"Thanks," grunted Keg. "Don't tell me that you guys were worried?" "Nope. We came to give you a hunk of something interesting. Wes Farrell hauled it out of space, electrons, and considerable high-powered theory. _Identium._ Corrosion-proof, inert, malleable, but hard enough for coins, and you can roll it out into ten-thousandths sheets and use it for paper money. But don't ever put it into a duplicator. It'll blow the top right off of your roof if you do. There's our medium of exchange, Keg." "Now," breathed Keg, "we can all get back to normal. Thanks, fellows." "The government is making the stuff in reams," said Don. "It won't be too long before you'll be able to pay Hansen what he's really worth, as well as the rest of your crew. But in spite of this trinket, Life has still made a big change. I can foresee the four-hour week right now." "It's here and been here for some time," said Keg. "But--Hey! Linna!" Keg's wife entered. She was clad in hospital whites and was carrying a tray. "Hello, Keg," she said solemnly. Keg hadn't heard that tone of voice for years. "What happened?" he asked. "Someone had to help. I was doing nothing and so I pitched in to help Dr. Hansen when he worked on you. He said I did fine." "Linna is a good nurse's aid," responded Hansen. "Mind if we keep her on a bit?" "Not if she minds staying." "I want to, Keg," she said quietly. "With Marie wearing a platinum-mounted diamond tiara to dust the house, and Briggs coming to work in a limousine--imagine the idea of a butler's chauffeur!--and as you said, people eating from gold plates and using iridium tableware, there's nothing to get long-nosed about but one's inventiveness, talent, or uniqueness." "Linna, you're an ace," grinned Keg. He smiled up at her and said, while waving the sheet of Identium before their faces, "do me a job, Linna. Go out and buy me back the spaceline." "Huh?" blurted Channing, Franks and Hansen. "What for?" "When the tumult and the shouting dies, fellers, we'll all be back in business again. Identium! The only thing you can write a contract on and not have it fouled or duplicated. The only thing you can write a check on, or use for credit. Identium--the first page of the new era--and when we get the mess cleared up Keg Johnson and Company will be carrying the mail! Linna, go out and buy me back my spaceline!" _Interlude:_ _An era of absolutely no want may give rise to concern about the ambitions of the race. Those who may wonder why the Period of Duplication did not weed all ambition out and leave the race decadent are missing one vital point._ _They should ask themselves to consider the many reasons why men work, Keg Johnson himself can supply one line of reasoning--as follows:_