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five feet, and something like forty feet in height. Except for two door openings, the walls were entirely covered with colored graphs and charts like those in the Scout, but on a larger scale and more numerous. http://web.archive.org/web/2001090503301 6/http://www.universe-people.com/ Extending along all four sides of the room were three tiers of platforms from which the many instruments could be observed and studied. A master telescope stood on the top platform, and another on the bottom platform. From both of these were electronic extensions to many instruments in other parts of the ship, making it possible, | was told, for these two telescopes to be used from many locations on the ship. Also in this room was a robot instrument which | was cautioned not to describe. | had noticed a miniature version of this robot in the Scout. There were also several pieces of machinery in this control room, none of which, so far as | could see, had any moving parts. | would have liked to stop in this room for closer observation of all these graphs, charts, colors, machinery and instruments, and to have been permitted to ask questions concerning their operation, but this privilege was not granted. Instead, we went directly through this control room and through a second door which led into the most beautiful living room or lounge that | have ever seen. Its simplicity and splendor took my breath and | gasped as | stood momentarily in the doorway, not only marveling at the richness of its furnishings, but held m the wonderful emanation of harmony that came from it. | do not know how long ittook me to recover from this unexpected experience but eventually | was able to look about me with more interest for detail. The ceiling, | judged, was about fifteen feet high, and the room could not have been less than forty feet square. A soft, mysterious blue-white light filled it, and yet | saw no lighting fixtures, and nowhere any inequality in brightness. Then, as | stepped through the doorway into this luxurious lounge, my attention instantly was absorbed by two incredibly lovely young women who arose from one of the divans and came toward us as we entered. This was indeed a tremendous surprise as, for some reason, | had never visualized women as space travelers. Their very presence and extraordinary beauty, the friendliness that was so apparent as they approached to greet us, together with the luxurious background in the out-of-this-world craft, were overwhelming. The shorter of the two women touched my hand in the recognized greeting, then immediately turned away to walk over to another part of the room. Then the taller and seemingly younger girl leaned forward and touched my cheek lightly with her lips. The first lovely lady returned holding a small glass of colorless liquid which she held out to me. Stirred deeply by the warm friendliness of these people, | thanked her and took the glass. The water (for that is what it proved to be) tasted like our own pure spring water. It seemed, however, a little denser, with a consistency something like a very thin oil. As | sipped it, | strove to regain my composure and to impress the images of these gracious and beautiful young women indelibly on my mind.