said.

The leader took a deep breath.

"One moment," Angelo said as he was about to speak. "Just a word of warning if you please. If you want anything of us at all, simply state your case in plain language. Don't try to 'sell' us anything—we can beat you roundly at that! And if we agree to your request, you will accept exactly what we give you; beggars, no matter how expert in some things, are still not in the position of choosers! A matter, after all, of—shall we say, artistic integrity?"

The leader's eyes flashed: Damn you and your infernal artistic integrity! but it was his mouth which, fortunately for him under the circumstances, did the talking.

"Very well. As I said, both Sides are in perfect technological and therefore military balance—"

"Balance is so important," interrupted Angelo. Behind him, Ojar, the Orator was having a difficult time repressing a yelp of pure mirth. It was unfair, of course, to bait these stumble-witted fellows like this, but it was amusing—especially when Angelo did it, who, though a Painter, was well up on his word-play. "... Perhaps you have already noticed," Angelo was going on, quite oblivious to the perspiration on the leader's high forehead, and exactly as Ojar had expected, "how well we of Ste. Catherine observe the Fundamental Laws of Order. The Rhythm of our very way of life, for example—but excuse me! You were outlining your request...."

The leader had reddened helplessly, and his subordinates had both stolen quick glances at him. It was as though images of the man himself, reflected from mirrors at either side, had suddenly taken on a volition of movement of their own. But quite quickly they became well-behaved images again.

"Both sides have equally effective weapons and defenses," the leader went on, "and so it has become a disastrous war of attrition. To win, we must have something they do not have, obviously."

"To bring your Side into Dominance, of course," said Angelo sagely. "To prevent your Subordination, as it were...." Ojar had a sudden, violent fit of coughing.

"Yes," the leader said. There was a momentary blankness in his eyes, and Angelo decided that enough was enough. Unfairness was unfairness, after all. They must hear the man out.

"We have looked back over history," the leader said. "It was an unprecedented step, to be 

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