"The legal trade is as precise as any. Everything we do is done according to legal precedent." "I see. And when there is no precedent?" "Then we all decide upon the proper course, and establish a precedent." "But I've got to show you a complete circuit before you'll permit me to go ahead?" "That's not all. Your program must not include reproducing these tubes either in miniature or full size--or larger. Give me your requirements and I shall request Terran Electric to perform the fabrication--" "Look, Kingman, Venus Equilateral has facilities to build as good a tube as Terran Electric. I might even say better, since our business includes the use, maintenance, and development of radio tubes; your tubes are not too different from ours. Plus the fact that we can whack out six in one day, whilst it will take seventy-three hours to get 'em here after they're built on Terra." "I'm sorry, but the legal meaning of the patent is clear. Where is your legal department?" "We have three. One on each of the Inner Planets." "I'll request you to have a legal representative come to the Station so that I may confer with him. One with power of attorney to act for you." "Sorry," said Channing coldly. "I wouldn't permit any attorney to act without my supervision." "That's rather a backward attitude," said Kingman. "I shall still insist on conducting my business with one of legal mind." "O.K. We'll have Peterman come out from Terra. But he'll still be under my supervision." "As you wish. I may still exert my prerogative and remove the tubes from your possession." "You may find that hard to do," said Channing. "That's illegal!" "Oh no, it won't be. You may enter the laboratory at any time and remove the tubes. Of course, if you are without technical training you may find it most difficult to disconnect the tubes without getting across a few thousand volts. That might be uncomfortable." "Are you threatening me?" said Kingman, bristling. His stocky frame didn't take to bristling very well, and he lost considerable prestige in the act. "Not at all. I'm just issuing a fair warning that the signs that say: DANGER! HIGH VOLTAGE! are not there for appearance." "Sounds like a threat to me." "Have I threatened you? It sounds to me as though I were more than anxious for your welfare. Any threat of which you speak is utterly without grounds, and is a figment of your imagination; based upon distrust of the Interplanetary Communications Company, and the personnel of the Venus Equilateral Relay Station." Kingman shut up. He went down the list, marking off items here and there. While he was marking, Channing scribbled a circuit and listed the parts. He handed it over as Kingman finished. "This is your circuit?" asked the lawyer skeptically. "Yes." "I shall have to ask for an explanation of the symbols involved."