The Terror from the Depths

Good afternoon, sir, nodded Correy as I entered the navigating room. He glanced down at the two glowing three-dimensional navigating charts, and drummed restlessly on the heavy frames.
Afternoon, Mr. Correy. Anything of interest to report?
Not a thing, sir! growled my fire-eating first officer. I'm about ready to quit the Service and get a job on one of the passenger liners, just on the off chance that something exciting might eventually happen.
You were born a few centuries too late, I chuckled. Correy loved a fight more than any man I ever knew. The Universe has become pretty well quieted down.
Oh, it isn't that; it's just this infernal routine. Just one routine patrol after another; they should call it the Routine Patrol Service. That's what the silver-sleeves at the Base are making of it, sir.
At the moment, Correy meant every word he said. Even old-timers develop cases of nerves, now and then, on long tours of duty in small ships like the Ertak . Particularly men like Correy, whose bodies crave physical action.
There wasn't much opportunity for physical activity on the Ertak ; she was primarily a fighting ship, small and fast, with every inch of space devoted to some utilitarian use. I knew just how Correy felt, because I'd felt the same way a great many times. I was young, then, one of the youngest commanders the Special Patrol Service had ever had, and I recognized Correy's symptoms in a twinkling.
We'll be re-outfitting at the Arpan sub-base in a couple of days, I said carelessly. Give us a chance to stretch our legs. Have you seen anything of the liner that spoke to us yesterday? I was just making conversation, to get his mind out of its unhealthy channel.
The Kabit ? Yes, sir; we passed her early this morning, lumbering along like the big fat pig that she is. A pig, I should explain, is a food animal of Earth; a fat and ill-looking creature of low intelligence. The old Ertak went by her as though she were standing still. She'll be a week and more arriving at Arpan. Look: you can just barely make her out on the charts.