It did not even spit as Dane passed under its
abode to pour thin soup into his patient.
As for Sinbad, the cat had retreated to Dane's cabin and steadily refused
to leave the quarters he had chosen, resisting with tooth and claw the
one time Dane had tried to take him back to Van Rycke's office and his
own hammock there. Afterwards the Cargo-apprentice did not try to evict
him--there was comfort in seeing that plump gray body curled on the bunk
he had little chance to use.
His nursing duties performed for the moment, Dane ventured into the
hydro. He was practiced in tending this vital heart of the ship's air
supply. But outfitting a hydro was something else again. In his cadet
years he had aided in such a program at least twice as a matter of
learning the basic training of the Service. But then they had had
unlimited supplies to draw on and the action had taken place under no
more pressure than that exerted by the instructors. Now it was going to
be a far more tricky job--
He went slowly down the aisle between the banks of green things. Plants
from all over the Galaxy, grown for their contribution to the air
renewal--as well as side products such as fresh fruit and vegetables,
were banked there.
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