I told him. "—it looked like a good idea," I finished, "only it wasn't. Now the stuff's in, and I can't get it out again. It'll fill the whole damned ship—"
But Cap Bowman is no dope. He had already sprung to the audio, was barking orders to other parts of the Pegasus.
"Seal port and loft sections of the ship immediately. Lock emergency doors! Get all men into safe sectors!"
Lorraine looked at me worriedly.
"What—what is it, Sparks?"
"Nothing much," I told her grimly, "except that I've just about killed us all. That stuff will ooze through every crack and crevice in the ship, swallow everything just like it swallowed the ship. That's probably what happened to those other explorers. There must have been one dope like me aboard each of them. With a bright idea that—I'm sorry, Mrs. Larkin. I've sure put the final touch on your happy honeymoon."
She was Cap Bowman's daughter; she was the bride of Johnny Larkin. A gal doesn't get to be both of those things without having more innard-stuffings than a sofa-cushion. My words heaved her back on her heels, but only for a fraction of a second. Then, smiling, she turned to Johnny.
"We're not afraid, are we, honey? But you'll have to hurry now."
Larkin pawed his hair frantically.
"I'm doing my best. I've got all the facts. But I still can't quite understand—"