The Captain came back from his thoughts. "Did you make a check of the Parts Index?" he asked.
"Sure. They're supposed to be in Compartment Four. Couldn't find them there. Some crazy fool probably made baby rattles out of them a hundred and fifty years ago."
"I'll send someone to see if you overlooked them. You want to go, Johnny?"
"I'll look, sure. Compartment Four, Skippy?"
"Supposed to be."
The Mate turned back to the radio. "Hello, Earth.... Hello, Earth.... Hello, Earth.... This is Interstellar Flight One.... Interstellar Flight One, inside Pluto.... Hello, Earth, this is—"
Johnny Nine closed the door behind him and left the cramped room.
In Compartment Four Johnny Nine switched on the lights; the large center bulb flared blue and the filaments fused. That left the compartment in gloom.
Slowly the Ship was growing old. It no longer functioned as smoothly as before; its spare parts stock was running low. Bulbs were rationed and three whole levels were in continual darkness. The long night was creeping in, as if the jet of space was slowly digesting the interloper.