East

The images on the screens brightened and stabilized.

The display at the eastern end of the room carried live video from Urquhart's office down the hall. A large man wearing a bowling shirt and headphones was stretched out on a truly ugly Italian couch. His sleeping cap was wired for EEG.

"My colleague," Urquhart explained, "Dr. Miles Macarthur of the Institute for Hypermedia Operations and Procedures in Las Vegas. Dr. Macarthur will be our human interactor this evening."

Macarthur flashed a V-sign at the camera, yawned and pulled on a pair of red felt sleepshades.

"Nighty night."