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couldn't even hope to match, so there was no way for them to have sent one or more of themselves along with us to help out with the repairs. I was already beginning to wish the showers had taken the hit again.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â For myself, I had considerable work to do in hydroponics if we were to survive over a long term. My job was crucial for such events as that. More than one ship's crew died for lack of food when they had almost everything else. Anyway, hydroponics wasn't in too bad a condition because of the battle. Most everything stayed in place. What little that spilled was easily taken care of by me over the next two hours. My report to the Captain indicated that we were in good shape and could depend on our hydroponics to see us through for long term survival.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â The other reports weren't as encouraging. It took almost two days to get the repairs to some of the ship's systems made. The rest of the needed repairs would require us to set down somewhere to make them if we were to make our way back to our world. We still didn't have steering but we did have some control of the engines so that we could adjust our speed. I also learned that we lost half a dozen lives in the battle. It might seem cold-hearted, but we recycled their bodies into the ship's recycling system. Had we been able to return to our port immediately, we would have kept the bodies for next of kin. However, we weren't in that condition. Under the prevailing laws of space, we did what we had to do. Thankfully, I wasn't in recycling any longer, but the next time I saw Sarah, I could see a difference in her attitude and behavior. She appeared shocked, saddened, and maybe a little haunted.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Having control over our speed was the only thing that kept us alive for the next week as we dodged a few asteroids by adjusting our speed so that they passed us safely. There was only one direction that couldn't be avoided, but the chances of a perfect head on collision with an asteroid were very small. All of us pitched in to work on what repairs could be made while still in space. Eventually, after a week, we had enough repairs made so that we would be able to take advantage of the next planet we came across that had a breathable atmosphere and set down to finish our work. All we needed was a planet with a breathable atmosphere and it had to be along our current course. That wasn't to happen as soon as we wanted.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â By the time we had full engine control, we were already out of the known or explored areas of space and those were newly explored at that. Our navigator did her best to keep track of our course. I found myself helping out during my spare time when I pursued my studies. We were almost another four weeks out before we sighted a suitable planet and started slowing down to take advantage of it.
    I have to admit, I've not quite seen a pilot as good as Frank in getting the  Thurman down to where the tiny thruster jets could be used to give us maneuverability. Even so, it was one of the scariest landings I've ever made. That was just the prelude to what would happen to us. The Thurman shook and rattled more than it ever did as Frank eased the ship down from orbit with little or no maneuverability to land just shy of a swamp in a small, or so it seemed from above, clearing surrounded by the swamp, a river and forest.

    ***
    The first thing that Captain Marble did was have atmosphere testing equipment sent out to make sure our readings from space were correct. We didn't want to go out and find out too late that there was also poison in the otherwise breathable atmosphere which would kill us. If worst came to worst, we could probably lift off again, provided we were careful and lucky.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â When she got the readings, the Captain put our plans into action. Frank was concerned about the ground being too soft. For that reason, a lot of us were issued axes and chainsaws. We