53 "As soon as the medical emergencies are
stabilized," the Doctor agreed, "I'll make the usual post leap checks."
54 She departed and North spent the next few hours running over the
plan in his mind. Finally, exhaustion overtook him again, and he
retreated to his cabin. Sleep did not come easy, and he awoke several
times, nervous, in the strangely silent ship.
55 The Engineers had rigged a power coupling in North's quarters and
I.S. usually stayed there, ready to attend to North's needs. Finally
North rose. Thankfully, they'd got the showers working and he could
finally get thoroughly clean. A shower and fresh clothes seemed to help
everybody's morale!
56 North sought out the Engineer, who was taking a break in the
engineering rec room. "I've been thinking," North suggested, "what if
we made up a thick material shield, equipped it with remote arms and
double electron shields, with the shielding of a space suit, wouldn’t
that be enough to protect the workers as they disassembled the system
engines?"
57 "Not a prayer! " argued the Engineer. "They'd receive a lethal dose
in five minutes. They'd be cooked in fifteen!"
58 "Why not increase the shielding?" commented the Doctor, who had
walked up to the conversing men.
59 "Can't," answered North. "increase the material or ray shielding any
more. The operator's vision and instrument will become impaired, and
they've got to see what they're doing. One mistake, and they're vapor!
But I still think there's got to be some way of taking those engines
apart and putting at least one of them back together. I know it's never
been done, but it's got to be possible!"
60 "No other ship," argued the Engineer, "has ever survived this much
damage. If this girl had been