five minutes when Mike the Angel and
Chief Powerman's Mate Multhaus reached the low-power center of the Power
Section. The door was open, and a torch was spearing its beam on two
men--one kneeling over the prone figure of the other. The kneeling man
jerked his head around as Mike and the chief came in the door.

The kneeling man was Powerman First Class Fleck. Mike recognized the man
on the floor as Powerman Third Class Breckwell.

"What happened?" he snapped at Fleck.

"Don't know, sir. I was in the head when the lights went. It took me a
little time to get a torch and get in here, and I found Breckwell gone.
At least, I thought he was gone, but then I heard a noise from the tool
cabinet and I opened it and he fell out." The words seemed to come out
all in a rush.

"Dead?" asked Mike sharply.

"Nossir, I don't think so, sir. Looks like somebody clonked him on the
head, but he's breathin' all right."

Mike knelt over the man and took his pulse. The heartbeat was regular
and steady, if a trifle weak. Mike ran a hand over Breckwell's head.

"There's a knot there the size of a golf ball, but I don't think
anything's broken," he said.

Footsteps came running down the hall, and six men of the power crew came
pouring in the door. They slowed to a halt when they saw their
commanding officer was already there.

"A couple of you take care of Breckwell--Leister, Knox--move him to one
side. Bathe his face with water. No, wait; you can't do that till we get
the pumps moving again. Just watch him."

One of the men coughed a little. "What he needs is a good slug of
hooch."

"I agree," said Mike evenly. "Too bad there isn't any aboard. But do
what you think is best; I'm going to be too busy to keep an eye on you.
I won't be able to watch you at all, so you'll be on your own."

"Yessir," said the man who had spoken. He hid his grin and took out at a
run, heading for wherever it was he kept his bottle hidden.

"Dunstan, you and Ghihara get out and watch the halls. If any other
officer comes this way, sing out."

"Yessir!" came the twin chorus.

More footsteps pounded toward them, and the remaining men of the power
crew arrived.

"All right, now let's take a look at these circuits," said Mike.

Chief Multhaus had already flipped open all the panels and was peering
inside. The men lined the torches up on the desk in the corner, in order
to shed as much light as possible over the banks of low-power wiring,
and went ov