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.Say a couple of hours.That is if it has priority over repairing the main drive, Captain.It's pretty well burnt out.''How long to fix that?''A ship's day, maybe thirty-six hours.'Lanchard pinched the bridge of her nose, realising how tired she felt.'If there's the slightest hope, we must try to recover passengers.We can hold our position with thrusters until then.''Good,' said the Doctor.'Now I'd better have a word with Commander Vega.I think he'll want to be involved in this.''You don't mean to ask the Nimosians along?' Rexton said incredulously.'They cannot be allowed to see -''It's too late, Councillor,' the Doctor interjected sharply.'After what's happened it won't take them long to deduce the alien ship's purpose.Your secret's out.Start thinking of some compromise, because this is one trophy you won't be taking home.'Rexton glared back at him but said nothing.'And I'd also like an item of my luggage moved from the hold into the Doria!' the Doctor added.'IVe a feeling we may need it.'***'I shall complain to the shipping line,' Rhonda Plecht said angrily,'It's quite intolerable.We were crushed into that tiny lifeboat for no reason at all.'They had returned to their cabin once the all clear had been given.Rhonda had apparently taken in the damage done to the ship and the sight of the injured being tended with the same critical eye she turned on an unmade bed.The general atmosphere of fear and uncertainty touched her not at all.'It was an emergency, dear,' Lester pointed out.'And we were lucky enough to avoid being attacked by those ghost creatures.'The argument did not seem to count with Rhonda.That sort of thing happened to other people and certainly shouldn't be allowed on a well-run cruise.Lester knew she wasn't very good at empathising with the suffering of others.It was not callousness exactly, more an inability to accept simple misfortune.She believed life was what you made it and if it went wrong it was somebody's fault - probably your own.Except in her own case, of course, when somebody else was to blame.'Do you think it might be good business to check on Ms Schollander?'he said casually.'As a prospective client, I mean.See that she's come to no harm.''Yes, that might be a good idea.But don't be too long, Lester,' she said absently, looking at a message flashing on the room's infopad.'Well really, they've put back the restaurant openings by two hours.'Lester slipped out and made his way quickly to Ingrid's cabin.He found an apologetic steward just leaving and Ingrid looking pale and drawn.'Are you all right?' he asked anxiously.She forced a weak smile.'It's nothing.I was just locked in my room when the call came through to abandon ship.'What?''Somebody seems to have played a badly timed practical joke on me.They also sabotaged my phone so I couldn't call for help.I suppose I'm lucky one of those creatures didn't find me.They said they were terrifying.The steward only heard me banging on the door after it was all over.''But who'd want to do such a thing?' Lester said.'How could anyone want to hurt anybody as nice as.I mean, it could have been dangerous.'She smiled at him.'You are kind,' she said.And she kissed him on the cheek.***'Where were you, Don? You had me thinking they'd taken you with them.'Arcovian's face was a picture of concern as he confronted Delray in the door of his cabin.Delray said simply, 'I had some thinking to do, Evan.I was all right.''Thinking! While those ghouls were tearing the ship apart! Don, you don't look right.It's worry about Lyset, I know.You gotta see the doctor.''No.It's something I must sort out for myself.Just leave me alone.Please.''You won't do anything.foolish, Don?''I've been doing foolish things all my life.But I'm not feeling suicidal, if that's what you mean.That would be the coward's way out.and I think I've got past that stage.' And he closed the door firmly.Of course he was not really alone.Now he could just make out a grey fuzzy shape on the floor, but he no longer feared it.He now knew what it was and, though the knowledge sickened him, he was beyond fear.The burst of sound and light that had driven the other ghosts away had not removed them [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]