" Oridin asked, still wearing an amused half-smile. "It is!" Oridin rose and moved toward a safe under two clocks on the wall across the room. One of these clocks gave the terrestrial days, hours and minutes according to the General Meridian time. The other registered the four-hour rotation of Azair.