ed the entry release. Soundlessly the
thin metal door slid into the wall and the little professor bounced
into the room. The door shot back into place.

"But you're not dressed!" the professor exclaimed without the
slightest regret. "I always supposed you Air-Command men had to report
for work at eight."

"Yesterday I was out on emergency call," Dirrul said dully. "For
twelve hours, so I've the morning off. I had planned to pound the
pillow until--"

"Good! We can talk, then. I don't have a class until ten and I always
like to make the personal acquaintance of my students." Dr. Kramer
made himself comfortable in Dirrul's Cloud-foam lounge, clasping his
small, white hands over the little bulge of his belly. "Nice apartment
you have here, Edward--excellent taste in furnishing."

"You don't mind if I shave and dress and have a bite of breakfast, Dr.
Kramer?" Dirrul's sarcasm was quite lost on the professor.

"Do, by all means," Kramer said. "And you might order a pot of coffee
for me."

Dirrul touched a button and the bed rolled up into the wall--another
and the gleaming metal shower-room slid open. He stripped and bathed,
setting the aquadial so that his body was pounded by a sharp rain of
icy water. When he snapped it off the massage arms shot out, rubbing
him dry with soft, plastic puffs. He sprayed the newly patented
No-Beard Mist on his face and, after waiting the required three
seconds, wiped it off with a disposable fiber towel. The skin was
pink and clean, refreshingly invigorated. When he took a fresh uniform
out of the wall-press and put it on he felt very much himself again,
scarcely annoyed by his lack of sleep.

He pushed the button and the bathroom rolled out of sight. The whole
process had taken less than five minutes.

At his panel-control Dirrul dialed a sizable breakfast for himself and
coffee for the professor. Before he could draw up chairs the
grey-topped table had rolled from its wall slot, the steaming food
containers fixed to it.

"The marvels of invention!" Dr. Kramer said. "When I was young we had
nothing like this. Many times, Edward, I had to prepare my own
meals--and mighty skimpy ones they were too, some of them. A young
teacher in those days wasn't paid very much."

"You survived, Dr. Kramer," Dirrul reminded him dryly. "A little work
now and then wouldn't hurt us, either."

"That's the old argument, Edward. How we frothed and stewed over it
when this new system was in its infa