be in a bad way, Cap'n."

"How did you get in here?" I asked. I looked around the small room.
There was only one door, and the gray bulk of the converter unit which
broke down wastes into their component elements for re-use nearly filled
the tiny space.

"I come in through the duct, Cap'n," Thomas said. "I check the ducts
every day. You know, Cap'n," he said shaking his head, "they's some bad
laid-out ductin' in this here system. If I didn't keep after it, you'd
be gettin' clogged ducts all the time. So I jist go through the system
and keep her clear."

From somewhere, hope began again. "Where do these ducts lead?" I asked.
I wondered how the man could ignore the mutiny going on around him.

"Well, sir, one leads to the mess; that's the big one. One leads to the
wardroom, and the other one leads up to the Bridge."

My God, I thought, the Bridge.

"How big are they?" I asked. "Could I get through them?"

"Oh, sure, Cap'n," Thomas said. "You can get through 'em easy. But are
you sure you feel like inspectin' with them busted ribs?"

I was beginning to realize that Thomas was not precisely a genius. "I
can make it," I said.

"Cap'n," Thomas said diffidently, "it ain't none a my business, but
don't you think maybe I better get the doctor for ya?"

"Thomas," I said, "maybe you don't know; there's a mutiny under way
aboard this ship. The doctor is leading it. I want to get to the Bridge
in the worst way. Let's get started."

Thomas looked very shocked. "Cap'n, you mean you was hurt by somebody? I
mean you didn't have a fall or nothin', you was beat up?" He stared at
me with an expression of incredulous horror.

"That's about the size of it," I said. I managed to sit up. Thomas
jumped forward and helped me to my feet. Then I saw that he was crying.

"You can count on me, Cap'n," he said. "Jist lemme know who done it, an'
I'll feed 'em into my converter."

I stood leaning against the wall, waiting for my head to stop spinning.
Breathing was difficult, but if I kept it shallow, I could manage.
Thomas was opening a panel on the side of the converter unit.

"It's O.K. to go in Cap'n," he said. "She ain't operatin'."

The pull of the two and a half gees seemed to bother him very little. I
could barely stand under it, holding on. Thomas saw my wavering step and
jumped to help me. He boosted me into the chamber of the converter and
pointed out an opening near the top, about twelve by twenty-four inches.

"That the