"I know how to find out. Let's call Chuck Thomas and have him get on the rails. We can have him request Terran Electric to give us any information they may have on energy beams to date."
"They'd tell you?" scorned Arden.
"If they write no! and we find out that they did, we'll sue 'em dead. They're too shaky to try anything deep right now."
"Going to make it an official request, hey?"
"Right. From the station, it'll go out in print, and their answer will be on the 'type, too, since business etiquette requires it. They'll get the implication if they're on the losing end. That'll make them try something slick. If they're honest, they'll tell all."
"That'll do it all right," said Walt. "They're too shaky to buck us any more. And if they are trying anything, it'll show."
The rest of the trip was without incident. They put in at Canalopsis and found Keg Johnson with an official 'gram waiting for them. Don Channing ripped it open and read:
VENUS EQUILATERAL
ATTENTION DR. CHANNING: