"Helen," he said, "I married one of the ... cleverest ... women ... in the ... system."
"There," she said, "I thought I'd never get that one."
The captain got very cramped, sitting there. It was late. He expected it was about time for the assembly bell to ring.
He stood up.
No one had come down his corridor all day, and he felt very pleased with his acumen in selecting it.
There wasn't nearly as much noise as there had been earlier; people were thinning out. He hoped there wouldn't be many left in the fight for the assembly.
He heard, interrupting his reverie, a thin, shrill shriek, drifting down the corridor from his left. Then, looking, he saw a crewman running toward him.
He tightened his grip on his infantry sword.
Then he relaxed. It was all right.