f he'd walked in on the Commodore a month ago and announced
that he was going to _drop out_ of the Space Service. He would have been
dropped all right, all right. Right into the lap of a squadron of psycho
experts.

At the hotel he shucked his uniform, an action which gave him
considerable gratification, and dressed in one of the score of civilian
costumes that filled his closets to overflowing. He took pleasure in
estimating what this clothing would have cost in terms of months of
Space Service pay for a Sub-lieutenant or even a Captain. _Years, my
boy, years._

He looked at himself in the dressing-room mirror with satisfaction,
then turned to the autobar and dialed himself a stone-age-old Metaxa.
He'd lost his taste for the plebian tequila in the last few days.

He held the old Greek brandy to the light and wondered pleasurably what
the stuff cost, per pony glass. Happily, he'd never have to find out.

He tossed the drink down and whistling, took his private elevator to the
garages in the second level of the hotel's basement floors. He selected
a limousine and dialed the Interplanetary Lines building.

He left the car at the curb before the main entrance, ignoring all
traffic regulations and entered the building, still whistling softly and
happily to himself. He grinned when a small crowd gathered outside and
smiled and clapped their hands. He grinned and waved to them.

A receptionist hurried to him and he told her he wanted to see either
Mr. Demming or Mr. Rostoff, and then when she offered to escort him
personally he noticed her pixie-like cuteness and said, "What're you
doing tonight, Miss?"

Her face went pale. "Oh, anything, sir," she said weakly.

He grinned at her. "Maybe I'll take you up on that if I'm not too busy."

He had never seen anyone so taken aback. She said, all flustered, "I'm
Toni. Toni Fitzgerald. You can just call this building and ask for me.
Any time."

"Maybe I'll do that," he smiled. "But now, let's see Old Man Demming."

* * * * *

That took her back too. Aside from being asked for a date--if asked
could be the term--by the system's greatest celebrity, she was hearing
for the first time the interplanetary tycoon being called _Old Man
Demming_.

She said, "Oh, right this way, Captain Mathers."

Don said, "Mr. Mathers now, I'm afraid. I have new duties."

She looked up into his face. "You'll always be Captain Mathers to me,
sir." She added, sof