"That is too bad," Sarchix admitted. "We could use a man in your position. Tell me, Channing, are you prepared to play the Channing role completely?"
"Yes. Yes, I am."
"Then we still have a chance. Let the secret out. There is a real Channing and an es percipi Channing. You have his appearance, his fingerprints, his memories. Reveal him as a traitor, a Qui Dor creation. Then you can have the game as well as the name."
"In other words—"
"In other words, two Bryan Channings are a nuisance, anyway. You would undoubtedly make a blunder sooner or later, or Channing himself will discover the fact. Beat him to the punch, find him in some awkward situation and prove your point. Of course he'll claim he's the real Channing. Naturally, he'll have Channing's memory and Channing's fingerprints, as you have. But if you can accuse him and prove your point, I daresay you'll find your job waiting for you again. Keep me abreast of all developments, Channing." Sarchix spoke English with hardly a trace of accent but with all the banal idiomatic expressions. "Say, it's a pretty good deal for you, anyway. I hear Channing's wife—your wife—is quite a looker by human standards."
"She is," said Channing, glowering. The es percipi Channing had been contrite with Ellen. Regarding Stephanie, he had surrendered unconditionally. The dirty so-and-so might even have explored the art of love-making with her, especially if he knew all the little secrets Channing knew—which he did—and wanted to employ them to convince his brand new wife of his old status.
"Well, good luck to you, Channing," said the Denebian Ambassador. "By the way, you left your briefcase here after lunch."
Channing spotted a duplicate of his own briefcase on the floor near Sarchix's couch. He was about to retrieve it when a buzzer sounded and the Denebian Ambassador spoke into a microphone in the wall.
Channing could not understand the language and waited politely until the conversation had ended. He stooped for the briefcase.
"Wait a moment, if you please," Sarchix told him. "Bryan Channing has returned to get his briefcase."