mes have you been off Earth?"

"I went to Mars once. And I spent a couple of weeks at Aristillus Resort
on the Moon."

Frayberg leaned back in his chair as if shocked. "And we're supposed to
be a couple of learned planetologists!"

Catlin made grumbling noise in his throat. "I haven't been around the
zodiac, so what? You sneezed a few minutes ago and I said _gesundheit_,
but I don't have any doctor's degree."

"There comes a time in a man's life," said Frayberg, "when he wants to
take stock, get a new perspective."

"Relax, Howard, relax."

"In our case it means taking out our preconceived ideas, looking at
them, checking our illusions against reality."

"Are you serious about this?"

"Another thing," said Frayberg, "I want to check up a little. Shifkin
says the expense accounts are frightful. But he can't fight it. When
Keeler says he paid ten munits for a loaf of bread on Nekkar IV, who's
gonna call him on it?"

"Hell, let him eat bread! That's cheaper than making a safari around the
cluster, spot-checking the super-markets."

Frayberg paid no heed. He touched a button; a three-foot sphere full of
glistening motes appeared. Earth was at the center, with thin red lines,
the scheduled space-ship routes, radiating out in all directions.

"Let's see what kind of circle we can make," said Frayberg. "Gower's
here at Canopus, Keeler's over here at Blue Moon, Wilbur Murphy's at
Sirgamesk ..."

"Don't forget," muttered Catlin, "we got a show to put on."

"We've got material for a year," scoffed Frayberg. "Get hold of
Space-Lines. We'll start with Sirgamesk, and see what Wilbur Murphy's up
to."

* * * * *

Wilbur Murphy was being presented to the Sultan of Singhalut by the
Prince Ali-Tomas. The Sultan, a small mild man of seventy, sat
crosslegged on an enormous pink and green air-cushion. "Be at your ease,
Mr. Murphy. We dispense with as much protocol here as practicable." The
Sultan had a dry clipped voice and the air of a rather harassed
corporation executive. "I understand you represent Earth-Central Home
Screen Network?"

"I'm a staff photographer for the _Know Your Universe!_ show."

"We export a great deal to Earth," mused the Sultan, "but not as much as
we'd like. We're very pleased with your interest in us, and naturally we
want to help you in every way possible. Tomorrow the Keeper of the
Archives will present a series of charts analyzing our economy.
Ali-Tomas shal