Somewhere, he was sure, there was cause for great pride in his actions.
The peaceful glow of victory seemed to settle about him.
He HAD won. He was in the captain's chair of the only space station that man had ever put in orbit.
His worst enemy was tied to a chair only a few feet away.
At times like this a man could glow, could feel expansive even towards his enemies.
Naylor wasn't such a bad chap. If he hadn't thrown in with the scientists he might even now be a fellow officer, entitled to full respect and honor.
General Elbertson did not consider it odd that his face was suddenly flushed with triumph. There was a glow of energy. Why, he could even get up and dance a jig--and this he proceeded to do.
Around him, the two Security men joined in, followed by the communications officer--and then, realizing that their friends couldn't dance with them, they undid the ropes and invited the captain and Bessie to join them.
Soon they were all whirling giddily, though there was hardly the space for it. Maybe they should go next door, into the large clear area that was the ship's gymnasium when not being used as a morgue.
Surprisingly, amidst these dancing figures, a head emerged from the floor. All of them leaned over to laugh at it; and even the needle gun failed to frighten them.
Bessie had a hangover. She groaned and stretched. There certainly must have been lots of vodka at that party last night.
It was difficult to separate various concepts and orient herself to a present where and when.
Slowly the soft susurrus background song of the big wheel penetrated consciousness, and another, closer roar. Millie taking a shower, she realized.
Suddenly she came out of the vagueness wide awake, the hangover cleared magically, evaporating much too quickly to have been caused by alcohol.
But she had been tied up to a chair on the bridge beside Nails, prisoner of the Security men, only minutes ago.
Millie stepped out of the shower into the compartment the two girls occupied, and smiled.
"How're you doing? About to come out of it?"
"Da, Da eta--" with an effort Bessie switched to English. "Explosion? What happened?"
"Oh, Mike just had to get the Security men off guard. Something to do with the air supply. He asked me to apologize to you if you don't feel so good. But after all, we got the Lab back and that's the main thing."