The heavy door clanged shut behind Joe, and he was alone in the darkness. The motors were still silent, and he wondered how much damage the meteorite had done to the ship. He felt his way to the communications phone, unhooked it. But the steady hum that signified that it was alive was absent. Even the call speaker gave no sound.
Wearied, Joe sat down against the wall, and despite the hunger feeling throbbing in his stomach fell asleep.
It was the overhead light shining into his eyes that awakened him. His ears sought for the sound of the motors, no familiar thrum. The wandering meteor must have done quite a bit of damage.
The communications phone buzzed. Joe answered.
"Hello, Joe," it was Burnet's voice.
"How are you, Paul? The dizziness gone?"
"Right, but I guess it doesn't do any good. We're not going anywhere." Burnet's voice was a little strained.
"Why?" put in Joe.
"That damn meteor knocked hell out of the rear blasting tubes, and some of the fellows are outside trying to replace the busted ones. But even if they get it fixed we're still derelict. That meteor took all of our water, and I guess you know what that means."