crackled inches above his head。 It died away as suddenly as it had e； leaving behind nothing but smoke； heat； the scorched smell of roasted flesh； destruction； and death； death； death。 Bill crawled painfully for the hatchway； and nothing else moved down the blackened and twisted length of the fuse room。
The partment below seemed just as hot； its air as bereft of nourishment for his lungs as the one he had just quitted。 He crawled on； barely conscious of the fact that he moved on two lacerated knees and one bloody hand。 His other arm just hung and dragged； a twisted and blackened length of debris； and only the blessings of deep shock kept him from screaming with unbearable pain。
He crawled on； over a sill； through a passageway。 The air was clearer here and much cooler： he sat up and… inhaled its blessed freshness。 The partment was familiar…yet unfamiliar…he blinked at it； trying to understand why。 Long and narrow； with a curved wall that had the butt ends of immense guns projecting from it。 The main battery； of course； the guns Chinger spy Eager Beager had photographed。 Different now； the ceiling closer to the deck； bent and dented； as if some gigantic hammer had beat on it from the outside。 There was a man slumped in the gunner's seat of the nearest weapon。
〃What happened？〃 Bill asked； dragging himself over to the man and clutching him by the shoulder。 Surprisingly enough the gunner only weighed a few pounds； and he fell from the seat； light as a husk； with a shriveled parchment face as though not a drop of liquid were left in his body。
〃Dehydrator Ray；〃 Bill grunted。 〃I thought they only had them on TV。〃 The gunner's seat was padded and looked very fortable； far more so than the warped steel deck： Bill slid into the recently vacated position and stared with unseeing eyes at。 the screen before him。 Little moving blobs of light。
In large letters； just above the screen； was printed： GREEN LIGHTS OUR SHIPS； RED LIGHTS ENEMY。 FORGETTING THIS Is A COURTS…MARTIAL OFFENSE。 〃I won't forget；〃 Bill mumbled； as he started to slide sideways from the chair。 To steady himself he grabbed a large handle that rose before him； and when he did a circle of light with an X in it moved on the screen。 It was very interesting。 He put the circle around one of the green lights； then remembered something about a courtsmartial offense。 He jiggled it a bit； and it moved over to；a red light； with the X right over the light。 There was a red button on top of the handle； and he pressed it because it looked like the kind of button that is made to be pressed。 The gun next to him went wh f f le 。 。 。 in a very subdued way； and the red light went out。 Not very interesting； he let go of the handle。
〃Oh； but you are a fighting fool！〃 a voice said； and； with some effort； Bill turned his head。 A man stood in the doorway wearing a burned and tattered uniform still hung with shreds of gold braid。 He weaved forward。 〃I saw it；〃 he breathed。 〃Until my dying day I won't forget it。 A fighting fooll What guts！ Fearless！ Forward against the enemy； no holds barred； don't give up the ship 。 。 。〃
〃What the bowb you talking about？〃 Bill asked thickly。
〃A hero！〃 the officer said； pounding Bill on the back； this caused a great deal of pain and was the last straw for his conscious mind； which let go the reins of mand and went away to sulk。 Bill passed out。
VIII
〃Now won't you be a nice trooper…wooper and drink your dinner。。。〃
The warn notes of the voice insinuated themselves into a singularly repulsive dream that Bill was only too glad to leave； and； with a great deal of effort； he managed to heave his eyes open。 A quick bit of blinking got them into focus； and he saw before him a cup on a tray held by a white hand attached to a white arm connected to a white uniform well stuffed with female breasts。 With a guttural animal growl Bill knocked the tray aside and hurled himself at the dress。 He didn't make it； because his left arm was wrapped up in something and hung from wires； so that he spun around in the bed like an impaled beetle； still uttering harsh cries。 The nurse shrieked and fled。
〃Glad to see that you are feeling better；〃 the doctor said； whipping him straight in the bed with a practiced gesture and numbing Bill's still flailing right arm with a neat judo blow。 〃I'll pour you some more dinner； and you drink it right down； then we'll let your buddies in for the unveiling； they're all waiting outside。〃
The tingling was dying from his arm； and he could wrap his fingers about the cup now。 He sipped。 〃What buddies？ What unveiling？ What's going on here？〃 he asked suspiciously。
Then the door was opened； and the troopers came in。 Bill searched their faces； looking for buddies； but all he saw were ex…welders and strangers。 Then he remembered。 〃Bowb Brown cooked！〃 he screamed。 〃Tembo broiled！ First Class Spleen guttedl They're all dead！〃 He hid under the covers and moaned horribly。
〃That's no way for a hero to act；〃 the doctor said； dragging him back onto the pillows and tucking the covers under his arms。 〃You're a hero； trooper； the man whose guts； ingenuity； integrity； stick…to…itiveness； fighting spirit； and deadly aim saved the ship。 All the screens were down； the power room destroyed； the gunners dead； control lost； and the enemy dreadnaught zeroing in for the kill when you appeared like an avenging angel； wounded and near to death； and with your last conscious effort fired the shot heard round the fleet； the single blast that disemboweled the enemy and saved our ship； the grand old lady of the fleet； Christine Keeler。〃 He handed a sheet of paper to Bill。 〃I am of course quoting from the official report； me myself； I think it was just a lucky accident 。
You're just jealous；〃 Bill sneered； already falling in love with his new image。
〃Don't get Freudian with me！〃 the doctor screamed； then snuffled pitifully。 〃I always wanted to be a hero； but all I do is wait hand and foot on heroes。 I'm taking that bandage off now。〃
He unclipped the wires that held up Bill's arm and began to unwind the bandages while the troopers crowded around to watch。
〃How is my arm； Doc？〃 Bill was suddenly worried。
〃Grilled like a chop。 I had to cut it off。〃
〃Then what is this？〃 Bill shrieked； horrified。
〃Another arm that I sewed on。 There were lots of them left over after the battle。 The ship had over 42 per cent casualties； and I was really cutting and chopping and sewing； I tell you。〃
The last bandage fell away and the troopers ahhhed with delight。
〃Say； that's a mighty fine arm！〃
〃Make it do something。〃
〃And a damn nice seam there at the shoulder…look how neat the stitches are！〃
〃Plenty of muscles； too； and good and long； not like the crummy little short one he has on the other side。〃
〃Longer and darker…that's a great skin color！〃
〃It's Tembo's arm！〃 Bill howled。 〃Take it away！〃 He squirmed across the bed but the arm came after him。 They propped him up again on the pillows。
〃You're a lucky bowb； Bill； having a good arm like that。 And your buddy's arm too。〃
〃We know that he wanted you to have it。〃
〃You'll always have something to remember him by。〃
It really wasn't a bad arm。 Bill bent it and flexed the fingers； still looking at it suspiciously。 It felt all right。 He reached out with it and grabbed a trooper's arm and squeezed。 He could feel the man's bones grating together while he screamed and writhed。 Then Bill looked closer at the hand and began to shout curses at the doctor。
〃You stupid sawbones！ You thoat doctorl Some big jobthis is a right arms〃
〃So it's a right arm…so what？〃
〃But you cut off my left arml Now I have two right arms 。 。 。〃
〃Listen； there was a shortage of left arms。 I'm no miracle worker。 I do my best and all I get are plaints。 Be happy I didn't sew on a leg。〃 He leered evilly。 〃Or even better I didn't sew on a 。 。 。〃
〃It's a good arm； Bill；〃 said the trooper who was rubbing his recently crushed forearm。 〃And you're really lucky too。 Now you can salute with either arm； no one else can do that。〃
〃You're right；〃 Bill said humbly。 〃I never thought of that。 I'm really very lucky。〃 He tried a salute with his left…right arm； and the elbow whipped up nicely and the fingertips qui