n the auxiliary power control room, where
communication and power lines were slashed and the panel cut up. The
danger of serious damage to essential equipment had been very close, but
we had been lucky. This was the first instance I had heard of
encountering an object at hyper light speed.

It was astonishing how this threat to our safety cleared the air. The
men went about their duties more cheerfully than they had for months,
and Kramer was conspicuous by his subdued air. The emergency had
reestablished at least for the time the normal discipline; the men still
relied on the Captain in trouble.

Damage control crews worked steadily for the next seventy-two hours,
replacing wiring, welding, and testing. Power Section jockeyed
endlessly, correcting air motions. Meanwhile, I checked almost hourly
with Survey Section, hoping for good news to consolidate the improved
morale situation.

It was on Sunday morning, just after dawn relief that Lt. Taylor came up
to the bridge looking sick.

"Sir," he said, "we took more damage than we knew with that meteor
strike." He stopped and swallowed hard.

"What have you got, Lieutenant?" I said.

"We missed a piece. It must have gone off on a tangent through stores
into the cooler. Clipped the coolant line, and let warm air in. All the
fresh frozen stuff is contaminated and rotten." He gagged. "I got a
whiff of it, sir. Excuse me." He rushed away.

This was calamity.

We didn't carry much in the way of fresh natural food; but what we had
was vital. It was a bulky, delicate cargo to handle, but the chemists
hadn't yet come up with synthetics to fill all the dietary needs of man.
We could get by fine for a long time on vitamin tablets and
concentrates; but there were nutritional elements that you couldn't get
that way. Hydroponics didn't help; we had to have a few ounces of fresh
meat and vegetables grown in sunlight every week, or start to die within
months.

* * * * *

I knew that Kramer wouldn't let this chance pass. As Medical Officer he
would be well within his rights in calling to my attention the fact that
our health would soon begin to suffer. I felt sure he would do so as
loudly and publicly as possible at the first opportunity.

My best move was to beat him to the punch by making a general
announcement, giving the facts in the best possible light. That might
take some of the sting out of anything Kramer said later.

I gave it to the