"Look," said Browne harshly, "don't ask me how he did it. My picture is, he stayed in the cage till after the acceleration stopped. Then, in a leisurely fashion, he released himself from the electrically locked manacles, climbed out, and went off to some other part of the ship. He wouldn't have to hurry since by this time he was operating at a rate of, say, five hundred times faster than our living pace." Lesbee said, "But that means he's been out there for hours--his time. What's he been up to?" Browne admitted that he had no answer for that. "But you can see," he pointed out anxiously, "that I meant what I said about going back to Earth. We have no business in this part of space. These beings are far ahead of us scientifically." His purpose was obviously to persuade. Lesbee thought: "He's back to _our_ fight. That's more important to him than any damage the real enemy is causing." A vague recollection came of the things he had read about the struggle for power throughout Earth history. How men intrigued for supremacy while vast hordes of the invader battered down the gates. Browne was a true spiritual descendant of all those mad people. Slowly, Lesbee turned and faced the big board. What was baffling to him was, what could you do against a being who moved five hundred times as fast as you did? VII He had a sudden sense of awe, a picture.... At any given instant Dzing was a blur. A spot of light. A movement so rapid that, even as the gaze lighted on him, he was gone to the other end of the ship--and back. Yet Lesbee knew it took time to traverse the great ship from end to end. Twenty, even twenty-five minutes, was normal walking time for a human being going along the corridor known as Center A. It would take the Karn a full six seconds there and back. In its way that was a significant span of time, but after Lesbee had considered it for a moment he felt appalled. What could they do against a creature who had so great a time differential in his favor? From behind him, Browne said, "Why don't you use against him that remote landing control system that you set up with my permission?" Lesbee confessed: "I did that, as soon as the acceleration ceased. But he must have been--back--in the faster time by then." "That wouldn't make any difference," said Browne. "Eh!" Lesbee was startled. Browne parted his lips evidently intending to explain, and then he closed them again. Finally he said, "Make sure the intercom is off." Lesbee did so. But he was realizing that Browne was up to something again. He said, and there was rage in his tone, "I don't get it, and you do. Is that right." "Yes," said Browne. He spoke deliberately, but he was visibly suppressing excitement. "I know how to defeat this creature. That puts me in a bargaining position." Lesbee's eyes were narrowed to slits. "Damn you, no bargain. Tell me, or else!"