“ It is in my power to stop the war, to send the Outsiders back to their galaxy. But they would return, or your race would sooner or later follow them there. Only by remaining in this space and time to intervene constantly could I prevent them from destroying one another, and I cannot remain.
“ So I shall intervene now. I shall destroy one fleet completely without loss to the other. One civilization shall thus survive. ”
Nightmare. This had to be nightmare, Carson thought. But he knew it wasn’t.
It was too mad, too impossible, to be anything but real.
He didn’t dare ask the question— which? But his thoughts asked it for him.
“ The stronger shall survive,” said the voice. “ That I cannot—and would not—change. I merely intervene to make it a complete victory, not ” — groping again—“ not Pyrrhic victory to a broken race.
“ From the outskirts of the not-yet battle I plucked two individuals, you and an Outsider. I see from your mind that, in your early history of nationalisms, battles between champions to decide issues between races were not unknown.
“ You and your opponent are here pitted against one another, naked and unarmed, under conditions equally unfamiliar to you both, equally unpleasant to you both. There is no time limit, for here there is no time. The survivor is the champion of his race. That race survives. ”
“But—‘ Carson’s protest was too inarticulate for expression, but the voice answered it.
“ It is fair. The conditions are such that the accident of physical strength will not completely decide the issue. There is a barrier. You will understand. Brain-power and courage will be more important than strength. Most especially courage, which is the will to survive. ”