"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 Venus Equilateral, and the personnel of 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." "I shall be happy to present you with a book on essential radio technique," offered Channing. "A perusal of which will place you in possession of considerable knowledge. Will that suffice?" "I believe so. I cannot understand how; being uncertain of your steps a few minutes ago, you are now presenting me with a circuit of your intended experiment." "The circuit is, of course, merely symbolic. We shall change many of the constants before the day is over--in fact, we may even change the circuit." "I shall require a notice before each change so that I may pass upon the legal aspects." "Walt," said Don, "will you accompany me to a transparency experiment on the Ninth Level?" "Be more than glad to," said Walt. "Let's go!" * * * * * They left the office quickly, and started for Joe's. They had not reached the combined liquor vending and restaurant establishment when the communicator called for Channing. It was announcing the arrival of Barney Carroll, so instead of heading for Joe's, they went to the landing stage at the south end of the station to greet the Visitor. "Barney," said Don, "of all the companies, why did you pick on Terran Electric?" "Gave us the best deal," said the huge, grinning man. "Yeah, and they're getting the best of my goat right now." "Well, Jim and I couldn't handle anything as big as the power transmission set-up. They paid out a large slice of jack for the complete rights. All of us are well paid now. After all, I'm primarily interested in Martian artifacts, you know." "I wonder if they had lawyers," smiled Walt wryly. "Probably. And, no doubt, the legals had a lot to do with the fall of the Martian civilization." "As it will probably get this one so wound up with red tape that progress will be impossible--or impractical."