He became a spectator, seeing and hearing the world through Dulaq’s eyes and ears as the Acquatainian Prime Minister advanced through his nightmarish ordeal. He felt the confusion, frustration, apprehension and growing terror as, time and again, Odal appeared in the crowd—only to melt into someone else and escape. The first part of the duel ended, and Leoh was suddenly buffeted by a jumble of thoughts and impressions. Then the thoughts slowly cleared and steadied. Leoh saw an immense and totally barren plain. Not a tree, not a blade of grass; nothing but bare, rocky ground stretching in all directions to the horizon and a disturbingly harsh yellow sky. At his feet was the weapon Odal had chosen. A primitive club. He shared Dulaq’s sense of dread as he picked up the club and hefted it. Off on the horizon he could see a tall, lithe figure holding a similar club walking toward him. Despite himself, Leoh could feel his own excitement. He had broken through the shock-created armor that Dulaq’s mind had erected! Dulaq was reliving the part of the duel that had caused the shock. Reluctantly, he advanced to meet Odal. But as they drew closer together, the one figure of his opponent seemed to split apart. Now there were two, four, six of them. Six Odals, six mirror images, all armed with massive, evil clubs, advancing steadily on him. Six tall, lean, blond assassins, with six cold smiles on their intent faces. Horrified, completely panicked, he scrambled away, trying to evade the six opponents with the half-dozen clubs raised and poised to strike. Their young legs and lungs easily outdistanced him. A smash on his back sent him sprawling. One of them kicked his weapon away. They stood over him for a malevolent, gloating second. Then six strong arms flashed down, again and again, mercilessly. Pain and blood, screaming agony, punctuated by the awful thudding of solid clubs hitting fragile flesh and bone, over and over again, endlessly. Everything went blank. * * * * * Leoh opened his eyes and saw Hector bending over him. “Are you all right, sir?” “I ... I think so.” “The controls all hit the danger mark at once. You were ... well, sir, you were screaming.” “I don’t doubt it,” Leoh said. They walked, with Leoh leaning on Hector’s arm, from the dueling machine booth to the office. “That was ... an experience,” Leoh said, easing himself onto the couch. “What happened? What did Odal do? What made Dulaq go into shock? How does—” The old man silenced Hector with a wave of his hand. “One question at a time, please.” Leoh leaned back on the deep couch and told Hector every detail of both parts of the duel. “Six Odals,” Hector muttered soberly, leaning back against the doorframe. “Six against one.” “That’s what he did. It’s easy to see how a man expecting a polite, formal duel can be completely shattered by the viciousness of such an attack. And the machine amplifies every impulse, every sensation.”