Slowly the port swung open.
"Ralph! What in hell happened to you?" Starbuck cried.
Garvey looked as though he had been wrestling with a meat grinder and come out second-best. His face was bruised, and his hair had been badly scorched. He walked out of the ship with a pronounced limp.
"A power line overloaded," Garvey said. "Had quite a tussle before I could put everything out."
"Wow!" Starbuck said. "Look, Ralph, I'm sorry to put you through this now, but—well—"
"What's up?"
"Well, that damned surrogate still hasn't been found. The FBI has ordered inspection of all ships, private and commercial. I'm sorry to ask it now, after all you've been through—"
"Go right ahead," Garvey said.
The inspection was brief but thorough. Starbuck came out and checked his list.
"Thanks, Ralph. Sorry to bother you. That power line sure kicked up a mess, huh?"