"Yes."

"Is it the same dream? The same as before?" "It is. But it's over now."

"You may sleep a little longer and then awaken when you hear the tone." …

A HIGH-PITCHED ELECTRONIC TONE awakened Spence from a deep sleep. He spun around in the chair and glanced at the digiton above the console. He had been asleep only twenty minutes. Tickler was still nowhere in sight. He rubbed his face with his hands and wondered idly where his assistant managed to hide whenever he needed him. He rose from the chair and stretched.

Soon Tickler came bustling into the room. He was all apologies. "I am sorry to have kept you waiting, Dr. Reston. Have you been here long?"

"Oh, about an hour, I guess…" Spence yawned.

"I was, uh, detained." Tickler's sharp features gleamed with a slight perspiration. It was clear that he was worked up over something. Spence decided it was too late to start another session that day.

"I think we'll try it again tonight. I won't need you 'til then. I suppose you have something to do elsewhere?"

Tickler looked at him, his head cocked to one side as if examining some new variety of mushroom spore. "I suppose." He scratched his chin. "Yes, no problem. Tonight, then."

Spence handed him a sheaf of folded printouts which he required to be deciphered and charted in a thick logbook-a purely meaningless task, since the same computer that spit out the information could chart it as well. But Spence preferred the personal touch.