"When an electron hits at any velocity, it drives from one to as high as fifty electrons from the substance it hits. The quantity depends upon the velocity of the original electron, the charges on cathode and anode, the material from which the target is made, and so on. We soaked 'em in like a sponge and took it bad. But the next time, we'll coat the ship with the opposite stuff. We'll take a bit of Venus Equilateral for ourselves." "I like the idea. But how?" "We'll try no frontal attack. Storming a citadel like Venus Equilateral is no child's play, Kingman. As you know, they're prepared for anything either legal or technical. I have a great respect for the combined abilities of Channing and Franks. I made my first mistake by giving them three days to make up their minds. In that time, they devised, tested, and approved an electron weapon of some power. Their use of it was as dangerous to them as it was to me--or would have been if I'd been prepared with a metallic-oxide coating of the proper type." "Just what are you proposing?" asked Kingman. "I do not understand what you're getting at." "You are still one of the officials of Terran Electric?" "Naturally." "You will be surprised to know that I hold considerable stock in that company." "How, may I ask?" "The last time you bucked them, you did it on the market. You lost," grinned Murdoch. "Proving that you haven't a one hundred percent record either. Well, while Terran Electric was dragging its par value down around the twos and threes, I took a few shares." "How do you stand?" "I rather imagine that I hold fifteen or twenty percent." "That took money." "I have money," said Murdoch modestly. "Plenty of it. I should have grabbed more stock, but I figured that between us we have enough to do as we please. What's your holdings?" "I once held forty-one percent. They bilked me out of some of that. I have less than thirty percent." "So we'll run the market crazy again, and between us we'll take off control. Then, Kingman, we'll use Terran Electric to ruin Venus Equilateral." "Terran Electric isn't too good a company now," admitted Kingman. "The public stays away in huge droves since we bucked Interplanetary Communications. That bunch of electronic screwballs has the public acclaim. They're now in solid since they opened person-to-person phone on the driver frequencies. You can talk to someone in the Palanortis Country of Venus with the same quality and speak-ability that you get in making a call from here to the house across the street." "Terran Electric is about finished," said Murdoch flatly. "They shot their wad and lost. You'll be bankrupt in a year, and you know it." "That includes you, doesn't it?" "Terran Electric is not the mainstay of my holdings," smiled Murdoch. "Under assumed names, I have picked up quite a few bits. Look, Kingman, I'm advocating piracy!" "Piracy?" asked Kingman aghast.