THE COSMIC BLUFF By Mack Reynolds As Earth's Champion, Jak had challenged the Invaders to a duel in the Arena. It was a grand bluff, but they called it--with one of their own! [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy October 1952 Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] To everyone in the Solar System I was a big shot, understand? Everyone but two--the two that counted most. One of the two was Suzi, and the other was me. The difference was that Suzi made no bones about telling me I was a fake; in my own mind the knowledge was there but more or less subconscious. On this particular occasion Suzi was standing in the center of the half acre living room of my new penthouse on top the two hundred story Spacenter Building in Neuve Los Angeles. She had her hands on her hips and was glaring around at the furniture, the pictures, the statuary. She said bitingly, "Jak, you're a phony." "A what?" I complained. "Listen, Suzi, don't start calling me those prehistoric names again." "A phony," she said, "a humbug, a four flusher, a quack, a faker...." She'd finally got to a word I knew. "Hey," I protested, "what's this all about?" She indicated the portraits of me hanging on the wall. She pointed out the statuettes. She picked up a magazine and showed me the ad on the back page--me, endorsing a boomerang. I'd got a thousand credits for that. She went over to the bookcase and pulled out a copy of "How I Became Champ" and the first volume of "Gladiator Technique". Both by me. That is, ghost written for me; but my name was on the cover. She indicated two or three other books I was cashing in on. "You're a phony, Jak," she repeated. "You used to be a nice quiet fellow, actually more shy and retiring than was good for you. Now your head is swollen beyond bearing." I was getting a little hot about this. For the past few months I'd been acquiring the habit of having people look up to me, admiring me, asking for my autograph, that sort of thing. "Look here," I said. "Just because you've known me for years and just because for most of that time I've been chasing you, doesn't mean that the Gladiator Champion of the Solar System is a nobody." I finished with what I thought would be the clincher. "Let me tell you, there isn't one girl in a billion who wouldn't be glad to be in your shoes--engaged to Jak Dempsi." * * * * * It was the clincher all right. She took her hands from her hips and folded them over her breasts and glared. "Oh yes there is," she told me. "There's exactly one girl who isn't interested in being engaged to you Gladiator Jak Dempsi. Me," she snapped. I glared back at her. "Are you crazy?" I asked. "We're going to be married the day after tomorrow."