d dance a jig--and this he proceeded to do.

Around him, the two Security men joined in, followed by the
communications officer--and then, realizing that their friends
couldn't dance with them, they undid the ropes and invited the captain
and Bessie to join them.

Soon they were all whirling giddily, though there was hardly the space
for it. Maybe they should go next door, into the large clear area that
was the ship's gymnasium when not being used as a morgue.

Surprisingly, amidst these dancing figures, a head emerged from the
floor. All of them leaned over to laugh at it; and even the needle gun
failed to frighten them.

* * * * *

Bessie had a hangover. She groaned and stretched. There certainly must
have been lots of vodka at that party last night.

Party? What party?

It was difficult to separate various concepts and orient herself to a
present where and when.

Slowly the soft susurrus background song of the big wheel penetrated
consciousness, and another, closer roar. Millie taking a shower, she
realized.

Suddenly she came out of the vagueness wide awake, the hangover
cleared magically, evaporating much too quickly to have been caused by
alcohol.

But she had been tied up to a chair on the bridge beside Nails,
prisoner of the Security men, only minutes ago.

WHAT was going on?

Millie stepped out of the shower into the compartment the two girls
occupied, and smiled.

"How're you doing? About to come out of it?"

"Da, Da eta--" with an effort Bessie switched to English. "Explosion?
What happened?"

"Oh, Mike just had to get the Security men off guard. Something to do
with the air supply. He asked me to apologize to you if you don't feel
so good. But after all, we got the Lab back and that's the main
thing."

"Security. Oh! I've got to get to Nails right away. They've taken over
Earth, too, you know. We've got to make sure they don't get control of
the projects. We'll be shot of course. But their ambitions rest on
having control of Hot Rod and the wheel. Probably secret control--"

"But--"

"Nails has got to figure out how to destroy the project without too
many casualties. Maybe he can get some of our men back to Earth,
though of course we're all expendable. We can't let these monsters
have the wheel and Hot Rod! That's what they need for power--"

"Bessie--"

"Of course, we can stand and fight for as long as possible, but we're
sitting ducks, and even wi