"You say Number Ten just let go?"
"Not exactly, sir. For a couple of hours or so after we resumed speed, it stayed steady. All of a sudden, it started to climb. They called me, but by the time I got there it was already at critical level. We put in more dampers, but it kept going up and up, and I thought it might vaporize any minute. I hadn't any choice, sir. There wasn't time to call you and get orders. I had to drop it."
"Certainly. I'm not criticizing you. But there's one thing we hadn't counted on. Chief Thayer says Pile Ten took lifeboat C along with it."
"But how could that happen?"
"Boat C was just above, you remember. The heat triggered the release mechanism, and the boat launched itself into space."
Jasperson interrupted, trying to speak calmly. "What's happened? Tell me what's wrong?"
"We've hit the imaginary Thakura Ripples," Evans said savagely, "and they're tearing us apart!"
The plump soft body of Burl Jasperson seemed to deflate. The truculence drained from his face, leaving his skin a dirty white as he whispered, "Then the Thakura Ripples are real? And we're in danger?"
The Captain's laugh was bitter. "What do you think? Don't you want to give me the benefit of your advice now?"
Again the door burst open, and a crewman ran in.