"Yes it is. What sport has undergone little change for a thousand years? It is no sport using equipment. The equipment-sports are constantly changing with the development of new materials with which to make the equipment. Take the ancient game of golf, for instance. They used to make four strikes to cover a stinking four hundred yard green. That's because control of materials was insufficiently perfect to maintain precision. No two golf balls were identical, and no two clubs were alike. "But--and stop me if my rambling annoys you, although it is seldom that I am permitted to ramble--the sport of ring-fighting is still similar to its inception. Men stand in a ring and fight with their hands until one is _hors de combat_ for a period of ten seconds. They used gloves at one time, I believe, but men are harder and stronger now--and surgery repairs scars, mars, and abrasions. Also, my fine and literary friend, the audience, gentle people, like to see the vanquished battered, torn, and slightly damaged. Civilization! One step removed from Ancient Roma, where they tossed malcontents into an arena to see if he could avoid being eaten by a hungry carnivore! "Well, the one thing that Terra would most probably do is to make use of this drive and go out and fight with the Ones." "Are they afraid?" "I don't know. I'd hardly think so." "Gene, you're wrong. They wouldn't even bother brushing us off." "No?" "No. We'd be polished off before we got to see them. There's something else there and I don't know what it is." "You don't follow the hatred angle?" "You, my friend, have a warped personality. You have the usual viewpoint of a man of minor stature. That lanky body of yours has driven you into believing that your race is tough, vicious, and most deadly to everything. Not because you really believe it, but you yourself are not tough, deadly, or invincible but you want to belong to a group that is." "You think them benign?" "I wonder--but am forced to believe the overwhelming pile of evidence. In every way, Gerd and his wife have been willing to co-operate. They've willingly submitted themselves to our mental testing--and that is complete, believe me--and in every case they have proven intelligent, enthusiastic, and capable. Oh, we make mistakes, but not such complete blunders. I'll tell you one thing, Gene. I went over there today to ask one question. I wanted to know just why they refuse to give us the stellar power. Their answer was that we were not ready for it--and in the face of it, I was forced to agree." "Whitewash." "Think so? Then tell me how you can tell." * * * * * "Gerd Lel Rayne is a supergenius, according to the card files. Intelligence Quotient 260! That, my friend, is high enough to fool the machine!" "Nonsense."