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You will find it in every one of our ships as well as in our homes. It is because we keep this symbol always before us that you will find no age amongst our people. ? On one side of the room was a long table surrounded by many chairs. | had the impression that this table was used by the ship?s company for meals, and perhaps also as a council table. | had an idea that the number of crew members ran into three figures, although | had seen only a few on this occasion. | received no verification of this latter impression, but my feeling about the table was substantiated by Firkon. | also learned that the greater part of the room was used as a lounge by the crew and their guests when crew members were not at their various posts during flight. The rest of the salon was casually strewn with divans, settees and chairs of different designs and sizes, very much in the manner of Earth. But in every case these were lower and more comfortable than ours, and more graceful in design and appearance. They were covered in a material of a deep soft nap with a brocade effect. The colors varied and were most attractive to look at?rich, warm and subdued. Beside the chairs were low glass or crystal-topped tables with interesting decorative centerpieces. But | saw nothing the least like an ash tray. | suppose | knew instinctively that these people were not addicted to the nicotine habit and | left my cigarettes in my pocket. Once, however, through sheer force of habit, | reached for them. Observing this, the little lady from Venus smiled and said, ?You may smoke if you like. | will get you a receptacle for your ashes. You see, only Earth people indulge in that odd habit!? | thanked her and returned the package to my pocket without taking a cigarette. To continue with my description?the whole floor was covered by a single luxurious rug which reached to the walls. Medium brown and perfectly plain, with a deep, soft nap, it was delightful to walk upon. When we were asked to sit down, | found myself on one of the longer divans between Firkon and Ramu. Directly opposite, at a comfortable conversational distance, was another divan of the same shape and size. Here the two ladies seated themselves with Orthon between them. | still held the empty water glass Dee mee bee ee eee ak ee 2 a eee be te fe 2 ee in my hand, and now set it down on the low table in front of us. The material of this goblet interested me. It was crystal-clear, without etching of any kind. It did not feel like our glass, nor like plastic. | had no idea of what material it was made, but | received the definite impression that it was unbreakable. After noting the most outstanding features of the furnishings, | let my eyes roam around the walls. To my right, | noticed a large and beautiful door, slightly ajar, with no knob or lock that | could see. Kalna told me that this led into a storage room, adding, ?Our ship often is long absent from our home planet as we travel and study space. Nor do we always stop on other planets during such trips. Consequently, large storage facilities are needed for supplies and equipment. ?The door you see over there in the opposite wall, like the one serving the supply room, leads into a kitchen.? This door gave onto the portion of the room | supposed was used for dining purposes. | was not taken into either of these rooms.